AIM
Phytosterolemia is an inherited disorder characterized by hypercholesterolemia and premature atherosclerosis, together with increased inflammatory states in some cases. The underlying mechanisms of atherogenesis in phytosterolemia, however, have not been completely elucidated. In this study, we investigated whether phytosterols would affect inflammatory reactions in macrophages and macrophage cell lines.

METHODS
We incubated RAW264.7 cells (RAW) and mouse peritoneal macrophages (MPMs) with sitosterol (Sito), campesterol (Camp) or cholesterol (Chol) at low (8 µM, 16 µM) or high (160 µM) concentrations, and investigated their effects on LPS-induced secretion of IL-6 and TNF-α. We also analyzed their effects on endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in both cells, and on the cell proliferation of RAW.

RESULTS
At low sterol concentrations, only Chol resulted in a tendency toward the increased secretion of TNF-α from MPMs. At high concentrations, Chol induced a significant increase in TNF-α secretions from both cells; however, Sito resulted in a non-significant increase in TNF-α secretion. The effects on IL-6 secretions of Sito were also significantly less than those of Chol. Camp increased the secretions of both cytokines from MPMs; however, the extent of these increases was less pronounced than that of Chol. Augmentation of ER stress was greatest with Chol among the sterols, and the proliferation of RAW cells was inhibited only with Chol.

CONCLUSION
The lesser degree of inflammatory reactions and toxicity in macrophages with phytosterols than with cholesterol suggests that plant sterols themselves might not be primarily responsible for atherogenesis in phytosterolemia.


This article aims to preserve and conserve a significant part of the culture of the people of Panay, which is constitutive and reflective of their identity as a people. Since the sixteenth century the town of Panay in the province of Capiz has been the cradle and bastion of Christianity in the island of Panay. It was the first town after Cebu that was evangelized by the Spanish missionaries who accompanied Miguel Lopez de Legazpi in 1565. Today, this old town stands as a silent witness to the unfolding of Philippine history as seen in the famous Santa Monica Church, declared as National Historical Landmark in 1997 and National Cultural Treasure in 2004, and other surviving structures, which may be traced back to the Spanish Period. Aside from this built heritage, however, in the same town of Panay, a unique but less-known religious practice held every Good Friday during the Burial Procession of Jesus Christ (Procesión del Santo Entierrio) called Considerad, from the first words that begin each verse, which means "reflect" or "meditate," offers a veritable witness to a religious custom introduced by the Augustinians in Capiz that has survived the vestiges of time. The Considerad is carried out by selected forty-six (46) young boys of the town of Panay, forming two lines and carrying bamboo poles with the symbols of Christ's passion and death. It is accompanied by their recitation of prepared texts, alternately in Spanish and Hiligaynon, which exhort the Christian listener to contemplate on each instrument in the sufferings of Jesus Christ, from his betrayal to his death through crucifixion. Two parts comprise this study: the first part provides the historical background of the town of Panay and the province of Capiz from the precolonial to the Spanish times (1566-1898) in order to situate this traditional custom in its proper context; and the second gives its central treatment to the Considerad of Panay, a revisionist attempt on the part of the researcher to reconstruct its obscure origins from primary sources.


Aims
To assess the feasibility of administration of three doses of oral misoprostol (OM) 50 µg four hourly per day for 48 hours versus the insertion of a supra cervical Foley catheter for 48 hours, in women at 40 weeks + 5 days gestation, and compare the effectiveness of the two methods for induction of labour (IOL).

Method
An investigator blinded, randomized controlled trial was conducted at the academic obstetric unit, Teaching Hospital Mahamodara, Galle from 13.10.2016 to 30.04.2017. Consecutive women (n=144) with singleton uncomplicated pregnancies having Modified Bishop Score (MBS) <5 at 40weeks + 5days gestation were allocated by stratified (primigravidae/ multigravidae) block randomization to receive three doses of OM 50µg four hourly per day for 48 hours or a supra cervical Foley catheter for 48 hours.

Results
Compared to the Foley, OM resulted in higher rates of successful IOL (67% vs 47%, RR 1.4, 95% CI 1.1 - 2.0, p =0.029), more vaginal deliveries within 24 hours and 48 hours, shorter mean induction delivery intervals and greater mean increase in MBS in those not in labour after 48 hours. There was non-significant increased frequency of excessive uterine activity, cardiotocograph abnormalities and meconium stained liquor after OM but no differences in the rates of caesarean deliveries and maternal or neonatal morbidity or mortality between the two groups.

Conclusion
The administration of three doses oral misoprostol (OM) 50 µg four hourly per day for 48 hours as well as the insertion of a supra cervical Foley catheter for 48 hours were feasible for women at 40 weeks + 5 days gestation, but OM was more effective than the Foley catheter for IOL.


In dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), the TiO2 underlayer can block the electron recombination at the FTO (fluorine doped SnO2) glass/electrolyte interface. This underlayer was traditionally prepared by spray-pyrolysis or spin coating. In this study, we develop an alternative method based on screen-printing. The quality of the screen-printed underlayers is characterized by SEM, XPS and the photoelectrochemistry measurements. The prepared underlayers are smooth and effective. The screen-printing technique is cheap and easy to handle and can produce films with different patterns. These advantages will facilitate applications of the screen-printed underlayer.


Breath figure (BF) process is a promising technique for fabricating honeycomb polymer films. It is usually conducted in water vapor. While, in organic vapors only unique polymer can be used to prepare BF arrays as reported in our previous article (Breath Figure in Nonaqueous Vapor. Soft Matter, 2013, 506-514), although new structure features are induced in the film. In this paper, a universal modified BF processing is devised for preparing porous films in methanol vapor with conventional polymers, by adding a small amount of surface active agent into the casting solution, such as siloxane- and fluorine-containing block copolymers. The pores in the PS films prepared with this method are of cylindrical shape with large depth-diameter aspect ratio, and the diameter and depth of pores can be well controlled by the experiment conditions. Based on these results, the formation mechanism of honeycomb structure in methanol vapor is discussed.


Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) data generated by diagnostic animal health laboratories are underutilized for AMR reporting in Canada. Data assessment, review of practices in other jurisdictions, and expert interviews were used to develop an evidence-guided plan to generate AMR reports from British Columbia Animal Health Centre (AHC) data that would provide transparent, timely, and useful information to public health practitioners, the food animal sector, and the general public. Using the Canadian Animal Health Surveillance Network (CAHSN) platform was the most efficient method of data retrieval. Project outputs included 2 publicly available reports. The public health report included AMR information for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella. The animal health report included AMR information for Aeromonas salmonicida and Yersinia ruckeri from Atlantic salmon, bacteria from bovine milk samples, and staphylococci from broiler chickens. A preliminary comparison was conducted between selected AHC data and publicly available Canadian Integrated Program for Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance (CIPARS) reports.


In a school setting, apart from teaching and learning, school leadership is seen as one of the critical ingredients for successful schools. Based on this proposition, the study sought to examine the relationship between head teachers' leadership styles and job satisfaction as perceived by public basic school teachers in Kwabre East Municipal, Ghana. Specifically, the study was conducted to determine the predominant head teachers' leadership style used as perceived by the teachers, determine the level of teachers' job satisfaction, and ascertain the relationship between leadership styles of head teachers and teachers' job satisfaction. The study adopted a descriptive survey design, and 286 teachers were randomly selected for the study. A questionnaire was the main data collection instrument for the study. The collected data were analyzed using means, standard deviations and Spearman Correlation Moment Product. Results indicated that head teachers predominantly used a transformational leadership style, and teachers generally had a moderate level of job satisfaction. Furthermore, it was found that the transformational leadership style of head teachers correlated significantly with the teachers' job satisfaction. Based on the findings from the study, it was concluded that head teachers' leadership style determined the level of job satisfaction among teachers in public basic schools in the Kwabre East Municipal of Ashanti Region. Among others, it was recommended that head teachers in the municipal should be trained on how they can effectively use transformational leadership style in their day-to-day administrative duties.


SUMMARY:  Conditions leading up to and surrounding the global financial crisis prompted an increasing number of firms to create board-level risk oversight committees (RCs). The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (U.S. House of Representatives 2010) even legislates RCs for certain large banks. Distinct from audit committees, RCs present a unique setting to extend our understanding of the relation between emerging governance mechanisms and auditing. Using a sample of 3,980 U.S.-listed banks from 2003–2011, we find that on average, the presence of RCs is associated with higher audit fees. Our results are robust to multiple specifications, including self-selection and propensity score matched samples. For a reduced sample of 458 firms that employ an RC we also examine RC characteristics. We find RC independence and audit committee overlaps are associated with lower audit fees and RC size, relative to board size, is associated with higher audit fees. Supplemental analysis provides discus...


Agency Theory has attracted significant controversy by exposing both conflicts of interest within the firm based on the innate human need that is self-interest. A lack of self-interest leads to destructive behavior and incentives will make the work place more difficult to control. Open innovation has been an increasing trend with large companies, however, the cost savings and the structure of this integrative mechanism may still be unknown. To provide a more ontological view of agency theory in an open innovation environment, the author shows that organizational defenses can be overcome to promote mutual benefits for the firm. A case study is used that shows that a multinational enterprise can realize growth and be agile in spite of its size. The author adds to theory by establishing propositions for growth by leveraging relatedness and collaboration that enables open innovation throughout a federated organizational design.


