The microbiologically/microbially influenced corrosion (MIC) is a special type of corrosion; in this case the microorganisms by their presence and aggressive metabolites alter the processes on solid surfaces via electrochemical and chemical reactions. When microorganisms are present in most cases the degradation of metals or alloys happens by microbes embedded in biofilms and by their excreted metabolites (e.g. acids), macromolecules (with complexing ability) and by other molecules that can form insoluble precipitates; all these reactions increase the deterioration. The paper summarizes the most important characteristics of the MIC, mainly the so-called biocorrosion of metals and alloys. Not only the chemical and electrochemical processes, but the roles of the corrosion relevant microorganisms in the deteriorating processes, as well as the information about the mechanisms of the MIC worked out in the past and in the very last period are discussed. The most important (aerobic, anaerobic, slime former, acid producer etc.) microorganisms, their nutrient requirements and the formation and role of biofilms are presented, characterized and discussed, as well as the influence of biofilms on the MIC is also demonstrated. The impact of metals on the MIC is also discussed. The history of the research on MIC from its discovery till the 21 century will demonstrate the enormous work that allowed the understanding of this special type of corrosion as well as its mechanism and the role of the biofilm in MIC. The paper will expose the reactions that go on between the slimy layer (that surrounds the microorganisms even in planktonic form) and the metal surface. The mostly used techniques to visualize what on the surface happens and to measure the change in the current density/corrosion potential and in the corrosion rate due to microbial action are also summarized and in all cases the advantages and disadvantages of all methods are discussed.


Abstract Introduction Vitiligo is an acquired pigmentary disorder of unknown etiology, clinically characterized by whitish macules caused by selective loss of melanocytes. There are many melanocytes in the human cochlea. Recent studies have suggested a direct relation between cochlear dysfunction and decreased amounts of melanin. Objective To determine the effect of vitiligo on auditory function. Methods The present prospective, case control study was performed over a period of 1 year in patients between 15 and 40 years old with nonsegmental disease and the same number of controls. Pure tone audiometry (PTA) and Otoacoustic emission (OAE) were performed to analyze the correlation between vitiligo and auditory function. Results The mean pure tone audiometric threshold in the right ear at 0.5, 8 kHz, and in the left ear at the frequency of 8 kHz in the case group were significantly higher as compared with controls. The average band reproducibility (%) in the right and left ear of controls was significantly higher at the frequency of 4 kHz as compared with cases. It has been observed that signal to noise ratio was statistically higher at the frequency of 5kHz in the right ear and at 2, 3, and 5kHz in the left ear in controls as compared with cases. On the basis of disease type and duration of disease; mean pure tone audiometric threshold, average band reproducibility and signal to noise ratio, no significant effect was observed in the present study. Conclusion Vitiligo has an effect on cochlear function irrespective of the duration or distribution of the disease.


In a tuned switch mode power supply a zero voltage is maintained across a transistor switch (Q3), during both turn off and turn on switching transition intervals in the transistor switch. The tuned switch mode power supply operates in a current-mode control, on a current pulse-by-current pulse control basis. A modulator (31) of the power supply includes a pair of transistors (Q1, Q2) that form a regenerative switch to produce a portion of a control signal (VG) of the transistor switch that causes the transistor switch to turn off. A transformer-coupled input supply voltage (V1) maintains the transistor switch conductive as long as the current in the transistor switch does not exceed the threshold level of a regenerative switch. A resonant pulse (VD) is transformer-coupled from the resonant circuit to the regenerative switch for turning off the regenerative switch and for maintaining the transistor switch non conductive after the regenerative switch is turned off.


'Eden in Sumer on the Niger' is the last of the African Renaissance Series, following the bestseller 'They Lived Before Adam.' Here, Acholonu, painstakingly, provides consistent and conclusive evidence that Sumer was a civilization which grew out of the Edenic beginnings of the mother-pot of human civilization; from the same environment that put forth the 'Out of Africa' Migrations, that have consistently populated the world and given to fledgling mankind culture, language, the rubrics of a writing system developed originally on stone and in caves, basic technology, religion and astronomy. Through this book, Acholonu demonstrates that the story of Evolution is the story of the African continent, a story that has to be told, and told by African themselves.


In frog ventricular strips bathed in Ca-free Ringer's solution containing 6–30 mm/liter Mg and treated with conditioning current pulses, propagation became impaired. An exaggerated foot, or prepotential, was consistently more prominent when the conditioned strip was stimulated from one end than from the other. Occasionally a prepotential in isolation alternated with a prepotential plus action potential response. After further treatment with current pulses, propagation failed in the direction of negative current flow. Thresholds of impaled cells were identical. Bidirectional propagation was restored in Ringer's solution. Conditioning pulses of reversed polarity induced unidirectional propagation in the reverse direction. Propagation in frog sartorius muscle was not blocked under similar conditions. Prepotentials and unidirectional propagation may be explained by junctional transmission from cell to cell.


BACKGROUND
The present requirement for "at facility" polysomnograms requires many residents in mountain communities to descend in elevation for sleep testing, which may cause misleading results regarding the severity of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

DESIGN
Eleven patients with previously undiagnosed sleep apnea living at an altitude > 2,400 m (7,900 feet) in Colorado underwent diagnostic sleep studies at their home elevation and at 1,370 m (4,500 feet), and 5 of the 11 patients were also studied at sea level.

RESULTS
The mean (SE) apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) fell from 49.1 (10.5)/h to 37.0 (11.2)/h on descent to 1,370 m (p = 0.022). In the five patients who traveled to sea level, the AHI dropped from 53.8 (13.2)/h at home elevation to 47.1 (14.8)/h at 1,370 m, and to 33.1 (12.6)/h at sea level (p = 0.018). The reduction in AHI was predominantly a reduction in hypopneas and central apneas, with little change in the frequency of obstructive apneas. Duration of the obstructive apneas lengthened with descent. Of eight patients with an AHI < 50/h at their home elevation, two patients had their AHI fall to < 5/h at 1,370 m, and a third patient dropped to < 5/h at sea level, ie, below many physicians' threshold for providing therapy. Patients with the most severe OSA had the least improvement with descent.

CONCLUSIONS
Because AHI decreases significantly with descent in altitude, polysomnography is most accurately done at the home elevation of the patient. Descent to a sleep laboratory at a lower elevation may yield false-negative results in patients with mild or moderate sleep apnea.


This study describes the distribution of GSTT1 and GSTM1 polymorphisms in a normal population of central Poland. A homozygous inherited deletion of either gene leads to absence of enzyme activity in affected individuals, and those lacking more than one detoxifying gene are at the highest risk for diseases caused by environmental factors. The prevalence of the "null" genotype of the GSTM1 and GSTT1 genes was determined by using a multiplex polymerase chain reaction methodology in a group of 233 healthy individuals. We found the following frequencies of individuals with mutated alleles: 47.6% were homozygously deficient for GSTM1 (51.1% males, 42.4% females) and 16.3% for GSTT1 (17.7% males, 15.2% females). The combined analyses GSTM1/GSTT1 revealed the following genotypes: +/+, 44.2% (42.6% males, 46.7% females); "null"/+, 39.1% (39.7% males, 38.0% females); +/"null," 8.6% (7.1% males, 10.9% females); "null"/"null," 8.1% (10.6% males, 4.4% females). Of interest is the small number of women lacking both genes. Significant differences occurred between men and women in some age groups, which could suggest that sex differences in susceptibility to diseases may be caused by genotype differences in detoxifying enzymes such as glutathione S-transferase. The data obtained may prove to be useful for epidemiological studies.


Figure 1: Strict Hierarchy (patients treated by only one physician, and physicians have admitting privileges to only one hospital). EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This document continues the HCUP Methods Series of reports, which features information on a broad array of methods as they relate to the HCUP databases and software tools. This series is designed to help HCUP data users work efficiently and effectively with HCUP data. This report is consistent with that goal. Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) is a regression technique designed to deal with clustered or grouped data in which analytic units are naturally nested or grouped within other units of interest. For example, a physician's patients form a group nested within that physician. In analyzing outcomes from a sample of patients treated by a number of physicians, interest centers on the effects of both patient and physician characteristics. Since each group of patients is treated by a single physician, it is expected that those patients' outcomes will be correlated, which violates one of the assumptions of standard regression methods. If this correlation is ignored, wrong inferences can result with respect to the effects of both patient and physician factors. HLM accounts for this " within-group " correlation to produce better inferences when the proper model is specified. HLM has been used increasingly in health services research over the past 20 years. Early adopters tended to be academicians with an interest in the statistical theory or in the technical challenges associated with the development of modeling software. Education was one of the first areas for relatively widespread application. In education, the " hierarchy " consists of students nested within classrooms nested within schools nested within school districts, and so on. Each level of the hierarchy, from students at the first level to school districts at the highest level, can conceivably contribute to variation in student performance. Similar hierarchies exist in health services research. As more researchers appropriately apply HLM, it moves further into the consciousness of the entire health research community. Nevertheless, many researchers see HLM as a technique that lies too far outside their competency to even contemplate its application. It has only recently made its way into college curriculum; consequently, many analysts have been forced to learn HLM on the job, which can be a daunting task without some guidance. This report was developed to make that task easier. It is intended as a basic introduction to HLM, …


The title compound, C25H22O5, was obtained by a dehydrogenative carbonylation reaction. It crystallizes with one half-molecule in the asymmetric unit. The molecules have crystallographic C 2 symmetry and the two atoms of the carbonyl group are located on the rotation axis. The methoxy groups are coplanar with the benzene ring to which they are attached [C—C—O—C = 1.0 (6)°]. The two furan rings are inclined at 17.3 (3)° with respect to each other and the dihedral angle between the furan ring and the benzene ring is 75.83 (12)°. The crystal structure is stabilized by C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds.


