Multimetal oxides (AxByOz) offer a higher degree of freedom compared to single metal oxides (AOx) in that these oxides facilitate (i) designing nanomaterials with greater stability, (ii) tuning of the optical bandgap, and (iii) promoting visible light absorption. However, all AxByOz materials such as pyrochlores (A2B2O7)--referred to here as band-gap engineered composite oxide nanomaterials or BECONs--are traditionally prone to severe charge recombination at their surface. To alleviate the charge recombination, an effective strategy is to employ reduced graphene oxide (RGO) as a charge separator. The BECON and the RGO with oppositely charged functional groups attached to them can be integrated at the interface by employing a simple electrostatic self-assembly approach. As a case study, the approach is demonstrated using the Pt-free pyrochlore bismuth titanate (BTO) with RGO, and the application of the composite is investigated for the first time. When tested as a photocatalyst toward hydrogen production, an increase of ∼ 250% using BTO in the presence of RGO was observed. Further, photoelectrochemical measurements indicate an enhancement of ∼ 130% in the photocurrent with RGO inclusion. These two results firmly establish the viability of the electrostatic approach and the inclusion of RGO. The merits of the RGO addition is identified as (i) the RGO-assisted improvement in the separation of the photogenerated charges of BTO, (ii) the enhanced utilization of the charges in a photocatalytic process, and (iii) the maintenance of the BTO/RGO structural integrity after repeated use (established through reusability analysis). The success of the self-assembly strategy presented here lays the foundation for developing other forms of BECONs, belonging to perovskites (ABO3), sillenite (A12BO20), or delafossite (ABO2) groups, hitherto written off due to limited or no photoelectrochemicalactivity.


This publication discloses a method, in which the semiconductor components forming part of an electronic circuit, or at least some of them, are embedded in a base, such as a circuit board, during themanufacture of the base, when part of the base structure is, as it were, manufactured around the semiconductor components. According to the invention, through-holes for the semiconductor components are made in the base, in such a way that the holes extend between the first and second surface of the base. After the making of the holes, a polymer film is spread over the second surface of the base structure, in such a way that the polymer film also covers the through-holes made for the semiconductor components from the side of the second surface of the base structure. Before the hardening, or after the partial hardening of the polymer film, the semiconductor components are placed in the holes made in the base, from the direction of the first surface of the base. The semiconductor components are pressed against the polymer film in such a way that they adhere to the polymer film. After this, the final hardening of the polymer film is carried out.


The spin stiffness of the repulsive Hubbard model that occurs in the hydrodynamic theory of antiferromagnetic spin waves is shown to be the same as the thermodynamically defined stiffness involved in twisting the order parameter. New expressions for are derived, which facilitate the interpretation, and connections with superconducting weight and gauge invariance are discussed.


In this work, we present a novel approach for modeling, and classifying between, the system load states introduced when constructing staged soft arm configurations. Through a two stage approach: (1) an LSTM calibration routine is used to identify the current load state then (2) a control input generation step combines a generalized quasistatic model with the learned load model. Our experiments show that accounting for system load allows us to more accurately control tapered arm configurations. We analyze the performance of our method using soft robotic actuators and show it is capable of classifying between different arm configurations at a rate greater than 95%. Additionally, our method is capable of reducing the end-effector error of quasistatic model only control to within 1 cm of our controller baseline.


The Virtual Medical Campus Graz uses e-learning to make the human medicine curriculum digitally accessible to a target population of 4500 students and teachers. This project occurred parallel to the development of a new curriculum and thus involved all medical teachers and students. The VMC system architecture includes a multimedia repository for reusable learning objects; middleware containing the VMC logic that arranges learning objects into lectures, themes, and modules; and user interface. To ensure the interface suited the target population, we used the user-centered design method.


The author presents a gauge-independent formulation of the classic problem of a spinless charged particle in a uniform magnetic field in terms of two sets of raising and lowering operators. One set of the operators labels the Landau levels, while the other distinguishes the degenerate states in the same Landau level.


We consider the process of separation, fi ltering and sorting diffi cult to separate mixtures. When separating the seeds from the air fl ow by force increasing effect separation. Taking into account of the units and their characteristics, physical properties and composition of multi-component mixtures, the mathematical model of separation of granular mixtures taking into account the strength of the air fl ow and dispersion based on the fl ight path of the particles in the hopper unit, in order to improve technical and economic performance of separating machines. For diffi cult granular mixtures sorting and separation of linear dimensions, mass and composition is necessary to use special units, which can reduce the value of the coeffi cient of adhesion of the particles with each other. In this regard, in most conditions considered complete (deep) separating the resulting product from the waste and impurities in a wide range of debris. For separation of products depending on the roughness shape and a complex of physico-mechanical properties of the various separators are used. In the development and improvement of the mathematical model particle adhesion coeffi cient is introduced as the main parameter using which you can choose the mode of operation of the separator and the technical characteristics of the screen.


In this paper, a fixed pitch wind turbine equipped with a squirrel cage induction generator is modelled. A detailed model of the static starter is presented. The reactive compensation is achieved by means of three shunt-connected capacitor banks . In order to be able to make the simulations, also a wind model has been developed. Several wind functions and experimental wind data are allowed by the model. The results obtained by means of simulation have been contrasted with real results for the validation of the model.


Abstract Writing successful academic conference abstracts is essential for PhD students to enable them to access world-class conferences for the presentation of their research. However, these students often face both discourse-structure and linguistic difficulties in writing their conference abstracts. This study evaluates the impact of genre, process, elicitation and guided learning instruction on students' performance in academic conference abstract writing. Participants are multidisciplinary L2 PhD students at a Sino-British university. The first dataset used for the impact evaluation comprises post-intervention written abstracts collected from 10 focal students. To evaluate the instruction, a scoring descriptor instrument adapted from the university's academic writing assessment rubric is used to grade the abstracts' move-structure, and linguistic features of cohesion, hedging, passive, and present simple. Trends in the scores are analysed statistically. The second dataset consists of students' questionnaire-elicited experiences of the instruction. Findings show improvements in post-intervention abstracts' move-structures and linguistic features, which suggests pedagogical effectiveness. Questionnaire responses also display positive perceptions of the pedagogy. Due to the impact of disciplinary genre materials, disciplinary discrepancy is more evident in linguistic structures than in move structures. Writer characteristics also appear to gravitate towards a discipline-centric writing ethos due to the impact of disciplinary-genre materials and the desire to enhance the abstract's selection chances. Thus, there is potential for language-feature functions, process writing, exact-genre materials and interactive learning process pedagogies to mediate learning and improvement in disciplinary L2 writing.


Background Orthopedics has made great progress with the development of medical treatment; however, large bone defects are still great challenges for orthopedic surgeons. A good bone substitute that can be obtained through bone tissue engineering may be an effective treatment method. Artificial hydroxyapatite is the main inorganic component of bones, but its applications are limited due to its fragility and lack of bone-active elements. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce its fragility and improve its biological activity. Methods In this study, we developed micro-hydroxyapatite whiskers (mHAws), which were doped with the essential trace active elements Mg2+ and Sr2+ through a low-temperature sintering technique, used silica complexes to improve the mechanical properties, and then manufactured the bionic porous scaffolds by extrusion molding and freeze-drying. Results Four types of scaffolds were obtained: mHAw-SiO2, Mg-doped mHAw-SiO2, Sr-doped mHAw-SiO2 and Mg-Sr-codoped mHAw-SiO2. These composite porous scaffolds have been suggested to have a sufficiently porous morphology with appropriate mechanical strength, are noncytotoxic, are able to support cell proliferation and spreading, and, more importantly, can promote the osteogenic differentiation of rBMSCs. Conclusion Therefore, these doped scaffolds not only have physical and chemical properties suitable for bone tissue engineering, but also have higher osteogenic bioactivity, and can be possibly serve as potential bone repair material.


Coccidioidomycosis, or Valley fever, is caused by two species of dimorphic fungi. Based on molecular phylogenetic evidence, the genus Coccidioides contains two reciprocally monophyletic species: C. immitis and C. posadasii. However, phenotypic variation between species has not been deeply investigated. We therefore explored differences in growth rate under various conditions. A collection of 39 C. posadasii and 46 C. immitis isolates, representing the full geographical range of the two species, were screened for mycelial growth rate at 37°C and 28°C on solid media. The radial growth rate was measured over 16 days on yeast extract agar. A linear mixed effect model was used to compare the growth rate of C. posadasii and C. immitis at 37°C and 28°C respectively. C. posadasii grew significantly faster at 37°C, when compared to C. immitis; whereas both species had similar growth rates at 28°C. These results indicate thermotolerance differs between these two species. As the ecological niche has not been well-described for Coccidioides spp., and disease variability between species has not been shown, the evolutionary pressure underlying the adaptation is unclear. However, this research reveals the first significant phenotypic difference between the two species that directly applies to ecological and clinical research.


Exploration of human, low-level, pre-attentive vision processing is facilitated using stroboscopic presentation of sequences of random dot stereograms, which contain only local spatial and temporal information thereby limiting the processing of these images to low level. The paper describes four demonstrations that utilize these sequences to explore the relationships of various cues, i.e. optical flow, stereo disparity, and occlusion, at the low level. To better study these relationships, especially the resolution of conflicting information among the cues, some of the image sequences present information not generally encountered in 'natural' scenes. Dominance of the stereo cue and the complex relationship between optical flow cues and disparity cues are well demonstrated.<<ETX>>


One in three people with HIV (PWH) has hypertension. However, most hypertensive PWH in sub-Saharan Africa are unaware of their hypertension diagnosis and are not on treatment. To better understand barriers to hypertension care faced by PWH, we interviewed 15 medical providers who care for patients with HIV and hypertension in northern Tanzania. The data revealed barriers at the patient, provider, and system level and included: stress, depression, and HIV-related stigma; lack of hypertension knowledge; insufficient hypertension training; inefficient prescribing practices; challenges with counselling; capacity limitations in hypertension care; high costs of care; and lack of routine hypertension screening and follow-up. Opportunities for improvement focused on prioritizing resources and funding towards hypertension care. System-related challenges were the underlying cause of barriers at individual levels. Strategies that focus on strengthening capacity and utilize existing HIV platforms to promote hypertension care delivery are urgently needed to improve cardiovascular outcomes among PWH.


