The method of achieving desired learning outcomes via the use of structured learning objectives is taking a more prevalent role in the United States education system. As this trend approaches post-secondary education, it becomes necessary to develop a method for evaluating whether students obtain base proficiency in the various course learning objectives. In this study, researchers assessed proficiency in the learning objectives set forth in a Michigan State University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources introductory course, ABM 100: Decision Making in the Agri-Food System. Data was analyzed from the spring 2016 final exam. The results of the final exam were evaluated to determine if students met or exceeded proficiency in the learning objectives set for the course. Results indicate that base proficiency was met for three out of the course's five primary objectives. The objective in which students demonstrated the highest proficiency was that relating to defining and understanding the players and functions of the agri-food system. Students struggled the most with the learning objectives focused on basic economic principles.


In this work, an analytical evaluation of the MR signal is presented using the principle of reciprocity for any transmit and receive probe(s) with general geometrical structure(s). It is shown that the excitation of the spins cannot be explained using the principle of reciprocity in its standard form due to the asymmetry in the permeability tensor of the transverse magnetization. In the reception problem, the standard form of the principle of reciprocity is then utilized to calculate the NMR signal. As expected, the analysis shows that the strength of the NMR signal is a function of the receive coil's (fictitious) circularly polarized component of the field that poses an opposite sense of rotation to that corresponding with the excitation field, produced by the same coil, if it were to be used for excitation. Magn Reson Med, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


The development of Artificial Intelligent will strongly influence the data mining routine of the future. As a consequence of a rapid development of the Intelligent Method and an increasing computational power new therapeutic and diagnostic methods are used today allowing higher standards in quality and efficiency of data mining which includes the image, the sound and so on. In order to get the better efficient data and decision, we build the intelligent system which mainly provides a powerful tool for the solution of the massive data mining and complex problems in the urban traffic monitor system.This paper provides an investigation on the application of cluster computing in the field of traffic image that could efficiently increase the throughput. Also that the most commonly used Image processing algorithms in the domain are discussed with the ways and means by which parallelism could be exploited.


The last decade or so has seen a mushrooming of new sovereign debt databases covering long time spans for several countries. This represents an important breakthrough for economists who have long sought to, but been unable to tackle, first-order questions such as why countries have differential debt tolerance, and how debt levels affect the scope for countercyclical policy in recessions and financial crises. This paper backdrops these recent data efforts, identifying both the key innovations, as well as caveats that users should be aware of. A Directory of existing publicly-available sovereign debt databases, featuring compilations by institutions and individual researchers, is also included.


We study spatial symmetry in general $ABA$-stacked multilayer graphene to illustrate how electronic spectra at the two valleys are related in a magnetic field. We show that the lattice of multilayers with an even number of layers as well as that of monolayer graphene satisfy spatial inversion symmetry, which rigorously guarantees valley degeneracy in the absence of time-reversal symmetry. A multilayer with an odd number of layers (three or more) lacks inversion symmetry, but there is another transformation imposing an approximate valley degeneracy, which arises because the low-energy Hamiltonian consists of separate monolayerlike and bilayerlike parts. We show that an external electrostatic potential generally breaks valley degeneracy in a magnetic field, in a markedly different manner in odd and even multilayers.


Enzyme engineering by directed evolution presents a powerful strategy for tailoring the function and physicochemical properties of biocatalysts to therapeutic and industrial applications. Our laboratory's research focuses on developing novel molecular tools for protein engineering, as well as on utilizing these methods to customize enzymes and to study fundamental aspects of their structure and function. Specifically, we are interested in nucleoside and nucleotide kinases which are responsible for the intracellular phosphorylation of nucleoside analog (NA) prodrugs to their biologically active triphosphates. The high substrate specificity of the cellular kinases often interferes with prodrug activation and consequently lowers the potency of NAs as antiviral and cancer therapeutics. A working solution to the problem is the co-adminstration of a promiscuous kinase from viruses, bacteria, and other mammals. However, further therapeutic enhancements of NAs depend on the selective and efficient prodrug phosphorylation. In the absence of true NA kinases in nature, we are pursuing laboratory evolution strategies to generate efficient phosphoryl-transfer catalysts. This review summarizes some of our recent work in the field and outlines future challenges.


This article reviews literature in composition studies since affective science's emergence in the 1980s. It focuses on composition studies' history of adopting findings and theories from affective science, and distinguishes trends in how the field applies those elements in theoretical versus pedagogical contexts. While composition studies' adoption of affective science in its theorizing has helped the field progress toward a "complete psychology of writing," affective science's influence on classroom practices has not been so clear cut or direct. However, affective science is a fast-growing, liberal, and multidisciplinary field. As it progresses, composition studies continues to embrace its concepts and theories. This review notes the expectations and limitations developing through this dynamic interdisciplinary relationship.


Levetiracetam (LEV) is a commonly prescribed anti-seizure medication for the prophylaxis and treatment of focal and generalized seizures. However, a few significant LEV-associated adverse effects have been reported in the literature. Here, we describe a case of significant thrombocytopenia within 24 hours of IV LEV administration for generalized seizures in an anticoagulated immunocompetent patient that completely resolved following discontinuation of the medication. Increased awareness of this uncommon thrombocytopenic side effect of LEV especially in the setting of anticoagulation is important for clinicians providing care to patients with a history of seizures due to the heightened risk of clinically significant bleeding.


Patterned hair loss or androgenic alopecia is a disorder affecting millions of peoples, in which hair sheds without adequate regrowth. Authors propose a new approach to increase hair growth. In this study, authors examined the in vitro potential of the Biofield Energy Healing (The Trivedi Effect®) Treated test items, Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM) on the Human Follicular Dermal Papilla Culture Cells (HFDPC) for the assessment of growth and development. The test items (DMEM) were divided into three parts. First part did not receive any sort of treatment and defined as the untreated DMEM group. The second and third parts were treated with the one-time and two-times Biofield Energy Treatment by a renowned Biofield Energy Healer, Dahryn Trivedi and coded as the one-time Biofield Energy Treated DMEM (BT-I) and two-times Biofield Energy Treated DMEM (BT-II) groups, respectively. The Biofield Energy Healing Treatment was provided by a renowned Biofield Energy Healer (The Trivedi Effect®), remotely for ~5 minutes under standard laboratory conditions through unique energy transmission process. The experimental results showed that one-time Biofield Energy Treated DMEM showed 70.24% and two-times Biofield Energy Treated DMEM significantly (p ≤ 0.001) increased the proliferation of dermal papilla cells by 207.62% as compared to the untreated DMEM group. The overall results demonstrated that the Biofield Energy Healing Treatment significantly increased the proliferation of human hair follicle dermal papilla cells in vitro. Therefore, the Consciousness Energy Healing (The Trivedi Effect®) Treatment might be useful as a hair growth promoter in vivo against different types of skin injuries, hair disorders, and opens new research venues.


