Facial injuries due to bear mauling or run-over accidents cause severe disfigurement of face requiring extensive reconstruction. While managing these injuries, close association with the airway and shared airway with the surgeon are important concerns for the anaesthesiologists. And airway management in such patients becomes a challenge for them because bony injuries and soft tissue deformities may pose difficulty in mask ventilation. Difficult mask ventilation may be life threatening to a patient if difficult intubation occurs. Here we report two cases of facial trauma having difficult mask ventilation, one due to bear mauling and another due to run-over accident. These patients of facial trauma were posted for surgical repair under anaesthesia. Anatomical distortion of face due to contused lacerated wounds, bulging out of eyeball, destruction of nostril and lips made mask seal inadequate and mask ventilation difficult. In both the cases, airway was secured successfully by preserving spontaneous respiration and doing oral endotracheal intubation by direct laryngoscopy and using bougie.


It is said that 97% of the economy of the earth comes from small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). Most manpower employed worldwide are by SMEs. SMEs in general, play a very crucial role for the development of a country. In developed nations, SMEs contribute to 60% of the country's economy while SMEs in Oman contribute only 15%. Oman is classed as a developing country hence the SME scene is still raw. Depreciation in the price of crude oil put a lot of pressure in Oman's economy for the last couple of years since oil revenue accounts for about 60% of the country's earnings. During the times of economic crisis, the SME section are the ones who are affected the most. They pass through a gloomy phase that create a negative impact on their business returns. This study delved into various approaches taken by SMEs to survive the economic crisis which is stunting the growth of the country. A qualitative research was conducted among several SMEs in Oman. In-person interviews were administered, and questionnaires were handed out to the SME owners. The results showed that the SME owners had to conduct major layoffs. Using only the core workforce was one of the major strategies utilized by the SMEs.  The owners didn't expand their businesses, rather focused on expanding their products and services to reach a larger target audience. Discounts, offers, extensive external and social media marketing were also critical means of survival. Most of the SMEs are optimistic and are receiving a lot of assistance from the Public Authority for SME Development (Riyada) of Oman to ensure their survival


The human T lymphoblastoid cell line CEM was subjected to immunoselection by co-culture with peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) for resistance to natural killer (NK) cell-mediated lysis. The NK susceptibility of the resulting subline, CEM.NKR, was 8.4 to 20.6% of that of CEM when PBMC or adherent cell-depleted PBMC were used as effector cells, and -7.1 to 12.1% of that of CEM when Percoll gradient-enriched large granular lymphocytes (LGL) were used. However, CEM and CEM.NKR exhibited comparable sensitivity to antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. Unlabeled CEM was eight- to 32-fold more effective than unlabeled CEM.NKR in inhibiting the NK lysis of labeled CEM target cells, and CEM bound 1.9 to 3.9-fold more Percoll gradient-enriched LGL than CEM.NKR in single cell-binding assays, suggesting that the NK-resistant variant has lost the expression of NK target antigens. However, CEM.NKR was comparable to CEM in its ability to induce interferon (IFN)-alpha production by PBMC in vitro, and the NK-resistant variant maintained its susceptibility to the antiproliferative effects of IFN-alpha, indicating that these phenomena may be mediated by molecules other than NK target structures. Comparison of CEM and CEM.NKR by indirect immunofluorescence with monoclonal antibodies specific for leukocyte antigens and the transferrin receptor, and by microcytotoxicity typing for HLA-A and B specificities, revealed no major differences.


Abstract Astrocytes are emerging as essential regulators of brain metastasis progression. In a current issue of Nature, Chen et al. identify a novel mechanism of astrocyte-carcinoma interaction and exploit vulnerabilities therein to slow brain metastatic growth in pre-clinical models.


In order to improve the efficiency of transportation networks, it is critical to forecast traffic congestion. Large-scale traffic congestion data have become available and accessible, yet they need to be properly represented in order to avoid overfitting, reduce the requirements of computational resources, and be utilized effectively by various methodologies and models. Inspired by pooling operations in deep learning, we propose a representation framework for traffic congestion data in urban road traffic networks. This framework consists of grid-based partition of urban road traffic networks and a pooling operation to reduce multiple values into an aggregated one. We also propose using a pooling operation to calculate the maximum value in each grid (MAV). Raw snapshots of traffic congestion maps are transformed and represented as a series of matrices which are used as inputs to a spatiotemporal congestion prediction network (STCN) to evaluate the effectiveness of representation when predicting traffic congestion. STCN combines convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and long short-term memory neural network (LSTMs) for their spatiotemporal capability. CNNs can extract spatial features and dependencies of traffic congestion between roads, and LSTMs can learn their temporal evolution patterns and correlations. An empirical experiment on an urban road traffic network shows that when incorporated into our proposed representation framework, MAV outperforms other pooling operations in the effectiveness of the representation of traffic congestion data for traffic congestion prediction, and that the framework is cost-efficient in terms of computational resources.


Radiometric (K-Ar) dating of a reconnaissance nature conservatively brackets late Tertiary deformation throughout Peru between about 20 and 5 m.y. ago. Folding appears to have begun about 15 to 17 m.y. ago. If the timing for Huancavelica Department, central Peru, is applicable to other parts of the country, then deformation and considerable uplift and erosion had taken place by 10.5 m.y. ago. Intense deformation and uplift in Peru is one of many major igneous and tectonic events that affected the western parts of North, Central, and South America and other parts of the globe during middle Miocene time. These events appear to be associated with first-order changes in the movement patterns of lithospheric plates and thus may reflect a major perturbation of the lithosphere-asthenosphere system.


Public Employment Services (PES) in industrialized countries have traditionally provided job-brokering services - arranging for jobseekers to obtain jobs and employers to fill vacancies. Increasingly, they also administer unemployment benefits and provide for the delivery of labor market programs. PES are still in their initial stages in developing countries where many still play the traditional role of job placement and registering the unemployed. There are several good arguments for the provision of employment services. By transmitting information, they can contribute to labor-market efficiency and transparency. PES can also promote equity in access to the labor market and help disadvantaged workers find employment. Furthermore, in countries that have an unemployment benefit system, public employment services, if well designed, can play an important role in verifying eligibility for receiving benefits and reduce costs associated with unemployment through ensuring rapid matches.


Prehension was temporarily handicapped in 57 normal infants by enclosing one hand and forearm in a soft sock. In contrast to control performance infants frequently did not attempt to reach and grasp with the hand thus covered though use of the other arm continued. The disuse exceeded that attributable to the mechanical restriction of the sock.
 In younger infants (4 to 6 months of age) it appeared to result from ignorance of the option to attempt prehension with the covered hand. In older infants (6 to 12 months of age) some of the disuse of that arm appeared deliberate, was reversible under circumstances of special need, and there was clearer awareness of the prehensile nature of the arm despite its functional and anatomical distortion by the sock. However, in older infants the unhampered arm and hand were more apt to substitute for the other, and in a few cases disuse and disregard of the arm with the enclosed hand was so extreme as to suggest an agnosia for the arm. The results, which link prehensile disuse to immature concepts of arm function, are relevant to pediatric conditions in which excessive arm disuse may occur, including sensory deprivation, hemiplegic cerebral palsy, brachial plexus palsy, and congenital arm amputations fitted with a prosthesis.


Breeding from prepubertal females, known as juvenile in vitro embryo transfer (JIVET), reduces the generation interval and increases the rate of genetic gain in animal breeding programs. While the birth of the first lambs from prepubertal ewes occurred nearly 30 years ago; and there is considerable interest in the commercialization of this technology, its efficiency remains too low. The advent of in vitro production (IVP) of embryo resulted in the more widespread use of JIVET. Morphologic and metabolic differences coupled with reduced in vitro and in vivo development of oocytes derived from prepubertal animals have been reported. Research has been undertaken to optimize donor selection and hormone stimulation methods in an attempt to reduce the variability and increase the proportion of donors responding to hormone stimulation and increase oocyte developmental competence. Yet, this variation persists and the development of oocytes and embryos from prepubertal animals remains reduced when compared with adults. Recent improvements to JIVET, resulting from a modified hormone stimulation regime, have eliminated the failure of donors to respond to hormone stimulation, and increased both the number and developmental competence of oocytes harvested from very young prepubertal lambs. This increased efficiency has facilitated the incorporation of other reproductive technologies such as sperm sexing with JIVET, resulting in the birth of lambs of a pre-determined sex from prepubertal lambs. Increased rates of genetic gain in sheep breeding programs can be achieved by combining sexed sperm with oocytes obtained from lambs as young as 3-4 weeks of age. Continued increases in the efficiency of JIVET resulting from further improvements to hormone stimulation regimes and an increased understanding of the differences between oocytes from adult and prepubertal animals will result in the commercialization of this technology.


The article provides the rationale for the development of professional English communication skills of prospective social workers through blended learning, analyzes and grounds the peculiarities of blended learning aimed at developing communication skills. On the basis of the survey conducted among lecturers and social workers common intercultural situations have been determined. It is concluded that effective intercultural communication requires knowledge, lexical, phonetic and grammar skills, skills of spoken production and spoken interaction, linguo-sociocultural skills. The requirements to the level of prospective social workers' English communication skills have been specified. It is concluded that blended learning should be a mixture of both concept based learning and collaboration-oriented learning with the face-to-face mode as the lead one; must be based on learner-centered and professional approaches, correspond to the determined principles (combination of face-to-face (approximately 65–70 %) and online (about 30-35 %) learning; students' collaboration both online and face-to-face; students' active involvement; effective communication between students as well as students and teachers; flexibility; regular and prompt feedback; personalization of the online environment); should involve different types of instructional Web-based technologies; incorporate various methods and techniques; focus on different types of tasks and activities including professional problem-based tasks; use different types and instruments of assessment (teacher assessment, computer marked assessment (e.g., testing vocabulary), peer assessment, self-assessment).