This technical note examines the feasibility of physically modelling unstable water flow in the form of fingers in the vadose zone. A scaling analysis is performed based on published expressions for the width and velocity of fingers, as well as the distance between fingers. Particular reference is given to the use of a geotechnical centrifuge as an experimental apparatus for modelling this phenomenon. Initial results are presented for 1g and 10g fingers from a preliminary experimental program undertaken to explore the analysis. These results agree with the scaling analysis presented and indicate that finger scaling using centrifugal modelling techniques is possible.


Dr. Derrick Lonsdale was a pediatrician at Cleveland Clinic from 1962 to 1982. He was Head of the Section of Biochemical Genetics and became acquainted with the complex biochemistry associated with inborn errors of metabolism. In 1982 he entered private practice in the field of therapeutic nutrition. Before the 1980s autism was considered to be rare, but within the last few years it has become obvious that there is an increasing incidence of a disease, now known as Autistic Spectrum Disease (ASD) occurring in young children. The "spectrum" refers to the fact that the symptoms are extremely variable in severity and attempts to classify symptomatology into separate disease entities have been largely futile.


A complicated, almost critical situation has arisen in Ukraine in the early nineties in respect of drug maintenance of the population and health- and preventive-care institutions. Satisfaction of the public's needs for medicinal preparations was no more than 11 to 12% with home-made produce and up to 25% with foreign deliveries taken into account. Over the recent years (1995-1997), there has been a positive growing tendency in the total volume of home drug production (9 to 10% annually).


This study identified and compared different coping styles among adults with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. A sample comprising 534 Norwegian adults with both types of diabetes aged between 25– 70 participated in the study. Diabetes-related coping styles were assessed by self-reports, using the Diabetes Coping Measure and sub-scales from the COPE scale. A clear majority of the respondents reported to integrate their diabetes. Other encouraging findings indicated that only a small minority responded to diabetesrelated problems by denial and/or mental disengagement and resignation. On the other hand, a substantial proportion of the respondents reported that they seldom used active task-oriented coping, such as seeking social support, seeking knowledge and planning. This lack of active task-orientation was more evident among people with Type 2 diabetes than among those with Type 1. The differences found between types of diabetes and coping were mainly related to higher age and lower educational level among people with Type 2 diabetes. Moreover, 40% of the respondents reported that they often blamed themselves. In addition, self-blame correlated significantly with both the active and passive coping styles. The present results indicate that there is ample potential for improving active task orientation among adults with diabetes. It should, however, be of some concern that improving active coping may be associated with an increase in self-blaming.


ABSTRACT This research project aimed to develop and validate a rowing-specific reinvestment scale. In Study 1, a 24-item questionnaire was developed and the content validity was assessed using experts (N = 7) and pilot-tested in rowers (N = 24). Next, rowers (N = 282) completed the questionnaire with the remaining items, and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted. This further reduced the number of items and revealed two factors, rowing specific conscious motor processing (RS-CMP) and movement self-consciousness (RS-MSC). In Study 2, rowers (N = 270) completed the scale that was evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Moreover, the construct validity of the scale was investigated by asking them to complete measures of movement-specific reinvestment, perceived performance, self-consciousness, and state anxiety. Actual performance was also determined based on their race finishing position. Study 1 EFA resulted in a 2-factor model with six items assessing RS-CMP and six items assessing RS-MSC. Study 2 supported the factor structure of scale; CFA indicated an acceptable model fit with good internal consistency. Content validity was also supported, with evidence of concurrent, convergent, discriminant, and predictive validity. In conclusion, these studies provided good initial evidence for the validity and reliability of the RSRS.


The present study was aimed at determining the influence of 15 strains of lactic acid bacteria on the growth of 2 Staphylococcus aureus strains in vitro as well as in meat and raw sausages. The investigations were performed within the framework of three alternate stages which differed in respect to the products studied, the number of Lactobacillus sp. strains and, partly, methodological approach. The study also considered water activity (a(w)) and pH of the products investigated. The results obtained are demonstrated in 5 diagrams. It was found that among 15 strains of Lactobacillus aureus investigated only one strain, Lactobacillus helveticus T 78, showed antagonistic effect on studied strains of Staphylococcus aureus both in vitro as well as in meat and raw sausages. Five other strains of Lactobacillus spp. displayed the antagonistic effect in vitro only. The temperature and incubation time of sausages, but also the type of sausage stuffing were found to have a distinct or slight influence, respectively, on the antagonistic interaction between the bacteria. However, this phenomenon was affected by neither a(w) nor pH.


Metastatic lesions of primary tumors, which originate in different parts of the body, comprise almost 1 % of different types of oral cancers. These lesions can affect either bones or soft tissues in the maxillofacial region. Whenever the maxillofacial area is affected, the most common location is in the molar region of the mandible. The clinical presentation of mandibular metastasis follows a clinical pattern characterized by irradiated dental pain in the third molar region. The most frequent sign is parethesia of the area innervated by the mandibular alveolar dental nerve. Differential diagnosis and treatment of these patients can be extremely difficult because there a number of pathologic conditions with similar symptoms and because diagnostic examination can be highly confusing. The aim of this article is to present a case of prostatic adenocarcinoma where the only metastasis was found in the jaw. A literature review will be presented, hoping to contribute to the scarce information regarding this lesion, due to its low frequency and atypical expression of this type of metastasis in terms of etiology, biological behavior and treatment.


The surgical treatment of thoracolumbar metastases is controversial, and various approaches have been described. No single approach, however, is always applicable, and the optimal surgical strategy for any individual is determined by several interrelated factors. The authors have grouped these factors into four preoperative planning considerations that form the mnemonic "MAPS": 1) method of resection; 2) anatomy of spinal disease; 3) patient's level of fitness; and 4) stabilization. The choice of approach is also considered in light of the goals of surgery, including the relief of pain, neurological palliation, spinal stabilization, and oncological control.


Recent developments in Italian, Portuguese and colonial inquisition histories around the globe have greatly enhanced our knowledge both of these persecuting bodies' own institutional nature and of the varied sorts of human experience they sought to discipline. Social historians continue to find evidence for a wide range of premodern mentalities and lifeways in inquisitorial and related trial documents, not only in Europe but among indigenous and subaltern peoples in colonial settings as well. At the same time, studies of inquisitorial personnel, policies and organizational structures are contributing to broader historiographies of religion and politics in the late medieval and early modern periods. The future of inquisition history now requires increased collaboration and sharing of research across traditional divides of region, confession, and specialization.


Contemporary diffusion MRI based analysis with HARDI, which provides more accurate fiber orientation, can be performed using single or multiple b-values (single or multi-shell). Single shell HARDI cannot provide volume fraction for different tissue types, which can produce bias and noisier results in estimation of fiber ODF. Multi-shell acquisition can resolve this issue. However, it requires more scanning time and is therefore not very well suited in clinical setting. Considering this, we propose a novel deep learning architecture, MSR-Net, for reconstruction of diffusion MRI volumes for some b-value using acquisitions at another b-value. In this work, we demonstrate this for b = 2000 s/mm2 and b = 1000 s/mm2. We learn such a transformation in the space of spherical harmonic coefficients. The proposed network consists of encoder-decoder along-with an attention module and a feature module. We have considered L2 and Content loss for optimizing and improving the performance. We have trained and validated the network using the HCP data-set with standard qualitative and quantitative performance measures.


From a user's perspective, the speech quality of modern telecommunication systems often differs from that of traditional wireline telephone systems. One aspect is a changed sound of the interlocutor's voice – introduced by an expansion of the transmissionbandwidth to wide-band, by low-bitrate coding and/or by the acoustic properties of specific user-interfaces. In order to quantify the effect of transmission on speech quality, subjective data to be correlated to transmission characteristics have to be collected in auditory tests. In this paper, a study is presented investigating in how far the content of specific speech material used in a listening-only test impacts its perceived sound quality. A set of French speech data was presented to two different groups of listeners: French native speakers and listeners without knowledge of French. The speech material consists of different text types, such as everyday speech or semantically unpredictable sentences (SUS). The listeners were asked to rate the sound quality of the transmitted voice on a onedimensional category rating scale. The French listeners' ratings were found to be lower for SUS, while those of the non-French listeners did not show any major dependency on text material. Hence, it can be stated that if a given speech sign is understood by the listeners, they are unable to separate form from function and reflect content in their ratings of sound.


Fusarium solani, not known to produce onychomycosis, was repeatedly recovered trom two healthy men with'Iesions in fingernails. Mycelial fragments and microconidia were observed in the diseased nails and the fungus was repeatedly isolated in the cyclo-heximide-free culture medium. The report indicates that many fungi, hitherto considered nonpathogens may still be able to colonize a variety of human tissues.


The fracture toughness of isotropic and flow-oriented linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) is evaluated by the Essential Work of Fracture (EWF) concept, with a special setup of CCD camera to monitor the process of deformation. Allowing for the molecular orientation, flow-oriented sample, prepared via melt extrusion drawing, is stretched parallel (oriented-0°) and perpendicular (oriented-90°) to its original melt extrusion drawing direction, respectively. The obtained values of specific EFW we are 34.6, 10.2, and 4.2 N/mm for the oriented-0°, isotropic and oriented-90° sample, respectively. With knowledge of intrinsic deformation parameters deduced from uniaxial tensile tests, moreover, a relationship between specific EFW we the ratio of true yield stress to strain hardening modulus σty/G is well established. It means that the fracture toughness of polyethylene is determined by both crystalline and amorphous parts, rather than by one of them. Moreover, the true yield stress seems to be nondecisive factors determining the fracture toughness of polyethylene. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 2880–2887, 2006


Background Although bisphosphonate is effective for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis, poor medication compliance is a key-limiting factor. We determined whether alarm clock could improve compliance with weekly bisphosphonate in patients with osteoporosis, by comparing with age- and gender-matched control group. Methods Fifty patients with osteoporosis were recruited and participated in alarm clock group. Patients were asked to take orally weekly risedronate for 1 year, and received alarm clock to inform the time of taking oral bisphosphonate weekly. Using the propensity score matching with age and gender, 50 patients were identified from patients with osteoporosis medication. We compared the compliance with bisphosphonate using medication possession ratio (MPR) between two groups. Results Although there was no significant difference of baseline characteristics between both groups, the mean MPR (0.80±0.33) of alarm clock group was higher than that (0.56±0.34) of control group (P<0.001). Conclusions Alarming could improve the compliance with weekly oral bisphosphonate in patients with osteoporosis.


