This study takes a look at the acquisition of early bilingualism of Persian and English languages by a five year old boy named Daniel in Iran. It aims to find out the progress he has made while acquiring these languages simultaneously, degree of his success or failure in communication in each language, his code switching and mother tongue dominancy during the five year period since his birth. The result of this study shows that early bilingualism has not caused delay either in Daniel's speech or his language acquisition process. Also it reveals that few code switchings Daniel has made are quite part of his normal language learning process and not indicative of his insufficient knowledge or his difficulty in using and communicating in either language. Moreover, it demonstrates that Daniel's mother tongue has mostly been dominant during the period although Daniel's mother has been communicating with him only in English which is not her first language. For this study, a descriptive method has been used based on his parents' observations, audio and video recordings and taking notes of his bilingual communication developments since his birth.


This paper analyses the role of feminist mobilizing in formulating the gender equality agenda of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): the goal (5) to 'achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls' and gender‐related targets across other SDGs. It explores how three key drivers shaped its contours and the effectiveness: (1) context of socioeconomic and political environment; (2) institutions; and (3) the processes of movement building. While feminist mobilizing led to significant advances in the SDGs relative to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), important unresolved barriers of financing and political opposition to women's human rights and gender equality remain and will require continued feminist mobilizing. This paper argues for the need to locate feminist mobilizing for the SDGs in the context of the history and persistence of gender inequality and violations of girls' and women's human rights, and the struggle against these violations. This history is located within economic, social and political environments that are sometimes more open to progressive social change but often, as in the current global conjuncture, may not be.


The problem of enhancing energy and economic efficiency of CP is urgent indeed. One of the main methods for solving it is optimization of CP operation. To solve the optimization problems of CP operation, Energy Systems Institute, SB of RAS, has developed a software. The software makes it possible to make optimization calculations of CP operation. The software is based on the techniques and software tools of mathematical modeling and optimization of heat and power installations. Detailed mathematical models of new equipment have been developed in the work. They describe sufficiently accurately the processes that occur in the installations. The developed models include steam turbine models (based on the checking calculation) which take account of all steam turbine compartments and regeneration system. They also enable one to make calculations with regenerative heaters disconnected. The software for mathematical modeling of equipment and optimization of CP operation has been developed. It is based on the technique for optimization of CP operating conditions in the form of software tools and integrates them in the common user interface. The optimization of CP operation often generates the need to determine the minimum and maximum possible total useful electricity capacity of the plant at set heat loads of consumers, i.e. it is necessary to determine the interval on which the CP capacity may vary. The software has been applied to optimize the operating conditions of the Novo-Irkutskaya CP of JSC "Irkutskenergo". The efficiency of operating condition optimization and the possibility for determination of CP energy characteristics that are necessary for optimization of power system operation are shown.


The US government is planning to spend an estimated US$1 trillion over 30 years to modernise or replace its triad of air-, land- and sea-based nuclear weapons. These plans have huge implications for the security of the United States and its allies, its public finances and the salience of nuclear weapons in global politics. This Adelphi book argues that the US need not replicate its Cold War triad to achieve credible and reliable deterrence. It proposes viable alternatives that would allow the US to maintain deterrence at a lower cost, thereby freeing up funds to ease pressing shortfalls in spending on conventional procurement and nuclear security. These alternative structures – which propose a reduction in the size and shape of the arsenal – have distinct advantages over the existing plan in maintaining strategic stability vis-à-vis Russia and China; upholding arms-control treaties; boosting the security of US nuclear forces; and supporting the global non-proliferation regime. They would also endow the US with a nuclear force better suited to the strategic environment of the twenty-first century, and mark an advance on the existing triad in supporting conventional military operations.


This thesis is concerned with solitons (solutions of certain nonlinear partial differential equations) in certain cases when the underlying space is either a lattice or curved. Chapter 2 of the thesis is concerned with the outcome of collisions between a kink (a 1-dimensional soliton) and an antikink for certain topological discrete (TD) systems. The systems considered are the TD sine-Gordon and the TD o(^4) For the TD sine-Gordon system it is found that the kink can support an internal shape mode which plays an important role during the collisions. In particular, this mode can be excited during collisions and this leads to spectacular resonance effects. The outcome of any particular collision has sensitive dependence on the initial conditions and could be either a trapped kink-antikink state, a "reflection" or a "transmission". Such resonance effects are already known to exist for the conventional discrete o(^4) system, and the TD o(^4) system is no different, though the results for the two are not entirely similar. Chapter 3 considers the question of the existence of explicit travelling kink solutions for lattice systems. In particular, an expression for such a solution for the integrable lattice sine-Gordon system is derived. In Chapter 4, by reducing the Yang-Mills equations on the (2 + 2)-dimensional ultrahyperbolic space-time, an integrable Yang-Mills-Higgs system on (2 + 1) dimensional de Sitter space-time is derived. It represents the curved space-time version of the Bogomolny equations for monopoles on R(^3) . Using twister methods, various explicit solutions with gauge groups U(l) and SU(2) are constructed. A multi-solution SU(2) solution is also presented.


Level 2 Details on Desertification 1. What is desertification?................................................................................................3 2. How are desertification and human well-being linked?.......................................3 2.1 Is a downward spiral of desertification inevitable?...............................................................3 2.2 What are the consequences of desertification?....................................................................4


To inspire new ideas in research on pollination ecology, we list the most important unanswered questions in the field. This list was drawn up by contacting 170 scientists from different areas of pollination ecology and asking them to contribute their opinion on the greatest knowledge gaps that need to be addressed. Almost 40% of them took part in our email poll and we received more than 650 questions and comments, which we classified into different categories representing various aspects of pollination research. The original questions were merged and synthesised, and a final vote and ranking led to the resultant list. The categories cover plant sexual reproduction, pollen and stigma biology, abiotic pollination, evolution of animal-mediated pollination, interactions of pollinators and floral antagonists, pollinator behaviour, taxonomy, plant-pollinator assemblages, geographical trends in diversity, drivers of pollinator loss, ecosystem services, management of pollination, and conservation issues such as the implementation of pollinator conservation. We focused on questions that were of a broad scope rather than case-specific; thus, addressing some questions may not be feasible within single research projects but constitute a general guide for future directions. With this compilation we hope to raise awareness of pollination-related topics not only among researchers but also among non-specialists including policy makers, funding agencies and the public at large.


One of the main problems of almond producers in Iran is the irregular and fluctuating production rates. This is the result of early flowering of native genotypes and coincidence of their flowering times with a cold spring. An experiment was done on three major commercial of Monagha, Sh- 12 and , Sh-18 through a double-factor factorial in the form of random blocks(cultivar, cold and phenological phase at 3, 6 and 3l levels respectively) with three replications with ages around 15 years. The results showed that the highest rate of proline was found at -6° C in Sh-18 (3.43μmol/g). While the highest rate of carbohydrates at -6 °C were found in cultivar Monagha (0.305mg/g). The rate of calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium at different stages of bud development of the experimental cultivars under cold stress was diverse significantly. According to this research results, Sh- 12 of almond was observed more resistant than other cultivars. (Hossein Afshari and Tahere Parvane. Study the effect of cold treatments on some physiological parameters of 3 cold resistance Almond cultivars. Life Sci J 2013;10(4s):4-16) (ISSN: 1097-8135). http://www.lifesciencesite.com. 2


In recent years, corporate managers have recognized how manufacturing capabilities contribute to a company's overall strategic strength. But many of them identify those capabilities only by accident - as a result of chance conversations with plant managers or operations specialists. Consequently, they often do not have the information necessary to cultivate, shape, and exploit their company's manufacturing capabilities. But as plants develop, they need guidance to build capabilities that meet current and future needs. Plant tours can be a powerful way to provide plants with that kind of direction. Almost everyone who leads, works for, or interacts with a manufacturing company can benefit from seeing a factory firsthand, David Upton and Stephen Macadam advise. For example, plant visits allow senior executives to understand a site's performance potential, to assess a competitor, or to rally the frontline workforce. Shop floor operators can assess another plant's operations and apply what they've learned in their own factories. But even people who know that plant tours are valuable can find putting them to effective use difficult. First, unclear objectives often turn touring into tourism. Second, many people lack an organizing framework with which to structure observations and accelerate learning. Upton and Macadam show visitors how to set clear objectives and apply an organizing framework in order to make sense of what they see and hear on a plant tour. In this way, visitors will develop a deep understanding of the plant's manufacturing capabilities - and how best to exploit them.


Abstract. The aim of this paper is an empirical estimation of the fundamental period of reinforced concrete buildings and its variation due to structural and non-structural damage. The 2009 L'Aquila earthquake has highlighted the mismatch between experimental data and code provisions value not only for undamaged buildings but also for the damaged ones. The 6 April 2009 L'Aquila earthquake provided the first opportunity in Italy to estimate the fundamental period of reinforced concrete (RC) buildings after a strong seismic sequence. A total of 68 buildings with different characteristics, such as age, height and damage level, have been investigated by performing ambient vibration measurements that provided their fundamental translational period. Four different damage levels were considered according with the definitions by EMS 98 (European Macroseismic Scale), trying to regroup the estimated fundamental periods versus building heights according to damage. The fundamental period of RC buildings estimated for low damage level is equal to the previous relationship obtained in Italy and Europe for undamaged buildings, well below code provisions. When damage levels are higher, the fundamental periods increase, but again with values much lower than those provided by codes. Finally, the authors suggest a possible update of the code formula for the simplified estimation of the fundamental period of vibration for existing RC buildings, taking into account also the inelastic behaviour.