An above-threshold current model is presented by combining the effective channel mobility with the Pao-Sah model for undoped polycrystalline-silicon thin-film transistors. The analytical drain current model is derived by fitting the polynomial curve to the experimental low field effective mobility and applying the trapped-charge-effect parameters. The free-charge comparison results show that the density-of-trap-state parameters for the Pao-Sah model are more reasonable by considering the effective channel mobility. Good agreements are obtained by comparing the drain current model with the Pao-Sah model and experimental data.


Ecological citizenship is a justice-based account of how we should live, based upon private and public action to reduce the environmental impacts of our everyday lives on others. This paper examines ecological citizenship at perhaps its most mundane, yet its most ubiquitous and fundamental level: the choices and actions which individuals and households make on a daily basis, in the supermarket and on the high street. 'Sustainable consumption' has become a core policy objective of the new millennium in national and international arenas, and the paper critically evaluates the UK policy model of sustainable consumption as a tool for ecological citizenship. It first reviews the debate about sustainable consumption and describes two competing perspectives: one concerned with reform of the mainstream, and another more radical alternative. It then appraises the mainstream policy model of sustainable consumption in the light of ecological citizenship goals, and identifies a number of failures. Turning to the alternative perspective of sustainable consumption, a number of initiatives are discussed which are able to overcome the limitations of the mainstream model in enabling individual consumers to be good ecological citizens. Finally, the policy implications of this analysis are drawn out in order to nurture the practice of ecological citizenship.


This study has examined the effect of after-school physical activity on body composition and health related fitness of middle school students. The duration of after-school physical activity training program of this study is 12 weeks, the training time in 1 hours warming-up 10 minutes, the skill training 45 minutes and cool down did in 5 minutes. Exercise frequency is 5 time per week. Height basketball class, soccer class, subject class showed statistically meaningful increase between group variance showed statistically meaningful. Weight basketball class, soccer class, showed statistically meaningful decrease. Muscle mass basketball class showed statistically meaningful increase, soccer class showed statistically meaningful decrease. Cardiopulmonary basketball class, soccer class, showed statistically meaningful decrease. Explosive muscular strength basketball class, soccer class, showed statistically meaningful decrease. subject class showed statistically meaningful increase, between group variance showed statistically meaningful. Flexibility basketball class showed statistically meaningful increase, soccer class. Muscular strength basketball class, soccer class, subject class showed not statistically meaningful different.


Familial hypomagnesemia with hypercalciuria and nephrocalcinosis (FHHNC) is a rare autosomal recessive tubular disorder caused by CLDN16 mutations. CLDN16 encodes the renal tight junction protein claudin-16, which is important for the paracellular reabsorption of calcium and magnesium in the thick ascending limb of Henle's loop. That FHHNC is frequently associated with progressive renal failure
suggests additional roles for claudin-16 in the maintenance of tight junction integrity. An investigation of 32 patients with FHHNC and 17 different mutations was previously reported; here, the analysis is expanded to 39 additional patients and 12 new mutations. Expression studies revealed that five of the12 new mutations led to partial loss of claudin-16 function and the remaining seven led to complete loss
of function. The 23 patients who had mutations resulting in complete loss of function of both alleles were significantly younger at the onset of symptoms than the 46 patients who had at least one mutant allele providing partial function (2.2 versus 5.6 years; P _ 0.01). In addition, those with complete loss of function had a more rapid decline in GFR (7.3 versus 2.9 ml/min per 1.72 m2/y; P _ 0.01), leading to 54%
requiring renal replacement therapy by age 15 compared with 20% of those with residual function (P _0.05). These data suggest that residual function of claudin-16 may delay the progression of renal failure in FHHN


Background: Pulse transit time (PTT) and pulse arrival time (PAT) are promising measures for cuffless arterial blood pressure (BP) estimation given the intrinsic arterial stiffness-BP relationship. However, arterial stiffness (and PTT) is altered by autonomically-driven smooth muscle tension changes, potentially independent of BP. This would limit PTT or PAT as accurate BP correlates, more so in resistance vessels than conductance arteries.Objective: To quantify if there is a measurable neurogenic effect on PAT measured using photoplethysmography (PPG) (path includes resistance vessels) and radial artery tonometry (path includes only conductance vessels) during physiologically induced BP changes.Methods: PATs were measured continuously in participants (n=15, 35±15 years, 9 male) using an electrocardiogram and, simultaneously, a Finometer® PRO finger sensor, a finger PPG sensor and radial artery tonometer during seated rest, cold pressor test, cycling and isometric handgrip (IHG) exercise. ΔBP/ΔPAT was calculated for each sensor and each condition. Results: All interventions significantly increased BP. A significant difference was observed in ΔBP/ΔPAT between cycling and both the cold pressor test and IHG exercise (p<0.05). ΔBP/ΔPAT did not differ whether measured via PPG or tonometry.Conclusions: Under the conditions tested, autonomic function does not have a BP-independent effect on PAT where the path includes resistance vessels (PPG signal), likely due to the speed of the wave and the short path length of resistance vessels. Autonomic function therefore does not limit the ability for use of PPG as a signal for potentially estimating BP without a cuff.


Global climate change has been one of the challenging environmental concerns facing policy makers over the past decade. The characterization of the wide range of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission sources and sinks, as well as their behavior in the atmosphere, remains a continuing activity in many countries. Solid waste is considered a source of greenhouse gas emissions owing to microbial decomposition of organic materials, which constitute the greater portion of solid waste. The extent of these emissions is highly dependent on waste management practices. In many countries, landfills remain an essential part of any waste management system and often the only economic form of municipal solid waste disposal. This paper describes solid waste management practices in Lebanon, estimates the corresponding current and future greenhouse gas emissions from this sector, and proposes mitigation alternatives to reduce these emissions. An economic assessment of these alternatives in the context of characteristics specific to the country is also presented in terms of equivalent cost of emission reduction.