The first results for electron emission associated with dissociative and non-dissociative capture processes in low velocity 18O8+ + CO2 collisions are discussed. The electron spectrum is very similar to those obtained with heavy atomic targets; it is typical of multiple capture processes followed by autoionizing cascades, with strong lines superimposed on a weak continuum. No indication of a molecule target effect is found. It is shown that detailed information can be extracted from the dissociation patterns which concern the excitation of the target. As an example, the population of O6+(4l4l') states is analysed thoroughly. It is shown to correspond mainly to a double capture process accompanied by a target excitation. When the autoionization has occurred, the target dissociates into various channels for which kinetic energy release distributions are obtained. The similarity between the present findings and photoionization data is emphasized.


Ear canal sound pressure levels were measured from a 38-year-old woman who had experienced objective tinnitus in her right ear for approximately 2 years. The tinnitus sounded like a series of "sighs" that were synchronous with her pulse rate. Because the level of the tinnitus fluctuated in a pulsing manner, it appeared to be of vascular origin. Psychoacoustically, the tinnitus behaved like a low-pass masker (cutoff frequency = 1.5 kHz) of about 40 dB SPL. This masking effect was manifested as a low-frequency hearing loss in the subject's right ear. A miniature microphone system was used to monitor the tinnitus before, during, and after a jugular-vein ligation. Because the cause of the tinnitus was only generally known, acoustically monitoring the sound as the jugular vein and/or its tributaries were systematically clamped and then released enabled the site of generation to be known exactly. By monitoring the tinnitus during surgery, the effectiveness of the corrective procedure could be immediately evaluated. Hearing sensitivity in the affected ear returned to normal limits following the elimination of the tinnitus. One year after the surgery, the tinnitus was barely audible to the woman, but only when she positioned her head a specific way. The level of the tinnitus measured in this head-turned condition was markedly lower than the level obtained preoperatively.


Concerns have been raised in numerous countries over declining rates of active transport to school. In a UK context, the pupil-school commute is estimated to contribute around 658 kilotonnes of CO2 per year; however, tackling this issue effectively requires an improved understanding of how emissions can be modelled and mapped over a variety of scales. This paper implements a new estimation technique for the modelling of CO2 emissions linked with the school commute that integrates both transport network-level routing and geographically disaggregate vehicle emissions data. The model is then applied to a national cohort of pupils in England. Areas demonstrating the highest emissions were typically more rural and/or comprising more affluent resident populations. Emissions were also shown to increase with school year, with larger step changes between educational stages reflecting the different geography of school locations. Furthermore, where secondary school entry policies were selective or based on a religious domination, average emissions were typically higher than in non-selective schools.


Complex AC magnetic susceptibility measurement is one of the standard methods used to obtain information on the magnetic properties of HTSC materials. Usually the measurements are performed in the frequency range from a few tens of hertz to a few megahertz with the well known lock-in technique. Much less experimental information has been collected in the RF range. A dedicated instrument to measure the AC magnetic susceptibility ( chi ', chi '') and harmonic generations of high temperature superconductors in the frequency range 20-500 MHz is described. In the case of linear susceptibility complex values ( chi ', chi '') are measured in frequency bands centred around the values of (30+n*60) MHz while at harmonics the amplitudes are determined in the whole frequency range. A calibration procedure to obtain correct values of ( chi ', chi '') from the two components detected by lock-in of the RF signal picked up by a low inductance coil containing the sample is worked out. The dependences on frequency, temperature and static magnetic field of the complex AC susceptibility were measured for high temperature superconducting YBaCuO ceramics. Construction details, calibration methods and data evaluation are described.


Background and objective: Inflammation and cell-mediated immunity can have significant roles in different stages of carcinogenesis. The present meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the association between the polymorphisms of IL-8 (-251T/A) and IL-6 (-174G/C) and the risk of oral cancer (OC). Methods: PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Scopus databases were searched until December 18, 2020 without any restrictions. RevMan 5.3 software was used to calculate the results of forest plots (odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs)); CMA 2.0 software was used to calculate funnel plots (Begg's and Egger's tests), and SPSS 22.0 was used for the meta-regression analysis. Moreover, trial sequential analysis was conducted to estimate the robustness of the results. Results: Eleven articles including twelve studies were selected for the meta-analysis. The pooled ORs for the association between IL-8 (-251T/A) polymorphism and the risk of OC in the models of A vs. T, AA vs. TT, TA vs. TT, AA + TA vs. TT, and AA vs. TT + TA were 0.97 (p = 0.78), 0.86 (p = 0.55), 0.78 (p = 0.37), 0.83 (p = 0.45), and 1.10 (p = 0.34), respectively. The pooled ORs IL-6 (-174G/C) polymorphism and the risk of OC in the models of C vs. G, CC vs. GG, GC vs. GG, CC + GC vs. GG, and CC vs. GG + GC were 1.07 (p = 0.87), 1.17 (p = 0.82), 1.44 (p = 0.38), 1.28 (p = 0.61), and 0.96 (p = 0.93), respectively. There was no association between IL-8 (-251T/A) polymorphism and OC susceptibility, but the C allele and GC and CC genotypes of IL-6 (-174G/C) polymorphism were associated with the risk of OC based on subgroup analyses, that is to say, the source of control and the genotyping method might bias the pattern of association. Conclusions: The meta-analysis confirmed that there was no association between the polymorphisms of IL-6 (-174G/C) and IL-8 (-251T/A) and the susceptibility of OC. However, the source of control and the genotyping method could unfavorably impact on the association between the polymorphisms of IL-6 (-174G/C) and the risk OC.


Ozer G., Bayraktar H. (2015): Determination of fungal pathogens associated with Cuminum cyminum in Turkey. Plant Protect. Sci., 51: 74–79. The occurrence of fungal pathogens, associated with cumin production of Turkey, was determined during 2011 and 2012. A total of 379 isolates were classified as Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cumini, F. solani, F. acuminatum , F. equiseti , F. sambucinum , F. avenaceum, Macrophomina phaseolina , Alternaria burnsii , A. alternata, A. infectoria , Embellisia sp., and Rhizoctonia solani . Pathogenicity tests showed that F. oxysporum f.sp. cumini, F. solani, F. equiseti , M. phaseolina , A. burnsii , and A. alternata were highly pathogenic. A. burnsii and F. oxysporum f.sp. cumini were the major risk factors for cumin cultivation in Turkey. To our knowledge, this is the first report on F. oxysporum f.sp. cumini, F. solani, F. equiseti , M. phaseolina, and A. alternata in Turkey.


During a survey of human rotaviruses in Okayama Prefecture, Japan in the 2011–2012 rotavirus season (between September 2011 and August 2012), G3P[8] was found to be a predominant genotype overall. However, G1P[8] emerged in the latter half of the season. To clarify the genetic background of the G1P[8] strains, the VP7, VP4, VP6, NSP4, and NSP5/6 genes of the strains were sequenced and genotyped. As a result, it was demonstrated that the strains with two different genotype constellations (G1‐P[8]‐I1‐E1‐H1 and G1‐P[8]‐I2‐E2‐H2) prevailed in the season. The G1P[8] strains possessing the DS‐1‐like VP6, NSP4, and NSP5/6 genes (the DS‐1‐like G1P[8] strains), which should reveal a short electropherotype, were originated from possible intergenogroup reassortment events. The DS‐1‐like G1P[8] strains accounted for 74.1% of all G1P[8] strains and were detected continuously throughout the season but not in the preceding season, indicating the possibility of new introduction and rapid spreading of these strains in the 2011–2012 season. The results suggest that the intergenogroup reassortants, considered generally unstable, can spread rapidly and become relevant. J. Med. Virol. 86:1056–1064, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.


Due to the crisis in Ukraine during the last years, a need arises for the effective functioning of the
economy, which is possible through the improvement of the governmental regulation methods. This
applies the monetary policy, whose goals have been shifted from exchange-rate targeting to inflation
targeting. The efficiency of such transition depends mostly on the ability of the NBU to use its instruments
for the impact on the financial system through the interest rate and credit channels. Therefore,
the efficiency of these channels of the transmission mechanism demands investigation.
But in the previous research of the transmission of the regulatory impulses through the financial
environment, little attention was given to those environment changes. The paper presents results of
the evaluation of the power of action of the monetary transmission channels during changes in the
financial system. The fiscal pressure, level of monetization and liquidity were defined as the main characteristics of the monetary sphere that influence the transmission mechanism. The vector autoregressive models were used for the analysis. Modeling showed that the interest rate channel of the transmission mechanism changed under the changes in the environment. At the same time, the credit channel was constant regardless the changes in financial sector and rather weak. It is defined that during the monetary policy performance the changes in monetization and liquidity levels should be taken into account as they reorient the banking sector from one instrument to another.
Hence, the regulation of the instrument which is currently significant at the current stage is more efficient. The monetary policy independence also plays important role in transmission mechanism action power. The above listed aspects define the need for the regulator to perform a detailed analysis of the finance environment to improve its efficiency. Moreover, the mentioned results should be used in modeling through the use of instruments that can change the benchmarks for the interest rates as it actually happens in Ukraine.