The human gut microbiota comprises a dynamic ecological system that contributes significantly to human health and disease. The ecological forces that govern community assembly and stability in the gut microbiota remain unresolved. We developed a generalizable model-guided framework to predict higher-order consortia from time-resolved measurements of lower-order assemblages. This method was employed to decipher microbial interactions in a diverse 12-member human gut microbiome synthetic community. We show that microbial growth parameters and pairwise interactions are the major drivers of multi-species community dynamics, as opposed to context-dependent (conditional) interactions. The inferred microbial interaction network as well as a top-down approach to community assembly pinpointed both ecological driver and responsive species that were significantly modulated by microbial inter-relationships. Our model demonstrated that negative pairwise interactions could generate history-dependent responses of initial species proportions on physiological timescales that frequently does not originate from bistability. The model elucidated a topology for robust coexistence in pairwise assemblages consisting of a negative feedback loop that balances disparities in monospecies fitness levels. Bayesian statistical methods were used to evaluate the constraint of model parameters by the experimental data. Measurements of extracellular metabolites illuminated the metabolic capabilities of monospecies and potential molecular basis for competitive and cooperative interactions in the community. However, these data failed to predict influential organisms shaping community assembly. In sum, these methods defined the ecological roles of key species shaping community assembly and illuminated network design principles of microbial communities.


One of the most challenging issues facing Higher Education Institutions in recent years has been how to develop and gain competitive advantage in the global marketplace which is currently experiencing increasing and intense competition. The growth in competition has been driven, in part by the goal of every Higher Education Institution to internationalise. Consequently, the notion of international patronage, in terms of attracting and retaining international students, has become increasingly significant. Based on these competitive forces the aim of this study is to evaluate critically the implementations of relationship marketing initiatives by Business Schools as it relates to international student retention.
Three stakeholders studies of a total of fifty two participants including: nine Business Schools managers; thirteen academic staff working in Business Schools and thirty international students (undergraduates & postgraduates) participated in this study. The study involved four Business Schools in the Greater Manchester Area. These participants were selected as a result of their direct involvement with the research focus. The Business School managers included a Business Director, Deans, Academic Deans, and International Directors who were directly involved in developing and applying relationship marketing approaches in their respective Business Schools. Academic staff included staff members who were involved in delivering teaching to international students in their Business School. The International students were from thirteen different countries. Data was collected using: semi-structured face-to-face interviews; focus groups; observation and documents reviews.
A number of important findings have been obtained from the data collected which were analysed using thematic analysis. Firstly, results showed that whilst there are several definitions of international students', there is agreement amongst all stakeholders about the importance of international students not only to Business Schools but also to the local and national UK economy. Secondly, the results revealed that several aspects of the relationship marketing approach including extra academic support and student integration etc. were significant for international student retention. Thirdly, the study reveals that current RM practices do not focus sufficiently on individual students cultural and religious backgrounds. Fourthly, the results show that current relationship marketing initiatives are perceived by stakeholders to have positive implications for retaining international students in the participating Business Schools.
The implications of the results are that Business School managers and staff members should endeavour to understand international student dynamics and as a result develop unique aspects of their relationship marketing approach that focus on such dynamics. Business School should engage all international students and employees who are in contact points with international students especially academic staff who develop marketing policies that are international student related. Business School managers should also consider involving students extended family prior to, during and post student experience of study as they are often the financial source for the student and key stakeholders in the student decision making process.


Most commercial virtual reality applications with self avatars provide users with a "one-size fits all" avatar. While the height of this body may be scaled to the user's height, other body proportions, such as limb length and hand size, are rarely customized to fit an individual user. Prior research has shown that mismatches between users' avatars and their actual bodies can affect size perception and feelings of body ownership. In this paper, we consider how concepts related to the virtual hand illusion, user experience, and task efficiency are influenced by variations between the size of a user's actual hand and their avatar's hand. We also consider how using a tracked controller or tracked gestures affect these concepts. We conducted a 2x3 within-subjects study (n=20), with two levels of input modality: using tracked finger motion vs. a hand-held controller (Glove vs. Controller), and three levels of hand scaling (Small, Fit, and Large). Participants completed 2 block-assembly trials for each condition (for a total of 12 trials). Time, mistakes, and a user experience survey were recorded for each trial. Participants experienced stronger feelings of ownership and realism in the Glove condition. Efficiency was higher in the Controller condition and supported by play data of more time spent, blocks grabbed, and blocks dropped in the Glove condition. We did not find enough evidence for a change in agency and the intensity of the virtual hand illusion depending on hand size. Over half of the *e-mail: email@example.com †e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com ‡e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com §e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com ¶e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com ||e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com **e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com ††e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com participants indicated preferring the Glove condition over the Controller condition, mentioning fun and efficiency as factors in their choices. Preferences on hand scaling were mixed but often attributed to efficiency. Participants liked the appearance of their virtual hand more while using the Fit instead of Large hands. Several interaction effects were observed between input modality and hand scaling, for example, for smaller hands, tracked hands evoked stronger feelings of ownership compared to using a controller. Our results show that the virtual hand illusion is stronger when participants are able to control a hand directly rather than with a hand-held device, and that the virtual reality task must first be considered to determine which modality and hand size are the most applicable.


Palladium-doped nano–γ-Fe2O3 films were printed on Al2O3 substrates by screen printing–injecting hybrid technology. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy techniques were used to characterize the phase structures and morphologies of the films, respectively. The sensitivity of the films to 100 ppm formaldehyde in air was investigated. The surface adsorption and reaction process between Pd-doped nano–γ-Fe2O3 films and formaldehyde was studied by in situ diffuse reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (DRIFTS) at different temperatures. Dioxymethylene, formate ions, polyoxymethylene, and adsorbed formaldehyde were detected when the Pd-doped nano–γ-Fe2O3 films were exposed to 100 ppm formaldehyde at different temperatures. A possible mechanism of the reaction process is discussed.


The development and interannual variability of sublitoral soft bottom communities of the German Bight has been studied continuously at four representative permanent stations.A large interannual variability was combined with some changes on roughly decadal time scale. In accordance with large-scale system changes documented for the North Sea, also the composition of benthic communities changed since the late 1960ies. Possible climatic, oceanographic and anthropogenic influences were evaluated by correlating the faunal development with environmental data. The vicinities of the stations were extensively sampled to evaluate the spatial variability and the sample-size-dependencies of community descriptors. Recommendations are derived for offshore monitoring of North Sea soft-bottom macrozoobenthos.


Pregnancy in women with type 1 diabetes remains a challenge for the patient and healthcare team alike. The scenario box on this page highlights some of the problems in achieving satisfactory pregnancy outcomes in women with diabetes. We discuss in the article the main areas of concern.

#### SCENARIO

Julie rang the diabetes specialist nurse having confirmed pregnancy with a home test kit. Her period was two weeks late. Although she recalled being advised about the need for prepregnancy care, she thought her glucose control was good enough (HbA1c concentration 7.9% at last check) and she had been taking a 400 µg tablet of folic acid daily. She had developed type 1 diabetes 16 years before (at age 8) and at her last annual review had no retinopathy or microalbuminuria. She controlled her diabetes with bedtime insulin glargine, plus insulin lispro (a rapid acting analogue) before meals.

An urgent appointment for the medical obstetric clinic was arranged, and telephone advice was given to achieve blood glucose levels of 3.5-5.5 mmol/l before meals and 4.0-6.5 mmol/l two hours after meals. HbA1c concentration decreased from 7.7% at presentation to 6.3% within eight weeks and was maintained around this level for the rest of pregnancy. The 19-20 week anomaly scan showed a cardiac abnormality, later confirmed with fetal echocardiography as a ventricular septal defect. Blood pressure increased from 102/66 mm Hg to 124/84 mm Hg. Labour was induced at 38 weeks. Blood glucose concentration was maintained at between 5.5 mmol/l and 7.3 mmol/l through use of intravenous glucose and insulin. After a normal vaginal delivery the 4100 g baby boy had Apgar scores of 7 and 9 at 1 and 5 minutes respectively. The locum neonatal senior house officer was advised by the experienced midwives not to measure blood glucose at birth, and …


Distortion of the vertebral column in fossils can be used for the estimation of two-dimensional finite strain by a simple geometrical technique, namely the Wellman method. We demonstrate application of the Wellman method to the distorted vertebral columns of a reptile and a stem-chordate, and use the results to restore the undistorted fossil shapes by a computer graphic method. The Wellman method is particularly efficient in situations where independent evidence for the principal strain directions, or undistorted forms, are lacking. The method is purely geometrical, easy to use, and rapid. It involves relatively low error, and works even when only a small segment of the distorted vertebral column is preserved.


Generations of scholars, tourists and armchair travellers have been intrigued by the puzzle of ancient Egypt's origins. Now, in the light of Toby Wilkinson's dramatic new discoveries, the genesis of the pharaohs is at last coming into focus. But the picture that emerges is not what we imagined. The ancestors of the pyramid-builders were not village-dwelling farmers, but wandering cattle-herders, and pharaonic civilization was forged in one of the most forbidding places on Earth: the Eastern Desert, between the Nile Valley and the Red Sea. Here, the pharaohs' distant ancestors left a stunning legacy that has remained hidden for 6,000 years: hundreds of intricate rock carvings in which the origins of later pharaonic imagery is clearly discernible. Toby Wilkinson traces the discovery of these ancient records, dates them, and identifies the artists who made them, basing his own discoveries in the heart of the Eastern Desert.