The reduction of GHG emissions is one of the largest and most pressing collective-action problems facing humanity. Addressing this transversal, trans-boundary policy challenge requires action at multiple scales of governance: from behavioral changes by individuals to modifications of local, national and international regulatory frameworks and decision-making processes. Taking an interdisciplinary approach, this project draws on theories on collective action, institutional economics, multilevel governance, and indicators in decision making to analyze what appears to be an increasingly polycentric governance approach to achieving cross-scale action on GHG mitigation. This dissertation addresses the over-arching question of what governance changes are needed to deliver lasting GHG emissions reductions in the urban passenger transport sector in France? Achieving greenhouse gas mitigation is dependent not only on the ability of actors to coordinate action, but also on the information tools needed to integrate these issues into decision-making at multiple levels of government and across policy priorities. Thus, GHG mitigation must be linked as an often-complementary issue with existing policy priorities. The analyses and findings resulting from this dissertation have a number of contributions to make both to the theoretical literature as well as to general policy practice and the specific decision-making process in France in terms of transport, urban planning and climate governance.


Coagulase-negative Staphylococci, including Staphylococcus epidermidis, are common pathogens in orthopedic prosthesis infections. Operation and prolonged treatment with rifampicin in combination with another antibiotic is often required. Coagulase-negative Staph-ylococci are frequently multi-resistant, but resistance to vancomycin is rare in Sweden. Linezolid is an alternative, however it is only recommended for up to 4 weeks treatment due to risk of hematological side effects. We have successfully used prolonged treatment with linezolid and rifampicin in a patient suffering from a complicated prosthetic joint infection caused by a vancomycin resistant Staphyloccous epidermidis strain.


The reactivation of craton is a crucial issue for the understanding of continent lithosphere. Although the partial loss of the thick lithospheric root of the North China Craton (NCC) was documented, its mechanism remains a contentious topic in the study of cratonic evolution. In this paper, we imaged the crust‐mantle structures by using the data from 36 permanent stations with fine spatial coverage in the Yanshan tectonic belt (YSTB) and the Taihangshan region (TSR) in the northern NCC. Two tectonic units with distinct crust‐mantle structures were recognized and their junction zone was identified. The results reveal distinct features of the crust‐mantle boundaries of the YSTB and the TSR which are characterized by a sharp interface and a thick transition zone, respectively. Based on the analysis of the seismic structures of the crust‐mantle boundary and the upper mantle, we propose that the NCC reactivation was possibly derived by a slow secular ascension of hydrated asthenospheric material atop the stagnant Pacific slab, which influenced the formation of crust‐mantle transition zone in the eastern NCC. On the other hand, regional delamination of the deep crust after orogenic thickened and/or magmatic underplating beneath the YSTB caused the spatial variation of the crust‐mantle boundary. Both of the mantle processes possibly changed the nature of the lithospheric mantle.


At the global level, the economic crises that have happened at the end of the 20th century and those that are predicted for the first decades of the 21st century, have affected in a direct and important way the younger population, in both the education and labor aspect. As a result, the high level of unemployment observed in several countries is being justified by the lack of experience, gender and ethnicity of the generational groups. In the present study, young people from the municipality of Tenango de Doria in the state of Hidalgo, Mexico, found the idea of "studying / having experience" is of utmost importance to them. This is why their intention of betting on achieving a higher schooling is clear, as they believe that "studying for a better future" is a truth and not a myth that would allow them to overcome, in some way, the situation of poverty and social vulnerability in which they currently live in their place of origin.


The presented review by the example of a long historical period traces the development of surgery of combined gun-shot osteo-vascular injuries of extremities, also describing both objective and subjective causes of unsatisfactory outcomes of treatment and presenting ways of solving the problem of treatment of these injuries during the period after World War II.


THE PROBLEM OF DELINQUENCY. Edited by Sheldon Glueck. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Riverside Press, 1959. Pp. 1183. Price, $10.50. This collection of important papers, compiled by a leading authority on delinquency, provides a comprehensive survey for those specializing in the field. The book is divided into three parts, of which the second concerns legal matters. This part describes in detail the functions and methods of work of the American juvenile courts, explains the laws under which they operate, and quotes numerous cases in the exposition of legal issues. Problems of constitutional protection, individual rights, presentation of evidence, and powers of custody and disposal are all dealt with at length. The first and third parts are of more general interest to psychiatrists working in other countries. They deal respectively with incidence and causation and with treatment methods. The first part, in particular, gives a valuable review


Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been identified as novel biomarkers for the diagnosis, staging and prognosis for gastric cancer. However, various studies have reported a series of significances based on different diagnostic values. Therefore, the current study performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of lncRNAs for gastric cancer, and to discuss lncRNA types and sources of heterogeneity. The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE, the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, the China Academic Journals Full-text Database and the Chinese Scientific Journals Database were systematically searched for potential studies. Studies were included if they were associated with lncRNAs, gastric cancer and reported diagnostic outcomes. Analysis of diagnostic values was used to summarize the overall test performance of lncRNAs. Ten studies were included in this meta-analysis. The ranges of the diagnostic value of lncRNAs for gastric cancer were as follows: Sensitivity was 0.45–0.83, and pooled sensitivity was 0.63; specificity was 0.60–0.93, and pooled specificity was 0.75; positive likelihood ratio was 1.80–6.92, and pooled positive likelihood ratio was 2.51; negative likelihood ratio was 0.23–0.67, and pooled negative likelihood ratio was 0.50; diagnostic odds ratio was 3.33–13.75, and pooled diagnostic odds ratio was 5.47. An overall area under the curve value of the summary receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.7550. LncRNAs did not have a high accuracy for identifying gastric cancer at present, but may be a useful screening tool for diagnosing gastric cancer due to their correlation with gastric cancer biological features. LncRNAs are potential biomarkers for gastric cancer if the screening strategy is altered, or they are combined with other biomarkers to diagnose gastric cancer.


A tunable dual-ring microstructure fiber that can support stable transmission for different orbital angular momentum (OAM) states and possess ultrahigh dispersion coefficients and low confinement losses is proposed and theoretically investigated. The proposed fiber is composed of two high-refractive-index rings and a double-cladding structure. Owing to the central air core and outer cladding, the dual-ring structure can support stable transmission for the OAM states. The mode fields of different OAM states in the inner ring can spread to the outer ring under certain conditions, which leads to high absolute values of dispersion around the coupling wavelengths. By tuning the refractive indices of the dual rings, the proposed fiber can achieve dispersion control for different OAM modes. Moreover, the specially designed two-layer air holes in the inner cladding can affect the mode-coupling coefficients, which are characterized by the effective mode areas and the overlap integral of the electric fields between the resonant ring modes. Therefore, the dispersion curves and operating wavelengths of the OAM modes can be modulated by regulating the physical parameters (the radius of the two-layer air holes or the infiltrated functional materials) of the inner cladding. We built a theoretical model and analyzed the modulation method and mechanism of the dispersion curves based on the coupled mode theory. The theoretical results indicate that the proposed fiber is flexible and has potential dispersion-compensating applications in fiber OAM systems.


Skylights and windows are building openings that enhance human comfort and well-being in various ways. Recently, a massive drive is witnessed to replace traditional openings with building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) systems to generate power in a bid to reduce buildings' energy. The problem with most of the BIPV glazing lies in the obstruction of occupants' vision of the outdoor view. In order to resolve this problem, new technology has emerged that utilizes quantum dots semiconductors (QDs) in glazing systems. QDs can absorb and re-emit the incoming radiation in the desired direction with the tunable spectrum, which renders them favorable for building integration. By redirecting the radiation towards edges of the glazing, they can be categorized as luminescent solar concentrators (QD-LSCs) that can help to generate electricity while maintaining transparency in the glazing. The aim of this paper is to review the different properties of core/shell quantum dots and their potential applications in buildings. Literature from various disciplines was reviewed to establish correlations between the optical and electrical properties of different types, sizes, thicknesses, and concentration ratios of QDs when used in transparent glazing. The current article will help building designers and system integrators assess the merits of integrating QDs on windows/skylights with regards to energy production and potential impact on admitted daylighting and visual comfort.


A new biosensor was engineered to visualize Lck kinase preactivation and regulation in live T cells. Lck plays crucial roles in TCR signaling. We developed a new and sensitive FRET biosensor (ZapLck) to visualize Lck kinase activity with high spatiotemporal resolutions in live cells. ZapLck revealed that 62% of Lck signal was preactivated in T-cells. In Lck-deficient JCam T-cells, Lck preactivation was abolished, which can be restored to 51% by reconstitution with wild-type Lck (LckWT) but not a putatively inactive mutant LckY394F. LckWT also showed a stronger basal Lck-Lck interaction and a slower diffusion rate than LckY394F. Interestingly, aggregation of TCR receptors by antibodies in JCam cells led to a strong activation of reconstituted LckY394F similar to LckWT. Both activated LckY394F and LckWT diffused more slowly and displayed increased Lck-Lck interaction at a similar level. Therefore, these results suggest that a phosphorylatable Y394 is necessary for the basal-level interaction and preactivation of LckWT, while antibody-induced TCR aggregation can trigger the full activation of LckY394F.


ABSTRACT The genetic variability of the envelope surface domain (SU) of simian foamy virus (FV) of African green monkeys was studied. To assess the interindividual diversity of FV, isolates were obtained from 19 animals living together in a monkey house. The monkeys had been imported from Kenya prior to being placed in long-term housing in the research institute. In addition, a simian FV isolate and proviral DNA were obtained from an animal caretaker infected in this setting. DNA of the complete SU (1779 to 1793 bp) was analyzed by PCR and sequencing. The sequences revealed four clusters with high homologies (>95%). Between the clusters, divergencies ranged from 3 to 25%. Obviously, the clusters reflect four different strains or subtypes of simian FV type 3 that were prevalent in the colony. In contrast to lentiviruses, hypervariable regions could not be detected in the FV SU. Furthermore, to analyze the intraindividual diversity of FV, we investigated the virus population within an individual monkey at a given time point and its evolution over 13 years. For this purpose, 22 proviral SU clones generated by PCR from one oral swab and seven isolates obtained from the same animal between 1982 and 1995 were examined. These sequences revealed exceptionally high homology rates (99.5 to 100%), and only a minimal genetic drift was recognized within the series of isolates. In conclusion, the low in vivo divergency of FV SU suggests that genetic variability is not important for the maintenance of FV persistence.


