Wearable robots for the legs have been developed for gait rehabilitation training and as assistive devices. Most devices have been rigid exoskeletons designed to substitute the function of users who are completely paralyzed. While effective for this target group, exoskeletons limit their users' contributions to movements. Soft wearable robots have been suggested as an alternative that allows, and requires, active contributions from users with residual mobility.In this work, we first tested if the MyoSuit, a lightweight, lower-limb soft wearable robot, affected the walking kinematics of unimpaired users. Secondly, we evaluated the assistance delivered to a patient with a gait impairment.In our first study, 10 unimpaired participants walked on a treadmill at speeds between 0.5 and 1.3 m/s. We found that wearing the MyoSuit in its transparency mode did not affect the participants' walking kinematics (RMS difference of joint angles < 1.6°). Step length and the ratio of stance-to-stride duration were not affected when wearing the MyoSuit.In our case study with one spinal cord injured participant, the MyoSuit supported the participant to increase his 10 MWT walking speed from 0.36 to 0.52 m/s, a substantial clinically meaningful improvement.Our results show that the MyoSuit allows user-driven, kinematically unaltered walking and provides effective assistance. Systems like the MyoSuit are a promising technology to bridge the gap between rigid exoskeletons and unassisted ambulation.


We investigated the community structure of Synechococcus and Prochlorococcus along a transect in the Arabian Sea during September 2001. The transect spanned contrasting oceanic conditions, allowing investigation of the effects of both horizontal and vertical environmental gradients over relatively large spatial scales on picocyanobacterial population structure. We applied previously developed oligonucleotide probes specific for different Prochlorococcus ecotypes and Synechococcus clades by hybridization to 'oxygenic phototroph' 16S ribosomal DNA polymerase chain reaction amplicons. Flow cytometry data showed that, in general, the picocyanobacterial community was dominated by Prochlorococcus in the southern oligotrophic waters and by Synechococcus in the northern mesotrophic waters. Molecular analysis of these picophytoplankton communities, however, revealed more specific spatial separation of lineages along the transect, with Prochlorococcus in southern surface waters being dominated by the high light‐adapted ecotype, while low light‐adapted (LL) ecotypes were confined to deeper waters below the surface‐mixed layer. Interestingly, between Sta. 2 to 4, the LL genotype MIT9303 appeared to be partitioned at the very base of the euphotic zone, beneath other LL genotypes. Most of the central and northern parts of the transect were dominated by Synechococcus genotypes of the clade II lineage. A significant exception was in the mesotrophic upwelling region, where genotypes representative of clades V/VI/ VII dominated. Members of the recently discovered clades IX and X were found in subsurface samples in warm, coastal waters. We propose that discrete differences, both horizontally and vertically, in a suite of environmental parameters along the transect provide optimal growth conditions for specific genotypes in a particular patch of water, giving rise to distinct spatial compartmentalization of picocyanobacterial lineages.


A SURVEY OF THE COST MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS USED BY COMPANIES IN GERMANY, SWITZERLAND, AND AUSTRIA SHOWS THAT USE OF GRENZPLANKOSTENRECHNUNG (GPK) WORKS BEST WHEN COMBINED WITH A STRONG, HIGHLY INTEGRATED INFORMATION SYSTEM AND USED WITH OTHER COMPLEMENTARY COSTING PRACTICES. Resource consumption accounting (RCA) is a blend of advanced German costing methods, specifically Grenzplankostenrechnung methods (translated as marginal planned cost accounting, but known as GPK in the United States), and activity-based costing (ABC). This system is being promoted in the United States as a way to enhance management decision making and control.1 Understanding the characteristics of German costing systems-and particularly what factors lead to GPK adoption, usage, and success-will help U.S. firms understand whether and how to implement RCA. In April 2005, Kip Krumwiede reported on 11 site visits to companies in German-speaking countries in a Strategic Finance article titled, "Rewards and Realities of German Cost Accounting." In the article, he related what he learned about German cost accounting systems, specifically that the Germans typically place more emphasis on their cost management systems than American companies do. It is not unusual for German companies to define and track hundreds or even thousands of cost centers. Also, the management accounting function (known in German as "Controlling") is often completely separate from financial reporting and has more staff. The purpose of our ongoing research is to move the U.S. discussion of German cost accounting methods from its focus on theory to study of actual practice. We now present the results of the next stage of that research, a cross-sectional survey of cost management system (CMS) use among companies in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. The results provide a representative picture of the systems that German-speaking firms are using, particularly GPK. We will address the stages of GPK systems implemented in the surveyed companies, factors affecting GPK usage and success, and the relationship between GPK and other cost management methods. Ultimately this survey indicates that users in German-speaking countries are generally satisfied and successful with GPK implementation. It also shows that certain contextual, organizational, and behavioral factors distinguish GPK users and are more likely to lead to success. ABOUT THE SURVEY The Institute of Management Accountants (IMA®) helped us contact the director of the Internationaler Controller Verein (ICV), who agreed to sponsor our survey of its members. The ICV is a large association of controllers based near Munich and has members primarily in German-speaking countries. From the approximately 3,750 members of the ICV that we surveyed, we received 550 responses (15%), but a substantial number of responses (mostly online) were incomplete, leaving 286 usable responses (8%).2 The usable responses tended to be from smaller firms, reflecting the membership of the ICV. Most of the responding firms reported annual sales between ?85 million (about $100 million) and ?425 million (about $500 million). The lack of large manufacturing firms associated with the ICV-especially automotive firms that use GPK-is a limitation of this study, but the average size of ICV members is representative of most German companies, so this sample still provides useful information for U.S. firms. The respondent companies are located primarily in Germany (81%), but Switzerland (10%) and Austria (7%) are also represented. Some are units of larger companies located throughout the world, but 83% of the parent companies are from these German-speaking countries. GERMAN COSTING METHODS Literature in Germany suggests that 50%-60% of German companies use some form of marginal costing.3 Still, there is little published information about how many firms are actually using GPK systems or even what precisely constitutes a GPK system. …


Upregulation of the anti-apoptotic molecule survivin inhibits apoptosis and promotes tumor growth. Survivin is selectively upregulated in various cancers including glioblastoma, which is the most malignant brain tumor characterized by high angiogenesis, invasion, and cell proliferation. Treatment of cancer cells with N-(4-hydroxyphenyl) retinamide (4-HPR) induces apoptosis due to destabilization of mitochondrial membrane and activation of caspase mediated apoptotic pathways. In the present investigation, we examined whether survivin knockdown using cognate siRNA could enhance efficacy of 4-HPR for apoptosis in human glioblastoma U138MG and U251MG cells and inhibit cell invasion, angiogenesis, and tumor growth in athymic nude mice. Using a plasmid vector expressing cognate siRNA, we down regulated expression of survivin in both U138MG and U251MG cells and simultaneously treated them with 1 \#956;M 4-HPR for 48 h. Following the treatment of cells, we performed MTT assay, double immunofluorescent staining, TUNEL staining, FACS analysis, and matrigel invasion assay. We also carried out Western blotting for examining the molecules involved in caspase mediated apoptotic pathways. Double immunofluorescent stainings showed marked decrease in survivin expression and conspicuous increase in active caspase-3 after transfection of cells with survivin siRNA and treatment with 4-HPR. Both TUNEL staining and FACS analysis demonstrated apoptosis in more than 80% of cells after treatment with combination of both agents. MTT assay and invasion studies demonstrated marked decreases in tumor cell proliferation and invasion, respectively. Thereafter, we performed in vivo angiogenesis and tumor regression studies in athymic nude mice. Angiogenesis studies under the dorsal skin of athymic nude mice depicted remarkable inhibition of neovascularization after treatment with combination of survivin siRNA and 4-HPR. In vivo imaging studies on intracerebral and subcutaneous tumorigenesis and also longitudinal studies on solid tumor development showed marked decreases in tumorigenesis and solid tumor development after treatment with combination of survivin siRNA and 4-HPR. Therefore, simultaneous survivin knockdown using cognate siRNA and 4-HPR treatment could be a novel therapeutic strategy for controlling growth of human glioblastomas. This investigation was supported in part by the R01 grants (CA-91460 and NS-57811) from the National Institutes of Health (Bethesda, MD). Citation Information: In: Proc Am Assoc Cancer Res; 2009 Apr 18-22; Denver, CO. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; 2009. Abstract nr 4662.


Although Business undergraduate studies are available at the University of South Australia's (UniSA) Centre for Regional Engagement (CRE), both at the Whyalla Campus and the Mount Gambier Regional Centre (MGRC), many students from regional South Australia choose to undertake Business degrees in Adelaide, the state capital, rather than locally. This paper outlines the findings of an investigation into the reasons for their choice. The ultimate objective of the research is to indicate ways of encouraging regional students to study in their regions, and hence be more likely to work and contribute as graduates to regional sustainability. Increased enrolments would also enhance the sustainability of the Business programs offered by the CRE. Internal students studying in a wide variety of Business degrees at UniSA's City West Campus who had moved to the city from the country were sent an e-mail invitation to complete an on-line questionnaire. The criterion for participating in the study was that the student's home was at least 250 kilometres from Adelaide. Respondents were asked: whether they were aware of the nature of the Business degrees available regionally through the CRE; if so, how they had sourced this information; their reasons for choosing to study a Business program in Adelaide; whether they had considered staying in their region and studying at the CRE; and why they had not chosen to do so. Further questions asked about the students' basis of entry to university and whether they would have considered studying at least the first year of their degree at the CRE. Closed-style questions were used, designed so that students could simply select the appropriate alternative; however, each question contained an ―Other‖ option requesting more specific information or inviting further comments. The data collected suggest that almost half of the respondents were not aware of the Business programs offered at the Whyalla Campus and the MGRC. The clear majority of the respondents who indicated that they were aware of the programs available obtained the information from the UniSA website. Very few gained the knowledge from attending UniSA information sessions or other career events. The students generally would not have considered staying in the region for the first year of their program, but would be interested in attending regional intensive Summer/Winter Schools. Many of their additional comments provided insights useful for future strategic planning and marketing purposes.


