Sarawak State Library (Pustaka) aims to become a center of excellent in Sarawak collection. This paper shares Pustaka's role in collecting, organizing, preserving local culture and heritage of the people in Sarawak's northern region. Local Content means Sarawak's heritage and cultures that show the identity of multi-ethnicity in Sarawak. They are the legacy practiced, inherited and passed down from one generation to the next. Pustaka took the initiative to organise annual competition to crowd source local content development need. More than 40 topics have been done and these contributed to knowledge creation for young generation. As part of this program, Pustaka's train participants through Information Literacy Skills Program to produce students who are aware of the importance of information, understand the information requirement needed for learning progress and self-development. This initiative is hoped to be able to boost the power of creativity and innovation in young researchers when generating research work that is comprehensive, original and attractive. The collaborative efforts with the State education department, institutes of higher learning and teachers' training centre ensured that the competition has the transparency and adjudged fairly. Participants, who are secondary students aged between 14 to 18 year old, undergo workshops organized by the library, particularly on how to write research, referencing and avoid plagiarism as well as how to make visual presentations. Pustaka achieves the target by harvesting a number of local content works which were written by the students and making it available at the library. Realizing the importance and value of all topics on local culture written by the students, Pustaka compiled the best researches done and produced it into a comprehensive book in collaboration with Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS). Pustaka has published a book called "A Compilation of Local Content in the Northern Region of Sarawak" (Kompilasi Warisan Budaya Tem-patan Wilayah Utara Sarawak). Some were even purchased by interested parties. Such initiative can be adopted by any library in the world which has the function of preserving local content or culture and heritage memories. It is one of the ways to encourage the community to appreciate, respect as well as help to preserve the cultures and at the same time utilize library materials for research. The implication for this initiative to the library and community is very important. Without exploring and recording the local content, the current and future generations will not know of their past and we will lose our culture. Pustaka will continue to be active in co-creating local content with the community or the library collection.


In this paper, we propose an approach to classify psychotropic drugs from the events related potential (ERP) signals using the P300 components. The difficulties of the problem reside essentially in the fact that traditional methods do not apply when observations are in a high dimensional space, which is a common case in biomedical engineering. Our objective is to propose new hypothesis tests that give p-values reflecting the reality of the efficacy criterion of drugs. Our test is based on a pattern recognition approach. We first study the stability of different training algorithms. We then exhibit a relationship between stability and power functions of the corresponding tests. We finally apply our method to test the efficacy of Lorazepam versus placebo to modify generators of brain activity.


Julie Suhr is humble to begin her service as Editor-in Chief of Psychological Assessment. She plans to focus on the dissemination of assessment research relevant to clinical and consulting psychology, including domains such as assessment/diagnosis of psychopathology, clinical health assessment, cognitive/neuropsychological assessment, forensic assessment, multicultural assessment, and personality assessment as it pertains to clinical practice. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).


Web spam has the effect of polluting search engine results and decreasing the usefulness of search engines.Web spam can be classified according to the methods used to raise the web page's ranking by subverting web search engine's algorithms used to rank search results. The main types are: content spam, link spam and cloaking spam. There has been little or no work on automatically classifying web spam by type. This paper has two contributions, (i) we propose a Dual-Margin Multi-Class Hypersphere Support Vector Machine (DMMH- SVM) classifier approach to automatically classifying web spam by type, (ii) we introduce novel cloaking-based spam features which help our classifier model to achieve high precision and recall rate, thereby reducing the false positive rates. The effectiveness of the proposed model is justified analytically. Our experimental results demonstrated that DMMH-SVM outperforms existing algorithms with novel cloaking features.


Mesenchymal tumours of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) are uncommon. Recent progress in the understanding of the biology and origin of these tumours has led to their reclassification. A new subclass designated Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumours (GIST) is diagnosed based on the presence of a mutational over expression of c-kit protein that is thought to be critical in the pathogenesis of these tumours. This new class oftumours may form the majority of gastrointestinal mesenchymal tumours. Even though the diagnosis of GIST is mainly based on positive staining with CD117, a minority of tumours with histological characteristics of GIST are CD117 negative and are classified as CD117 negative GIST. In this first review of mesenchymal GIT tumours from Nigeria, we present 11 cases ofmesenchymal tumours of the gastrointestinal tract seen within a six-year period at our centre. Immunohistochemistry was performed on 7 of them in which histological appearances suggested GIST. Only two cases had all the criteria defined in the consensus conference on the diagnosis of GIST. Our findings, albeit in a very small sample, contrasts with what obtains in developed countries in the proportion of GIT mesenchymal tumours that are truly GIST. This raises a question to be answered on the true nature and proportion of gastrointestinal strumal tumours among GIT tumours in Nigerian patients.


We study the use of embedded and worn sensors to unobtrusively detect the activities of daily living (ADL). Our aim is to find the minimum set of sensors required to detect these basic tasks. In this exploratory work, we analyze the publicly available 'Intense Activity' dataset from the MIT PlaceLab project and study the classification of eating and meal preparation vs. other activities. We find that eating and meal preparation can be detected with an accuracy of 90% using less than 1/3 of the over 300 available sensors in the PlaceLab. If only 8 sensors are used, the accuracy is 82% which may be adequate for some applications


There is a consensus in the neuroscientific literature that brains are either male or female, and that 'brain sex' is a fixed, immutable trait. Feminist critics have challenged this idea, raising questions, for example, about brain plasticity (the role of sociocultural factors in the emergence and endurance of brain structure and function). However, neuroscientific studies of sex/gender differences still rarely consider these factors. This paper discusses brain plasticity as a shared point of interest for the neurosciences and feminist theory. Plasticity arguments resonate strongly with longstanding feminist arguments about the interaction of nature and nurture, the embodiment of social practices, and the performative nature of gender. However, whether it is appropriate and productive for feminist theory to approach the gendered subject as a plastic, cerebral subject is up for discussion. This paper explores these different dimensions. I pay detailed attention to the concern that plasticity arguments can corroborate the idea of brain sex as effectively as they can undermine it. Depending on how broadly one defines plasticity, the focus of research can be on 'the plasticity of sex differences' or on 'sex differences in plasticity'. I conclude that a traditional definition of plasticity, according to which the brain is largely stable, conserves the idea of brain sex. However, the alternative ‐ framing the brain as fundamentally and infinitely plastic ‐ also raises concerns.


Debris flows often exhibit high mobility, leading to extensive hazards far from their sources. Although it is known that debris flow mobility increases with initial volume, the underlying mechanism remains uncertain. Here, we reconstruct the mobility–volume relation for debris flows using a recent depth‐averaged two‐phase flow model without evoking a reduced friction coefficient, challenging currently prevailing friction‐reduction hypotheses. Physical experimental debris flows driven by solid–liquid mass release and extended numerical cases at both laboratory and field scales are resolved by the model. For the first time, we probe into the energetics of the debris flows and find that, whilst the energy balance holds and fine and coarse grains play distinct roles in debris flow energetics, the grains as a whole release energy to the liquid due to inter‐phase and inter‐grain size interactions, and this grain‐energy release correlates closely with mobility. Despite uncertainty arising from the model closures, our results provide insight into the fundamental mechanisms operating in debris flows. We propose that debris flow mobility is governed by grain‐energy release, thereby facilitating a bridge between mobility and internal energy transfer. The initial volume of debris flow is inadequate for characterizing debris flow mobility, and a friction‐reduction mechanism is not a prerequisite for the high mobility of debris flows. By contrast, inter‐phase and inter‐grain size interactions play primary roles and should be incorporated explicitly in debris flow models. Our findings are qualitatively encouraging and physically meaningful, providing implications not only for assessing future debris flow hazards and informing mitigation and adaptation strategies, but also for unravelling a spectrum of earth surface processes including heavily sediment‐laden floods, subaqueous debris flows and turbidity currents in rivers, reservoirs, estuaries, and ocean. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Abstract Background As FQ (fluoroquinolone) use has shifted in pediatric populations, better metrics are needed to guide targeted antibiotic stewardship interventions and limit development of adverse events and resistance, particularly in medically complex children. In this study, we identify high-utilization groups based on underlying medical conditions and describe their relative FQ use over time. Methods This study is a retrospective analysis of data from the Pediatric Health Information System database from 2016 to 2020. We identify high-utilization groups based on underlying medical conditions using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth or Tenth Revision codes. We delineate overall trends in the use of FQs in the inpatient setting, including rate and proportional use by each patient group. Results Patients with an oncology diagnosis represent a large (25%–44%) and rising proportion (+4.8%/year, P = .001) of national FQ use over the study period. Patients with intra-abdominal infections, including appendicitis, have had a significant increase in both their relative proportional use of FQs (+0.6%/year, P = .037) and proportion of FQ use per admission encounter over the study period (+0.6%/year, P = .008). Patients with cystic fibrosis represent a decreasing proportion of overall use (−2.1%/year, P = .011) and have decreasing FQ use per inpatient encounter (−0.8%/year, P = .001). Conclusions Patients with an oncology diagnosis and patients with an intra-abdominal infection appear to be targets for FQ stewardship. Patients with cystic fibrosis have decreasing inpatient FQ use. Key Points: This study describes fluoroquinolone use among hospitalized children from 2016 to 2020, stratified by underlying diagnoses. These trends are used to identify high-yield antibiotic stewardship targets.