The ultra-low-frequency (Hz region) elastic behaviour of SrTiO3 has been examined over a wide temperature range including the cubic-tetragonal transition at Tc = 105 K and the quantum paraelectric region (T < 40 K) using a three-point–bending method. A giant elastic softening has been found in the tetragonal phase. It is explained by a model, which takes into account the motion of ferroelastic domain walls in response to the applied dynamic stress. In the quantum paraelectric regime we have detected nonlinear elastic anomalies in the real and imaginary parts of the complex Young's modulus. Our data can be consistently described if we assume that ferroelectric order is induced by the applied strain gradient, which due to flexoelectric coupling is equivalent to a homogeneous electric field. Below 25 K the induced ordered polarization clusters are frozen on the experimental timescale (11 Hz).


Drugs acting on beta(1)- and beta(2)-adrenergic receptors are widely used for the clinical management of a large number of cardiovascular and respiratory pathologies. In the last decade, the discovery of the third subtype of beta receptors, the beta(3)-adrenoceptor, gave a further pharmacological target for the development of new selective drugs. Initially, a potential therapeutic use of beta(3)-selective agents seemed to be restricted to agonists, for the treatment of metabolic diseases, such as obesity, non-insulin-dependent diabetes, urinary frequency and incontinence. More recently, some interesting theories about a negative role played by the cardio-depressant activity of myocardial beta(3)-adrenoceptors in heart failure, seemed to justify a clinical use of beta(3)-antagonists in the last phases of this cardiac disease. Following the indications deriving from previous experimental work, the beta-antagonist properties of newly-synthesised (R,S)-(E)-oximeethers of 2,3-dihydro-1,8-naphthyridine and of 2,3-dihydrothiopyrano[2,3-b]pyridine were evaluated, in order to identify some useful structure-activity relationships, which might account for selectivity towards the three beta-subtypes and, in particular, the beta(3)-adrenoceptor. Among the various observations regarding possible structure-activity relationships, able to explain the pharmacodynamic patterns of the synthesised compounds on the three subtypes of beta-adrenoceptors, the most significant data derived from the evaluation of the beta(3)-blocking properties of some oximeethers of 1,8-naphthyridine derivatives. In these molecules, although the presence of the large substituents in position 7, such as 4-chloro-phenoxy- or 4-t-butyl-phenoxy groups determined a dramatic decline in both the beta(1)- and beta(2)-activities, this structural characteristic had a modest influence on the beta(3)-affinity, which was only slightly lower. Hence, this last structural requirement of oximeethers of 1,8-naphthyridine derivatives seems to represent a useful expedient to induce an appreciable selectivity towards the beta(3)-receptor, through a markedly negative effect on the beta(1)- and beta(2)-activities rather than an increase in the beta(3)-affinity.


The design and manufacturing methods of rescue robots with different locomotion principles are explained in the literature in detail. However, the design and realization of electronic circuits of a rescue robot still pose a great challenge, especially for the academics with mechanical background, who know how to design and build the mechanics of the robot but do not know how to make the robot work and make the right choices for the electronic parts, such as selecting a microcontroller or drivers. This research reports the methodology of building an electronic system for a mobile robot with off-the-shelf products.


In summary, autoregulation of the renal vasculature provides a mechanism by which renal function is maintained relatively constant despite variations in systemic blood pressure. This system also provides a means for changes in blood pressure to occur without causing inappropriate alterations in urinary NaCl excretion. Alterations in the autoregulatory response can have clinical consequences. Increased activity of the TGF mechanism may be causally related to the development of some forms of hypertension. Decreased activity of TGF or an impaired myogenic response may help explain the increased susceptibility that certain patient groups exhibit toward hypertension-induced renal injury. The aggressive treatment of hypertension in patients with impaired renal autoregulation may be associated with an increase in the serum creatinine concentration. As long as this increase is neither excessive nor progressive, physicians should not be dissuaded from trying to achieve newly established blood pressure goals.


Traditionally, the apparel manufacturing industry (AMI) has consisted of a high proportion of production workers who perform sewing operations in an assembly line. The sewing processes are the central process of the manufacturing and the most labour intensive part of apparel manufacturing. Better internal operations management is a means to enhancing the competitiveness of the apparel industry. The apparel industry is particularly dependent on the sewing machine operators (SMOs) who dominate the apparel manufacturing field and their skills affect not only the sewing line output but also the quality of garments. Therefore, it is important to examine the sewing machine operator (SMO) skill level and, after the application of a skill-set scheme (SSS), to ascertain how the performances of the sewing lines are affected. There is a research gap in a reliable SSS to measure the ability of SMOs. This research attempts to establish a systematic SSS framework to be applied to different apparel manufacturing companies to assess skilfulness and classify SMOs in order to increase sewing line productivity. Further, it provides guidelines for sewing production planning by better understanding SMO ability. To accomplish these goals, the research objectives are twofold: (1) to develop a generic skill-set scheme for the Apparel Manufacturing Industry and (2) to verify the proposed framework via a


There are six vowels in Indonesian language, i.e. /a/, /i/, /u/, /e/, /ə/ and /o/. This paper presents Indonesian vowel recognition using artificial neural network (ANN) based on the wavelet features. The wavelet features were the wavelet coefficients of vowel signal which were extracted by using discrete wavelet transform (DWT). Vowel samples were recorded from native Indonesian speakers, 10 males and 10 females. Db4 and sym4 were used as the mother wavelet, and decomposition level 2, 4 and 6 were implemented for each vowel sample. Minimum, maximum, mean and standard deviation value of the wavelet coefficients then were used as input vectors of ANN with 2 hidden layers. Backpropagation algorithm was used to training the ANN. From the experimental results, an overall recognition rate of 70.83% could be achieved. In case of male speakers the highest recognition rate is 90% and in case of female speakers the highest recognition rate is 80%. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.11591/ijece.v3i2.2325


The test blasts were carried out by detonating some single blastholes at two upper sites of the underground storage cavern for the crude oil. One was performed at the entrance site of the construction tunnel and the other at the middle area of the underground storage cavern. Based on the blast-induced nitration measured by the test blasts, we suggested the propagation equations of blasting vibration that were capable of estimating the peak particle velocity. In addition, in order to assess the stability of the adjacent ground storage tank, we did the frequency analysis and the response spectrum analysis with the particle velocity-time history and the particle acceleration-time history that were measured by the test blast carried out on the entrance site of the construction tunnel. In result, it was predicted that the displacement on the highest part of the tank shell was less than the allowable displacement.


In order to analyze the role of phagocytic cells in experimental antitubular basement membrane (TBM) antibody-mediated nephritis, Hartley guinea pigs (GP) were immunized with rabbit tubular basement membrane (TBM) in complete Freund's adjuvant and pertussis vaccine. Renal tissue was obtained 10 to 15, 15 to 25, and 25 to 35 days after the start of immunization. Severe renal tubulointerstitial (RTI) nephritis developed in 95% of the animals. Linear deposits of IgG and C3 along TBM were seen 10 days after initial immunization. A few days later, monocytes and macrophages infiltrated the interstitium and subsequently differentiated into epithelioid and foreign body-type giant cells (GC). The GC were most actively involved in the destruction of the TBM: Cytoplasmic pseudopodia of the GC adhered to the TBM; the areas of membrane apposition were several microns in length; no evidence of specialization was found in the plasma membrane adjoining the TBM; no cellular organelles, except for abundant microfilaments, were seen in the contact regions. The initial contact was followed by lysis of plasma membrane of the GC and TBM, perforation of TBM, and phagocytosis of TBM fragments. Concomitantly, fluorescent staining for IgG along the TBM became discontinuous or disappeared. Destruction of TBM was accompanied by degeneration of tubular epithelial cells and collapse of tubular architecture. The morphologic observations are consistent with the hypothesis that, in GP, autoimmune RTI nephritis damage of TBM results from the cooperation of humoral and cellular mechanisms, probably akin to those of antibody-mediated lymphocytotoxicity.


This study is a corpus-based diachronic analysis of English reporting parentheticals, i.e. clauses introducing direct speech, placed after or in the middle of the reported message. The aim of the investigation is to trace the development of the construction throughout the history of English, establishing the main factors influencing the choice between VS and SV patterns (i.e. with and without quotative inversion respectively), showing how various reporting verbs were increasingly attracted to the construction, and demonstrating the gradual morphological reduction of the main reporting verbs: quoth and say. The study is based on syntactically annotated corpora of Old, Middle, Early Modern and Late Modern English, and uses other corpora to illustrate more recent changes. The study reveals that reporting clauses do not show regular quotative inversion with all subject types until the Early Modern English period and links this development to the emergence of the comment clause with say. It is also claimed that quotative inversion is not directly derived from the V-2 rule and that parenthetical reporting clauses have functioned as a separate construction since the Old English period.


This paper provides some results of field investigations of bed topography and local scour at groynes in two bends of the Warta River. Concave banks of these bends are protected by impermeable groynes oriented upstream with almost constant spacing and geometric shape. Both bed topography in bends and local scour holes at the groyne heads were formed by channel flows equal to or smaller than the mean annual discharge. A two-dimensional (horizontal) numerical model of water and (bed-load) sediment motion for steady-state conditions was used to calculate the general bend scour. A new equation for a maximum scour depth prediction at groynes located along an outer bank of a bend is introduced. The maximum scour depth occurs inside the groyne field. This local scour is a function of a depth and depth-average flow velocity along the concave bank, spacing and location relative to the bend, and orientation to flow.


This study aimed to recognize the role of entrepreneurship and innovation course in the establishment and dissemination of the culture and concept of entrepreneurship and creativity among students of Jordan University of Science and Technology. The study sample consisted of 1,258 male and female students. The results show that the average responses of the students to the scale paragraphs as a whole were "agree". It was noted that the average of all the statements is greater than 3.39 and in all three main dimensions of the scale. They constitute Dimension I: Gaining a culture of entrepreneurship and innovation; Dimension II: Developing creativity and innovation in entrepreneurship; Dimension III: Scientific and practical methods applied in the implementation of Pioneering Projects. The results show that there are no statistically significant differences (α=0.05) at the level of students' responses on the extent to which the culture of entrepreneurship and innovation was acquired, and to the extent the scientific and practical methods were applied in the implementation of Pioneering Projects due to the gender and the level of study. On the other hand, the results indicated that there are statistically significant differences (α=0.05) at the level of students' responses to innovation and creativity in entrepreneurship according to gender and the level of study.