From higher education to workplaces, institutions are increasingly adopting data-driven and semiautomated technologies to facilitate, manage, and arbitrate sexual affairs. These largely US-based systems, which I term "technologies of sexual governance," are encoded with and reify particular ideologies about sexual (mis)conduct, and thus call for a critical feminist inquiry about their cultural, political, and moral implications for advancing a feminist sexual politics. Drawing from Halley et al.'s "governance feminism" framework, this article makes the case that a critical feminist inquiry into technologies of sexual governance must take into account the co-constitutive nature of feminist sexual politics and technology. Specifically, I argue that critical inquiries must begin by interrogating which feminist ideologies about sex and power gain purchase with and through particular computational logics and form. To demonstrate this approach, I offer two ways of reading feminist scholarly and popular responses to "antirape technologies" that capture both readings' shortcomings, and I propose a third approach that captures the cultural work that particular feminist ideologies and technologies mutually perform. This article concludes by demonstrating how the third approach can advance a feminist analysis of workplace misconduct management softwares.


Static and dynamic compression experiments were performed on concrete and granite specimens with various levels of induced damage. Damage was induced into the specimens by repeated impacts from a falling weight and quantified as a measure of damage crack surface area per volume using a statistical microscopy technique. The static experiments were performed following ASTM standard procedures. The static compressive strength of both materials decreased with increasing levels of damage. The reduction in strength is due to the induced damage causing the activation and propagation of failure cracks in the specimens. The dynamic experiments were conducted using a 50.5 mm diameter Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar. The undamaged dynamic compressive strengths of both the concrete and granite were approximately twice their static values at average strain rates of 380/s and 400/s, respectively. However, as the damage levels were increased, the dynamic compressive strength remained unchanged. For the dynamic experiments, the strain energy is stored in the specimen faster than the cracks can develop and coalesce to completely fail the specimen. Therefore, the relatively small amounts of induced damage did not affect the dynamic compressive strength.


Major and minor species have been observed in a ca. 12:1 ratio in the ambient-temperature 1H n.m.r. spectrum of crystalline (+)-(M,2S,3S)-diltiazem hydrochloride (1) dissolved in (CD3)2SO, CDCl3, or CD2Cl2. The two solution species were characterized by 1H and 13C n.m.r. spectroscopy, including various 2D-n.m.r. techniques. The 1H n.m.r. spectroscopic parameters of the major solution species are fully consistent with the (M,2S,3S)-twist-boat 1,5-benzothiazepine ring conformation noted in the solid state in which the methoxyphenyl and acetoxy moieties are, respectively, axially, and equatorially oriented. Dissolution of crystalline diltiazem hydrochloride (+)-(1) results in a diastereoisomerization to form a minor species the stereochemistry of which appears to be the 1,5-benzothiazepine ring-inverted (P,2S,3S)-boat (twist-boat) analogue. The heptagonal-ring-inversion process [(M,S,S)⇆(P,S,S)] converts axial and equatorial substituent orientations. In molecular-mechanics calculated models for both (P,S,S)-twist-boat and boat conformations, the (CO)CH3 methyl protons are located almost directly above the benzo ring centre as a result of the axial-like acetoxy orientation. This is consistent with the finding that (CO)CH3 protons suffer a Δδ 0.49 ppm upfield shift in the minor solution (P,S,S)-species. Variable-temperature 1H n.m.r. [300 MHz; (CD3)2SO] experiments showed dynamic behaviour. The ΔG‡ for the diastereoisomerization process was measured to be 17.2(1) kcal mol–1 by line-shape analysis on variable-temperature spectra.


Activated PI3Kδ syndrome (APDS) is a rare inborn error of immunity (IEI) characterized primarily by frequent infections, lymphoproliferation and autoimmunity. Since its initial description in 2013, APDS has become part of the growing group of nearly 500 IEIs affecting various components of the immune system. The two subtypes of APDS - APDS1 and APDS2 - are caused by variants in the PIK3CD and PIK3R1 genes, respectively. Due to the rarity of the disease and the heterogeneous clinical picture, many patients are not diagnosed until years after symptom onset. Another challenge is the large number of PIK3CD and PIK3R1 variants whose functional significance for developing APDS is inconclusive. Treatment of APDS has so far been mostly symptom-oriented with immunoglobulin replacement therapy, immunosuppressive therapies and antibiotic or antiviral prophylaxes. Additionally, allogeneic stem cell transplantation as well as new targeted therapies are options targeting the root cause that may improve patients' quality of life and life expectancy. However, the clinical course of the disease is difficult to predict which complicates the choice of appropriate therapies. This review article discusses diagnostic procedures and current and future treatment options, and highlights the difficulties that physicians, patients and their caretakers face in managing this complex disease. This article is based on cohort studies, the German and US guidelines on the management of primary immunodeficiencies as well as on published experience with diagnosis and compiled treatment experience for APDS.


This paper offers a critical appraisal of Gadamer's dialogical philosophy of the self-other relationship within the context of interpretation and historical consciousness. According to Gadamer hermeneutics is a theory of interpretation or, rather, the art of interpretation. The task of philosophical hermeneutics is to narrate an ontology of human understanding with the ethical intent of restoring to interpretation a greater sense of "integrity." The "hermeneutic universe" belongs to the individual worldviews whose structure and content are constructed on the basis of historical precedents. Gadamer situates these precedents in historicity and the tradition of culture, which are resources for their unique interpretations. Gadamer claims that interpretative understanding encounters the other in the dialogical "play" (Spiel) of an ever-unfinished event. The self and the other belong to the horizon of historical consciousness, and it is through this common horizon that the alterity of the other comes into expression.


The general aim of this paper is to explore the relationship between law and the potential for social change in the context of women's health. More specifically, I will critically examine the arguments made by Canadian feminists about the need for change in the ways that health research is structured and carried out in this country, particularly with respect to the generation of knowledge about women's health. Part one of this analysis examines the nature and extent of the problem of gender-biased research. It is followed by an overview of the regulatory framework within which health research is currently conducted in Canada. The third part of this discussion provides a feminist analysis of the major arguments raised by those who seek to maintain the exclusionary status quo. Part four reflects upon the impact of political action for change taken by women's health activists. Recognizing that Canadian feminists have, to date, been more successful in influencing change through public activism in the political arena than through efforts to work within the dominant research institutions, the paper concludes with a brief assessment of the prospects for legislative intervention.


It is fascinating that fish groups spontaneously form different formations. The collective locomotions of two and multiple undulatory self-propelled foils swimming in a fluid are numerically studied and the deep reinforcement learning (DRL) is applied to control the locomotion. We explored whether typical patterns emerge spontaneously under the driven two DRL strategies. One strategy is that only the following fish gets hydrodynamic advantages. The other is that all individuals in the group take advantage of the interaction. In the DRL strategy, we use swimming efficiency as the reward function, and the visual information is included. We also investigated the effect of involving hydrodynamic force information, which is an analogy to that detected by the lateral line of fish. Each fish can adjust its undulatory phase to achieve the goal. Under the two strategies, collective patterns with different characteristics, i.e., the staggered-following, tandem-following phalanx and compact modes emerge. They are consistent with the results in the literature. The hydrodynamic mechanism of the above high-efficiency collective traveling modes is analyzed by the vortex-body interaction and thrust. We also found that the time sequence feature and hydrodynamic information in the DRL are essential to improve the performance of collective swimming. Our research can reasonably explain the controversial issue observed in the relevant experiments. The paper may be helpful for the design of bionic fish.


The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of different stitch factors on the mechanical behavior of the seam section of sportswear under periodic load. Multiscale finite element (FE) modeling was then utilized to predict the mechanical behavior of the samples under periodic tensile load. The unit cells of the fabric and the stitched section were modeled in the mesoscale. Elastic and viscoelastic properties of the yarns were assigned to the model. In order to obtain the mechanical properties of the sample, periodic boundary conditions were applied to the unit cell. Elastic and viscoelastic properties calculated from the mesoscale were then used for the macromodel. FE results had a good agreement with the experimental ones in predicting the mechanical behavior of the seam section under the periodic tensile load. By using Taguchi method, the optimum sample was found.


Abstract The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of two commercial enzyme products on milk production in Egyptian buffaloes. Twenty-one lactating buffaloes (570±15 kg BW) were divided into three groups (n=7) in a randomized block design for four months. Buffaloes were fed a total mixed ration containing 60% forage [rice straw and berseem hay (Trifolium alexandrinum)] and 40% concentrates with either no enzymes added (Control) or an addition of 40 g of Veta-Zyme Plus® (VET) or 40 g of Tomoko® (TOM ) enzyme product per day for each buffalo. Enzyme addition did not affect feed intake (P>0.05), but increased the digestibility of nutrients (P<0.05) and serum glucose concentration (P=0.011). Furthermore, the addition of VET increased milk (P=0.017) and fat corrected milk (P=0.021) yields, fat content (P=0.045), total unsaturated fatty acid (P=0.045) and total conjugated linoleic acid (P=0.031) contents in milk and decreased the content of total saturated fatty acids (P=0.046), while the addition of TOM increased milk total protein (P=0.023) and true protein (P=0.031) contents. The two enzyme products both resulted in higher concentrations of lysine (P=0.045) and total essential amino acids (P=0.036) in milk. It was concluded that addition of commercial fibrolytic enzyme products (i.e. Veta-Zyme Plus® and Tomoko®) to the diet of early lactating buffaloes enhanced nutrient digestibility and milk production and quality.


