In the June 2014 issue of the Journal of Medical Radiation Sciences, an article by Neep et al.1 is on the subject of 'frontline radiographer commenting', in the context of abnormalities of the musculoskeletal system due to trauma. I would like to use this article as a timely catalyst to debate some of the issues that the profession is currently facing. In this editorial the term 'radiographer' will be used to represent the diagnostic sector of the profession, while noting that in New Zealand medical imaging technologist is the term designated by the Medical Radiation Technologists Board (MRTB).

Medical imaging and radiation therapy in both New Zealand and Australia have been exploring for some years the possibility of changing roles and career progression frameworks in line with international developments. These developments have seen radiographers and radiation therapists extending their practice both within their own scopes of practice (role expansion) and into areas previously designated as roles of doctors or other health professionals (role extension). These developments have been in part to reflect the changing nature of health provision, with an advanced practice framework having the potential to be of real benefit to patients, and in part to enable professional development for an important and highly skilled sector of the health workforce. This change has been particularly apparent in the United Kingdom over the past two decades, a significant length of time that has allowed for acceptance, consolidation and research to be undertaken to support their initiatives. This is not yet the case in Australia or New Zealand, where progress has been slower and has yet to achieve a level of acceptance.

In New Zealand progress has been made based on research conducted initially between 2005 and 2008, investigating role development and a possible career structure. The recommendations from this research were formally accepted by the New Zealand Institute of Medical Radiation Technology (NZIMRT) in 2009 and led to further research conducted between 2010 and 2013, developing profiles and criteria for the formulation of advanced scopes of practice towards the establishment of an advanced practitioner role. The registration board in New Zealand, the MRTB, currently has the development of an advanced scope of practice under consideration as it progresses with reformulation of all the scopes of practice for the profession.

In Australia, a proposed pathway to advanced practice has been distributed to members of the Australian Institute of Radiography (AIR) for consultation (see http://www.air.asn.au/advanced.php) and it's roll out is expected to commence in the near future. It was based on a report released by Professor Ian Freckleton SC and the Inter-professional Advisory Team in April 2012. To this end, the AIR has recently released a call for applications for advanced practitioner accreditation via the champion pathway.

In this context, Neep et al.'s article explores radiographer perceptions of their readiness to detect and comment on abnormalities of the axial and appendicular skeleton following trauma, as well as their preferences for two alternative forms of delivery of image interpretation education. It has been well documented, as described in both Neep et al.'s article and the commentary also included in this issue by Woznitza,2 that radiographers are capable of high levels of sensitivity and specificity in the reporting of radiographs, not to mention the many other forms of role extension that have been incorporated in advanced practitioner roles in the United Kingdom. Given that there is a solid evidence base to support role extension and the formulation of advanced practitioner roles, the lack of confidence shown by radiographers about their abilities and their reluctance to actually describe what they have detected, raises some professionally focused questions for debate.

Woznitza's commentary reports the findings of Coleman and Piper,3 who compared the confidence and accuracy of nurse practitioners, junior doctors and radiographers reporting trauma radiographs. They found that radiographers reported lower confidence, even though they had the highest average score and were the only group whose level of confidence correlated with their accuracy. As has been identified previously,4–7 there is a culture of subservience and apathy prevalent in the profession, largely due to the background of medical dominance that has persisted since the early 1900s when a hierarchal system was created within radiology departments, bringing about the limitation of the radiographer's role.8,9 Lewis et al.6 maintain that radiographers report feelings of intimidation, under-appreciation and worthlessness, that they feel 'overlooked', and these factors have translated into the 'just the radiographer' syndrome. While this article was written 8 years ago, this form of identity based on an inferiority complex can still be evidenced in attitudes towards advanced practice, for example, as seen in qualitative comments elicited in the recent medical imaging research for the NZIMRT.7 It could be postulated that this may be one of the factors lying behind the lack of confidence of participants describing (as opposed to detecting) abnormalities that characterised the findings of Neep et al.1

It has also been suggested4,5 that radiographers have been socialised into a culture of compliance in order to be accepted as members of the broader radiology team. Conformity and compliance generally lead to conventional behaviour and are not conducive to innovation, risk-taking and improvement. This form of workplace culture does not support high levels of job satisfaction, self-esteem or confidence. Does this mean that given the opportunity to develop and advance, there is likely to be a backlash of resistance? Does this perhaps relate to why radiographers and radiation therapists in Australia and New Zealand have been slow to embrace the changes necessary to support career progression? If professional identity is formed around being 'just the radiographer', then how can a practitioner dare to stand up and offer an opinion that may be taken seriously by medical staff and other health professionals? Unfortunately, remaining restricted in a role undermines motivation and encourages 'mindless' practice.4 This professional culture does not encourage critically reflective practice,5 teamwork or the ability to effect needed change.

Apathy also has an effect on a practitioner's willingness to engage in the life-long learning (including research) required to fully engage as a professional. Neep et al.'s article suggests that the participants in the research study were willing to consider a short 2-day (or equivalent) course of targeted image interpretation training to enable them to take on a radiographer commenting role. At the same time it was suggested that the more formal postgraduate requirements for image reporting may be found 'inaccessible due to large time requirements and a substantial financial commitment'.1 While there was a strong theme evident in the New Zealand role development research10 that indicated a desire for change that would enhance their professional status, there were many participants who expressed resistance to engaging in further study or taking on additional responsibilities. It is a case of the philosophical 'chicken-and-egg' problem – if radiographers and radiation therapists engage in further education their confidence will improve and they will feel able to take on extended roles that befit their knowledge and skills. How can they be empowered to adopt an active approach to their future, which means being willing to put in the time, energy and financial commitment to lead change, even where the future is still unknown?

To ensure the future of the profession, it is time for radiographers and radiation therapists in both countries to stand up and insist on being seen, respected and having a profile as health professionals rather than being conceptualised as 'allied health technicians' (to this end it is unfortunate that in New Zealand the term 'technologist' is still used, along with the message this sends). Medical imaging and radiation therapy are rapidly developing professions that need motivated and active practitioners if reciprocity with our international colleagues and with other health professions is to be upheld. Neep et al.'s article is a timely reminder that while progress is being made, some radiographers and radiation therapists are still finding a move outside their comfort zone challenging, despite the large body of evidence that they are capable of making that change. At the same time, there are many practitioners in both countries who indicate willingness to champion local change. Our professional bodies (AIR and NZIMRT) need to find ways to encourage and engage these practitioners, both to create change in the professional culture and to progress an advanced practitioner framework.


Prof. Dr. Norbert Walter, Chief Economist, Deutsche Bank Group, analyses the German construction sector as it struggles to return to growth.


5-Hydroxymethyl-2-furaldehyde (HMF), a ubiquitous food contaminant, has been proposed to be metabolically activated through sulfonation of its allylic hydroxyl functional group. In support of this idea, we have found the strong direct mutagenicity of chemically synthesized sulfuric acid ester, 5-sulfooxymethylfurfural (SMF), in Salmonella typhimurium TA104. The intrinsic mutagenicity of this reactive ester was significantly inhibited by glutathione and glutathione S-transferase activity in dialyzed rat liver cytosol. The metabolic formation of SMF was elucidated by enhanced mutagenicity of HMF in the presence of rat hepatic cytosol enriched with the sulfo-group donor, 3'-phosphoadenosine-5'-phosphosulfate (PAPS). The PAPS- and cytosol-dependent mutagenicity of HMF was markedly lessened by sulfotransferase inhibitors such as 2,6-dichloro-4-nitrophenol and dehydroepiandrosterone. These results suggest that HMF can be metabolically activated to an allylic sulfuric acid ester which may play a role as an ultimate electrophilic metabolite in toxification of the parent compound in vivo.


ABSTRACT Due to the internationally sensitive nature of the verification process, unambiguous structural identification of Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC)-related chemicals in a sample of a suspected agent is necessary. Therefore, the availability of mass spectra, retention indices, and interpretation skills are essential needs. S,S-dialkyl methylphosphonothioloselenoates belong to scheduled 2.B.04 of the CWC, but there are no analytical data for these compounds in the literature. The title compounds are prepared through microsynthetic protocols, and the results of their mass spectra are studied by electron ionization (EI) method. Schemes for the fragmentation of the compounds are proposed. The retention indices (RI) of the synthesized compounds are also calculated using Van den Dool's method. The correlation of RI and calculated polarizability data is investigated by density functional theory calculations. EI mass spectra and RI values enable structural identification of all the studied isomeric compounds. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT


We derive and use an extremely simplified formula for the interaction Casimir energy for two separate bodies in the weak coupling regime for massless scalar fields. We derive closed form solutions for a general arrangement of two δ-function plates finite in one direction and infinite in another. We examine the situation of two parallel plates finite in both transverse directions.