Long-acting glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists are increasingly used to treat type 2 diabetes. An increase of heart rate (HR) has been observed with their use. To elucidate the role of the cardiac sympatho-vagal balance as a possible mediator of the reported increase in HR, we performed power spectral analysis of HR variability (HRV) in patients receiving exenatide extended-release (ER). Twenty-eight ambulatory patients with type 2 diabetes underwent evaluation at initiation of exenatide-ER and thereafter at 3 and at 6 months. To obtain spectral analyses of HRV, a computerized acquisition of 10 minutes of RR electrocardiogram intervals (mean values of ~700 RR intervals) were recorded both in lying and in standing positions. All patients showed a substantial increase of HR both in lying and in standing positions. Systolic blood pressure, body weight, and glycated hemoglobin A1c significantly decreased both at 3 and 6 months compared with basal levels. The low-frequency/high-frequency ratio varied from 3.05 ± 0.4 to 1.64 ± 0.2 (P < 0.001) after 3 months and to 1.57 ± 0.3 (P < 0.001) after 6 months in a lying position and from 4.56 ± 0.8 to 2.24 ± 0.3 (P < 0.001) after 3 months and to 2.38 ± 0.4 (P < 0.001) after 6 months in a standing position compared with basal values, respectively. HR variations, induced by exenatide-ER treatment, do not appear to be related to sympathetic autonomic tone. Of note, we observed a relative increase of vagal influence on the heart.


We present a framework for studying ligand binding which is based on techniques recently developed in the robotics motion planning community. We are interested in locating binding sites on the protein for ligand molecule. Our work investigates the performance of a fully automated motion planner, as well as the effects of supplementary user input collected using a haptic device. Our results applying an obstacle-based probabilistic roadmap motion planning algorithm (OBPRM) to some protein-ligand complexes are encouraging. The framework successfully identified potential building sites for all complexes studied. We find that user input helps the planner, and haptic device helps the user to understand the protein structure by enabling them to feel the difficult-to-visualize forces.


This paper aims to examine if firms listed on Nasdaq Stockholm with dividend exposure yield higher risk-adjusted returns than firms without dividend exposure. Using a data set consisting of observations between 2000-2017 we test the difference in mean risk-adjusted return, measured by the Sharpe ratio, between securities with different levels of dividend exposure. We divide our sample into portfolios, categorized in the first stage independently of investment style, size and book-to-market ratio, and in the second stage on dividend exposure, that are regrouped annually. We measure the performance in terms of the geometric mean monthly returns, the risk as standard deviation of returns and the risk-adjusted performance measured with the Sharpe ratio. Following our empirical study, we find indications of a value effect in the Swedish capital market and draw upon three main conclusions. First, for all but one portfolio, the risk decreases with an increased degree of dividend exposure. Second, securities with high-dividend exposure tend to yield higher risk-adjusted returns relative to securities with no-dividend exposure. Third, the effect of dividend exposure on risk-adjusted performance appears to be most significant on mid firms and growth firms


The experiences of persons affected by gross human rights violations during the dictatorship in Argentina, with regard to economic reparations for their suffering and losses, were explored. Thirty-seven participants were interviewed, 35 of whom were survivors and/or family members of persons seriously affected by the violence during the period from 1976 to 1983. Economic reparations form part of the Argentine state's efforts to deal with the atrocities of the past, with such reparations constituting one of the transitional justice mechanisms implemented. The findings suggest that economic reparation, especially in the absence of justice, was regarded as problematic and contradictory by most participants. Thus, the reactions to economic reparation seem related to the context in which it was provided and to what it was provided for. Accepting reparations for oneself was less problematic than accepting it for disappeared family members. Nevertheless, some of the participants regarded the provision of reparation as a form of public confirmation of the injustice done. The study underscores the importance of a broader transitional justice process, including access to truth and legal justice.


The idea of reconciling landscapes through remediation is not new to the discipline of landscape architecture. However the potential of using transformative remediation to build urban form as a large-scale landscape network and that makes the process of remediation part of an urban landscape experience is still underdeveloped in theory and practice. This paper examines how a remediation process could be exhibited and become a staged design element, and how landscapes of cleaning can become part of the urban infrastructure to create new neighborhoods for research, education, working, and living. The example of two adjacent sites on the contaminated Elbe – Island in Hamburg, Wilhelmsburg Germany demonstrates how the purification process of water and soils can be showcased and experienced by the public and how the landscape framework becomes part of the urban infrastructure. The paper proposes a structural landscape framework for how remediation could become an artistic, aesthetically pleasing intervention with environmental value.


Titanium -dioxide (TiO2) has garnered immense interest as a potential photon absorber after the discovery of its photocatalytic properties. However, its absorption is limited to the ultraviolet region of the solar spectrum. Despite numerous efforts being made, the challenge to extend its absorption capability to the entire visible and near infrared region (vis-NIR) still exists, which together constitute about 90 % of the solar spectrum.

In this dissertation, a multiphase nano TiOx network, rich in defects and oxygen vacancies, has been presented which can absorb photons over a broader range of the solar spectrum.

Experimental studies were initially conducted to phase functionalise titanium towards enhanced photon absorption via a single step, ultrashort laser pulse material interaction process. This phase functionalised titanium, characterised to be uniquely composed of multiple oxide phases of titanium, can effectively absorb photons in the vis-NIR region.

Using the above study as a template, a complex three-dimensional self-assembled nano network composed of similar multiphase titanium oxides, was then synthesised. Free of any external dopants, it exhibits a remarkable absorption of photons ranging from 300-1000 nm. To further improve the absorptive properties of this 'multiphase nano TiOx network', particularly in the lower visible range, the phenomenon of Surface Plasmon Resonance was utilised via its hybridisation with gold and gold/palladium alloy. This successfully resulted in further optimisation of its absorption.