This paper examines global labor migration as a process that is both fundamentally transnational and the target of concentrated state appropriation. Building on a growing body of empirical research on state transformation due to processes of economic globalization, the first part of the paper takes the case of the Philippines as an example of a state re-territorialization strategy to create a migrant export sector for the primary purpose of generating external finance through remittances. The second part focuses on the increasing demand for political representation from workers abroad, specifically through access to the home ballot. We argue that the transnational migrant worker shapes new articulations of belonging and political membership, and that the formalization of trans-nationalism among migrants points to new, centralized institutional mechanisms through which nation-states with large migrant populations manage, channel, and forge political action and subjectivity.


Received: Revised: Accepted: September 03, 2013 April 14, 2014 May 07, 2014 This study was conducted to investigate the ultrasonographic findings of diaphragmatic hernia (DH) in buffaloes. Each 10 of healthy non pregnant, pregnant and buffaloes with DH were investigated. The most observed signs of DH were dullness, depression, inappetence, tympany and scanty feces. Reticulum of all buffaloes with DH was detected at the level of 4th/5th intercostal space (ICS) by ultrasonography. Contraction manner was either biphasic (n=6), monophasic (n=2) or non-motile (n=2). Contraction frequency was either reduced (n=6), normal (n=2) or increased (n=2). Also, hypoechoic inflammatory adhesion was found between reticulum and thoracic organs (n=6). Herniated reticulum was imaged beneath lung (n=6) and beneath heart (n=4). Hemato-biochemical analyses revealed significant elevations in total leucocytes, total protein, globulin and fibrinogen in comparison with control groups. Collectively, not only ultrasonography of DH in buffaloes was based on reticulum location at 4th/5th ICS, but also other investigations should be evaluated. ©2014 PVJ. All rights reserved


The object of this study consists of two textile fragments, which are in a private collection and have a main decoration of pearl roundels containing respectively one single or two composite creatures with a dog's head, wings and a peacock's tail. Both fabrics are radio-carbon dated, respectively to the 9th-10th century and to the beginning of the 8th - end of the 9th century. M. Comparetti elaborates on the iconography of the composite winged creature, which is often referred to as simurgh ...


We have studied the complications of varicella in children treated with inhaled steroids. From 1995 to 2005, 3/213 (1.4%) children hospitalized on the island of Mallorca, Spain, for varicella had received inhaled steroids. The rate of hospitalization for varicella complications in children receiving inhaled steroids was 17/100,000 children taking inhaled steroids, a rate similar to the rest of the children's population (18.2/100,000). Inhaled steroids did not increase the risk of varicella complications (relative risk 0.94; 95% confidence interval: 0.3–2.89).


CLINICAL PROBLEM
The renewed clinical interest in fat grafting for both reconstructive and aesthetic purposes prompted the American Society of Plastic Surgeons to establish a Fat Graft Task Force (AFGT) in 2009. Moreover, in 2015, the German Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (DGPRÄC), in cooperation with three relevant medical societies (DDG, DGMKG, DGGG), formulated statements on the provision of strategies for patient management and to guide physicians in clinical decision making, on the basis of the scientific literature, clinical experience and current laws. The aim of this paper is to compare both guidelines in regards to recommendations on fat grafting.

METHODS
Recommendations of the AFGT are based on evidence available in the published literature and graded within 5 (I-V) levels of appraisal. The available literature was reviewed by the aforementioned multidisciplinary consensus panel as well and graded according to a 4 level (I-IV) appraisal - focusing on general requirements for surgical procedures, quality of care, patient safety and legal provisions.

RESULTS
For indications and practical surgical procedures, the two societies reached a unanimous consensus: Fat grafting is indicated for breast reconstruction, reconstruction of tissue deficits, and deformations caused by prior operations. Both emphasize risk groups with breast cancer (BRCA-1, BRCA-2 and family predispositions). However, in any clinical setting, results depend on the surgical procedure applied and the individual surgeon's experience. Since randomized, prospective studies are lacking and only individual case reports and clinical series or expert opinions have been published, the evidence grading does not exceed level IV to V. However, the DGPRÄC structured expert consensus panel conveys a more comprehensive and practical approach, and provides more reliable evidence to support their opinions.

SUMMARY
Both societies unanimously recommend fat grafting for appropriate indications and emphasize that there are no standard guidelines for any specific procedure. The published guidelines were developed to assist physicians in choosing optimal techniques, appropriate patient selection, and offer realistic advice on outcome and potential complications. The AFGT emphasizes the need for further research and randomized controlled studies. Overall, the DGPRÄC guidelines are more detailed, practically oriented and take into consideration current German and European Tissue Laws.


Radiation-induced damage to living cells results from either a direct hit to cellular DNA, or from indirect action which leads to DNA damage from radiation produced radicals. However, in recent years there is evidence that biological effects such as cell killing, mutation induction, chromosomal damage and modification of gene expression can occur in a cell population exposed to low doses of alpha particles. In fact these doses are so low that not all cells in the population will be hit directly by the radiation. Using a precision alpha-particle microbeam, it has been recently demonstrated that irradiated target cells can induce a bystander mutagenic response in neighboring "bystander" cells which were not directly hit by alpha particles. Furthermore, these results suggest that gap-junction mediated cell-to-cell communication plays a critical role in this bystander phenomenon. The purpose of this section is to describe recent studies on bystander biological effects. The recent work described here utilized heavy charged particles for irradiation, and investigated the role of gap-junction mediated cell-cell communication in this phenomenon.


A monoclonal antibody, MRK16, recognizing specifically an epitope of P-glycoprotein (P-GP), a highly active efflux transporter of chemotherapeutic agents, was used to determine the degree of expression of P-GP in the normal human kidney and urinary bladder, and in kidney and urinary bladder cancers. P-glycoprotein was localized in the microvilli of the epithelial cells of the proximal renal tubules by immunoelectron microscopy, and detected immunohistochemically in 6 of 20 untreated kidney cancers and 11 of 31 untreated urinary bladder cancers. Some of the cancerous tissues were further examined with regard to P-GP expression by immunoprecipitation. In urinary bladder cancers, the degree of P-GP expression seemed to be somewhat correlated with tumor grading. These results indicate that our method to detect the degree of expression of P-GP by MRK16 may be applicable for the diagnosis of clinical multidrug resistant urinary cancers.


Two amino acids located in a transmembrane helix regulate the trafficking of endoplasmic reticulum- and plasma membrane-localized aquaporins along the secretory pathway. Aquaporins play important roles in maintaining plant water status under challenging environments. The regulation of aquaporin density in cell membranes is essential to control transcellular water flows. This work focuses on the maize (Zea mays) plasma membrane intrinsic protein (ZmPIP) aquaporin subfamily, which is divided into two sequence-related groups (ZmPIP1s and ZmPIP2s). When expressed alone in mesophyll protoplasts, ZmPIP2s are efficiently targeted to the plasma membrane, whereas ZmPIP1s are retained in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). A protein domain-swapping approach was utilized to demonstrate that the transmembrane domain3 (TM3), together with the previously identified N-terminal ER export diacidic motif, account for the differential localization of these proteins. In addition to protoplasts, leaf epidermal cells transiently transformed by biolistic particle delivery were used to confirm and refine these results. By generating artificial proteins consisting of a single transmembrane domain, we demonstrated that the TM3 of ZmPIP1;2 or ZmPIP2;5 discriminates between ER and plasma membrane localization, respectively. More specifically, a new LxxxA motif in the TM3 of ZmPIP2;5, which is highly conserved in plant PIP2s, was shown to regulate its anterograde routing along the secretory pathway, particularly its export from the ER.


We propose a new index for measuring the systemic risk of default of the banking sector, which is based on a homogeneous version of multivariate intensity based models (Cuadras – Auge distribution). We compute the index for 10 European countries, exploiting the information incorporated in the CDS premia of 44 large banks over the period January 2007 – September 2010. In this way, we provide a market based measure of the liability incurred by the Governments, due to the implicit bail-out guarantees they provide to the financial sector. We find that during the financial crisis the systemic component of the default risk in the banking sector has significantly increased in all countries, with the exception of Germany and the Netherlands. As a consequence, the Governments' liability implicit in the bail out guarantee amounts to a quite relevant share of GDP in several countries: it is huge for Ireland, lower but still important for the other PIIGS (Italy is the least affected within this group) and for the UK. Finally, our estimate is very close to the overall amount of money already committed in the rescue plans adopted in Europe between October 2008 and March 2010, despite strong cross-country differences: in particular, Germany and Ireland seem to have committed an amount of resources much larger than needed; to the contrary, the Italian Government has committed much less than it should.


The Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states that a criminal defendant has the right to counsel for his defense, and the Fourteenth Amendment states that defendants must be provided due process and equal protection under law. Despite this, it is unclear whether indigent defendants in the United States-who are disproportionately ethnic minorities-are receiving such protections when it comes to the defense of their criminal cases. Approximately 80 percent of criminal defendants require court-appointed counsel because they are indigent. Many have questioned whether the case outcomes of defendants with court-appointed counsel are equivalent to those of defendants with retained counsel (Marcus, 1994).The focus of this note is a public defender system. Public defender systems have been subject to much criticism because of the problems that some jurisdictions face. Many systems are underfunded, resulting in low salaries for attorneys and insufficient legal and support staff. The lack of funds and staff can result in overwhelming caseloads (Calogero, 1995; Drecksel, 1991; Marcus, 1994; Ogletree, 1995). It appears that one of the biggest problems facing all indigent defense systems is funding. Funding can affect the quality of services provided if there are not enough resources to do the job adequately. The current study addressed this issue by examining the public defender system in a northern Florida county. Effectiveness can be measured in a number of ways, including client satisfaction, number of dismissals, and favorable outcomes. This study focused simply on whether public defenders are able to obtain similar sentences for their clients when compared with private attorneys, controlling for relevant case characteristics such as charge seriousness and prior record. The state of Florida is considered to have an above-average public defender system (Spangenberg Group, 1996); therefore, negative results attributed to a good public defender system could have strong policy implications.