Inspired from the iForest algorithmic scheme, we propose an iForest-based blockchain social media anomaly behavior detection method via the improved tree algorithm, for the purpose of isolating the anomalous behaviors as an outlier. The model is integrated with the smart contract structure of blockchain. In the overall system, the user data is sent to the intelligent contract for a period of time. After the identification of the abnormal behavior of social media users, the abnormal behavior in blockchain is marked and stored in the abnormal chain. To a certain extent, the scheme protects users' privacy, improves the efficiency and accuracy of iForest anomaly detection, and is more suitable for multi-dimensional heterogenous data-centric social media user behavior detection.


Agriculture is a key element of the Tanzanian economy, it contributes about 46% of the GDP. It is not well mechanized, most of small scale farmers using rudimentary and poor technologies. Following the decentralization policy, the District Agriculture Development Plans (DADPs) established project programme to boost up agriculture to promote economic growth and poverty reduction at household level. This study was conducted in Korogwe District, Tanga Region in order determine the contribution of the DADPs to poverty reduction at the household level. Random sampling was used to select 6 villages and 20 households (DADPs and non DADPs member) in each village. Data collected was edited, coded and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) Computer programme version 16.0. The Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) using the Least Significant Difference (LSD) was used to test the difference between the means. The paired t-test was used to assess for existence of significant difference between the means annual incomes between the DADPs and non DADPs households. It was observed that plough and Cart was the most adopted (51%), followed by the powertiller (24%) and lastly the poultry and the improved goats (25%). However households participation in DADPs projects was through monetary contribution (55%) and activity packages that combines materials and money (30%) and monetary and labour (15%). It was also observed that the remarkable important improvement in the programme activities gained by the households were the expansion of cultivation land which ultimately increased the crop yields (62%), means of transportation of goods (33%) and education (20%). Moreover the mean annual income DADPs member was TZS 702000 and while Non DADPs member was TZS 302385. The most limiting factors were shortage of tools (33%) and tools breakdown (23 %). Furthermore, the most important intervention measures suggested were tools (49%) and tractor (24%). The study recommends provision of pair of oxen's as loans to the households and access to credits facilities.


The aim of this paper was to study the impact of the quality of the father-child relationship on children's academic performance. A total of 58 fathers and their children (in the fifth and sixth grades) participated in this study. The fathers completed a questionnaire, "Quality of family interaction - fathers' perspective" and the children completed a questionnaire "Father-child interaction". To investigate how the fathers' involvement affected their children's academic performance, the children were evaluated using the School Performance Test. The results indicate that, the higher the frequency of father-child communication and the greater the fathers' involvement in the children's school, cultural and leisure activities, the higher the children's academic performance. These results indicate the importance of fathers' involvement, to maximize children's academic performance, and the necessity of educating men with respect to the ways in which they can improve their parental performance.


Sarcopenia is characterized by an age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass and function and has been recognized as a clinical disease by the World Health Organization since 2016. Substantial evidence has suggested that dietary modification can be a feasible tool to combat sarcopenia. Among various natural dietary ingredients, the present study focused on botanical and marine extracts, phytochemicals, and probiotics. Aims of this review were (1) to provide basic concepts including the definition, diagnosis, prevalence, and adverse effects of sarcopenia, (2) to describe possible pathological mechanisms including protein homeostasis imbalance, inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and satellite cells dysfunction, and (3) to analyze recent experimental studies reporting potential biological functions against sarcopenia. A recent literature review for dietary ingredients demonstrated that protein homeostasis is maintained via an increase in the PI3K/Akt pathway and/or a decrease in the ubiquitin–proteasome system. Regulation of inflammation has primarily targeted inhibition of NF-κB signaling. Elevated Pgc-1α or Pax7 expression reverses mitochondrial or satellite cell dysfunction. This review provides the current knowledge on dietary components with the potential to assist sarcopenia prevention and/or treatment. Further in-depth studies are required to elucidate the role of and develop various dietary materials for healthier aging, particularly concerning muscle health.


Background: Subarachnoid haemorrhage is a devastating disease with high morbidity and mortality despite novel treatment options are available. There are no established methods to measure the brain damage occurring due to the bleed and its complications and to predict early neurological outcome of the disease. Genetic predisposition is suggested as one of the determinants of outcome. Aim: The aim of this thesis was to investigate nine biochemical neuromarkers' course and development in the early phase of aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (aSAH) with special emphasis on C-reactive protein (CRP) and to test if they could be used as markers of disease progression and possibly long-term outcome. As a tool, we aimed to test a novel multiple biochip array for simultaneous monitoring these markers. Finally, we intended to elucidate the effect of two chromosomes with different genetical polymorphisms on the incidence and development of the disease. (Apolipoprotein E and region 9p21) Patients and methods: We have consecutively included patients admitted to the Sahlgrenska University Hospital for SAH, where the causative reason was a ruptured intracranial aneurysm. We have recorded the patients' admission status with neurological scales and radiological scores for the severity of the haemorrhage. We collected blood sample for determining genetics and continued to collect serum-samples for biochemical marker detection on day0-4, 6, 8, and finally once on days 11-14. We noted the complication cerebral vasospasm (CVS). A long-term follow-up was performed after one year with detailed neurological examinations. For the genetic studies matching controls were recruited among healthy individuals. Results: In 98 endovascularly treated patients, we described the pattern of CRP increase after aSAH. It peaked on day3 with a mean value of 53 mg/l and decreased successively without normalising. This pattern was not dependent of infectious status. We noted a difference in increase between the patients with favourable and unfavourable disease development (i.e. CVS) and long-term outcome, focal neurology and need of assistance with daily activities (ADL) after one year. In a multivariate regression model with initial neurology, radiological severity, CRP was the only parameter showing significant OR. (OR: 1.25/10 units). We could present a predictive curve for poor outcome in relation to CRP values. Furthermore, we tested a 9 potential neuromarker-containing panel in a test series of 41 patients. Six of these markers, TNFR1, IL-6, hs-CRP, DDMR, NGAL and FABP showed significant correlation to CVS development and different outcome results. Four of the markers (TNFR1, hs-CRP, NGAL & FABP) had moderate or good predictive qualities. In a genetic study, ApoE polymorphism on the 19th chromosome, did not present any effect either on the incidence of aneurysm rupture or CVS development and outcome parameters after aSAH in 154 patients and 221 controls. However we have found a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs10757278 on the 9th chromosome p21 region, which even after controlling for hypertension and smoking showed a significant negative effect on aneurysm rupture in 183 patient and 366 controls Conclusion: CRP proved to be a useful marker for following the course of aSAH and may be applicable for predicting complication or outcome. The tested biochip-neuropanel could be a valuable addition to neuromonitoring during the initial phase of the aSAH. Finally, not APOE polymorphism, but a genetic variant on 9p21 chromosome region affected negatively the risk of aneurysm rupture in West Sweden.


Delay-Tolerant Networks (DTNs) were designed to provide a sustainable means of communication between mobile terminals in regions without cellular infrastructure. In such networks, the set of neighbors of every node changes over time due to the mobility of nodes, resulting in intermittent connectivity and unstable routes in the network. We analyze the performance of an incentive scheme for two-hop DTNs in which a backlogged source pro- poses a fixed reward to the relays to deliver a message. Only one message at a time is proposed by the source. For a given message, only the first relay to deliver it gets the reward corresponding to this message thereby inducing a competition between the relays. The relays seek to maximize the expected reward for each message whereas the objective of the source is to satisfy a given constraint on the probability of message delivery. We consider two different settings: one in which the source tells the relays for how long a message is in circulation, and one in which the source does not give this information. In the first setting, we show that the optimal policy of a relay is of thresh- old type: it accepts a message until a first threshold and then keeps the message until it either meets the destination or reaches the second threshold. Formulas for computing the thresholds as well as probability of message delivery are derived for a backlogged source. We then investigate the asymptotic performance of this setting in the mean field limit. When the second thresh- old in infinite, we give the mean-field ODE and show that all the messages have the same probability of successful delivery. When the second threshold is finite we only give an ODE approximation since in this case the dynamics are not Markovian. For the second setting, we assume that the source proposes each message for a fixed period of time and that a relay decides to accept a message accord- ing to a randomized policy upon encounter with the source. If it accepts the message, a relay keeps it until it reaches the destination. We establish under which condition the acceptance probability of the relays is strictly positive and show that, under this condition, there exists a unique symmetric Nash equilibrium, in which no relay has anything to gain by unilaterally changing its acceptance probability. Explicit expressions for the probability of message delivery and the mean time to deliver a message at the symmetric Nash equilibrium are derived, as well as an expression of the asymptotic value of message delivery. Finally, we present numerous simulations results to compare performances of the threshold-type strategy and the randomized strategy, in order to determine under which condition it is profitable for the source to give the information on the age of a message to the relays


The implementation of Green Infrastructure (GI) for hazard management has been studied and evaluated for reducing the risk of and increasing resilience to flood events, flooded areas and damage costs. Still, less attention has been given to the governance aspects involved in the implementation of GI. We present the GI assessment through a robustness approach, where the urban environment is referred to as a socio-ecological system. Robustness can be assumed as the “maintenance of system performance either when subjected to external, unpredictable perturbations, or when there is uncertainty about the values of internal design parameters” (Carlson and Doyle, 2002). In this sense, it is required to investigate the socio-ecological configurations of GIs as a new component introduced within the urban system in addition to their technical aspects. We use the Robustness of Coupled Infrastructure Systems Framework (Anderies et al., 2019) to analyse the dynamics of the system through the connections between its components (resource users, public infrastructure, public infrastructure providers and natural infrastructure) and to evaluate the associated robustness through their critical feedback structures links, by analysing human behaviour (relationships and perceptions), monitoring actions, conflicts, and resource appropriation limits. In this way, it is possible to assess the changes [MEV1] that influence the functioning of the system. We applied this framework to a case of a dense precarious urban settlement subject to flash floods in Brazil. We developed three scenarios considering the application of GI, and they were simulated using SWMM model: (i) the current one; (ii) the implementation of three infiltration-based GI (permeable pavements, bioretention systems, and infiltration trenches) throughout the catchment, not only in public areas but also inside the lots, aimed at reducing flooding hotspots; (iii) the implementation of low-storage rainwater harvesting systems in all households within the catchment. We used a representative heavy rainfall event capable of producing flash floods as input for simulation of all scenarios. The SWMM was parameterised for the current land use and land occupation, representing the spatial patterns that determine runoff overflow propagation, producing, for each scenario, the spatial distribution of flooding hotspots throughout the catchment. In the current state scenario, the system has exhibited poorly robust links, furthermore flooding spots have been detected along the catchment. By applying the infiltration-based GI, besides all flooding spots have been mitigated, the system has the potential to acquire robustness by enabling trust in relationships, improvement in users' perception of resources, monitoring of actions and conflict resolution. The implementation of rainwater harvesting systems could strengthen the robustness through popular participation, processes perception by the users and appropriation limits, apart from reducing 26% of the flooding spots. The robustness analysis points out that the implementation of  GI in the catchment will be effective only if it is reached a household-level engagement, resource importance and a proper environment for conflict resolution, besides the mitigation of flood events.