Purpose: To assess the agreement between 123I-metaiodobenzylguanidine or [123I]-I-mIBG and Whole Body Magnetic Resonance Imaging with
 diffusion-weighted whole-body imaging with background body signal suppression (WB MRI-DWIBS) in High and Intermediate risk Neuroblastoma,
 a retrospective review was performed on [123I]-I-mIBG and DWIBS paired scans acquired at diagnosis, response-to-therapy, after-surgery, off
therapy and after relapse with systemic involvement, and osteo-bone marrow metastatic load was evaluated for each of them.
Methods: 80 paired [123I]-I-mIBG and DWIBS scans were acquired for 31 patients between June 2009 and June 2019 within 30 days and
 without intercurrent therapy. SIOPEN Semi-quantitative Scoring Systems for NB with 12 body sections was applied at whole body MIBG and WB
 MRI-DWIBS acquired to evaluate the skeletal disease extent. In each case thoracic-abdominal SPECT was used to confirm or exclude doubtful
 scintigraphic alterations. We evaluated specificity, sensitivity, overall accuracy, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV)
 of WB MRI-DWIBS respect [123I]-I-mIBG scintigraphy considered as gold standard. The inverse theoretical statistic exercise was performed for
[123I]-I-mIBG respect DWIBS results.
Results: DWIBS and [123I]-I-mIBG images were concordant in 890 out of the 960 analyzed segments, with high agreement between the two
 techniques (Kendal=0.85 P < 0.0001 and Chi 536.5975 P < 0.0001). Considering [123I]-I-mIBG as gold standard, WB MRI-DWIBS overall accuracy
 was 93%, sensitivity 78%, specificity 95%, PPV 77% and NPV 96%. Otherwise, on the theoretical statistic exercise, [123I]-I-mIBG overall accuracy
 was 93%; sensitivity 77%; specificity 97%; VPP 78%; VPN 95%, respect DWIBS. [123I]-I-mIBG and WB MRI-DWIBS SIOPEN scoring resulted
superimposable (Rho Spearman=0.88, P < 0.0001).
Conclusion: DWIBS and [123I]-I-mIBG images showed a very high concordance: a first validation of SIOPEN Scoring System seems possible
 on the basis of these data. WB MRI may represent an alternative in weak-avid MIBG tumors and for follow up assessment. A multimodal imaging
protocol is proposed for High and Intermediate Risk protocols.


Hormesis and a cytogenetic adaptive response induced by low-dose radiation (LDR) have been extensively documented. However, few studies have investigated the induction of an adaptive response by LDR for cell survival in vitro. In the present study, we investigated whether LDR could induce hormesis in hematopoietic cells and the adaptive response of these cells to subsequent high-dose radiation-induced cytotoxic effects. Mice were exposed in whole-body to 0 (as control), 0.05, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, and 1.00 Gy of X-rays. They were killed 12, 24, 48, and 72 h later to observe the stimulating effect of LDR on total bone marrow cells per femur and bone marrow progenitor, colony-forming unit-granulocyte-macrophage (CFU-GM). Exposure to 0.5 Gy of X-rays resulted in significantly stimulating effects on both parameters with a maximum effect at 48 h, showing a cell-proliferation hormesis. In the next experiment, mice were irradiated by 0.5 Gy X-rays as an adaptive exposure (D1), and 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h later, they were exposed to 6 Gy X-rays as a challenging exposure (D2). Forty-eight h after D2, cytotoxic effects were analyzed using peripheral blood cells (red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets) and bone marrow cells (total bone marrow cells of the femur, and bone marrow progenitors such as CFU-GM and erythroid burst-forming unit, BFU-E). An adaptive response to D2-induced cytotoxic effect, named as the cell-survival adaptive response, was found in both peripheral blood cells and bone marrow cells when D1 and D2 exposures were given at intervals of 24-48 h. These results suggested that LDR could induce both cell-proliferation hormesis and cell-survival adaptive response to subsequent high-dose radiation in bone marrow cells. It may be of potential importance, if this phenomenon is confirmed clinically, since it may be applied to reduce the adverse effect of radiotherapy.


This paper presents a new method to design optimal disturbance rejection PID controllers for time delay system, based on genetic algorithms. The powerful capability of GA in locating the optimal solution to a given problem is exploited by optimizing the parameters of the PID controller. Each set of controller parameters is directly evaluated by simulating the closed-loop system and comparing the resulting responses with the desired ones. Simulation results are presented to demonstrate the performance and validity of the method


There's, in the context of research in the humanities and social sciences, an emerging discussion about the use of new technologies in analytical processes, therefore, what concerns to the use of qualitative or quantitative data analysis software. In this perspective, this paper, we present the potential of using Atlas.t.i software, guided by way of thinking the qualitative research according to a phenomenological approach. The question we set up is the following: how to show the potential of the Atlas ti software when used as an analytical tool in the phenomenological approach research? As long as the question we discus about phenomenology, the software, and about the potential and cautions arising from its use in this research approach.


This study aims to improve the electrical characteristics and reliability of low-pressure chemical vapor deposited (LPCVD) Ta/sub 2/O/sub 5/, films by developing a new post-deposition single-step annealing technique. Experimental results indicate that excited oxygen atoms generated by N/sub 2/O decomposition can effectively repair the oxygen vacancies in the as-deposited CVD Ta/sub 2/O/sub 5/ film, thereby resulting in a remarkable reduction of the film's leakage current. Two other post-deposition annealing conditions are compared: rapid thermal O/sub 2/ annealing and furnace dry-O/sub 2/ annealing. The comparison reveals that RTN/sub 2/O annealing has the lowest leakage current, superior thermal stability of electrical characteristics and the best time-dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB) reliability.


The aim is to highlight how it is possible to reconcile ontologies and terminologies in Life Sciences via metamodeling. The paper focuses on the Foundational Model of Anatomy (FMA). The first part describes the FMA ontology formalization in OWL 2. The second part presents the Health Multi-Terminologies Portal (HMTP) of French terminologies implemented in OWL. It explains how its FMA terminology was obtained from the FMA ontology by reification. The FMA ontology and terminology illustrate how ontologies and terminologies can be made compatible via metamodeling. Advantages and possible means to bind the two views even more closely are discussed in conclusion. To the best of our knowledge, no complete representation of the FMA ontology and terminology in OWL 2 existed so far.


Abstract One of the best-known principles of halakha is that Shabbat is violated to save a life. Who does this saving and how do we know that a life is in danger? What categories of illness violate Shabbat and who decides? A historical-sociological analysis of the roles played by Jew, non-Jew, and physician according to the approach of "medical cosmology" can help us understand the differences in the approach of the Shulchan Aruch compared to later decisors (e.g., the Mishnah Berurah). Such differences illuminate how premodern medical triage coexisted with a different halakhic understanding than that of the biomedical age.


Unobtrusive and continuous monitoring of cardiac and respiratory rhythm, especially during sleeping, can have significant clinical utility. An exciting new possibility for such monitoring is the design of textiles that use all-textile sensors that can be woven or stitched directly into a textile or garment. Our work explores how we can make such monitoring possible by leveraging something that is already familiar, such as pyjama made of cotton/silk fabric, and imperceptibly adapt it to enable sensing of physiological signals to yield natural fitting, comfortable, and less obtrusive smart clothing. We face several challenges in enabling this vision including requiring new sensor design to measure physiological signals via everyday textiles and new methods to deal with the inherent looseness of normal garments, particularly sleepwear like pyjamas. We design two types of textile-based sensors that obtain a ballistic signal due to cardiac and respiratory rhythm ---the first a novel resistive sensor that leverages pressure between the body and various surfaces and the second is a triboelectric sensor that leverages changes in separation between layers to measure ballistics induced by the heart. We then integrate several instances of such sensors on a pyjama and design a signal processing pipeline that fuses information from the different sensors such that we can robustly measure physiological signals across a range of sleep and stationary postures. We show that the sensor and signal processing pipeline has high accuracy by benchmarking performance both under restricted settings with twenty one users as well as more naturalistic settings with seven users.


Power harvesters based on the piezoelectric effect are more promising in harnessing energy from ambient vibrations. In this paper, piezoelectric bimorph resonators in the form of Polyvinylidinefluoride (PVDF) cantilevers are studied and used in an array with optimal terminal combination for maximizing the power generated from low frequency vibrations. The thickness of the passive sandwich layer and the poling direction in each film are observed to be crucial in determining the total power generated from the PVDF bimorph. Experimentally, bimorph cantilevers made of 55 μm thick PVDF film and sized to resonate between 30 to 40 Hz are used in similarly poled as well as oppositely poled configurations and their output measured as voltage across a 1 MΩ load resistance. The similarly poled bimorph outperforms the oppositely poled configuration by more than doubling the output voltage. Further enhancement in the output is observed by introducing a sandwich layer of 50 μm thick copper foil between the two similarly poled PVDF layers. Experiments with three such devices connected in parallel in an array and resonating at 33 Hz with an input acceleration of 0.8 g results in 2.8 μW power generation. This result shows the promise of PVDF as a candidate material for energy harvesting resonators despite its low electromechanical coupling coefficient (k e ). Low cost and ease of production may be especially attractive for PVDF.