Designing curricula and teaching styles for students entering university is complicated by the diversity of student backgrounds and prior learning styles. We examined a range of factors that might influence success in the first course at university to try to identify those that were most important. Data were obtained for a first year Biology course at a large Australian university. Factors having a significant impact on final marks included student age, whether the students were local or international, time since high school and the learning strategy adopted. Taking a gap year or a longer break after high school was found to be detrimental to performance. Students taking Biology in their first semester performed better than those who did the course in their second or a later semester. International students attained higher grades than local students. Shallow or reproducing learning styles appeared to be as effective to grade achievement as strategies that led to a measurably deeper understanding of the subject matter.


The main aim of the thesis is to explore the nature of informal land development in Cebu City, the Philippines, and to evaluate the impacts on shelter, particularly among the urban poor. More specific objectives are to examine who gains access to informal land, how the process of informal land alienation and turnover occurs, and which actors are involved in informal land delivery. The research uses primary data from 243 household interviews conducted in 5 informal settlements in urban Cebu to assess how informal land sales influence the socio-economic composition of settlements. The research also examines whether there is evidence of residential segregation among informal settlements according to income and the implications of this for urban settlement and levels of poverty. The research also draws on detailed interviews with 25 land agents to explore their roles in these processes. Similar to other studies the research acknowledges that informal lands are undergoing significant commercialisation, mainly because of the demand imposed on informal plots by high land prices in the formal market. This has made titled property unaffordable to the urban poor and a less attractive option to middle income groups. The research particularly highlights how the behaviour of middle income buyers in the informal land market creates bottlenecks in the supply of plots (by buying large plots for occupation, leaving purchased plots vacant and also accelerating plot prices through speculation, for example). In addition, since poorer residents are vulnerable to "crisis selling" of land and generally have a lower perception of plot value, they do not always receive a fair price for their plots, which reduces their ability to repurchase land at a later date. The research concludes that these processes exacebate residential segregation between households on the basis of income and has led to great disparities in settlement densities, infrastructure and service availability. The latter are vital issues for urban policy, social development and poverty considerations.


In the aftermath of the Second World War, civil war erupted in Greece between Western-orientated government forces and Communist rebels. The Truman administration subsequently became heavily involved in the internal conflict, including the establishment of an American military presence on Greek soil and regular arms shipments. This early containment policy, focusing on Greece as a crucial outpost in the Mediterranean arena, was symbolic of "America's Commitment to Free World Principles", and her fear that the Soviet's ultimate goal was world domination.


Bicycle accidents have been documented as one of the most common mechanisms of accidents in children. Several reports describe intra-abdominal injury secondary to bicycle handlebars. Reported injuries include liver and spleen trauma, bowel perforation, and pancreatitis. However, there are few reports of penetrating handlebar injuries. We report a case of a penetrating bicycle handlebar producing an open iliac wing fracture. A number of reports have stressed the dichotomy between the benign external appearance and the potential severity of the intra-abdominal injury after a bicycle handlebar injury. Thus, a high index of suspicion must be maintained when evaluating a child after such an injury. All patients with a significant mechanism should have a thorough and complete evaluation, including radiographs. As with all traumatic injuries, a multidisciplinary approach is often required to efficiently manage these injuries. Although uncommon, open pelvic injuries in children do occur. The principles of management are the same in children as they are in adults. All children with open pelvic fractures require emergent operative debridement and, if indicated, stabilization. Special attention should be given to ensure that the gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts do not communicate with the fracture. With attention to these fundamental principles, severe pelvic injuries in children can be managed with few long-term sequelae.


We study the dynamics of the solution of a non-linear quantum master equation describing a simple laser under the mean field approximation. The quantum system is formed by a single mode optical cavity and a set of two level atoms that are coupled to two reservoirs. First, we establish the existence of a unique regular stationary state for the non-linear evolution equation under consideration. Second, we examine the free interaction solutions, i.e., the solutions to the non-linear quantum master equation that coincide with unitary evolutions generated by the Hamiltonian resulting from neglecting the interactions between the laser mode, atoms and the bath. We obtain that a family of non-constant free interaction solutions is born at the regular stationary state as a relevant parameter, which is denoted by $C_\mathfrak{b} $, passes through the critical value $1$. These free interaction solutions yield the periodic solutions of the Maxwell Bloch equations modeling our physical system in the framework of the semiclassical laser theory. Third, in case $ C_\mathfrak{b} < 1$ we deduce that the system converges exponentially fast to the equilibrium, and so the regular stationary state is a globally asymptotically stable equilibrium solution. Thus, the quantum system has a Hopf bifurcation at $C_\mathfrak{b} =1 $.


BACKGROUND
A safe and effective vaccine for the prevention of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection is a global priority. We tested the efficacy of a DNA prime-recombinant adenovirus type 5 boost (DNA/rAd5) vaccine regimen in persons at increased risk for HIV-1 infection in the United States.

METHODS
At 21 sites, we randomly assigned 2504 men or transgender women who have sex with men to receive the DNA/rAd5 vaccine (1253 participants) or placebo (1251 participants). We assessed HIV-1 acquisition from week 28 through month 24 (termed week 28+ infection), viral-load set point (mean plasma HIV-1 RNA level 10 to 20 weeks after diagnosis), and safety. The 6-plasmid DNA vaccine (expressing clade B Gag, Pol, and Nef and Env proteins from clades A, B, and C) was administered at weeks 0, 4, and 8. The rAd5 vector boost (expressing clade B Gag-Pol fusion protein and Env glycoproteins from clades A, B, and C) was administered at week 24.

RESULTS
In April 2013, the data and safety monitoring board recommended halting vaccinations for lack of efficacy. The primary analysis showed that week 28+ infection had been diagnosed in 27 participants in the vaccine group and 21 in the placebo group (vaccine efficacy, -25.0%; 95% confidence interval, -121.2 to 29.3; P=0.44), with mean viral-load set points of 4.46 and 4.47 HIV-1 RNA log10 copies per milliliter, respectively. Analysis of all infections during the study period (41 in the vaccine group and 31 in the placebo group) also showed lack of vaccine efficacy (P=0.28). The vaccine regimen had an acceptable side-effect profile.

CONCLUSIONS
The DNA/rAd5 vaccine regimen did not reduce either the rate of HIV-1 acquisition or the viral-load set point in the population studied. (Funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00865566.).


Modern Java application frameworks present significant challenges for existing static analysis algorithms. Such challenges include large-scale code bases, heap-carried dependency, and asynchronous control flow caused by message passing.Existing analysis algorithms are not suitable to deal with these challenges. One reason is that analyses are typically designed to operate homogeneously on the whole program. This leads to scalability problems when the analysis algorithms are used on applications built as plug-ins of large frameworks, since the framework code is analyzed together with the application code. Moreover, the asynchronous message passing of the actor model adopted by most modern frameworks leads to control flows which are not modeled by existing analyses.This thesis presents several techniques for more powerful debugging and program understanding tools based on slicing. In general, slicing-based techniques aim to discover interesting properties of a large program by only reasoning about the relevant part of the program (typically a small amount of code) precisely, abstracting away the behavior of the rest of the program.The key contribution of this thesis is a demand-driven framework to enable precise and scalable analyses on programs built on large frameworks. A slicing algorithm, which can handle heap-carried dependence, is used to identify the program elements relevant to an analysis query. We instantiated the framework to infer correlations between registration call sites and callback methods, and resolve asynchronous control flows caused by asynchronous message passing.


A geological map on the scale 1 :250,000 of about 5000 sq Ian of Besham, parts of Kohistan, upper Swat areas and Malakand, Bajaur and Mohmand agencies, covering the region between river Indus in the east and Afghan border to the west has been prepared from mapping carried out on 1:5000 to 1:50,000 scales after variably modifying and incorporating the already existing maps. This map was dovetailed into the existing maps further to the east across river Indus in Kaghan valley to produce the geological map of High Himalaya, Indus Suture Zone, parts of Kohistan and Lesser Himalaya from the Afghan border to the border areas of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

The entire lithostratigraphic package of the mapped areas has been described, standardized and systematized replacing a plethora of local names.

The lithostratographic units east of Indus river in Kaghan were correlated with the corresponding lithostratigraphic units to the west up to Afghan border. The High Himalaya package, folded into N-S trending basins and domes, was divided into a basement upper amphibolite facies predominantly pelite-psammite rocks with anatectic migmatites in the core of the domes and granitoids (Manglaur group) overlain by a lower meta-turbidite unit with volcanic derived amphibolite towards the base (Salampur formation) and an overlying upper predominantly calc-pelite and marble (Tilgram formation), metamorphosed in upper amphibolite facies.

The High Himalaya is separated from the Lesser Himalaya by a crustal scale thrust, the Main Central Thrust (MCT), south of which occur E-W trending Palaeozoic marbles of Tursak formation and calc-pelites, graphitic pelites and marbles of Girari formation, metamorphosed in greenschist facies.

On the basis of geology. structure and geochemistry, the rocks occurring along the Indus Suture Zone have been divided into a Tethyan MORI fore-arc basin ophiolites in Kohistan. Besham, Alpurai and Dargai and sub-arc mantle rocks overlain by crustal gabbros across the Moho at Jijal-Dubair and Spat. Kohistan. The geology and geochemistry of volcanic rocks associated with the Indus Suture Zone has been described and discussed. These rocks were formed either within a juvenile arc setting or derived from oceanic mantle that had inherited' an anomalously depleted signature from fossil subduction.