Matching algorithms are often central sub-routines in many areas of automated reasoning. They are used in areas such as functional programming, rule-based programming, automated theorem proving, and the symbolic analysis of security protocols. Matching is related to unification but provides a somewhat simplified problem. Thus, in some cases, we can obtain a matching algorithm even if the unification problem is undecidable. In this paper we consider a hierarchical approach to constructing matching algorithms. The hierarchical method has been successful for developing unification algorithms for theories defined over a constructor sub-theory. We show how the approach can be extended to matching problems which allows for the development, in a modular way, of hierarchical matching algorithms. Here we focus on regular theories, where both sides of each equational axiom have the same set of variables. We show that the combination of two hierarchical matching algorithms leads to a hierarchical matching algorithm for the union of regular theories sharing only a common constructor sub-theory.


Microfluidic devices for drop and emulsion production are often built using fire-shaped (or fire-polished) glass nozzles. These are usually fabricated manually with inexpensive equipment. The shape limitations and poor reproducibility are pointed as the main drawbacks. Here, we evaluate the capabilities of a new fire-shaping approach which fabricates the nozzle by heating a vertical rotating capillary at the Bottom of a Lateral Flame (BLF). We analyze the effect of the heating conditions, and the capillary size and tolerances. The shape reproducibility is excellent for nozzles of the same size produced with the same conditions. However, the size reproducibility is limited and does not seem to be significantly affected by the heating conditions. Specifically, the minimum neck diameter standard deviation is 3%. Different shapes can be obtained by changing the heating position or the capillary dimensions, though, for a given diameter reduction, there is a minimum nozzle length due to the overturning of the surface. The use of thinner (wall or inner diameter) capillaries allows producing much shorter nozzles but hinders the size reproducibility. Finally, we showed an example of how the performance of a microfluidic device is affected by the nozzle shape: a Gas Dynamic Virtual Nozzle (GDVN) built with a higher convergent rate nozzle works over a wider parametric range without whipping.


The recent commodity price drop has renewed attention on the importance to diversify resource-dependent economies in particular to limit their exposure to commodity price volatility. While commodity price booms can be an opportunity to diversify the economy if managed properly, it remains an empirical question whether this has effectively been the case. Using a panel of 78 resource-dependent countries over 1970-2012 we tackle this question thanks to cointegration analysis, dynamic macro-panel estimators, as well as analyses of diversification outcomes during selected commodity price boom and bust episodes. While our econometric results evidence a stable and significant impact of commodity price booms on export concentration through a more concentrated mix of already exported products, this relationship includes both an increase in export concentration during commodity price booms and an increase in export diversification during commodity price drops. We also evidence a higher increase in export concentration during the 2000s commodity price booms than the 1970s, which explains the urging current need of most resource-dependent countries to diversify.


Electrophilic additions of DL- and L-Cys to propenoic acid afforded (RS)- and (R)-2-amino-3-(2-carboxyethylthio)propanoic acids [(RS)- and (R)-ACE], respectively. (RS)-ACE was found to exist as a conglomerate based on its melting point, solubility, and infrared spectrum. (RS)-ACE was optically resolved by preferential crystallization to yield (R)- and (S)-ACE. The obtained (R)- and (S)-ACE were efficiently recrystallized from water, taking account of the solubility of (RS)-ACE, to give them in optically pure form.


Supported silver catalysts displayed a moderate ignition temperature of Ti ∼ 100 °C in partial oxidation of methanol (POM). The moderate Ti was attributed to an enhanced adsorption of methanol on silver by co-adsorption of oxygen. The conversion of methanol increases with the reaction temperature and the ratio of oxygen to methanol. CO2 (instead of CO), H2 and H2 O were found as the major product of POM. The selectivity of desired products, CO2 and H2 , varied with the kind of support used in silver catalysts. A mechanism is proposed to account for the variation in the distribution of products.Copyright © 2004 by ASME


The first absolute measurement of the cross section for excitation of a hydrogen-like ion is reported. The combined cross section for electron impact excitation of ground state He+ to the 2 2S and 2 2P excited states has been measured in the near-threshold region from 40.08 to 41.95 eV using the JILA/ORNL merged electron-ion beams energy-loss technique. The threshold step in the cross section is measured as (8.46±1.52)×10-18 cm2 at 90% confidence level of total uncertainty, which is approximately 20% larger than values calculated using close-coupling and variational methods. This contrasts with the long-standing disparity of nearly a factor of two between theory and normalized experiment for excitation to the 2 2S state.


With a single stochastic extremum seeking control signal, we steer multiple autonomous vehicles, modeled as nonholonomic unicycles, toward the maximum of an unknown, spatially distributed signal field. The vehicles, whose angular velocities are constant and distinct, travel at the same forward velocity, which is controlled by the stochastic extremum seeking controller. To determine the vehicles' velocity, the controller uses measurements of the signal field at the respective vehicle positions and excitation based on filtered white noise. The positions of the vehicles are not measured. We prove local exponential convergence, both almost surely and in probability, to a small neighborhood near the source and provide a numerical example to illustrate the effectiveness of the algorithm.Copyright © 2012 by ASME


Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC

Solid tumor growth requires new blood vessel formation or angiogenesis. Inhibition of angiogenesis as a therapeutic strategy in oncology has been validated by treatments that block vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) or its receptors, such as bevacizumab (Avastin®), which is an anti-VEGF antibody that prolongs survival in colorectal, lung and other cancer patients in combination with chemotherapy. However, since not all tumors are sensitive to VEGF blockade and resistance mechanisms to VEGF therapies can develop, inhibition of additional targets may be necessary in order to control tumor growth and achieve better clinical effects. PlGF is a member of the VEGF family that is found only in very low levels under normal physiological conditions, but is up-regulated in almost all major malignant diseases. PlGF expression has shown to correlate with tumor stages and patient survival in breast cancer, CRC and gastric cancer [1-3]. Pre-clinical data support a role for PlGF in tumor angiogenesis, and demonstrate that blocking PlGF can inhibit tumor growth [4]. RO5323441, a humanized IgG1 monoclonal antibody directed against PlGF, has demonstrated anti-tumor activity in human tumor xenograft models in mice, has a benign preclinical toxicology profile and is being developed for the treatment of multiple advanced cancer indications. RO5323441 binds to both PlGF-1 and PlGF-2 in a dose dependent manner, and is not cross-reactive with murine PlGF or human VEGF. RO5323441 inhibits the binding of human PlGF-1 or PlGF-2 to VEGFR −1 with IC50 values of 0.1 and 0.2 nM, respectively. RO5323441 blocks PlGF-induced VEGFR-1 phosphorylation in Flt-1-transfected HEK293 cells. Antitumor activity has been demonstrated in mutliple tumor models including ACHN and Caki-1 renal cell carcinoma and Huh-7, hepatocellular carcinoma xenografts. Inhibition of established tumors ranged from 43-97% with twice weekly dosing. A refractory model of non-small cell lung cancer has also been identified. Studies to understand the mechanism of action and to identify pharmacodynamic markers and have been carried out in ACHN-tumor bearing mice.

References

1. Wei SC, Tsao PN, Yu SC, et al. Placenta growth factor expression is correlated with survival of patients with colorectal cancer. Gut. 2005 May; 54(5):666-72.

2. Parr C, Watkins G, Boulton M et al. Placenta growth factor is over-expressed and has prognostic value in human breast cancer. Eur J Cancer. 2005 Dec;41(18):2819-27.

3. Chen CN, Hsieh FJ, Cheng YM, et al. The significance of placenta growth factor in angiogenesis and clinical outcome of human gastric cancer. Cancer Lett. 2004 Sep 15;213(1):73-82.

4. Fischer C, Jonckx B, Mazzone M, et al. Anti-PlGF inhibits growth of VEGF(R)-inhibitor-resistant tumors without affecting healthy vessels. Cell. 2007. 131 : 463-75.

Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1370.


Forensic psychiatric inpatients are frequently exposed to aggression from fellow patients during their treatment, but research on how this impacts patients' well-being and treatment progress is lacking. In this study, we interviewed nine patients on their experiences of victimization during mandatory psychiatric treatment. The interviews were analyzed using a Grounded Theory approach combined with elements from Consensual Qualitative Research and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Three main themes emerged from the data, namely situational descriptives, intraperso-nal and interpersonal consequences. Patients were not only exposed to both physical violence and verbal aggression by other patients, but also to a more ubiquitous flow of micro-aggressive comments. Options to escape these situations were limited. This means that victimization processes, which for most patients started much earlier in life, continue during forensic psychiatric treatment. Intrapersonal consequences include fear, hypervigilance, reactive aggression, flashbacks and avoidance and withdrawal. Interpersonal consequences include increased power differences between patients and adverse treatment consequences, such as difficulties with self-esteem. Victimization processes are not always timely noticed in an environment that focuses on risks and treat-ment of delinquent behavior. A higher level of trauma sensitivity in forensic mental health care is thus required. Recommendations for the implementation of trauma informed care are provided.