OBJECTIVE
The production, use, and sharing of information in health-related fields are increasing at an exponential rate in this age. Because they are so common today, social media platforms have a big impact on people's opinions, habits, and decisions. With this study, we aimed at testing the content, reliability, and quality of the videos about CCHF disease published on YouTube™ for patients and healthcare professionals, which people use for obtaining information.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
The data of this study were obtained by searching on YouTube™ on January 1, 2022, using the keywords "Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever". Google Trends was used to identify the most common search terms for Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever. Video reliability was evaluated by using the DISCERN tool and Global Quality Scale (GQS) was performed to evaluate video quality.

RESULTS
After the exclusion criteria, 75 videos were reviewed. Videos for healthcare professionals were more sufficient than videos for patients (p=0.004). DISCERN and GQS scores were higher in sufficient videos than in partially sufficient/insufficient videos (p=0.000 and p=0.000, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS
As YouTube is an important source of health information about CCHF, there is a need to increase the number of high-quality and reliable content for patients on YouTube™.


Efficient self-organizing virtual clusterheads that supervise data collection based on their wireless connectivity, risk, and overhead costs, are an important element of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). This function is especially critical during deployment when system resources are allocated to a subsequent application. In the presented research, a model used to deploy intrusion detection capability on a Local Area Network (LAN), in the literature, was extended to develop a role-based hierarchical agent deployment algorithm for a WSN. The resulting model took into consideration the monitoring capability, risk, deployment distribution cost, and monitoring cost associated with each node.
Changing the original LAN methodology approach to model a cluster-based sensor network depended on the ability to duplicate a specific parameter that represented the monitoring capability. Furthermore, other parameters derived from a LAN can elevate costs and risk of deployment, as well as jeopardize the success of an application on a WSN. A key component of the approach presented in this research was to reduce the costs when established clusterheads in the network were found to be capable of hosting additional detection agents. In addition, another cost savings component of the study addressed the reduction of vulnerabilities associated with deployment of agents to high volume nodes.
The effectiveness of the presented method was validated by comparing it against a type of a power-based scheme that used each node's remaining energy as the deployment value. While available energy is directly related to the model used in the presented method, the study deliberately sought out nodes that were identified with having superior monitoring capability, cost less to create and sustain, and are at low-risk of an attack. This work investigated improving the efficiency of an intrusion detection system (IDS) by using the proposed model to deploy monitoring agents after a temperature sensing application had established the network traffic flow to the sink. The same scenario was repeated using a power-based IDS to compare it against the proposed model. To identify a clusterhead's ability to host monitoring agents after the temperature sensing application terminated, the deployed IDS utilized the communication history and other network factors in order to rank the nodes. Similarly, using the node's communication history, the deployed power-based IDS ranked nodes based on their remaining power. For each individual scenario, and after the IDS application was deployed, the temperature sensing application was run for a second time. This time, to monitor the temperature sensing agents as the data flowed towards the sink, the network traffic was rerouted through the new intrusion detection clusterheads. Consequently, if the clusterheads were shared, the re-routing step was not preformed.
Experimental results in this research demonstrated the effectiveness of applying a robust deployment metric to improve upon the energy efficiency of a deployed application in a multi-application WSN. It was found that in the scenarios with the intrusion detection application that utilized the proposed model resulted in more remaining energy than in the scenarios that implemented the power-based IDS. The algorithm especially had a positive impact on the small, dense, and more homogeneous networks. This finding was reinforced by the smaller percentage of new clusterheads that was selected. Essentially, the energy cost of the route to the sink was reduced because the network traffic was rerouted through fewer new clusterheads. Additionally, it was found that the intrusion detection topology that used the proposed approach formed smaller and more connected sets of clusterheads than the power-based IDS. As a consequence, this proposed approach essentially achieved the research objective for enhancing energy use in a multi-application WSN.


A 35-year-old female received multiagent induction chemotherapy including corticosteroids for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Around day 20 of her chemotherapy, she developed progressive dry cough, low-grade fever, and hoarseness. It appeared that she has a foreign body in her throat. However, her sputum culture grew Aspergillus terrus. Computed tomographic imaging of her chest revealed circumferential thickening of trachea and left main stem bronchus with endoluminal densities compatible with sloughed-off material (Image 1, arrow). Under bronchoscopic examination, a large white necrotic but firm pseudomembrane was found to obstruct the trachea up to 80% (Image 2) and the pseudomembranous mass was removed. Histopathology of the tissue confirmed extensive deposition of fungal-hyphae. Aspergillus necrotizing tracheitis is a rare but life-threatening infection that affects immunosuppressed patients. [1] This condition is seen with Aspergillus fumigatus. Patients with acute leukemia are also severely immunosuppressed and a strong clinical suspicion of this unusual infection can be life saving for a patient. There are very few reports of Aspergillus pseudomembranous necrotizing tracheitis in acute leukemia patients. [2,3] Our patient received intravenous voriconazole and G-CSF to aid the recovery. A repeat computed tomographic imaging showed decreased thickening of tracheal wall; therefore, she was discharged for follow-up in the clinic.


We can assure Dr Hill that we never use systemic corticosteroid therapy half-heartedly, and we hope that he will agree that by drawing attention to the phenomenon of corticosteroid resistance in chronic asthma we shall have discouraged some physicians less experienced than himself from persisting with a form of treatment which in certain cases is both futile and harmful. J CARMICHAEL IAN C PATERSON G K CROMPTON A B KAY I W B GRANT


OBJECTIVES
The goal of the study was to examine how parents use conversation to promote the internalization of safety values after their child has been seriously injured.

METHODS
Parent interviews detailing postinjury conversations were coded for strategies mentioned to prevent injuries in the future and information about circumstances surrounding the injury.

RESULTS
Logistic regression analyses revealed that parents were more likely to discuss why an activity was dangerous with older than younger children, and were more likely to urge daughters than sons to be more careful in the future. Injuries resulting from the presence of environmental hazards predicted parents telling children to be more careful in the future. Having others involved predicted parents urging children not to engage in the behavior again.

CONCLUSIONS
Findings suggest that parents modulated strategies according to age, gender, and injury circumstances to maximize the likelihood that children would behave differently in the future.


OBJECTIVE
To observe the risk factors and prevalence status of hypertension at the Guangxi Zhuang-rural region.

METHODS
Through cross-sectional survey, Xinlan village (Ethnic-Zhuang tribe village) in Liangqing District of Nanning was chosen as survey site. Select Zhuang-ethnic villagers (age ≥ 18 years, living time ≥ 6 months per year) as survey subjects. Questionnaire survey and examinations including blood pressure measurement, blood tests, and urine test were made by trained medical professionals. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the risk factors of hypertension.

RESULTS
Complete data were obtained in 2036 residents. The hypertension prevalence rate was 11.6% (237/2036) [12.5% (110/883) for male, 11.0% (127/1153) for female], adjusted prevalence rate was 10.7% (11.3% for male, 10.4% for female) based on the population of Guangxi in 2010. Hypertension awareness rate was 36.3% (86/237) , therapy rate was 22.8% (54/237) , and control rate was 11.0% (26/237) . Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age (OR = 1.06, 95%CI:1.05-1.08, P < 0.01), alcohol drinking habit (OR = 1.92, 95%CI:1.25-2.95, P < 0.01), high salt diet(OR = 1.48, 95%CI:1.04-2.10, P < 0.05), diabetes(OR = 7.03, 95%CI:1.94-25.44, P < 0.01), obesity(OR = 1.20, 95%CI: 1.15-1.25, P < 0.01) and hypertriglyceridemia(OR = 1.12, 95%CI:1.03-1.22, P < 0.01) were risk factors for hypertension in this cohort.

CONCLUSIONS
Prevalence rate is slightly lower in adult of the Guangxi Zhuang-rural areas than national or Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region levels, but hypertension awareness, therapy and control rates in this cohort are not satisfactory. Targeted strategies are needed to improve the prevention and therapy of hypertension in this region.


Recently, major societal events have shaped perceptions of race relations in the US. The current work argues that people's motivations to be nonprejudiced toward Black people have changed in concert with these broader societal forces. Analyses of two independent archival datasets reveal that nonprejudiced motivations changed predictably in accordance with shifts in the social milieu over the last 15 years. In one dataset (N = 13,395), we track movement in internal and external motivations to respond without prejudice from 2004 to 2017. Internal motivation initially decreased before ticking upward following multiple events suggesting worsening race relations (e.g., noteworthy killings of unarmed Black men, resurgent racialized politics). Conversely, external motivation initially increased but reversed course across the same time span. A second dataset (N = 2,503) corroborates these trends in two conceptually related nonprejudiced motivations. Results suggest that changes in nonprejudiced motivations may reflect broader shifts in the sociopolitical climate.


According to the Japanese Colorectal Cancer Treatment Guideline by the Japanese Society for Cancer of the Colon and Rectum, the recommendation for recurrent colorectal cancer consists of 2 options according to the number of metastatic organs and surgical curability. In Japan, oxaliplatin was approved for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer in 2005, bevacizumab was approved in 2007, cetuximab was approved in 2008. Then most of the standard regimens in western countries became available in Japan. Therefore, Japanese standard regimens in patients with recurrent colorectal cancer are considered according to the standard western regimen. This review paper introduce the major regimens in the first-, second-, and third-line settings in patients with recurrent colorectal cancer in Japan, and comments on several chemotherapy issues in Japan.


A 5-day-old male neonate was referred to our vascular anomalies center with a large cystic submandibular mass. History and physical examination and ultrasonographic results indicated the diagnosis to be macrocystic lymphatic malformation. Consequently, the child was treated with sclerotherapy and subtotal excision. The histopathological examination result showed that the lesion was infantile myofibroma. This diagnostic error was attributed to atypical features of infantile myofibroma in this child: unusually large cysts, rapid enlargement, and coagulopathy. This report expands the clinical spectrum of infantile myofibromatosis and suggests its consideration in the differential diagnosis of neonatal cystic cervicofacial lesions.