In Jijal-Dubair and Spat areas of Kohistan huge outcrops of sub arc mantle. and overlying crustal gabbros with a palaeo-Moho have been described and discussed. These rocks were described in the past as a part of the Indus Suture Zone.

On the basis of geology and geochemistry, the High Himalayan granitoids have been divided into peraluminous collisional granites of Proterozoic, Pan-African and Palaeozoic periods and Himalayan alkaline granites of Carboniferous-Triassic extensional regime.

On the basis of geological contact relations, mineralogical (presence of pyrochlore) and geochemical criteria (REE) calc-silicate marbles and meta-limestones, some of which were described earlier as carbonatites, have been distinguished from carbonatites.

Chromite associated with sutural ultramafites show limited within group variation in their chemical composition and are either refractory (AI rich) or of chemical grade (Cr-Fe rich). Geochemical signatures suggest their formation under a spreading center. The chromite deposits associated with ultramafites, mainly dunites, of the sub-arc mantle are generally AI-poor, show quite heterogeneous compositions even across single grains due to variable reconstitution and combination of melt consuming reactions coupled with ascending fluids from the subducting lithosphere. Mg # in these chromites is lower than those of sutural chromites.

Manganese mineralisation associated with metacherts and greenschists has low values of Co, Ni, Cr, Zn etc and high Mn/Fe ratios and is considered to have been formed by hydrothermal rather than hydrogenous process.

Emerald mineralisation is due to the influx of Be, Al and Si bearing fluids, derived from the Himalyan beryliferous granites into Cr bearing talc-carbonates derived from mantle peridotites, of the Indus Suture Zone.

Exquisite peridot occurs in veins in association with talc, antigorite and magnesite and is confined to shear zones. Late stage, post-tectonic hydrothermal fluids from the host rocks are considered responsible for peridot mineralisation in Spat.

Field and geochemical studies suggest that rodingite occurring in the mafic-ultramafics of the Indus Suture Zone was formed due to metasomatic alteration of gabbros, since they contain fairly high values of Al and Ca.

Field relations (association with peridotites), petrography (relict olivine and pyroxene) and geochemistry (high values of Cr, Ni etc) suggest formation of huge talc deposits from ultramafites.

The gem quality epidote belongs to zoisite and epidote-clinozoisite and is crystallized in altered gabbros and metabasites, which often lack penetrative deformation, suggesting their formation under greenstone (schist) and epidote amphibolite facies hydrogenous metamorphism close to the spreading center.

Green beryl is crystallized generally in calc-alkaline granitoids while blue Cs rich beryl is crystallized in alkaline granitoids. Quartz-mica-beryl veins, crystallized in greisenised zones, represent fluids derived from rest pegmatitic magma due to pressure release.

Gem quality green grossular garnet discovered from the black schists calcareous black shales of High Himalayan Crysta'l1ine basement near Jambil owes its colour to high values of V and Cr in the metamorphosed black schists.

Gem quality; rare and exquisite pink topaz crystallized into Lesser Himalayan reefal meta-limestone due to the influx of F, Al and Si fluids, derived from High Himalayan granitoids in combination with Cr derived from sutural rocks through a system of shears connected to the High Himalaya granitoids and Indus Suture Zone ultramafics lying to the north.

Green dravite-uvite tourmaline crystallized into dolomitic marbles of the High Himalaya. The nearby granites contributed B, Si. and Al while the host dolomitic marbles provided the required Mg


In 1976, at age twenty-five, Stephen Kinzer arrived in Nicaragua as a freelance journalist - and became a witness to history. He returned many times during the years that followed, becoming Latin America correspondent for The Boston Globe in 1981 and joining the foreign staff of "The New York Times" in 1983. That year he opened the Times' Managua bureau, making that newspaper the first daily in America to maintain a full-time office in Nicaragua.Widely considered the best-connected journalist in Central America, Kinzer personally met and interviewed people at every level of the Somoza, Sandinistas and contra hierarchies, as well as dissidents, heads of state, and countless ordinary citizens throughout the region."Blood of Brothers" is Kinzer's dramatic story of the centuries-old power struggle that burst into the headlines in 1979 with the overthrow of the Somoza dictatorship. It is a vibrant portrait of the Nicaraguan people and their volcanic land, a cultural history rich in poetry and bloodshed, baseball and insurrection.


Objective: Is to investigate the effect of Capsicum annuum L extract for its ability to prevent neuronal degeneration in rotenone intoxicated mice. Methods: Rotenone 1.5 mg/kg was subcutaneously given three times per week for two consecutive weeks. Starting from the first day of rotenone treatment, mice also received intraperitoneal injections of Capsicum extract (56 or 224 mg/kg). The brain and liver content of the lipid peroxidation product malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide, reduced glutathione (GSH), paraoxonase 1 activity as well as brain cholinesterase and 5-lipoxygenase activities were determined. Histopathology and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) immunostaining in brain were also performed. Results: Rotenone treatment caused significantly raised brain and liver MDA by 64.4% and 93.3% and nitric oxide by 77.8% and 40.3%, respectively. Reduced glutathione decreased by 45.4% and 24.3% and PON1 activity fell by 39.4% and 28.7% in both the brain and liver, respectively. Cholinesterase activity in brain was inhibited by 60.6% while 5-lipoxygenase increased by 38.9%. In brain tissue, Capsicum prevented the increase in MDA and nitric oxide levels. Capsicum also restored GSH, PON-1 activity and alleviated the increase in 5-lipoxygenase activity. Cholinesterase activity was almost restored to control value by the higher dose of Capsicum. In the liver tissue, Capsicum caused a significant decrease in MDA, and nitric oxide levels, and increased GSH. It also increased PON-1 activity. The neurotoxicity of rotenone was prevented by the administration of Capsicum extract which prevented the neuronal degeneration and restored GFAP positive cells. Conclusions: Capsicum exerts a neuroprotective effect in rotenone intoxicated mice and this is likely to involve reduced oxidative stress and 5-lipoxygenase activation.


Renin-expressing cells are crucial in the control of blood pressure and fluid-electrolyte homeostasis. Notch receptors convey cell-cell signals that may regulate the renin cell phenotype. Because the common downstream effector for all Notch receptors is the transcription factor RBP-J, we used a conditional knockout approach to delete RBP-J in cells of the renin lineage. The resultant RBP-J conditional knockout (cKO) mice displayed a severe reduction in the number of renin-positive juxtaglomerular apparatuses (JGA) and a reduction in the total number of renin positive cells per JGA and along the afferent arterioles. This reduction in renin protein was accompanied by a decrease in renin mRNA expression, decreased circulating renin, and low blood pressure. To investigate whether deletion of RBP-J altered the ability of mice to increase the number of renin cells normally elicited by a physiological threat, we treated RBP-J cKO mice with captopril and sodium depletion for 10 days. The resultant treated RBP-J cKO mice had a 65% reduction in renin mRNA levels (compared with treated controls) and were unable to increase circulating renin. Although these mice attempted to increase the number of renin cells, the cells were unusually thin and had few granules and barely detectable amounts of immunoreactive renin. As a consequence, the cells were incapable of fully adopting the endocrine phenotype of a renin cell. We conclude that RBP-J is required to maintain basal renin expression and the ability of smooth muscle cells along the kidney vasculature to regain the renin phenotype, a fundamental mechanism to preserve homeostasis.


Since 1986 and especially during the early 90s, environmental protection has become a constitutional principle in Vietnam as regulated by Articles 17 and 29 of the 1992 Constitution. The first Law on Environmental Protection, passed by the National Assembly on December 27, 1993 created a foundation for environmental legislation becoming an important field in Vietnam's legal system. In the following, in January 1999, Vietnam enacted its very first Law on Water Resources (No. 08/1998/QH10) aiming to provide a foundational framework for managing the water sector in Vietnam. In recent years, the legislative framework on water resources management has further developed. Important water-related Government decrees, decisions and circulars on the guidance and implementation of the Law on Water Resources have been issued and often amended to meet the requirements of the country's development, and its international integration. To date, Vietnam's legislation on the water sector consists of a complex system of legal documents issued by different state agencies. Like in other legal fields, the groundwork of the legislation for the water sector is many-faceted. Though legislation of water sector management in Vietnam has greatly improved during the last decade, it has obviously not yet come to full fruition. Hence, this paper intends to analyze contradictions, gaps and overlaps of the current Law on Water Resources with other related laws/ordinances and secondary regulations that have bared themselves in the implementation process. Furthermore, the main aim of the study is to clarify and determine the need for a new comprehensive Law on Water Resources.


Teaching Religious Education Creatively offers a brand new approach for the primary classroom and is crammed full of innovative ideas for bringing the teaching of RE to life. It helps teachers understand what constitutes a healthy curriculum that will encourage children to appreciate and understand different belief systems. Perhaps most importantly, it also challenges teachers to understand RE as a transformatory subject that offers children the tools to be discerning, to work out their own beliefs and answer puzzling questions. Underpinned by the latest research and theory and with contemporary, cutting-edge practice at the forefront, expert authors emphasise creative thinking strategies and teaching creatively. Key topics explored include: What is creative teaching and learning? Why is it important to teach creatively and teach for creativity? What is Religious Education? Why is it important for children to learn 'about' and 'from' religion? How can you teach non-biased RE creatively as a discrete subject and integrate it with other curriculum areas? Teaching Religious Education Creatively is for all teachers who want to learn more about innovative teaching and learning in RE in order to improve understanding and enjoyment and transform their own as well as their pupil's lives.