This review is an exploration and analysis of 'A Force More Powerful' which is an educational tool in the form of a computer game designed to teach activists how to conduct nonviolent campaigns. In addition to introducing players to the principles of pragmatic nonviolence, a process of experimentation teaches players to think strategically. Players compete in a number of scenarios against a regime and implement nonviolent tactics which form part of an overall strategy. The practical structure of the game allows players to apply the tools and lessons learned to real-world nonviolent campaigns. The computer game ? Force More Powerful' (AFMP) instructs players to conduct nonviolent struggle and think strategically. My original intention was to keep plain description to a minimum in favor of insightful analysis. However, I soon discovered that the sheer complexity of the game required extensive description for the reader to fully understand how the game works as a training tool. The game itself introduces the player to a practical template on how to analyse and plan for nonviolent conflict. The structure of the game, therefore, is itself a lesson. AFMP, an interactive strategy game released in March 2006, was designed by the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict (ICNC) and the media firm York-Zimmerman (the groups behind a book and documentary series of the same name), and developed by BreakAway games. After receiving feedback that activists around the world were using their documentary series as a training tool, the creators decided to design a purpose built educational tool in the form of a computer game that not only teaches the principles and techniques of nonviolent action, but also allows users to interactively learn how to think strategically. In creating the game, a range of consultants were recruited, and among them was Ivan Marovic, a self described 'gamer' for 20 years and co-founder of 'Otpor', the Serbian youth movement widely credited with helping to oust Slobodan Milosevic. The creators of AFMP made a conscious choice to avoid high-tech graphics and special effects found in most computer games in order to make the game more accessible to activists who might lack access to cutting-edge computer technology. The game is also inexpensive at US$19.95 (many computer games cost twice as much) and can be ordered online and shipped to any location in the world. The game's website (www.afmpgame.com) contains a 'Frequently Asked Questions' section for those new to gaming and community forums where gamers can post questions, concerns and tips. The game consists of ten pre-designed fictional scenarios, based on actual nonviolent movements, featuring a range of reformist and revolutionary struggles. Each of the ten scenarios features a 'movement' challenging a 'regime' with various movements attempting to overthrow a dictator, resist a foreign occupier, force free elections, change aggressive foreign policy, promote organised labour and women's rights, fight corruption and segregation or free a comrade from prison. There is also a feature that allows players to design their own custom scenarios (A Force More Powerful Editor Guide, 2005-2006). The player, while not directly represented in the game, assumes the role of senior strategist within the movement and decides how best to allocate human and material resources towards the implementation of tactics aimed at achieving a strategic goal. Sourced mostly from Methods of Nonviolent Action, the second volume of Gene Sharp's The Politics of Nonviolent Action (1973), there are 50 nonviolent tactics available to the player, grouped into five categories: attack, build strength, communicate, defend and deny. As the player implements tactics, the game's artificial intelligence responds for the regime in a manner consistent with how regimes have acted in the real world, even including mistakes and irrational behavior like wasting money. Players receive feedback via a messaging system which informs them of the success of their tactics and alerts them to the activities of the regime, and of other groups and individuals. …


Data that pertain to experimental X-ray and inelastic neutron scattering studies of liquid sodium are obtained from an ab initio molecular dynamics simulation. A long run was used, so the statistical precision of the calculated quantities is as good as obtained experimentally. The long run is made possible by the use of a recently developed modification of the Car-Parrinello method which uses an orbital-free density functional to prescribe the electron energetics. Agreement with experiment is excellent.


The idea that judges have a duty to be sincere or candid in their legal opinions has been subject to systematic criticism in recent years. Critics have argued that a strong presumption in favor of candor threatens judicial legitimacy, deters positive strategic action on multi-member courts, reduces the clarity and coherence of doctrine, erodes collegiality, and promotes the proliferation of fractured opinions. Against these and other objections, I defend the view that judges have a duty to give sincere public justifications for their legal decisions. After distinguishing the concepts of sincerity and candor, I argue that the values of legal justification and publicity support a principle of judicial sincerity. This principle imposes weaker constraints than a general duty of judicial candor. But while candor may be desirable, judges who provide sincere justifications for their decisions satisfy the demands of legitimate adjudication.


Introduction: Tumors harboring BRCA1 mutations initially respond well to platinum and PARP inhibitor therapy; however, resistance invariably arises and is a major clinical problem. The BRCA1 185delAG allele is a common founder mutation located close to the protein translation start site, thought to produce a short peptide devoid of function. Experimental procedures: In this study, we utilized the SUM1315MO2 breast cancer cell line that harbors a BRCA1 185delAG mutation to study mechanisms of PARP inhibitor and platinum resistance. SUM1315MO2 cells were cultured in the presence of increasing concentrations of the PARP inhibitor rucaparib or cisplatin until rucaparib resistant (RR) and cisplatin resistant (CR) clones emerged. Results: DNA sequencing revealed that no BRCA1 gene reversion mutations were present in resistant cells. We next measured BRCA1 protein levels by Western blotting with antibodies specific for the N- and C-terminal domains of BRCA1. As a control, the wild-type BRCA1 protein expressed in MDA-MB-231 cells was detectable with both N- and C-terminal antibodies. In contrast, BRCA1 protein was undetectable in both SUM1315MO2 parental and resistant clones using the N-terminal specific antibody. However, the C-terminal specific antibody identified a more quickly migrating band of low abundance in parental cells, but with elevated expression in both RR and CR clones. We inferred that this protein was devoid of the extreme N-terminal RING domain-containing region that mediates interaction with BARD1. To investigate the functionality of the N-terminal truncated BRCA1 protein (Nt-BRCA1), we measured BRCA1 and RAD51 irradiation-induced focus formation by immunofluorescence. RR and CR clones demonstrated 2.25 - 2.75-fold increase (P = 0.024) in the number of cells with BRCA1 foci compared to parental cells. Similarly, we detected a 2 - 2.85-fold increase (P = 0.0325) in RAD51 foci formation in resistant clones compared to parental cells. Additionally, BRCA1 siRNA treated cells were 12- and 9-fold more sensitive to rucaparib compared to scrambled siRNA-treated control cells (P = 0.0002). Similarly, CR-1 cells treated with BRCA1 siRNAs were 1.56- and 1.7-fold more sensitive to cisplatin (P = 0.0346) compared to scrambled siRNA treated cells. Furthermore, N-terminal truncated BRCA1 proteins were detectable in a primary tumor from a germline BRCA1185delAG mutation carrier. Conclusions: Taken together, these results provide evidence for a novel, mutation location-dependent mechanism of PARP inhibitor and platinum resistance. Citation Format: Yifan Wang, Andrea Bernhardy, Emmanuelle Nicolas, Ryan Winters, Kathy Cai, Kelly Duncan, James Duncan, Maria Harrell, Elizabeth Swisher, Neil Johnson. BRCA1 N-terminal-deficient proteins provide PARP inhibitor and platinum resistance. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 5467. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-5467


In this paper we compare estimates of immigrants' labour supply assimilation profiles using the Current Population Survey Annual Demographic Files (March ADS) and the Current Population Survey Outgoing Rotation Groups (ORGs). We use a measure that is seemingly consistent across both surveys: usual weekly hours of work in the main job. This measure is not only important as it measures the intensive margin of labour supply, but it is also used to estimate hourly earnings in both surveys. Our results indicate that the two surveys produce dramatically different estimates of the change in average hours of work as immigrants' years in the United States increase: estimates from the March ADS predict much steeper hour's assimilation profiles than do estimates obtained from the ORGs. These differences persist if we include controls for demographic characteristics, and only disappear once we control for occupation heterogeneity. We argue that these differences stem from two separate factors that differentiate the data. First, the ADS and ORG frame the usual "hours worked" question differently. Also, differences in the timing of the surveys may produce seasonality effects that differentially affect the composition of recent and earlier migrants, thereby changing assimilation profiles.


The cardiac troponins are important cardiovascular biomarkers for myocardial necrosis and are measured in thousands of patients daily. In parallel with the widespread adoption of troponin testing for the diagnosis of myocardial infarction during the last two decades, the analytical sensitivity of assays has progressively improved, which has allowed the identification of more acute coronary syndrome patients at risk of future cardiac events. In addition, using novel high-sensitivity assays, circulating troponin can be observed not only in acute settings, but also in many patients suffering from chronic diseases such as coronary artery disease, heart failure and diabetes. We believe that these findings provide a compelling case for exploring whether troponin levels may be a useful tool for guiding clinical decision-making directly in the management of some of these chronic conditions. Sampling of troponin in such patient populations may allow for more refined risk stratification and, importantly, help clinicians individualize care beyond what is currently possible.


Abstract. Within a population, the sizes of eggs and clutches vary, and the combination of both determines a female's reproductive investment. We investigated females' investment in clutches of the Chilean Swallow (Tachycineta meyeni) at the southern limit of its range, where it breeds in an extreme climate. We analyzed variation in clutch, egg and yolk size in relation to the female's condition, date of laying, and position in the sequence of laying. As predicted by energy/nutrient constraints, clutch size and yolk size decreased over the breeding season, though egg mass increased. Females' investment strategy differed with clutch size: their investment in eggs increased with each successive egg in clutches of 4 and 5 eggs but decreased with each successive egg in clutches of 3 eggs. Eggs that were heavier for their size were more likely to hatch than eggs light for their size. Females may make a strategic decision, with high investment in eggs laid early resulting in a short sequence (small clutch) and delayed investment resulting in a long sequence (large clutch). Alternatively, the shift in clutch investment may simply be a consequence of physiology. Better estimates of female body condition are needed for these options to be distinguished.


Small molecules, especially those which alter biological processes and disease states, are of significant interest. Predicting the specific bioactivities of small molecules is a general problem that has attracted particular attention. Nearest Neighbor(NN) classification is one of the most widely used methods for small molecule classification, but it suffers from both speed and overfitting. We propose a variation, namely Centroid based Nearest Neighbor (CBNN) classifier to solve NN problems, and a specific approach that we call Combinatorial Centroid Nearest Neighbor(CCNN) approach. We applied CCNN to a number of data sets, which are publicly available. It turned out that CCNN has the best accuracy and running time among all competitors.