Positioning for placement of an epidural catheter can be quite painful for patients with lower limb injuries. We randomly allocated 50 patients scheduled for surgery after lower limb injuries for placement of a lumbar epidural catheter in the sitting position with the back in the neutral unflexed position by either the midline or paramedian approach. If the approach failed after two attempts, patients were placed in a flexed-spine position, and the procedure was attempted again. Technical difficulties and complications were recorded. In 17 patients in the midline group, and 1 patient in the paramedian group, it was not possible to insert the needle initially, and a flexed-spine position was required (P < 0.05). The incidences of resistance to catheter insertion (eight versus one), paresthesia (seven versus zero), and appearance of blood in the catheter (six versus zero) were significantly more frequent in the midline compared with the paramedian approach. The midline group also experienced more discomfort than the paramedian group. We conclude that, with the patient sitting with an unflexed spine, it is usually possible to insert an epidural catheter with the paramedian approach.


This paper explores the contributions of sociology (and overlapping disciplines such as anthropology, social policy, and cultural studies) to happiness scholarship from the Enlightenment through to the present day. Pre-20th century thinkers whose work led to the formation of social science tended to take the theme of happiness seriously as a central challenge of social scholarship. Over the past century, sociologists have made important contributions to understanding happiness, although its absence from textbooks, encyclopedias, and conferences suggests that happiness has never been a major theme in mainstream sociology. The discipline's role in happiness scholarship could be greatly strengthened through more systematic and explicit approaches, especially in qualitative research. These will doubtless be developed soon, as sociology catches up with the other social sciences (most notably psychology and economics) that have already made great progress in convincing general publics and politicians that something so elusive as happiness can be analysed and assessed in robust and illuminating ways. A 'happiness lens' is recommended as a way of making sociology more transparent regarding its contributions to understanding and promoting good societies and good lives. This lens complements pathologism with positivity; insists on empathic effort to respect first-person subjectivity; and promotes holism and lifecourse perspectives.


This paper describes large-scale magnetic field analysis by means of the hybrid finite element-boundary element (FE-BE) method. The FE-BE method is well-suited for solving open electromagnetic field problems that comprise movement, non-linear media and eddy current. In general, however, large memory and computational costs are required due to the dense blocks in the system matrix generated by the BE part of the hybrid formulation. To overcome the above difficulties, we introduce the fast multipole method (FMM) to the FE-BE formulation developed by ourselves. Furthermore, we propose a novel preconditioning technique suitable for the hybrid FE-BE method with the FMM. Some numerical results that demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach are also presented.


BACKGROUND
Molecular Adsorbents Recirculating System (MARS) is an extracorporeal liver support system eliminating albumin-bound and water-soluble substances. While it is increasingly applied in patients with acute liver failure (ALF), no comparison with standard dialysis methods has yet been performed.

METHODS
This is an analysis of ten children (0.1-18 years) with ALF, who underwent a total of 22 MARS sessions. Standard adult MARS sets were used in seven (23.5-72 kg) and MARS Mini in three children (2.8-13 kg). In eight children, MARS was alternated with combined plasma exchange (PE) and haemodialysis (HD) treatments. Mean treatment duration was 7.2 (6-10) h for MARS and 5.7 (4.5-6.6) h for PE/HD.

RESULTS
Standard MARS treatment only slightly decreased serum bilirubin (16.3 ± 6.5-13.8 ± 5.9 mg/dL) and ammonia (113 ± 62-99 ± 68 μmol/L) and international normalized ratio (INR) tended to increase (1.5 ± 0.3 and 2 ± 1.1). Mini-MARS did not reduce serum bilirubin (19.7 ± 3-20.5 ± 3.2 mg/dL), ammonia slightly decreased (70 ± 24-56 ± 9 μmol/L) and INR increased (2.5 ± 0.7-2.9 ± 1.1, all P = n.s.). In contrast, PE/HD reduced serum bilirubin (23 ± 8.4-14.7 ± 7 mg/dL), ammonia (120 ± 60-70 ± 40 μmol/L) and INR (2.4 ± 0.8-1.4 ± 0.1, all P < 0.05). Intraindividual comparison showed a slight increase in bilirubin by 2 ± 22% with MARS and a reduction by 37 ± 11% with PE/HD (P < 0.001 versus MARS) and a decrease in ammonia of 18 ± 27 and 39 ± 23% (P < 0.05). INR increased during MARS by 26 ± 41% and decreased with PE/HD by 37 ± 20% (P < 0.01). All treatment sessions were well tolerated. Five children died, including the three children treated with Mini-MARS.

CONCLUSION
Our experience suggests superior efficacy of combined PE/HD as compared to intermittent MARS therapy for treating ALF.


Recent discussions of computer 'hacking' make explicit reference to the disproportionate involvement of juveniles in this form of computer crime. While criminal justice, computer security, public and popular reflections on hacking seldom refer to formal criminological analyses of youth offending, they nonetheless offer a range of explanations for the over-representation of young people amongst computer hackers. Such accounts of hacking can be seen to converge with criminological analyses, by stressing a range of causal factors related to gender psychology, adolescent moral development, family dysfunction and peer-group and subcultural association. The homologies between 'lay', 'administrative', 'expert', 'popular' and criminological discourses, it is suggested, offer considerable scope for developing a critical, academically-informed, and policy-oriented debate on young people's participation in computer crime.


The proliferation of software-embedded devices through the Internet of Things (IoT) suggests that more features of daily life will be run on software and delivered as online services. Advocates argue that this accelerating shift will generate enormous benefits for consumers, businesses, and governments. But the IoT also presents an acute and growing risk of deploying insecure embedded software into critical systems. This paper argues that the economic incentives for industry are insufficient to deliver an optimal level of cybersecurity for embedded systems and that policy makers must fill the void. Through synthesis of the objectives of regulators and product counsel, a regime for promoting the development of secure embedded systems that preserves "permissionless innovation" while responsibly "protect[ing] public health, welfare and safety" is developed. Drawing on legal and economic analyses of software security and integrating lessons from the open source software movement, the proposed regime combines incentives for public source code disclosure with enhanced ex post liability for insecure software in a limited number of high-risk embedded systems. Autonomous vehicles are analyzed as a test case. As physical objects increasingly rely on software-embedded systems, regulation must keep pace. Promoting secure software without stifling innovation is critical, particularly given the exponential rate of improvement of networked devices. This paper offers a path to promote the security of embedded systems through a regulatory regime that facilitates vigorous competition between IoT manufacturers, incentivizes secure software development at scale, reduces uncertainty surrounding liability, and fosters public


UNSTRUCTURED
 Background: This study aims to analyze the efficacy of wearable and mobile systems to assist people with High-Functioning Autism (HFA) in their emotional self-regulation learning process compared to the proven efficacy of this technology with individuals with autism in the low functioning area of the spectrum.
 Methods: We carry out an experiment with a smartwatch system (Taimun-Watch) that had been tested previously with individuals in the low-functioning range. This experiment involves two (N=2) individuals with HFA and we compare their performance to the obtained in the prior experiment by monitoring their activity and observing their behavior during 7 and 9 labor days, respectively. The results evidence that,
 Results & Conclusions: Although it takes more time to find and customize effective self-regulation strategies in comparison to the low-functioning autism individuals due to their sharper, more complex cognitive abilities and perception, they were able to use the system to recover from stress episodes as well using the system and tolerated suitably the devices in their daily activity.


In ptychography experiments, redundant scanning is usually required to guarantee the stable recovery, such that a huge amount of frames are generated, and thus it poses a great demand of parallel computing in order to solve this large-scale inverse problem. In this paper, we propose the overlapping Domain Decomposition Methods (DDMs) to solve the nonconvex optimization problem in ptychographic imaging, that decouple the problem defined on the whole domain into subproblems only defined on the subdomains with synchronizing information on the interface of these subdomains, thus leading to highly parallel algorithms with good load balance. More specifically, for the nonblind recovery (with known probe in advance), by enforcing the continuity of the overlapping region for the image (sample), the nonlinear optimization model is established based on a novel smooth-truncated amplitude-Gaussian metric. Then the Alternating Direction Method of Multipliers (ADMM) is utilized to generate an efficient Overlapping Domain Decomposition based Ptychography algorithm (OD2P) for the two-subdomain domain decomposition (DD), where all subproblems can be computed with close-form solutions. Due to the Lipschitz continuity for the gradient of the objective function, the convergence of the proposed OD2P is derived under mild conditions. Moreover, it is extended to more general case including multiple-subdomain DD and blind recovery. Numerical experiments are further conducted to show the performance of proposed algorithms, demonstrating good convergence speed and robustness to the noise. Especially, we report the virtual wall-clock time of proposed algorithm, which shows great potential for parallel computing in massively parallel processing computers.


It is now well accepted that defined architectural compartments within the cell nucleus can regulate the transcriptional activity of chromosomal domains within their vicinity. However, it is generally unclear how these compartments are formed. The nuclear periphery has received a great deal of attention as a repressive compartment that is implicated in many cellular functions during development and disease. The inner nuclear membrane, the nuclear lamina, and associated proteins compose the nuclear periphery and together they interact with proximal chromatin creating a repressive environment. A new study by Harr et al. identifies specific protein–DNA interactions and epigenetic states necessary to re‐position chromatin to the nuclear periphery in a cell‐type specific manner. Here, we review concepts in gene positioning within the nucleus and current accepted models of dynamic gene repositioning within the nucleus during differentiation. This study highlights that myriad pathways lead to nuclear organization.


We consider the leading finite-size effects on some structure constants for the η deformed AdS5 × S background in the framework of the semiclassical approach. The leading finite-size corrections are derived for the cases when we have two heavy string states represented by giant magnons and for two different choices of the light states corresponding to dilaton operator with nonzero momentum and primary scalar operators. Since the dual field theory is still unknown, the results obtained here must be considered as conjectures or as predictions from the string theory side.