The most powerful category of explosive volcanic eruptions, called "ultraplinian," was proposed in 1980 on the basis of the distribution of a single pyroclastic fall product of one phase of the 1800a Taupo eruption in New Zealand. Dispersal data, a measure of the "footprint" of the deposit, were used subsequently to estimate eruption plume heights of 50–51 km, more than 10 km higher than observed or estimated for any historical Plinian eruption. Today, this unit remains the only deposit to have met the rigorous ultraplinian dispersal criteria, and it is an important and widely cited exemplar in physical volcanology. The earlier study was based on total thicknesses for the entire bed and grain-size data across that full thickness. We have now subdivided this bed into 26 subunits and measured their individual thicknesses and selected maximum clast sizes. Our data show that the apparent large footprint of this bed is an artifact of a previously unrecognized shift in the wind field during the eruption, rather than extreme eruptive vigor. Our study demonstrates the dangers of applying full-thickness approaches to even seemingly uniform fall deposits. The results throw into some doubt the need for the term ultraplinian, at least for this deposit. With the revision of plume heights for the Taupo ultraplinian, a height range of 35–40 km may be practical for use as an upper limit for source parameters in models of transport and dispersal of volcanic ash.


Then they journeyed from Mount Hor by the Way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the soul of the people became very discouraged on the way. And the people spoke against God and against Moses: "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread". So the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, "We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord that He take away the serpents from us". So Moses prayed for the people. Then the Lord said to Moses, "Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live". So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.


In this paper we present the system design of a machine that we have constructed to study a quadrupedal gallop gait. The gallop gait is the preferred high-speed gait of most cursorial quadrupeds. To gallop, an animal must generate ballistic trajectories with characteristic strong impacts, coordinate leg movements with asymmetric footfall phasing, and effectively use compliant members, all the while maintaining dynamic stability. In this paper we seek to further understand the primary biological features necessary for galloping by building and testing a robotic quadruped similar in size to a large goat or antelope. These features include high-speed actuation, energy storage, on-line learning control, and high-performance attitude sensing. Because body dynamics are primarily influenced by the impulses delivered by the legs, the successful design and control of single leg energetics is a major focus of this work. The leg stores energy during flight by adding tension to a spring acting across an articulated knee. During stance, the spring energy is quickly released using a novel capstan design. As a precursor to quadruped control, two intelligent strategies have been developed for verification on a one-legged system. The Levenberg-Marquardt on-line learning method is applied to a simple heuristic controller and provides good control over height and forward velocity. Direct adaptive fuzzy control, which requires no system modeling but is more computationally expensive, exhibits better response. Using these techniques we have been successful in operating one leg at speeds necessary for a dynamic gallop of a machine of this scale. Another necessary component of quadruped locomotion is high-resolution and high-bandwidth attitude sensing. The large ground impact accelerations, which cause problems for any single traditional sensor, are overcome through the use of an inertial sensing approach using updates from optical sensors and vehicle kinematics.


Preface. Contributors. 1. Mathematical and Physical Units, Standards, and Tables (Jack H. Westbrook). 1. Symbols and Abbreviations. 2. Mathematical Table. 3. Statistical Table. 4. Units and Standard. 5. Tables of Conversion Factors. 6. Standard Sizes. 7. Standard Screws. 2. Mathematics (J. N. Reddy). 1. Arithmetic. 2. Algebra. 3. Set Algebra. 4. Statistics and Probability. 5. Geometry. 6. Trigonometry. 7. Plane Analytic Geometry. 8. Solid Analytic Geometry. 9. Differential Calculus. 10. Integral Calculus. 11. Differential Equations. 12. Finite-Element Method. 13. Laplace Transformation. 14. Complex Analysis. 15. Vector Analysis. Bibliography. 3. Mechanics of Rigid Bodies (Wallace Fowler). 1. Definitions. 2. Statics. 3. Kinematics. 4. Kinetics. 5. Friction. Bibliography. 4. Selection of Metals for Structural Design (Matthew J. Donachie). 1. Introduction. 2. Common Alloy Systems. 3. What Are Alloys and What Affects Their Use? 4. What Are the Properties of Alloys and How Are Alloys Strengthened? 5. Manufacture of Alloy Articles. 6. Alloy Information. 7. Metals at Lower Temperatures. 8. Metals at High Temperatures. 9. Melting and Casting Practices. 10. Forging, Forming, Powder Metallurgy, and Joining of Alloys. 11. Surface Protection of Materials. 12. PostService Refurbishment and Repair. 13. Alloy Selection: A Look at Possibilities. 14. Level of Property Data. 15. Thoughts on Alloy Systems. 16. Selected Alloy Information Sources. Bibliography. 5. Plastics: Information and Properties of Polymeric Materials (Edward N. Peters). 1. Introduction. 2. Polyolefinic Thermoplastics. 3. Side-Chain-Substituted Vinyl Thermoplastics. 4. Polyurethane and Cellulosic Resins. 5. Engineering Thermoplastics: Condensation Polymers. 6. High-Performance Materials. 7. Fluorinated Thermoplastics. 8. Thermosets. 9. General-Purpose Elastomers. 10. Specialty Elastomers. References. 6. Overview of Ceramic Materials, Design, and Application (R. Nathan Katz). 1. Introduction. 2. Processing of Advanced Ceramics. 3. Brittleness and Brittle Materials Design. 4. Applications. 5. Information Sources. 6. Future Trends. References. 7. Mechanics of Deformable Bodies (Neal F. Enke and Bela I. Sandor). 1. Introduction to Stress and Strain. 2. Beams and Bending. 3. Torsion and Shafts. 4. Plates, Shells, and Contact Stresses. 5. Nonlinear Response of Materials. 6. Energy Methods. 7. Composite Materials. 8. Theories of Strength and Failure References. 8. Nondestructive Inspection (Robert L. Crane and Jeremy S. Knopp) 1. Introduction 2. Liquid Penetrants. 3. Radiography. 4. Ultrasonic Methods. 5. Magnetic Particle Method. 6. Thermal Methods. 7. Eddy Current Methods. Appendix: Ultrasonic Properties of Common Materials. References. 9. Mechanics of Incompressible Fluids (Egemen Ol Ogretim and Wade W. Huebsch). 1. Introduction. 2. Fluid Properties 3. Fluid Statics 4. Ideal (Inviscid) Fluid Dynamics. 5. Viscous Fluid Dynamics. 6. Similitude and Dimensional Analysis. 7. Flow in Closed Conduits 8. Flow in Open Channels. 9. Flow About Immersed Objects. 10. Fluid Measurements. References. Bibliography. 10. Aerodynamics of Wings (Warren F. Phillips). 1. Introduction and Notation. 2. Boundary Layer Concept. 3. Inviscid Aerodynamics. 4. Incompressible Flow over Airfoils. 5. Trailing-Edge Flaps and Section Flap Effectiveness. 6. Incompressible Flow over Finite Wings. 7. Flow over Multiple Lifting Surfaces. 8. Wing Stall and Maximum Lift Coefficient. 9. Inviscid Compressible Aerodynamics. 10. Compressible Subsonic Flow. 11. Supersonic Flow. References. 11. Steady One-Dimensional Gas Dynamics (D. H. Daley with contributions by J. B. Wissler). 1. Generalized One-Dimensional Gas Dynamics. 2. Simple Flows. 3. Nozzle Operating Characteristics. 4. Normal Shock Waves. 5. Plane Oblique Shock Waves. 6. Conical Shock Waves. 7. Prandtl-Meyer Expansion. References. 12. Mathematical Models of Dynamic Physical Systems (K. Preston White, Jr.). 1. Rationale. 2. Ideal Elements. 3. System Structure and Interconnection Laws. 4. Standard Forms for Linear Models. 5. Approaches to Linear Systems Analysis. 6. State-Variable Methods. 7. Simulation. 8. Model Classifications. References. Bibliography. 13. Basic Control Systems Design (William J. Palm III). 1. Introduction. 2. Control System Structure. 3. Transducers and Error Detectors. 4. Actuators. 5. Control Laws. 6. Controller Hardware. 7. Further Criteria for Gain Selection. 8. Compensation and Alternative Control Structures. 9. Graphical Design Methods. 10. Principles of Digital Control. 11. Uniquely Digital Algorithms. 12. Hardware and Software for Digital Control. 13. Software Support for Control System Design. 14. Future Trends in Control Systems. References. 14. Thermodynamics Fundamentals (Adrian Bejan). 1. Introduction. 2. First Law of Thermodynamics for Closed Systems. 3. Second Law of Thermodynamics for Closed Systems. 4. Energy-Minimum Principle. 5. Laws of Thermodynamics for Open Systems. 6. Relations among Thermodynamic Properties. 7. Analysis of Engineering System Components. References. 15. Heat Transfer Fundamentals (G. P. Peterson). 1. Conduction Heat Transfer. 2. Convection Heat Transfer. 3. Radiation Heat Transfer. 4. Boiling and Condensation Heat Transfer. References. Bibliography. 16. Electric Circuits (Albert J. Rosa). 1. Introduction. 2. Direct-Current (DC) Circuits. 3. Linear Active Circuits. 4. AC Circuits. 5. Transient Response of Circuits. 6. Frequency Response. References. 17. Electronics. 1. Bipolar Transistors (John D. Cressler). 2. Data Acquisition and Conversion (Kavita Nair, Chris Zillmer, Dennis Polla, and Ramesh Harjani). 3. Data Analysis (Arbee L. P. Chen and Yi-Hung Wu). 4. Diodes (Konstantinos Misiakos). 5. Electronic Components (Clarence W. de Silva). 6. Input Devices (George Grinstein and Marjan Trutschl). 7. Instruments (Halit Eren). 8. Integrated Circuits (N. Ranganathan and Raju D. Venkataramana). 9. Microprocessors (Robert P. Colwell). 10. Oscilloscopes (Andrew Rusek) 11. Power Devices (Alex Q. Huang and Bo Zhang). References. Bibliography. 18. Light and Radiation (M. Parker Givens). 1. Introduction. 2. Geometric Optics. 3. Physical Optics. 4. Light Sources. 5. Lasers. 6. The Eye and Vision. 7. Detectors or Optical Transducers. References. Bibliography. 19. Acoustics (Jonathan Blotter, Scott Sommerfeldt, and Kent L. Gee). 1. Introduction. 2. Sound Power, Sound Intensity, and Sound Pressure. 3. Decibel and Other Scales. 4. Weighting Filters. 5. Impedance. 6. Theory of Sound. 7. Reflection, Transmission, and Absorption. 8. Hearing Loss. 9. Passive Noise Control. 10. Active Noise Control. 11. Architectural Acoustics. 12. Community and Environmental Noise. 13. Sound Quality Analysis. 14. Nonlinear Acoustics. 15. Human Ear and Hearing. 16. Microphones and Loudspeakers. References. Suggested Further Readings. 20. Chemistry (D. A. Kohl). 1. Atomic Structure and Periodic Table. 2. Molecular Structure and Chemical Bonding. 3. Chemical Reactions and Stoichiometry. 4. Chemical Thermodynamics. 5. Thermochemistry. 6. Chemical Equilibrium. 7. Phase Equilibria. 8. Chemical Reaction Rates. 9. Electrochemistry. 10. Organic Chemistry References. Bibliography. 21. Engineering Economy (Kate D. Abel). 1. Introduction. 2. Cash Flows and Time Value of Money. 3. Equivalence. 4. Single Sum and Uniform, Gradient, and Geometric Series 5. Comparing Alternatives: Defining Options. 6. Comparing Alternatives through Figures of Merit. 7. Additional Analyses in Selection Process. 8. Capital Recovery, Capital Cost, and Replacement Studies. 9. Conclusion. References. 22. Sources of Materials Data (J. G. Kaufman). 1. Introduction and Scope. 2. Intended Uses for Data. 3. Types of Data. 4. Subjects of Data Sources. 5. Data Quality and Reliability. 6. Platforms: Types of Data Sources. 7. Specific Data Sources. References. Index.