Many swimming bacteria are propelled by flagellar filaments driven by a rotary motor. Each of these tiny motors can generate an impressive torque. The motor torque vs. speed relationship is considered one of the most important measurable characteristics of the motor and therefore is a major criterion for judging models proposed for the working mechanism. Here we give an explicit explanation for this torque–speed curve. The same physics also can explain certain puzzling properties of other motors.


OBJECTIVE
Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) remains a major cause of death. No studies have reported the use of rapid influenza diagnostic tests (RIDT) for the etiological diagnosis, and the factors contributing to severity and mortality have not yet been fully investigated. The aim of this study was to review the etiologies of CAP using RIDT and to identify risk factors related to the severity and mortality of the disease.

METHODS
This retrospective study assessed these factors in hospitalized patients, with special emphasis on microbial etiology.

RESULTS
A total of 1,032 patients aged 63.9±18.3 years were studied, 66.2% of whom were men. Microbial identification was obtained in 57.0% of the cases. The most frequent causative microbial agents were Streptococcus pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae and the influenza virus, and the second most frequent pathogens in the patients with severe CAP and the non-survivors were S. pneumoniae and the influenza virus. Age (≥65 years), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure, diabetes mellitus, dementia and Legionella spp. infection and polymicrobial infection were each found to be independent factors related to severity in the multivariate analysis, whereas "unidentified pathogen" was found to be an independent factor for non-severe CAP. Age (≥65 years), chronic pulmonary aspergillosis, post-lung cancer surgery and severe CAP were found to be independent factors for non-survival according to a multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSION
In addition to S. pneumoniae, the influenza virus was a frequent cause of CAP overall and a frequent causative pathogen in both severe cases of CAP and non-survivors. Legionella spp. infection and polymicrobial infection were found to be an independent factor for the severity of CAP along with advanced age and certain comorbidities. An advanced age, certain respiratory comorbidities and severe CAP were found to be important independent factors for the mortality of CAP.


Abstract A trial was conducted to examine live growth efficiency, harvest yields, and carcass grading performance of steers fed at maintenance (M) or at ad libitum (A) level of intake during zilpaterol hydrochloride (Z) supplementation. Single-sired, beef steers (n = 56; start of trial BW 590 ± 36 kg) blocked (n = 2) by weight and terminal implant were sorted into pairs (n = 14 per block) by weight. Pairs of steers were initially assigned to 0, 28, or 56 d of feeding. Within 28 or 56 d, pairs were assigned to M or A intake. Steers within a pair assigned to 56 d of feeding were randomly assigned to either 20 d of Z supplementation (90 mg/d per steer) with a 4 d withdrawal period prior to slaughter or to no ZH supplementation (C). Steers were housed and fed in individual pens. Weights of all non-carcass and carcass components were recorded at slaughter; carcasses were graded 24-h postmortem. Data were analyzed via a mixed model; the fixed effect was treatment combination with random effects of block and pair. Live growth data used harvest day as the repeated measure and animal as the subject. Single df contrasts were constructed for day 0 vs. day 28, day 0 vs. day 56, day 28 vs. day 56, M vs. A, and C vs. Z. Treatment impacted (P ≤ 0.05) live ADG; contrasts indicated A (1.33) was greater than M (0.14 kg), and Z (1.12) was greater than C (0.82 kg). Similarly, carcass ADG differences (P < 0.01) indicated A (1.04) was greater than M (0.36 kg), and Z (1.35) was greater than C (0.71 kg). Intake level altered BW and empty body weight (EBW); M cattle had reduced BW and EBW (P < 0.01, 585 and 540 kg) than A cattle (647 and 597 kg). Cattle fed at M had less carcass and internal cavity mass (P < 0.01, 359 and 79.4 kg) than A cattle (394 and 93.5 kg). Liver mass was reduced by M feeding (P < 0.01; M-5.03, A-6.69 kg) and Z treatment (P < 0.01; Z-5.64, C-6.06 kg). Moreover, mass of total splanchnic tissue was less (P < 0.01) for M cattle than A cattle (59.8 vs. 72.5 kg). Dressed carcass yield was greater (P < 0.01) for Z than C cattle (63.5 vs. 61.6%). Cattle fed at M had less 12th rib s.c. fat, lower numerical U.S. yield grades (P < 0.01; M-1.71 cm and 3.3, A-2.46 cm and 4.3) and lower numerical Canadian yield grades (P < 0.01; 51.9 vs. 53.9% for M and A, respectively) than A cattle. Results indicate that energy intake level and Z supplementation influence live and carcass growth, carcass transfer, kill yields, and carcass characteristics across time.


The possibility that demethylation of 3-O-methyldopa (OM-dopa) in the kidney could provide a source for dopamine in the urine was explored in male Wistar rats aged 60-90 days, using in vivo and in vitro approaches. The results showed that endogenous OM-dopa is filtered, reabsorbed and extensively metabolized in the kidney. Infusion of OM-dopa into anesthetized rats increased significantly urinary excretion of Na+, dopa, dopamine, and 3,4 dihydroxyphenylacetic acid. Whole kidney homogenates, slices from renal cortex, and microdissected proximal tubules produced significant amounts of both dopa and dopamine when incubated with OM-dopa. Renal cortex slices produced dose-dependent amounts of dopa and dopa-mine when incubated with 1-100 microM OM-dopa. Incubation of microdissected proximal tubule segments with 1 microM OM-dopa produced a fourfold (P < 0.025) increment in dopa and a twofold (P < 0.05) increment in dopamine (an effect similar to that observed with 1 microM L-dopa). One micromolar OM-dopa or 1 microM L-dopa decreased (P < 0.05) Na(+)-K(+)-adenosinetriphosphatase activity measured at maximal velocity condition in proximal tubules. In conclusion, these experiments show that in vitro the kidney is able to produce dopamine by demethylation of OM-dopa, while the results of the OM-dopa infusion suggest that this conversion may also occur in vivo.


There are countless animation movies available nowadays throughout the Internet.  Rich media (including Flash and PowerPoint) presentations are increasingly gaining widespread usage, particularly in the domains of e-learning and digital entertainment.  In order to allow these animation movies to be queried efficiently, in this article we present OXML - an Object XML database for storing and retrieving animation movies. After converting the movies into XML format, OXML stores the resultant XML data into a native object-oriented database. To enhance the retrieval of such XML objects, an indexing technique known as Structural Join Index Hierarchy (SJIH) is then applied to the OXML database.  A detailed cost model for query execution through SJIH is developed.  Our experimental studies on accessing Flash movies using SJIH has demonstrated performance advantageous when compared with other indexing techniques.


The development of atmospheric parameterizations based on neural networks is often hampered by numerical instability issues. Previous attempts to replicate these issues in a toy model have proven ineffective. We introduce a new toy model for atmospheric dynamics, which consists in an extension of the Lorenz'63 model to a higher dimension. While feedforward neural networks trained on a single orbit can easily reproduce the dynamics of the Lorenz'63 model, they fail to reproduce the dynamics of the new toy model, leading to unstable trajectories. Instabilities become more frequent as the dimension of the new model increases, but are found to occur even in very low dimension. Training the feedforward neural network on a different learning sample, based on Latin Hypercube Sampling, solves the instability issue. Our results suggest that the design of the learning sample can significantly influence the stability of dynamical systems driven by neural networks.


Urban and suburban green and blue spaces are important places for human recreation, and the impact of biodiversity on psychological and recalled restoration has received much attention. This study addresses the relationship between bird species richness and restoration in a controlled field experiment (guided bird walk) applying a battery of individual trait scales (need for cognition, personality) as predictors of restoration. We found a significant positive relationship between the number of bird species present and recalled restoration. Personality, bird species knowledge, bird related interest as test measures, demographics and birding specialization as self-report had no influence on psychological restoration. However, need for cognition correlated positively with psychological restoration, thus providing a new predictive variable. All subscales of the intrinsic motivation scale (enjoyment, perceived competence, perceived choice, pressure/tension) were positively correlated with restoration except of pressure/tension. Learning emotions like interest and well-being were positively related to restoration, while boredom was negatively related. Therefore, we suggest research to examine the restorative function of more cognitive-oriented programs because people may also need cognition when it comes to restoration. We also suggest a broader focus on education and cognitive aspects when it comes to linking biodiversity and health within the framework of ecosystem services.


India is pigeonholed by more ethnic and religious groups as compared to other countries of the world. Many intellectuals viewed that India is a captivating country where people of many different communities and religions live together in harmony. Indian Population is polygenetic and is an astonishing merger of various races and cultures. Besides, numerous castes, there are eight "major" religions, 15-odd languages spoken in various dialects and a substantial number of tribes and sects. Politics is the science of government and that part of ethics which has to do with the regulation and government of a nation or state, the preservation of its safety, peace, and prosperity, the defense of its existence and rights against foreign control or conquest, the augmentation of its strength and resources, and the protection of its citizens in their rights, with the preservation and improvement of their morals.


The purpose of this study was to determine the objective response rate, median duration of response, time to disease progression, and survival time and to evaluate the safety of pegylated liposomal doxorubicin in previously treated patients with low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Thirty-two patients with low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma were treated and analyzed. Pegylated liposomal doxorubicin 30 mg/m2 was administered intravenously as a single dose on day 1 of each 3-week cycle. Patients had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0-1 and had stage II-IV disease. The median baseline left ventricular ejection fraction was 60%, and the median age was 68 years. In 29 evaluable patients, there were 3 (10%) complete responses, 6 (21%) partial responses, 11 (38%) patients with stable disease, and 9 (31%) with progressive disease. The median number of cycles was 4 (range, 1-22 cycles). The median duration of response (complete response plus partial response) was 11.0 months (range, 2.3-37.0 months). The estimated median time to progression was 5.6 months (range, 1.1-40.5 months) and the estimated median survival was 29.6 months (range, 3.9-41.6 months). Treatment-related toxicities grade = 3 included neutropenia (25%) and palmoplantar erythrodysesthesia (9%). Only 1 clinically significant cardiac toxicity was observed. There were 17 deaths; none were treatment related. Single-agent pegylated liposomal doxorubicin 30 mg/m2 every 3 weeks, is associated with antitumor activity in the treatment of low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, as shown by an objective response of 31%, and produced no significant cardiac or hematologic toxicity. Based on these results, pegylated liposomal doxorubicin should be further evaluated in combination with other agents in low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.