Background: Preterm delivery has a variety of causes, with each of these presumably carrying its own mortality risk. To the extent that they add to the risk of mortality, the various pathologic factors triggering preterm delivery will confound the causal contribution of gestational age to mortality, inflating the observed rates of gestational-age-specific mortality. We have previously estimated that about half of the mortality of US preterm singletons may be due to unmeasured pathologies that increase mortality risk and also cause preterm birth. In this paper, we examine the impact that rare factors may have, at least in theory, on preterm mortality. Methods: We constructed a simple model of gestational-age-specific mortality, in which we arbitrarily selected a function to represent the mortality due to immaturity alone ("baseline" risk). We then added "unmeasured" confounding factors that cause mortality and also cause preterm birth. This construct allowed us to calculate, in simple scenarios, the proportion of preterm mortality that could be caused by unmeasured confounding. Results: We found that rare pathologies with moderate-to-strong effects can substantially contribute to preterm mortality. The presence of such rare factors can also produce an intersection of gestational-age-specific mortality curves when stratifying by known risk factors. Conclusions: It is possible that a few relatively rare factors may account for a large fraction of preterm mortality. The search for such factors should be a primary focus of future research on preterm delivery.


Imprisonment, a generally accepted form of punishment in modern legal systems, existed also in Islamic law in the pre-classical and classical periods (second-sixth/eighth-thirteenth centuries), although Muslim jurists devoted only limited attention to the subject and Islamicists have largely ignored it. Muslim jurists of pre-classical and classical times concentrated their attention on pre-trial and administrative detention, especially imprisonment for debt. The jurists mention punitive detention as a supplementary measure that was enacted mostly in conjunction with corporal punishments (ḥudūd and taʿzīr). Because state authorities established a monopoly over criminal jurisdiction at a very early stage, it is possible that punitive detention played a more important role in practice than it did in theory. However, inasmuch as I found only a few examples in historical sources, it seems safe to conclude that punitive detention did not have the same status in pre-modern Islamic law that it does in modern law.


The approach to a rapidly growing vascular tumor is determined by a number of objective and subjective factors. As a rule, treatment of a hemangioma in an infant is usually delayed, in the expectation that involution will be complete. While most hemangiomas are harmless vascular marks, some may grow to become large, infiltrating masses. Local factors that influence treatment decision making include volume, ulceration, secondary infection, and bleeding of the tumor. Hemangiomas situated on the nose are distinguished from other locations by a few but important aspects and may demand a more aggressive position from the surgeon. An important consideration is the potential for aplasia of the delicate nasal cartilages that are undergoing development, due to the mass effect of the tumor. Nasal tip hemangiomas are slow to regress, and contour deformities result from the fibrofatty tissue that invariably remains even after total involution. More importantly, hemangiomas of the nasal region are particularly prone to causing great social distress to the parents, who will request prompt treatment for such a visible, deforming lesion. A definite solution that ensures removal of affected tissue and preservation of anatomy seems to be the best treatment for these tumors. In this article, the experience of the senior author (IP) in treating hemangiomas located on the nose is reviewed. The elliptical midline incision over the nasal dorsum described in the text was developed to address three important aspects: an expedient procedure to treat a highly disfiguring disease; an open access to allow for complete resection and, at the same time, allow for the correction of underlying cartilaginous disruption; and placement of a scar in an anatomic location proven to be very satisfactory aesthetically, permitting access for secondary procedures for better definition of nasal contour. Careful patient selection for this surgical procedure is emphasized.


Early in 2004 the Chinese government established a foundation whose mission is to protect and preserve the Great Wall of China and to articulate the Bo Da Jing Sheng or "profound esteem" that emanates from the 3,000 years of history encompassing the Great Wall. The Great Wall is the cultural icon of China, and is directly linked to China's long history. The China Great Wall Society (CGWS) and IMC have recently executed a letter of intent that together we will utilize state-of-the-art digital technologies and apply them to the preservation and protection of the Great Wall and to the creation of content to disseminate the history and knowledge embodied in this unique cultural heritage. The Great Wall represents a time-line of Chinese history.On September 1, 2004, Xu Jia Lu of the National People's Congress and chairman of the China Great Wall Society emphasized the need to formulate a five-year plan to retrieve, protect, restore, and develop a Great Wall database that can be utilized for future research, educational purposes, and the dissemination internationally of China's cultural heritage. The Great Wall project is multi-dimensional in scope, with two complementary missions: (1) physical and virtual restoration of the Great Wall, and (2) the development of a Great Wall database. The goal of the plan is to bring knowledge of the Great Wall to the world and to leave the children of China a Great Wall that is physically preserved and its underlying cultural heritage appreciated internationally.


Investing in large transport projects affects the (potential) economic development of metropolitan areas. Yet, very little critical research has been performed to understand how to assess these effects. The relationship between infrastructure investments and regional economic development is complex and indirect, and many theoretical and methodological difficulties remain. On the one hand, the assumption that investing in infrastructure is important to sustain economic growth is sometimes doubted. On the other hand, it is argued that investments in infrastructure enhance the accessibility of urban regions and that in the slipstream of such investments, social problems in urban regions can be tackled as well. Despite these contrasting views, there is at least a consensus that transport infrastructure development depends on economic development and vice versa. Yet, in many cases, the method of assessing economic impacts highly affects the results. Therefore, this paper focuses on a critical reflection of methods for estimating economic effects of infrastructure investments. A critical evaluation is made based on Indonesian and Japanese cases. After conducting in-depth desk research on both cases, we found that the broader effects on affected group of people tend to be overlooked due to the problems of time and space dimensions, the chain reaction of effects, and inappropriate data practices. The assessment on the appraisal processes tends to overlook the broader economic implication due to narrow focus and the concept of efficiency of economic theory.


Developing competence in clinical skills is important if graduates are to provide entry-level care, but it is dependent on having had sufficient hands-on practice. Clinical skills laboratories provide opportunities for students to learn on simulators and models in a safe environment and to supplement training with animals. Interest in facilities for developing veterinary clinical skills has increased in recent years as many veterinary colleges face challenges in training their students with traditional methods alone. For the present study, we designed a survey to gather information from established veterinary clinical skills laboratories with the aim of assisting others considering opening or expanding their own facility. Data were collated from 16 veterinary colleges in North America and Europe about the uses of their laboratory, the building and associated facilities, and the staffing, budgets, equipment, and supporting learning resources. The findings indicated that having a dedicated veterinary clinical skills laboratory is a relatively new initiative and that colleges have adopted a range of approaches to implementing and running the laboratory, teaching, and assessments. Major strengths were the motivation and positive characteristics of the staff involved, providing open access and supporting self-directed learning. However, respondents widely recognized the increasing demands placed on the facility to provide more space, equipment, and staff. There is no doubt that veterinary clinical skills laboratories are on the increase and provide opportunities to enhance student learning, complement traditional training, and benefit animal welfare.


Summary In a search for antichagasic drugs, 14 new 4-(nitroarylidene)-1,2,6-thiadiazin-3,5-dione 1,1- dioxide derivatives were synthesized and tested in vitro against the epimastigote form of Trypanosoma cruzi and some of them showed important antiprotozoan activity. Attempts to synthesize new 4-(nitroarylidene)-3,5-diamino-1,2,6-thiadiazine 1,1-dioxides were unsuccessful. The antichagasic properties of nitroarylidene-malononitrile and nitroarylidene-cyanoacetamide derivatives, thus obtained, were also tested. The cytotoxic properties against Vero cells of compounds which showed remarkable in vitro antichagasic activity were evaluated. All compounds tested exhibited high toxicity percentages at 100 µg/ml. However, compound 3c showed in vitro antichagasic and cytotoxic properties such as nifurtimox at the dose of 10 µg/ml.


We extend various bit-level and word-level expressions for representation of switching functions, such as SOP, Reed-Muller expressions, arithmetic, and Walsh expressions, to functions used in Fibonacci interconnection topologies. The corresponding Fibonacci decision diagrams (FibDD) are used as graphic representations of these expressions. At the same time, FibDD are used as a data structure to efficiently calculate coefficients in the introduced expressions, and to perform design of related networks. In this way, we provide a base to extend the application of powerful CAD design tools for switching functions to functions in Fibonacci interconnection topologies.


Concerns about the affordability of an aging society have moved entitlement spending - especially for Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid - to the forefront of domestic policy debates. Another part of our social welfare system - tax entitlements, like the exclusion for employer-provided health insurance or the deduction for mortgage interest payments - represent an entirely distinct and hidden part of our social welfare system. Spending entitlements totaled more than $1.4 trillion in 2006 (not counting offsetting receipts), compared with $850 billion in tax entitlements. Both sets of programs operate somewhat automatically without annual appropriations review, both are very large, and both have the same impact on federal budget deficits. But spending entitlements have received far more attention in the debate over our current and future budget problems. The debate over spending entitlements has led to the impression that they benefit mainly the old and that they are relatively poorly targeted, benefiting the middle class and more affluent as well as the poor and low-income. A more comprehensive look at entitlements to include tax benefits shows that spending and tax entitlements are both very large (although spending entitlements are larger) and that overall entitlements are closely divided between those who are age 65 or older and those under 65. Even though spending entitlements broadly span the middle class, they are more closely targeted on those in need than tax entitlements.