Objectives: To determine the incidence of bicycle-related injury hospitalizations among children and adolescents 20 years of age and younger and to examine the associated use of healthcare resources. Design: Nationally representative data from the 2003 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's Kids' Inpatient Database (KID). Outcome measures: National estimates of hospitalization for bicycle-related injuries according to patient demographics, type of injury, total hospital charges, and length of hospital stay. Results: In 2003, an estimated 10 700 children were hospitalized for a bicycle-related injury in the USA. Inpatient charges totaled nearly $200 million with a mean charge of $18 654 per hospitalization. The national rate was 12.7 hospitalizations per 100 000 children. Young adolescents aged 10–13 years accounted for the highest percentage of cases (36.6%) followed by children aged 6–9 years (25.1%). Most patients were male (76.7%) and resided in an urban area (94.4%). A head injury was diagnosed in one out of three hospitalized bicyclists; 30% were due to a motor vehicle collision. Conclusions: Pediatric bicycle-related hospitalizations are a significant public health problem. The morbidity and mortality among children and the economic costs to society are large. The patient characteristics and injury types identified by this study should be used to develop targeted prevention strategies.


Jatropa is an underutilised, oil-bearing crop. It produces a seed that can be processed into non-polluting biodiesel, and grows under drought condition. This publication presents a compilation of information on key practical issues affecting jatropha for pro-poor development, based on the knowledge available from research reports and ongoing unpublished research material. This document provides a brief overview of biofuels, their growth drivers and their potential impacts on poor societies. The information is provided to increase knowledge of jatropha throughout subtropical and tropical areas. It will also contribute to strengthening policies and strategies that recognise the potential of jatropha with regard to pro-poor development, sustainable rural income and improved livelihoods in developing countries. This publication will interest a wide range of readers including government and institutional policy- and decision-makers, international and multilateral development organisations, donors, NGOs, the private sector and foundations as well as researchers, advisors, teachers and professionals in agriculture.


The purpose of this paper is to provide an account of my experience between 2013 and 2015 as a member of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities (MiBACT) working table formed to develop "Guidelines for improving energy efficiency in the cultural heritage of architecture and of urban and historical centres and cores." These guidelines currently make directives and solutions available in order to attempt to solve the problem of how to reconcile requirements of comfort and energy efficiency with the need to preserve structures whose original intended use was quite different; in other words, this is the problem of how to safeguard and capitalize on the historical and cultural characteristics typical of ancient settlements, while at the same time transforming them to be suited to the needs of an increasingly evolved society.


Traditional interfaces are continuously being replaced by mobile, wearable, or pervasive interfaces. Yet when it comes to the input and output modalities enabling our interactions, we have yet to fully embrace some of the most natural forms of communication and information processing that humans possess: speech, language, gestures, thoughts. Very little HCI attention has been dedicated to designing and developing spoken language, acoustic-based, or multimodal interaction techniques, especially for mobile and wearable devices. In addition to the enormous, recent engineering progress in processing such modalities, there is now sufficient evidence that many real-life applications do not require 100% accuracy of processing multimodal input to be useful, particularly if such modalities complement each other. This multidisciplinary, one-day workshop will bring together interaction designers, usability researchers, and general HCI practitioners to analyze the opportunities and directions to take in designing more natural interactions especially with mobile and wearable devices, and to look at how we can leverage recent advances in speech, acoustic, and multimodal processing.


[Executive Summary]: Polyacrylamide, commonly known as PAM, is a long-chain hydrocarbon of high molecular weight, synthesized from natural gas for a range of industrial and environmental use. In Agriculture, PAM and other polymers have been historically used as a soil conditioner similar to gypsum and lime. The purpose of this review is to establish the extent to which PAM is useful in agricultural application, particularly within the cotton industry in Australia and identify knowledge gaps and make key recommendations for future research, development and extension.

Australian and International agricultural and environmental research reviewed in Section 1 shows that anionic PAM of high molecular weight of food grade quality is possibly the best PAM formulation for land and water application because of its high solubility and purity which is capable of providing substantial benefit at extremely low concentration. High purity of PAM ensures that it contains very little impurities (particularly acrylamide, AMD units from which PAM is synthesized) which could be toxic to aquatic organisms and human. Single dose application of anionic PAM at low concentration (in the range of 1-10 ppm) with irrigation water can cause over 50% reduction in runoff and sediment loss. Other associated benefits with this type of application include reduced transport of nutrients, pesticides, weed seeds, pathogens via runoff and sediment, with little off-site impacts. Due to the need for low application rate, PAM application is economically attractive although repeated applications are necessary to derive full, long term benefit. Despite some indication that PAM degrades over time, information on the breakdown products is limited to AMD only. There is also little knowledge available currently that demonstrates how to remove PAM once it is applied to land.

The usage of PAM is significant in the Australian cotton industry with the potential peak usage of one in five of all Australian cotton fields being treated with PAM for various reasons per season. One of the main reasons for using PAM in cotton fields is to reduce irrigation-induced erosion and increase infiltration in soils with low infiltration. However, the commercial application of PAM has produced inconsistent results affecting further use. The reasons for these inconsistent results are due to a lack of understanding of the scientific and technical requirements for successful PAM application and amelioration. For example, when PAM is applied as a liquid in the irrigation water, its benefits are highly sensitive to dosage rate, water quality and soil type. It is difficult for a cotton grower to control PAM dosage as there is a lack of adequate information on the volume of water that is being delivered to the field. The efficiency of PAM application is further affected as there is not enough information readily available on the quality of irrigation water and soil condition. It may be useful to use other strategies to manage soil erosion and/or address infiltration constraints in cotton fields, but there is no best practice yet identified for cotton to combine traditional methods with application of PAM to produce beneficial, long term results. As growers' capability in monitoring of water application rates improve over time, some improvements in PAM application efficiency are expected. However research, extension and education about the practical application of PAM for cotton growers would be highly desirable.

Using PAM to mitigate seepage and evaporation from dams and channels is an emerging and challenging opportunity that is being currently investigated by growers, PAM suppliers and researchers. However, the scientific basis of using PAM to reduce evaporation and seepage is not known as well as for evaporation control and hence, its practical application remains difficult. A collective effort is needed to better understand this area of opportunity. Supporting research, development and extension in this area would of great strategic advantage for the cotton industry.


At the time of the American Founding, Thomas Jefferson, among others, viewed lawyers as the class of citizens most suited to lead the American institutions of government, as well as preserve and protect them. Jefferson valued the ideal of the "Citizen Lawyer" who would have a broad liberal education, experiential learning, and be capable of using knowledge of the law to promote the public good.
In more recent years, American law schools have been criticized for failing to achieve many of these goals first envisioned by Jefferson. Particularly, law schools have often failed to promote strong public service identities in students, failed to provide students with extensive experiential learning, and neglected to provide courses in public policy, legislation, and lawmaking.
Today, our nation is once again in need of strong lawyers who can work for the public good, to protect our system of government, preserve the rule of law, and promote the positive reformation of law when needed. Through the teaching of more robust legislative and policy courses that include experiential learning components and consider issues of social justice and public policy, law schools can support the needs of law students and society. Such courses can help law students develop their "Citizen Lawyer" identity, and our society will be better off for having more lawyers who take their role of public service as a professional duty.