There is increasing evidence for "hypoxia-like" conditions in some inflammatory multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions raising the possibility that the tissue is deficient in energy. Accodingly, mitochondrial abnormalities have been described in some MS tissue, including reduced mitochondrial gene transcripts in MS motor cortex and decreased mitochondrial complex IV expression.
To explore the role of mitochondrial defects in neuroinflammatory lesions, experimental inflammatory lesions were induced by the intraspinal injection of lipopolysaccharide in rats under general anaesthesia. The tissue was snap-frozen for histochemical assessment of mitochondrial complex II and/or IV activity at various intervals (1-28 days) post injection: the activity of the complexes was compared with porin expression or complex IV subunit I expression (presence of mitochondria or protein respectively). The oxygen concentration within the dorsal column was determined at 24 hours after lesion induction in vivo using an oxygen-sensitive optical probe. EMG potentials were also recorded at the foot dorsum in response to stimulation of the sciatic nerve. Presence of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species were examined by immunohistochemistry and by the fluorescent marker dihydroethidium (DHE) in vivo.
Complex IV activity within the motor neurons was decreased 1 day after injection, further decreased by day 2, and returned to pre-injection baseline by day 5.
Decreased complex IV activity exactly coincided with a temporary reduction in motor neuron excitability as measured by H reflex and F wave amplitude, which was maximal at day 2. The oxygen concentration within the dorsal columns at the site of the LPS lesion was significantly elevated when compared with the saline-injected and naive control animals. DHE fluorescence revealed that superoxide production was increased at the lesion site and immmunohistochemistry revealed oxidative stress to DNA, lipids and protein.
LPS-induced neuroinflammation results in a reversible and coincident decrease in both complex IV activity and motor neuron excitability, which was strengthened by the result that intraspinal LPS-injections causes hyperoxia, presumably from mitochondrial dysfunction. Nitric oxide has been implicated in neuronal dysfunction and although a causal relationship has not been established, observations support an interpretation that inflammation-mediated NO causes mitochondrial damage, increased oxygen concentration and formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). These actions illustrate a vicious circle where ROS induce further damage, which results in energy deficiency displayed by reduced neuronal excitability and neurological deficits. The observations are consistent with energy deficiency and reduced function in neuroinflammatory lesions similar to those found in MS.


Summary
A virus was isolated from the blood of 6 out of 119 persons living in Guaroa, eastern Columbia. The locality is a recent settement situated at the edge of a natural savannah in the vicinity of a stretch of tropical rain forest. There is evidence that the agent isolated was the same in five of these persons. Serological studies showed that this agent was not identical with any of the 36 different anthropod-borne viruses with which it was compared, nor, in view of the known cross relationships among members of a group, could any evidence be found indicating that the virus belongs in groups A, B, or C. Our serological studies indicate that the virus is not related to Anopheles A, Anopheles B, and Wyeomyia. The conclusion derived from the immunological studies indicated that this was a new agent, to which the name Guaroa was given.
A distant relationship was found between Guaroa and California encephalitis virus; this very slight overlap was detected by HI, but not by CF, and in one direction only. Although California immune sera inhibited a Guaroa antigen, Guaroa sera failed to inhibit a California antigen. Additional studies are clearly indicated to elucidate this crossing.
Guaroa virus is pathogenic for white mice, regardless of age, when inoculated by the intracerebral route. When the subcutaneous route is used, it produces fatal infections in baby mice, but not in adults. Two rhesus monkeys inoculated subcutaneously and intradermally with the human sera from which the viruses were isolated, showed viremia and immunological conversion, but none developed fever or any clinical disease.
Guaroa virus was isolated from persons who, at the time of the bleeding, did not complain of being sick. Four of these individuals apparently continued to enjoy good health during the month following the isolation of the virus. One person had a mild febrile illness lasting two days which started on the second day after the bleeding. It was not possible to continue the study of the sixth individual.
A large proportion of residents of Guaroa was found to have neutralizing antibodies for Guaroa virus, which indicates that the agent was very prevalent there.


This paper argues for the use of more natural and flexible clarification questions in spoken dialogue systems. Several forms and aspects of clarification questions are discussed and exemplified by examples from human-human dialogue corpora. We show how clarification questions fit into the broader context of miscommunication and describe the types of information spoken dialogue systems need in order to generate various different clarification forms. Two kinds of dialogue systems are considered: Slot-based dialogue systems and dialogue systems with deep semantic analysis.


Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of iso-caloric combinations of exercise and caloric restriction on insulin sensitivity of obese male rats. Materials and Methods: Fifty-six, eight-week-old male Wistar rats (190±16 g) were primarily divided into the obesity (n=48) and healthy groups (n=8) and were fed high-fat and standard palate for seventeen weeks respectively. After obesity induction, the obesity group was randomly assigned to one of six groups, i.e. EXE, CR, EXCR1, EXCR2, and EXCR3 as experimental groups and OC as the control group following which 15% of food intake was reduced. Their exercise intensity was about 70-75% vo2max, 28 m/min for 48 to 55 minutes. Negative energy balance was applied through caloric restriction (CR) (6d/w); exercise training (EXE) (6d/w), in three combinations: EXCR1 (2d/w exercise + 4d/w CR, (EXCR2 (3d/w exercise + 3d/w CR) and EXCR3 (4d/w exercise + 2d/w CR) for two months. One way ANOVA and Tukey post-hoc were applied for data analysis by SPSS version 16 (p<0.05). Results: Serum glucose levels of EXE, CR, EXCR1, EXCR2 and EXCR3 significantly decreased compared to the OC group. Plasma CR and EXCR3 insulin were significantly decreased, in comparison to OC insulin level. Compared to OC, insulin sensitivity was significantly elevated in CR and EXCR2. Conclusion: It is concluded that exercise and caloric restriction, both per se and in different combinations reduced obesity elevated induced serum glucose. However caloric restriction and EXCR2 and caloric restriction lead to significant increase in insulin sensitivity. It is recommended to consider equal doses of exercise and caloric restriction which may improve insulin sensitivity.


Three experiments investigated 5- through 8-month-olds' ability to encode self-propelled and caused motion and examined whether processing of motion onset changes when crawling begins. Infants were habituated (Experiments 1 and 2) or familiarized (Experiment 3) with simple causal and noncausal launching events. They then viewed the caused-to-move and self-propelled objects from the events both stationary and side-by-side, and their preferential looking to the objects was assessed. Results revealed that 5- and 6-month-olds displayed a different pattern of looking than did 8-month-olds. More notably, noncrawling 7-month-olds and 7-month-olds with crawling experience also demonstrated such a differential pattern. These data suggest that processing of motion onset changes in concert with the commencement of self-locomotion. Findings are discussed in reference to the mechanisms underlying infants' ability to recognize self-propelled motion and the scope of the relationship between action production and action perception in infancy.


Objective: To update the "Endocrine Treatment of Transsexual Persons: An Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline," published by the Endocrine Society in 2009. Participants: The participants include an Endocrine Society‐appointed task force of nine experts, a methodologist, and a medical writer. Evidence: This evidence‐based guideline was developed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach to describe the strength of recommendations and the quality of evidence. The task force commissioned two systematic reviews and used the best available evidence from other published systematic reviews and individual studies. Consensus Process: Group meetings, conference calls, and e‐mail communications enabled consensus. Endocrine Society committees, members and cosponsoring organizations reviewed and commented on preliminary drafts of the guidelines. Conclusion: Gender affirmation is multidisciplinary treatment in which endocrinologists play an important role. Gender‐dysphoric/gender‐incongruent persons seek and/or are referred to endocrinologists to develop the physical characteristics of the affirmed gender. They require a safe and effective hormone regimen that will (1) suppress endogenous sex hormone secretion determined by the person's genetic/gonadal sex and (2) maintain sex hormone levels within the normal range for the person's affirmed gender. Hormone treatment is not recommended for prepubertal gender‐dysphoric/gender‐incongruent persons. Those clinicians who recommend gender‐affirming endocrine treatments—appropriately trained diagnosing clinicians (required), a mental health provider for adolescents (required) and mental health professional for adults (recommended)—should be knowledgeable about the diagnostic criteria and criteria for gender‐affirming treatment, have sufficient training and experience in assessing psychopathology, and be willing to participate in the ongoing care throughout the endocrine transition. We recommend treating gender‐dysphoric/gender‐incongruent adolescents who have entered puberty at Tanner Stage G2/B2 by suppression with gonadotropin‐releasing hormone agonists. Clinicians may add gender‐affirming hormones after a multidisciplinary team has confirmed the persistence of gender dysphoria/gender incongruence and sufficient mental capacity to give informed consent to this partially irreversible treatment. Most adolescents have this capacity by age 16 years old. We recognize that there may be compelling reasons to initiate sex hormone treatment prior to age 16 years, although there is minimal published experience treating prior to 13.5 to 14 years of age. For the care of peripubertal youths and older adolescents, we recommend that an expert multidisciplinary team comprised of medical professionals and mental health professionals manage this treatment. The treating physician must confirm the criteria for treatment used by the referring mental health practitioner and collaborate with them in decisions about gender‐affirming surgery in older adolescents. For adult gender‐dysphoric/gender‐incongruent persons, the treating clinicians (collectively) should have expertise in transgender‐specific diagnostic criteria, mental health, primary care, hormone treatment, and surgery, as needed by the patient. We suggest maintaining physiologic levels of gender‐appropriate hormones and monitoring for known risks and complications. When high doses of sex steroids are required to suppress endogenous sex steroids and/or in advanced age, clinicians may consider surgically removing natal gonads along with reducing sex steroid treatment. Clinicians should monitor both transgender males (female to male) and transgender females (male to female) for reproductive organ cancer risk when surgical removal is incomplete. Additionally, clinicians should persistently monitor adverse effects of sex steroids. For gender‐affirming surgeries in adults, the treating physician must collaborate with and confirm the criteria for treatment used by the referring physician. Clinicians should avoid harming individuals (via hormone treatment) who have conditions other than gender dysphoria/gender incongruence and who may not benefit from the physical changes associated with this treatment.