Bangka Belitung Islands Province is the second largest tin producer that has been widely known in the international market. It has been exploited since the 18th century. In the New Order era, tin mining was exploited by two large companies, namely PT. Timah, Indonesia Tbk and PT. Koba Tin, Malaysia. The purpose of this study was to analyze the polarization of conflicts and stakeholders interests in tin mining policies in Bangka Belitung Islands Province between 2000 and 2019. This study used a qualitative approach with phenomenological analysis techniques. Data collection was carried out by conducting interviews with key informants, Focus Group Discussion, with 30 supervisors, in-depth interviews, and documentation. This study concluded that the polarization of various interest groups in tin mining policies is related to how the stakeholders in the policy reacted to the direct and indirect impact of certain policies to their values and interests. The implication of this research is that the central government must consider the stakeholders relationship interests in formulating mining policies and implementation.


The main aim of this study is to intensify the bioavailability of drug which is having lower bioavailability (<5 %) like Lovastatin in the form of Solid lipid nanoparticle (SLN) carrier and Nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC) and also to choose the best carrier molecule among this two by performing the invivo pharmacokinetic studies. The NLC (N3) and SLN (S6) was formulated by homogenization technique by using various formulation variable like lipid concentration (Witepsol) and surfactant concentration (span 80) and process variables like homogenization time (5000 Revolutions Per Minute) and albino wistar rats were used for the evaluation of invivo pharmacokinetic studies. From the obtained outcome, it was winded up that the formulation of Nanostructured Lipid Carried and SLN was carried out by a optimized hot homogenization technique. The optimized preparation N3 and S6 evaluated for invivo pharmacokinetic studies and compare the enhancing efficiency of bioavailability between the SLN and NLC. From the invivo pharmacokinetic data, NLC confirms enhancement of bioavailability by 10.56% when compared to SLN and conventional dosage form that have bioavailability 7.5% and 5.6%. From the outcome data of the research and in-vivo pharmacokinetic data, it came to an conclusion that the Lovastatin encapsulated Nanostructured Lipid Carrier presented an increased bioavailability than SLN, by intensifying the Area Under Curve and Mean Residence Time in plasma drug concentration profile. Hence using Nanostructured lipid carrier in the formulation of drugs in Biopharmaceutical Classification System class II, like Lovastatin which have low bioavailability will assure a better drug delivery system.


We propose to study mobile object tracing, which allows a mobile system to report the shape, location, and trajectory of the mobile objects appearing in a video camera and identifies each of them with its cyber-identity (ID), even if the appearances of the objects are not known to the system. Existing tracking methods either cannot match objects with their cyber-IDs or rely on complex vision modules pre-learned from vast and well-annotated datasets including the appearances of the target objects, which may not exist in practice. We design and implement TagAttention, a vision-RFID fusion system that archives mobile object tracing without the knowledge of the target object appearances and hence can be used in many applications that need to track arbitrary un-registered objects. TagAttention adopts the visual attention mechanism, through which RF signals can direct the visual system to detect and track target objects with unknown appearances. Experiments show TagAttention can actively discover, identify, and track the target objects while matching them with their cyber-IDs by using commercial sensing devices, in complex environments with various multipath reflectors. It only requires around one second to detect and localize a new mobile target appearing in the video aWe thank the anonymous reviewers for their suggestions and comments.nd keeps tracking it accurately over time.


The relationship between perceived paternal and maternal acceptance and children's adjustment was analyzed. The sample consisted of 234 children and 234 parental figures (mother or primary female caregiver, and father or primary male caregiver) living in twoparent nuclear families in Colombia. The children's age range was 7 to 13 (M = 9.7). Children completed the Parental Acceptance-Rejection Questionnaire (Child PARQ mother and father versions; Rohner, 1990), and the Personality Assessment Questionnaire (PAQ; Rohner, 1990). Parents completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL; Achenbach & Edelbrock, 1983). The analyses revealed that perceived paternal and maternal acceptance were both related to self-reported children's psychological adjustment. Perceived acceptance from mothers, but not from fathers, was directly related to children's behavioral problems as reported by parents. Results suggested that the effect of perceived paternal acceptance on children's behavioral problems is indirect, and that maternal acceptance mediates the effects of paternal acceptance.


This study included isolation, characterization and identification of endophytic bacteria from cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp] roots from Hathazari upazilla, Chittagong, Bangladesh and three specis of bacteria, Staphylococcus intermedius, Staphylococcus caprae and Staphylococcus saprophyticus were finally identified based on their morphological and biochemical characteristics according to established protocol. Results of antibiotic sensitivity pattern of those endophytic bacteria suggested that they can be utilized as a cost-effective biological control agent in future applications, such as delivery of enzymes for controlling certain plant diseases against various pathogens. The findings of this study may help to determine the potential application of those endophytic bacteria in biotechnology, medicine and agriculture.


CO2 injections into coal seams can boost the recovery of coalbed methane (CBM), while simultaneously sequestering a greenhouse gas. However, alteration of the mechanical attributes of coal is observed during CO2 injection. Most studies to date have focused on the influence of single-fluid saturation on coal, and few investigations have been dedicated to various and coupled-fluid saturations on the geomechanical attributes of coal. This work therefore examines the effect of CO2, water and water + CO2 saturation on bituminous coal. It was found that the average uniaxial strength of the untreated coal samples is 46.07 MPa and it reduces after CO2 and water saturation, this reduction increases with increasing CO2 saturation pressure, especially for supercritical CO2, as the much higher adsorption affinity of supercritical CO2 results in greater structural alteration. Further 5.29% and 9.69% strength reductions were found for water+6 MPa CO2 and water+8 MPa CO2 (supercritical) saturated samples, from 26.33 MPa to 19.00 MPa–23.90 MPa and 14.53 MPa, respectively, compared with the corresponding single CO2 saturations, because of the enhanced structural alteration and mineral dissolution observed in SEM images. The coal structure is relaxed with increased Young's modulus after exposure to CO2 or water. More progressive strain development was found for the water + CO2 treated sample, which showed a more ductile collapse compared with the shear-dominated failure of the untreated sample. The weakening effect was further evidenced by acoustic emission (AE) results, according to which the AE energies decreased considerably after CO2 or water saturation, and this reduction intensified for the water + CO2 saturated sample with increase of crack initiation stress and reduction of stable crack propagation. The findings highlight that while single CO2 or water saturation weakens coal strength, the coupled influence of water + CO2 saturation, which is the most likely scenario in actual field operations, induces greater strength alteration and threatens the overall stability of the system.


ABSTRACT Vote shares for populist radical right parties (PRRPs) have increased considerably in recent years, and this advancement of PRRPs has been attributed in part to social media. We assess the affinity between social media and populist radical right parties by examining a) whether more frequent social media use for news enhances the willingness to vote for a PRRP (exposure effect) as well as b) whether individuals who have voted for a PRRP in the past use social media more frequently to access news (selection effect). To address these research questions, we analysed data of a two-wave survey study that was conducted in Germany, focusing on the party Alternative for Germany (AfD). Binary logistic regression highlighted that social media use increased the likelihood of supporting the AfD. Pre-registered multinominal analyses, however, showed that this effect was driven by specific party comparisons. That is, using the AfD as a reference category, social media use reduced intentions to vote for parties that expressed similar positions as the AfD on the issue of immigration and with which the PRRP competes over votes. Social media selection effects were not supported.


It is difficult to distinguish desmoplastic malignant mesothelioma (DMM) from fibrous pleuritis (FP). We investigated the utility of immunohistochemistry as a way of differentiating between DMM and FP. We examined 11 DMMs and 46 FPs with the aid of antibodies against 18 cytokeratin (CK) subtypes, calponin, caldesmon, desmin, and GLUT-1. The best sensitivity and specificity cut-off values in the receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC) for CKs 7, 8, 17, 18, and 19, and GLUT-1 were each above 60%. When cases with either DMM or FP were partitioned by the staining score associated with the best sensitivity and specificity cut-off values in ROC, the incidence of a positive expression for CKs 7, 8, 17, 18, and 19, and GLUT-1 was significantly higher in DMM than in FP. In conclusion, immunohistochemistry for CKs 7, 8, 17, 18, and 19, and GLUT-1 may be useful, alongside histological characteristics, for separating DMM from FP.


The modal structure of finite lateral extent waveguides differs from that of the associated infinite structures by the presence of additional guided modes arising from the boundary conditions and by the discrete representation of the continuum modes. These differences are analyzed for a rib waveguide using matrix methods. The origin of the additional modes and their evolution with changing system parameters are discussed. The development of localized modes from delocalized modes is of particular interest, as is the evolution of radiation modes into discrete, localized modes of higher order as the rib increases in height. These developments are followed in detail and the changes in modal character are related to the properties of the finite system's dispersion curves. Illustrations of the effect of increasing system size on the localized and delocalized modes are given. >


Adults of Rhyzopertha dominica were treated by filter paper impregnation method with five doses of pesticides of different groups such as cypermethrin, lorsban, Acorus calamus extract, trend and shogun, and LC50 was calculated. Biochemical analysis revealed that after treatment with LC50 of pesticides, cypermethrin inhibited 80% alkaline phosphatase activity, lorsban 44.17%, A. calamus extract 49.87%, trend 25% and shogun inhibited 20% activity as compared to control. Acid phosphatase activity was inhibited upto 42.8%, 11.12%, 14.25%, 28.62% and 33%, respectively. Similarly, cholinesterase activity was inhibited upto 60%, 20%, 33.33%, 50% and 59.2%, respectively. Total protein content was inhibited i.e., 29.27%, 20.49%, 20.49%, 64.76% and 41.19%, respectively. Thin layer chromatography of protein metabolites of R. dominica was found to be slightly different in the treated and non-treated insect and change in the protein peptide pattern was observed. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was also done for localization of protein bands in treated samples as compared to control. This information is useful for pest management worker and researchers in this field as well for teachers.