Abstract The well-known Cenozoic Aegean extensional regime, initiated at c. 25 Ma, thinned the crust so that most of it now lies submerged. North of the western continuation of the North Anatolian Fault the Aegean extensional regime is present in central and southern Bulgaria, northern Greece, Former Yugoslavian Republic (FYR) of Macedonia and eastern Albania. Here the system is exposed on land and offers an opportunity to reconstruct the extensional evolution of the system. The southern Balkan peninsula forms the northern part of the Aegean extensional system; deformation is not as great as in the Aegean, but reconstruction of this part of the extensional regime will provide important constraints on its dynamics. Following a period of arc-normal extension associated with Late Eocene-Late Oligocene magmatism, major lithospheric extension appears have begun between 26 and 21 Ma in northern Greece, involving east-northeast-west-southwest extension east of Mount Olympos, on the Island of Thasos and near Kavala. This period of extension may have been accompanied by a short period of coeval compression north of the arc during Early Miocene time or perhaps a little earlier in the Thrace Basin of northwestern Turkey. Northeast-southwest directed Middle-Late Miocene extension appears to have developed obliquely to the older magmatic arc and migrated northward into southwestern Bulgaria in the Sandanski Graben (and perhaps also into the Mesta and Padesh Grabens) by 16.3–13.6 Ma, and in the Blagoevgrad and Djerman Grabens by c. 9 Ma. Extension in south-western Bulgaria was reorganized by c. 5 Ma and in northern Greece extension on the Strymon Valley detachment fault ended by c. 3.5 Ma, but extension continued on new fault systems. From limited structural and stratigraphic data, it is speculated here that related extension may have also occurred during this time in FYR Macedonia and eastern Albania. This northeast-southwest extension is interpreted to be related to trench roll-back along the northern part of the subduction boundary in the western Hellenides. North-south extension along east-west striking faults in central Bulgaria began only after extension was well underway in northern Greece and the Sandanski Graben of south-western Bulgaria. Within the Sofia Graben, the Sub-Balkan grabens, and grabens to their east, north-south extension began at c. 9 Ma, and may have begun about the same time in the Plovdiv, Zagore and Tundja Grabens of the northern Thracian Basin: north-south extension has continued to the present in these grabens. The cause of the north-south extension is unclear and may be related to trench roll-back along the central part of the subduction zone in the Hellenides, or more local causes of clockwise and counterclockwise rotation of the western Hellenides and western Turkey, respectively. By Late Pliocene time a major erosion surface, the sub-Quaternary surface, was developed over a large area of central Bulgaria creating a major unconformity that marks the beginning of Quaternary deposition in the basinal areas. Many large and small graben-bounding faults in west-central Bulgaria displace this erosion surface and demonstrate the widespread extent of Quaternary north-south extension. North-south extension extended westward, with probably decreasing magnitude, across the older northwest trending graben of southwest Bulgaria (the Simitli and Djerman Grabens) and into eastern FYR Macedonia. During latest Pliocene(?) and Quaternary time, northern Greece developed a complex pattern of northeast-southwest extension associated with northeast to east-west striking right-lateral faults forming transfer faults between more local extensional areas. This system of faults overprinted the older northwest trending extensional faults, such as the Strymon Detachment, and may be related to the propagation of the right-lateral North Anatolian Fault into the north Aegean Sea and formation of parallel faults to its north. These two different tectonic regimes extend into FYR Macedonia, where a third regime of east-west extension in western FYR Macedonia and eastern Albania is present, and where extension may represent the continuation of the east-west extensional regime initiated in Middle-Late Miocene time. Active deformation determined from seismicity and Global Positioning System studies suggest northern Greece, and perhaps southwest Bulgaria and FYR Macedonia, is dominated by north-south extension. This pattern of deformation must have developed as recently as perhaps Late Quaternary time. Except for mountains near the Adriatic Sea all of the mountainous topography in the southern Balkan region may be the result of Miocene-Recent extension.


Primary dysmenorrhea occurs in adolescents at the age of 12-20 years with a prevalence of 60-93%. Acute pain due to dysmenorrhea can cause sleep disturbances in adolescents because they feel uncomfortable due to menstrual pain. Impaired sleep quality can lead to physiological and psychological disorders. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of yoga and drinking chamomile tea on the sleep quality of adolescents with dysmenorrhea. A quasi-experimental pre-test post-test design was used with a control group. The results showed that there was a significant difference in the average sleep quality of adolescents before and after yoga and drinking chamomile tea compared with the control group. Therefore, we can conclude that yoga and drinking chamomile tea can be effective in reducing sleep disorders caused by menstrual pain in adolescent girls with dysmenorrhea.
Keywords: adolescent, chamomile, dysmenorrhea, sleep quality, yoga


This article focuses on the links between revolutionary and iconoclastic Polish theater director Jerzy Grotowski (1933–1999), and G. I. Gurdjieff. Grotowski is widely honored in the theater world, and understood to have been involved in creating what have been called spiritual experiences within theater movements of the late twentieth century. His work articulated experiences of the spiritual within the body; achieving a removal of spirituality from ecclesial authorities and a relocation of it within the body of the performer. This article explores the manifold resonances between concepts used in Grotowski's work and that of Gurdjieff, demonstrating how Grotowski's transformative theater work shows strong elements of Gurdjieff's influence. Because of the striking and numerous similarities explored herein, a place can be affirmed for Grotowski as an independent Western Fourth Way spiritual teacher, working in theater.


A scenario consisting of two transmitter-receiver pairs coexisting in the same area and communicating using the same portion of the spectrum is considered. Decentralized coding strategies are employed at the transmitter side and no cooperation is assumed between the two systems. We investigate the structure of Nash equilibria corresponding to simultaneous water-filling solutions and propose a scheme that improves overall performance of systems with weak mutual interference. The resulting scheme provides a spectrum sharing rule in the form of a modified utility function. The conditions for optimality are presented and a numerical example illustrates the performance compared to a scheme employing the link rate as utility function.


This work addresses the problem of recommendation within the context of developing user individualization services for IPTV, involving vast volumes of timely zapping data that span a wide spectrum of users and associated multimedia items. Specifically, the primary objective of this work lies upon the extension of the linear models for the users' baseline predictors which are embedded in the original formulation of the SVD++ recommendation algorithm. The fundamental characteristic of such models concerns the uniform manipulation of the timeline of interactions for each user, thus failing to accurately model the variation of user ratings over time. This work, on the contrary, introduces a more flexible user baseline predictor by utilizing a partially linear model which is built by dividing the timeline of interactions in such a way that a predefined fraction of ratings fall within each time interval. Therefore, the proposed model aims at capturing in a more efficient way significant modifications of user's viewing behavior that otherwise would be ignored. A series of experiments conducted verify the efficiency of the proposed model as measured in terms of Means Absolute Error.


Order in disorder: The characterization of intrinsically disordered proteins by NMR spectroscopy is a necessity on the one hand and a continuous challenge on the other. We propose two experiments that provide diagnostic parameters to monitor the degree of unfolding of a polypeptide. The test was performed on the yeast Cox17 protein, known to gain its function through maturation from an intrinsically disordered state (see figure).


The trend towards more open adoption presents adopters with unique parenting challenges associated with satisfying the child's curiosity about their origins and maintaining relationships with birth family through contact. This article by Mandi MacDonald and Dominic McSherry focuses on the experiences of 20 sets of adoptive parents who were interviewed as part of the Northern Ireland Care Pathways and Outcomes Study. Interviews were analysed following the principles of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). The article explores adoptive parents' experience of talking to their child about adoption and of post-adoption contact with members of the birth family. Adopters discussed adoption sensitively with their child but were concerned that difficult and complex family histories would present a risk to the child's self-esteem and emotional well-being. All forms of contact proved emotionally and practically burdensome; however, adopters were committed to making it work for the child's benefit and were open to increased contact should the child wish it in the future. There was little relationship with birth family outside of formal contact. The study reveals the need for a mechanism to facilitate communication with birth families if adopters are to be able to respond to the child's changing need for contact and information.


Interprofessional education (IPE) is a widely recognized and critical component of dental and health professions education and is included in two of the predoctoral education standards required by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA). Following a review of the literature on the state of IPE education in U.S. dental education programs, this article revisits six institutions identified in previous research as exemplars successfully implementing IPE on their campuses. Interviews were conducted with leaders at the following programs: Columbia University, Medical University of South Carolina, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, University of Florida, University of Minnesota, and Western University of Health Sciences. Strengths and weakness of IPE in dental education are discussed, along with opportunities for the future including reducing barriers to scheduling, increasing intraprofessional education, and consistent outcomes assessment. The article concludes with lessons learned by administrators and suggestions for improving incorporation of these requirements into predoctoral dental education programs by emphasizing the importance of IPE and dentistry's role in overall health. This article was written as part of the project "Advancing Dental Education in the 21st Century."


Herein, we report practical Cu(BF4)2/activated carbon-catalyzed amination of various anilines, isoquinolinone, and naphthyridinone with aryl boronic acids. The ultrasonic and rotary evaporation treatment of the mixture of aq. Cu(BF4)2 and activated carbon in methanol afforded a novel Cu(II)-catalyst, which is air-stable and can be effectively applied in the Chan–Lam coupling reaction. The products of N-arylation were isolated in good to excellent yields at low catalytic loading. And Cu(BF4)2/AC also showed good reusability.