The vicious circle of dyspnoea–inactivity has been proposed, but never validated empirically, to explain the clinical course of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We aimed to develop and validate externally a comprehensive vicious circle model. We utilised two methods. 1) Identification and validation of all published vicious circle models by a systematic literature search and fitting structural equation models to longitudinal data from the Spanish PAC-COPD (Phenotype and Course of COPD) cohort (n=210, mean age 68 years, mean forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) 54% predicted), testing both the hypothesised relationships between variables in the model ("paths") and model fit. 2) Development of a new model and external validation using longitudinal data from the Swiss and Dutch ICE COLD ERIC (International Collaborative Effort on Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease: Exacerbation Risk Index Cohorts) cohort (n=226, mean age 66 years, mean FEV1 57% predicted). We identified nine vicious circle models for which structural equation models confirmed most hypothesised paths but showed inappropriate fit. In the new model, airflow limitation, hyperinflation, dyspnoea, physical activity, exercise capacity and COPD exacerbations remained related to other variables and model fit was appropriate. Fitting it to ICE COLD ERIC, all paths were replicated and model fit was appropriate. Previously published vicious circle models do not fully explain the vicious circle concept. We developed and externally validated a new comprehensive model that gives a more relevant role to exercise capacity and COPD exacerbations. An externally validated model highlights exercise capacity and exacerbations as drivers of the COPD vicious circle http://ow.ly/NXvu30kW7CP


West African elites have successfully argued for an Economic Partnership Agreement Development Programme (EPADP) as part of free trade negotiations with the European Commission. ECOWAS officials state that the EPADP is necessary to realise the 'development dimension' of trade. In particular, they have (re)articulated Europe's own narratives relating to Aid for Trade and private sector development – insisting that the European Commission delivers on its promises. Accordingly, European negotiators have conceded the principle of the EPADP, stating that around €· billion will be delivered. This article, however, examines the likely (in)capacity of the EPADP to meaningfully marry trade and development in the context of premature liberalisation under Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs). Crucially, it argues that West African extraversion in terms of EPADP resources may entrench predatory elites while locking-in ECOWAS states into inequitable trade structures that re-embed poverty in the region.


Different mechanisms generating secondary currents in channels are presented. It is shown by an order-of-magnitude analysis that secondary currents of magnitude 1% of the downstream velocity are as important for lateral mixing as turbulent diffusion. Results from numerical simulations that support the analysis are presented.


Given the vital place of clearinghouses in Dodd-Frank, it is perhaps surprising that Dodd-Frank makes no provision for the failure of a clearinghouse. Indeed, it is arguable that the United States is not in compliance with its commitment to the G-20 on this point.Clearinghouses are presently excluded from the new Orderly Liquidation Authority under title II, title II and titles VII and VIII do not work well together in any event, and the notion that a derivatives clearinghouse might file a regular bankruptcy petition is farcical, given that Congress previously decided to exclude derivatives, and most securities trades, from the most important parts of the Bankruptcy Code. A clearinghouse might file, but there would be little point.And because clearinghouses are oddly defined as "commodities brokers" under the Bankruptcy Code, they are only permitted to file a chapter 7 liquidation cases. In this paper I suggest two likely outcomes upon the onset of clearinghouse financial distress. First, Congress will be tempted to adopt an ad hoc statutory solution. The fate of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the two mortgage companies who were placed in a conservatorship in September 2008, shortly after Congress had created that possibility under the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, looms large here. But ad hoc solutions simply exacerbate uncertainty in times of financial distress, and are subject to litigation risk too. And the sudden creation of a specialized resolution process is really not anything more than a bailout, since any solution will require massive capital injections to save the clearinghouses. Again consider the mortgage companies, and the U.S. Treasury's large preferred share holdings therein.So there will be a temptation to engage in direct bailout, despite Dodd-Frank's claim to have ended bailouts. Bailouts of individual financial institutions may end, but bailouts of clearinghouses might become more common in a post-Dodd-Frank world. Given that most clearinghouses are themselves publicly traded companies, with strong connections to all the major banks, there are good reasons to wonder if we will not simply be bailing out a new type of financial institution in the future.What to do? I suggest that the government should nationalize the clearinghouses upon failure, and the intention to exercise this option should be made clear ex ante. That is, the government should expressly state that clearinghouses designated under title VIII of Dodd-Frank that ultimately fail will be nationalized, with specific consequences to investors, and an expectation of member participation in the recapitalization of the clearinghouse, once that becomes systemically viable. This should provide stakeholders in the clearinghouses with strong incentives to oversee the clearinghouse's management, and avoid such a fate.


Purpose - This paper sets out to review the HR journal literature in relation to the promotion of reflective practice at work for performance improvement. The key questions here include whether educational institutions which are happy to promote reflection as a key improvement practice tool can justify the hyperbole and demonstrate practical benefits in the workplace from reflective practice, or whether talking about reflection, and assessing reflective practice belong more comfortably in domain of Higher Education and professional institutions' attempts at CPD. Design/methodology/approach - Three major subject-relevant online databases: EBSCOHost, Business Source Premier and Emerald were used, in addition to publisher databases, such as Wiley Interscience and Sage Premier, to search the academic HR, HRD, management development and management psychology literature over the last five years. High quality academic journals were the main focus for the review, including Human Resource Management, the International Journal of Human Resource Management, Human Resource Development Quarterly, Human Resource Management Review, the Journal of Human Resources and Personnel Review among others. Additional academic and professional literature found through these databases to relate to the promotion of reflective practice was also searched, to give a wider background context to the HR literature search. Findings - Articles which related to the topic of reflective practice were systematically reviewed for their key themes, warrant for claims, research methodology and practical recommendations. The HR literature is predominantly focussed on the teaching of reflective practice, mainly in educational institutions rather than practical strategies for promoting reflective practice in the workplace. There is nothing wrong with this as a legitimate and important objective; however if as academics we believe in the tremendous importance of reflective skills development, we should also be able to spot opportunities to develop practical reflective tools for performance improvement. Other literature as disparate as workplace learning, healthcare professions, project management and engineering offer alternate perspectives on practical approaches to reflection and its relevance to performance improvement. In particular, notions of coached, critical, facilitative and collective reflection were reviewed for their potential impact on promoting reflection as a performance improvement tool. Research limitations/implications - Only journal articles were reviewed, rather than published books in the field, although the legacy of Schon (1983) in particular is to be found widely in journal publications.


Utilitarian simplicity and graceful beauty. This book deals with the inspirational vision of Jean Prouve. French architect and designer Jean Prouve (1901-1984) was one of the most important constructors of the 20th century. Prouve's design innovations included cleverly-shaped metal parts for building prefabricated structures; he designed buildings and furniture that could be produced with economy of labor and material and efficiency in use, while maintaining high technical standards and quality materials. His simple and elegant style, while born from the desire for inexpensive production, has become an imitable aesthetic and has earned him a position as one of the century's most influential designers. This introduction to Prouve's work gives a profound insight into the variety of his oeuvre and the progressiveness of his inspirational vision.


As the world becomes more digitized, there will be an increasing need to make available learning resources in electronic format for access by information and communication technologies. The question education will face is whether these learning resources will be available for learners to access at no cost or affordable cost so that there will be equity in access by anyone regardless of location, status, or background. With initiatives such as the Millennium Development Goals and Education For All by the United Nations (United Nations, 2011) learning materials must be available as open education resources to achieve the goals. Currently, most learning materials are available at a cost for people to purchase to learn, or they have to travel to a specific location (school or library) to access learning materials. In some parts of the world, especially in developing countries, these costs are prohibitive, preventing learners from achieving a basic level of education so that they can be productive in society and improve their quality of life (Bhavnani et al., 2008). Some would say that people in remote locations and developing countries do not have computers to access learning materials. It is true that many  do not have desktop or laptop computers to access learning materials, but they have mobile devices and are now obtaining tablets with wireless capability to allow them to access learning materials from anywhere and at any time. These countries are bypassing the wired desktop stage and moving directly to wireless mobile technology (Bhavnani et al., 2008). Storing open education resources (OER) in electronic repositories will allow learners to access the resources using mobile technology. With mobile technologies, learners can complete coursework and assessments from anywhere and send their work to their tutors electronically and receive feedback (GSMA, 2011).