Three mathematical software modes are investigated in this thesis: black-box software showing no mathematical steps; glass-box software showing the intermediate mathematical steps; and open-box software showing and allowing interaction at the intermediate mathematical steps. The glass-box and open-box software modes are often recommended over the black-box software to help understanding but there is limited research comparing all three. This research investigated students' performance and their approaches to solving three mathematical task types when assigned to the software boxes.
Three approaches that students may undertake when solving the tasks were investigated: students' processing levels, their software exploration and their self-explanations. The effect of mathematics confidence on students' approaches and performance was also considered.
Thirty-eight students were randomly assigned to one of the software boxes in an experimental design where all audio and video data were collected via a web-conference remote observation method. The students were asked to think-aloud whilst they solved three task types. The three task types were classified based on the level of conceptual and procedural knowledge needed for solving: mechanical tasks required procedural knowledge, interpretive tasks required conceptual knowledge; and constructive tasks used both conceptual and procedural knowledge.
The results indicated that the relationship between students' approaches and performance varied with the software box. Students using the black-box software explored more for the constructive tasks than the students in the glass-box and open-box software. These black-box software students also performed better on the constructive tasks, particularly those with higher mathematics confidence. The open-box software appeared to encourage more mathematical explanations whilst the glass-box software encouraged more real-life explanations.
 Mathematically confident students were best able to appropriate the black-box software for their conceptual understanding. The glass-box software or open-box software appeared to be useful for helping students with procedural understanding and familiarity with mathematical terms.


Smart Grid with Time-of-Use (TOU) pricing brings new ways of cutting costs for energy consumers and conserving energy. It is done by utilities suggesting the user ways to use devices to lower their energy bills keeping in mind its own benefits in smoothening the peak demand curve. However, as suggested in previous related research, user's comfort need must be addressed in order to make the system work efficiently. In this work, we validate the hypothesis that user preferences and habits can be learned and user comfort level for new patterns of device usage can be predicted. We investigate how machine learning algorithms specifically supervised machine learning algorithms can be used to achieve this. We also compare the prediction accuracies of three commonly used supervised learning algorithms, as well as the effect that the number of training samples has on the prediction accuracy. Further more, we analyse how sensitive prediction accuracies yielded by each algorithm are to the number of training samples.


In Figueredo, Black, and Scott (this issue), we presented the rationale for a complementary meta-analytic method to accompany traditional effects meta-analytic procedures.  Here, we provide an example using Contents Meta-Analysis so that readers can become familiar with the application of the method and the implications of its use.  This illustration will be presented in two major sections.  First, we will describe an empirical example of a meta-analysis on retention in higher education where a Contents Meta-Analysis was conducted.  Then we will show how the information gained in the Contents Meta-Analysis may be applied to address issues of generalizability. DOI:10.2458/azu_jmmss_v4i2_figueredo


A range of a priori hypotheses about the evolution of modern and archaic genomes are further evaluated and tested. In addition to the well-known splits/introgressions involving Neanderthal genes into out-of- Africa people, or Denisovan genes into Oceanians, a further series of archaic splits and hypotheses proposed in Waddell et al. (2011) are considered in detail. These include signals of Denisovans with something markedly more archaic and possibly something more archaic into Papuans as well. These are compared and contrasted with some well-advertised introgressions such as Denisovan genes across East Asia, archaic genes into San or non-tree mixing between Oceanians, East Asians and Europeans. The general result is that these less appreciated and surprising archaic splits have just as much or more support in genome sequence data. Further, evaluation confirms the hypothesis that archaic genes are much rarer on modern X chromosomes, and may even be near totally absent, suggesting strong selection against their introgression. Modeling of relative split weights allows an inference of the proportion of the genome the Denisovan seems to have gotten from an older archaic, and the best estimate is around 2%. Using a mix of quantitative and qualitative morphological data and novel phylogenetic methods, robust support is found for multiple distinct middle Pleistocene lineages. Of these, fossil hominids such as SH5, Petralona, and Dali, in particular, look like prime candidates for contributing pre-Neanderthal/Modern archaic genes to Denisovans, while the Jinniu-Shan fossil looks like the best candidate for a close relative of the Denisovan. That the Papuans might have received some truly archaic genes appears a good possibility and they might even be from Homo erectus.


Gunshot facial injury may be frightening and overwhelming. We present a case report of a male employee who was shot in the face during an armed robbery attack on a bank. He sustained severe injuries to the eyes, as well as fractures involving the orbital, maxillary and mandibular bones, with impending airway compromise. He bled profusely and was resuscitated and stabilized. Anaesthesia management included initial local anaesthesia for emergency tracheostomy and then a general anaesthetic for emergency ophthalmology and maxillofacial surgeries in a one-staged operation all on the same day lasting six hours.


The social lives of young children gives a vivid picture of young children's lives in daycare groups. How do they make friends and how do they develop a sense of togetherness? The clashes and frictions between pre-schoolers reveal the social questions they are grappling with - and these often look surprisingly like those of adults. For example, the question of the newcomer to a group, who very rapidly learns the unwritten rules through the negative feedback from the children. Then there are the playthings that in the hands of other children seem so much more attractive than what they have themselves. Or the desire to play undisturbed, without being bothered by other children. In the discussion of these social questions, attention is always given to the teacher or carer. How can they help children to learn basic social values, rules and skills through play? The book contains numerous descriptions of children's interactions, richly illustrated with photographs and analysed with the help of new psychological insights. The authors have years of experience in scientific research and in the development of training programmes for teachers in child-care.


This study within primary technology education aims at exploring the capability to construct a specific linkage mechanism. The study reported was integrated in a Learning study, a kind of design experiment inspired by the Japanese Lesson Study, and was carried out in collaboration with two primary school teachers and their two classes, a preschool class and a grade one class. The study reports on the analysis of the video-recorded pre- and post-test. The tests were analysed phenomenographically resulting in four categories describing qualitatively different ways of experiencing the object of learning. The categories were then analysed in terms of critical aspects, describing aspects necessary to discern for this group of students in order to learn how to construct a linkage mechanism. The result indicates the importance of discerning the two joints and their different characteristics in terms of a fixed and a moving joint as well as the placement of the moving joint in relation to the resulting movement.


Ethyl[4-arylmethyleneamino-3-(4-metylphenyl)-5-oxo-4,5-dihydro-1H -1,2,4-triazole-1-yl]acetates (3a-e and 10a-d) were obtained starting from 4-amino-2,4-dihydro-3H -1,2,4-triazol-3-ones (1 and 9) in 2 steps. The treatment of 3a-e with NaBH 4 resulted in the formation of 3 kinds of product incorporating carboxcilic acid (4a-c) or alcohol (5a-e) functionality. [4-{[(4-Methoxyphenyl)methylene]amino} -a nd 4-{[pyridin-4ylmethylene]amino}-3-(4-methylphenyl)-5-oxo-4,5-dihydro-1H -1,2,4-triazole-1-yl] acetic acids (6a, 6e )w ere obtained by the hydrolysis of the corresponding esters (5a-5e). The treatment of 6a with NaBH 4 caused the reduction of only the imine bond; the carboxyl group remained unchanged. Then this carboxylic acid was converted to the corresponding hydrazide (8) in 2 steps by reaction with ethanol and hydrazine hydrate, respectively. The synthesis of Mannich bases was performed by the reaction of the corresponding 1,2,4triazoles containing an imine group (10a-d) with several primary or secondary amines including morpholine or piperazine nucleus. All newly synthesized compounds were screened for their antimicrobial activity. The antimicrobial activity study revealed that the Mannich bases (11-16) showed good activity against the test microorganisms as compared with ampicillin.


The last 20 years have seen severe macroeconomic instability in Britain, with three extreme and highly damaging boom-bust cycles. Professor Tim Congdon, one of the City's most well-known commentators, has been an influential critic of successive governments' failures in economic policy throughout this period. Reflections on Monetarism brings together his most important academic papers and journalism, including his remarkably prescient series of articles in The Times from 1985 to 1988 forecasting that the Lawson credit boom would wreck the Thatcher Government's reputation for sound financial management. He presents a powerful argument that the root cause of Britain's economic instability has been the volatile growth of credit and the money supply.


We evaluated the efficacy and effectiveness of mefloquine (MQ) plus artesunate (AS) to treat patients with uncomplicated malaria in the Peruvian Amazon Basin in April 2005-March 2006. Patients ≥ 1 year of age with fever (axillary temperature ≥ 37.5°C) or history of fever and Plasmodium falciparum monoinfection were included. Patients received antimalarial treatment with MQ (12.5 mg/kg/day for two days) and AS (4.0 mg/kg/day for three days) either by directly observed therapy or without directly observed therapy. After a 28-day follow-up, treatment efficacy and effectiveness were assessed on the basis of clinical and parasitologic outcomes. Ninety-six patients were enrolled in each study group; nine patients were lost to follow-up. All patients, except for one in the observed group, demonstrated adequate clinical and parasitologic response; none had detectable parasitemia on day 3. The efficacy of MQ + AS efficacy was 98.9% (95% confidence interval = 94.1-100.0%) and the effectiveness was 100.0% (95% confidence interval = 95.9-100.0%). Our study shows that MQ + AS is highly efficacious in the Peruvian Amazon.


Eighteen hybrid onion and 23 open-pollinated (OP) varieties were tested in southern New Mexico for plant characteristics, disease resistance, and bulb yield in order to determine if hybrid varieties outperformed OP varieties. Varieties were shortto intermediate-day in their bulbing response and were planted in the fall seasons of 1997 and 1998 and harvested the following May or June. Varieties were grouped based upon their relative maturity for fall-planted onions grown in southern New Mexico (early, intermediate, late). They were planted two (1998) or four (1997) rows per plot with plots being 8 ft (2.5 m) long and 22 inches (56 cm) wide. Plant stand per plot, plant height of seven plants, and leaf number of seven plants were measured 164 d after planting. Plots were harvested when 80% of the plant tops had fallen across all four replications of a single population. At harvest, number of seedstalks, number of bulbs, pink root incidence, and total bulb weight per plot were recorded. After removing culls, the percentage of marketable bulbs, marketable bulb yield, and average bulb size were determined. Hybrid varieties outperformed OP varieties for plant height, and leaf number but not for percentage of seedstalks, pink root incidence, percentage marketable yield, bulb size, and marketable bulb yield. In this study, most OP varieties perform as well or better than most of the hybrid varieties.