The final study of the multiphase nano TiOx was done to understand the fundamental physics behind its broadened photon absorptive behaviour. The condition of synthesis was varied by introducing various contrasting plasma environments. Pronounced disorders and oxygen defects of varying degrees within the crystalline structure were observed. The enhanced and broadened absorption spectrum achieved was attributed to such defects and disorders.

The research done in this thesis demonstrates a unique nanomaterial based on multiple oxides phases of titanium that is capable of absorbing photons both in the visible and NIR regions. The contribution made towards the synthesis, investigation and subsequent manipulation of the self-assembled multiphase nano TiOx network can thus be exploited in various photon harvesting applications like photovoltaics and photo catalysis, where such a broadband photon absorption is desirable.


Unsafe injections and substandard waste management are public health issues exposing healthcare workers and the community to the risk of infections. The objective of this study was to assess the knowledge and practice of safe injections and health care waste management among healthcare workers at a regional hospital in northern Tanzania. This cross sectional descriptive study was conducted in a regional hospital in northern Tanzania. Data was collected through a self-administered questionnaire with additional observations of the incinerator, injections, waste practices, and the availability of medical supplies. Data was analysed in SPSS descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were performed. A total of 223 of 305 (73%) healthcare workers from different cadres were included in the study. The majority of healthcare workers had adequate knowledge and practice of safe injections, but inadequate knowledge about waste management. The majority of the staff reported knowledge of HIV as a risk factor, however, had less knowledge about other blood-borne infections. Guidelines and posters on post exposure prophylaxes and waste management -were present at the hospital, however, the incinerator had no fence or temperature gauge. In conclusion, healthcare workers reported good knowledge and practice of injections, and high knowledge of HIV transmission routes. However, the hospital is in need of a well functioning incinerator and healthcare workers require sufficient medical supplies. There was a need for continual training about health care waste management and avoidance of blood-borne pathogens that may be transmitted through unsafe injections or poor health care waste management.


Continental ichnology has been taking an
ever increasing importance in stratigraphy. In this paper, Continental Trace
Fossils in Semnan area have been studied. Semnan Province is one of the 31
provinces which is located in the north of Iran. In the East of Semnan City,
Quaternary deposits occupy about 93% of the surface area, of which the Alluvial
represents one of the most important geomorphological features in the area.
Nevertheless, the outspread ichnological studies in Semnan City have received lesser attention in Continental Trace Fossils. Based on the systematic
ichnology, 6 trace fossils are distinguished, namely Celliforma isp, Coprinisphaera isp, Palaeophycus tubularis, planolithes isp, Tombownichnus plenus, and Skolithos isp. The
existence of Rhizoliths along with the tetrapod footprints and the
survey of lithofacies all indicate that the trace fossils are related to Coprinisphaera ichnofacies. Based on ichnological and sedimentary facies
analysis, the Continental Trace Fossils, in the study area, are located in the
flood plain, point bar, and playa environment.


Results are presented from a series of laboratory model studies of the flushing of saline water from a partially- or fully-closed estuary. Experiments have been carried out to determine quantitatively the response of the trapped saline volume to fresh water Hushing discharges Q for different values of the estuary bed slope a and the density difference (Δρ)0 between the saline and fresh water. The trapped saline water forms a wedge within the estuary and for maintained steady discharges, flow visualisation and density profile data confirm that its response to the imposition of the freshwater purging flow occurs in two stages, namely (i) an initial phase characterised by intense shear-induced mixing at the nose of the wedge and (ii) a relatively quiescent second phase where the mixing is significantly reduced and the wedge is forced relatively slowly down and along the bed slope. Scalings based upon simple energy balance considerations are shown to be successful in (i) describing the time-dependent wedge behaviour and (ii) quantifying the proportion of input kinetic energy converted into increasing the potential energy of the wedge/river system. Measurements show that the asymptotic value of the energy conversion factor increases with increasing value of the river Froude number Fr 0 at small values of Fr 0, thereafter reaching a maximum value and a gradual decrease at the highest values of Fr 0. Dimensional analysis considerations indicate that the normalised, time-dependent wedge position (x w)3 (g′)0/q 2 can be represented empirically by a power-law relationship of the form (x w)3 [(g′)0/q 2]⅓ = C {(t)[(g′)0 2/q]⅓} n where the proportionality coefficient C is a function of both Fr 0 and the slope angle a and the exponent n has a value of 0.24. Successful attempts are made to relate the model data to existing field observations from a microtidal estuary. Experiments with multiple, intermittent periodic flushing flows confirm the importance of the starting phase of each flushing event for the timedependent behaviour of the saline wedge after reaching equilibrium in the intervals between such events. For the parameter ranges investigated and for otherwise-identical external conditions, no significant differences are found in the position of the wedge between cases of sequential multiple flushing flows and steady single discharges of the same total duration.


Competitions among domestic foodservice businesses get more intense as the presence of new competitors has rapidly increased. For the past decade, our domestic foodservice industry has shown outstanding growth and overcome poor industrial environments. The poor work conditions employees suffer from will cause negative effects on organization values and effectiveness. Although facing severe problems, most of foodservice businesses do not take aggressive counteraction to eliminate these issues. With this in mind, the study has been implemented to empirically investigate the effects of the foodservice business on organization values and organization effectiveness and then to utilize the findings of the study to develop various marketing strategies for the foodservice industry. The findings of the study were as follows: first, with respect to the effects among organization values, job satisfaction, and organization loyalty, the organization value was found to have positive effects both on job satisfaction, and organization loyalty. The findings demonstrated that the levels of job satisfaction and organization loyalty of employees may be increased by promoting organization values, as positive relationships were found between organization values, job satisfaction, and organization loyalty of employees. second, organization values were found to have a positive effect on organization loyalty. Therefore, job satisfaction should be considered as a key factor for achieving overall organizational loyalty of employees in the foodservice industry.