Objective: To study the role of resistance characteristics of viral mutants in the prediction of virologic and immunologic response to antiretroviral therapy in HIV-infection. Methods: This study is based on a mathematical model that generates viral and immunologic dynamics of HIV infection, taking into account drug-resistant mutants and therapy. We analyzed predictive factors of the increase in CD4 cell count and of the decrease in viral load from baseline after 6 months of HAART on a sample of 300 simulated individuals. The set of potential predictors was constituted by patients' state at initiation of therapy and by resistance characteristics of viral strains at that time. Predictive models, obtained by stepwise regression, were selected and compared using Mallows' Cp criterion. Results: In addition to baseline viral load and CD4 cell count, known to influence response to therapy, baseline CD8 cell count and resistance characteristics of detectable strains are shown to improve the accuracy of the prediction. On the contrary, resistance parameters of low frequency viral mutants have no predictive value. Conclusions: Characteristics of preexisting detectable resistant mutants as determinants of virologic and immunologic response to antiretroviral therapy increase the capacity to predict the outcome of the treatment. Therefore, the use of phenotypic and genotypic testing could be crucial and should be considered for the choice of therapy.


Overview • Social constructionism versus essentialism • Liberalism versus radicalism • The relationship between LGBTQ psychology and feminism • The relationship between LGBTQ psychology and queer theory • The relationship between LGBTQ psychology and critical psychology • The relationship between LGBTQ psychology and positive social change In Chapter 1, we introduced you to the history and contemporary development of LGBTQ psychology as a recognised sub-field of psychology. In this chapter, we further equip you to be an LGBTQ psychologist by exploring some of the theoretical and political issues that inform the field. We start by exploring two key debates underpinning much work within LGBTQ psychology: confrontations between essentialist and constructionist theories and between liberal and radical ideologies. Don't panic about our mention of theory, ideology and politics (things that make a lot of psychologists panic!) – these concepts can all be defined simply as an organised collection of ideas, a way of looking at things, a way of explaining things. At the same time, we acknowledge that these debates are rather complex and we encourage you to return to them once you have read some of the topic-based chapters and you have an understanding of the empirical research on which these debates are brought to bear. In discussing the essentialism versus social constructionism debate we touch on a controversial issue – the aetiology or origins of homosexuality. Our view is that research on the aetiology of homosexuality is deeply problematic, as we explain below.


RATIONALE
Recognition of pathogen-associated molecular patterns by Toll-like receptors (TLRs) is considered to be important for an appropriate immune response against pathogens that enter the lower airways.

OBJECTIVES
We studied the effects of two different TLR agonists relevant for respiratory infections in the human lung: lipoteichoic acid (LTA; TLR2 agonist, component of gram-positive bacteria) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS; TLR4-agonist, component of gram-negative bacteria).

METHODS
Fifteen healthy subjects were given LPS or LTA: by bronchoscope, sterile saline was instilled into a lung segment followed by instillation of LTA or LPS into the contralateral lung. After 6 hours, a bronchoalveolar lavage was performed and inflammatory parameters were determined. Isolated RNA from purified alveolar macrophages was analyzed by multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification. In addition, spontaneous cytokine release by alveolar macrophages was measured.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS
Marked differences were detected between LTA- and LPS-induced lung inflammation. Whereas both elicited neutrophil recruitment, only LPS instillation was associated with activation of neutrophils (CD11b surface expression, degranulation product levels) and consistent rises of chemo-/cytokine levels. Moreover, LPS but not LTA activated alveolar macrophages, as reflected by enhanced expression of 10 different mRNAs encoding proinflammatory mediators and increased spontaneous cytokine release upon incubation ex vivo. Remarkably, only LTA induced C5a release.

CONCLUSIONS
This is the first study to report the in vivo effects of LTA in men and to compare inflammation induced by LTA and LPS in the human lung. Our data suggest that stimulation of TLR2 or TLR4 results in differential pulmonary inflammation, which may be of relevance for understanding pathogenic mechanisms at play during gram-positive and gram-negative respiratory tract infection.


Context: Real-time elastography is a novel and dynamic imaging technique that is based on the softness or hardness of tissues or organs of interest under the appropriate compression and can be used with conventional ultrasonography(US) probes after performing grayscale imaging and Doppler US. Aims: It was to find out the diagnostic ability of sonoelastography in evaluation of uterine fibroids and whether evaluation with computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be avoided. Subjects and Methods: A prospective study was conducted from August 2017 to August 2018. A total of 87 females were included and underwent sonographic examination and a diagnosis was made, and later, elastogram was obtained and strain ratios were calculated and the final diagnosis was compared to histopathological diagnoses to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound with and without elastography. Statistical Analysis Used:Statistical analysis was done using descriptive and inferential statistics using Chi-square test, Student's unpaired test, sensitivity, and specificity, and software used in the analysis was SPSS 22.0 version and GrafhPad Prism 6.0 version. Results: Out of the total 87 patients, 10 cases were misdiagnosed on ultrasonography compared to 7 on elastography, of which the major pathology was adenomyosis and 1 case submucosal fibroid. Sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound were found to be 90.28%, 80%, and 88.5%, respectively. Sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy of sonography with elastography were 93.06%, 86.67%, and 91.95%, respectively, showing better results. Conclusions: Sonography coupled with elastography showed better results and can be used to avoid dependency on CT and MRI avoiding radiation exposures and increase cost, especially in a developing country such as India.


INTRODUCTION: Malignant lung lesions are commonly treated with stereotactic body radiotherapy e.g. Cyberknife®. However, a common problem of existing markers is migration which requires placement of several devices (usually 3). The purpose of the study was to demonstrate feasibility of a new « All in 1 » shape memory (Novatech ® ) markers, with safety and efficacy as key points, in a porcine model. METHODS: 55 devices with 3 different shapes were inserted in 8 Pietrain pigs, using flexible bronchoscopy under general anesthesia. Follow-up period: 4 weeks with CT scans analysis. The markers where launched in different peripheral sub-segments using a guide sheath under fluoroscopy control. Evaluation: Procedure time, ease of placement, blinded CT scan analyses for evaluation of migration, complications and histological analysis. RESULTS: All 55 devices were easily inserted into the peripheral bronchi and visualized under fluoroscopy. The average procedure time was 5 min (+/- 2,6). During the 4 weeks clinical follow up and CT evaluation, no immediate or late complication occurred (pneumothorax, pneumonia, severe granulations or bleedings). Migration has been avoided by changing the design. The pathological investigations performed in the explanted lungs, at one month did not led to drastic alterations of the bronchio-alveolar structures at the site of implantation or distally. CONCLUSIONS: In this pilot animal study the new « all in 1 » device for fiducial tumor marking was easy, quick and safe to use. It could be demonstrated that migration risk can be reduced with the right design and the lung functioning were not substantially affected by the device implantation.


In 1992 Biró, Hujter and Tuza introduced, for every fixed connected graph H , the class of H -graphs, defined as the intersection graphs of connected subgraphs of some subdivision of H . Such classes of graphs are related to many known graph classes: for example, K 2 -graphs coincide with interval graphs, K 3 -graphs with circular-arc graphs, the union of T -graphs, where T ranges over all trees, coincides with chordal graphs. Recently, quite a lot of research has been devoted to understanding the tractability border for various computational problems, such as recognition or isomorphism testing, in classes of H -graphs for different graphs H . In this work we undertake this research topic, focusing on the recognition problem. Chaplick, Töpfer, Voborník, and Zeman showed an XP -algorithm testing whether a given graph is a T -graph, where the parameter is the size of the tree T . In particular, for every fixed tree T the recognition of T -graphs can be solved in polynomial time. Tucker showed a polynomial time algorithm recognizing K 3 -graphs (circular-arc graphs). On the other hand, Chaplick et al. showed also that for every fixed graph H containing two distinct cycles sharing an edge, the recognition of H -graphs is NP -hard. The main two results of this work narrow the gap between the NP -hard and P cases of H -graph recognition. First, we show that the recognition of H -graphs is NP -hard when H contains two distinct cycles. On the other hand, we show a polynomial-time algorithm recognizing L -graphs, where L is a graph containing a cycle and an edge attached to it (which we call lollipop graphs ). Our work leaves open the recognition problems of M -graphs for every unicyclic graph M different from a cycle and a lollipop.


One of the common methods for structural design against explosive loads is the static linear equivalent analysis. Multiplying the maximum value of the explosive load by the dynamic load factor (DLF), the method would yield a static load equivalent to the explosive load. With this, the dynamic analysis can be transformed into an equivalent static analysis which, in turn, can be carried out using the current codes and standards. The lack of a complete and comprehensive study for computing the DLF means that the engineers carry out their design based on approximation by applying the coefficient diagrams obtained for beams and considering the ratio of the explosive load run-time to the main period of the member vibration (td/T). The purpose of this paper is to present the dynamic coefficient (d) of concrete slabs with different ratios of vibration periods, different boundary conditions, and different aspect ratios to be used as a basis of design against explosive load on structures. In this regard, a range of concrete slabs were modelled with a maximum measuring unit of dynamic load (using Single-Degree-of-Freedom (SDOF) models under triangular load) and consequently, before a static load was applied. Then, by considering the maximum bending moments obtained from static and dynamic analyses, the dynamic coefficient (d) or DLF was derived for each structure. For this purpose, 1680 model runs, including both dynamic and static cases, were carried out. The findings from these were plotted and analysed in terms of the dynamic coefficient (d) vs. (td/T), for a range of boundary conditions. The results revealed variation trends in the value of the dynamic coefficient (d) for each slab under different boundary conditions and can be used in the development of enhanced and more realistic procedures for structural design against explosive loads.