Anderies, J.M. et al. (2019). Reg Environ Change, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-019-01529-0

Carlson, J.M.; Doyle, J. (2002) PNAS, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.012582499


Over the past 25 years the Chinese urban landscape has been transformed. Low rise buildings have been replaced by high rises, renting by home ownership, and a compact urban population has been dispersed to the suburbs and former countryside. This paper examines two related issues in the city of Guangzhou (Canton): (1) the process by which this remarkable transformation has occurred and (2) the nature of its social effects, specifically the impact of the redistribution of Guangzhou's population on the support networks of its older residents. The primary data derive from a longitudinal study that the author has been conducting in Guangzhou since 1987. Among the major changes noted are: (1) an exodus of married children from parental households, (2) an increase in the diversity of support networks, and (3) a rise in the proportion of support provided by paid help. Given China's expected reliance on the market to generate new ways of providing care, this research reveals a clear need for the development of affordable assisted living facilities and for the expansion of service companies offering hourly domestic help.


PURPOSE
This study compared the color parameters and total luminous transmittance of disc specimens by different veneering techniques in order to examine the effect of veneering technique on esthetics of yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystalline (Y-TZP) all-ceramic restorations.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Thirty disc specimens (10-mm diameter, 0.50 +/- 0.01 mm thick) were fabricated of IPS e.max ZirCAD core material, and ZL1 IPS e.max ZirLiner (0.10-mm thick) was layered. The specimens were randomly divided into three groups (n = 10/group). Group ZP (fully anatomical technique) was veneered 0.60 mm by heat-pressing IPS e.max ZirPress fluorapatite glass-ceramic ingots; Group ZC (traditional layering technique) was veneered 0.60 mm by condensing and sintering IPS e.max Ceram low-fusing nano-fluorapatite veneering porcelain; Group ZPC (cutback technique) was veneered by partially pressed ingots and subsequently layered 0.30 mm with veneering porcelain. Color parameters (L*, a*, b*) and total luminous transmittance (tau) of zirconia core discs and core and veneer specimens were measured with ShadeEye NCC dental colorimeter and spectrophotometer, respectively. Color saturation (C*ab) and color difference (DeltaE) were calculated using color difference formula. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) combined with a Tukey multiple-range test were used to analyze the data (alpha= 0.05).

RESULTS
As to ZP, ZPC, and ZC groups, the value of a* increased (-1.35 +/- 0.07, -0.64 +/- 0.06, -0.36 +/- 0.05, respectively) (p < 0.05); b* decreased (27.01 +/- 0.07, 25.48 +/- 0.11, 23.28 +/- 0.25, respectively) (p < 0.05); and C*ab decreased (27.04 +/- 0.08, 25.49 +/- 0.11, 23.28 +/- 0.25, respectively) (p < 0.05). L* value and total luminous transmittance were highest in ZP group (87.53 +/- 0.48, 1.64 +/- 0.03, respectively), and lowest in ZPC group (82.14 +/- 0.18, 1.47 +/- 0.01, respectively) (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS
Y-TZP all-ceramic restoration veneered by fully anatomical technique was the most transparent and lightest, while restorations veneered by cutback technique were the least translucent and the darkest.


miRNAs play important roles in lung adenocarcioma (LADC) progression. We previously found that miR-1290 expression was upregulated in LADC tissue and serum samples from patients with LADC, and correlated with prognosis. However, the biological role of miR-1290 in LADC and mechanism of such role are poorly understood. Here, we found that miR-1290 overexpression promoted LADC cell proliferation, cell cycle progression and invasion, while suppressing cell apoptosis in vitro. Furthermore, miR-1290 promoted tumor growth, invasion and metastasis in vivo. miR-1290 downregulated suppressor of cytokine signaling 4 (SOCS4) at both the mRNA and protein levels by targeting SOCS4. Reduced SOCS4 level reversed the inhibitory effect of miR-1290 downregulation on cell proliferation and invasion. miR-1290 activated the JAK/STAT3 and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways by targeting SOCS4. An inverse correlation was observed between miR-1290 and SOCS4 expression in LADC tissues. Clinicopathological characteristics analysis showed that SOCS4 expression was negatively associated with higher clinical stage and lymph node metastasis. These observations suggest that miR-1290 promotes LADC cell proliferation and invasion by targeting SOCS4.


We model near-field thermal emission from metasurfaces structured as two-dimensional arrays of ellipsoidal SiC particles. The modeling approach is developed from fluctuational electrodynamics and is applicable to systems of ellipsoidal particles within the dipole limit. In all simulations, the radial lengths of particles are restricted to the range of 10 to 100 nm, and interparticle spacing is constrained to at least three times the particle characteristic length. The orientation and dimensions of constituent ellipsoidal particles are varied to tune localized surface phonon resonances and control the near-field energy density above metasurfaces. Results show that particle orientation can be used to regulate the relative magnitude of resonances in the energy density and particle dimensions may be changed to adjust the frequency of these resonances within the Reststrahlen band. Metasurfaces constructed from particles with randomized dimensions display comparatively broadband thermal emission rather than the three distinct resonances seen in metasurfaces made with ellipsoidal particles of equivalent dimensions. When the interparticle spacing in a metasurface exceeds about three times the particle characteristic length, the spectral energy density above the metasurface is dominated by individual particle self-interaction and can be approximated as a linear combination of single-particle spectra. When interparticle spacing is at the lower limit of three times the characteristic length, however, multiparticle interaction effects increase, and the spectral energy density above a metasurface deviates from that of single particles. This work provides guidance for designing all-dielectric, particle-based metasurfaces with desired near-field thermal emission spectra, such as thermal switches.


Biokovo Mt is part of the Outer Dinarides, in a coastal position with a NW-SE main tectonic orientation. The highest peak called Sveti [Sv.] Jure (1762 m) towers above a karst plateau of 1300-1400 m mean elevation. Both of the long margins of Biokovo are characterized by steep and high relief energy rockwalls formed along tectonic fault lines. The plateau is intensely karstified with diverse karren forms, large dolines and several shaft caves. Its unique karstmorphological features are the relatively deep dolines with steep walls, so the landscape is characterized mainly by the sharp interdoline ridges and pyramidal peaks instead of negative doline forms. Based on the previous observation, the Biokovo plateau can be considered a "polygonal karst". The geomorphological map of a study area from this plateau has been elaborated, based on field observations and topographical maps. After digitizing the contour lines, we have created the digital elevation model (DEM) of the study area and carried out sophisticated doline-morphometrical analysis using the DEM. The most important and unique feature of the landscape, the polygonal structure, has been derived from the DEM using GIS hydrologic modelling tools.


Nine patients with anatomically documented vegetations on one or more cusps of the aortic valve had echocardiograms in which abnormal echoes were associated with the aortic leaflet echoes. The motion of the abnormal echoes during systole correlated well with the anatomic location of vegetations: a vegetation on the right coronary cusp moved anteriorly with systole while a vegetation on the noncoronary cusp moved posteriorly during systole. Our data, although inconclusive, suggest that echoes from a vegetation on the left coronary cusp maintain a mid-aortic position throughout the cardiac cycle.The echocardiographic appearance of vegetations is not specific, but in the setting of septicemia, dense mobile echoes in the region of the aortic valve are strongly suggestive of vegetation. A normal echocardiographic appearance of the aortic valve does not exclude the possibility that vegetation is present, especially if the growth is less than 5 mm in size.