Background: The prevalence of perinatal infection from maternal exposure is increasing. The prevalence of acute maternal infections identifies cytomegalovirus, parvovirus B19, toxoplasmosis, and varicella as the most common organisms and in the order of frequency. Maternal informed consent and understanding is required before intrauterine testing for fetal infectious and possible genetic risk assessment. Methods: This structured review of the reproductive published literature focuses on the risks of amniocentesis and cordocentesis diagnostic procedure-related fetal loss rates and fetal vertical transmission (VT) rates from published infected pregnant cohorts. Results: The total postprocedure fetal loss rate for diagnostic amniocentesis procedures, in limited infectious cohorts, is 1.5% and does not appear to be increased compared to "noninfected" amniocentesis cohorts using an estimated background spontaneous fetal loss rate (no procedure) of 0.65%. The "pooled" unintended fetal loss rate is from small infected population cohorts, but can be used for counseling purposes. Postcordocentesis fetal loss risk, in an infected cohort, is not possible to estimate due to limited data. The "biological spontaneous fetal loss rate" risk with a perinatal infection (positive or negative fetal anomalies) and no diagnostic procedure before 20 weeks of gestation is reviewed. The risk of VT in acute infection cohorts as a result of the intra-amniotic diagnostic procedure is not found to be increased. Conclusion: The unintended "fetal loss" rate after amniocentesis for perinatal infected cohorts is similar to that of noninfected cohorts, but the estimate is based on limited infected cohorts. There was no procedure-based risk of fetal VT in the infected cohorts, but identification of postprocedure maternal bleeding into the amniotic cavity increases the potential risk. Maternal knowledge translation and an informed consent process with risk-benefit maternal/fetal risk counseling are required prior to any diagnostic amniocentesis procedure.


Na+/Ca2+ exchangers are low affinity, high capacity transporters that rapidly transport calcium at the plasma membrane, mitochondrion, endoplasmic (and sarcoplasmic) reticulum, and the nucleus. Na+/Ca2+ exchangers are widely expressed in diverse cell types where they contribute homeostatic balance to calcium levels. In animals, Na+/Ca2+ exchangers are divided into three groups based upon stoichiometry: Na+/Ca2+ exchangers (NCX), Na+/Ca2+/K+ exchangers (NCKX), and Ca2+/Cation exchangers (CCX). In mammals there are three NCX genes, five NCKX genes and one CCX (NCLX) gene. The genome of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans contains ten Na+/Ca2+ exchanger genes: three NCX; five CCX; and two NCKX genes. Here we set out to characterize structural and taxonomic specializations within the family of Na+/Ca2+ exchangers across the phylum Nematoda. In this analysis we identify Na+/Ca2+ exchanger genes from twelve species of nematodes and reconstruct their phylogenetic and evolutionary relationships. The most notable feature of the resulting phylogenies was the heterogeneous evolution observed within exchanger subtypes. Specifically, in the case of the CCX exchangers we did not detect members of this class in three Clade III nematodes. Within the Caenorhabditis and Pristionchus lineages we identify between three and five CCX representatives, whereas in other Clade V and also Clade IV nematode taxa we only observed a single CCX gene in each species, and in the Clade III nematode taxa that we sampled we identify NCX and NCKX encoding genes but no evidence of CCX representatives using our mining approach. We also provided re-annotation for predicted CCX gene structures from Heterorhabditis bacteriophora and Caenorhabditis japonica by RT-PCR and sequencing. Together, these findings reveal a complex picture of Na+/Ca2+ transporters in nematodes that suggest an incongruent evolutionary history of proteins that provide central control of calcium dynamics.


Vehicle class is an important parameter in the process of road traffic measurement. Inductive loop detectors (ILD) and image sensors are rarely used for vehicle classification because of their low accuracy. To improve their accuracy, a new algorithm is suggested for ILD using backpropagation neural networks. In the developed algorithm, inputs to the neural networks are the variation rate of frequency and occupancy time. The output is five classified vehicles. The developed algorithm was assessed at test sites, and the recognition rate was 91.7%. Results verified that, compared with the conventional method based on ILD, the proposed algorithm improves the vehicle classification accuracy.


Here, we investigate the two-parameter high-frequency localization for the eigenfunctions of a Schrodinger operator with a singular inverse square potential in high-dimensional balls and spherical shells as the azimuthal quantum number l and the principal quantum number k tend to infinity simultaneously, while keeping their ratio as a constant, generalizing the classical one-parameter localization for Laplacian eigenfunctions [B.-T. Nguyen and D. S. Grebenkov, SIAM J. Appl. Math. 73, 780–803 (2013)]. We prove that the eigenfunctions in balls are localized around an intermediate sphere whose radius is increasing with respect to the l–k ratio. The eigenfunctions decay exponentially inside the localized sphere and decay polynomially outside. Furthermore, we discover a novel phase transition for the eigenfunctions in spherical shells as the l–k ratio crosses a critical value. In the supercritical case, the eigenfunctions are localized around a sphere between the inner and outer boundaries of the spherical shell. In the critical case, the eigenfunctions are localized around the inner boundary. In the subcritical case, no localization could be observed, giving rise to localization breaking.


In various nonlinear extended media, increasing driving causes the transition from the ordered state to the turbulent state. For the hydrodynamic flow, the transition starts with spreading and decaying intermittent turbulent puffs in the laminar background, followed by the emergence of one percolating turbulent puff leading to full turbulence. Nevertheless, for nonlinear waves, the transition scenario and the corresponding spatiotemporal waveform dynamics from the ordered wave to wave turbulence still remain elusive. Here, these issues are experimentally explored in three dimensional traveling dust acoustic waves of the dusty plasma system through direct visualization. Turbulent sites (TSs) with a wide instantaneous bandwidth in the 2 + 1D spatiotemporal space are identified through wavelet transform. It is found that the transition from the plane wave to the weakly disordered states starts with a small fraction of emerging and decaying TSs mainly clustering around defect filaments with null wave amplitude, in the ordered wave background. Further transition to turbulence with a smooth rapid increase in the fraction of TSs, which exhibit scale-free cluster size distributions and eventually percolate through the 2 + 1D space, is similar to the percolating turbulent transition in hydrodynamic flows.In various nonlinear extended media, increasing driving causes the transition from the ordered state to the turbulent state. For the hydrodynamic flow, the transition starts with spreading and decaying intermittent turbulent puffs in the laminar background, followed by the emergence of one percolating turbulent puff leading to full turbulence. Nevertheless, for nonlinear waves, the transition scenario and the corresponding spatiotemporal waveform dynamics from the ordered wave to wave turbulence still remain elusive. Here, these issues are experimentally explored in three dimensional traveling dust acoustic waves of the dusty plasma system through direct visualization. Turbulent sites (TSs) with a wide instantaneous bandwidth in the 2 + 1D spatiotemporal space are identified through wavelet transform. It is found that the transition from the plane wave to the weakly disordered states starts with a small fraction of emerging and decaying TSs mainly clustering around defect filaments with null wave amplitud...


Most anti-cancer drugs are licensed for use with a limited amount of stability data, which does not fully cover the needs of oncology practice. Consequently, this has created a need for healthcare professionals to generate more data on the stability and compatibility of various drug regimens, as well as their interactions with drug containers to endure that patients receive the best possible care.
This research concentrates upon two chemotherapeutic regimens. The physicochemical stability of Trabectedin in elastomeric pumps was assessed after storage at 25°C +/-1°C and 37°C under light conditions. A stability-indicating Liquid Chromatography/Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for the analysis of Trabectedin at the clinically relevant dosage was developed and validated. The next study involved the investigation of the compatibility of Epirubicin and Cyclophosphamide (EC drugs), when stored together in IV infusion bags and elastomeric pumps at 4°C and 25°C +/-1°C with protection from light. Analysis was carried out by LC-MS/MS and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance NMR. The effect of storage on the "cell-killing" efficacy of Trabectedin and EC drugs on established human cancer cell lines was also investigated. Cytotoxic efficacy of each drug regimen was tested immediately after the drugs reconstitution and at intervals during the period of analysis, by exposing the human cancer cells to the final drugs dilution.
Results showed that at 37°C Trabectedin degradation occurred over 37% of the original concentration following 8 days storage with a 95% level of confidence. If the temperature of the elastomeric infusion pumps is controlled at no higher than 25°C. Trabectedin can be prepared and stored for up to 8 days. The best results from EC stability/compatibility test revealed that Epirubicin and Cyclophosphamide are not stable in the same infusion solution after being mixed together. The results also revealed that Trabectedin retained its full potency for 10 hours after reconstitution. Cyclophosphamide did not show any inhibition of cell growth when it was added directly to target cells without prior vivo activation, whereas Epirubicin retained its cytotoxic potency for 3 days after the drugs storage in both the elastomeric infusion pumps and IV bags.
Although the biological stability of anticancer drugs is a very useful assay, this study shows it may not correlate completely with the physicochemical stability of the drugs.


Objectives:L-arginine is the substrate for nitric oxide (NO) production and has been shown to induce an endothelium-dependent increase in cerebral blood flow in humans. We studied the hypothesis that L-arginine-mediated vasoreactivity is impaired in patients with cardiovascular risk factors and a risk of stroke. Methods: 55 patients with cardiovascular risk factors (mean age 63.0 ± 8.5 years) were included in the study. 45 of them had a history of previous minor stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) while 10 patients had cardiovascular risk factors but no previous cerebral ischemic event. Endothelium-dependent changes in cerebral blood flow during the infusion of 30 g L-arginine were assessed by continuous transcranial Doppler sonography of both middle cerebral arteries, intima-media thickness (IMT) of the common carotid artery, by Duplex sonography. Associations between risk factors, IMT, L-arginine reactivity and previous cerebrovascular events were analyzed by stepwise multiple linear regression analysis and patient groups were compared. Results: Normal young volunteers showed an L-arginine-mediated increase in mean flow velocity of 22 ± 8%; L-arginine reactivity of the 55 patients was 28 ± 10%. Patients with a history of stroke or TIA had significantly higher flow velocity responses to L-arginine (29 ± 10%) than patients with cardiovascular risk factors but no previous cerebrovascular event (21 ± 8%, p < 0.05). Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis showed a significant association of enhanced L-arginine reactivity with previous stroke/TIA (p < 0.001) and elevated fibrinogen levels (p < 0.05) but not with age, IMT, hypertension, cholesterol or other risk factors. The same regression model showed an association between IMT and previous stroke/TIA (p < 0.001) and serum cholesterol levels (p < 0.05) but not L-arginine reactivity. Conclusions: L-arginine reactivity of the cerebral vessels may be assessed by Doppler sonography and was enhanced in patients with a history of stroke or TIA. It was independent of IMT of the carotid arteries. We conclude that enhanced L-arginine reactivity is a potential marker for cerebral endothelial dysfunction and an independent indicator for an increased risk of stroke.