This paper presents a velocity estimator based on a digital version of the so called Elementary Motion Detector (EMD). Inspired by insect vision, this model benefits from a low complexity motion detection algorithm and is able to estimate velocities in four directions. It can handle noisy images with a pre-filtering step which highlights the important features to be detected. Using a specific velocity tuned detector called Elementary Velocity Detector (EVD) applied to different resolutions of the same input, it gains time efficiency by estimating different speeds in parallel. The responses of the different EVDs are then combined together at the input


Control of equilibrium in upright posture is a multifactorial phenomenon influenced by the sensory modalities involved or by the characteristics of the environment. Or of the subjects. We have to specify how the practice of sports, especial1y judo or dance, could influence the role of the sensory information and t he postural strategies used. Practicers of Judo and dancers need to tram to control their equilibrium, in order for the judoka to maintain their own standing position while attempting to throw their opponents to the ground, or for the dancers to make the movements of the desired shape. Is this experience and skill generalized to the control of static equilibrium and which sensory aspects are trained the most (Crbmieux, Mesure, 1990, 1992), and does it change the postural strategies of the subjects? To answer these questions, an experiment was carried out with 60 young healthy adults: 2 groups of novice men and women, one group of men and one of women expert in Judo (black belt) and one group of women expert in classic dance ( 5years of practice). The subjects were tested in a sharpened Romberg position on either a hard or a soft surface within a vertical cylinder with vertical black and white stripes. Three type of illumination were used: normal or 2 Hz stroboscopic light, and darkness. Accelerometers were used to measure the subject's lateral (head and hips) or antero-posterior (ankles) body sway. A frequency power spectrum analysis shows a better static control in the expert men and women than in the beginners; but this improvement is not due to an aspecific increase in the use of visual, vestibular or proprioceptive cues for the three expert groups; rather it depends on the sport and sex of the subjects. They did not choose the same information for their own control. A study of the correlations between performances at the different anatomical levels show that the relation between motion of the different body levels are not the same for the five groups. To study the effect of sex and sport on this relative movements, we use .a new statistical determination of postural strategies (Amblard et al., 1992a. b) between two anatomical levels, by mean of a method based on the crosscorrelation functions between two simultaneous time series of accelerometric measurements. Results show that men and women, a as well as novices and experts have not the same relative body movements.


The project of developing software is a comprehensive multiple objective system. In view of the characteristic of software project development process, this article uses the three basic factors-cost, schedule and quality of the software project development as the multi-attribute variable, establishes an integrated optimization model of software project development process based on fuzzy multi-attribute theory. For the tradeoff optimization problem of these three basic factors, the model presents a dynamic multi-objective optimization solution. Using the genetic algorithm we can obtain the most satisfied results. Finally we give an example to verify the model's feasibility and effectiveness. The efficiency of the model is quite high, and the results accord with the practice.


Exponential growth in scientific research data demands novel measures for managing the extremely large datasets. In particular, due to advancements in high-resolution microscopy, the nanoscopy scientific research community is producing datasets up to the range of multiple TeraBytes (TB). Systematically acquired datasets of biological specimens are composed of multiple high-resolution images, in the range of 150-200 TB. The management of these extremely large datasets requires an optimized Generic Client Service (GCS) API with an integration into a data repository system. The novel API proposed in this paper provides an abstract interface that connects various disparate systems. The API is optimized to provide an efficient and automated ingest, download of the data and management of its metadata. The ingest and download processes are based on well-defined workflows stated in this paper. The base metadata model for comprehensive description of the datasets is also stated in the paper. The API is seamlessly integrated with a digital data repository system, namely KIT Data Manager to make it adaptable for a wide range of communities. Finally, a simple and easy to use command line tool is realized based on GCS API to manage large datasets of nanoscopy research community.


PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of a particular form of sponsorship disclaimer in sponsored content by social media influencers (SMIs), namely a sponsorship compensation justification disclosure. A sponsorship compensation justification disclosure explains why influencers and brands engage in sponsorship collaborations by providing a normative reason that justifies the existence and dissemination of sponsored content.Design/methodology/approachAn experimental design was used to compare the effects of a sponsorship compensation justification disclosure made by either an influencer or the sponsoring brand, to a simple sponsorship disclosure and a no disclosure control post, on consumers' responses to a product-review video by a YouTube influencer.FindingsThe paper offers empirical evidence that sponsorship compensation justification generates more positive consumer attitudes toward influencers receiving sponsorship compensation, and increases source and message credibility, compared to a simple sponsorship disclosure.Research limitations/implicationsThe hypotheses were tested on one YouTube video, comprising of a single product category, one SMI and one social media platform. Further studies might replicate the experiment on different product categories and on different social media platforms.Practical implicationsThis empirical study can offer brand communication managers and influencers important information on how to communicate and design sponsorship disclosures to reach-desired responses from consumers.Originality/valueThe study is the first study to empirically demonstrate the effects of this particular type of sponsorship disclosure.


The antimicrobial effect of mastic gum, an ancient remedy for oral malodor, against Porphyromonas gingivalis, a known odorogenic periopathogenic oral bacterium, was tested using the agar diffusion test. Paper discs impregnated with mastic gum methanolic extract (MME) [0.5-4% (wt/vol)] produced inhibition zones of 10.5-13.7 mm, respectively, without showing signs of hemolysis, whereas chlorhexidine (0.2%)-impregnated discs, which showed greater inhibition (33.5 mm), also produced large and distinctive hemolytic zones (17 mm). Further analysis of the antimicrobial traits of MME revealed a logarithmic ratio between inhibition zone diameter and MME concentration (r = .99), indicating limited water solubility of this material. These results suggest that mastic gum may be used as a potential nontoxic local agent in treating oral malodor and gum disease.


A new microwave detector is described which possesses extremely large bandwidth capabilities in addition to being free from power limitations. The sensitivity is comparable to that of a crystal. This new device operates on the electron beam of a traveling wave tube as a velocity sorter by utilizing the stop-band phenomenon of a periodic magnetic focusing system. The electrons are sorted according to their rf velocity modulation and thus the collector current is a function of the microwave power in the beam. Several important related devices are discussed including a high level mixer.


One of the problems dealing with oil palm stem (OPS) plywood is the high veneer surface roughness that results in high resin consumption during the plywood manufacturing. In this study, evaluation was done on the effects of pretreatment of OPS veneers with phenol-formaldehyde resin on the bond integrity and bending strength of OPS plywood. OPS veneers were soaked in low molecular weight phenol-formaldehyde resin (LMW PF) for 20 seconds to obtain certain percentage of resin weight gain. OPS plywoods were produced using two types of lay-ups (100% outer veneer type and 100% inner veneer type) and two urea-formaldehyde (UF) adhesive spread amounts (200 g/m2 and 250 g/m2). The results show that pretreating the veneer with LMW PF could reduce the penetration of the adhesive into the fibres during gluing step. UF adhesive spread amount of 200 g/m2 is sufficient to produce good quality OPS plywood. The technique used in this study was able to enhance the mechanical properties of OPS plywood as well as reduce the amount of resin consumption.


Survivability of many-to-one flow networks such as wireless mesh networks (WMNs) and wireless sensor networks (WSNs) is an important issue that has not received enough attention in the literature. Traditional proactive and reactive protection schemes are either resource-hungry like the (1 + 1) protection scheme, or introduce a delay and interrupt the network operation like the (1 : N) protection scheme. In this paper, we present a novel approach that relies on network coding to provide protection to many-to-one flows as in WMNs or WSNs at the speed of proactive protection, but at the cost of reactive protection. We derive and prove the necessary and sufficient conditions for our solution on a restricted network topology. Then we introduce three generalizations of our problem, and provide a heuristic and a mixed integer linear program (MILP) to solve one of them. We also show how to perform deterministic coding with {0,1} coefficients to achieve linear independence. Finally, we discuss some practical considerations related to our approach, and define a more general problem that takes these considerations into account. We also formulate this general problem as an MILP.


The purpose of this study was to analyze the longitudinal causal relationship between caregiver relations and peer relations of children in out-of-home care. We analyzed the three years(2011-2013) of longitudinal data from the Panel Study on Korean Children in Out-of-Home Care. The autoregressive cross-lagged model (ARCL) was used to measure the longitudinal causal relationship between caregiver relations and peer relations. As a result, first, caregiver relations and peer relations showed stability over time. In other words, the results of the measurement at three time points showed that the caregiver relations and peer relations at the previous time had a significant effect on the caregiver relations and peer relations at the later time point. Second, the previous caregiver relations had a significant effect on the subsequent peer relations over time. Third, the previous peer relations had a significant effect on the subsequent caregiver relations over time. This study confirmed the interrelationships of caregiver relations and peer relations of children in care by examining the longitudinal data using the longitudinal analysis method.


This resource is designed as a support for those interested in runn
ing a community
education programme
that enables women can come together to discuss their
reproductive rights. In this
pack,
you will find
all you need to organise and deliver
this programme including details on the educational approach to be used,
recommended reading for facilitators and participants
,
and
session plans
. These
include
exercises and information about a range of pro
-
choice sup
port organisations
working to advance women's reproductive rights in Ireland.
The handbook provides flexible resources
, references
and
activities
and
it is up
to the facilitators to decide what is appropriate to their groups. For some groups,
it is essen
tial to hold back on handouts, difficult langua
ge and
/or
alienating
processes.
However, it is equally essential not to remain at that basic starting
point.
T
he golden rule is to begin
where the groups are at, with the intention of
creating the opportuni
ty
to progress and develop the
ideas, k
nowledge bases and
engagements of the participants.