An important first step in maximizing the effectiveness of work zone law enforcement is to determine how officers operate. Although transportation professionals may understand the benefits of different enforcement strategies, does this translate to improved enforcement methods in the field? A survey was developed and administered to determine the problems encountered by various state law enforcement agencies when enforcing work zones. The survey was also an attempt to identify areas of improvement and innovative practices worthy of further development. State law enforcement agencies from 20 states were contacted by telephone to determine how work zones were enforced in their respective states. Officers were asked questions regarding funding for work zone enforcement; techniques used by law enforcement at work zones; locations in or near work zones where officers are typically stationed; the level of coordination between law enforcement, the state highway authority, and the construction contractor; and initiatives that helped maximize the effectiveness of law enforcement in work zones. A strategy identified in this research was the formation of specialized units to patrol work zones and to train other officers to effectively patrol work zones. A second strategy allows local law enforcement officers and retired officers the opportunity to enforce work zone practices on state roadways to overcome a chronic shortage of available officers.


Elephantopus scaber has been used various ethnic groups in Indonesia and other countries as traditional medicine. Comprehensive study of the bioactivity of E. scaber is still limited, therefore this paper aims to explain the relationship between the use and its bioactivity. The writing of this article is based on a study of literature published online and offline used keywords E. scaber, bioactivities of E. scaber and uses of E. scaber. Ethnobotanically, E. scaber used to tread wound, nephritis, edema, chest pain, fever, scabies, sores, coughs, tonics, fever, and bronchitis, and asthma. The local communities in China, E. scaber leaves have been developed into "tea" to cure various diseases. The bioactivity of E. scaber is anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anticancer, hepatoprotective, stimulates hair growth, anti-diabetes mellitus, anti-wound, antioxidant, and overcoming kidney disorders. Deoxyelephantopin is one of the main sesquiterpenes lactones derived from E. scaber has anti-cancer anticancer development. The development of E. scaber tea as an anti-cancer needs to be further investigated because this plant is very easy to find in Indonesia.


The muscle isozyme of adenylosuccinate synthetase (AdSS), an enzyme of the purine nucleotide cycle, has previously been shown to bind to purified F-actin in buffers of low ionic strength and pH (Ogawa et al. Eur. J. Biochem. 85: 331-338, 1978). We have extended these observations by measuring the association of both crude and purified AdSS with the contractile proteins of muscle in buffers of physiological ionic strength and pH. Under these conditions, the enzyme binds to F-actin, actin-tropomyosin complexes, reconstructed thin filaments, and myofibrils but not to myosin. The apparent dissociation constant of 1.2 microM and binding maximum of 2.6 nmol enzyme/mg myofibrils indicate that binding of AdSS to myofibrils can be physiologically significant. The results suggest that AdSS in muscle may be associated with the thin filament of myofibrils.


This paper aims at providing an ethical framework for rebuilding, reconstructing, restructuring and revitalizing human capabilities as a means to achieve social empowerment. It strives toward conceptualizing a certain set of guidelines built upon a notion of globally common human values. Using the intellectual tasks of law, science and policy theory, its values and its interdisciplinary methods and tools that require a rigorous and contextual analysis of conflicting claims, and past and future authoritative and controlling responses to them, the paper aims at inventing, evaluating, proposing and selecting alternative solutions and recommendations whose outcome and the process has to generate development. The paper argues that complying with policies, aiming at maximizing access of all to all the most critical and desired values support the establishment of an optimum order of human dignity, which is characterized by maximum access of all to the universe of human aspirations.


Ethanolic extract of Hydrastis canadensis has been tested for its possible anti-cancer potentials against p-dimethylaminoazobenzene (p-DAB) induced hepatocarcinogenesis in mice. Mice were chronically fed p-dimethylaminoazobenzene (p-DAB) and phenobarbital (PB), two hepato-carcinogens for 1, 2, 3 and 4 months, respectively, and were divided into sub-groups: i) fed normal low protein diet (Gr. I, normal control); ii) fed diet mixed with 0.06% p-DAB at a daily dose of 165 mg/kg b.w. per mouse plus 0.05% PB plus 0.06 ml 90% alcohol (vehicle of the crude extract) (Gr. II, carcinogen treated); iii) fed diet mixed with p-DAB and PB at the same daily dose plus crude extract of Hydrastis canadensis (Gr. III, drug treated). Several biochemical parameters like acid and alkaline phosphatases, alanine amino-, aspartate amino-, and gamma glutamyl-transferases, lipid peroxidation, reduced glutathione content, lactate dehydrogenase, catalase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activities and electron microscopy of liver in different groups of treated and control mice were studied. A critical analysis of results of these studies suggested anti-cancer potentials of the drug suitable for use as a supportive complementary medicine in liver cancer.


The current COVID-19 pandemic has provided the world with a range of crisis leadership case studies as nations' leaders approach control of, and communication about, the virus in dramatically different ways. Drawing on the literature and the author's post-disaster and post-crisis studies, this reflective piece offers a framework for analysing and evaluating leadership responses to the current crisis in order to strengthen our ability to deal with future crises. The focus of this article is on the development of a set of crisis leadership attributes and how we might use these to evaluate our own leadership roles as well as the wider work we do in leadership development, assessment, and evaluation.


The Annealing Adaptive Search (AAS) algorithm searches the feasible region of an optimization problem by generating candidate solutions from a sequence of Boltzmann distributions. However, the difficulty of sampling from a Boltzmann distribution at each iteration of the algorithm limits its applications to practical problems. To address this difficulty, we propose an approximation of AAS, called Model-based Annealing Random Search (MARS), that samples solutions from a sequence of surrogate distributions that iteratively approximate the target Boltzmann distributions. We present the global convergence properties of MARS by exploiting its connection to the stochastic approximation method and report on numerical results.


Sediment transport is highly variable in space and time and a natural part of the river environment. Important linkages exist between sediment transport processes and riverine aquatic habitats. If the sediment load or bed sediment type changes, there are usually ecological consequences. The responses are usually complex, long lasting, and may be beneficial or detrimental to a given resource. Undesirable consequences of water projects that modify sediment size distribution or load may be avoided or mitigated when designers know about the relationships between aquatic habitats and sediment transport. Accordingly, the paper has summarized knowledge linking sediment transport and aquatic eccology. Often hydraulic engineers and aquatic ecologists have dissimilar frames of reference for the evaluation of river systems. However, this brief report should provide a common footing for hydraulic engineers and the environmental community in the evaluation of streams and aquatic habitats.