This thesis explores a number of key economic impacts associated with climate change in Ireland. It begins by examining the idea of climate change as a so called "wicked problem", and in turn investigates uncertainty, the importance of ethics in economic valuation, and the complexities associated with creating economic assessments, formulating policy and carrying out appropriate action. Drawing on sustainability science the terms resilience, vulnerability and adaptive capacity are also discussed, defined and engaged with.
Key results, associated with both potential climate impact and adaptation costs, are presented from global and regional integrated assessment models and in turn vulnerable Irish sectors are uncovered. The following bottom-up approach explores key vulnerabilities in Ireland in the areas of coastal exposure, wetland vulnerability and inland flooding. Digital Terrain Modelling is used in conjunction with a range of datasets to examine vulnerabilities relating to coastal land, commercial and residential property addresses, insurance claim costs, as well as wetland and species vulnerability. It should be noted that the results presented are cognisant of the limitations of monetary evaluation alone as a measure of potential climate impacts. The bottom up approach has the added advantage of providing geographically distributed impacts in discrete sectors as apposed to the often highly aggregated regional Integrated Assessment Modelling approach.
Finally, the implications of these results for decision-making in relation to adaptation planning are discussed, along with avenues for potential future work.


The authors conclude that cloud seeding is an effective way of increasing precipitation when applied to the appropriate clouds and climate. Reported results from research projects show that the frequency distribution of the increases in precipitation from cloud seeding is a function of the type of cloud seeded. The effect on seasonal precipitation is related to the cloud type makeup of the climate.


INTRODUCTION
Smoking prevalence is higher among sexual minorities compared to their heterosexual peers. However, very little is known about potential racial differences in smoking among sexual minority populations. We examined differences by race in smoking status among a robust sample of sexual minorities.

METHODS
We used data from the 2010 Social Justice Sexuality project, a large national convenience sample of sexual minority adults that oversampled individuals from racial minority groups. Log-Poisson multivariable regression models were employed to determine the risk of current smoking among sexual minority individuals by race after controlling for socio-demographic characteristics.

RESULTS
Among smokers, 22.35% identified as White, 26.98% identified as Black, 19.38% identified as Latino/Hispanic, 5.58% identified as Asian American, and 25.67% were other/multiracial. In fully adjusted gender stratified models, Black men (adjusted risk ratio [aRR] = 0.61, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.50, 0.75) and Asian American men (aRR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.50, 0.75) were at lower risk of smoking compared to White men. Black women were the only to remain statistically significant for decreased risk of smoking in fully adjusted gender stratified models (aRR = 0.78, 95 % CI = 0.65, 0.95).

CONCLUSIONS
Among sexual minorities, Black and Asian American individuals consistently were at decreased risk of current smoking compared to their White peers. Future research should seek to understand the mechanisms that contribute to decreased smoking status among racial sexual minorities.


Low-pressure powder injection molding is an emerging technology for cost-effectively producing complex shape metallic parts with the proper dimensional tolerances, either in high or in low production volumes. In this study, the molding properties of cobalt-chrome-based feedstocks were evaluated for use in a lowpressure powder injection molding process. The rheological properties of feedstock formulations were obtained by mixing metallic powder with a proprietary wax-based binder system. Rheological parameters such as reference viscosity, shear rate sensitivity index, and activation energy for viscous flow, were extracted from the viscosity profiles and introduced into the Weir model to calculate the moldability index. Feedstocks were experimentally injected into a spiral mold cavity to validate the injection performance calculated with the model. Keywords—Binder, feedstock, moldability, powder injection molding, viscosity.


This study investigated the impact of built environment (i.e., "servicescape") on patients' choice of destination hospitals. It is widely known that factors such as hospital reputation, cost of treatment, and travel related concerns impact patients' choice of hospital, but little is known about the impact of servicescape on patients' hospital selection process. The findings, investigated within the context of cancer treatment, suggest that while reputation, cost, and distance are strong drivers in patients' choice, servicescape also impacts choice. Further, it is found that patients will travel long distance to choose a treatment center provided that it has a good reputation for high quality care and the "servicescape" is appropriate. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the relationship between consumer behavior and servicescape in a new dimension, the choice of cancer hospitals. The findings set the stage for additional research in this area. We believe these findings are valuable for both scholars and managers.


Brainstem cavernous malformation (BCM) account for 8-22% of all intracranial cavernomas. Currently, they can be treated microsurgically or conservative but it is still difficult to choose the best treatment for each patient. The main objective of our series was to evaluate the long-term functional outcome and recurrence in patients with BCM treated with conservative or surgical treatments. Hypothesis: We assessed the hypothesis that surgical and conservative treatments are associated with different functional outcome and re-hemorrhage rate in long-term follow-up. Methods: In this non-randomized, clinical series, we compared the clinical and radiological findings of patients with their first hemorrhage secondary to confirmed BCM, treated in a tertiary neurological center, during a twenty five- year period. Treatment of each patient was selected by the attending physician and consisted of either conservative or surgical evacuation of BCM. The primary end-points were recurrent hemorrhage and functional outcome. Favorable prognosis was defined as modified Rankin scale (mRs) of 0 to 2. Results: From January of 1990 to July of 2015; 99 patients with BCM hemorrhage were treated (59 [59,6%] female; mean age 37± 13 years). 37 patients (37,4%) were surgically treated and 62 (62,6%) received conservative treatment. During the follow-up; 20 patients in the medical group (median time of recurrence: 34,5 months; IQR: 13,75-93) and 4 patients in the surgical group (median time of recurrence: 22 months; IQR: 9-46,5) had a recurrence (OR: 0,255; 95% IC: 0,079-0,817), with a cumulative incidence of 5,1 per 100 years-person and 3,96 per 100 years-person respectively. Because of rebleeding, 11 patients of the conservative group were taken to surgery and 3 of the surgical group were to required re-intervention. At the end of follow-up (median: 51 months; IQR: 19-104) 51 patients remained in the conservative group and 28 (54,9%) had a favorable mRs. 48 patients remained in the surgical group and 27 (56,2%) had a favorable mRs (OR:0,94 95% IC: 0,42-2,09). Conclusion: Despite a significant high recurrent hemorrhage rate was observed in conservative treated patients, we did not found difference in clinical outcome between both groups of patients with BCM.


Edward Garrison's work on early Italian panels resulted in the publication in 1949 of the first comprehensive index of Romanesque Italian panel painting, which remains the standard work of reference on the subject. Subsequently, his four-volume Studies in the History of Medieval Italian Painting, published in Florence between 1953 and 1962, represents the most considerable body of research yet published on Italian miniature and panel painting from the eleventh to the thirteenth centuries. These two volumes collect together all the author's articles on Italian fresco and panel painting which have been published in art-historical journals since 1945. This provides both an indispensable supplement to the author's earlier Studies in the History of Medieval Italian Painting, and in including three successive Addenda to his Index of Italian Romanesque Panel Paintings, also serves the function of updating the earlier publications. Contents: Preface The Role of Criticism in the Historiography of Painting Note on the Survival of Thirteenth-Century Panel Paintings in Italy A Berlinghieresque Fresco in S. Stefano, Bologna Ricupero di un affresco del dodicesimo secolo in Lucca Towards a New History of Early Lucchese Painting Elements of Shape as Indices of Date in Florentine Painted Panels A Ducciesque Tabernacle at Oxford The Oxford Christ Church Library Panel and the Milan Sessa Collection Shutters Simeone and Machilone Spoletenses Il Maestro di Forli Dating the Vatican Last Judgment Panel: Monument versus Document Post-War Discoveries in Early Italian Painting, I-V Addenda ad Indicem, I-III Index.


In 1960, two-thirds (68%) of all Americans in their twenties were married. But by 2008, just over one-quarter of twenty-somethings (26%) were wed. According to the Census Bureau's American Community Survey, married-couple family households constituted only 49.7% of all households in 2009. The Census Bureau reported in 2009 that 96.6 million Americans eighteen and older were unmarried, a group comprising 43% of all U.S. residents eighteen and older. Children's living arrangements have also undergone substantial change. In the past generation, the percentage of children in the United States who live with two married parents has markedly declined. Although our culture is still ambivalent about families not based on genetic ties, social acceptance of a wider range of family forms has increased. This multiplicity of family structures means that marriage has become an optional arrangement for creating a family. How did this happen? And where is the American family headed, in both cultural and legal terms? This Article sketches out a framework for analysis of this central social question, and argues that family law is moving in the direction of adopting functional norms for determining family composition and adjudicating family disputes.