In This Issue In This Issue Monitoring MLCK yosin light chain kinase (MLCK) is a busy protein— it phosphorylates myosin's regulatory light chain (and thus activates myosin) during nonmuscle cell contraction, cytokinesis, stress fiber formation, and motility. In general, MLCK is known to be present at the cellular sites implicated in these events, but the results of Chew et al. (page 543) are some of the first hints at the dynamics of that localization and the in situ activity of the kinase. M Visualizing vesicles arbero et al. have visualized the movement of individual vesicles from late endosomes to the trans Golgi by using GFP-marked Rab9 (page 511). Their results suggest that vesicles rather than tubules are used to deliver mannose 6-phosphate receptors (MPRs) in their return to the Golgi, after these proteins have transported enzymes from the Golgi to prelysosomes. The detailed localization of the GFP-Rab9 is also telling. Rab GTPases are thought to contribute delivery address information for many trafficking vesicles, but Barbero et al. note that Rab9 is present on the endosome-derived vesicles from budding through docking. This is consistent with the group's earlier experiments suggesting B that Rab9 has a function during budding. Perhaps as part of this budding process Rab9 clusters in particular regions, as the authors note that Rab9 and Rab7 (a GTPase involved in late endosome fusion) are present in largely nonoverlapping domains within a given late endosome. Once Barbero et al. have overcome some protein engineering problems, they hope to visualize MPRs and the Rab9-binding cargo collector TIP47. They predict that MPRs will be present in the transport vesicles, and that TIP47 will be released from the vesicles after budding, perhaps to be replaced by an unknown docking factor. ᭿ Rab9 (red) and Rab7 (green) localize to distinct domains on late endosomes. Chew et al. track MLCK by adding a module with a calcium–calmodulin-binding domain flanked by BFP and GFP. In the absence of calcium, the BFP and GFP are close enough to each other to allow fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between them. When calcium–calmodulin binds, however, this disrupts FRET. Chew et al. suspect that when there is sufficient calmodulin to bind to the added cassette, there will also be calmodulin binding to a domain in MLCK, an event that activates the kinase. Thus, the absence of FRET is interpreted as a sign of an activated kinase. The authors measure both …


It is perhaps fitting that I should offer some explanation, if not a defense, of the invasion of a general medical field by a surgical specialty. The purpose of the invasion was to help defeat a strongly intrenching enemy of health whose ally seemed to orthopedic surgeons to be the lethargy of the general practitioner toward the importance of the problem of chronic arthritis and toward its solution. Orthopedic surgeons were faced originally by the widespread deformities of the joints that were associated with the active disease and that persisted as fixed crippling deformities after the fires of active disease had burned themselves out. They have become aware of the generalized nature of the disease, of the frequent failures to relieve completely or even to influence materially the course of the disease by the surgical removal of supposed bacterial foci of infection, and of the contrasting successes of treatment planned


Previous studies of the environment and cancer have focused on etiology, showing that extrinsic factors in the environment contribute to 70% to 90% of cancers. Cancer patients and survivors often continue to live in the same neighborhoods they resided in before their cancer diagnosis. Thus, patients and survivors are exposed to the same environmental contexts that likely contributed to their original cancer, but little is known about the health effects of continued exposure to carcinogens after a cancer diagnosis. This commentary provides a summary of studies of the association between PM2.5 and cancer mortality among patients and PM2.5 and posttreatment morbidity among cancer survivors, and proposes new directions and opportunities for future research on such topics. See all articles in this CEBP Focus section, "Environmental Carcinogenesis: Pathways to Prevention."


Chios gum mastic (CGM) is produced from Pistiacia lentiscus L var chia, which grows only on Chios Island in Greece. CGM is a kind of resin extracted from the stem and leaves, has been used for many centuries in many Mediterranean countries as a dietary supplement and folk medicine for stomach and duodenal ulcers. CGM is known to induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in some cancer cells. This study was undertaken to investigate the alteration of the cell cycle and induction of apoptosis following CGM treatment of HL-60 cells. The viability of the HL-60 cells was assessed using the MTT assay. Hoechst staining and DNA electrophoresis were employed to detect HL-60 cells undergoing apoptosis. Western blotting, immunocytochemistry, confocal microscopy, FACScan flow cytometry, MMP activity and proteasome activity analyses were also employed. CGM treatment of HL-60 cells was found to result in a dose- and time-dependent decrease in cell viability and apoptotic cell death. Tested HL-60 cells showed a variety of apoptotic manifestations and induced the downregulation of G1 cell cycle-related proteins. Taken collectively, our present findings demonstrate that CGM strongly induces G1 cell cycle arrest via the modulation of cell cycle-related proteins, and also apoptosis via proteasome, mitochondrial and caspase cascades in HL-60 cells. Hence, we provide evidence that a natural product, CGM could be considered as a novel therapeutic for human leukemia.


Objective: Spinal tuberculosis or Potts disease is a form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis, that commits the spine by up to 50% of cases of bone involvement. We aim to demonstrate its importance in our community and to share the experience of our service in the treatment of this disease. Methods: We col- lected information on cases of spinal tuberculosis diagnosed and treated at our institution, totaling 23 patients followed up during 30 years, with a mean follow up of 6 years. The ini- tial complaints were of motor deficit and of radicular pain; all patients were submitted to individualized surgical treat- ment. Medical treatment included the triple scheme with strict outcome evaluation. Results: Eight of 9 patients improved the neurological deficit: 6 (75%) patients recovered one or more points in a scale of force and 2 (25%) returned to force level V. Conclusion: Spinal tuberculosis is a deforming disease with great potential for neurological deficit, whose diagnosis is made with clinical information, reinforced by the imaging studies, and confirmed by the results of biopsy and culture. There is a good response to the spinal cord decompression and the use of antibiotics in the triple drug scheme.


This paper considers an Internet-of-Things (IoT) scenario in which devices sporadically transmit short packets with few pilot symbols over a fading channel. Devices are characterized by unique transmission non-idealities, such as I/Q imbalance. The number of pilots is generally insufficient to obtain an accurate estimate of the end-to-end channel, which includes the effects of fading and of the transmission-side distortion. This paper proposes to tackle this problem by using meta-learning. Accordingly, pilots from previous IoT transmissions are used as meta-training data in order to train a demodulator that is able to quickly adapt to new end-to-end channel conditions from few pilots. Various state-of-the-art meta-learning schemes are adapted to the problem at hand and evaluated, including Model-Agnostic Meta-Learning (MAML), First-Order MAML (FOMAML), REPTILE, and fast Context Adaptation VIA meta-learning (CAVIA). Both offline and online solutions are developed. In the latter case, an integrated online meta-learning and adaptive pilot number selection scheme is proposed. Numerical results validate the advantages of meta-learning as compared to training schemes that either do not leverage prior transmissions or apply a standard joint learning algorithms on previously received data.


One fundamental issue is target classification and taxis in selecting and striking target, which is the crucial link of combined firepower strike. It is the core problem of winning the victory of combined operation to how to grade the target system. This paper establishes the model of target classification and taxis by using the methodologies of grey decision-making and grey relevancy, and an example is given to validate the model.


The study was conducted for the first time in Bibi Aseefa Dental College (BADC), Larkana from April 2012 to March 2013 to evaluate the prevalence of dental caries in Larkana city and its adjoining areas, and to know the effect of age, gender, socioeconomic status, oral hygiene status and attitude towards dental awareness to caries prevalence. It was a Cross-sectional study. Six hundred patients between 13-20 and 21-30 years of age were selected from dental OPD, BADC, Larkana. The dentition was examined using WHO 1997 guidelines. The results were tabulated and statistically analyzed. Chi-square test was used to evaluate results. The overall caries prevalence in 13-20 years and 21-30 years old groups in Larkana city and adjoining areas determined was 100%.The mean DMFT value was higher i.e. 3.42 in age group 13-20 years. Besides age, the gender, socioeconomic status, oral hygiene status and attitude towards dental awareness were significantly related to dental caries prevalence. It was concluded that prevalence of dental caries in Larkana city and its adjoining areas was found considerably higher, and it was significantly related to bad oral hygiene and socioeconomically deprived patients which indicates lack of awareness and motivation. Prevalence of dental caries decreased with increasing age.


By giving their relatively well-preserved spirometry, some have discussed that respiratory symptoms in patients with mild COPD are unlikely to be related to lung function abnormalities. There is emerging physiological and clinical evidence of peripheral airway dysfunction, reduced physical activity levels, and diminished quality of life, and increased exercise intolerance, hospitalization, mortality in patients with mild COPD. The objective of the present review article was to summarized recent studies regarding the pathophysiology of mild COPD.


INTRODUCTION
High grade gliomas (HGG) are a group of tumors with infiltrative nature in general. Surgery is the first step in their treatment. It can be beneficial in two aspects: firstly, in establishing normal intracranial pressure and, secondly, in reducing the tumour volume. The choice of method depends on the location of the lesion, the expected grade of malignancy, and the general condition of the patient. Despite constant development of neuro-oncology and microsurgical techniques, the 5-year survival rate in patients with HGG remains less than 10% and the median survival is still less than 2 years. Aim: At present, there is no final therapeutic "segment" to provide a better outcome than the complex treatment of HGG. Moreover, the treatment's relative efficacy and recurrence of these tumours carry an additional problem. The aim of this study was to estimate the overall survival of patients with HGG operated in our clinic and compare it with literature data. Materials and methods: One hundred twenty-one cranial operations for HGG were reviewed (conducted between 2014 and 2019). Summary characteristics of the various parameters were presented in respect to the radical nature of the operative intervention using Kaplan-Meier analysis and chi square tests. All patients were followed up at regular check-ups.