Spectroscopic ellipsometry is one of the most important measurement schemes used in the optical nano-metrology for not only thin film measurement but also nano pattern 3D structure measurement. In this paper, we propose a novel snap shot phase sensitive normal incidence spectroscopic ellipsometic scheme based on a double-channel spectral carrier frequency concept. The proposed method can provide both Ψ(λ) and Δ(λ) only by using two spectra acquired simultaneously through the double spectroscopic channels. We show that the proposed scheme works well experimentally by measuring a binary grating with nano size 3D structure. We claim that the proposed scheme can provide a snapshot spectroscopic ellipsometric parameter measurement capability with moderate accuracy.


A thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE in COMPUTER SCIENCE from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi in Corpus Christi, Texas.


The ubiquitous Ca2+-sensing protein calmodulin (CaM) interacts with more than 300 diverse target proteins that are involved in numerous signaling pathways in eukaryotic cells. This unique promiscuous target binding behavior and the underlying functional versatility of CaM is a result of its structural flexibility. CaM spans multiple conformational substates in solution providing adaptable binding surfaces for different target proteins. The conformational space of this protein needs to be explored to shed more light on the mechanism of target recognition and protein function. Here, we used pressure modulation in combination with FTIR spectroscopy to populate and probe otherwise transient low-lying excited conformational substates of CaM close in energy to its ground state, which are supposed to be functionally relevant in recognition and ligand binding events. The pressure-induced conformational changes of CaM were studied in its Ca2+-free and Ca2+-bound state and in the presence of the hypervariable region (HVR) of the signaling peptide K-Ras4B as a binding partner. We demonstrate that the conformational dynamics of CaM is vastly affected by binding of both Ca2+ ions and the lipidated signaling peptide K-Ras4B. Moreover, we could uncover conformational substates of CaM by pressure perturbation that are partially unfolded and more solvated and conceivably facilitate target recognition by exposing the required binding surfaces.


Muon decay rings are under study as part of an International Scoping Study (ISS) for a future Neutrino Factory. Both isosceles triangle- and racetrack-shaped rings are being considered for a 20 GeV muon energy, but with upgrade potentials of 40 or 50 GeV. Both rings are designed with long straights to optimize directional muon decay. The neutrinos from muon decay pass to one or two distant detectors; the racetrack ring has one very long production straight aligned with one detector while the triangular ring has two straights which can be aligned with two detectors. Decay ring specifications and lattice studies are the primary topic of this paper. Injection, collimation, and the RF system are covered in a second contribution to these proceedings.


See Procurement to locate information on the Commodity Listing, Tax Exempt Certificates, Price Cost Analysis, Purchasing Thresholds, Small Business Program, Procurement Code of Ethics, University of Colorado Procurement Rules, etc. See Forms [9] to find forms mentioned in the course. See Training [10] for step-by-step instructions on how to create purchase orders and requisitions in the CU Marketplace, etc. See Green Purchasing [11] for environmentally responsible purchasing options.


Neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia are challenging to treat due to the biological complexity of the disease and the lack of knowledge of the underlying pathophysiology. Whole exome and genome sequencing studies have identified disease-linked rare variants in patients with large effect size. Here, we functionally characterize the schizophrenia linked variant V1282F in SCN2A, encoding the sodium channel Nav1.2. This variant was introduced into isogenic lines of hiPSCs using CRISPR/CAS9 genome editing tools. hiPSCs were then differentiated into cortical neurons to understand how the variant and gene may be contributing to disease. We observed a significant (~25%) decrease in sodium current in the V1282F neurons compared to control neurons, suggesting the mutation is causing a loss-of-channel function. These results were supported by recordings in recombinant cells overexpressing either the mutant or wildtype Nav1.2, with the mutant channel having significantly (~75%) lower current amplitude than wildtype. We hypothesize that this phenotype may contribute to disease either through the direct loss of neuronal activity or through subsequent abnormal neurodevelopment.


Deposits held at Federal Reserve Banks are an essential input to the business activity of most depository institutions in the United States. Managing these deposits is an important and complex inventory problem, for two reasons. First, Federal Reserve regulations require that depository institutions hold certain amounts of such deposits at the Federal Reserve Banks to satisfy statutory reserve requirements against customers* transaction accounts (demand deposits and other checkable deposits). Second, some inventory of such deposits is essential for banks to operate one of their core lines of business: furnishing payment services to households and firms. including wire transfers, ACH payments, and check clearing settlement. Because the Federal Reserve does not pay interest on such deposits used to satisfy statutory reserve requirements, banks seek to minimize their inventory of such deposits. In 1994, the banking industry introduced a new inventory management tool for such deposits, the retail deposit sweep program, which avoids the statutory requirement by reclassifying transaction deposits as savings deposits. In this analysis, we examine two algorithms for operating such sweeps programs within the limits of Federal Reserve regulations.


Road crossing culverts can pose passage barriers during salmonid migration. However, existing models to predict passage have not been sufficiently tested, particularly for non-anadromous species. In addition, most existing tools for evaluating culvert passage status categorize culverts as passable or impassable whereas an estimate of the probability of passage under a range of flows and hydraulic conditions would be more useful for assessing barrier status. This study used Half-duplex (HDX) Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tags and PIT tag reading antennas to examine the ability of migrating fluvial-adfluvial Yellowstone cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarkii bouvieri to pass through three distinct culvert types over a variety of hydraulic conditions. PIT tag detecting antennas were installed on the upper and lower ends of each culvert and below the plunge pool downstream of the culvert. This design allowed determination of (1) passage success or failure; (2) the number of passage attempts made at each culvert; and (3) the time required for passage through each culvert; and (4) the number of tagged individuals that attempted passage at a particular culvert. Factors shown to increase the probability of passage included shorter fish length, higher water temperature, lower water velocity, and small outlet drop height. Stepwise logistic regression was used to create a model that contained water velocity alone that correctly predicted the probability of passage in 88.9% of cases (r = 0.91, P < 0.001). Box culverts with baffles had significantly higher passage rates and lower velocities that paralleled that observed in a natural stream channel. Congruency of observed passage with that predicted by the FishXing model was generally low (50%) suggesting the need for further field validation of the model. Study results indicated that 1) PIT tag detection systems offer distinct advantages for assessing culvert fish passage but that further testing of antenna designs is needed to increase efficacy of their use; 2) addition of baffles can increase culvert passage rates; and 3) probability of passage curves developed in this study offer a useful tool for assessing barrier status of individual culverts and estimating the need for culvert removal or retrofitting.


This Thesis contains details of the construction and characterisation of a compact apparatus for the cooling of ultracold atoms to quantum degeneracy, and their manipulation in flexible holographic optical traps. We have designed and built two iterations of this apparatus. The first version consists of a stainless steel singlecell vacuum chamber, in which we confine Rb and Li or Li in a Magneto-Optical Trap. We characterise the alternative methods of pulsed atomic dispenser and Light Induced Atomic Desorption (LIAD) to rapidly vary the background pressure in the vacuum chamber with the view to enabling efficient evaporative cooling in the single chamber, loading MOTs of up to 10 atoms using pulsed dispensers. The LIAD is found to be ineffective in loading large MOTs in this setup, while the pulsed dispensers method gradually increases the background pressure in the chamber over time. Based on the results of this first iteration, we designed and built a second singlechamber apparatus for cooling of Rb to quantum degeneracy. The LIAD technique was used to successfully load MOTs containing 8 × 10 atoms in this single pyrex cell with a rapidly-varying background pressure. The lifetime of an atomic cloud loaded from the MOT into a magnetic trap increased by a factor of 6 when LIAD was used. The holographic optical traps for cold atoms are generated using a Spatial Light Modulator, and we present our novel method for improving the quality of holographic light patterns to the point where they are suitable for trapping ultracold atoms using a feedback algorithm. As demonstrations of this new capability, we show power-law optical traps which provide an efficient, reversible route to BoseEinstein Condensation and a dynamic ring trap for the investigation of superfluidity in cold atoms.


These guidelines are provided to assist physicians and other clinicians in making decisions regarding the care of their patients. They are not a substitute for individual judgment brought to each clinical situation by the patie t's pri ary care provider in collaboration with the patient. As with all clinical reference resources, they reflect the best understanding of the science of medicine at the time of publication, but should be used with the clear understanding that continued research may result in new knowledge and recommendations.


When we make a decision, we experience a degree of confidence that our choice may lead to a desirable outcome. Recent studies in animals have probed the subjective aspects of the choice confidence using confidence-reporting tasks. These studies showed that estimates of the choice confidence substantially modulate neural activity in multiple regions of the brain. Building on these findings, we investigated the neural representation of the confidence in a choice in humans who explicitly reported the confidence in their choice. Subjects performed a perceptual decision task in which they decided between choosing a button press or a saccade while we recorded EEG activity. Following each choice, subjects indicated whether they were sure or unsure about the choice. We found that alpha activity strongly encodes a subject's confidence level in a forthcoming button press choice. The neural effect of the subjects' confidence was independent of the reaction time and independent of the sensory input modeled as a decision variable. Furthermore, the effect is not due to a general cognitive state, such as reward expectation, because the effect was specifically observed during button press choices and not during saccade choices. The neural effect of the confidence in the ensuing button press choice was strong enough that we could predict, from independent single trial neural signals, whether a subject was going to be sure or unsure of an ensuing button press choice. In sum, alpha activity in human cortex provides a window into the commitment to make a hand movement.