Background: Tai Chi has been proved as an effective strategy to improve cognitive function while the mechanism remains unclear. This cross-sectional study aimed to compare the brain functional connection of prefrontal cortex (PFC), motor cortex (MC) and occipital cortex (OC) in middle-aged Tai Chi practitioners and Tai Chi-naïve controls. Methods: 18 Hong chuan Tai Chi practitioners (age:55.78±2.64y) and 22 demographically matched healthy Tai Chi-naïve controls (age:54.69±3.10y) were recruited in this study. Global cognition was measured by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MoCA), and the functional connection between PFC, MC and OC in five frequency intervals (I, 0.6-2Hz; II, 0.145-0.6Hz; III, 0.052-0.145Hz; IV, 0.021-0.052Hz; V, 0.0095-0.021Hz) was analyzed by wavelet phase coherence (WPCO). The changes in cerebral oxygenation (Δ[HbO2]) were measured by functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Continuous recordings of NIRS signals were obtained from the left and right prefrontal cortex (PFC), motor cortex (MC) and occipital cortex (OC) in resting state. Results: Compared with age-matched Tai Chi-naïve controls, Hong chuan Tai Chi practitioners had better global cognition and showed higher functional connection levels between left and right PFC, MC, OC in intervals I, III, VI and V in resting state. Conclusion: This study showed that middle-aged Hong chuan Tai Chi practitioners had higher functional connection between PFC, MC and OC, as well as the coordination of left and right brain in resting state, which maybe the contributing factors to higher global cognition.


Massive real-world data are network-structured, such as semantic web, social network, relationship between proteins, etc. Modeling a network is an effective way for better understanding the properties of a network, while avoiding the complexity of the full description. This paper proposes a novel hierarchical Bayesian model for relational data, which is an extension of Mixed Membership Stochastic Block model. Unlike previous work assumes edges to be of atomic, our model recognizes that each edge is composed of multiple elementary relationships and the weight on this edge is a includes all the weights of these elementary relationships. This allows our model to incorporate more information about the network and increases its ability of uncertainty tolerance. A fast inference based on variational inference is offered. Empirical results on a synthetic data and three real-world data sets demonstrate the effectiveness and the robustness of our method.


Analyzing data from top Japanese industries, Nonaka and Takeuchi concluded that knowledge creation involves the processes of interaction and transaction of tacit and explicit knowledge between experts and novices that employ the processes of Socialization, Externalization, Combination, and Internalization (SECI). The SECI model is appealing but has not been shown to be applicable to the field of education. Thus, this study investigated whether the SECI model could explain the knowledge creation processes in education for demographic factors in online Learning Management System (LMS) supported postgraduate courses. The sample comprised 160 postgraduate students enrolled in LMS-supported courses in higher learning institution. Data was analyzed using statistical analysis such as independence samples t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). It was found that the Socialization process has significant difference in the scores for all the demographic factors. These findings suggest that for Socialization process, careful review of LMS-supported teaching method among the postgraduate students should be undertaken to harness the knowledge creation processes from lecturers as experts to students as novices.


Methane detection limits, emission rate quantification accuracy, and potential cross-species interference are assessed for Bridger Photonics' Gas Mapping LiDAR (GML) system utilizing data collected during laboratory testing and single-blind controlled release testing. Laboratory testing identified no significant interference in the path-integrated methane measurement from the gas species tested (ethylene, ethane, propane, n-butane, i-butane, and carbon dioxide). The controlled release study, comprised of 650 individual measurement passes, represents the largest dataset collected to date to characterize GML with respect to point-source emissions. Binomial regression is utilized to create detection curves illustrating the likelihood of detecting an emission of a given size under different wind conditions and for different flight altitudes. Wind-normalized methane detection limits (90% detection rate) of 0.25 (kg/h)/(m/s) and 0.41 (kg/h)/(m/s) are observed at a flight altitude of 500 feet and 675 feet above ground level, respectively. Quantification accuracy is also assessed for emissions ranging from 0.15 to 1,400 kg/h. When emission rate estimates were generated using wind from high-resolution rapid refresh (HRRR) model (the primary wind source that Bridger uses for their commercial operations), linear regression indicates bias of 8.1% (R2 = 0.89). For 95% of controlled releases above Bridger's stated production-sector detection sensitivity (3 kg/h with 90% probability of detection), the accuracy of individual emission rate estimates produced using HRRR wind ranged from −64.1% to +87.0%. Across all controlled releases, 38.1% of estimates had error within ±20%, and 87.3% of measurements were within a factor of two (−50% to +100% error). At low wind speed (less than 2 m/s) and low emission rates (less than 3 kg/h), emission estimates are biased high, however when removed do not impact the regression significantly. The aggregate quantification error including all detected emission events was +8.2% using the HRRR wind source. The resulting detection curves and quantification accuracy illustrate important implications that must be considered when using measurements from GML or other remote emission measurement techniques to inform or validate inventory models or to audit reported emission levels from oil and gas systems.


This article presents the findings of a study that assesses the role of enabling factors for success of small enterprises. The results of the study show that success of small-scale enterprises in Lesotho depends on provision of infrastructural services, use of modern marketing facilities, access to markets and government support. However, some enterprises do not have access to these important determining factors. This paper assesses the role of infrastructure, access to markets and government support to success of small enterprises. Policy recommendations are suggested for improvement of small-scale enterprises in Lesotho.


An efficient method for the synthesis of 6-acyclic secondary alkyl purines was developed via nickel-catalyzed Negishi cross-cupling of 6-chloropurines with acyclic secondary alkylzinc halides in the presence of phenanthroline at room temperature. The process gave good to excellent isolated yields under very mild conditions.


So much has been written on the subject of skin grafting over granulating areas that further papers can do little more than repeat what has been said. The last presentation of Dr. Sumner L. Koch in Surgery, Gynecology and Obstetrics in January and February 1941 is so complete in every detail and covers every phase of the subject so well that little can be written that is really new. We do feel that in one particular we can add to the literature and for that reason are making this report. Small granulating areas can be easily and quickly covered by most of the accepted technics with the razor grafts of Blair and Brown and their associates or with the small deep grafts of Davis. At times the implantation seed grafts of Braun can be used to advantage. In the resurfacing of large areas involving a complete loss of the skin


The estimation of parametric global motion using non-linear optimization is a fundamental technique in computer vision. Such schemes are able to recover various motion models (translation, rotation, affine, projective) with subpixel accuracy. The parametric motion is computed using a first order Taylor expansions of the registered images. But, it is limited to the estimation of small motions, and while large translations and rotations can be coarsely estimated by Fourier domain algorithms, no such techniques exist for affine and projective motions. This paper offers two contributions: First, we improve the convergence properties by an order of magnitude using a second order Taylor expansion. A third order convergence rate is achieved, compared to the second order convergence of prior schemes. Second, we extend the third order algorithm using a symmetrical formulation which further improves the convergence properties. The results are verified by rigorous analysis and experimental trials.


Expression of the progesterone receptor (PR) was monitored in testes of groups of five boars aged 50, 100, 150, 200 and 250 days. The primary monoclonal antibody used for immunohistochemistry (IHC) was raised against a peptide mapping the amino acids 922-933 of the carboxy-terminus of the human PR, negative controls were set up using an irrelevant monoclonal isotype-specific antibody, porcine endometrium served as positive control tissue. In parallel, qualitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was applied. Based on the developmental status of spermatogenesis the 50- and 100-day-old boars were considered as immature, the boars aged 200 and 250 days as mature. Positive and negative controls confirmed specificity of IHC. In the 50-day-old boars 85.1% of the prespermatogonia that had reached the basal lamina and 18.2% of the centrally located prespermatogonia stained positive, while it was 92.1% respectively 2.1% in the 100-day-old boars. The effect of time and location was highly significant (p < 0.005 resp. 0.0001). In mature boars between 77 and 80% of the A and B spermatogonia stained positive, there was no effect of boar age and stage of spermatogenesis. In both groups also few peritubular myoid cells stained positive. It is hypothesized that Leydig cell-derived progesterone plays a functional role in spermatogoniogenesis in a synergistic manner with Leydig cell-derived oestrogens.