Durham, NC—Scientists at Duke University Medical Center have created a new breast scanner that will dramatically improve their ability to visualize small tumors while also reducing radiation exposure to one-tenth that of normal mammograms. Moreover, the new device does not compress the breast, as do traditional mammograms. The new scanner uses computed tomography (CT)—a sophisticated form of X-ray imaging—with a unique variation: it provides a three-dimensional image of the breast. Moreover, the new scanner rotates around the breast to obtain a complete image, from the nipple to the chest wall. Traditional mammograms, on the other hand, provide only a two-dimensional image and they compress the breast, thereby distorting the image and causing discomfort for many women. The Duke scientists have successfully demonstrated their new CT scanner can detect lesions as small as 5 mm in artificial breast models and in cadavers. Mammograms are considered able to detect about a 1 cm diameter soft tissue lesion—about the size of a marble—although they can detect far smaller micro-calcifications, which could be indicators of disease. The Duke team plans to begin testing in women within two years and is in the process of developing a start-up company to commercialize the device, said Martin Tornai, Ph.D., associate professor of radiology and biomedical engineering at Duke and developer of the scanner. Results of the tests with their new scanner will be presented Sunday, Feb. 12, 2006, at the annual Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) medical imaging meeting in San Diego. "Our goal in developing the camera was to develop a really efficient, patient-friendly, low-dose X-ray system that improved our ability to detect tumors in soft tissue," said Tornai. "The earlier we can detect breast cancer, the better chance there is of treating the disease." Tornai said traditional mammography fails to detect some tumors because it is two-dimensional and thus projects a flattened image of the breast. The compression and two-dimensional image cause overlapped tissues to obscure some tumors. With 3-D imaging, the breast is fully depicted and the contrast between normal and cancerous tissues is more apparent, he said. Tornai likens mammography to viewing the hand from the side, where only the thumb and first finger are obvious while the remaining fingers are obscured behind the first finger. If a ring is placed on one finger, it may be undetected or only a fraction of it may be visible. The new CT scanner, in contrast, would depict the entire hand so that each finger can be visualized separately. A ringer on one finger would be immediately obvious, just as a tumor in a breast would stand out, he said. Tornai's team tested the new scanner by implanting varied sizes of artificial tumors made of oil-filled spheres and plastic rods into a breast replica. Because they knew exactly where the tumor was situated in the breast replica, they could analyze the image and determine if they could correctly identify and locate the tumor. In addition, the team dramatically enhanced the "dose efficiency"—the amount of radiation needed to generate a clear image—by constructing a filter through which the radiation beam travels. The resulting beam, called a quasi-monochromatic x-ray beam, dramatically lowers the radiation dose while retaining the image quality that would typically be lost by traditional, broader beams. "We raised the energy so the x-rays are more penetrating but created a narrower distribution of energies using a heavy K-edge filter," said Tornai. "Our data using the quasi-monochromatic beam show that the image quality does not change, even when we dramatically drop the radiation dose." Their new CT technology is built into an innovative camera device, created by Tornai, Randolph McKinley and others at Duke, which actually orbits the breast itself. As the patient lies on her stomach, the camera swings up and down (north to south) as it encircles the breast in order to fully capture the entire volume. The new scanner takes many more projections at various angles than does a mammogram, so the resulting image reflects minute slices - like miniature slices in a loaf of bread—of the entire breast and not just a single projection, said Tornai. Three-dimensional images are then produced at half-millimeter slices throughout the entire breast, and then all the images can be combined into a composite picture of the breast. "Obtaining images every half-millimeter should ensure that we don't miss a tumor somewhere in the breast," said Tornai, "And, we're trying to improve the resolution even further." The image depicted by the CT scanner is structural, meaning it shows the anatomical elements of the breast—similar to that of a magnetic resonance image (MRI). However, the new CT scanner is far smaller and less cumbersome than an MRI. Moreover, it should be far cheaper to employ on a large scale than MRI, which is costly—about $1,000 per image for breast scans. Tornai and his team are now in the process of combining the CT breast scanner together with a "SPECT" scanner that uses nuclear medicine to detect chemical changes in breast cells that signal the cells are becoming malignant. The SPECT scanner is already constructed and being tested as a stand-alone camera. The benefit of combining the two technologies, said Tornai, is that the dual images will depict both structural and chemical changes. Technicians can lay one image over the other to obtain a complete picture of breast changes, from actual tumor masses to subtle changes in the behavior of breast cells as they become malignant. "Once you start seeing structural changes using X-ray imaging, that indicates the molecular process has been going on for some time," said Tornai. "Using the SPECT camera, we can detect subtle changes in cells before a tumor has developed, enhancing our ability to treat the abnormal cells in their earliest stages of malignancy." Referring back to the hand analogy, Tornai explains that an X-ray will exquisitely depict the bones in his hand. Nuclear imaging will show the ring on his finger but not the bone upon which it rests. The hybrid camera would show the bones and the ring, enabling scientists to home in precisely to the location of a tumor or mass within the breast. Tornai said the dual CT/SPECT scanner will not necessarily replace standard mammography but could supplement the breast imaging procedures in mammography clinics. He said the CT scanner, if proven beneficial in human studies, could potentially replace standard mammography. For more information, contact Becky Levine; Tel.: 919.660.1308 or 919.684.4148; Email: firstname.lastname@example.com


1. Introduction The research carried out on simple addition and subtraction word problems (solved by x + y = z or x - y = z) has been very extensive. Ample bibliographical details on this subject may be found in research surveys by Fuson (1992) and Verschaffel and De Corte (1996). From experience, and the results of research, we know that each student has a varying degree of problem-solving success with different problems and also that different students have different levels of success in each problem. These facts are explained through different problem characteristics. Several classes of additive problems are well known: Combine, Change, Compare and Equalize (Carpenter and Moser, 1982; Riley et al., 1983). In this paper we are particularly interested in certain aspects of the problems that we now summarize. In certain numerical situations two states are compared: a small state ("Juan has 2 pesetas") and a big state ("Pedro has 5 pesetas"). We can use the scheme s + d = b, where s and b are static situations and d is the difference. There are two ways in which the difference may be expressed. In Compare problems, the difference is expressed as "more than" ("Pedro has 3 pesetas more than Juan") or "less than" ("Juan has 3 pesetas less than Pedro"). In Equalize problems, the expression would be "how much" the small state must increase to equalize the big state ("If Juan earns 3 pesetas, then he has the same as Pedro") or "how much" the big state must decrease to equalize the small state ("If Pedro loses 3 pesetas, then he has the same as Juan"). In other situations we have a start state ("Before, Juan had 2 pesetas"), a variation ("then he earned 3 pesetas") and an end state ("Juan has now 5 pesetas"). These problems have the scheme s + v = e and are associated with dynamic situations. There are two types of expression for the variation: in Change problems, the variation is expressed in a simple way ("Juan has earned ..." or "Juan has lost ..."). In Change-Compare problems the variation is expressed as more than or less than, in a similar way to Compare problems ("Now, Juan has 3 pesetas more than he had before"). We don't know of any research study that covers Change-Compare problems. These classes of problems are shown in Table 1. The above distinction between scheme and expression is not usual. To sum up, in an additive situation where three numbers are involved: a + b = c, the scheme refers to the numerical situation and the expression refers to the manner of saying (or writing) the variation and the difference. Fuson and Willis (1986) noted that Compare and Equalize problems have different problem-solving difficulty levels: Compare problems are generally more difficult to solve than Equalize problems; the expression of the difference therefore influences the level of difficulty. In the present research, we show that the expression of the variation, in Change problems and in Change-Compare problems, is of great significance. Several researchers have showed the importance of other expressions in the statement of problems (De Corte and Verschaffel, 1991; Teubal and Nesher, 1991). In our research, Combine problems (where the addition of two partial states equals the total state) are not considered, because our interest is really focussed on the contrasts between different expressions in a same numerical situation. Of course, other classes of problems have certainly been described in the literature on this subject (Bruno and Martinon, 1996, 1997). There are many contexts within which it is possible to state additive problems, such as: temperature, chronology, length, etc. In our research, however, we have preferred to analyze all of them within the same "having money" context ("Juan has 2 pesetas", "Juan has earned 2 pesetas", etc.), so as to fix the context variable as a standard and also because we consider students are generally more familiar with this approach. …


Increasingly, governments and organisations publish data on expenditure and finance as 'open' data in order to be more transparent to the public in how funding is spent. Accountable is a web-based tool that visualises and relates open financial data provided by local government and non-profit organisations (NPOs) in the UK. A qualitative study was conducted where Accountable was treated as a technology probe, and used by representatives of NPOs and members of the public who invest their time or effort voluntarily into such organisations. The study highlighted how: current open data sets provided by public bodies are inadequate in their representation of funding structures; the focus on finance and fiscal expenditure in such data makes invisible the in-kind effort of volunteers and the wider beneficiaries of an organisation's work; and problems arising from the interoperability of open data technologies. The paper concludes with implications for the design of future systems, considering the domains of transparency and accountability in relation to the findings.


Tree management is the practice of protecting and caring for trees for sustainable, defined objectives. However, there are often conflicts between maintaining trees and the obligation to protect targets, such as people or infrastructure, from the risks associated with the failure of trees and major limbs. Where there are targets worthy of protection, tree structural condition is typically monitored relative to the prescribed management objectives. Traditionally, field methods for capturing data on tree structural condition are manual with a tree surveyor taking very limited direct measurements, and only from parts of the tree that are within reach from the ground. Consequently, large sections of the tree remain unmeasured due to the logistical complications of accessing the aerial structure. Therefore, the surveyor estimates tree part sizes, approximates counts of relevant tree features and uses personal interpretation to infer the significance of the observations. These techniques are temporally and logistically demanding, and largely subjective. This thesis develops solutions to the limitations of traditional methods through the development of remote sensing (RS) tools for assessing tree structural condition, in order to inform tree management interventions. For individual trees, a proximal photogrammetry technique is developed for objectively quantifying tree structural condition by measuring the self-affinity of tree crowns in fractal dimensions. This can identify the individual tree crown complexity along a structural condition continuum, which is more effective than the traditional categorical approach for monitoring tree condition. Moving out in scale, a framework is developed which optimises the matchpairing agreement between ground reference tree data and RS-derived individual tree crown (ITC) delineations in order to quantify the accuracy of different ITC delineation algorithms. The framework is then used to identify an optimal ITC delineation algorithm which is applied to aerial laser scanning data to map individual trees and extract a point cloud for each tree. Metrics are then derived from the point cloud to classify a tree according to its structural condition, a process which is then applied to the tree population across an entire landscape. This provides information with which to spatially optimise tree survey and management resources, improve the decision making process and move towards proactive tree management. The research presented in this thesis develops RS tools for assessing tree structural condition, at a range of investigative scales. These objective, data-rich tools will enable resource-limited tree managers to direct remedial interventions in an optimised and precise way.