Humans are ubiquitously exposed to di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), which is an environmental toxicant incorporated in consumer products. Studies have shown that DEHP targets the ovary to disrupt essential processes required for reproductive and nonreproductive health. Specifically, 10-day exposure to DEHP accelerates primordial follicle recruitment and disrupts estrous cyclicity in adult mice. However, it is unknown if these effects on folliculogenesis and cyclicity following acute DEHP exposure can have permanent effects on reproductive outcomes. Further, the premature depletion of primordial follicles can cause early reproductive senescence, and it is unknown if acute DEHP exposure accelerates reproductive aging. This study tested the hypothesis that acute DEHP exposure causes infertility, disrupts estrous cyclicity, alters hormone levels, and depletes follicle numbers by inducing atresia later in life, leading to accelerated reproductive aging. Adult CD-1 mice were orally dosed with vehicle or DEHP (20 μg/kg/day-500 mg/kg/day) daily for 10 days, and reproductive outcomes were assessed at 6 and 9 months postdosing. Acute DEHP exposure significantly altered estrous cyclicity compared to controls at 6 and 9 months postdosing by increasing the percentage of days the mice were in estrus and metestrus/diestrus, respectively. DEHP also significantly decreased inhibin B levels compared to controls at 9 months postdosing. Further, DEHP significantly increased the BAX/BCL2 ratio in primordial follicles leading to a significant decrease in primordial and total follicle numbers compared to controls at 9 months postdosing. Collectively, the adverse effects present following acute DEHP exposure persist later in life and are consistent with accelerated reproductive aging.


The voluntary sector is growing in importance; in fundraising turnover, number of players and marketing professionalism. This study explores the process by which the fundraising organisations define and develop their propositions to the market. Starting with an observation that organisations with very different history and tradition present themselves to the market in similar ways, it investigates how three leading Swedish organisations create the basis for their propositions to the market of donors, which in fundraising practice jargon is called the Case for Support. Drawing upon research in philanthropic giving and organisational identity, the author suggests a theoretical framework for such a fundraising Case for Support. It recognises two main sources of influence, an external market source driven by donors, consumer image and behavioural trends and an internal mission driven source, defined by organisational history, values and programme track record. In the playing field between Market and Mission an organisation can reflect, develop and communicate their Case for Support – and their own "selves".


Since antiquity dead human bodies have been subject to examination under exceptional conditions. Thus, we note that the body of Julius Caesar, murdered in 44 B.C., was examined by the physician Antistius. A stab wound had penetrated his thoracic cavity whereas the remaining twenty-two wounds were designated as nonfatal in type. Throughout world history, works have been written which touch upon various facets of legal medicine including those pertaining to pathology. Evolution of legal pathology has been constant but occurring in fits and spurts. In Great Britain and in the United States changes are constantly being sought to improve medico-legal death investigations. Today, it seems evident that the complexities of such investigations require that forensic pathology be maintained as an independent entity. All previous and current systems have had one common theme, the investigation of apparent criminally caused deaths. Yet today we see that the forensic pathologist should be concerned with death investigations that relate to a broader theme, the public interest. In Florida, such deaths are defined as follows: (1) When any person dies in the state (a) Of criminal violence; (b) By accident; (c) By suicide; (d) Suddenly, when in apparent good health; (e) Unattended by a practicing physician or other recognized practitioner; (f) In any prison or penal institution; (g) In police custody; (h) In any suspicious or unusual circumstance; (i) By criminal abortion; (j) By poison; (k) By disease constituting a threat to public health; or (l) By disease, injury, or toxic agent resulting from employment; or (2) (a) When a dead body is brought into the state without proper medical certification; or (b) When a body is to be cremated, dissected, or buried at sea.These deaths have some degree of potential public interest and indicate the effect of social and health problems. Although less than ten percent of the above types of death may be the result of criminal causation, all should be of public concern. The pathologist, involved with such cases, is in a position to appreciate the problems of society and thus becomes the community pathologist.


This paper contributes to the study of work-life balance practices in very constrained environments such as Professional Service Firms. We start by highlighting the distinctive features of Professional Service Firms' incentive system, which is rooted in the 19th c. Cravath law firm and assumes that young professionals are willing to sacrifice their personal life to be eventually co-opted partner. We show that a few recent studies lead us to question this assumption and wonder whether this specific system may have lost its incentive power. We then ask the following question: Do Professional Service Firms intend to respond to growing demands of work-life balance and how can they accommodate them?
Our study is based on the combination of exploratory interviews of 9 Human Resources directors and 6 partners in 9 consulting firms with an in-depth comparative case study of two Finance and Management consulting firms' practices in the matter. It contributes to the understanding of work-life balance in Professional Service Firms in several ways. First, we confirm that consulting firms are confronted with demands of flexibility. Yet, we find that Human Resources Directors and Partners have two distinct standpoints on the issue: a first group explains this phenomenon is in line with the normal functioning of the up-or-out system, while a second group admits struggling to retain some promising consultants and trying to address their demands. Our comparative case study then shows that consulting firms attempt to accommodate demands of work-life balance and flexibility through a number of arrangements concerning: time, location, project assignment and client relationship management. Given the considerable discrepancy observed between the firm providing financial advice and the firm providing management advice, we then discuss how contingent consulting firms' capacity to respond to work-life balance demands may be. We go on to propose a framework of analysis of work-life balance arrangements in Professional Service Firms highlighting the role played by the leverage model, fee billing practices, the length of projects and their location, which are all strongly influenced by the type of advice provided. Finally, we discuss the role played by professional service firms' organisational constraints in favouring or discouraging these arrangements.


It's not unusual for investors, fiduciaries, and trustees to find themselves with too much of a good thing: owning or overseeing a large quantity of a highly appreciated low-basis stock. In this emotional issue, investors are typically torn: hold the stock that's made them rich and avoid the large tax bill, begin to diversify, or hedge? On average, investors haven't gotten paid to take on the incremental risk of single stocks. But that fact alone isn't enough to act upon? and indeed there are no singular answers. In this study the authors present an analytical framework that highlights the critical trade-offs underlying any single-stock decision, which has to factor in the investor's unique circumstances. These include his long-term goals, risk tolerance, and total portfolio, as well as the volatility of his single stock. We use all of this information to identify courses of action to consider. This analysis can be applied to other risk-management diversification strategies, such as liquidating over time and hedging with derivatives.


Introduction: Sacrospinous hysteropexy is a minimally invasive surgical procedure option for apical prolapse repair. Despite a significant number of postoperative hemorrhage and hematoma cases reported in the literature, lifethreatening hemorrhage as a complication after sacrospinous hysteropexy is rare. In this case, in addition to sacrospinous hysteropexy, midurethral sling surgery was performed via the needleless technique for stress urinary incontinence. The case presented here is of a hematoma that developed following sexual intercourse on the 10th postoperative day after sacrospinous hysteropexy and its successful management and treatment without reoperation. A review of the literature did not reveal any cases similar to the present one. Method: Both sacrospinous hysteropexy using the Surelift® Contasure Prolapse System and midurethral sling surgeries were performed without any intraoperative complications. Case: A 40-year-old, female patient who had undergone both sacrospinous hysteropexy and midurethral sling surgery presented with pain following sexual intercourse on the 10 postoperative day. A hematoma of 4 cm was palpated at vaginal examination on the right posterolateral site and confirmed with computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A vaginal tamponade was put in place and removed after 2 days follow-up in the hospital. After two weeks, contrast MRI revealed a hematoma smaller in size and after one month the hematoma was not observed. Discussion: Vascularity of the sacrospinous ligament (SSL) space includes an abundance of collateral blood vessels and significant anatomical variations can result from anastomosis. Finding and repairing injured vessels during SSL and pararectal area surgeries transvaginally or via laparotomy is difficult even for the experienced surgeon. Although sacrospinous hysteropexy is a minimally invasive transvaginal procedure, adverse effects may result due to the physical trauma of sexual intercourse so the patient should be warned to avoid sexual intercourse during the postoperative recovery period. If concurrent procedures have been performed along with sacrospinous hysteropexy, finding the source of the complication is essential for management and treatment. Conclusion: Knowledge of treatment options and pelvic vascular anatomy is fundamental for the diagnosis and management of complications. Although the literature is lacking in relevant data Proceedings in Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2017;7(2):5 Hematoma after sacrospinous hysteropexy 2 and case studies, the example of this case indicates that having sexual intercourse can result in postoperative development of hematoma in the SSL area, and that the patient should be warned to avoid sexual intercourse during the 6-week postoperative period. Vaginal packing should be the first treatment approach for management of intraoperative and postoperative hematoma and hemorrhage. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Duzce Ataturk Government Hospital, Duzce, Turkey Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Bayburt Government Hospital, Bayburt, Turkey Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Duzce University Hospital, Duzce, Turkey Department of Radiology, Duzce Ataturk Government Hospital, Duzce, Turkey


The aim
of the present study is to investigate the applicability of two models of the
influence of coping on personality and behavioral problems (the additive and
mediational one). This study investigate comparatively the
explanation models of coping and health in adolescents using the theoretical
and methological studies of Baron and Kenny (1986), Rudolph, Denning and Weisz
(1995) and Gomez (1998) of influential
models. Participants were 558 adolescents (44.3% boys and 55.7% girls) aged
between 11 to 18 years old (M = 13.92, SD = 1.45), from Barcelona (Spain). Data show significant
correlation between avoidance coping, anxiety trait and behavioral problems and
support partial mediation on their relationship. No mediation was found for
approach coping, extraversion and behavioral problems so only the additive
model was supported. In conclusion, this study indicates that: the explaining
model of personality, coping and behavioral problems can vary depending on the
coping strategies involved in the equation; avoidance coping can be described
as the way anxiety trait influences behavioral problems; personality can be
describe as a coping resource; and avoidance coping increases the influence of
personality on behavioral problems by two ways: one, by the cumulative effect;
and two, by the mediational influence that it exerts on the relationship of
anxiety trait and behavioral problems.