19 patients developing signs os secondary brain stem involvement after severe head-brain injury underwent human growth hormone (HGH) provocation tests with arginine to determine the significance of HGH during the course of catabolism due to vegetative dysfunction. The results of provocation suggest a normal release of HGH to arginine stimulus during the postagression syndrome. The release decreases in the further course dependent on duration of intensive therapy and degree of brain injury. During recovery the HGH-release slowly became normalized. There was no correlation between blood glucose levels before as well as after stimulation and the percentage increase of HGH. A negative correlation was found between urea-nitrogen-excretion and HGH increase. This finding suggests the retention of nitrogen due to an elevated release of HGH after arginine-stimulation. The therapeutic aspects of these results were discussed, especially the effect of HGH and beta-blocking agents on the traumatically disturbed metabolism and also the value of a higher supply of insulin and amino acids.


Economic performance of a company does not depend on the
company itself, but on its relationships to other subjects and
the ability to create value from such relationships. Paradigm
shift in management towards network perspective goes hand in
hand with new understanding of value and value-creation
process. In our article we try to identify direct and indirect
ways of how value is created in relationships. Beside that, we
also analyse two different kinds of relationships to prove that
relationships, which stimulate further development of
companies, create value more indirectly than relationships,
which just support economical stability of companies.


The foundations of volunteering, charitable giving, voluntary associations, voluntary agencies, and other aspects of the Voluntary Nonprofit Sector (VNPS) collectively and individual voluntary action lie in various aspects of human nature and human societies. These may be referred to variously as altruism, morality, ethics, virtue, kindness, generosity, cooperation, social solidarity, and prosociality. Such foundations of the VNPS, and specifically of social solidarity and prosociality, are the subjects of this literature review article/book. The central goal here is to provide a comprehensive and interdisciplinary theoretical framework for understanding, explaining, and predicting such phenomena, based on two versions of the author's S-Theory.


We explored the emerging relationships among the alcohol industry, academic medicine, and the public health community in the context of public health theory dealing with corporate social responsibility. We reviewed sponsorship of scientific research, efforts to influence public perceptions of research, dissemination of scientific information, and industry-funded policy initiatives. To the extent that the scientific evidence supports the reduction of alcohol consumption through regulatory and legal measures, the academic community has come into increasing conflict with the views of the alcohol industry. We concluded that the alcohol industry has intensified its scientific and policy-related activities under the general framework of corporate social responsibility initiatives, most of which can be described as instrumental to the industry's economic interests.


Ensuring quality control in written communication is the job of a technical editor. By better understanding the responsibilities of such an editor, an engineering manager might want to hire either a part-time or a full-time technical editor. Case histories illustrate how a technical editor has helped an engineering company get papers published.


A unique specimen of Viscum obscurum on the succulent Euphorbia polygona is described and its structure compared with that of specimens of similar size on two woody hosts, Brachylaena elliptica and Sideroxylon inerme. On Euphorbia, the primary haustorium was embedded in host wood, but it was ribbed and had produced narrow branches at various points. The structure can be related to the normal types on woody hosts as the response of the parasite to initially separate bundles, by production of branches growing along them inwards. The cambial activity of the host was greatly stimulated, groups of bundles united to form steles, these merged more or less as they increased in diameter. At the margin of contact in the cambial region, protrusions formed the ribs, more or less embedded in host xylem. Some of these extended inwards along the host cambium; a few were separated from the main cortex as lateral branches of the haustorium, with separate cortical tips and cambium. Against the haustorium and its branches internal patches of periderm were frequent and the extent of periderm at the surface was greatly increased. Comparison of the different specimens and of a range of seedling forms leads to an emphasis of the dorsiventral character of the haustorial system and an attempt to distinguish the reactions expressed in its structure.


We describe and illustrate Zamia imbricata and Z. sinuensis, two new species (Zamiaceae, Cycadales) from the Magdalena-Urabá moist forests ecoregion of northern Colombia. The new species appear to belong to the manicata clade, an assemblage of species strongly supported by recent molecular phylogenetic analyses and which shares a set of morphological characters such as hypogeous to semi-hypogeous stems, distinctly toothed leaflets, long peduncles, megasporophylls with relatively flat shields, and diminutive pollen cones containing microsporophylls with a much-reduced fertile section of the lamina. Zamia imbricata, a species from the Middle Magdalena Valley Basin of Caldas, is distinguished from other members of the clade by its planar leaves comprised of diminutive, highly imbricate papyraceous leaflets. Zamia sinuensis, a species from the Sinú River Basin of Córdoba is similar to Z. manicata, from which it is distinguished by the absence of the petiolule and gland-like collar that characterize the latter, and by its strongly undulate leaflets. The two new species are discussed within the context of the manicata clade, and a vegetative key to the clade is provided.


Sir, We read your article with interest. As you rightly pointed out, anaemia in pregnancy is common. In the UK, anaemia is defined based on the haemoglobin level. The structure of your study with the sample size was remarkable and the statistical models used to address confounding factors and selection bias were of high quality. However, given that the data were collected between 1959 and 1966, the question of whether laboratory assays used during that period are equivalent to today's standards is relevant. We understand your limitation in defining as to when anaemia was identified. Nonetheless a distinction between acute and chronic anaemia is a criterion that may affect the results of your data. The hypothesis you make regarding the possible relationship between maternal anaemia and the lack of oxygen delivery to the placenta, thereby hindering optimal neurological development, is interesting. Foetal anaemia has been well researched. A literature review by Siddappa et al., looking at umbilical cord serum ferritin concentrations in neonates, showed that iron deficiency or overload can be associated with neurodevelopmental impairment. The influence of maternal iron status on foetal anaemia is more difficult to assess. Although it is generally agreed that the foetus will accrete adequate iron from the mother irrespective of her iron status, there is also evidence that foetal iron will be lower in the presence of maternal anaemia. Your hypothesis looks at the placenta and its possible malfunction in oxygen delivery in the presence of maternal anaemia. Although very interesting, such a chronic placental dysfunction would surely be associated with other obstetrics complications. It would be pertinent to know whether the rate of stillbirths or caesarean section were higher in the population with the lowest haematocrit. In many cases, anaemia co-exists with different types of maternal malnutrition that could be linked to socio-economic status, education on breastfeeding, quality of breast milk and other environmental factors. These are major contributors to the neurodevelopment of a child and cannot be ignored. Your results looked at the lowest haematocrit in the pregnancy. In an international context, this would imply that mothers from developing countries, who are more likely to suffer from anaemia, would have children with a lower IQ than would those in developed countries where the incidence is lower. This takes us to the next point, which is that your study was unable to assess whether treatment of anaemia had any implications. It would have been important to know whether the patients had received any treatment and if a link with IQ was still present thereafter. Finally, given that in many cases, compliance to iron replacement can be difficult to achieve, your findings can potentially shape the way we counsel patients on a daily basis in clinical practice.& References


OBJECTIVE
Cardiopulmonary bypass deteriorates pulmonary functions to a certain extent. Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are associated with increased mortality and morbidity risks in the postoperative period of open-heart surgery. In this study we compared 2 different mechanical ventilation modes, pressure-controlled ventilation (PCV) and volume-controlled ventilation (VCV), in this particular patient population.

PATIENTS AND METHODS
Forty patients with severe COPD were assigned to 1 of 2 groups and enrolled to receive PCV or VCV in the postoperative period. Arterial blood gases, respiratory parameters, and intensive care unit and hospital stays were compared between the 2 groups.

RESULTS
Maximum airway pressure was higher in the VCV group. Pulmonary compliance was lower in the VCV group and minute ventilation was significantly lower in the group ventilated with PCV mode. The respiratory index was increased in the PCV group compared with the VCV group and with preoperative findings. Duration of mechanical ventilation was significantly shorter with PCV; however, intensive care unit and hospital stays did not differ.

CONCLUSION
There is not a single widely accepted and established mode of ventilation for patients with COPD undergoing open-heart surgery. Our modest experience indicated promising results with PCV mode; however, further studies are warranted.


Modern surveillance systems have become increasingly dependent on artificial intelligence to provide actionable information for real-time decision making. A critical question relates to how these systems handle difficult ethical dilemmas, such as the re-identification of similar looking individuals. Potential misidentification of individuals can have severe negative consequences, as evidenced by recent headlines of individuals who were wrongly targeted for crimes they did not commit based on false matches. A computer vision-based saliency algorithm is proposed to help identify pixel-level differences in pairs of images containing visually similar individuals, which we term "doppelgängers." The computed saliency maps can alert human users of the presence of doppelgängers and provide important visual evidence to reduce the potential of false matches in these high-stakes situations. We show both qualitative and quantitative saliency results on doppelgängers found in a video-based person re-identification dataset (MARS) using three different state-of-the-art models. Our results suggest that this novel use of visual saliency can improve overall outcomes by helping human users in the person re-identification setting, while assuring the ethical and trusted operation of surveillance systems.


The system abilities of two chromatographic techniques, capillary electrophoresis (CE) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), were compared for the analysis of four tetracyclines (tetracycline, chlorotetracycline, oxytetracycline and doxycycline). The pH, concentration of background electrolyte (BGE) were optimized for the analysis of the standard mixture sample, meanwhile, the effects of separation voltage and water matrix (pH value and hardness) effects were investigated. In hydrodynamic injection (HDI) mode, a good quantitative linearity and baseline separation within 9. 0 min were obtained for the four tetracyclines at the optimal conditions; the analytical time was about half of that of HPLC. The limits of detection (LODs) were in the range of 0. 28 - 0. 62 mg/L, and the relative standard deviations (RSDs) (n= 6) of migration time and peak area were 0. 42% - 0. 56% and 2. 24% - 2. 95%, respectively. The obtained recoveries spiked in tap water and fishpond water were at the ranges of 96. 3% - 107. 2% and 87. 1% - 105. 2%, respectively. In addition, the stacking method, field-amplified sample injection (FASI), was employed to improve the sensitivity, and the LOD was down to the range of 17.8-35.5 μg/L. With FASI stacking, the RSDs (n=6) of migration time and peak area were 0. 85%-0. 95% and 1. 69%-3.43%, respectively. Due to the advantages of simple sample pretreatment and fast speed, CE is promising in the analysis of the antibiotics in environmental water.