Aims: The present cross sectional study was carried out to investigate the effect of first premolar extraction on tooth size discrepancies (TSD) in an orthodontic population seeking treatment at orthodontic department, BSMMU. Material and methods: Mesiodistal tooth widths were measured on 50 pair of pretreatment and post treatment dental casts of subjects with Class I variation – Class I with bimaxillary proclination, and Class I crowding. The overall ratios and tooth-size discrepancies were determined before and after 1 st premolar extractions. Before and after extractions, the subjects were divided into Bolton small (BS), Bolton normal (BN) and Bolton large (BL) overall ratio groups categorized by the Bolton standard deviation definition. Results: The Bolton overall ratio after 1 st premolar extraction was smaller than those before extraction in each group. Some of the patients in the BN group and BB group were moved into the BS group and BN group respectively after 1st premolar extraction. A tooth size discrepancy occurred in some patients with normal overall ratios  after premolar extractions, but a tooth size discrepancy might be corrected in some patients with big overall ratios  after premolar extraction. Conclusion: Orthodontists should take into account the following when devising a treatment plan for premolar extractions, overall ratios might decrease and remain normal, and clinically significant tooth-size discrepancies could change mutually after extractions. Ban J Orthod & Dentofac Orthop, April 2015; Vol-5 (1-2), P.13-16


Intelligence in its decisions is a trait that we have grown to expect
from a cyber-physical system. In particular that it makes the right
choices at runtime, i.e., those that allow it fulfill its tasks, even in
case of faults or unexpected interactions with its environment.
Analyzing how to continuously achieve the currently desired (and
possibly continuously changing) goals and adapting its behavior to reach
these goals is undoubtedly a serious challenge. This becomes even more
challenging if the atomic actions a system can implement become
unreliable due to faulty components or some exogenous event out of its
control. In this paper, we propose a solution for the presented
challenge. In particular, we show how to adopt a light-weight diagnosis
concept to cope with such situations. The approach is based on rules
coupled with means for rule selection that are based on previous
information regarding the success or failure of rule executions. We
furthermore present a Java-based framework of the light-weight diagnosis
concept, and discuss the results obtained from an experimental
evaluation considering several application scenarios. At the end, we
present a qualitative comparison with other related approaches that
should help the reader decide which approach works best for them.


The IEEE 802.16 standard, also known as WiMax, provides a mechanism for deploying high-speed wireless mesh network in metropolitan areas. In this paper, we propose an algorithm for the data sub-channel allocation, i.e., transmission scheduling, of WiMax based mesh networks. The goal is to increase spatial reuse, achieve high system throughput, and provide fair access for the subscriber stations. In contrast to the previous "hard" fairness definitions, we introduce a new fairness notion that is imposed contingent on the actual traffic demands, in such a way that a higher capacity region can be achieved. We formulate a scheduling problem whose objective is to maximize the system throughput under our fairness model. We also develop an efficient algorithm to find the optimal schedule and the accompanying resource allocation. The performance of the scheduling algorithm is evaluated through simulations.


The use of cache memories and symmetric Kullback-Leibler distances is proposed for topic classification and topic-shift detection. Experiments with a large corpus of articles from the French newspaper "Le Monde show tangible advantages when different models are combined with a suitable strategy. Experimental results show that different strategies for topic shift detection have to be used depending on whether high recall or high precision are sought. Furthermore, methods based on topic independent distributions provide complementary candidates with respect to the use of topic-dependent distributions leading to an increase in recall with a minor loss in precision.


Why has collaboration become increasingly central to technological progress? We document the role of lowered travel costs by combining patent data with the rollout of the Swedish railroad network in the 19th and early-20th century. Inventors that gain access to the network are more likely to produce collaborative patents, which is partly driven by long-distance collaborations with other inventors residing along the emerging railroad network. These results suggest that the declining costs of interacting with others is fundamental to account for the long-term increase in inventive collaboration.


Multimedia information encapsulated inside documents is more and more specific because its content is specified using domain vocabularies. Their integration in space and time to form a document implies transformation steps to produce "presentation structures".In this context presentation languages and formatters must be enhanced to cover new needs of rendering such as: multiple output of the same information or dynamic changing of the reader context. These new document models and processing architectures induce new editing and formatting services to be proposed to the author.This paper describes new presentation properties that can be added to existing presentation languages and that allow the author to express: priorities, more abstract properties and fall-back positions. These properties are used by our formatter in order to provide more adaptive renderings. The architecture of this formatting service is open in order to be used for different presentation systems with different presentation languages. In this paper, we describe our experiment using priorities and optimization requests for temporal formatting.


In the pair-correlation, or quasi-chemical equilibrium, approximation to statistical mechanics, there appears the possibility of a condensation phenomenon closely analogous to a Bose Einstein condensation of correlated pairs of particles. However, the expansion used in earlier work to establish this phenomenon fails to yield an adequate approximation at and below the condensation point. In this paper, we give an alternative development, first formally for an arbitrary number of quantum states of the pair, then carry out in detail for the case of only one, or only two, quantum states of the pair. It is shown that, in spite of the Fermi Dirac statistics of the particles making up the pairs, it is nevertheless possible to accomodate an arbitrarily large number of particles within a single pair state. Furthermore, if two quantum states of the pair are possible, and conditions are such that either the pair state would be occupied by a macroscopic number of particles if it alone were present, then the Pauli exclusion principle works in such a way that the lower one of the two pair states is occupied by a macroscopic nU:mber of particles, whereas the occupation number of the upper pair state remains independent of the volume. This result is not restricted to pairs whose mean separation exceeds their internal size, but applies also to pairs which completely overlap each other. The result is therefore of significance in the theory of superconductivity where the electron pairs have an internal size of the order of the Pippard coherence length, which is much larger than the mean separation of their centres of gravity.


Data mining – a search for interesting patterns in the data – typically creates a number of different models. These models need to be simple enough to be graspable by the human expert. A tree consisting of hundreds of nodes or a scatter plot projecting dozens of variables into a two-dimensional plane may offer great classification accuracy or class separation, yet they may be impossible to interpret. But simple models cannot describe the complex data which may contain many interesting relations. The solution is to create a large number of simple models, where each of them offers insight into a small part of the problem domain, but together they present a complete picture. The problem, however, is the presentation of the big picture. While a computer can infer thousands of models, the human expert is incapable of reviewing them without assistance.

We argue that a set of partial views can represent complex data. Views may include linear projections, each involving at most a couple of variables and showing a single, particular, and simplified perspective or relation. Similarly, good predictive models can be build using ensembles of simple models, such as random forests of small trees, each covering a part of the problem domain. These approaches lack techniques for manual exploration. Is it possible to select a limited number of visualizations which will provide a complete picture? Can we navigate through the random forest and observe the common properties of models in each region?

We propose a method for creating maps of classification models, which are presented to the user to interactively explore the model space. The proposed technique can, besides organizing predictive models, rank some types of visualizations. We extend existing methods – that rank projections based on quality – to consider projection diversity, and show that our method yields more information when viewing the same number of projections.

We describe a model-map-based technique for the visualization and exploration of random forest, a prediction model that is assembled of random prediction trees. Those are normally small (up to 10 vertices), so each covers only a small part of the space of the decision problem. The random forest predicts remarkably well, however it is prohibitively difficult to explain or visualize–in comparison to a single prediction tree. Our method assists an expert with the random forest analysis, for example, in clustering similar trees together to emphasize the diverse ones. In addition to interactive exploration of a random forest, the model map can explain predictions of different classes.

The final ingredient of the technique is a versatile interactive tool for exploration of maps and a new network layout technique, particularly suitable for handling the visualization of the model map networks. Most existing tools for network analysis are limited to drawing networks and computing their basic general characteristics. With this tools, it is impossible for the user to interactively and graphically manipulate the networks, select and explore sub-graphs using other statistical and data mining techniques, add and plot various other data within the graph, and so on. We developed tools that address these challenges, widgets and modules for exploration of networks and model maps within the general component-based environment Orange.

We propose a network layout optimization algorithm which is designed to visualize fragmented networks: FragViz. Networks of prediction models are usually fragmented. They consist of unconnected components which popular network alignment algorithms place arbitrarily with respect to the rest of the network. This can lead to misinterpretations due to the proximity of otherwise unrelated elements. FragViz incorporates additional information on relations between unconnected network components. It uses a two-step approach by first arranging the nodes within each of the components and then placing the components so that their proximity in the network corresponds to their relatedness. In the experimental study we demonstrate that FragViz can obtain network layouts which are more interpretable and hold additional information that could not be exposed using classical network layout optimization algorithms.


In the Consolidated Fuel Reprocessing Program at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, a comprehensive remote systems development program has existed for the past five years. The new remote technology under development is expected to significantly improve remote operations by extending the range of admissible remote tasks and increasing remote work efficiency. The motivation and justification for the program are discussed by surveying the 40 years of remote operating experience which exists and considering the essential features of various old and new philosophies which have been, or are being, used in remote engineering. A future direction based upon the Remotex concept is explained, and recent progress in the development of an advanced servomanipulator-based maintenance concept is summarized to show that a new generation of remote systems capability is feasible through advanced technology. 20 references, 10 figures, 1 table.


The paper offers a solution to the centuries-old puzzle — why the major chords are perceived as happy and the minor chords as sad. A theory and a formula of musical emotions were created. They define the sign and the amplitude of the utilitarian emotional coloration of separate major and minor chords through relative pitches of constituent sounds. The standard form of notation of the relative frequencies by rational quantities is accompanied by replacement of them with the sonant formulas. It gives a possibility of extraction of data about relative pitches from results of detail study of a notation of the musical scores by means of sonantometry.


We consider diffusion on substrates with frozen disorder. While in the ordered state the moving particle always meets the same energy barrier, in the amorphous state there is a fairly broad distribution of the height of the barriers. The effective activation energy Eeff that controls the diffusion process is not equal to the average activation energy barrier. In fact, Eeff is the highest barrier that the moving particle must overcome. In this way Eeff can be determined by solving a particular percolation problem. The threshold concentration depends on the length of the percolating cluster. Consequently, Eeff is also size dependent. So it is shown that the diffusion coefficient depends on the distance of diffusion. The determination of the effective activation energy from the slope of the Arrhenius plot of the diffusion coefficient is misleading. The mean diffusion distance decreases strongly with temperature.