One hundred and fifty-six subjects were randomly chosen from 1,560 patients admitted to two psychiatric hospitals in Israel during 1991. The subjects' files were retrospectively studied to determine whether aggressive behaviour was the reason for psychiatric admission. We examined the relationship between aggressive behaviour, major psychiatric disorders (schizophrenia and affective disorder) and demographic variables (sex, age, family status and education). We also studied the monthly distribution of aggression throughout the year and the correlation to daily photoperiod duration. Forty-six per cent of the admissions related to aggressive behaviour. Schizophrenic patients were overly represented in the aggressive group. The monthly distribution of aggressive behaviour differed between schizophrenic and affective disorder patients. While the latter showed a seasonal pattern of aggressiveness, with a statistically significant peak during spring and winter, schizophrenic aggressive patients were distributed equally throughout the year. No statistically significant correlation was found between the incidence of aggression and the photoperiod duration.


By considering the eigenratio of the Laplacian matrix as the synchronizability measure, this paper presents an efficient method to enhance the synchronizability of undirected and unweighted networks via rewiring. The rewiring method combines the use of tabu search and a local greedy algorithm so that an effective search of solutions can be achieved. As demonstrated in the simulation results, the performance of the proposed approach outperforms the existing methods for a large variety of initial networks, both in terms of speed and quality of solutions.


Advances in wheat biotechnology and in vitro somatic embryogenesis (SE) provide new openings to faster application of these techniques in functional genomic studies, genetic engineering and plant breeding. This study reports in vitro SE using plumule and radicle explants of two wheat cultivars Cakmak and Kunduru on MS induction medium amended with varying concentrations of 2,4-D. Both plumule and radicle explants were regenerative and induced variable number of somatic embryos per explant. Explants and treatment methods affected in vitro SE irrespective of the genotypes used in the study. Although 100% SE was noted on both explants of two cultivars, plumule explants of both genotypes induced heavy and larger friable calli followed by somatic embryogenic calli in terms of weight. Plumule explants also induced large numbers of shoot buds and somatic embryo-induced maturing shoots per explant. The in vitro raised plantlets were successfully rooted followed by hardening and acclimatisation in pots containing peat moss in mist house. After 7 days from weaning, these plants were transferred to a shade house to grow and set flowers. Water spray containing 0.50 μg of NPK (1:1:1) was given at intervals of 4 d to enhance success rate of acclimatised plants. Success rates of 96 and 80% were noted on plumule and radicle-induced plants, respectively. It is further concluded that use of this novel methodology would favorably facilitate its use in genetic transformation and functional genomic studies.


The main goal of this paper is to show that the concept of generalized differentiability introduced by the authors in [2] allows to obtain new solutions to the fuzzy differential equations. A very general existence and uniqueness result of two solutions for the fuzzy differential equations with modified argument and based on generalized differentiability is obtained together with a characterization of these solutions by ODEs. Real-world applications consisting in applications to fuzzy pantograph equation that models the cell growth and to fuzzy logistic equation that models the population dynamics under uncertainty are presented. In particular, as collateral consequences we correct some results on generalized differentiability recently obtained by Y. ChalcoCano and H. Román-Flores in [7] and propagated in a characterization result obtained by J.J. Nieto, A. Khastan and K. Ivaz in [21]. AMS Subject Classification: 34A07, 34K36, 26E50


Influence of pulse laser irradiation (Nd:YAG) at different energy density (48-160 J/cm 2 ) in air and in inert atmosphere (Ar) on physical and chemical state of the biocompatible Ti-Al-V titanium alloy surface is studied. Formation of different types of surface structures in particular, non-resonance periodic structure, areas of cell structure and periodic annular relief is revealed depending on the treatment condition and environment. The chemical composition of the surface Ti-Al-V alloy after laser irradiation in air showed increased content of oxygen.


Abstract:This essay demonstrates how two middle English Oedipus narratives—the South English Legendary's "Life of Judas" and the opening section of John Lydgate's Siege of Thebes—invoke the "ages of man" topos differently in order to dramatize why an individual deviates from normative development. The "Life of Judas" alludes to the topos to speculate about character psychology and pathological development and thus crafts a medieval "popular" psychology. In the Siege of Thebes, the "ages of man" system exemplifies an idealized counterpoint to Edippus's pathological development and explains why his existence is at odds with the Theban polis. The essay ends by considering evidence that Sigmund Freud may have known these medieval Oedipus narratives and situates these stories as distant preludes to the Freudian Oedipus complex.


Notification is one of the major tasks for emergency responses. Quick and appropriate notification can save lives and significantly reduce damages. It is, however, challenging to make a right decision on notification. In this paper, we propose a decision analysis framework for emergency notification with what we term as "6 Wh-word Dimensions" (6WDs), namely, "when, where, who, why, what and how." Within each dimension, we present tasks, pose problems and establish criteria for arriving at decisions that are responsive, responsible and respectful. We also propose a decision support system (DSS) that can help sustain one's notification decision making within the 6WDs.


It is suggested that a common understanding of integrated care between multi‐professional staff is vital to prevent barriers to unification and quality of care. This paper examines qualitative data from PROCARE, a recently completed European project on integrated care for older people, to put forward an interpretation of what integrated care means to staff. Through thematic analysis, four main clusters were identified. The paper suggests that, while the analysis revealed a common and inter‐related European interpretation that was somewhat idealised and moralistic, this was countered by challenges to its implementation that were inseparable from the rhetoric. The paper suggests that a collective, morally strong understanding is unable to prevent barriers to integrated care, and that tensions between services remain a prominent impediment.


Exploiting the residual redundancy in a source coder output stream during the decoding process has been proven to be a bandwidth efficient way to combat the noisy channel degradations. In this paper, we consider soft reconstruction of speech spectrum, in GSM adaptive multirate and IS-641 vocoders, transmitted over a channel disturbed with noise and/or packet loss. Several schemes are presented which exploit different levels of intraframe and interframe residual redundancy for improved source decoding at the receiver. A packetization strategy is proposed which is matched to the presented error concealment units. For decoders that exploit the residual redundancy, extensive complexity has been a serious concern, especially as the quantizer bitrate increases . In this paper, a novel method is presented to construct reduced complexity algorithms. The proposed methodology is based on the classification of the signal domain and efficient approximation of the residual redundancy or the a priori transition probabilities. The presented schemes provide high quality error concealment solutions for code excited linear prediction (CELP) coders


T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is a highly aggressive hematological cancer; however, there is a lack of effective chemotherapeutic or targeted drugs for the treatment of T-ALL. Decitabine is a DNA demethylation agent but it has not been used for T-ALL treatment. Therefore, the present study aimed to assess the inhibitory effect of decitabine on T-ALL molt4 cells and determine its regulatory role in the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. Molt4 cells were stimulated with decitabine in vitro, after which cell proliferation, apoptosis and cell cycle analyses were performed to assess cell viability. Subcellular morphology was observed using transmission electron microscopy. Expression levels of phosphate and tension homology (PTEN), genes involved in the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway and the corresponding downstream genes were analyzed using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and western blotting. The results showed that decitabine induced apoptosis, inhibited proliferation and arrested molt4 cells in the G2 phase. Following decitabine intervention, an increase in the number of lipid droplets, autophagosomes and mitochondrial damage was observed. At concentrations of 1 and 10 µM, decitabine downregulated the expression of PI3K, AKT, mTOR, P70S6 and eukaryotic initiating factor 4E-binding protein 1, which in turn upregulated PTEN expression; however, 50 µM decitabine downregulated PTEN levels. Overall, these results demonstrated that decitabine reduced the viability of molt4 cells partly by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway via PTEN, especially at low decitabine concentrations.


Accurate prediction of the motions of high speed craft is an essential element in understanding the response of crew to a particular design configuration. The aim of this work is to evaluate the capability of a numerical method for use in the context of a procedure for designing high speed craft. A numerical model is used to predict the motions of a planing craft in both regular and irregular waves. The model is based on non-linear strip theory, through calculation of the forces occurring on wedge impact. This numerical model and its limitations are well understood for lower planing speeds (up to a length based Froude number of around 1.2). This paper investigates the limitations and accuracy for higher speed craft (Froude number around 3). At present there is an inadequate knowledge of the model performance at these speeds. Lower speed validation is carried out using results from published experiments although this data does not extend to the higher speeds. Validation of the model at higher speeds is achieved using experimental data attained from testing two scale models: A wave piercing rigid inflatable boat (RIB) and an Atlantic 21 RIB. The experiments are conducted in a range of regular wave frequencies for three wave height together with a realistic JONSWAP sea spectrum. Results are promising, with good correlation between the heave motion of the numerical model and the measured experimental data. Based on these results, a number of potential enhancements to the existing numerical model are discussed.


Reflected glare often interferes with vision. Since such glare is usually polarized it can be controlled with polarizers. The use of polarized filters to eliminate vertically polarized glare from blackboards and glossy printed material is presented. Practical means for the construction of such filters are discussed.