Application of optimisation techniques to reservoir operation has become a major focus of water resources planning and management. Traditionally, reservoir operation has been based on heuristic procedures, embracing rule curves and, to a certain extent, subjective judgements by the operator. More efficient solutions, however, can be obtained by coupling a simulation model with an optimisation algorithm for optimising reservoir operation in a multi-objective context. The focus of the present study is the operation of the Hoa Binh reservoir in Vietnam, considering hydropower production and downstream flood control including the protection of the capital Hanoi. Using the hydrodynamic simulation model MIKE 11, the existing operation rules were incorporated in the model, and the reservoir performance evaluated in comparison with alternative operation strategies suggesting a scope for improvement of both hydropower production and downstream flood control. Subsequently, the Shuffled Complex Evolution (SCE) algorithm was coupled with MIKE 11, and through Pareto optimisation it was shown that choosing a balanced optimum would result in an increase of the hydropower production without compromising the downstream flood protection. Finally, the possibility of using real-time information on forecasted reservoir inflows to improve short-term operation was addressed, and it was indicated that flexible, real-time optimisation procedures can further improve the performance of the reservoir operation in comparison to a strict application of the optimised rule curves.


1. The phenyl ether of α-methyl choline caused only a rise of blood pressure. The introduction of a methyl, ethyl, iso -propyl or amino group into the phenyl ether of α-methyl choline diminished the pressor (nicotine-like) action; the iso -propyl compound was the least active.

2. β-(o-toloxy)-ethyl triethylammonium bromide and analogous triethyl compounds (including sulfhydro-triethyl ammonium iodide) prevented the rise of blood pressure caused by the phenyl ether of choline and its derivatives and tetramethylammonium bromide, acetyl-α-methyl choline and nicotine, i.e., these triethyl compounds have a "paralyzing nicotine action."

3. The methyl and ethyl ethers of β-methyl choline caused only a fall of blood pressure; the ethyl ether was five to ten times as active as the methyl ether. The fall of blood pressure was prevented by atropine; neither of the compounds caused a rise of blood pressure after atropine.

Small doses of the iso -propyl ether caused a fall of blood pressure; larger doses caused a fall followed by a rise. After atropine this compound caused only a rise of blood pressure.

4. The ethers of the triethylammonium compounds have no "muscarine" or "stimulating nicotine" actions; they have however a "paralyzing nicotin" action.

5. The effects upon the blood pressure of a number of heterocyclic compounds are described; most of these caused a rise of blood pressure but those studied were not very active in this respect.


"The Service is proposing to establish the Siletz Bay National Fish and
Wildlife Refuge by initially accepting a donation of 46 acres of salt marsh, acquiring up to 793 acres of land, and cooperatively managing 1,060 acres of tidelands with the State of Oregon... The primary need for the Service acquisition is to preserve diverse coastal wetland habitats and upland buffers for a variety of waterfowl, shorebirds, marine mammals, endangered species, raptors, songbirds, anadromous and resident fish, and other wildlife." (p.2) The report describes the area and discusses potential issues. It includes maps, an aerial photograph, and a species list.


Open-wedge high tibial osteotomy (HTO) with navigation provides accurate axial alignment correction in the frontal plane but can cause an unintended increase of the proximal tibial slope. This study examined the plausibility of preserving the original posterior slope of the proximal tibia during navigation-assisted open-wedge HTO. Three-dimensional virtual HTO preserving the original posterior slope was simulated and the opening gaps measured. Forty cases of navigation-assisted open HTO for unicompartmental osteoarthritis were performed maintaining an anterior opening gap measuring 67% of the posterior gap. The posterior slope of the proximal tibia was compared before and after surgery. In virtual surgery, a ratio of 0.67 between the anterior and posterior opening gap was needed to maintain the original slope. In navigation-assisted HTO, the mechanical axis was corrected to 2.9 degrees valgus (range, 0.5 degree-6.2 degrees) with fewer outliers (12.5%), and the posterior slope was maintained. The posterior slope was 7.9 degrees +/- 2.3 degrees preoperatively and 8.3 degrees +/- 2.8 degrees postoperatively (P > .05). The normal tibial posterior slope can be maintained if the anterior opening gap is approximately 67% of the posterior opening gap during the navigation-assisted HTO.


Abstract The markers 3-nitrotyrosine and 3-chlorotyrosine are measured as surrogates for reactive nitrogen species and hypochlorous acid respectively, which are both elevated in inflamed human tissues. Previous studies reported a loss of 3-nitrotyrosine when exposed to hypochlorous acid, suggesting that observations of 3-nitrotyrosine underestimate the presence of reactive nitrogen species in diseased tissue (Whiteman and Halliwell, Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 258, 168–172 (1999)). This report evaluates the significance of 3-nitrotyrosine loss by measuring the kinetics of the reaction between 3-nitrotyrosine and hypochlorous acid. The results demonstrate that 3-nitrotyrosine is chlorinated by hypochlorous acid or chloramines to form 3-chloro-5-nitrotyrosine. As 3-nitrotyrosine from in vivo samples is usually found within proteins rather than as free amino acid, we also examined the reaction of 3-nitrotyrosine modification in the context of peptides. The chlorination of 3-nitrotyrosine in peptides was observed to occur up to 700-fold faster than control reactions using equivalent amino acid mixtures. These results further advance our understanding of tyrosine chlorination and the use of 3-nitrotyrosine formed in vivo as a biomarker of reactive nitrogen species.


Abstract The aim of this note is to investigate the structure of general surjectivity problem for a continuous linear map between locally convex spaces. We shall do so by using the method introduced in Yamamuro (1980). Its basic notion is that of calibrations which has been introduced in Yamamuro (1975), studied in detail in Yamamuro (1979) and appliced to several problems in Yamamuro (1978) and Yamamuro (1979a).


Do investors pay attention to foreign market conditions when they evaluate multinational corporations? Using geographic segment disclosures by multinational companies headquartered in the United States, I find that stock prices do not promptly incorporate information regarding changes in foreign market conditions. This generates return predictability in the cross-section of firms with foreign operations. A simple trading strategy that exploits geographic information yields a risk-adjusted return of 135 basis points per month, or 16.2% per year. The predictability cannot be explained by a firm's own momentum, industry momentum, post-earnings-announcement drift, being a conglomerate, or exposure to emerging market risk. Consistent with the investor inattention hypothesis, I further document that smaller firms, as well as firms with less analyst coverage, fewer institutional holdings, or more complex foreign sales compositions exhibit stronger return predictability. This paper is the first to document the predictable link between foreign country-level indices returns and U.S. firm-level stock returns, and adds to the growing literature concerning the role of investor inattention and firm complexity in price formation.