Background: The aim of this study is to compare the effects of laser therapy and shock wave therapy for symptoms treatment among patients with MPS in the upper trapezius muscle. Materials and Methods: In a clinical trial study, 46 patients were selected based on the clinical criteria and physiathrist diagnosis. Subjects were randomized into two groups as follows: Twenty individuals were assigned to exercise-medication-laser therapy group, and 26 to exercise-medication-shock wave therapy group. The pain was assessed based on visual analog scale (VAS), neck disability index (NDI), and SPADI in three stages: Before treatment, subsequently after treatment, and a month after treatment. Results: One man and 19 women, age group of 45.3 ± 7.7 years, were assigned into laser therapy group. Two men and 24 women, average age group of 42.3 ± 10.4 were assigned into shock wave therapy group. A significant difference was found among our study groups before treatment and after starting treatment for VAS, NDI, and SPDI indices, that is, two methods of treatments were effective (P < 0.001). However, among these two treatment methods, laser therapy provided higher effect on VAS and NDI as compared to the radial shock wave method (P < 0.05) in 2 weeks from starting the treatment (consequent to treatment). Conclusion: According to this study results, we can conclude that shock wave and laser therapy results on similar effect in long-term for relieve of pain and eliminating symptoms in patients with myofascial but laser provides a faster optimal results.


During the past 10-15 years, Regional Health Care Networks (RHCN) have been established in many regions throughout the world. RHCN build on well-known techniques, methodologies and appropriate standards. Most of the European Countries today have set up IT strategic plans that focus on the establishment of RHCN. The benefits of having access to all relevant information are tremendous and contribute to cost-effective and coherent health services. By the rapid spread and use of Internet, technology has made it possible to interconnect all kinds of applications. In 2000, the most experienced regions in Europe joined PICNIC, a European project to develop the Next Generation Regional Health Care Networks and to support their new ways of providing health and social care. The previous generation of Regional Health Care Networks supported the interconnection of applications by transfer of messages. Messaging is an effective means of integration for isolated high-specialised systems that only need to exchange data. This service will continue to be one of the most important services in the future health care networks. However, tighter coupling may be desirable in some instances to avoid replicating the same functionality in several applications. In other words, certain services can be common and used by a number of applications instead of building that service inside each application. These common services are called middleware services. In PICNIC (http://www.medcom.dk/picnic), a new middleware Collaboration IT service has been identified and developed. This service allows the end users to perform real-time clinical collaboration, with exchange of text, structured data, voice and images across the limits of a single region. A clinical collaboration is associated with the shared clinical context to provide a record of relevant clinical information and facilitates synchronous as well as asynchronous collaboration. This new IT service builds on the increasing popularity of instance messaging and presence systems that facilitate smooth transition between synchronous and asynchronous interaction. The new Collaboration IT service is expected to have a strong impact on the practice of health care in the next generation of Regional Health Care Networks.


A variety of non-neoplastic, tumor-like conditions exist in the upper extremity. Some are common, others rare. Careful history, physical diagnosis, and a variety of imaging modalities can be helpful in arriving at an accurate diagnosis and developing a successful treatment plan for this group of lesions.


In 1989, the College of American Pathologists Q-Probes Quality Assurance Program studied intraoperative frozen-section consultations performed in 297 institutions with mean bed size of 316 (range, 0 to 1351 beds) in North America during 5 consecutive months. The aggregate database was composed of 933,751 surgical cases (mean, 3144 per institution); 52,464 frozen-section cases (mean, 177); and 79,647 individual frozen sections performed (mean, 268). The rate of frozen sections per all surgical case accessions was 5.6% (cases with frozen section) and 7.3% (individual frozen sections performed), with an average of 1.5 frozen sections per case. Frozen-section rate increased proportional to bed size, from less than 5% in institutions with bed size below 150 to 15% in institutions with bed size above 600. Of all frozen sections performed, 4.2% were deferred. Deferrals to paraffin sections in pathologists' opinions were 92.6% appropriate, 1.2% inappropriate, and 6.2% not stated. When frozen-section diagnoses were compared with permanent section diagnoses, there was a 98.3% diagnostic concordance, adjusted for deferred diagnoses, but including the performance of frozen sections on mammographically directed biopsy specimens with no gross abnormalities in 80% of institutions. This practice accounted for 11.8% of the discordant frozen-section diagnoses. The reasons for diagnostic discordances were gross tissue sampling (44.8%); misinterpretation (40%); sectioning (12.7%); inadequate history (5.6%); staining (1.5%); labeling (0.5%); and other (3%). Assessment of diagnostic discordance on patient outcomes by the reviewing pathologist showed that patient management was unaffected in 74%, minimally affected in 20%, and greatly affected in 2.5%.


The present study aimed to investigate the effect of different concentrations of protexin probiotic (Enterococcus faecium) on growth performance, differential leucocytes count, phagocytic activity, phagocytic index, serum total protein, albumin, globulin, Total bacterial count, Total enterobacteriaceae count and Total coliform count of intestinal microbial flora of seabass and disease resistance against challenge with Vibrio alginolyticus. Fish were separated in to four experimental groups of 0.0 g/kg feed (control), 0.1 g/kg feed, 0.2 g/kg feed, 0.3 g/kg feed of commercial probiotic protexin concentrate. Fish fed at 3% body weight per day. Results showed that protexin supplementation have significant improvement in growth performance, significantly increasing in lymphocytes, monocytes, phagocytic activity, phagocytic index, Serum total protein and globulin in all treated groups compared to control Contrary neutrophils and albumin/globulin ratio significantly decreased in all treated groups comparing to the control as well as decreasing in Total bacterial count, Total enterobacteriaceae count and Total coliform count of all treated groups comparing to the control. The mortality rates after challenging with Vibrio alginolyticus were significantly lower in all treated groups than the control. Results indicated that by increasing the concentration of the protexin probiotic results getting better in all examined parameters comparing to control. The present study clearly indicated that inclusion of 0.3gm / kg feed of protexin probiotic in fish diet for not less than 6th weeks can improve the immune status of seabass fingerlings to the favor of resistance to diseases.


Background: Patients with breast cancer and a familial risk and/or BRCA 1 or 2 mutations are at high risk of contralateral breast cancer and ipsilateral recurrence. While MRI screening is recommended for patients with BRCA mutations, and MRI staging for breast cancer is being increasingly used, the outcomes of such testing are not well described, especially in underserved populations. At Los Angeles County Hospital (LAC) for the last 3 years, we have enacted a program of genetic counseling and testing based standard guidelines as well as MRI evaluation of all patients newly diagnosed with breast cancer. LAC serves a population that includes a high number of indigent patients, primarily Hispanic (60%) and Asian (15%). Methods: We undertook a retrospective evaluation of all patients seen at LAC from March 2008 to March 2010 who underwent genetic counseling/testing and MRI as preoperative assessment for histologically documented breast cancer or followup after cancer treatment. IRB approval was obtained to extract data for this analysis. Demographic information along with clinical presentation, MRI and mammography results, additional imaging results, biopsy and surgical procedure and corresponding pathology data were obtained through the review of electronic medical records and clinic charts. Results: A total of 90 patients had both genetic testing and MRI reports available. The median age of all tested patients was 41 years. Ethnicity was 78% Hispanic, 9% Asian, 7% African American, 2% Caucasian and 4% other. BRCA mutation was seen in 20 cases (22%), 12 BRCA-1, 8 BRCA-2, 4 variants of unknown significance, and 66 had no mutation. Breast mass or other symptoms were the mode of detection in 89% of the overall cohort, and 81% in mutation carriers. The index lesion was visible on MRI in 78% and by mammogram in 82% of all patients. Ipsilateral MRI showed 7 abnormal non-index findings in 6 patients (7%); 6 of 7 lesions biopsied showed cancer. In the contralateral breast, 7 abnormalities were noted on MRI, but only 5 were amenable to biopsy as 2 could not be visualized by any means on follow up, and 1 showed cancer. Interestingly, only one of the 13 patients with abnormal findings carried a mutation (BRCA-1) and this patient did not have cancer on contralateral lesion biopsy. Mastectomy was performed in 91% and 78% of patients with and without mutation. Conclusions: Screening, counseling and testing for BRCA mutations is feasible in an underserved population, with a 22% mutation identification rate. MRI detected 5 non-index ipsilateral cancers and one contralateral cancer among 90 patients, with none of the detected cancers among the 20 mutation carriers. While MRI staging may be effective at detecting additional cancers in this underserved and high familial risk population, this appears to be independent of BRCA status. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2010;70(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-02-04.


The article studies the role of the literary time and its methods in the composition of the work. Various forms constituting an integral part of the literary time, based on the author's ideological-aesthetic conception, are widely used in the patterns of the literery time. In this regard, retrospection is considered as one of the effective creative-aesthetic methods. The following article analyzes the proficiency of the great writer, Chingiz Aytmatov, in creation of a story retrospecting the past of its main heroes.


This paper adds to the literature on the voluntary provision of public goods by showing that the warm glow that individuals gain depends on the perceived relative effectiveness of contributions. We use a new survey on pro-environment behaviors, attitudes, and knowledge and find that individuals act in accordance with their beliefs, regardless of whether or not these beliefs are accurate, and engage more frequently in activities that have a higher perceived impact on environmental quality. We find that low provision of the public good is greater among people who believe they cannot do much for the environment and do not consider themselves environmentalists.


 Abstract —In this paper, for the first time, we propose a photonic-aided digital-to-analog converter (PA-DAC) to break through transmitter-side bandwidth limitation in intensity modulation and direct detection (IM-DD) systems. By using this method, bandwidth of receiver-side devices can be fully utilized, and nonlinear distortions in high-data-rate electrical signals are avoided. Experimental results show that, with only linear equalization, 120 GBaud PAM-4 and PAM-6 signals have been successfully generated and detected with bite error ratios (BERs) below 6.25%-OH HD-FEC and 20%-OH SD-FEC limits, respectively.