Intensive developments of plasmonic nanomaterials over recent decades have inspired appealing applications in biosensing, optical trapping, fluorescence enhancement and light harvesting in solar cells. These nanostructures supporting unique light-matter interactions are also the important ingredients for constructing two-dimensional metasurfaces and three-dimensional metamaterials that exhibit artificial optical properties. The main focus of this thesis is to investigate the complex resonances supported by nanostructures and to apply them in the framework of metasurfaces for improving performances and creating new functionalities. Here, we manipulate light in two aspects: by using low-loss high order plasmonic modes, namely Fano resonances and by generating strong magnetic enhancement in nanophotonic systems. Optical Fano resonance is one of the pivotal concepts in plasmonic metamaterials that benefits from the strong excitation of a bright mode and the slow decay of a dark mode. We first study the near-field interaction in a Fano resonant system by exploring the transition of the Fano lineshape from a dense dolmen array as a function of periodicities and coupling directions. We experimentally observe different regimes of Fano resonance responses from the strong hybridization to the weak coupling regimes. Additionally, the spectral response of the system can be influenced when the system is placed on substrates or in more general stratified media. To quantify this behavior, we propose a general formalism that disentangles the interferences using the transfer matrix method and the coupled oscillator model. We show that the phase of reflected light can be tuned at will and achieve a phase singularity with zero reflection in the case of a dolmen array on a glass substrate. Another application of Fano resonant surfaces is to arbitrarily control the propagation direction of light using a phase gradient metasurface composed of dolmen unit cells on a metallic backplane. According to Huygens' principle, the signal we perceive from a metasurface is determined by the phases of the different nanostructures. We demonstrate experimentally a narrow band metasurface that benefits from the phase variations of dark modes within a defined spectral range. The flexibility of the design is further illustrated by demonstrating a highly directional color routing effect between two channels in green and red light. Then, we isolate the dark mode from a Fano system and investigate the realization of pure magnetic resonances in the visible spectral range. In nature, magnetic effects on materials are weaker than their electric counterparts and are especially difficult to achieve at optical frequencies. We engineer a novel plasmonic meta-atom which supports a pure magnetic mode without any electric components under plane wave illumination. The magnetic dipole is strongly enhanced and can be distinguished from the electric quadrupole by detuning the phase difference between two sub-parts along with oblique incidence. In addition to the previously mentioned systems, the effect of the diffraction can be incorporated to further tailor the magnetic response in a two-dimensional surface. To this end, we employ a three-disk compound, of which the magnetic dipole mode is forbidden under normally incident light. By engineering the radiative coupling, a collective magnetic resonance is achieved with extremely narrow linewidth (  5 nm). The critical condition for the scattering of the individual unit cell and in-plane diffraction grants the excitation of plasmonic mode with a high-quality factor. Finally, one specific class of metamaterials, extrinsic chiral surfaces, is investigated. We show that the circular dichroism at oblique incidence can be optimized using a T-shaped antenna by combining electric dipole and an orthogonal quadrupole. Furthermore, the emission from incoherent quantum sources can be modified thanks to the intricate interplay between the near-field absorption and the far-field scattering of plasmonic nanostructures. Fluorescence emission is experimentally twisted into two directional channels with opposite circular polarizations by coupling into a guided mode in a high index dielectric slab. These findings provide versatile controls over the angle, color as well as polarization of light using two-dimensional metasurfaces based on multipole resonances. We believe that it can potentially lead to the development of polarization-, spectro- and angleresolved ultra-compact optical devices.


In the present work, we have evaluated for first time the feasibility of APCI-MS volatile compound fingerprinting in conjunction with chemometrics (PLS-DA) as a new strategy for rapid and non-destructive food classification. For this purpose 202 clarified monovarietal juices extracted from apples differing in their botanical and geographical origin were used for evaluation of the performance of APCI-MS as a classification tool. For an independent test set PLS-DA analyses of pre-treated spectral data gave 100% and 94.2% correct classification rate for the classification by cultivar and geographical origin, respectively. Moreover, PLS-DA analysis of APCI-MS in conjunction with GC–MS data revealed that masses within the spectral ACPI-MS data set were related with parent ions or fragments of alkyesters, carbonyl compounds (hexanal, trans-2-hexenal) and alcohols (1-hexanol, 1-butanol, cis-3-hexenol) and had significant discriminating power both in terms of cultivar and geographical origin. 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.


The proliferation of bylines characterized the news as an imperfect, all too human account of reality, opening the way towards journalistic stardom, altering power relations within the news industry and shifting news organizations from a position behind the news to one behind the people who gather and compose it. Focusing on The New York Times as the chief case study and The Times of London as a supplementary one, findings show that the bylining process extended throughout the 20th century at a far slower pace than indicated in previous research. Bylining was a four-stage process: 1) initial avoidance of bylining, thereby fostering an anonymous, authoritative voice; 2) bylines promoting organizational goals only; 3) bylines accorded to a select few staff writers, leading to inconsistency in attribution policy; and 4) papers lose control over selective crediting due to journalists' pressure for public acclaim. Using a multidisciplinary approach combining legal theory with the sociology and history of journalism, the article concludes that news reporters are constrained authors whose limitations are set chiefly by organizational, legal and commercial forces. These limitations not only delayed and slowed down their attribution but also continue to characterize their authorship to this day.


Extensive numerical simulation of a reaction-diffusion system reveals an unusual system size dependence of the fluctuation magnitude. If Ω denotes the system size parameter, e.g. particle number, fluctuations are usually predicted to be of order Ω0.5 (stable case) or Ω1 (diffusion-type case). In contrast, a scaling like Ω0.84 is observed in a combined birth-death and random walk process, which is described by a multivariate chemical master equation and corresponds to the Fisher equation in the mascoscopic limit.


Background HIV drug resistance is of increasing concern and could result from inadequate drug potency, poor therapy adherence and the existence of pharmacological sanctuary sites for viral replication. One contributing factor to the generation of such sites could be drug efflux transporters, which have been shown capable of effluxing HIV protease inhibitors from cells. Methods In this 'proof-of-concept' study, the ability of the efflux transport inhibitor verapamil to modulate the intracellular accumulation of radiolabeled nelfinavir (NFV) and the antiviral effect of NFV was assessed in MT4 cells. Wild-type virus was then serially passaged with increasing concentrations of NFV with and without verapamil and resistance mutations monitored by sequencing of the viral protease gene. Results The cellular accumulation ratio of 3H-NFV was 116.8 ±9.7 in controls and was significantly increased to 149.8 ±24.5 following incubation with verapamil (P<0.05, n=4). The EC50 of NFV was decreased in MT4 cells in the presence of verapamil from 8.5 ±1.3 nM to 4.4 ±0.8 nM (P<0.001, n=6). Of the 24 isolates passaged without verapamil, 21 carried the D30N mutation at detectable levels. Of the 23 passaged with verapamil, 14 carried the mutation (odds ratio=4.5; P<0.05). Conclusions These results suggest that 'intracellular boosting' of PIs is achievable through inhibition of drug efflux proteins in vitro and that such boosting has the ability to enhance suppression of viral replication, slowing the emergence of resistance mutations.


After a lengthy incubation period, electronic bills of lading (eBLs) are at last taking their first tentative steps in the shipping world. Systems currently in operation, however, are closed; only traders, carriers and banks who are members can participate. These closed schemes are not, therefore, true replacements for traditional paper bills of lading (pBLs), which can be used by anyone. Open eBL implementations are very difficult, which is no doubt why practical schemes so far have been closed. While blockchains and smart contracts make no difference to what is possible, they do to what is practicable. In particular, they may render feasible eBL implementations more open than those that have existed until now. They can obviate the need for distrusted central registries, and resolve the digital islands problem which can plague closed schemes. This article considers how an open eBL implementation might work. The schemes suggested here are rendered practicable by the new technology, should the industry choose to go down the eBL route. It may not so choose, at any rate in the short term, but if it does take this route, the article examines the legal obstacles that would need to be overcome. It assumes no change in the existing law, but concludes with a discussion of what lawmakers should consider, were they minded to assist.


Background: There is an increased interest in programme evaluation, especially the definition of goals and the measurement of educational outcomes. Objective: To evaluate the student gain of content knowledge in one of phase II modules (blood and lymph) as an institutional self evaluation process. Method: This descriptive study assessed the students' gain of content knowledge of the blood and lymph course via preand post-testing. A sample of 214 second-year pre-clinical medical students comprising 114 males and 110 females of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Omdurman Islamic University, Omdurman, Sudan participated in the study. Data were analysed using SPPS, version 15. The t-test (unpaired) was used for the difference of means. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used and P < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results: The mean post-test score (7.99/12, SD = 2.17) was significantly higher (P < 0.0001) than the mean pre-test score (4.64/12, SD = 1.69). The average normalized gain (gain score) is 0.83. There is no statistically significant difference in the preand post-test scores between male and female students (P-values: 0.838 and 0.328). Conclusion: The curriculum content of the blood and lymph course is effective in increasing students' knowledge about the haemopoietic system. Gender difference of students or instructors does not affect students' gain. We believe that other institutions should consider the use of preand post-tests as a useful direct method of programme evaluation.


Socio-environmental marketing practices have increased drastically in the last decade following the rising environmental consciousness worldwide. This research examines landscaping adoption by organizations in two developing countries in Asia and Africa (namely Malaysia and Nigeria), and the key dimensions of facilitators of adoption. Factor and discriminant analyses were conducted on the data collected from these organizations. The findings of the research are that economic climate, governmental intervention, competitive development, public scrutiny, favourable management attitude and intention, relative advantage, compatibility and ease of use are important factors of socio-environmental marketing adoption by the participating firms.


Abstract The three species of emu-wrens (Maluridae: Stipiturus) are small passerines found in arid to mesic habitats across southern Australia. The geographical distribution of nucleotide sequence diversity of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in emu-wrens was investigated to assess the systematic status of Stipiturus (Aims 1 and 2), particularly in eastern Australia, and to examine closely the population structure of Southern Emu-wren (S. malachurus) in the Mount Lofty Ranges of South Australia (Aim 3). Aim 1: Phylogenetic relationships among the three species of Stipiturus, based previously on plumage and allozyme data, are confirmed by our mtDNA data, which support recognition of Mallee Emu-wren (S. mallee) as a distinct (evolutionary) species from, and sister lineage to, Rufous-crowned Emu-wren (S. ruficeps) rather than Southern Emu-wren. These relationships indicate that any interaction between Mallee and Southern Emu-wrens in south-eastern South Australia is a secondary contact. Aim 2: Within the Southern Emu-wren, which currently comprises eight subspecies, phylogenetic relationships among haplotypes from eastern Australia are not concordant globally with subspecies boundaries, but correspond in part to the most recent classification. A quantitative statistical evaluation of the taxonomic implications of phenotypic variation in these birds is warranted. Eastern haplotypes of Southern Emu-wren show strong phylogeographic structure indicative of allopatric divergence in refugia, with subsequent expansion without widespread introgression. Aim 3: Within the endangered populations of the Mount Lofty Ranges, historical isolation and demographic independence of central and southern populations is supported, corresponding with distribution data, but confirmation using nuclear markers is required. Despite separate subspecific designation of emu-wrens of the Mount Lofty Ranges (which are endangered) and south-eastern South Australia, they share mtDNA haplotypes without strong differentiation and emu-wrens of south-eastern South Australia should be preferred over Kangaroo Island birds for translocations into the MLR, although translocation among populations of the Mount Lofty Ranges is probably a wiser initial strategy to minimise the impact of ecological differences and risk of introduction of disease.