Fragile X‐associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS) is a neurological progressive disorder associated with the FMR1 gene premutation. We report on variable presentation of findings associated with FXTAS in 3 brothers aged 68, 74, and 73 years, carrying premutation alleles of (CGG)123, (CGG)109, and (CGG)91 triplets, respectively. Based on previously proposed diagnostic criteria for the syndrome, clinical and radiological data allowed establishing a "definite" diagnosis of FXTAS in the two carriers of the longest (CGG)n. The carrier of the (CGG)91 allele, although presenting a major radiological sign of the syndrome (symmetrical white‐matter lesions in the middle cerebellar peduncles), did not have any significant neurological manifestation at 73 years of age. © 2007 Movement Disorder Society


The invention belongs to a process for preparing and processing powder material by taking plasma as a heat source, in particular to a process and an apparatus of metal titanium powder material for powder metallurgy, plasma spray, injection forming, gel injection molding and the like. The invention has the advantages that: the adoption of the high temperature spheroidization and rapid condensationspecial spheroidization technique can improve the sphericity and purity of titanium powder, and both a reactor and the titanium powder spheroidization process are cooled with circulating water, thereby ensuring the sealing performance of equipment, also reducing the use of inert gases, effectively reducing costs, improving the production efficiency and guaranteeing the purity of spherical titanium powder.


Two portable light sources, comprising light emitting diodes (LEDs) of two different wavelengths, were compared to a standard light box in suppressing and phase shifting nocturnal salivary melatonin. All light sources were equated for illuminance of 2000 lux. Sixty‐six volunteers participated in the 2‐day study and were randomly allocated to one of four conditions; light box, white LED, blue/green LED, or no light control group. Light was administered to the experimental groups from midnight to 02.00 hr on the first night. Half‐hourly saliva samples were collected from 19.00 to 02.00 hr on night 1 and until 01.00 hr on night 2. Percent melatonin suppression on night 1 and dim light melatonin onset (DLMO) for each night were calculated. The experimental groups showed significant melatonin suppression during light stimulation, with the blue/green LEDs producing the greatest (70%) suppression. There was no significant difference between the light box at 63% and white LED at 50% suppression. Similarly, the blue/green LED had a significantly greater DLMO delay of 42 min and no difference between the light box of 23 min and the white LED of 22 min. These data suggest the portable LED light source is an effective way of delivering light to phase shift the melatonin rhythm, with the blue/green LED being the more effective of the two LEDs.


Abstract. The Community Earth System Model (CESM1) CAM4-chem has been used to perform the Chemistry Climate Model Initiative (CCMI) reference and sensitivity simulations. In this model, the Community Atmospheric Model version 4 (CAM4) is fully coupled to tropospheric and stratospheric chemistry. Details and specifics of each configuration, including new developments and improvements are described. CESM1 CAM4-chem is a low-top model that reaches up to approximately 40 km and uses a horizontal resolution of 1.9° latitude and 2.5° longitude. For the specified dynamics experiments, the model is nudged to Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) reanalysis. We summarize the performance of the three reference simulations suggested by CCMI, with a focus on the last 15 years of the simulation when most observations are available. Comparisons with selected data sets are employed to demonstrate the general performance of the model. We highlight new data sets that are suited for multi-model evaluation studies. Most important improvements of the model are the treatment of stratospheric aerosols and the corresponding adjustments for radiation and optics, the updated chemistry scheme including improved polar chemistry and stratospheric dynamics and improved dry deposition rates. These updates lead to a very good representation of tropospheric ozone within 20 % of values from available observations for most regions. In particular, the trend and magnitude of surface ozone is much improved compared to earlier versions of the model. Furthermore, stratospheric column ozone of the Southern Hemisphere in winter and spring is reasonably well represented. All experiments still underestimate CO most significantly in Northern Hemisphere spring and show a significant underestimation of hydrocarbons based on surface observations.


In order to determine common key competences required for occupational medicine specialists across Europe, a questionnaire has been developed and disseminated in several European countries. The questionnaire contained 115 subjects relating to eight fields of activity of an occupational medicine physician (occupational hazards to health, assessment of disability and fitness for work, communications, research methods, management, environmental medicine, occupational health law and ethics, and health promotion). Items in each part were classified into three categories: knowledge, experience and skills. For each of the subjects respondents were asked to allocate a score from 0 to 5, where 0 = not necessary, 1 = of minimal importance and 5 = most important or essential. In Poland the questionnaire was distributed between two groups of specialists: group I--chief administrators of occupational health services, and group II--relatively younger occupational medicine physicians participating in a specialist training. A comprehensive analysis of the completed questionnaires had three dimensions: (a) substantive (classification of the importance of particular key competences, as perceived by Polish specialists in occupational medicine), (b) personal (differences in opinions among occupational medicine physicians and an attempt to explain these differences in sociological terms), (c) comparative (evaluation and interpretation of similarities and differences between two groups). A hierarchy of requirements for occupational medicine training in Poland was constructed, with one set of competences recognized by the respondents as needless and others as useful with different grade of importance. Surprisingly, a wide diversity of opinions among respondents has given rise to the explanation hypotheses, some of them being verified using the material gathered.


This article aims to explore the practice of evasion and its strategies between the local and international politicians in political news interviews. The data consists of six interviews with Malaysian and U.S politicians, both equally denoting three interviews each. Using the conversational analysis approach, this study attempts to analyze how politicians evade from answering the questions and what are the strategies used, whether it is covert or overt in nature. The Clayman's (2001) work of evasion in news interview and its sub-genre is adapted as a framework of analysis. The findings are discussed in light of speech act theory (Searle, 1969) and face theory (Goffman, 1995) to explain how they evade and why they do it.


Recent years have seen many developments in the field of alternative energy sources for arrhythmia surgery. The impetus behind these advances is to replace the traditional, "cut-and-sew" Cox maze III procedure with lesion sets that are simpler, shorter, and safer but just as effective. There is demand for technology to make continuous, linear, transmural ablations reliably with a versatile energy source via an epicardial approach. This would make minimally invasive endoscopic surgical ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) without cardiopulmonary bypass and with a closed chest feasible. These advances would shorten cardio-pulmonary bypass and improve outcomes in patients having surgical ablation and concomitant cardiac surgery. This review summarizes the technology behind alternative energy sources used to treat AF. Alternative energy sources include hypothermic sources (cryoablation) and hyperthermic sources (radiofrequency, microwave, laser, ultrasound). For each source, the biophysical background, mode of tissue injury, factors affecting lesion size, and advantages and complications are discussed.


This thesis examined the volatility index (VIX) and derivative volatility indexes of financial commodities impact on underlying assets, applying VIX of signal country, commodities ETF-VIX, VIX-ETF and the equity-VIX. Through the relationship between volatility index and SP at the same time the Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) model generated the most accurate predicting performance.


A novel technique to monitor hull stresses using data currently collected on most ships is explored. This technique, referred to herein as virtual hull monitoring, uses global position signals, measured or numerically-modelled wave data, and a database of calculated stress transfer functions. This enables monitoring of short-term stress states and corresponding fatigue damage accumulation for many structural locations, either onboard or at a central location, for an entire fleet. The components, benefits, and limitations of this proposed technique are discussed. Wave buoy and strain gauge measurements from a full-scale naval vessel trial are used in comparisons with hindcast wave data and the calculated stress spectra for one structural location. Close agreement between the wave data sources and corresponding stress spectra warrants further examination of virtual hull monitoring.


Background: Influenza virus is the major cause of lower respiratory tract illnesses on the worldwide. Vaccination can be an effective tool to prevent its outbreak. Highly conserved viral nucleoprotein is an effective vaccine candidate to provide heterosubtypic immunity, offering resistance against various influenza virus strains. M aterials and Methods: In present research NP gene was inserted in pET-22b expression vector. New construct (pET-22b/NP) was transformed into E. coli BL21 (DE3) strain and the expression of nucleoprotein was induced by IPTG. It was analyzed by SDS-PAGE and confirmed by Western blotting. R es ults: Western blotting confirmed the expression and production of recombinant Influenza nucleoprotein. C onclusion: These results suggest that the codon-optimized influenza A virus NP gene can be efficiently expressed in E. coli .


The corporations that purchase private health benefits and the public payers, Medicare and Medicaid, are insisting increasingly that managed care plans be publicly accountable for the quality of care and service delivered. NCQA has responded to that demand with programs that assess both the organization and operation of the plan and the results that the plan actually achieves. Although our capacity to evaluate managed care is still incomplete, an increasingly complete picture of quality in managed care is emerging. We see evidence already that the capacity is driving improvement, and we hope that our work will mean that practicing physicians will find themselves better able to deliver the highest quality care possible to children in America.


This paper presents results of experiments on pressureless sintering of boron carbide (B4C) with addition of titânia (TiO2) and titanium diboride (TiB2). The TiB2 powder was added as a second phase and the TiO2 powder for reactive sintering and in-situ formation of TiB2. The final concentrations of TiB2 in the composites were 0 to 10 vol%. Sintering was performed at 2050 °C/30min in argon atmosphere. TiO2 was completely transformed into TiB2 with fine equiaxed grains distributed homogeneously. Composites obtained by in-situ reaction showed a densification increase with the concentration increase, while the composites with TiB2 powder mixture showed low densification in all compositions. Relative Density of the composite with 10 vol% of TiB2 obtained in-situ was 91% (TD) compared to 86 % for B4C only. Vickers hardness was about 29 GPa.