Although strategies incorporating immune checkpoint inhibition, e.g. PD-1/PD-L1 blockade, are achieving unprecedented successes and increasingly becoming incorporated into standard of care regimens for cancer patients, high rates of resistance still limit the potential efficacy. Therapeutic improvement requires a thorough understanding of the biological process of resistance. To date there have been few studies reporting mechanisms of resistance to PD-L1 blockade. We have explored the resistance mechanisms to functional PD-L1 loss in preclinical lung cancer models by using pharmacological and genetic approaches (PD-L1 blocking antibody treatment or CRISPR/Cas9-mediated deletion of PD-L1 on tumor cells). The molecular and immune profiles of the tumor microenvironment were evaluated in mutant K-ras/p53 (KP) GEM lung cancer models and multiple immunocompetent syngeneic models (both KP and Lewis lung cancer). Additionally, to determine the applicability of the results to patients with lung cancer, we analyzed 259 patient tumor specimens with IHC staining and evaluated the immune markers in TCGA datasets (adenocarcinoma and squamous) and the MD Anderson PROSPECT dataset. We observed that lung tumors gained resistance to anti-PD-L1 antibody treatment over time, and that the up-regulation of CD38 on tumor cells accounted for the treatment resistance. We also observed the same resistance mechanism caused by CD38 up-regulation in PD-L1 KO mice bearing PD-L1 KO Lewis lung tumors generated with the CRISPR/Cas9 system. Manipulation of CD38 on a panel of lung cancer cell lines, demonstrated that CD38 inhibits CD8+ T cell proliferation, antitumor cytokine secretion, and tumor cell killing capability in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, to test whether CD38 blockade might be therapeutically efficacious to counter anti-PD-L1 resistance, we applied the combination therapy of anti-CD38 and anti-PD-L1 in lung cancer animal models and demonstrated dramatic therapeutic benefit on primary tumor growth and metastasis. Bioinformatic analyses of the patient tumor databases revealed a strong correlation between CD38 expression and an immune suppressive inflammatory signature. Finally, in 259 lung cancer specimens, 18.5% of cases exhibited positive staining for CD38 on tumor cells. Based upon our studies, we conclude that the up-regulation of CD38 on tumor cells is a major mechanism of resistance to anti-PD-L1 therapy, and that CD38 is a novel immune checkpoint that inhibits CD8+ T cell function. The blockade of CD38 and PD-L1 is a rational combination to prevent immune resistance and increase the response rate for lung cancer patients. Citation Format: Limo Chen, Lixia Diao, Yongbin Yang, Xiaohui Yi, Jaime Rodriguez, Youhong Fan, Leticia Rodriguez, Jared Fradette, Christin Ungewiss, Jonothan Roybal, Jingfen Zhu, Jing Wang, Lauren Byers, Stephen Ullrich, Ignacio Wistuba, John Heymach, Xiao-Feng Qin, Don Gibbons. CD38 blockade overcomes the immune resistance to anti-PD-L1 therapy by boosting CD8 T cell response [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 567. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-567


On Dec 4, 1928, Alexander A. Maximow, professor of anatomy at the University of Chicago, was found dead in bed at age 54 years. A physician, and a member of the Russian aristocracy in St Petersburg, he had emigrated to the United States six years earlier, and at his death he left on his desk manuscripts amounting to about half of a textbook of histology. A junior colleague in the department, William Bloom, undertook the task of finishing the textbook, using the chapters that Professor Maximow had finished, translating fragments in Russian that he found among the Professor's papers, following outlines of unfinished chapters, and enlisting the aid of others. Maximow and Bloom's Textbook of Histology was published by Saunders in 1930. Bloom went on to become professor and chairman of his department in 1941. In 1986, the 11th edition of this distinguished volume appears, still published by WB Saunders


The time delay estimation between time series is a real-world problem in gravitational lensing, an area of astrophysics. Lensing is the most direct method of measuring the distribution of matter, which is often dark, and the accurate measurement of time delays set the scale to measure distances over cosmological scales. For our purposes, this means that we have to estimate a time delay between two or more noisy and irregularly sampled time series. Estimations have been made using statistical methods in the astrophysics literature, such as interpolation, dispersion analysis, discrete correlation function, Gaussian processes and Bayesian method, among others. Instead, this thesis proposes a kernel-based approach to estimating the time delay, which is inspired by kernel methods in the context of statistical and machine learning. Moreover, our methodology is evolved to perform model selection, regularisation and time delay estimation globally and simultaneously. Experimental results show that this approach is one of the most accurate methods for gaps (missing data) and distinct noise levels. Results on artificial and real data are shown.


Several major European chemical makers reported higher sales and earnings in the third quarter of the year compared with the year-ago period. At BASF, earnings rose 16% to $2.1 billion driven by "significantly higher sales prices in the chemicals segment," the firm says. Overall sales rose 9% to $15.3 billion. CEO Kurt Bock attributes the results to increased demand. Germany's Covestro reported its strongest quarter since spinning out of Bayer in 2015 with earnings up 50% to $1 billion on a 17% sales increase to $4.1 billion. The firm credits the boost in part to higher selling prices in its polyurethanes segment. Wacker Chemie said earnings rose 13% to $352 million as sales increased 14% to $1.5 billion. However, AkzoNobel reported strong headwinds as earnings slipped 13% to $452 million. Industrial chemicals maintenance costs hurt results. Revenue at the firm, which fought off a takeover from rival PPG earlier this


The rate of traffic generated by MTC is growing at a very fast pace, putting strong pressure on existing network infrastructures. One of the most challenging tasks today is being able to support M2M/IoT data exchanges by providing connectivity between any pair of M2M devices all over the world. For this reason, we analyze the role of SINs in supporting MTC in this work. Horizontal solutions are analyzed herein in order to allow interworking by acting as relay entities among different protocol stacks and services, vertically implemented over different network segments. We analyze the still pending challenges hampering interworking, and propose a possible protocol stack for M2M/IoT communications based on the oneM2M standard. Eventually, this article compares the performance achievable by using two of the most diffused application protocols, CoAP and MQTT, shedding light on their efficiency and differences.