In the brake systems, it is important to reduce the rear brake pressure in order to secure the safety of the vehicle in braking. So, there was some research that reduced and controlled the rear brake pressure exactly like a LSPV and a ELSPV. However, the previous research has some weaknesses: the LSPV is a mechanical system and its brake efficiency is lower than the efficiency of ELSPV. But, the cost of ELSPV is very higher so its application to the vehicle is very difficult. Additionally, when a fail appears in the circuit which controls the valves, the fail results in some wrong operation of the valves. But, the previous researchers didn't take the effect of fail into account. Hence, the efficiency of them is low and the safety of the vehicle is not confirmed. So, in this paper we develop a new economical pressure modulator that exactly controls brake pressure and confirms the safety of the vehicle in any case using a direct adaptive fuzzy controller.


Phishing is a major cybersecurity threat that is increasingly dangerous and complicated, especially during a global pandemic when there is a great need for remote work and communication between Internet users. Moreover, the challenge is even greater when the crime of using high technology increase with the speed of development of science and technology. Machine learning-based approaches for phishing detection have been explored and applied, which have gained many significant results. Though, the problem with using visual similarity-based phishing detection techniques is the complexity of the visual feature extraction process. In this work, we propose a method that uses the transfer learning technique with pre-trained image classification models to extract features as input to machine learning algorithms for phishing website detection. Our proposed method takes advantage of the research results in the field of computer vision, opening up prospects for application in the field of information security. In the experiments, we tested five deep learning image classification models combined with eleven machine learning algorithms in the task of training to classify phishing websites based on visual similarity. Experimental results show that VGG16 is well compatible with several ML-based algorithms in the task of classifying phishing sites. Our proposed method offers promise for the problem of detecting phishing websites based on visual similarity when combining CNN image classification models and machine learning algorithms.


William S. Burroughs is one of the twentieth century's most visible, controversial, and baffling literary figures. In the first comprehensive study of the writer, Timothy S. Murphy places Burroughs in the company of the most significant intellectual minds of our time. In doing so, he gives us an immensely readable and convincing account of a man whose achievements continue to have a major influence on American art and culture. Murphy draws on the work of such philosophers as Gilles Deleuze, Felix Guattari, Theodor Adorno, and Jean-Paul Sartre, and also investigates the historical contexts from which Burroughs' writings arose. From the paranoid isolationism of the Cold War through the countercultural activism of the sixties to the resurgence of corporate and state control in the eighties, Burroughs' novels, films, and music hold a mirror to the American psyche. Murphy coins the term 'amodernism' as a way to describe Burroughs' contested relationship to the canon while acknowledging the writer's explicit desire for a destruction of such systems of classification. Despite the popular mythology that surrounds Burroughs, his work has been largely excluded from the academy of American letters. Finally here is a book that presents a solid portrait of a major artistic innovator, a writer who combines aesthetics and politics and who can perform as anthropologist, social goad, or media icon, all with consummate skill.


Erosion surfaces on the Piedmont and the Appalachian Plateaus are described. Ridges and valleys in the Valley and Ridge Province are probably not erosion surfaces, forming instead due to lithology differences in the underlying rocks. The "cycle of erosion" invented by William Morris Davis was once popular but has many problems. The currently popular weathering hypothesis is also analyzed and found wanting. The formation of the erosion surfaces with monadnocks and veneers of gravels transported over long distances is best explained by mechanisms associated with the retreating stage of the Flood.


This paper analyzes characteristics of the wide area protect communication system structure, and divides communication systems into the system protection center, backbone network, and regional communications systems. And regional communication system is divided into regional protection centers, regional networks and sub-station system. Then This paper analyzes the reliability of the fiber optic ring network which is used widely, and establishes the reliability model of each subsystem. As IEEEl4 bus for example, we calculate the reliability of each subsystems and overall system, then we get the sub-station is a bottleneck affecting the reliability of the entire communication system. But in wide area network, ATM switches are weakest link components. We use Bayesian network as reliability evaluation method. The reliability evaluation method of Bayesian network not only can be easily used to calculate the reliability, but also can find the thin section of system by its unique reverse reasoning technique. High-reliability Wide-area protection communication system is an important part of wide area protection system for its correct and reliable operation.


Background: Decompressive craniectomy (DC) significantly reduces mortality in large territory ischemic strokes that develop intractable cerebral edema. However, evidence for functional benefit remains sparse and contradictory.
Objective: This study aimed to assess cut-off value for predictor outcomes of early DC.
Methods: We conducted a prospective, observational cohort study from December 2016 to June 2021. Patients were screened for ischemic stroke involving the middle cerebral, internal carotid artery or both using the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score. All patients underwent DC. Multivariate analysis was performed for an array of clinical variables in relation to functional outcomes according to the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) and Pearson's correlation coefficient analysis. Clinical outcome was assessed after 3- and 6-month follow-up.
Results: In total, 243 patients were included in this study. Age ≤71 years (AUC=0.955, p <0.001 accuracy 89.7%), onset to DC ≤9 hours (AUC=0.824, p <0.001 accuracy 78.8%), volume of infarction ≤155 cm3 (AUC=0.939, p <0.001 accuracy 93.6%) and the Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score or ASPECT score ≥6 (AUC = 1, p <0.001 accuracy 100%) were significantly associated with good clinical outcomes in early DC (mRS 0 to 3).
Conclusion: Among patients with large territory ischemic strokes undergoing early DC, age ≤71 years, onset to DC ≤9 hours, volume of infarction ≤155 cm3 and ASPECT score ≥6 was significantly associated with good clinical outcomes. All prognostic factors in early DC correlated well with functional outcomes at 6 months which could be used to predict outcome, and consider clinical indications and informed postoperative complications among patients with large territory ischemic stroke.


Abstract Marked dietary changes are occurring nationwide in Mexico, yet these manifest differently among distinct socioeconomic status (SES) groups. This article examines several complex relationships among: SES; food preferences, norms, and aspirations; and actual dietary practices in a Mexican city. Drawing on data from an in-depth ethnographic study conducted in Mazatlán, Sinaloa, this study takes a multidimensional qualitative approach in order to gain a more nuanced understanding of contemporary dietary changes and nutritional health disparities. Very few studies distinguish actual dietary behaviors from food preferences, interrogate disjunctures between dietary patterns and aspirations, or investigate tensions between normative and temptation food preferences. This work advances the literature by bringing together insights from Bourdieu's theory of habitus, (critical) consumer demand theory, and Popkin's theory of nutrition transitions to shed light on how SES not only shapes food consumption patterns but also the diets that people aspire to consume in a developing-country setting. The study finds that food practices and preferences are driven by economic constraints but also different kinds of socially structured exposures, access, beliefs, and norms.


The COVID-19 pandemic has birthed a wealth of information through many publicly accessible sources, such as news outlets and social media. However, gathering and understanding the content can be difficult due to inaccuracies or inconsistencies between the different sources. To alleviate this challenge in Australia, a team of 48 student volunteers developed an open-source COVID-19 information dashboard to provide accurate, reliable, and real-time COVID-19 information for Australians. The students developed this software while working under legislative restrictions that required social isolation. The goal of this study is to characterize the experiences of the students throughout the project. We conducted an online survey completed by 39 of the volunteering students contributing to the COVID-19 dashboard project. Our results indicate that playing a positive role in the COVID-19 crisis and learning new skills and technologies were the most cited motivating factors for the students to participate in the project. While working on the project, some students struggled to maintain a work-life balance due to working from home. However, the students generally did not express strong sentiment towards general project challenges. The students expressed more strongly that data collection was a significant challenge as it was difficult to collect reliable, accurate, and up-to-date data from various government sources. The students have been able to mitigate these challenges by establishing a systematic data collection process in the team, leveraging frequent and clear communication through text, and appreciating and encouraging each other's efforts. By participating in the project, the students boosted their technical (e.g., front-end development) and nontechnical (e.g., task prioritization) skills. Our study discusses several implications for students, educators, and policymakers.


Quantitative Trait Loci by sequencing (QTL-seq) is a QTL detection method that utilizes the principles of Bulked Segregants Analysis. It detects alleles with extreme frequencies in whole-genome sequence data from two bulked populations with contrasting phenotypes. This approach is less laborious than QTL detection using linkage mapping, and the result had been shown to be comparable in the same mapping population. However, since the genomes of the two bulked populations are completely sequenced, it can facilitate further characterization of the QTL segment and the genes underlying the QTLs. In this study, QTL-seq was simulated using high-density SNP genotyping data from a recombinant inbred population consisting of 188 individuals. The genomes of both parents had been sequenced, and the SNP genotyping identified 2,207 SNP markers that were polymorphic and segregating in the population. Since the markers are dense enough and well distributed across the genome, they can be used to represent the alleles that can be obtained from whole genome resequencing of bulked individuals. The availability of genotype data for each individual in the mapping population also enabled the detection of QTL via linkage mapping. Using data generated from both approaches, various simulations were conducted to compare the results that could be obtained under ideal conditions, as well as less ideal ones such as when the QTL effects are small, the presence of skewed phenotype distribution, and a small number of bulked samples.


OBJECTIVE
The objective of the current study was to test whether optimization of dose regimens for detecting focal liver lesions by computed tomography is possible by using the available time-density data of former studies published in the literature and a computer program so that the number of further clinical tests with the exclusive objective of optimizing injection schemes could be reduced.