Prior to the nationwide survey on indoor air quality in 100 age care and social facilities across France, which is planned for 2019, a questionnaire was sent by email to the directors of all 18,432 institutions of these types to determine the potential emission sources of indoor pollutants. Among these, cleaning practices and cleaning products were targeted. The questionnaire included items regarding cleaning frequency and periods, cleaning techniques, storage areas, the use of air fresheners and the commercial names of the products used. A total of 2140 questionnaires were collected and processed, and 1109 cleaning products, along with their commercial names, were listed. From them, 341 different products were identified, for which 299 safety data sheets (SDSs) were available and analyzed. A total of 216 different chemical substances were identified in the SDSs. The boiling points were retrieved to classify the substances according to their volatility. Finally, information regarding their hazard classification was collected, and six categories of human health effects were considered. A total of 41 chemical substances were classified, among which 10 are carcinogenic, 6 are mutagenic, 1 has reproductive toxicity, 3 have specific target organ toxicity - repeat exposure, 19 are possible endocrine disruptors, 14 are skin sensitizers, and 2 are respiratory sensitizers. Of these 41 chemicals, 51% (n = 21) are volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Despite the limitations of using SDSs, which do not report the exact compositions of the products, this study shows that a large spectrum of volatile substances may be emitted from cleaning products used in age care and social facilities, which may have a potential impact on the indoor air quality.


In a recent article in Pediatrics (43:290, 1969) , Dr. Cone reviewed the approach to a child with fever. The list of patients with fever of undetermined origin will shrink markedly in the presence of a complete physical examination (especially the ears), a CBC, and urinalysis performed properly.
 I am surprised Dr. Cone omits infectious mononucleosis from his admittedly limited coverage of this subject. In the young child the Mono test or Heterophile may remain consistently normal.


The ongoing standardization within 3GPP for the so called new radio (NR) system has identified massive multiple-input multiple output (MIMO) transmission, also called full dimension MIMO, as one of the main contributors to higher spectral efficiency for the mobile broadband case. In particular for radio frequencies below 6 GHz, channel estimation has to be supported in frequency division duplex (FDD) as well as time division duplex (TDD) operation. In TDD we may obtain downlink channels by estimating uplink channels, assuming reciprocity. For FDD, codebook based design as well as some type of explicit feedback is under discussion. Separately, there are also ongoing discussions of the question if massive MIMO in combination with FDD is a reasonable choice at all. Here we highlight some of our recent results obtained within several 5G research projects. To our understanding they overcome some of the inherent limitations of massive MIMO for FDD. As indicated by simulations, the resulting concept enables a grid of beam (GoB) and reference signal design with a reasonable downlink reference signal overhead of around 10 percent, together with reasonable feedback overhead of several hundred kbit/s per UE. Such a design attains around 90 percent of the massive MIMO system performance with ideal channel state information.


The study aimed to evaluate the supplementation of gilts with cow's milk naturally enriched with n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) on reproductive outcomes, and the serum biochemical and FA profile of swine females and their offspring. During 316 days, 30 gilts were distributed into three groups: (1) Control, fed a basal diet + milk from cows without oil; (2) n-3, fed a basal diet + milk from cows fed a diet enriched with linseed oil; (3) n-6, fed a basal diet + milk from cows fed a diet enriched with soybean oil. The gilts receiving the diets containing PUFA had higher serum urea and very-low-density lipoprotein levels and lower serum total protein and low-density lipoprotein levels compared to the Control group. Females supplemented with n-3 presented higher serum palmitic acid and γ-linolenic acid levels than those fed n-6. Piglets from the Control group were heavier at birth than those from females supplemented with enriched milk. The piglets from females receiving enriched milk had 140 g higher body weight from 1 to 21 days old compared to the Control group, and greater average daily weight gain from 7 to 14 days old. The serum eicosapentaenoic acid level of piglets fed n-3 was 69% higher than those fed n-6, which reduced the AA/EPA ratio. Gilts supplemented with PUFA-enriched cow's milk showed changes in their serum palmitic and γ-linolenic acid levels, in addition to improved performance, EPA concentration and consequently reduced AA/EPA ratio in their piglets, demonstrating beneficial results for their progeny.


Background Many inflammatory rheumatic conditions are associated with ocular involvement. The actual prevalence of these complications is not fully known. Objectives This meta-analysis was performed to systematically investigate the prevalence of ocular involvement in inflammatory rheumatic diseases in order to determine the frequency and type of ocular involvement. Methods Medline, Web of Science and Cochrane databases were searched up to July 8, 2014, to identify full text publications related to inflammatory rheumatic diseases and associated ocular conditions. Disease terms included; juvenile arthritis (JIA), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), Sjogren's syndrome, Still's disease, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), connective tissue disease, spondyloarthropathy, and ankylosing spondylitis (AS). For eye involvement terms were; conjunctivitis, keratoconjunctivitis sicca, xeropthalmia, uveitis, eye hemorrhage, optic neuritis, papilledema, orbital disease, retinal artery/vein occlusion, macular edema, retinitis, chorioretinitis, scleritis, iridocyclitits, choroid hemorrhage, blindness and amaurosis fugax. Data regarding the rates of various ocular complications were extracted. Random effects models pooled rates to estimate the frequency of each complication in the included inflammatory rheumatic diseases. Results Most of the 7124 studies were excluded, leaving 263 for full review. There were 13 AS cohort studies, 30 Behcet's disease (BD), 31 JIA, 12 PsA, 11 RA and 165 others. Pooled prevalence for commonly reported ocular manifestation were uveitis rates of: 22% (95% CI: 16-24%) in AS, Behcet's 55% (41-68%), JIA [oligoarthritis 36% (20-51%), polyarticular 13% (8-19%) systemic onset 3% (0-7%)], pediatric Behcet's 33% (0-74%), and PsA 15% (5-24%) for anterior uveitis and 0.2% for posterior uveitis. In RA, keratoconjunctivitis sicca occurred in 16% (8-25%), sicca symptoms in 31% (21-42%), marginal ulcerative keratitis in 1-3%, episcleritis in 1-2% and retinal vasculitis in 0.2%. In SLE 29% of patients had dry eyes. There may have been publication bias (over reporting due to selection bias of cohorts enriched for ocular complications such as patients from university clinics where complications could be higher, and several estimates had herterogeneity. Data were lacking on confounding variables (such as screening programs and treatment). Conclusions Extra-articular manifestations of inflammatory rheumatic diseases frequently complicate the ocular health of afflicted individuals. Although the rates vary, an awareness of potential complications can aid in early identification and treatment of these rheumatic complications. Disclosure of Interest None declared


The Dagstuhl Seminar on Computational Proteomics brought together researchers from computer science and from proteomics to discuss the state of the art and future developments at the interface between experiment and theory. This interdisciplinary exchange covered a wide range of topics, from new experimental methods resulting in more complex data we will have to expect in the future to purely theoretical studies of what level of experimental accuracy is required in order to solve certain problems. A particular focus was also on the application side, where the participants discussed more complex experimental methodologies that are enabled by more sophisticated computational techniques. Quantitative aspects of protein expression analysis as well as posttranslational modifications in the context of disease development and diagnosis were discussed. The seminar sparked a number of new ideas and collaborations and resulted in joint grant applications and publications.


Autosomal recessive primary microcephaly (MCPH) is characterized by reduced head circumference (≤4 SD) and mental retardation without any other neurological manifestation. Of the four identified MCPH genes, homozygous truncating mutations in ASPM (MCPH5) account for >50% of all reported families. In spite of the high frequency of MCPH in Pakistan only one case of compound heterozygosity for mutations in ASPM has been reported yet. In this large MCPH study we ascertained 37 families including 319 persons (140 patients). Haplotype analysis of eight STS markers suggested linkage by homozygosity in 20 families, and re‐analysis of single sib ships in the remaining families demonstrated possible compound heterozygosity in two families. Direct sequencing indeed confirmed compound heterozygosity in two and homozygous mutations in 20 families, respectively, showing that up to 10% of families with MCPH caused by ASPM are compound heterozygous. In total we identified 16 different nonsense or frameshift mutations of which 12 were novel thereby increasing the number of mutations in ASPM significantly from 35 to 47. We found no correlation between the severity of the condition and the site of truncation. We suggest that the high frequency of compound heterozygosity observed in this study is taken into consideration as part of future genetic testing and counseling in Pakistani MCPH families. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


Abstract The mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) has been shown to inhibit ovarian granulosa cell function in cattle in vitro, but it is not known whether DON or its metabolite deepoxy-DON (DOM-1) affects theca cell function. The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of DON and of DOM-1 on theca cell steroidogenesis and apoptosis, and to determine the main pathways through which they act. Bovine theca cells were cultured in a nonluteinizing serum-free culture system, and challenged with DON or DOM-1 for 4 days to measure steroidogenesis and apoptosis, for 1–8 h to measure immediate-early genes, and for 5–60 min to measure phosphorylation of intracellular signaling proteins. Addition of DON decreased progesterone secretion at doses as low as 0.5 ng/ml but had no effect on testosterone secretion. Addition of DOM-1 inhibited progesterone and testosterone secretion at 0.5 ng/ml. Treatment of cells with 1 ng/ml DOM-1 increased the proportion of apoptotic cells, whereas DON had no effect. Addition of DON or DOM-1 stimulated phosphorylation of EIF2AK2,MAPK3/1, and AKT. However, DON inhibited and DOM-1 stimulatedMAPK14 phosphorylation. DON increased the levels of mRNA encoding early-immediate genes EGR1, EGR3, and FOS, whereas DOM-1 was without effect. DOM-1 but not DON increased abundance of mRNA of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-related proteins, PRKRA and ATF4.We conclude that DOM-1 has a major impact on theca function in cattle, and possibly induces theca cell apoptosis through ER stress. Summary Sentence Deepoxy-deoxynivalenol acts through EIF2AK2 to increase theca cell apoptosis and decrease steroid secretion.