Introduction: Down syndrome is present in every 1 in 700 births, associated with developmental disability and comorbidities, like obesity which significantly contributes to morbidity and mortality in these children. Objective: To identify the trends in body mass index and prevalence of obesity in school going down syndromes. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional survey conducted at special children's schools in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. A questionnaire was designed after literature search and was filled by the parents of the selected candidates according to inclusion criteria i.e., school going down syndromes and residents of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, in an interactive counselling session conducted by authors in collaboration with pediatrician, with parents at respective schools of their child, keeping the questionnaire anonymous. After data collection it was entered in SPSS v25 for statistical analysis in terms of frequencies and percentages. Results: Our survey included 44 candidates in which majority was between the age group 11 years to 20 years i.e., 52% (n=23) and 27% (n=12) were below 10 years. This survey showed that 95% (n=42) of our selected candidates have Normal BMI while 4.5% (n=2) of our candidates fall in Overweight (High BMI) category. Conclusion: Most of our selected Down syndrome individuals are protected from obesity as they indulge in different sports, physical activities, physiotherapy and maintain a balanced diet. It is therefore recommended to emphasize the importance of physical activities, active participation in sports, gymnastics, regular exercises and maintaining a healthy diet plan to avoid obesity in these individuals so that further complications of obesity can be prevented thus improving the quality of life of these individuals. Keywords: Body Mass Index, Down Syndrome, Obesity


Theranostic nanoagents are promising for precision medicine. However, biodegradable nanoagents with the ability for photoacoustic (PA) imaging guided photothermal therapy (PTT) are rare. We herein report the development of biodegradable semiconducting polymer nanoparticles (SPNs) with enhanced PA and PTT efficacy for cancer therapy. The design capitalizes on the enzymatically oxidizable nature of vinylene bonds in conjunction with polymer chemistry to synthesize a biodegradable semiconducting polymer (DPPV) and transform it into water-soluble nanoparticles (SPNV). As compared with its counterpart SPN (SPNT), the presence of vinylene bonds within the polymer backbone also endows SPNV with a significantly enhanced mass absorption coefficient (1.3-fold) and photothermal conversion efficacy (2.4-fold). As such, SPNV provides the PA signals and the photothermal maximum temperature higher than SPNT, allowing detection and photothermal ablation of tumors in living mice in a more sensitive and effective way. Our study thus reveals a general molecular design to enhance the biodegradability of optically active polymer nanoparticles while dramatically elevating their imaging and therapeutic capabilities.


Serum levels of total and allergen specific IgE were estimated in 75 adult asthmatics. The total IgE results were found to be distributed in a log-normal fashion with a mean of 124.0 U/ml and 28% were above the upper limit of the normal range. The total IgE was related to the RAST number in a log-normal manner. Up to eight RAST discs could be positive in a patient with a normal total IgE and an elevated IgE could occur with no discs positive. There was also a log-normal relationship between total IgE and the RAST score with little change in score per disc with rise in total IgE. The data suggest that the more allergic individual reacts to more allergens rather than more strongly to a few allergens.


Respiratory secretions from patients with clinically suspected Legionnaires pneumonia were examined by direc immunofluorescent tests at the Medical Center Hospital of Vermont and at the Center for Disease Control. No fluorescent bacteria were found by either laboratory in eight specimens from eight patients who were seronegative. Twenty specimens were obtained from seven patients who had serologically confirmed Legionnaires disease. Four of the seven cases were identified at the Medical Center Hospital of Vermont, and six of the seven were identified at the Center for Disease Control. Of 20 specimens, 8 were positive at the Center for Disease Control (six or more bacilli per slide), and 7 specimens were suspicious (one to five bacilli per slide); at the Medical Center Hospital of Vermont, 4 of 20 specimens were positive, and 2 were suspicious. The inclusion of a rhodamine-conjugated counterstain at the Center for Disease Control facilitated the examination and may have improved the sensitivity. Smears from transtracheal aspirates, bronchoscopic aspirates, transcutaneous lung aspirates, pleural fluids, and tracheal aspirate-expectorated sputum produced positive results. Several specimens contained fluorescing bacilli when stained for serogroup 2 as well as serogroup 1, perhaps reflecting the presence of cross-reacting antigens in vivo.


Abstract
The study aims to examine the effect partially and simultaneously between Institutional Ownership, Firm Size, Age, on Income Smoothing. The research was conducted use quantitative methods. The population in this study is 20 of state-owned companies listed on the IDX during period 2017 to 2019 (3 years). In order to obtain 60 as research sample. The data collected were analyzed and processed with the formula in Microsoft Excel and then using software SPSS 22. The data analysis technique is descriptive, significance test (F test), multiple linear regression, determination coefficient. Testing the classic assumption have 4 stages, that is autocorrelation test, multicollinearity test, normality test, and heteroscedasticity test. The results showed that: (1) There are significant influence between Institutional Ownership and Firm Size to Income Smoothing. (2) No significant effect between Firm Age to Income Smoothing. (3) Simultaneously a significant between Institutional Ownership, Firm Size and Firm Age on Income Smoothing.


A clinical case is the basis for a report on the possibility that afferent loop syndrome might present as an epiphenomenon in gastric stump cancer. Stress is laid above all on the rarity of the syndrome and on the clinical and diagnostic difficulties of demonstrating it. The possibility that it might be a pointer to a pathology of greater clinical importance is pointed out.


Among the deterministic policies for the optimal control of stochastic systems the best one is of closed-loop type, because it presents the "dual effect" of control. The theoretical closed-loop solution structure is deduced from Bellman's principle but is very difficult to implement in the non-linear case. This communication presents a closed-loop solution by approximation of the minimum cost function by introduction of the gaussian sum method.


Abstract Locked nucleic acid (LNA) is a conformationally constrained DNA analogue that exhibits exceptionally high affinity for complementary DNA and RNA strands. The deoxyribose sugar is modified by a 2′-O, 4′-C oxymethylene bridge, which projects into the minor groove. In addition to changing the distribution of functional groups in the groove and the overall helical geometry relative to unmodified DNA, the bridge likely alters the hydration of the groove. Each of these factors will impact the ability of small molecules, proteins and other nucleic acids to recognize LNA-containing hybrids. This report describes the ability of several DNA-intercalating ligands and one minor groove binder to recognize LNA-DNA and LNA-RNA hybrid duplexes. Using UV-vis, fluorescence and circular dichroism spectroscopies, we find that the minor groove binder as well as the intercalators exhibit significantly lower affinity for LNA-containing duplexes. The lone exception is the alkaloid ellipticine, which intercalates into LNA-DNA and LNA-RNA duplexes with affinities comparable to unmodified DNA-DNA and RNA-DNA duplexes.


This paper provides an overview of airborne methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) concentrations in workplaces across North America and Europe. A total of 7649 samples were collected between 1998 and 2020 by producers of MDI during product stewardship activities at customer sites, primarily using validated OSHA or ISO sampling and analysis techniques. As would be expected from the low vapor pressure of MDI, 80% of the concentrations were less than 0.01 mg/m3 (1 ppb) and 93% were less than 0.05 mg/m3 (5 ppb). Respiratory protection is an integral part of Industrial Hygiene practices; therefore, its use was studied and summarized. While covering a variety of MDI applications, a large number of samples was obtained from composite wood manufacturing facilities, offering specific insight into potential exposures associated with different process sections and job types in this industry sector. Given the potential presence in industrial processes of MDI-containing dust or aerosols, future work should place increased emphasis on also investigating dermal exposure. The data reported in this paper provide valuable information for product stewardship and industrial hygiene purposes throughout the MDI-processing industry.


This paper reviews recent developments in understanding of ways in which various characteristic scales in the Kolmogorov energy cascade control the wrinkling and stretching of thin laminar premixed flames in turbulent flows. Some unresolved problems are identified. Results of recent direct numerical simulations of turbulent combustion are discussed. Distributions of flame strain and curvature, obtained from constant density simulations, are presented and a parametrization of these results is suggested. This parametrization is then used to derive a new theoretical model to allow for effects of detailed finite chemical reaction rate mechanisms in engineering calculations of turbulent combustion.


Background: Radiolabelled prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA) ligands represent a true theranostics concept for diagnosis and therapy of relapsed and metastatic prostate cancer patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate response and tolerability of a single dose of 177Lutetium-PSMA-617 (Lu-PSMA) in a large cohort of patients with metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Methods: The data of 82 consecutive patients (median age: 73 years, range: 43-87) with metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer who received a single dose of Lu-PSMA (mean: 5.9±0.5 GBq) were retrospectively analyzed. Data was collected at baseline and 8 weeks after therapy. 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT was performed in all patients to verify sufficient PSMA expression. Bone, lymph node, liver and lung metastases were present in 99%, 65%, 17% and 11% of the patients, respectively. Tolerability and response were evaluated using hematologic parameters, renal scintigraphy, clinical data and prostate specific antigen (PSA) value at baseline and 8 weeks after therapy application. Results: A total of six patients died and two patients dropped out not willing to continue therapy and follow-up. Complete dataset of 74 patients were available for analysis. 47 (64%) of the patients showed a PSA-Decline, of these 23 (31%) had a PSA decline > 50%, 35 (47%) had a stable disease with a PSA decline from <50% to an increase <25% and 17 (23%) showed a progressive disease with a PSA increase >25%. There were no significant changes indicative of toxicity in hemoglobin, white blood cells, creatinine and tubular extraction rates. There was a significant but mild decrease of platelets with a median value still within the normal range. Conclusion: This retrospective multicenter analysis suggests that radioligand therapy with Lu-PSMA is safe, well tolerated and shows considerable response in PSA values. Therefore, it offers an additional by Univ of CA San Diego on April 7, 2016. For personal use only. jnm.snmjournals.org Downloaded from


This study clarified the prevalence of daytime sleepiness in fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-grade children and examined the association between physical activity (PA) and daytime sleepiness in children aged 9–12 years. This cross-sectional study included 314 children (mean age ± standard deviation: 10.5 ± 1.0 years; male: 52.9%) enrolled in two public elementary schools in Kobe, Japan. PA was assessed using the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children. The outcome was self-reported daytime sleepiness. The prevalence of daytime sleepiness in fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-grade children were 10.8%, 25.2%, and 28.6%, respectively. In univariate analysis, subjects with reported daytime sleepiness had lower PA levels than those without daytime sleepiness (odds ratio (OR) = .67; 95% confidence interval (CI) = .47–.95). Multiple logistic regression analysis demonstrated that lower PA was significantly associated with daytime sleepiness after adjusting for multiple confounders (OR = .54; 95% CI = .37–.81). The prevalence of daytime sleepiness in fifth and sixth grades was higher than fourth grade. Furthermore, this study clarified the significant association between PA and daytime sleepiness and suggested that PA could be one of the factors to prevent daytime sleepiness in children aged 9–12 years.