METHODS
Computed tomography enhancement data of the aorta and/or the liver obtained after injecting a conventional ionic and a nonionic contrast agent were used to calculate pharmacokinetic parameters and to simulate the time course of enhancement for a variety of different infusion regimens modifying contrast medium strength, dose, and injection rate. The study consisted of two parts. In the first part, mean relative enhancement curves of the aorta and of liver parenchyma (0 to 300 sec) using meglumine diatrizoate (306 mg iodine per mL, 300 mg iodine per kg) were taken from the literature and their values were approximated using the computer program TOPFIT. In the second part, equivalent data for iohexol including a total of three strengths (240, 300, and 350 mg iodine per kg) and doses from 30 to 45 grams of iodine were used. "Validation" of the simulation method was obtained, first by comparing measured and calculated maximum intensities and times to reach maximum and, second, by using one injection scheme for the simulation of a second and comparing the results with actually measured data.

RESULTS
The computer program TOPFIT allowed for excellent curve fitting of the measured density values. The data obtained in the first part of the study showed that after a dose of 300 mg I/kg and a rate of 2 mL/sec maximal enhancement is achieved in the aorta after 30 seconds (approximately 100 HU) and in the liver after 50 seconds (approximately 30 HU). The higher the dose and the rate of infusion were, the higher was the enhancement. The difference in density between aorta and liver was proportional to the infusion rate approaching asymptotically approximately 90 HU at 8 mL/sec for a dose of 300 mg I/kg. Bi- or triphasic infusion schemes did not improve differences in enhancement. The curve fitting obtained in the second part of the study also confirmed the results reported in the literature. A "crossover" prediction of data was possible within the range of interindividual variations of pharmacokinetic parameters and thus validated the chosen approach of computer simulation. Furthermore, data sets selected randomly out of the simulation results could be used--within the limits of interindividual variability--to predict data determined in other clinical trials.

CONCLUSION
The computer program TOPFIT appears useful for the optimization of time--density profiles in computed tomography. The number of further clinical studies with the objective of optimization could therefore possibly be reduced.


In integrated crop-livestock systems under a no-tillage system, the action of animal trampling can influence the physical properties of the soil, depending on the intensity of grazing and stocking rate. This study aimed to evaluate the physical properties of a Humic Cambisol, under an integrated crop-livestock system submitted to different grazing intensities of lactating cows in the city of Lages, SC. The treatments constituted three forage masses of winter pasture (low, medium and high), and a control area, with no grazing (no grazing), oat and ryegrass consortium was used, then the density, hydraulic properties of the soil, organic matter content, aggregation and soil penetration resistance were evaluated. Generally the animal trampling had no significant influence on physical properties, the dynamics of water and the contents of soil organic matter. The macroporosity conditions, as well as high resistance to penetration, principally in conditions of low moisture, prove that the Humic Cambisol of the franc silty clay texture provides a constraint physical problem.


This is a reissue of a paper which appeared in ACTA IMEKO, Proceedings of the 11th Triennial World Congress of the International Measurement Confederation (IMEKO), "Instrumentation for the 21st century", 16.-21.10.1988, Houston, pp. 125-134. The paper is devoted to the new system of basic concepts in metrology which better fits to the development of contemporary instrumentation and measurement science. The existing concepts are confronted with the current needs; their modifications or new concepts are proposed. In particular the concepts of quantity and measurement method have been broadened and generalised. The proposed system is based on understanding of measurement as an experiment of parameter identification of the model of the measured object. One of the most important new concepts introduced here is the concept of measuring metasystem which comprises not only instrumentation but also the measured object, a "measurement interface" between the object and instrumentation and the operator.


In the so-called lightbulb process, on days r = 1,…,n, out of n lightbulbs, all initially off, exactly r bulbs, selected uniformly and independent of the past, have their status changed from off to on, or vice versa. With X the number of bulbs on at the terminal time n, an even integer, and μ = n/2, σ2 = var(X), we have sup z ∈ R | P((X - μ)/σ ≤ z) - P(Z ≤ z) | ≤ nΔ̅0/2σ2 + 1.64n/σ3 + 2/σ, where Z is a standard normal random variable and Δ̅0 = 1/2√n + 1/2n + e−n/2/3 for n ≥ 6, yielding a bound of order O(n −1/2) as n → ∞. A similar, though slightly larger bound, holds for odd n. The results are shown using a version of Stein's method for bounded, monotone size bias couplings. The argument for even n depends on the construction of a variable X s on the same space as X that has the X-size bias distribution, that is, which satisfies E[X g(X)] = μE[g(X s )] for all bounded continuous g, and for which there exists a B ≥ 0, in this case B = 2, such that X ≤ X s ≤ X + B almost surely. The argument for odd n is similar to that for even n, but one first couples X closely to V, a symmetrized version of X, for which a size bias coupling of V to V s can proceed as in the even case. In both the even and odd cases, the crucial calculation of the variance of a conditional expectation requires detailed information on the spectral decomposition of the lightbulb chain.


We report the results of a genome-wide analysis of transcription in Arabidopsis thaliana after treatment with Pseudomonas syringae pathovar tomato. Our time course RNA-Seq experiment uses over 500 million read pairs to provide a detailed characterization of the response to infection in both susceptible and resistant hosts. The set of observed differentially expressed genes is consistent with previous studies, confirming and extending existing findings about genes likely to play an important role in the defense response to Pseudomonas syringae. The high coverage of the Arabidopsis transcriptome resulted in the discovery of a surprisingly large number of alternative splicing (AS) events – more than 44% of multi-exon genes showed evidence for novel AS in at least one of the probed conditions. This demonstrates that the Arabidopsis transcriptome annotation is still highly incomplete, and that AS events are more abundant than expected. To further refine our predictions, we identified genes with statistically significant changes in the ratios of alternative isoforms between treatments. This set includes several genes previously known to be alternatively spliced or expressed during the defense response, and it may serve as a pool of candidate genes for regulated alternative splicing with possible biological relevance for the defense response against invasive pathogens.


The diamondback moth (DBM) Plutella xylostella (Linnaeus) is an economically important pest of cruciferous crop in West Bengal, India. An extensive work is carried out at Agricultural Training Centre / State Agricultural Management and Extension Training Institute, Narendrapur, West Bengal regarding study of seasonal incidence of DBM for some cruciferous vegetables viz. green cabbage, red cabbage, Chinese cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli during two seasons i.e. 2013-14 and 2014-15. Early, mid-season and late varieties for all the vegetables were cultivated at institute's farm in three separate plots. The weather parameters such as maximum and minimum temperature, humidity, rainfall etc for the whole season were taken from the local meteorological observatory. The incidence of diamondback moth in all the vegetable plots was correlated with the weather data. The noticed incidence of larval population in terms number per plant was ranging from 0.20 to 5.20, 0.13 to 4.20, 0.13 to 4.66, 0.13 to 4.20 and 0.20 to 0.40 in 2013-14 and 0.13 to 5.60, 0.13 to 4.46, 0.13 to 4.20, 0.20 to 4.00 and 0.40 to 0.60 in 2014-15 for green cabbage, red cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and Chinese cabbage respectively.  Again, the above pests' incidence of larvae per plant was less in case of Chinese cabbage (0.20 to 0.60) than that of broccoli, red cabbage, cauliflower and green cabbage for two consecutive seasons. Hence, green cabbage was considered as preferred host plant for DBM incidence.


Causal effect estimates for the association of obesity with health care costs can be biased by reversed causation and omitted variables. In this study, we use genetic variants as instrumental variables to overcome these limitations, a method that is often called Mendelian randomization (MR). We describe the assumptions, available methods, and potential pitfalls of using genetic information and how to address them. We estimate the effect of body mass index (BMI) on total health care costs using data from a German observational study and from published large-scale data. In a meta-analysis of several MR approaches, we find that models using genetic instruments identify additional annual costs of €280 for a 1-unit increase in BMI. This is more than 3 times higher than estimates from linear regression without instrumental variables (€75). We found little evidence of a nonlinear relationship between BMI and health care costs. Our results suggest that the use of genetic instruments can be a powerful tool for estimating causal effects in health economic evaluation that might be superior to other types of instruments where there is a strong association with a modifiable risk factor.


Purpose
Technology adoption is a great challenge in the banking sector of Pakistan. A recent report issued by state bank of Pakistan revealed that there is a squeak growth, only 3 percent, in internet banking adoption. In order to effectively delve into the issue of internet banking adoption, the purpose of this paper is to use unified theory of acceptance and use of technology factors, namely performance expectancy and effort expectancy and e-service quality (E-SQ), as theoretical lens for this study.

Design/methodology/approach
The research model was empirically tested using 398 valid responses from customers of commercial banks in Pakistan. The theoretical model was tested using structural equation modeling.

Findings
Findings indicate that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, website design, customer service, assurance and reliability have direct influence on user intention to adopt internet banking. Results revealed that approximately 79 percent of variance in user intention to adopt internet banking was explained by predictors. In addition, the mediating role of performance expectancy and effort expectancy among website design, customer service and user intention was also confirmed.

Practical implications
For researchers, this study provides a base of integrated technology model and it suggests using this model in other online domains such as mobile payment and online web-shopping for further refinement. For policymakers, understanding the key constructs is important to design, refine and implement new internet banking website that, in turn, will boost internet banking adoption trend among users of commercial banks.

Originality/value
This paper makes a unique contribution toward information system and services marketing literature. The study schematized that website design, customer service, assurance and reliability are the key dimensions of E-SQ and significantly influence the user intention to adopt internet banking.