RESULTS
HGGs were 103 or 85.12% of all gliomas operated for the 2014-2019 period. The most common cases were in the 51 to 60 age group. The cases in men were twice as common. The most common localization of the neoplasm is in the temporal region (36.36%) and the rarest was found in the occipital region (3.30%). It was estimated that our operated patients with HGG had 12.23 months over-all survival. Gross total resected patients had a median survival (OS) of 14.53 months, while subtotal resected patients had a median survival (OS) of 10.44 months. It is estimated 7.97 months free tumor survival period (time to relapse - FTS) for our operated patients with HGG. Gross total resected patients had a median FTS of 10.88 months, while subtotal resected patients had median FTS of 5.70 months. We noticed permanent new neurological deficit (NND) in 20 patients (19.45%) operated with GTR, and in 5 patients (4.85%) operated with STR. Conclusions: Median survival - OS, free tumor survival period - FTS and new neurological deficit - NND were statistically significant (p.


Following Schommers' viewpoint on time, we give radiation time a reasonable definition. We realize the radiation phase quantization by supposing that a radiation-matter interaction process is an eigen state of radiation time operator. The successful application to the transport through a quantum dot turnstile in a radiation field leads to quantized current formula.


Malaria is an infectious disease caused by an intracellular protist of the genus Plasmodium that invades red blood cells (RBCs). Experimental vaccines that target the blood stage of the parasite (merozoites) induce a potent humoral immune response but there is no protection despite inhibition of invasion in vitro in the presence of heat-inactivated (HI) serum. The reason for this discrepancy is unknown. We hypothesize that complement activation and opsonization of merozoites enhances complement receptor 1 (CR1)-mediated invasion of RBCs. We tested the effect of anti-merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP-1) antibody 5.2 (mAb5.2) in the presence of fresh or HI serum on the in vitro invasion of RBCs by P. falciparum. We observed inhibition of RBCs invasion with inactivation of serum for 3 min, 5 min, or 30 min at 56°C. The inhibitory effect of 3 min HI serum was rescued upon the addition of C2 and Factor B, but only in the presence of mAb5.2. Compstatin, a C3 inhibitor, negated the enhancing effect of mAb5.2 in fresh serum. The invasion enhancing effect of mAb5.2 was absent in 3 min HI serum. Similar results were seen in fresh serum when sCR1 was used as a competitor. Purified antibodies from MSP-1 vaccinees showed inhibitory activity in 3 min HI serum, but inhibition was reduced in fresh serum. Our results suggest that anti-merozoite antibodies in the presence of complement can enhance RBCs invasion, constituting a novel mechanism of immune evasion by P. falciparum.


Social media becomes a space to express feelings and opinions freely. However, freedom of speech is now abused by internet citizens to freely express words that mean rude, blasphemous, insulting, or in language science called disfemism. This research aims to describe the form and function of disfemism in the comment column of kekeyi public figure's Instagram @rahmawatikekeyiputricantikka23. The research method uses a descriptive qualitative method. The research data are words, phrases, and sentences containing disfemism in the comments column of the Instagram @rahmawatikekeyiputricantikka23 in July 2020. The data collection method uses the simak method with a recording technique—data collection techniques with documentation techniques. Data analysis uses the agih method with basic natural elements, substitution or substitution techniques, and removal techniques. Based on the results of this study found 279 data on disfemism. The found forms of disfemism are words, phrases, and phrases. The word disfemism form amounts to 90 data, the form of phrase disfemism amounts to 100 data, and the expression disfemism form amounts to 89 data. There are seven functions of disfemism found in this study, among them: (a) as an intermediary to express taboo or indecent things, (b) as a sign of dislike, hate, and disrespect, (c) as an intermediary to express anger or aggravation, (d) as a negative depiction of something, (e) as a means of insulting and mocking, (f) as a means of criticizing, and (g) as a means to exaggerate something and scold.


The effects of acupuncture needle stimulation on skeletal muscle activity and exercise performance were studied in 17 healthy men. Each subject underwent maximal strength and muscular endurance force-generation tests of the nondominant hand and leg with EMG activity simultaneously recorded using a hand dynamometer and the Cybex II dynamometer. After a pretest evaluation of exercise performance and EMG activity, an acupuncture needle was inserted in the semitendinosus m. and either the flexor digitorum superficialis m. or flexor digitorum profundus m.; posttest evaluation was conducted following needle insertion. Results indicated no significant difference in exercise performance. However, there was a significant difference in EMG responses during maximum knee flexion on stimulated muscle and during endurance knee flexion on nonstimulated muscle (p = 0.044 and 0.05, respectively, in repeated measures ANOVA). No significant difference was noted in EMG for maximal hand grip. It may be concluded that single acupuncture stimulation affects neuromuscular function.


The introduction of oxygen atoms into different positions of the vitamin D side chain is described. By combining the arising 23-oxa and 25-oxa elements with other structural modifications (19-nor, iso-19-nor, 20-methyl, 20-ene, 20,21-cyclo) calcitriol analogs with remarkable levels of dissociation between beneficial acitivities on cell growth regulation and undesired hypercalcemia were identified. Structure-activity relations are elaborated in a very systematic outline of the Schering drug finding program in this particular class of vitamin D compounds.


Background Clinical response remains difficult to predict in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Acute phase reactants (APRs) C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) are regularly measured in standard care, and abnormal CRP and ESR are frequently used as inclusion criteria for RA clinical trials. Alone or in combination with demographic, clinical, and imaging parameters, these APRs are often considered important in treatment decisions in RA. However, results of these tests for inflammation are discordant in a substantial proportion of patients,1–3 and the clinical implications of discordant CRP:ESR findings have not been well studied. Objectives To explore the relationship between clinical response and baseline CRP:ESR discordance in RA. Methods Randomized patients with moderate-severe RA who participated in 3 etanercept (ETN) clinical trials4–6 and had both APR measurements were included in these post hoc analyses. To allow comparison, baseline CRP and ESR were standardized to the same scale by subtracting the respective means and dividing by the respective standard deviations for each patient. Standardized CRP was subtracted from standardized ESR and differences categorized by quartile (cutoffs: Q1, –0.5; median, 0; Q3, 0.5). DAS28 (ESR) low disease activity (LDA) and remission after 16 or 52 weeks of treatment with ETN + methotrexate (MTX) were analyzed by quartile of CRP:ESR discordance. Results Across clinical trials, 693 patients received ETN+MTX and had CRP and ESR measured. After 16 or 52 weeks of ETN+MTX treatment, significantly higher proportions of patients achieved DAS28 LDA and remission in the group with higher CRP than ESR at baseline (lower ESR/higher CRP); lower proportions of responders were seen in the group with similar CRP and ESR (ESR$≈ $CRP), and the lowest proportion in the group with lower CRP than ESR (higher ESR/lower CRP) (Table). Conclusions In clinical trials, elevated CRP relative to ESR at baseline was a significantly better predictor of the ability of active treatment to show clinical response after 4 months or 1 year of combination etanercept-methotrexate therapy than similar CRP and ESR or lower CRP vs higher ESR. These findings underscore the importance of incorporating this readily available biomarker (CRP) into clinical trial settings; whether this is true in clinical practice cannot be determined from this data set but should be investigated prospectively. References Costenbader KH, et al. Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2007;25:746–9. Feldman M, et al. Transl Res. 2013;161:37–43. Kay J, et al. Arthritis Res Ther. 2014:16:R40. Klareskog L, et al. Lancet. 2004;363:675–81. Emery P, et al. Lancet. 2008;372:375–82. Kim HY, et al. Int J Rheum Dis. 2012;15:188–96. Disclosure of Interest R. Fleischmann Consultant for: Pfizer, A. Szumski Employee of: inVentiv Health, H. Jones Shareholder of: Pfizer, Employee of: Pfizer


Commonly used repair rate models for repairable systems in the reliability literature are renewal processes, generalised renewal processes or non-homogeneous Poisson processes. In addition to these models, geometric processes (GP) are studied occasionally. The GP, however, can only model systems with monotonously changing (increasing, decreasing or constant) failure intensities. This paper deals with the reliability modelling of failure processes for repairable systems where the failure intensity shows a bathtub-type non-monotonic behaviour. A new stochastic process, i.e. an extended Poisson process, is introduced in this paper. Reliability indices are presented, and the parameters of the new process are estimated. Experimental results on a data set demonstrate the validity of the new process.


Marketing research studies pertaining to market segmentation, competitive market structure, and product/service positioning often involve the collection of multiple batteries of measurements from the same set of respondents (e.g., preferences, attribute ratings, demographics, proximity judgments). Various multidimensional scaling (MDS) and spatial methods have been used in the analysis of these variable batteries separately but not much effort has been expended in attempting to relate the individually derived spatial structures. The authors propose a new latent structure MDS procedure that is devised to represent jointly the structure in multiple batteries (preferences, proximities, and brand attribute ratings) of variables collected across the same set of respondents. The authors present the technical structure of the proposed maximum likelihood–based model and conceptually compare it with other related spatial MDS models. The authors present an illustration of the procedure with respect to the analysis of published proximity, preference, and brand ratings data collected from consumers who evaluated ten brands of soft drinks.