We study the photoinduced deposition of Ag nanoparticles on Fe-doped LiNbO3 crystals by using an in situ probe. SEM and XPS analysis show that Ag metallic nanoparticles are close-packedly deposited on the crystal surface. Both 405 and 532nm laser are found effective for the photo-induced Ag deposition. The Ag deposition on the y-surface shows obvious anisotropy as compared to that on the + z-surface. Moreover, the Ag deposition on the + z-surface is found to start easily surrounding the focal point of the laser rather than at its center. Both photogalvanic and diffusion effects of photo-excited electrons are suggested to account for these features.


Carbonaceous microbe-like features preserved within a local chert unit of the 3.5 Ga old Apex Basalt in Western Australia may represent some of the oldest evidence of life on Earth. However, the biogenicity of these putative microfossils has been called into question, primarily because the sample collection locality is a black, carbon-rich, brecciated chert dike representing an Archean submarine hydrothermal spring, suggesting a formation via an abiotic organic synthesis mechanism. Here we describe the macromolecular hydrocarbon structure, carbon bonding, functional group chemistry, and biotic element abundance of carbonaceous matter associated with these filamentous features. These characteristics are similar to those of biogenic kerogen from the ca. 1.9 Ga old Gunflint Formation. Although an abiotic origin cannot be entirely ruled out, it is unlikely that known abiotic synthesis mechanisms could recreate both the structural and compositional complexity of this ancient carbonaceous matter. Thus, we find that a biogenic origin for this material is more likely, implying that the Apex microbe-like features represent authentic biogenic organic matter.


Newly revised to include the latest developments in the field of herbal medicine, this classic bestseller presents a fascinating account of the ideas, personalities, advances, and vicissitudes that have shaped the course of medicine and pharmacology in the Western world. The author provides an eloquent and engaging account of the use of herbal medicine from prehistoric times to the present, reaffirming the incalculable value of medicinal plants in the healing arts. She presents a strong case for the cyclical emergence of alternative medicine at times (such as our own) when allopathic methods of treatment have lost their safety and efficacy.


In a recent article, "Israeli Literature Over Time,"Aharon Megged describes his work as "unremittingly concerned with burning national issues," mainly with the issue of Israel′s relationship to the Diaspora.1 Megged′s intense preoccupation with the Zionist ideology of the negation of the Diaspora emerged in his 1955 story "Yad va-shem" ("The Name"). The story presents a scathing criticism of Israel′s dissociation from the history of the Diaspora and especially from the catastrophe of the Holocaust. "Yad va-shem" was followed by an article entitled "Tarbutenu ha-yeshana ve-ha-hadasha" ("Our Old and New Culture") in which Megged deplored Israel′s severance of its Diaspora roots and urged a reexamination of the negative attitude toward the destroyed European Jewish culture.In 1984, Megged published Massa ha-yeladim el ha-aretz ha-muvtachat ("The Children's Journey"), a novel based on a true story about a group of young survivors of the Holocaust on their way to Palestine.3 This work, as Dan Laor notes in his review, "offers a perspective of the Diaspora in the Holocaust which differs from [the typical Israeli attitude of] contempt infused with pity" toward the Diaspora Jew.


The creation of new, sub-AVAs within Oregon's Willamette Valley AVA may indicate a desire on the part of well-established wineries to "split" or separate their social grouping from those with lesser qualifications. Once their social cluster has been differentiated, we theorize that these wineries would be able to capitalize on their newly developed distinctiveness and collect a larger regional reputation premium. Based on 2,221 Wine Spectator rated pinot noir wines between 1984 and 2008, regression analyses demonstrate that indeed regional reputation premiums have significantly increased with the creation of sub-AVAs; and that the price-quality ratio gap between sub-AVAs and the rest of Willamette has widened. (JEL Classification: C20, Q12, Q13, L66)


Parts of the previous eBook edition of The Golden Cage have been removed from this edition and will be re-released in the fourth book in The Ballad of Benfro series: The Broken World. There's a new fantasy phenomenon for 2014 - The Golden Cage is the third enchanting tale in J. D. Oswald's epic fantasy series, The Ballad of Sir Benfro. Queen Beulah is determined to have her war, despatching Inquisitor Melyn north, through the ancient forest to cross unseen into the land of her enemies. Battling the ever growing influence of Magog, Benfro struggles to resist the treacherous orders of the long dead Dragon Mage, a task made yet more difficult by the arrival of Errol in his forest refuge. His body broken, Errol is tormented by dreams of his beloved Martha, imprisoned in a Golden Cage. He has escaped from King Ballah's torture chamber but remains powerless to help her. Yet fate has united these two. Errol holds the key to halting Magog's influence, and Benfro has the skill to heal broken bones. Working together they might survive. Apart, they will surely perish, and all Gwlad with them. The Ballad of Sir Benfro is an utterly compelling and beautifully written new fantasy series from J.D. Oswald. Fans of the Inheritance Series and readers hooked to the world of George R. R. Martin's Game of Thrones series will love the magic of the Twin Kingdoms. The Golden Cage is the third book in the series, following Dreamwalker and The Rose Cord, which are also published as Penguin eBooks. Please note that parts of the previous eBook edition of The Golden Cage have been removed from this edition and will be re-released in the fourth book in The Ballad of Benfro series: The Broken World. J. D. Oswald is the author of the epic fantasy series, The Ballad of Sir Benfro. Currently, Dreamwalker, The Rose Cord and The Golden Cage are all available as Penguin ebooks. He is also the author of the Detective Inspector McLean series of crime novels under the name James Oswald. In his spare time James runs a 350-acre livestock farm in North East Fife, where he raises pedigree Highland Cattle and New Zealand Romney Sheep.


PURPOSE
Depression has become a major health concern, particularly in developing countries. This disorder is highly prevalent among certain vulnerable populations, such as prisoners. In Peru, prisons are overcrowded, and the health of prisoners is neglected. Thus, this study aims to estimate the prevalence of depression diagnosed during incarceration in male inmates from all Peruvian prisons and assess its associated factors.

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH
A cross-sectional study was conducted based on the secondary data analysis of the National Census of Prison Population 2016 in Peru. This study included records of prisoners who reported whether they were diagnosed with depression by a health-care professional after admission into the prisons. Descriptive, bivariate and multivariable analyses were performed.

FINDINGS
Of the 63,312 prisoners included in this study, 1,007 reported an in-prison diagnosis of depression by a health-care professional, which represents a prevalence of 1.59%. Substance use disorder (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR] 3.10; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.91-5.03), hypertension (aPR 7.20; 95% CI: 6.28-8.24) and previous discrimination (aPR 1.97; 95% CI: 1.62-2.40) were strongly associated with depression, even when adjusting for multiple confounders. Other directly associated variables were, for example, violence during childhood, infrequent visits in prison and diabetes.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE
The right of prisoners to adequate health care is being neglected in Peru. Mental health is a cornerstone of health quality. Acknowledging which factors are associated with depression in prison is important to implement strategies to improve the mental health of prisoners.


This surveys the philosophies of music of the most important thinkers in Islam between the 9th and the 15th centuries A.D. It covers topics ranging from the physics and aesthetics of sound, the nature of music, its place in the total scheme of things and in human life, the relation between music, astronomy, astrology and meteorology, the relation between music and human feelings character and behaviour, to the question of whether a good Muslim should be allowed to listen to music at all, and if so, to which type. The book traces the influence of Greek, in particular Pythagorean and Aristoxenian, thinking in Islam on this subject, and aims to provide a philosophically coherent statement of thinking of the Islamic writers concerned, a clarification of their central arguments, as well as a critical evaluation of their line of thought. The author introduces a wide range of material from manuscript sources, including much that has not been published before.


The UV filter 3-(4′-methylbenzylidene)camphor (MBC) is a common ingredient in sunscreen cosmetic products. However, different in vitro and in vivo studies suggest that MBC can cause endocrine disrupting effects. This report focuses on the development of an analytical method based on solid-phase extraction (SPE) prior to liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for the determination of MBC and its main phase I metabolite, named 3-(4′-carboxybenzylidene)camphor (CBC), in urine from users of sunscreen cosmetic products containing MBC. The formation of phase II metabolites (i.e., glucuronide and sulphate conjugates) was also considered by carrying out an enzymatic hydrolysis of the urine samples. The standard addition calibration method was used to quantify the target analytes in order to correct the matrix effects observed. In this way, statistically accurate results were obtained when the developed SPE-LC-MS/MS method was applied to the analysis of fortified analytes-free urine samples. The limits of detection were 6 ± 2 ng mL−1 for MBC and 6 ± 1 ng mL−1 for CBC, and the intra- and inter-day variability of the method, expressed as relative standard deviation, were in the range of 1.3–2.0% and 4.5–7.7%, respectively, depending on the analyte. The analytical method was satisfactorily applied to the analysis of real urine samples from a volunteer that was subjected to repeated applications of a sunscreen cosmetic containing MBC, showing that the major contribution to the excretion of MBC corresponded to the glucuronide conjugated species of CBC. Furthermore, the second main phase I metabolite of MBC, named 3-(4′-carboxybenzylidene)hydroxycamphor (CBC-OH), which also predominates in its glucuronide conjugate species in urine samples, was identified and detected.