The evolution of the seed represents a remarkable life-history transition for photosynthetic organisms. Here, we review the recent literature and historical understanding of how and why seeds evolved. Answering the 'how' question involves a detailed understanding of the developmental morphology and anatomy of seeds, as well as the genetic programs that determine seed size. We complement this with a special emphasis on the evolution of dormancy, the characteristic of seeds that allows for long 'distance' time travel. Answering the 'why' question involves proposed hypotheses of how natural selection has operated to favor the seed life-history phenomenon. The recent flurry of research describing the comparative biology of seeds is discussed. The review will be divided into sections dealing with: (1) the development and anatomy of seeds; (2) the endosperm; (3) dormancy; (4) early seed-like structures and the transition to seeds; and (5) the evolution of seed size (mass). In many cases, a special distinction is made between angiosperm and gymnosperm seeds. Finally, we make some recommendations for future research in seed biology.


Bulk SS304 polycrystalline materials with ultrafine microstructures were prepared via a high-pressure self-heating melting and quenching method. Analyses of phase composition, grain size and microstructure were performed using metallographic analysis, X-ray diffraction, Rietveld refinement and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The effects of pressure and cooling rate on the solidification of SS304 were analyzed. Mechanical property test results show that, compared with the as-received sample, the hardness and the yield strength of the pressure-quenched (PQ) samples were greatly increased, the ultimate tensile strength changed minimally, and the elongation rate became small, primarily due to the large density of dislocations in the sample. The high-pressure self-heating melting and quenching method is an exotic route to process a small piece of steel with moderate properties and ultrafine microstructure.


The pulmonary edema which follows preoptic lesions in rats is prevented by antecedent bilateral section of the splanchnic nerves. Intravenous epinephrine in doses exceeding 0.0125 mg/100 gm body weight causes fatal lung edema in rats comparable to that produced by preoptic lesions. Moreover, extracted pressor amines from rat adrenal glands cause lung edema, often fatal, when injected into the donor or into intact rats. However, adrenal demedullation does not prevent lung edema following preoptic lesions. Hence the protective effect of splanchnectomy against preoptic lesions is not wholly due to adrenal denervation. It is tentatively suggested that preoptic lung edema results from overloading of the pulmonary circuit owing to splanchnic mediated constriction of visceral venous reservoirs. Liver and spleen weights of animals dying from preoptic lung edema were significantly less than normal.


Introduction: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a problem of growing interests both for the mother and the baby. Like other South East Asia countries the prevalence of GDM has also been progressively increasing in Bangladesh. Some population based studies conducted in Bangladesh have revealed an increasing trend of GDM prevalence ranging from 6% to 14% based in using different diagnostic criteria.
Aim: To assess the fetal and maternal outcome in pregnancies complicated by gestational diabetes mellitus.
Materials and Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted in Combined Military Hospital Dhaka from April 2018 to April 2019. Total 100 cases of GDM admitted in antenatal ward were taken into considerations. Maternal & fetal outcome was studied.
Results: Study revealed that gestational diabetes was more common among >25 years old multiparous women. 88% GDM diagnosed at more than 20 weeks of gestation and more than 76% mothers with gestational diabetes delivered by caesarean section, 23% delivered vaginally. Pre-eclampsia were noted in 18% of patients. 25% babies were macrosomic at birth. 12% babies had hyperbillirubanaemia, 10% respiratory distress, 1% had congenital anomalies.
Conclusion: Gestational diabetes mellitus is common with a rising prevalence and is associated with higher maternal and neonatal morbidity. It carries additional long term health consequences for the mother and her offspring. Diagnosis and appropriate treatment of the condition decreases morbidities for the mother & baby.
JAFMC Bangladesh. Vol 16, No 2 (December) 2020: 18-21


Seed dormancy, a major factor regulating pre-harvest sprouting, can severely hinder wheat cultivation. Abscisic acid biosynthesis and sensitivity play important roles in the regulation of seed dormancy. Reduced Seed Dormancy 32 (RSD32), a wheat mutant with reduced seed dormancy, is derived from the pre-harvest sprouting tolerant cultivar, Norin61. RSD32 is regulated by a single recessive gene and mutant phenotype expressed in a seed-specific manner. Results of this study show that Norin61 has a low germination index (GI) of whole seeds at 50 days after pollination (DAP) and earlier developmental stages. In RSD32, higher GI of whole seeds was found on DAP40. Dormancy was released by DAP50. Gene expressions in embryos of Norin61 and RSD32 were compared using RNA-seq analysis at the different developmental stages of DAP20, DAP30, and DAP40. Numbers of up-regulated gene in RSD32 are similar in all developmental stages. However, down-regulated genes in RSD32 are more numerous on DAP20 and DAP30 than on DAP40. Homologous genes related to circadian clock regulation and Ca2+ signaling pathway, which have fundamental functions for plant growth and development, are involved in down-regulated genes in RSD32 on DAP20. For central components affecting the circadian clock, genes homologous to CIRCADIAN CLOCK ASSOCIATED 1 (CCA1) and LATE ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL (LHY), which act as morning expressed genes, are expressed at lower levels in RSD32. However, higher expressions of TIMING OF CAB EXPRESSION 1 (TOC1) and PHYTOCLOCK 1 homologues, acting as evening expressed genes, are observed in RSD32. Homologues of Ca2+ signaling pathway related genes are found to be specifically expressed on DAP20 in Norin61. Lower expression is shown in RSD32. These results suggest that RSD32 mutation expresses on DAP20 and earlier seed developmental stages and suggest that circadian clock regulation and Ca2+ signaling pathway are involved in regulating wheat seed dormancy.


The argument is made for having a positive error culture in child protection to improve decision making and risk management. This requires organizations to accept that mistakes are likely and to treat them as opportunities for learning and improving. In contrast, in many organizations, a punitive reaction to errors leads to workers hiding them and developing a defensive approach to their practice with children and families. The safety management literature has shown how human error is generally not simply due to a 'bad apple' but made more or less likely by the work context that helps or hinders good performance. Improving safety requires learning about the weaknesses in the organization that contribute to poor performance. To create a learning culture, people need to feel that when they talk about mistakes or weak practice there will be a constructive from their organization. One aspect of reducing the blame culture is to develop a shared understanding of how practice will be judged and how those appraising practice will avoid the hindsight bias. To facilitate a positive error culture, a set of risk principles are presented that offer a set of criteria by which practice should be appraised.


The first synthesis and biological evaluation of antibiotic 31 (A-33853) and its analogues are reported. Initial screening for inhibition of L. donovani, T. b. rhodesiense, T. cruzi, and P. falciparum cultures followed by determination of IC(50) in L. donovani and cytotoxicity on L6 cells revealed 31 to be 3-fold more active than miltefosine, a known antileishmanial drug. Compounds 14, 15, and 25 selectively inhibited L. donovani at nanomolar concentrations and showed much lower cytotoxicity.


Background We aimed to establish a prospectively enrolled colorectal cancer (CRC) cohort for targeted sequencing of primary tumors from CRC patients. In parallel, we established collateral PDC models from the matched primary tumor tissues, which may be later used as preclinical models for genome-directed targeted therapy experiments. Results In all, we identified 27 SNVs in the 6 genes such as PIK3CA (N = 16), BRAF (N = 6), NRAS (N = 2), and CTNNB1 (N = 1), PTEN (N = 1), and ERBB2 (N = 1). RET-NCOA4 translocation was observed in one out of 105 patients (0.9%). PDC models were successfully established from 62 (55.4%) of the 112 samples. To confirm the genomic features of various tumor cells, we compared variant allele frequency results of the primary tumor and progeny PDCs. The Pearson correlation coefficient between the variants from primary tumor cells and PDCs was 0.881. Methods Between April 2014 and June 2015, 112 patients with CRC who underwent resection of the primary tumor were enrolled in the SMC Oncology Biomarker study. The PDC culture protocol was performed for all eligible patients. All of the primary tumors from the 112 patients who provided written informed consent were genomically sequenced with targeted sequencing. In parallel, PDC establishment was attempted for all sequenced tumors. Conclusions We have prospectively sequenced a CRC cohort of 105 patients and successfully established 62 PDC in parallel. Each genomically characterized PDCs can be used as a preclinical model especially in rare genomic alteration event.


A kinetic Monte-Carlo methodology is presented for simulating crystal growth in materials which contain stacking faults. By simulating a large number of potential growth and dissolution events, a representation of the crystal is generated at various stages throughout the crystallisation, allowing the effects of disorder on the evolution of crystal habit and nanoscale surface topography to be explored. As examples, simulations were performed on two intergrown zeolite materials - zeolite T and zeolite beta. In both zeolite T and zeolite beta, simulations demonstrate how an intergrown structure leads to a characteristic roughening of certain crystal facets. In zeolite beta, this is accompanied by the development of internal defects which shows a non-homogeneous distribution. Results of simulations are validated by direct comparison to experimental scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and X-ray diffraction data. All simulations are performed using the CrystalGrower software package with modifications to account for disorder and should be generally applicable to all classes of crystals.


BACKGROUND
A minority of patients with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) do not respond favorably to methylphenidate. This has been partially associated with homozygosity for the Dopamine transporter (DAT1) 10-repeat allele and the presence of one or two Dopamine D4 receptor (DRD4) 7-repeat alleles. This study examined the sibling correlation of methylphenidate response rate and the possible association between response rate and these risk alleles.

METHODS
A sample of 82 Dutch children with ADHD, from 54 families, (including 30 singletons and 28 sib pairs), who used methylphenidate, was phenotyped according to DSM-IV criteria. Patients were members of affected sib pairs and were genotyped for DAT1 and DRD4. The sibling Intraclass Correlation Coefficient for methylphenidate response rate was calculated. The association between individual response rates and the risk alleles was examined using linear regression techniques.