To achieve a pulverized coal rate of more than 200 kg/t, a technology is needed by which the combustion zone in front of tuyeres can be properly controlled in terms of the combustibility of pulverized coal. It is, especially, necessary to quantify the combustion behavior inside the tuyeres and raceway. Experiments were conducted on off-line models with and without coke to investigate the pyrolysis and combustion behavior of pulverized coal in order to analyze the influence of blast conditions and coal properties on their combustibility.(1) The final volatile yield of pulverized coal increases with the rise in blast temperature, and rise in O2 content accelerates the devolatilization rate.(2) With the progress of pyrolysis, the pulverized coal became spherical and a large number of pores formed in the particles. Thus the reactivity of char is estimated to be higher than that of coke.(3) Rising blast temperature is effective to improve the combustion efficiency of pulverized coal in the raceway, presumably a little effective to improve with the addition of steam. O2 enrichment at constant air ratio requires enhancement of the gas and particle mixture.(4) Q-factor that determined the final volatile yield can be shown by the blast temperature and C content in coal, and devolatilization rate parameters can also be learned by C content in coal. A practical equation representing the devolatilization rate inside tuyeres with various kinds of coal are presented.


The study aims to evaluate whether the analgesic effect of intra-articular (IA) route of xylazine administered to horses following arthroscopic surgery is due to a local or a systemic action. Two connected studies were performed. In the first, 1 mg/kg b.w. of xylazine was injected IA, and blood samples were taken to assess drug systemic absorption. In addition, systemic effects of the drug (sedation, ataxia or reduction of respiratory and cardiac rate) were registered. Control horses injected with saline IA were included in the study to exclude the influence of anaesthesia in the occurrence of these manifestations. In the second study, 1 mg/kg b.w. of xylazine was administered intravenously (i.v.) in healthy horses. Blood samples were collected to determine the concentrations of xylazine, and the same signs of systemic effects of the drug were recorded. By correlating these parameters, a systemic 'no effect' concentration was defined. Pharmacokinetic data after IA administration resulted in some xylazine absorption (bioavailability equal to 58.12%) with values above the systemic 'no effect' concentration. The occurrence of some signs related to systemic effects in horses receiving IA xylazine was significant compared with horses receiving saline. In conclusion, a systemic action of the drug after IA administration cannot be excluded.


This article presents the results of the analysis of innovation in the context of the lifelong learning supported by the use of ICT, as well as a number of learning-related areas that need specific attention in terms of innovation and creativity. The result of this work has been condensed in "imperatives for change", a list of actions that should be taken in all the four areas tackled by the project plus some general transversal imperatives. These imperatives can be summarised in the following Learnovation Vision for European learning in 2025: "Being a lifelong learner becomes a condition of life. Thanks to their massive and natural use in everyday life, technologies acquire an emancipating power on people opportunity and ability to learn, favouring a spontaneous tendency towards meta-cognition and ownership of their learning process". The article aims to envision the future of learning in an innovation-oriented perspective and provide a set of recommendations for policy and decision-makers on urgent actions to be launched for a positive change to happen. The consultation process launched by the Learnovation project proved to be successful in mobilising stakeholders and getting their input to elaborate future desired scenarios of evolution of learning and in defining recommendations to let such scenarios come true. The EU-funded Learnovation project worked between 2008-2009 to stimulate a consultation process aimed to lead to a collective and consensus-based new vision of eLearning in Europe. The rationale of the exercise was to assess how and whether learning is supporting innovation among the European society, and how learning is changing thanks to the exploitation of ICT.


Background: Obstructed labour is a common cause of maternal and pernatal morbidity and mortality in developing countries. There are few data from Ethiopia, although the problem is believed to be common.
Objective: To describe the frequency, causes, complications and treatment outcome of mothers with obstructed labour.
Methods: a retrospective (April 1, 1993 – March 30, 2001) review of delivery registration books, operation theatre books and patients records. Results: Of 5,980 hospital deliveries during the study period 195(3.3%) were admitted for obstructed labour. Only 14.1% of all cases had received antenatal care, and the majority (88%) came from rural areas. Mean duration of labour was 45.4 hours for cases of obstructed labour. The most common cause of obstruction was cephalopelvic disproportion (64.9%) followed by malposition/malpresentation (32.5%). Caesarean section was performed in 88 of the 195 cases (46.1%), craniotomy in 31(16.2%), instrumental delivery in 27 (14.1%), hysterectomy in 28(14.6%) and repair of ruptured uterus in 17(8.9%). Maternal and neonatal fatality rates were 3.7% and 55.5% respectively. Serious complication increased with parity.
Conclusion: The incidence and complications of obstructed labour are remarkably high. To improve the situation better access to optimal antenatal and intrapartal care, together with early referral of high-risk patients must be facilitated. Ethiop.J.Health Dev. 2003;17(3):175-180


AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
The aim of this study is to describe and compare three statistical methods to allow for therapist effects in individually randomised controlled trials.

BACKGROUND
In an individually randomised controlled trial where the intervention is delivered by a health professional it seems likely that the effectiveness of the intervention, independent of any treatment effect, could depend on the skill of the health professional delivering it. This leads to a potential clustering of the outcomes for the patients being treated by the same health professional.

DESIGN
Retrospective statistical analysis of outcomes from four example randomised controlled trial datasets with potential clustering by health professional.

METHODS
Three methods to allow for clustering are described: cluster level analysis; random effects models and marginal models. These models were fitted to continuous outcome data from four example randomised controlled trial datasets with potential clustering by health professional.

RESULTS
The cluster level models produced the widest confidence intervals. Little difference was found between the estimates of the regression coefficients for the treatment effect and confidence intervals between the individual patient level models for the datasets. The conclusions reached for each dataset match those published in the original papers. The intracluster correlation coefficient ranged from <0.001-0.04 for the outcomes, which shows only minor levels of clustering within the datasets.

CONCLUSIONS
The models, which use individual level data are to be preferred. Treatment coefficients from these models have different interpretations. The choice of model should depend on the scientific question being asked.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE
We recommend that researchers should be aware of any potential clustering, by health professional, in their randomised controlled trial and use appropriate methods to account for this clustering in the statistical analysis of the data.


To investigate protein folding dynamics in terms of compactness, we developed a continuous-flow mixing device to make small-angle x-ray scattering measurements with the time resolution of 160 μs and characterized the radius of gyration (Rg) of two folding intermediates of cytochrome c (cyt c). The early intermediate possesses ≈20 Å of Rg, which is smaller by ≈4 Å than that of the acid-unfolded state. The Rg of the later intermediate is ≈18 Å, which is close to that of the molten globule state. Considering the α-helix content (fH) of the intermediates, we clarified the folding pathway of cyt c on the conformational landscape defined by Rg and fH. Cyt c folding proceeds with a collapse around a specific region of the protein followed by a cooperative acquisition of secondary structures and compactness.


The ubiquity and mobility of contemporary computing devices has enabled users to consume content, anytime, anywhere. Yet, when we need to create content, touch input is far from perfect. When coupled with touch input, the stylus should enable users to simultaneously ink, manipulate the page, and switch between tools with ease, so why has the stylus yet to achieve universal adoption? Michelle Annett's thesis sought to understand the usability barriers and tensions that have prevented stylus input from gaining traction and reaching widespread adoption. This article in particular explores the limits of human latency perception and evaluates solutions to unintended touch.


Emerging manufacturing techniques provide unprecedented design freedom that traditional design methods do not entirely utilize. Therefore, sophisticated design tools are needed that take advantage of the increased flexibility of these manufacturing techniques to realize parts with complex geometry at acceptable cost. Topology optimization being one of these tools is used in this work to automate the design process of self-folding 3D origami structures undergoing large deformation. A gradient-based level-set topology optimization approach is adopted to describe the geometry evolving throughout the optimization process. The eXtended Finite Element Method (XFEM), an immersed boundary technique, is employed to predict the structural response using a well-resolved geometry representation and spatial discretization. A large-strain mechanical model together with higher-order finite elements is utilized to capture the physical behavior of self-folding structures where self-actuation is caused by internal swelling-strains. The complex geometries and non-intuitive material layouts resulting from the optimization process are then fabricated and tested via direct 4D printing. During this additive manufacturing approach, a pre-programmed swelling strain is directly printed into certain parts of the structure eliminating the need for mechanical or thermal training to generate self-folding. After an in-depth discussion of the modeling and optimization approach, examples of optimized origami structures are presented and comparisons against direct 3D printed samples are made.


Objective: To report and evaluate a conservative and individualized treatment policy in a homogeneously selected series of patients affected by pure ovarian immature teratoma. Methods: This prospective trial, with specific treatment policies according to stage and grade, was planned and started in 1982. The study population consisted of 32 patients affected by pure immature teratoma, with the exclusion of mixed germ cell tumors. Fertility-sparing surgery was performed whenever possible. Surgery alone, with careful follow-up, was adopted for stage I or II according to the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) and grade 1 or 2 tumors. The other patients, with stage III or with grade 3 stage I or II tumors, or those referred at relapse, were treated with platinum-based chemotherapy regimens. Results: Thirty of 32 patients underwent fertility-sparing surgery. Ten of 32 patients received chemotherapy after surgery, either as adjuvant treatment or in the presence of visible tumor. All 32 patients are alive and disease-free, with a median follow-up from surgery of 47 months (range 11–138). In six patients, regardless of the administration of chemotherapy, the tumor either spontaneously differentiated toward mature glia or increased in volume, mimicking progression but still remaining completely mature. Five of six patients wishing to procreate had a total of seven normal pregnancies. Conclusions: Pure ovarian immature teratoma is a potentially curable disease with a unique natural history. Our data substantiate the hypothesis that low-grade and low-stage tumors do not require chemotherapy, and that a fertility-sparing surgical approach is warranted in all cases.