Paclitaxel is a chemotherapeutic, microtubule-stabilizing drug used to treat a variety of cancers, including those of the breast. In the neoadjuvant setting, paclitaxel effects tumor shrinkage in up to half of patients. Identification of a biomarker to predict response to paclitaxel would reduce side effects and improve patient outcomes. It has long been known that micromolar concentrations of paclitaxel cause cells in culture to arrest in mitosis, which can lead to cell death. However, the concentration range found within patient tumors remains unclear, both because it has not been directly measured and because paclitaxel accumulates intracellularly up to 1000 fold. In a pilot clinical trial, we are directly measuring the intratumoral drug concentration in breast tumors following neoadjuvant paclitaxel treatment. Our preliminary data support the hypothesis that treatment of cultured cells with a low nanomolar concentration more accurately models the intratumoral drug levels in breast cancer patients. Unlike treatment with micromolar concentrations, treatment with low nanomolar paclitaxel does not cause a significant mitotic arrest. Rather, cells treated with low nanomolar paclitaxel frequently proceed through mitosis with multipolar mitotic spindles, resulting in chromosome missegregation and the production of two or more daughter cells. This alternative mechanism of action may explain why tumors treated with paclitaxel fail to show an increase in mitotic index. Previous studies have shown that low rates of chromosome missegregation are well tolerated, but high rates of chromosome missegregation cause cell death due to loss of both copies of one or more essential chromosomes. Therefore, the fidelity of chromosome segregation may be of use as a predictor of response to paclitaxel. In chromosomally stable breast cancer cells, exposure to paclitaxel for two days is sufficient to induce aneuploidy, and within three days there is an increase in cell death. However, a subset of cells are able to survive in low nM paclitaxel for over one week, and survival is higher than in cells which exhibit chromosomal instability (CIN), and have a preexisting rate of chromosome missegregation during division. In patients, chromosomal stability is of potential use as a predictive biomarker to select patients most likely to respond to paclitaxel treatment. Citation Format: Lauren M. Zasadil, Mark Burkard, Beth A. Weaver. Clinically relevant paclitaxel concentrations cause chromosome missegregation rather than mitotic arrest. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1750. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-1750


Current methods of failed bank resolution are unnecessarily expensive for taxpayers and impose substantial costs on borrowers at failed banks. This situation is due to distorted incentives imbedded in the standard contract between the government and acquirers of failed banks, which result in more loan foreclosures than if the loan were held by a well-capitalized bank. This paper proposes a modification to the standard contract in the form of a transferable put, which would introduce market-based incentives to the disposition of failed bank assets.


The observers of the political relationship development agree that the character and variety of political engagement has evolved overtime into a process continuing and escalating into the foreseeable future. Communicative tools like information technologies and independent mass media produce an increasing effect on the political practices. These devices can have inevitable consequences for shaping not only modifications but even new trends as does the way in which citizens participate in politics. Capacity of creativity and creative tools, in a variety of forms, are acknowledged to be one of the key ways to expand and mark a new level of citizen influence on the authorities and civil society institutions. This perspective stands behind the increased focus on creativity in information crafting, information interpretation and information perception which, being political participation, enables to add value to political transactions and bring new ideas in the social and political discussions held in the community.


In 1986 the thesis entitled 'Choosing for dental hygienists' was published in The Netherlands. It provided the scientific basis for the further development of the profession of dental hygienists in The Netherlands. Since then, the profession has developed very strongly. In the intervening years, qualified dental hygienists have come to be considered capable of taking over simple restorative treatments from dentists. As a result, treatment, especially in children, can largely be carried out by one person. Nevertheless, recent developments, such as the sharp increase in the number of new dental students, suggest that the re-allocation of responsibilities is proceeding slowly. This suggests that policy makers have not yet unambiguously opted for dental hygienists and prevention.


Background

The research investigated the possibility of phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) with plant growth-promoting (PGP) capabilities to improve growth properties of rice plant under ferruginous ultisol (FU) condition through rhizo-inoculation strategy. The PSB with PGP properties used in this research were Bacillus cereus strain GGBSU-1, Proteus mirabilis strain TL14-1 and Klebsiella variicola strain AUH-KAM-9 that were previously isolated and characterized following the 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The rice seeds were sown in a composite FU soil sample and a humus soil (control) and then rhizo-inoculated along the root region of the growing rice seedling at 16 days after sowing. The rice plant was studied for differences in morphological, physiological and biomass parameters for 16 weeks after rhizo-inoculation.
Results

The composite FU soil used in the study had high pH, low bioavailable phosphorus, low water holding capacity and high iron levels which has led to a low growth properties of rice seeds sown in FU soil without rhizo-inoculation. After rhizo-inoculation, a significant increase in morphological, biomass and physiological parameters were observed in the rice plant grown in the FU soil as against the control and the rice plant in FU soil without inoculation except for terpenoid which is usually known to signify biotic stress and as part of plant defense mechanism. Generally, Bacillus cereus strain GGBSU-1 showed higher improvement compared to other PSBs used in the present study. This is due to a more improved growth properties observed.
Conclusion

Rhizo-inoculation of rice seedling with Bacillus cereus strain GGBSU-1, Proteus mirabilis strain TL14-1 and Klebsiella variicola strain AUH-KAM-9 under FU soil condition significantly improved growth properties of the rice plant. This suggest the ability of PSB to solubilize and mineralize soil phosphate and improve its availability for plant use in phosphate stressed soil, thereby improving plant growth properties.


BACKGROUND: Previous studies during SARS and Ebola pandemics have shown that quarantine is associated with several negative psychological effects, such as post-traumatic stress symptoms, confusion and anger. These conditions may affect the course of many diseases, including migraine. Although it is possible that the quarantine measures for the current COVID-19 pandemic affect migraine burden, no information is currently available on this issue. AIM: In this study, we aimed to: 1) explore the possible changes in migraine frequency, severity, and days with acute medication intake during quarantine period; 2) evaluate possible differences in migraine outcomes in consideration of lifestyle changes, emotions, pandemic diffusion, and COVID-19 infection. METHODS : We interviewed patients who were included in the observational Italian Headache Registry (Registro Italiano Cefalee, RICE), retrospectively collecting information on main headache features, lifestyles factors, emotions, individual infection status, and perception of COVID-19 for two months before (pre-quarantine) and after the beginning of the quarantine (quarantine). Inclusion criteria were: age > 18, diagnosis of migraine without aura, migraine with aura and chronic migraine, last in-person visit more than 3 months preceding the beginning of quarantine. RESULTS: A total of 433 migraine subjects agreed to be interviewed. We found an overall reduction in headache frequency and intensity during the quarantine, compared to pre-quarantine. There was a correlation between improvement and number of days of stay-at-home. When results were stratified for geographic area, we found a tendency towards worsening of headache frequency in northern Italy. Disgust regarding viral infection corresponded to a minor improvement in migraine.CONCLUSIONSMigraine patients showed resilient behavior toward pandemic distress. Disgust regarding the contagion whereas potentially favoring defensive behavior, could potentially worsen migraine.


Background Web-based computer-tailored approaches have the potential to be successful in supporting smoking cessation. However, the potential effects of such approaches for relapse prevention and the value of incorporating action planning strategies to effectively prevent smoking relapse have not been fully explored. The Stay Quit for You (SQ4U) study compared two Web-based computer-tailored smoking relapse prevention programs with different types of planning strategies versus a control group. Objectives To assess the efficacy of two Web-based computer-tailored programs in preventing smoking relapse compared with a control group. The action planning (AP) program provided tailored feedback at baseline and invited respondents to do 6 preparatory and coping planning assignments (the first 3 assignments prior to quit date and the final 3 assignments after quit date). The action planning plus (AP+) program was an extended version of the AP program that also provided tailored feedback at 11 time points after the quit attempt. Respondents in the control group only filled out questionnaires. The study also assessed 1 2 3 4 1


Hardware-in-the-loop simulation allows ECUs to be tested in a simulated environment in closed-loop. Engines, vehicles, and other components the ECU normally controls are replaced by high-fidelity models executed on a real-time computer system. It is shown that it is now possible to use the same tools for hardware-in-the-loop simulation that have been used in the control development, with the benefit of easy use and reuse of models.


Autologous peripheral blood progenitor cell (PBPC) transplantation is now commonly used in children. The ontogenic differences in haematopoiesis published in recent years suggest differences in the categories of mobilized PBPCs between children and adults. We investigated the frequency and distribution of mature progenitor cells (colony‐forming cells, CFCs) and primitive progenitor cells [CD34+ CD38− and CD34+ Thy‐1+ cells, long‐term culture‐initiating cells (LTC‐ICs)] in children and adults mobilized using granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor alone. We found similar proportions of granulocyte colony‐forming units (CFU‐G) and/or macrophage CFUs (CFU‐M), mixed lineage CFUs (CFU‐Mix) and megakarocyte CFUs (CFU‐Mk), CD34+ CD38− and CD34+ Thy‐1+ cells, and LTC‐ICs (16·5 ± 3·5 vs. 10·65 ± 5 per 104 CD34+ cells), which produced the same number of CFCs (5 ± 1 vs. 6 ± 1 CFCs/LTC‐ICs) in PB CD34+ cells from children and adults. However, we noted a higher proportion of erythroid blast‐forming units (BFU‐E) in PB CD34+ cells from adults (× 1·5, P = 0·003). Using cord blood as a third ageing point, we observed an inverse age‐related propensity for commitment to the monocyte/macrophage lineage that was still found after normalizing the data per body weight and processed blood mass. This ontogeny‐related programming was detected from the LTC‐IC level, which produced 1·7 times more CFU‐M in children than in adults (P = 0·048). These subtle differences in commitment between children and adults, shown here for the first time, are of interest for the in vitro manipulation of PBPCs and, in particular, for application in adoptive immunotherapy in children.