Summary Reciprocal metabolic reprogramming of MSCs and osteosarcoma cells influences tumor-stroma cross talk. Drugs targeting Warburg metabolism may define innovative therapeutic approaches in osteosarcoma. Introduction Osteosarcoma (OS) is a malignant primary bone tumour of mesenchymal origin, in which cells with stem-like characteristics (CSCs) have been described. Recent studies have demonstrated a mutual interaction between stroma and tumor cells in exploiting a role in the pathogenesis and progression of cancer, and also in the enhancing stemness phenotype. Here we take in consideration the complex juxtacrine and paracrine intercellular cross talk played by mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) with adherent osteosarcoma cells and OS cells with stem-like characteristics (CSCs). Methods MSCs were isolated from human adipose tissue and expanded. To evaluate the interaction between the stroma and the cancer cell compartment, we used two different osteosarcoma cancer cell lines (Saos-2 and HOS) and co-cultured them with MSCs. The different cell populations were sorted to study the reciprocal interaction including metabolic reprogramming. CSCs were obtained from SAOS-2 and HOS cell lines using the sphere formation assay and characterised for their self-renewal, mesenchymal stem cell properties and expression of pluripotency markers. CSCs sensitivity to paracrine factors produced by human MSCs was analysed in a model of co-culture system. Mitochondrial activity in the co-culture systems was also evaluated. Results Our results revealed that upon intercellular contact, MSCs undergo Warburg metabolism and mitochondrial oxidative stress. In particular, the cell contact activated the stromal component, triggering autophagy and increased expression of monocarboxylate transporter-4 (MCT4) responsible for the extrusion of lactate. Conversely, osteosarcoma cancer cells, upon contact with MSCs, increased their aerobic metabolism and their development. In addition, using a co-culture method without cell contact, we observed that MSCs grown in serum-starvation conditions promoted proliferation of the CSCs obtained from OS cells, probably by secreting one or several soluble factors. By Real Time PCR we evaluated the gene expression of stemness markers like Oct4, Nanog and SOX2, which appeared to have increased in CSCs. Conclusions The final goal is to have a better understanding of the role of the stroma on tumor cell metabolism. Apparently, our data show that MSCs may exploit a role in the modulation of tumor metabolic activity and stemness/differentiation in osteosarcoma. Importantly, these findings suggest an adaptation of cancer cells to bioenergetic changes "engaging" stromal cells as their survival strategy. Understanding the interactions in the tumor microenvironment should present new opportunities for the design of cancer therapeutics.


Entropy is a well-studied concept and the literature contains a vast amount of material on this concept in the context of actions of countable discrete amenable groups. In this thesis we extend several statements about entropy and topological pressure to the context of unimodular amenable groups. This allows us to study a notion of complexity of aperiodic ordered structures, called patch counting entropy.


Purpose: We previously reported that concurrent reactivation of latent Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in children with hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection is common and EBV reactivation with HAV infection adversely affects the clinical features of hepatitis. However, the incidence of concurrent reactivation was not accurate because the detection of EBV reactivation was based on serologic methods. Therefore, we studied the effects of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-proven EBV reactivation, thus a more precise concurrence, on acute HAV infection in children. Methods: PCR were conducted in 34 patients, who had enrolled previous study and diagnosed with acute HAV infection between January 2008 and June 2010. Their medical records were reviewed. Results: Among 34 patients with acute HAV infection, 12 patients (35.3%) had EBV reactivation which was proven using serologic and molecular biologic techniques. There were significant differences in the peak levels of AST and ALT between the reactivated and non-reactivated groups (p=0.001 and p<0.001, respectively). The duration of full recovery from hepatitis was more prolonged in the reactivated group (p<0.001). Clinical parameters, such as serum protein (p<0.001) and albumin concentrations (p<0.001), atypical lymphocyte count (p=0.001), prothrombin time-international normalized ratio (PT-INR, p<0.001), and splenomegaly (p<0.001), showed significant differences. The clinical features in the reactivated sub-group >10 years of age revealed more liver dysfunction compared to the non-reactivated sub-group. A comparison with a previous study was performed. Conclusion: PCR-proven reactivation of latent EBV in children with HAV infection is common and EBV reactivation with HAV infection adversely affects the clinical features of hepatitis, especially in older children. (Korean J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2011; 14: 59∼66)


Building on the conservation of resources model, we conducted three studies to explore the link between ambient temperature and individual prosocial behavior. In study 1, analyzing the two-wave field data from a chain of retail stores in Eastern Europe, we find that, in hot, as opposed to normal temperatures, employees are less likely to act in a prosocial manner. In study 2, we replicate and extend these findings in a randomized controlled experiment by identifying mechanisms underlying the relationship between hot ambient temperature and helping behavior. Specifically, we find that heat increases fatigue that leads to reduction in positive affect and subsequently reduces individual helping. Finally, in study 3, we replicate these findings in a field experiment. Taken together, our study helps to explain how and through what mechanisms ambient temperature influences individual helping. The theoretical and practical implications of our findings are discussed.


The current study included examination of Babesia bovis and Babesia bigemina in 300 blood smears stained with 5% of Giemsa stain which collected from cattle in Mosul city from both sexes with different ages, the total percentage of infection with Babesia spp was 42.33% and the percentage of B. bovis and B. bigemina 30.66% and 24.33%. The blood smears which stained with Giemsa stain contain 0.5% Triton X-100 appeared cleaner and easily recognized the blood cells and parasites. High percentage of infection was appeared with single infection with B. bovis was 42.51% followed by mixed infection with B. bovis and B. bigemina and infection with B. bigemina only was 29.92% and 27.55%. The results of this study showed no significant differences in the percentage of infection between males and females of cattle and different groups of ages at the significant level p<0.05. Available online at http://www.vetmedmosul.org/ijvs


Summary Casearia sylvestris (Flacourtiaceae) is a plant which grows in wild and has been widely used in folk medicine. In this study, clastogenic/aneugenic properties of Casearia sylvestris crude ethanolic extract were evaluated using in vivo chromosomal aberrations (CAs) and micronucleus (MN) assays in rodents. The animals were treated by gavage with 3 concentrations of the extract: 150, 300 and 500 mg/kg body weight. Bone marrow cells from Wistar rats were collected 24 h after having been submitted to the MN and CAs test. Peripheral blood cells from Swiss mice were collected 48 and 72 h after having been submitted to the MN test. The results show that C. sylvestris extract does not induce a significant increase in mean values for micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (MNPCE) in Swiss mice and Wistar rats, or CAs in rat bone marrow cells, at the 3 tested doses, indicating that the extract showed no clastogenic/aneugenic effects on chromosomes of the rodent cells tested.


In a series of articles the authors discuss literature data concerning epidemiology of pulmonary hypertension, its modern classification, peculiarities of its pathogenesis and treatment in various diseases and conditions. In the third lecture they consider peculiarities of pathogenesis of pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular failure in patients with congenital heart defects, and present literature data on drug treatment and other curative interventions in pulmonary hypertension in patients with Eisenmenger syndrome.


ABSTRACT The European rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus has an unusual pattern of nursing behavior. After giving birth in a nursery burrow (or laboratory nest box), the mother immediately leaves the young and only returns to nurse for a few minutes once approximately every 24 h. It has been assumed this schedule, like a variety of other functions in the rabbit, is under circadian control. This assumption has been largely based on findings from mothers only permitted restricted access to their young once every 24 h. However, in nature and in the laboratory, mothers with free access to young show nursing visits with a periodicity shorter than 24 h, that does not correspond to other behavioral and physiological rhythms entrained to the prevailing 24 h light/dark (LD) cycle. To investigate how this unusual, apparently non-circadian pattern might be regulated, we conducted two experiments using female Dutch-belted rabbits housed individually in cages designed to automatically register feeding activity and nest box visits. In Experiment 1 we recorded the behavior of 17 mothers with free access to their young under five different LD cycles with long photo and short scotoperiods, spanning the limits of entrainment of the rabbit's circadian system. Whereas feeding rhythms were entrained by LD cycles within the rabbit's circadian range of entrainment, nursing visits showed a consistently shorter periodicity regardless of the LD regimen, largely independent of the circadian system. In Experiment 2 we tested further 12 mothers under more conventional LD 16:8 cycles but "trained" by having access to the nest box restricted to 1 h at the same time each day for the first 7 d of nursing. Mothers were then allowed free access either when their young were left in the box (n = 6), or when the litter had been permanently removed (n = 6). Mothers with pups still present returned to nurse them on the following days according to a similarly advancing pattern to the mothers of Experiment 1 despite the previous 7 d of "training" to an experimentally enforced 24 h nursing schedule as commonly used in previous studies of rabbit maternal behavior. Mothers whose pups had been removed entered the box repeatedly several times on the first day of unrestricted access, but on subsequent days did so only rarely, and at times of day apparently unrelated to the previously scheduled access. We conclude that the pattern of the rabbit's once-daily nursing visits has a periodicity largely independent of the circadian system, and that this is reset at each nursing. When nursing fails to occur nest box visits cease abruptly, with mothers making few or no subsequent visits. Together, these findings suggest that the rabbit's once-daily pattern of nursing is regulated by an hourglass-type process with a period less than 24 h that is reset at each nursing, rather than by a circadian oscillator. Such a mechanism might be particularly adaptive for rhythms of short duration that should end abruptly with a sudden change in context such as death or weaning of the young.