RESULTS
The Intraclass Correlation Coefficient was significant (r=.563, p=.001). No evidence was found establishing an association between methylphenidate response and DAT1-homozygosity. There was a positive trend towards association with the presence of one or two DRD4-7R alleles.

CONCLUSIONS
The sibling correlation may indicate a familial clustering of methylphenidate response. This response is possibly associated with the presence of one or two alleles at the DRD4-7R locus, but not with DAT1-10R homozygosity in the Dutch population.


Objectives-This report describes state-specific trends in primary cesarean delivery rates from 2006 through 2012 for reporting areas that implemented the 2003 U.S. Standard Certificate of Live Birth by January 1, 2006, and from 2009 through 2012 for reporting areas that implemented the 2003 revision by January 1, 2009. State-specific changes by gestational age are also explored. Methods-Data for 2006-2012 are based on 100% of singleton births to residents of the reporting areas that implemented the 2003 birth certificate revision by January 1 of each year. Results are not generalizable to the entire United States-the reporting areas do not represent a random sample of U.S. births. Results-The primary cesarean delivery rate for the 2006 reporting area (19 states) increased from 21.9% in 2006 to 22.4% in 2009, and then declined to 21.9% in 2012. For the 2009 reporting area (28 states and New York City), the primary cesarean rate declined from 22.1% to 21.5% during 2009-2012. Rates for 16 of 29 areas declined during 2009-2012; the remaining states were unchanged. By gestational age, state-specific primary cesarean delivery rates at 38 weeks declined for 18 of 29 areas from 2009 to 2012; few state-specific changes were observed at other gestational ages. The primary cesarean delivery rate for the 38 states, District of Columbia, and New York City that were using the revised certificate by January 1, 2012, was 21.5%. State-specific rates ranged from 12.5% (Utah) to 26.9% (Florida and Louisiana).


Patients with central diastema disorders often feel shame and less 0f confident. The disorder can be repaired by a Labial veneer restoration. This restoration is an improvement in the form of a layer on the labial surface of the tooth selected because it gives satisfactory aesthetic results and maintains the tooth structure. At this time, the method of fabricating labial veneer all porcelain growing rapidly, such as making labial veneer all porcelain with base layer using press method like all porcelain E-max press. This paper aims to determine the stages and problem solving of the difficulties that arise in the procedure of fabricating  labial veneer all porcelain with the basic layer of labial veneer using press method. The method is based on working model done in dental laboratory, starting from work model preparation, wax contouring (wax up), Sprueing, Investing, Preheating, Pressing, Divesting, Cutting sprue and Build-up porcelain. Results obtained from making this labial veneer all porcelain is a tightly closed diastema that forms a contact of the field, smooth and glossy surface and good aesthetic.


Estrogen deficiency and aging are associated with osteoporosis, impaired bone healing, and lower cognitive performance. Close functional and physical connections occur between bone and the central nervous system. An anti-inflammatory drug, zileuton (which is an inhibitor of arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase), is known to have a positive effect on bone tissue repair and brain ischemia. We studied the effect of zileuton on osteopenic bone and its healing and on the genes considered to be crucial for the cross talks between bone and brain. Three-month-old Sprague-Dawley rats were ovariectomized or left untreated. After 8 wk, bilateral metaphyseal tibia osteotomy with plate osteosynthesis was performed in all rats. Ovariectomized rats were fed with food containing zileuton (1, 10, or 100 mg/kg body wt) for 5 wk. In tibiae, bone volume, callus and cortical volume, and gene expression of osteocalcin and alkaline phosphatase were enhanced by zileuton (10 or 100 mg); biomechanical properties and bone density were not changed. In femur, zileuton enlarged cortical volume distal and trabecular volume proximal, decreasing their density. The expression level of brain Sema3a, known to regulate bone mass positively, was downregulated after ovariectomy. In contrast, bone Sema4d, a negative regulator of bone mass, was upregulated in the tibia callus after ovariectomy, whereas zileuton treatment (10 or 100 mg) resulted in reverse effects. Here, we describe for the first time the expression of Rbbp4 mRNA and its increase in tibia after ovariectomy. Zileuton caused downregulation of Rbbp4 in the hippocampus and had an effect on bone healing, changed the expression of genes involved in cross talk between bones and brain, and may be a potent drug for further examination in estrogen deficiency-related dysfunction(s). NEW & NOTEWORTHY Zileuton, a 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor, increased bone volume, callus and cortical volume in osteotomized tibia, and trabecular and cortical volume in femur. Although the expression of Sema3a (positively regulating bone mass) in brain was downregulated and Sema4d (negatively regulating bone mass) was upregulated in tibia callus after ovariectomy, zileuton could counteract these effects. Rbbp4 (involved in age-related memory loss) was increased in tibia callus after ovariectomy.


Objectives: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), a noninvasive method for altering cortical excitability, is becoming a therapeutic strategy in auditory research institutions worldwide. Application of inhibiting rTMS on these overactive cortical regions can result in effective tinnitus suppression. The aim of this study is to investigate the efficacy of theta-burst rTMS in patients with chronic tinnitus. Study Design: Parallel randomized control study. Setting: Tertiary referral center. Patients: We enrolled 2 female and 20 male patients in this study. The evaluative tools included tinnitus frequency- and loudness-matching, tinnitus questionnaires (TQ), and the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI). Methods: The orthogonal projection of the auditory cortex on the scalp was focalized. A figure-eight coil was placed on the surface of the skull over the targeted region with the intensity setting at 80% of the resting motor threshold. We delivered 900 pulses of theta-burst rTMS daily for 10 business days. Main Outcome Measures: Nine of twelve patients (75%) in the active-stimulation group reported tinnitus suppression following treatment with rTMS. The treatment led to reductions of 8.58 and 8.33 in the mean TQ global and THI scores, respectively. Tinnitus loudness also decreased significantly after delivering rTMS. Results: Descriptive analysis of the TQs revealed that patients experienced significant improvements in emotional distress levels and somatic symptoms. Conclusions: Our preliminary results demonstrate that theta-burst rTMS treatments offer a method of modulating tinnitus. Patients could benefit from emotional improvements, even more than auditory perceptive relief. Further studies are needed to establish a standard protocol and to clarify nervous propagation along the auditory and psychological projection following treatment with rTMS.


The U.S. Magnet Development Program (MDP) collaboration is designing a utility mechanical structure for testing various high-field superconducting dipole coils. The design uses a shell-based structure concept, which allows applying preload in two steps: during a room temperature assembly and during a cool down to a cryogenic temperature. The structure is designed to accommodate various coil designs—including Nb3Sn Cosine Theta (CT) and Canted CT magnets as well as hybrid magnets with high temperature superconductor cables. Superconducting coils, enclosed by bolted pads to form an octagonal coil pack, will be inserted into a reusable yoke–shell subassembly and precisely preloaded during the assembly using a bladder-and-key technology. Due to a differential thermal contraction between an external aluminum shell and the magnet core, the coil preload increases during the cool down up to level required for 17-T excitation. Such a reusable structure will serve as a testing fixture supporting goals of the MDP program, decreasing cost and simplifying coil performance testing at different preload levels. We present a finite-element analysis of the structure preloading various coil designs and examine the predicted coil stress at each step of the magnet assembly and excitation.


The demand for high data-rate multimedia wireless communications has been growing rapidly. As standards are addressing higher capacity wireless links to meet increasing demands, device power consumption is also increasing. Although silicon technology is progressing exponentially, doubling about every two years, processor power consumption is also increasing by 150% every two years. In contrast, the improvement in battery technology is much slower, increasing a modest 10% every two years, leading to an exponentially increasing gap between the demand for energy and the battery capacity offered. Furthermore, the shrinking device sizes are also imposing an ergonomic limit on the battery capacity available. A wireless network consists of a large number of small sensor nodes with sensing, data processing, and communication capabilities, which are deployed in a region of interest and collaborate to accomplish a common task, a sensor network has many unique characteristics, such as denser node deployment, higher unreliability of sensor nodes, asymmetric data transmission, and severe power, computation, and memory constraints, which present many new challenges for the development and eventual application of wireless sensor networks. In particular, sensor nodes are usually battery-powered and should operate without attendance for a relatively long period of time. In most cases, it is very difficult and even impossible to change or recharge batteries for these sensor nodes. Thus, energy-saving routing protocol in wireless networks is necessary for increasing the network lifetime. In this paper we present a comparative study of different routing algorithms and analysis of same is presented in the paper. Different routing protocols have been proposed to improve the performance. All routing protocols have different behavior than others for improving and maintaining the routing performance. Routing protocols determines the route, which is required .The determination of route is done by the routing algorithm. The routing protocol first sends the packet to the nearest node and then that node sends the packet to next node. In this paper survey we find that what effects are given by different routing protocols (AODV, BATMAN, DSR, Proactive, Reactive and OLSR) in MANET for number of nodes, packet length and mobility. To give the answer of above question we check out the performance of these routing protocols. This electronic document is a "live" template. The various components of your paper [title, text, heads, etc.] are already defined on the style sheet, as illustrated by the portions given in this document. (Abstract) KeywordsMANET, Routing protocols, AODV, DSR, OLSR, Proactive, Reactive


The Dual-Wheel Transmission (DWT) unit, an innovative driving mechanism for wheeled mobile robots (WMRs), was introduced elsewhere. In this paper we conduct the direct and inverse kinematic analysis of WMRs with such units. This analysis can be applied as well to other types of WMRs equipped with conventional wheels. Both central and offset types of wheel units are discussed. The closed form symbolic solutions provided in this paper may reduce the computational complexity, as required in the real time control of such systems. Furthermore, the underlying relations reveal the geometric and physical meanings of the constraints imposed on the robots at hand.Copyright © 2004 by ASME