We describe a method for efficiently hashing multiple messages of different lengths. Such computations occur in various scenarios, and one of them is when an operating system checks the integrity of its components during boot time. These tasks can gain performance by parallelizing the computations and using SIMD architectures. For such scenarios, we compare the performance of a new 4-buffers SHA-256 S-HASH implementation, to that of the standard serial hashing. Our results are measured on the 2nd Generation Intel? CoreTM Processor, and demonstrate SHA-256 processing at effectively ~5.2 Cycles per Byte, when hashing from any of the three cache levels, or from the system memory. This represents speedup by a factor of 3.42x compared to OpenSSL (1.0.1), and by 2.25x compared to the recent and faster n-SMS method. For hashing from a disk, we show an effective rate of ~6.73 Cycles/Byte, which is almost 3 times faster than OpenSSL (1.0.1) under the same conditions. These results indicate that for some usage models, SHA-256 is significantly faster than commonly perceived.


That women tend to see harassment where men see harmless fun or normal gendered interaction is one of the more robust findings in sexual harassment research. Using in-depth interviews with employed men and women, this article argues that these differences may be partially explained by the performative requirements of masculinity. The ambiguous practice of "girl watching" is centered, and the production of its meaning analyzed. The data suggest that men's refusal to see their behavior as harassing may be partially explained through the objectification and attenuated empathy that the production of masculine identities may require. Thus, some forms of harassment and their interpretations may more accurately be seen as acts of ignoring than states of ignorance (of the effects of the behavior or the law). Implications for anti-sexual harassment policies and training are explored.


Hydrothermal treatment of wood, especially steaming, is often used to achieve more intensive and homogenous colour of wood or to vary its hue. On cherrywood (Prunus avium L.) influence of steaming and drying on colouring of wood tissue was researched. Green, randomly selected cherrywood boards, 43 mm thick, were conventionally steamed in period of 60 to 72 hours, between 45 to 70°C. Low temperature kiln drying in conventional dryer followed afterwards, by successive rising of temperature from 30°C to 55°C, till 8% end wood moisture content (MCend) was reached. Wood colour was assessed visually and with standard 3-stimulus colorimeter, using CIEL*a*b* system, and compared to natural colour of cherrywood. Wide heterogeneity of hues was found out on specimens at the end of hydrothermal treatment, where only minorities of them reached target level. A huge amount of steamed wooden elements signifi cantly deviated (Δ E*=7.16), especially in lightness (L*) and in hue (hab) of wood colour, in comparison to the predefined reference. Desired, referent colour of steamed cherrywood has the lowest lightness (L*=59.6) and hue (hab=50), and the highest chromaticity (C*=25). Declining linear trend of lightness and hue from sapwood over heartwood and steamed elements to referent specimens was confirmed. There is clear indication of usefulness of colorimetry to asses and control steaming process of wood. Th ere are additional data for fi rst 18 hours of steaming where samples were taken for light microscopy analysis of parenchyma cells which confi rmed the decrease of cellular deposits during steaming treatment in sapwood, with complete elimination at the end of the procedure. In the heartwood, additional resin deposits were found out, whereas parenchyma globular deposits were not present in any wood specimen.


The capacitances of multilayered board vias are calculated by means of two methods: the Schwarz-Christoffel conformal mapping-finite difference procedure and the hybrid FEM/DBCI method. Different structures can be analyzed containing single or multiple ground planes, with finite or infinite thickness, with or without pads. Comparisons are made with other methods, showing that a greater accuracy is obtained by means of the two methods proposed.


Both oral and intravenous administration of alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) has been investigated as add-on treatment for diabetic peripheral neuropathy. The recent Neurological Assessment of Thioctic Acid in Diabetic Neuropathy (NATHAN) 1 trial has shown that 4-year oral ALA administration is of some value in achieving a clinically meaningful improvement and a slight delay in the progression of neuropathic deficits among patients with mild/moderate diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Despite these promising results, important questions remain to be answered, mainly appropriate patient selection and optimal treatment duration. Moreover, a cost-benefit analysis would be useful.


Zoonotic diseases or zoonosis is an infectious disease caused by the transmission of pathogens from animals to humans. Depending on the pathogens, these diseases can be bacterial, viral, or parasitic and the route of transmission of the pathogens can be via reservoirs including birds, bats, pigs, and mosquitoes, eventually infecting humans. Spread among humans arises primarily through person-person contact and fomites, causing major outbreaks (epidemics and pandemics). Some of the major zoonotic outbreaks include plague, influenza, West Nile fever, brucellosis, and rabies. This review focuses on zoonotic viral outbreaks in India over the past 20 years highlighting the spread and severity of the disease, measures to control the infection and prevention, treatment and management of the infectious diseases. New or emerging and re-emerging viral diseases such as Mini-review Article Venugopal et al.; JPRI, 33(10): 82-93, 2021; Article no.JPRI.65362 83 coronavirus, Japanese encephalitis, dengue and chikungunya are discussed. These outbreaks have been reported to cause high morbidity and mortality, in addition, pose a major risk to the health security, safety, and economy of the country. Insufficient knowledge of emerging diseases is a major challenge for producing effective anti-viral drugs and vaccines. Understanding the etiology and spread of the disease is essential for preventive measures and the development of efficient treatment strategies.


Robots are becoming increasingly prevalent and are already providing assistance in a variety of activities, ranging from space exploration to domestic housework. Recent advances in the design of sensors, motors, and microelectromechanical systems have enabled the development of a new class of small aerial robots. These free-flying robots hold great promise in assisting humans by acting as mobile sensor platforms to collect data in areas that are difficult to access or infeasible to instrument. In this work, we explored the design of interfaces that support users in working with free-flying robots to accomplish tasks including inventory logistics and management, environmental data collection, and visual inspection. Extending prior work in control interfaces for ground robots, we conducted a formative study in order to identify key design requirements for free-flyer interfaces. We designed several realistic tasks for use in evaluating human–robot interaction within the context of indoor free-flyer operation. We implemented three prototype interfaces that each provide varying degrees of support in enabling remote users to work with a flying robot to plan, communicate goals, accomplish tasks, and respond to changes in a dynamic environment. An experimental evaluation of each interface found that the interface designed to support collaborative planning and replanning using an interactive timeline and three-dimensional spatial waypoints significantly improved users' efficiency in accomplishing tasks, their ability to intervene in response to spontaneous changes in task demands, and their ratings of the robot as a teammate compared to interfaces that support low-level teleoperation or waypoint-based supervisory control. Our results demonstrate the utility of a data-driven design process and show the need for free-flyer interfaces to consider planning phases in addition to task execution. In addition, we demonstrate the importance of providing interface support for interrupting robot operations as unplanned events arise.


Soft-tissue defects of the little finger are challenging especially when bone, tendon or vascular pedicle is exposed because of trauma. The hypothenar island flap is easy to harvest and has a good colour and texture match to the little finger pulp. We present nine clinical cases of soft tissue defects of the little finger covered using the reversed hypothenar fasciocutaneous island flap. This article intends to highlight the ease of elevation and good clinical results of the hypothenar flap which is rarely used.


We show that the only transitive and generically 4-transitive action of a group of finite Morley rank on a set of Morley rank 2 is the natural action of PGL3 on the projective plane.


Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) as a tool offers opportunities for modeling the inherent complexity and uncertainty associated with socio-environmental systems. This study draws on New Zealand ski fields (multiple locations) as socio- environmental systems while considering their perceived resilience to low probability but potential high consequences catastrophic natural events (specifically earthquakes). We gathered data at several ski fields using a mixed methodology including: geomorphic assessment, qualitative interviews, and an adaptation of Ozesmi and Ozesmi's (2003) multi-step fuzzy cognitive mapping (FCM) approach. The data gathered from FCM are qualitatively condensed, and aggregated to three different participant social groups. The social groups include ski fields users, ski industry workers, and ski field managers. Both quantitative and qualitative indices are used to analyze social cognitive maps to identify critical nodes for ANN simulations. The simulations experiment with auto-associative neural networks for developing adaptive preparation, response and recovery strategies. Moreover, simulations attempt to identify key priorities for preparation, response, and recovery for improving resilience to earthquakes in these complex and dynamic environments. The novel mixed methodology is presented as a means of linking physical and social sciences in high complexity, high uncertainty socio-environmental systems. Simulation results indicate that participants perceived that increases in Social Preparation Action, Social Preparation Resources, Social Response Action and Social Response Resources have a positive benefit in improving the resilience to earthquakes of ski fields' stakeholders.


We use time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) to image and classify individual cells on the basis of their characteristic mass spectra. Using statistical data reduction on the large data sets generated during TOF-SIMS analysis, similar biological materials can be differentiated on the basis of a combination of small changes in protein expression, metabolic activity and cell structure. We apply this powerful technique to image and differentiate three carcinoma-derived human breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7, T47D, and MDA-MB-231). In homogenized cells, we show the ability to differentiate the cell types as well as cellular compartments (cytosol, nuclear, and membrane). These studies illustrate the capacity of TOF-SIMS to characterize individual cells by chemical composition, which could ultimately be applied to detect and identify single aberrant cells within a normal cell population. Ultimately, we anticipate characterizing rare chemical changes that may provide clues to single cell progression within carcinogenic and metastatic pathways.