Abstract The Modified Condensed Nearest Neighbour (MCNN) algorithm for prototype selection is order-independent, unlike the Condensed Nearest Neighbour (CNN) algorithm. Though MCNN gives better performance, the time requirement is much higher than for CNN. To mitigate this, we propose a distributed approach called Parallel MCNN (pMCNN) which cuts down the time drastically while maintaining good performance. We have proposed two incremental algorithms using MCNN to carry out prototype selection on large and streaming data. The results of these algorithms using MCNN and pMCNN have been compared with an existing algorithm for streaming data.


BACKGROUND
Control of hypertension remains an elusive goal, but doctors' non-compliance with guidelines, patient attitudes and adherence to treatment, and poor delivery of care at clinics are important contributing factors.

OBJECTIVES
To determine the overall quality of hypertensive care, and compliance with current hypertension guidelines at community health centres (CHCs) in the Western Cape.

METHODS
Consecutive patients attending hypertension clinics at two CHCs were selected to participate. A questionnaire was designed to determine patient demographics, doctors' compliance with hypertension guidelines, factors leading to treatment non-adherence, and delivery of care. Accuracy of blood pressure (BP) recording was evaluated by comparing the clinic BP with that measured using an approved manometer.

RESULTS
One hundred and sixty-one patients were evaluated, 100 from CHC 1 and 61 from CHC 2. There was no difference in both control systolic and diastolic BP measured by the hypertension nurse (147.9 v. 144.8 mmHg, p = 0.45, and 89.3 v. 85.6 mmHg, p = 0.14) respectively. All clinic BP readings were recorded to the nearest 10 mmHg mercury. The difference in both systolic and diastolic BP > 10 mmHg between the clinic and control BP was significantly greater at CHC 2 than CHC 1 (28% v. 56%, p = 0.005, and 43% v. 64%, p = 0.007) respectively. Overall, 39.8% of patients had a systolic and diastolic BP < 140 and < 90 mmHg. The mean number of antihypertensive drugs was 2.4 per patient. The use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and tricyclic antidepressants was high at both centres, and few patients underwent basic investigations, lifestyle interventions, risk stratification or global cardiovascular risk reduction.

CONCLUSIONS
39.8% of patients achieved a BP < 140/90 mmHg. There is significant scope for improvement in prescription of medication, application of uniform lifestyle changes, and avoidance of NSAIDs and tricyclic antidepressants. Major deficiencies were identified in BP measurement, assessment of target organ damage, risk stratification and the reduction of overall cardiovascular risk.


Background The role of platinum rechallenge in head and neck cancer (HNC) has not yet been fully evaluated. Objectives It is our goal to assess the real-world treatment patterns and usefulness of platinum rechallenge in patients with platinum-refractory recurrent or metastatic HNC receiving platinum rechallenge. Methods This is a retrospective study using data from a Japanese hospital claims database stored in electronic hospital information systems. Patients with HNC or undefined histology with an HNC diagnosis using the disease code, between January 1, 2013 and September 30, 2016, were included. Patients diagnosed with other malignancies on or before the initial diagnosis of HNC and those without cancer stage information in the database were excluded from the study. Results A total of 43 994 patients were identified from the database as HNC patients. Of those, in patients who had cancer progression within 6 months after platinum-based chemotherapy administered for primary or recurrent disease (N=842), the median treatment duration of platinum rechallenge for platinum refractory patients was only 1 cycle. The second-line treatment continuation rate at 6 months was 20.1% for patients who received platinum rechallenges and 32.8% for those who received non–platinum-based regimens. Conclusions The findings from this study of data from routine clinical practice suggest that the benefit of platinum rechallenge in a platinum-refractory setting would be limited.


The purpose of this study was to determine whether a variable is the cost of debt, profit, percentage change in earnings, shareholders' equity and company size may affect disclosure in financial statements of the textile and clothing companies listed on the BEI. Disclosure of financial statements to attract attention in this study and used as the dependent variable because of the disclosure of financial statements is a means of public accountability and achievement levels of the venture capital market efficiency. Although the variable cost of debt, profit, percentage change in profit, shareholders' equity, and the company size used as independent variables, these variables are part of the sustainability of the company, which can be known through the financial disclosure statements. Use multiple linear regression and t-test analysis with 33 textile and garment companies listed on the BEI as a sample, the results indicate that only shareholders' equity that affect the disclosure of financial statements. Keywords : Disclosure, Cost of Debt, Profit, Percentage change in earnings, Shareholders equity, and Company size.


We are the Creators of form. We are not created by form, nor are we form. We are the Formlessness in which form arises and by which form is apprehended. And what causes form to arise so that we can apprehend it? What causes form to arise is always some relation of Formlessness to Itself. And there are really only two fundamental relations of Formlessness to Itself: Self-alignment or Self-opposition. With Self-alignment comes Self-Knowledge, Knowledge of one's true Nature, as well as the absence of suffering, whereas with Self-opposition comes Self-ignorance, the obscuring of one's true Nature, as well as the presence of suffering.


In a previous study, we showed that purified commercial esterase activity can be detected in a chemiluminescent assay based on the hydrolysis of 2-methyl-1-propenylbenzoate (MPB) to 2-methyl-1-propenol, which is subsequently oxidized by the horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-H(2)O(2) system. The purpose of this study was to verify the applicability of this assay to human serum. The existence of an esterase activity capable of hydrolysing MPB is indicated by the fact that the MPB-serum-HRP-H(2)O(2) system consumes oxygen and emits light. Both signals were abolished by prior serum heat inactivation and were preserved when serum was stored at < or =4 degrees C. Addition of aliesterase inhibitors, such as fluoride ion and trichlorfon or the cholinesterase inhibitor eserine, totally prevents light emission. The butyrylcholinesterase-specific substrate benzoylcholine causes a delay in both O(2) uptake and light emission, while the specific acetylcholinesterase substrate, acetyl-beta-methylcholine, had practically no effect. Purified butyrylcholinesterase, but not acetylcholinesterase, triggered light emission. The finding that butyrylcholinesterase is responsible for the hydrolysis of MPB in serum should serve as the basis for the development of a specific chemiluminescent assay for this enzyme.


Imaging of biological samples using fluorescence microscopy has advanced substantially with new technologies to overcome the resolution barrier of the diffraction of light allowing super-resolution of live samples. There are currently three main types of super-resolution techniques – stimulated emission depletion (STED), single-molecule localization microscopy (including techniques such as PALM, STORM, and GDSIM), and structured illumination microscopy (SIM). While STED and single-molecule localization techniques show the largest increases in resolution, they have been slower to offer increased speeds of image acquisition. Three-dimensional SIM (3D-SIM) is a wide-field fluorescence microscopy technique that offers a number of advantages over both single-molecule localization and STED. Resolution is improved, with typical lateral and axial resolutions of 110 and 280 nm, respectively and depth of sampling of up to 30 µm from the coverslip, allowing for imaging of whole cells. Recent advancements (fast 3D-SIM) in the technology increasing the capture rate of raw images allows for fast capture of biological processes occurring in seconds, while significantly reducing photo-toxicity and photobleaching. Here we describe the use of one such method to image bacterial cells harboring the fluorescently-labelled cytokinetic FtsZ protein to show how cells are analyzed and the type of unique information that this technique can provide.


The voice, video, and data traffic can be carried as IP packets over Long Term Evolution (LTE) networks which bring the cellular communication to the fourth generation (4G) era. LTE enables this digital convergence by offering higher capacity, including inherent IP support in its architecture, and supporting multi-user diversity scheduling. However, recent increases in Voice over IP (VoIP) and video traffic usage require the prioritization of the real-time traffic to meet its stringent QoS requirements. In this paper, the existing Round Robin and Best CQI schedulers are enhanced to enable the QoS support to the real-time traffic. For both schedulers, a configurable parameter, which determines the degree of priority level, is introduced so that the real-time traffic throughput can be administratively controlled without jeopardizing the overall network performance. Simulation results demonstrate the trade-off among the real-time traffic throughput, the overall system throughput and the overall system fairness for various scenarios.


Objective To make the application effect of clinical pathway nursing combined with humanized nursing clear in cerebral infarction. Methods Hundred patients who suffered from cerebral infarction had been hospitalized in our hospital and they become our study objects. By means of the random number table, they were separated into 50 cases both in the control group and in the observation group. The control group accepted the routine nursing, and the observation group accepted the clinical pathway nursing mixed with humanized nursing. The followings were compared including the hospitalization expenses and length of stay, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), Barthel index rating scale (BI), Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA), and the incidence of complications and recurrence rate. A comparison was made between the two groups about satisfaction with nursing. Results In contrast with the control group, the treatment expenses and length of stay in the observation group were considerably reduced (P < 0.05). In contrast, before nursing, the NIHSS marks of the two groups decreased considerably after nursing, and the scores of BI and FMA increased considerably, the NIHSS scores of the observation group were considerably lower than those of the control group, and the scores of BI and FMA were considerably higher than those of the control group (P < 0.05). In contrast with the control group (44.00%, 12.00%), the incidence of complications (22.00%) and recurrence rate (2.00%) in the observation group were considerably lower (P < 0.05). In contrast with the control group (72.00%), the satisfaction of nursing in the observation group (96.00%) was considerably higher (P < 0.05). Conclusion The application effect of clinical pathway nursing combined with humanized nursing in cerebral infarction is significant. It can not only effectively reduce hospitalization expenses and hospitalization time, improve neurological function, ability of daily living, and limb motor function but also reduce complications and recurrence and improve patients' satisfaction with nursing, which has a high clinical reference value.