This paper includes part of the strategies used to solve a scheduling problem developed for a company that produces flexible packaging, presented in a quite general form though. In this problem it is necessary to schedule several jobs that involve four process and for each one of them there is a group of machines available (of similar characteristics). Each activity is performed on just one machine. Besides, for our application, the scheduling must try to verify certain conditions. For each process (and consequently for all the activities that perform this process) there is a list of attributes. The problem is not only to assign each activity to a starting time and to a specific machine, but also to try to verify conditions that depend on the values of the attributes of the activities. Moreover, there are criteria to choose a particular machine. An approach to solve this problem was presented first in [1]. As mentioned there, some due dates could not be fulfilled on time. An approach to decrease the quantity of due dates violations was presented in [2 . This approach generates acceptable results for most of the cases in the real application. However, there were some cases in which the Algorithm did not work properly. The present work includes an Algorithm that improves the results generated in [2 ]for some special cases that arose in the real application.


Objective Serum bicarbonate reflects dehydration severity in children with gastroenteritis. Previous work in children receiving intravenous rehydration has correlated end-tidal carbon dioxide (EtCO2) with serum bicarbonate. We evaluated whether EtCO2 predicts weight change in children with vomiting and/or diarrhea. Methods A prospective cohort study was conducted. Eligible children were 3 months to 10 years old and presented for emergency department (ED) care because of vomiting and/or diarrhea. End-tidal carbon dioxide measurements were performed after triage. The diagnostic standard was weight change determined from serial measurements after symptom resolution. A receiver operating characteristic curve was constructed to identify a cut-point to predict 5% or more dehydration. Results In total, 195 children were enrolled. Among the 169 (87%) with EtCO2 measurements, the median (interquartile range [IQR]) was 30.4 (27.8 to 33.1). One hundred fifty-eight had repeat weights performed at home; the median (IQR) weight change from ED presentation to well weight was +0.06 (−0.14 to +0.30) or +0.72% (−1.2% to +2.1%). Sixteen percent (25/158) had 3% or more and 4% (6/158) had 5% or more weight gain (ie, percent dehydration). One hundred sixteen (60%) completed home follow-up and had acceptable EtCO2 recordings. Receiver operating curve analysis revealed an area under the curve of 0.34 (95% confidence interval, 0.06 to 0.62) for EtCO2 as a predictor of 5% or more dehydration. Conclusions The limited accuracy of EtCO2 measurement to predict 5% or more dehydration precludes its use as a tool to assess dehydration severity in children. End-tidal carbon dioxide monitoring does not have the ability to identify those children with 5% or more dehydration in a cohort of children with vomiting and/or diarrhea presenting for ED care.


Substance identification p-Methoxy-butyrylfentanyl (IUPAC name: N-(4-methoxyphenyl)-N-[1-(2-phenylethyl)piperidin-4- yl]butanamide) is a synthetic analog of the opioid analgesic fentanyl. In Europe, it was first reported in 2015 followed by the Untied States of America later on. Samples obtained from seizures and collections suggest that p-methoxy-butyrylfentanyl occurs in powder, tablet, and nasal spray form. WHO Review History p-Methoxy-butyrylfentanyl has not been previously pre-reviewed or critically reviewed. Chemistry There is no specific information available about the routes of synthesis employed for the p- methoxy-butyrylfentanyl products circulating on the drug market but straightforward methods for its preparation exist without requiring access to precursors that are controlled internationally. Routes of synthesis also exist that might require the use of a controlled precursor. Ease of convertibility into controlled substances p-Methoxy-butyrylfentanyl could be converted into various other fentanils but retaining the 4- methoxyphenyl group would also render them uncontrolled at this time. Similarity to known substances / Effects on the central nervous system Data from human studies are not available but the information available so far suggests that the effects induced by p-methoxy-butyrylfentanyl are also shared by other synthetic opioids such as fentanyl and heroin. General pharmacology Pharmacological studies have shown that p-methoxy-butyrylfentanyl is qualitatively similar to fentanyl and heroin. p-Methoxy-butyrylfentanyl binds to μ-opioid receptors (MOR) with high selectivity over the κ- and δ-opioid receptors and has been shown to act as a partial agonist at MOR in a [35S]GTPγS binding assay. Similar to both fentanyl and morphine, p-methoxy- butyrylfentanyl was also shown to induce locomotor activity and antinociceptive effects in mice. Antinociceptive effects were attenuated by pre-treatment with naltrexone. Toxicology Data on the toxicology of p-methoxy-butyrylfentanyl could not be identified. Adverse reactions in humans p-Methoxy-butyrylfentanyl has been detected in biological samples obtained from acute intoxication cases. Reported clinical features included reduced level of consciousness, respiratory depression, miosis, tachycardia, renal insufficiency, suspected aspiration, and apea. Naloxone treatments were required in some cases to reverse drug-induced respiratory depression. Dependence potential No studies available. Experience with fentanyl and other synthetic opioids suggest that the dependence potential might extend to p-methoxy-butyrylfentanyl but further studies are warranted to explore this. Abuse potential Whilst no formal studies exist, the limited available information indicates that p-methoxy- butyrylfentanyl is used by experimental users (psychonauts) including people who have a history of abusing other synthetic opioids and opiates. It seems likely that p-methoxy-butyrylfentanyl might be associated with abuse liability. Therapeutic applications / usefulness p-Methoxy-butyrylfentanyl is not known to have any therapeutic uses. Listing on WHO Model List of Essential Medicines p-Methoxy-butyrylfentanyl is not listed. Marketing authorizations p-Methoxy -butyrylfentanyl is not known to have any marketing authorizations. Industrial use p-Methoxy-butyrylfentanyl is not known to have any agricultural, industrial or cosmetic uses even though it is available for purchase as a 'research chemical'. Non-medical use The mode of use may involve the combinational use (intentionally or unintentionally) of other drugs and users may be unaware of the exact dose or compound being ingested (by whatever route). Similar to other fentanils, p-methoxy-butyrylfentanyl may be administered as a solution (e.g. using nasal sprays), orally as a powder (including in capsules or tablets), or by insufflation of a powder; it can also be administered sublingually or intranasally via a spray; administered by injection (intramuscular or intravenous) or inhaled by vaporizing. Nature and magnitude of public health problems Use of p-methoxy-butyrylfentanyl appears to be limited to recreational substance users rather than the general population. Marginalized and vulnerable opioid users including those who inject such substances also use fentanyl analogs. However, users may not be aware of using them and the high potency associated with fentanyl analogs might result in increased risks of life- threatening overdoses. At the same time, fentanyl and its analogs pose a serious risk of accidental exposure to products with the potential for subsequent poisoning of the public, law enforcement and emergency personnel, as well as medical/laboratory personnel. Licit production, consumption, and international trade p-Methoxy-butyrylfentanyl is not known to have any agricultural, industrial or cosmetic uses even though it is available for purchase as a 'research chemical'. Illicit manufacture and traffic So far the total number of reports describing the identification of p-methoxy-butyrylfentanyl is very limited. p-Methoxy-butyrylfentanyl can be purchased from Internet retailers. Current international controls and their impact p-Methoxy-butyrylfentanyl is not controlled under the 1961, 1971 or 1988 United Nations Conventions. Current and past national controls See Annex A


The aim of this systematic review is to provide an overview of the use of Dynamic Contrast-enhanced Computed Tomography (DCE-CT) in patients with pancreatic cancer. This study was composed according to the PRISMA guidelines 2009. The literature search was conducted in PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases to identify all relevant publications. The QUADAS-2 tool was implemented to assess the risk of bias and applicability concerns of each included study. The initial literature search yielded 483 publications. Thirteen articles were included. Articles were categorized into three groups: nine articles concerning primary diagnosis or staging, one article about tumor response to treatment, and three articles regarding scan techniques. In exocrine pancreatic tumors, measurements of blood flow in eight studies and blood volume in seven studies were significantly lower in tumor tissue, compared with measurements in pancreatic tissue outside of tumor, or normal pancreatic tissue in control groups of healthy volunteers. The studies were heterogeneous in the number of patients enrolled and scan protocols. Perfusion parameters measured and analyzed by DCE-CT might be useful in the investigation of characteristic vascular patterns of exocrine pancreatic tumors. Further clinical studies are desired for investigating the potential of DCE-CT in pancreatic tumors.


Background: Despite the increased prevalence of dementia in India, reports indicate little awareness of the disease. Symptoms are often misinterpreted or neglected, which could lead to late diagnosis, reducing the choices available regarding future care. Considering that most nurses caring for the elderly will work with people with dementia in the future, there is concern surrounding their ability to meet the needs of these patients, requiring them to obtain the necessary knowledge and positive attitudes for treatment. Aims: To describe the knowledge of and attitudes toward dementia among nursing staff working in residential care facilities for elderly populations in India. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 3 nursing homes in India in which 15 nursing staff conducted self-assessments of their knowledge and attitudes toward dementia using the Alzheimer's Disease Knowledge Scale (ADKS) and the Attitude toward Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias Scale (DAS) for each respective assessment. Descriptive statistics were used to describe staffs' attitudes and knowledge concerning dementia. Continuous variables were presented as means ± SD, while the categorical variables were presented as percentages. Results: Although the majority of the participants answered that Alzheimer's disease cannot be cured, about half reported that people with dementia, in rare cases, can recover from the disease. While all participants agreed that people with dementia can feel when others are kind to them, almost half disagreed that people living with dementia can enjoy life. Conclusion: These findings reveal that nursing staff have limited knowledge of dementia, but their attitudes toward people living with dementia tend to be positive.