The authors prove, using an appropriate pressure-temperature cycling, that it is possible to maintain the non-centrosymmetric anion ReO4 in an ordered configuration that does not give rise to an induced insulating phase at low temperatures. If such a cooling procedure is followed, the low-temperature phase diagram of (TMTSF)2ReO4 is very reminiscent of the diagram observed with centrosymmetric anions such as PF6, AsF6 and so on. The semiconducting phase, which is stabilised below 15 K at ambient pressure, is suppressed above 8 kbar and gives rise to a superconducting ground state. The re-entrance of the superconducting phase is observed close to the critical pressure. The authors identify the low-temperature state as a spin-density-wave phase and discuss the phase diagram of (TMTSF)2ReO4 in the framework of a unique model for (TMTSF)2X organic conductors.


Background: End stage renal disease (ESRD) patients on chronic hemodialysis (HD) repeatedly have their blood exposed to artificial surfaces within the hemodialysis circuit, which triggers contact system-initiated coagulation. Clot formation within the HD circuit results in blood loss, decreased HD efficiency, and device circuit failure. Heparin reduces circuit clotting but it is not tolerated by all patients. Mounting experimental data suggest that contact system inhibition is antithrombotic without significantly compromising hemostasis. AB023 is a unique recombinant anti-factor (F) XI antibody that interferes with the interactions of FXI and FXII without inhibiting FXI activation by thrombin or the activation of FIX by activated FXI. This study evaluated the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and preliminary efficacy of AB023 in patients with ESRD on chronic HD.
 Methods: In this phase 2, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single-administration study, AB023 (0.25 or 0.5 mg/kg) or placebo was injected into the HD circuit of 24 ESRD patients at the start of heparin-free HD (NCT03612856). All patients underwent three pre-dose HD procedures and four monitored post-dose HD sessions. In total, the study encompassed 168 individual HD sessions, 72 of which occurred pre-dose and 96 of which occurred post-dose. Safety parameters, including time to hemostasis at HD access site, prothrombin time, physical examinations, vital signs, electrocardiograms, clinical chemistry, immunogenicity and other adverse events (AEs), were recorded. Clotting within the hemodialyzer circuit was assessed using a visual clotting scale by investigators who were blinded to treatment. The frequency of circuit clot obstructions requiring dialyzer exchange was also recorded. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic parameters, including activated partial thromboplastin times, were also assessed. The study was approved by an ethics review board and all subjects provided written informed consent.
 Results: AB023 demonstrated a favorable safety profile in ESRD patients. No drug-related AEs were noted. Clinically relevant bleeding did not occur in any patient, and the time to hemostasis at the HD access site was unchanged after AB023 administration. As expected, the aPTT was prolonged after AB023 administration, reaching saturation at both dose levels (about 2-fold prolongation) immediately after dosing, and remaining prolonged for up to 9 days with the high dose. Compared with pretreatment, the frequency of occlusive events requiring circuit exchange decreased by 68% and 50% in subjects given the 0.25 and 0.5 mg/kg AB023 respectively, while the number of occlusive events was numerically unchanged in the placebo arm. Likewise, the number of saline flushes required to maintain circuit patency decreased by 44% and 85%, and the incidence of high-grade clotting in the hemodialyzer as assessed by visual scoring decreased by 15% and 43% on day 1, 8% and 35% by day 3, and 0% and 19% by day 5 in the 0.25 and 0.5 mg/kg cohorts, respectively.
 Conclusions: Anticoagulation with AB023 was well-tolerated and reduced clot formation within the HD circuit of ESRD patients. These findings suggest that inhibiting contact system activation could reduce medical device-initiated blood clot formation in patients.

 Lorentz: Aronora, Inc.: Current Employment. Verbout:Aronora, Inc.: Current Employment. Shatzel:Aronora, Inc.: Consultancy. Wallisch:Aronora, Inc.: Current Employment. Markway:Aronora, Inc.: Current Employment. Tucker:Aronora, Inc.: Current Employment. Gruber:Aronora, Inc.: Current Employment, Current equity holder in private company.


A mathematical model of biotechnical system integrating the human cardiorespiratory system with hard- and software was designed to investigate breathing control. The model describes dynamics of carbon dioxide and oxygen in 3 biotechnical system compartments in the course of rebreathing tests. The tests do not require tanks with compressed gas and, therefore, can be performed in space flights. Results of simulated modeling of the ventilation response in 2 breath tests, i.e. to hypercapnia due to rebreathing of a hyperoxic gas mixture and to hypercapnia combined with hypoxia due to air rebreathing, are presented. Model validity was verified by comparison of the modeling and experimental data. The mathematical model made it evident that CO2 partial pressures in tissues, lungs and the breathing circuit equalize very fast when initial carbon dioxide concentration in the respiration circuit is equal to the end-tidal CO2 concentrations in man at rest.


Background: Pregnant women are one of the groups vulnerable to dental caries with a prevalence of 84.7%.During pregnancy, hormonal changes occur which are characterized by nausea, vomiting and feeling lazy about brushing teeth, the acidic nature and changes in saliva pH cause dental caries. This condition can result in low birth weight (LBW) babies, miscarriage and pre-eclampsia. One effort to improve the dental and oral health maintenance behavior of pregnant women is to carry out promotive and preventive measures using educational media. Objective: Producing appropriate educational models and analyzing their effectiveness in improving the behavior of pregnant women in preventing dental caries. Method : R&D research type, quasy experiment method Pre-Posttest group design (nonequevalent control group design). In applying the model, a sample of 60 pregnant women was used, divided into 2 intervention groups with the development of the D-Salma's Catalog Smart model and a control group with a booklet. The variables measured are knowledge, attitudes and OHIS of pregnant women. Data analysis used univariate analysis, bivariate analysis and multivariate analysis. Results :The development of the D-Salma's Catalog Smart model is validated and suitable for application as a dental health education medium. The results of the effectiveness test increased knowledge from 3.40 to 8.00 (p=0.000), attitudes from 24.17 to 38.00 (p=0.000), actions from 12.77 to 28.00 (p=0.000), and reduced the OHIS score from 3.90 to 1.00 (p=0.000). Conclusion :The application of the development of the D-Salma's catalog smart model is feasible and effective in changing the behavior of pregnant women in preventing dental caries.


Venous leg ulcers, which may take months to heal, account for 40–70% of all lower extremity chronic wounds. New treatment options for venous leg ulcers have recently been proposed, and therefore deciding which patients are candidates for these novel—and often expensive—treatments is an important task. Moreover, researchers conducting clinical trials often wish to enrol patients who are unlikely to heal in order to minimize sample sizes needed and research costs. Our purpose was to assess the use of percentage change in venous leg ulcer area over the first few weeks of treatment as a prognostic indicator of healing or non‐healing at 24 weeks. We conducted a cohort study based on an existing data set from a multicentre randomized clinical trial that enrolled 104 patients. Wounds were measured using digital planimetry for 4 consecutive weeks following the inception of good wound care. Utilizing the Wilcoxon rank sum (Mann–Whitney) test, we found that percentage change in area over time distinguished between those who healed and those who failed to heal after 24 weeks of good wound care (P < 0·05). The rate of healing, or area healed per week, did not differentiate between those who healed at 24 weeks and those who did not, as all patients had similar rates of healing over the first 4 weeks of treatment. Percentage change in area from baseline to week 4 provided the best combination of positive and negative predictive values (68·2%, 74·7%) and the largest area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (0·75). Thus, percentage change in area over the first 4 weeks of treatment represents a practical and predictive measure of complete wound healing by 24 weeks.


A field experiment was conducted during the 2010/2011 cropping season in four locations of the Southern Highlands of Tanzania viz. Inyala, Mbimba, Uyole and Seatondale. The main objective of the study was to assess the response of selected maize genotypes across different growing environments for yield and adaptability and their interaction on yield and yield components whereas the specific objectives were to evaluate stability variables, interrelations and genetic parameters for traits in the studied maize hybrids. A randomized complete block design laid in a split-plot experiment with three replications at each location was used. The data collected include plant growth parameters, maize yield components and yield. The study shows that locations and weeding regimes were important for most variables, including grain yield while genotypes were important for ear height and number of kernel rows per cob. Location x weeding regimes was also important for most traits including grain yield; genotype x weeding regimes was important for number of leaves per plant while genotype x environment interaction was important for number of kernel rows per cob and days to maturity. Estimation of genetic parameters revealed high heritability coupled with high genetic advance for days to first tasselling, 50% tasselling, 50% pollen shed, first silking and ear height pointing out that these traits were under the control of additive genetic effects and that selection of these traits can be done in early generations of the breeding programme. Phenotypic Coefficient of Variation (PCV) was moderate for most traits including grain yield whereas Genetic Coefficient of Variation (GCV) was low for all traits. Path coefficient analysis singled out number of leaves per plant, plant height, days to 50% silking, 50% pollen shed and maturity as most important traits to consider during selection for grain yield improvements among the studied genotypes. It is recommended that genotype EH-2 (FH5160) can be carried further for national performance trial or possible release while UHS 5350 (EH3) and UH6303 can be used in the breeding programme.


In this paper the author presents research findings that reveal the determinants of life and job satisfaction forRussian women. After giving birth, women have to pay much more attention to their family and child than totheir work, often either quitting their job or switching to part-time work. Women experience significant changesto their everyday life-style, brought about by childbirth, which transform their job and life satisfaction levels.So, giving birth is the most important fact that has to be taken into account when analyzing women's socialwell being. The author assumes that the factors determining job and life satisfaction are different for womenwith and without children. The paper describes the main approaches and measuring methods concerning joband life satisfaction. The data set used is generated from surveys carried out from 2000 – 2009 by the RussiaLongitudinal Monitoring Survey of HSE, RLMS. Relying on research findings, the author concludes thatmothers, compared to Russian women without children, are more satisfied with life and less satisfied with theirjob but that having children has no significant affect on job satisfaction.