Investments in habitat and biodiversity conservation are critically needed given mounting effects of global climate change and unprecedented rates of ecological degradation and species extinction. However, as more regions of the world are converted to human use, we are also experiencing a shift in the traditional targets of conservation from protecting 'ecologically intact' landscapes to restoring degraded habitat by prioritizing conservation investments under triage. The overall goal of this thesis was to evaluate alternative ways of funding conservation initiatives. To reach that goal, I first used 1,770 avian point counts in a 2,520 km2 study area, remote-sensed data and models incorporating imperfect detectability to predict habitat occupancy in 47 widely-distributed native birds, which were also classified by experts according to their habitat association. Forest and Savannah association scores for these species were then used as weights in a composite distribution map of species communities. My results showed that composite maps of widespread indicators improve site prioritization by incorporating the behavioural and demographic responses of a diverse range of indicators to variation in patch size, configuration and adjacent human land use. Using these composite maps, I asked how the sale of forest carbon credits could reduce land acquisition costs, and how the alternate goals of maximizing α or β-diversity in focal communities could affect the prioritization of parcels for acquisition. My results indicate that carbon sales have the potential to enhance conservation outcomes in human-dominated landscapes by reducing the net acquisition costs of land conservation. Maximizing β versus α-diversity may further reduce costs by reducing the total area required to meet conservation targets and enhancing landscape heterogeneity. In cases where land purchase is not an option, private land conservation covenants can provide an alternative; although serious questions exist about long-term monitoring and enforcement costs of covenants given the risk that owners might violate or challenge them in court. My findings suggest that violation or dispute rate can substantially affect long-term costs of covenants and potentially surpass the cost of land purchase. Overall, I tested several ways to successfully fund conservation investments and highlight potential benefits and shortfalls of each.


Background: Luteolin-7-O-glucoside (Lut-7-G) is an effective compound found in plants, such as Patrinia and honeysuckle. It has anti-inflammatory as well as antioxidant properties; however, its anti-inflammatory effect on ulcerative colitis (UC) is hardly understood. Objectives: We evaluated the effects of Lut-7-G in dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced UC in mice models, and then explore the underlying mechanism by studying the JAK1/STAT6/SOCS1 signaling pathway. Materials and Methods: Induction of acute colitis in mice was achieved by feeding 2.5% DSS for 7 days. Bodyweight loss, colon length, disease activity index (DAI) score, and spleen index were determined and hematoxylin-eosin and Periodic Acid-Schiff staining were performed to study the pathological changes in mouse colons. The inflammatory factor levels were determined by ELISA, JAK1, STAT6, and SOCS1 expression in colon tissues by RT-qPCR, and signaling pathway proteins by Western blotting. Results: It was found that treatment with Lut-7-G reduced the effects of colon shortening and weight loss, DAI score, spleen index, as well as colon inflammation. In addition, it significantly decreased DSS-induced overexpression of IL-6, IL-1β, IL-18, as well as TNF-α, and considerably reduced mRNA expression of JAK1 and STAT6 but upregulated the SOCS1 expression. Furthermore, Lut-7-G treatment dose-dependently decreased JAK1 and STAT6 protein expression, and only DSS + Lut-7-G (100 mg/kg) could downregulate p-JAK1 and p-STAT6 expression and upregulate SOCS1 protein expression. Moreover, Lut-7-G (100 mg/kg) was as effective as mesalazine. Conclusion: Lut-7-G may regulate the secretion of inflammatory factors and inhibit inflammatory responses through the JAK1/STAT6/SOCS1 pathway, as a determinant in the treatment of UC.


Demanding latency-sensitive IoT applications have stringent requirements, such as low latency, better privacy, and security. To meet such requirements, researchers proposed a new paradigm, i.e., edge computing. Edge computing consists of distributed computational resources and enables the execution of IoT applications closer to the edge of the network. However, the distributed nature of this paradigm makes the application deployment and development process more challenging since the developer must divide the application's functionality into multiple parts, assigning for each a set of requirements. As a result, the developer must: 1) define the application's requirements and validate them at design time and 2) find a deployment strategy on the target edge computing platform. In this article, we propose EdgeFlow, a new IoT framework capable of assisting the developer in the application development process. Specifically, we introduce a methodology for latency-sensitive IoT applications development and deployment, consisting of three different stages, i.e., the development, validation, and deployment. To this end, we propose an extension of the flow-based programming paradigm with new timing requirements and provide a resource allocation technique to assist with the deployment and validation of latency-sensitive IoT applications. Finally, we evaluate EdgeFlow by: 1) presenting the application development methodology and 2) performing a quantitative evaluation demonstrating our resource allocation technique's capabilities to find feasible and optimal deployment strategies. The experimental results illustrate the effectiveness of our methodology to assist the developer throughout the entire application development process.


The studies on human capital and technological progress have given incredible insights on how countries in the world differ from one another. Yet there are more than those two reasons to account for differences among countries. There is a third reason why a country would differ in terms of its economic development progress, namely institutional factors. Hence developing institutional indices would give a deeper explanation than a mere theory. On the other hand, we can corroborate the institutional index with the general theory that low-quality institutions will impact an economy negatively. This study seeks to broaden the understanding of causes of economic growth by incorporating institutional index into a semi-endogenous growth model and finds a relationship between that index with human capital and technological progress


The lattice dynamics of silicon in the metastable-Sn structure is studied using the density-functional linear-response theory. The Gru ̈neisen parameters and thermal expansion are calculated in the quasiharmonic approximation for the cubic diamond ~cd! and b-Sn phase and the thermodynamic properties are compared with the liquid phase at zero pressure. We relate the anomalously high entropy of fusion in Si to the difference in entropy between theb-Sn and the cd phase. The melting temperature and phase boundary slopes for the b-Sn phase at zero pressure are qualitatively different from those deduced from the experimental pressuretemperature phase diagram. This suggests that the reported experimental liquid-metallic solid phase boundary does not refer to theb-Sn phase.


This paper proposes a new simultaneous terahertz (THz) information and power transfer (STIPT) system, which utilizes a reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) for both the data and power transmission. We aim to maximize the information users' (IUs') sum data rate while guaranteeing the power harvesting requirements of energy users (EUs) and RIS. To solve the formulated non-convex problem, the block coordinate descent (BCD) based algorithm is adopted to alternately optimize the transmit precoding of IUs, RIS's reflecting coefficients, and the position of RIS. Additionally, the penalty constrained convex approximation (PCCA) algorithm is proposed to optimize the deployment of the RIS, where the introduced penalties ensure that the solution is always feasible. The simulation results show that the proposed solution outperforms the benchmark schemes, and the proposed BCD algorithm can greatly improve the performance of the STIPT system.


This research has purpose to determine the effect of variables of money supply, BI rate, and external debt on inflation in Indonesia. The data used are quarterly data for the period 2005.3-2014.3. With analysis tools Error Correction Model (ECM) using EViews 7.0. The results showed that both long-term and short-term variables of money supply, BI rate, external debt, exchange rate IDR/USD, and import overall can influence on inflation in Indonesia from 2005.3-2014.3. In partial BI rate, exchange rate IDR/USD, and import significant positive influence on inflation in Indonesia in the long term and short term. For the variables of money supply and external debt cannot influence on inflation in the long term. While in the short term, in partial variable of money supply significant negative influence on inflation in Indonesia.


We synthesized empirical work to evaluate whether Black children are disproportionately overrepresented in special education. We identified 22 studies that met a priori inclusion criteria including use of at least 1 covariate in the reported analyses. Evidence of overrepresentation declined markedly as the studies included one or more of 3 "best-evidence" methodological features (i.e., analyses of individual-level data, a nationally representative sample, a control for individual-level academic achievement). Among 48 coefficient estimates from studies with the strongest internal and external validity, only 1 (2.1%) indicated significant overrepresentation. This coefficient suggested a school characteristic (a high percentage of minority students) that may help explain underrepresentation. None of the remaining 47 (97.9%) regression coefficients indicated that Black children's overrepresentation in special education was explained by misidentification based on race or ethnicity. Instead, the best evidence indicates that Black children are significantly less likely than otherwise similar White children to receive special education services.


Extramedullary hematopoiesis (EMH) evidenced by erythropoietic cells and megakaryocytes is a characteristic feature of hepatoblastoma (HB). The typical cytomorphology, the presence of EMH and associated clinical and radiological findings offer a reliable diagnosis of hepatoblastoma by fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC). We describe the cytologic features of hepatoblastomas and discuss the differential diagnosis in two children, aged 53 days and 19 years. The usefulness of EMH in differentiating HB from other small round cell tumors and well differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) on cytology is highlighted.


By treatment of the polymeric species [AuTl(C6Cl5)2]n with ketones or with acetylacetone and 4,4'-bipyridine, the new tetranuclear complexes [Au2Tl2(C6Cl5)4] x L (L = PhMeC=O, acacH) or [Au2Tl2(C6Cl5)4(bipy)] x (acacH) have been prepared. Their crystal structures have been determined by X-ray diffraction methods and they all present a central Au2Tl2 core formed via one Tl...Tl and four Au...Tl unsupported interactions resulting in a loosely bound butterfly cluster. These complexes are strongly luminescent in both the solid state and solution showing an optical behavior in agreement with the maintenance of the Tl...Tl contact even in solution.