Objectives: To review the existing techniques for minor salivary gland biopsy (MSGB) in the lip and to suggest a new approach to ease the procedure and reduce post-operative complications. Study Design: A comprehensive literature review and a descriptive study of a new surgical technique. Results: Diverse incisions have been suggested for MSGB with different designs (ellipse, circular, linear), different directions (parallel, oblique, vertical) and a wide range of lengths (from 1 mm up to 3 cm), but no comparative studies supporting the advantages of a particular type of incision over the others could be retrieved. A variety of features of the existing techniques for MSGB are linked to undesired events and surgical complications which could be minimized by modifying certain aspects of these procedures. The technique described, together with the use of the S forceps, represents a significant improvement over the already described chalazion forceps because it allows for a better access and positioning of the lower lip, improves the ergonomic conditions of the assistant, and facilitates the identification of lip areas with more superficial gland lobules. Conclusions: The suggested approach for lip MSGB includes a specifically designed instrument whose performance during lip biopsy may contribute to minimize post-operative complications. Key words:Sjögren's syndrome, diagnosis, minor salivary gland biopsy, surgical technique, lower lip.


Single quantum emitters can be coupled to photonic crystal (PC) cavities by placing their host nanoparticles into the cavity field. We describe fabrication, characterization, and tuning of gallium-phosphide PC cavities that resonate in the visible, and simulations and measurements of the effect of a nanoparticle on the optical properties of these cavities. Simulations show that introducing a 50 nm (100 nm) sized nanoparticle into S1 and L3-type cavities, with original quality factors of 18·10^3 and 73·10^3, respectively, reduces the quality factor by <10% (?50%). Furthermore, simulations indicate that an emitter embedded in a 50 nm (100 nm) sized nanoparticle can be coupled 3.5 (9) times more effectively to an S1 cavity than to an L3 cavity. We employ a nanopositioning technique to position individual, 50 nm sized nanocrystals into S1 cavities, and find that the quality factors are reduced by a factor of 0.9±0.1 from the original values of order 10^3.


Factors that influence enterprise resource planning(ERP) implementation in enterprises were described, and according to their interaction with each other, these factors were qualitatively processed by using interpretative structural model(ISM)method, and a multilevel stratum structure model for influential factors of implementing ERP was established. Through the model, the critical factors that influence ERP implementation in enterprises can be found. This will have great theoretic and realistic significance on designing effective management system of ERP implementation in enterprises.


Noise pollution assessment and mapping is one of the outstanding tasks during the festivals which silently affect the health of human beings. Burning of crackers is part of celebration during the Deepawali festival which elevates the levels of noise in the ambient surroundings. This study is performed in order to monitor the levels of noise during the Deepawali festival at different zones of Raipur City. The observations were made by Sound Level Meter (SLM -100 Class II) for different time and locations. All the observations were taken during peak hours (16:00-18:00 for Silence, 18:00-20:00 for Commercial and 20:00-22:00 for Residential zone). Commercial zone showed maximum Leq (83.78 dB)in evening time before Deepawali due to rush of traffic however the levels showed decreased value (79.19 dB) on festival day. Consequently residential area had maximum levels (88. 36 dB) on festival day however all the four observations were above 80dB which is required to be control for benefitting the human health. Lastly silence zone also showed level (71.8 dB) on festival day. Noise distribution map has also been prepared which is showing clear idea of the noise levels at different zones during the Deepawali festival. From this study it is brought to the light that noise levels are at elevated side for all zones during the festival (Deepawali) hence mitigation is very much essential for saving people from the harmful effects of noise.


This paper reviews recent work aimed at deriving tractable constitutive relations for skeletal muscle from biophysical cross-bridge theories. Discussion is focused on a model proposed previously by the first author (the Distribution-Moment Model), which emphasizes the important role of the moments of the actin-myosin bond-distribution function. The theory leads to a relatively simple third order state variable model for contraction dynamics in which the state variables are the three lowest order moments of the bond-distribution function; further, these three moments have simple macroscopic interpretations as muscle stiffness, force, and elastic energy. New results are presented on the formulation of a compatible model for excitation-contraction coupling, and this model requires the introduction of only one more state variable--the free calcium concentration.


Poor pitch control decreases the intelligibility of deaf speech. Small tactile pitch displays have the potential for supplying continuous corrective feedback for the improvement of the intonation patterns of deaf speakers. A simple pitch detector and tactile display proved effective in correcting a common intonation problem, indicating that work toward a wearable tactile aid is justified. A hypothesis is presented that explains the cause of the pitch problem and the success of the experimental system in terms of the need of the deaf speaker for voicing and frequency referents.


Pityriasis lichenoides et varioliformis acuta (PLEVA) is a disorder of unknown aetiology that occurs at any age and can be localized on the skin and on the mucosas. We report the case of a 24‐year‐old woman who presented PLEVA at her 20th week of gestation. This is, to our knowledge, the second case of PLEVA during pregnancy reported in literature. We report this case for the importance of the diagnosis of PLEVA during pregnancy because of the possible involvement of the mucosal membranes, and in particular of the vagina or cervical os of the uterus, where it may cause premature labour and/or premature rapture of the membranes.


We examine whether professional money managers overreact to large climatic disasters. We find that managers within a major disaster region underweight disaster zone stocks to a much greater degree than distant managers and that this aversion to disaster zone stocks is related to a salience bias that decreases over time and distance from the disaster, rather than to superior information possessed by close managers. This overreaction can be costly to fund investors for some especially salient disasters like hurricanes and tornadoes: a long-short strategy that exploits the overreaction generates a significant DGTW-adjusted return over the following 2 years.


to microbiome, there were signi fi cant differences between groups at baseline; with treatment although statistically signi fi cant trends were seen, the clinical signi fi - cance of these trends remains unknown. Data on urinary tract infections is still being collected in this ongoing study. CONCLUSIONS: Interim analysis showed greater long term improvement in VHI scores with VT as compared to placebo, while FSFI improved in both groups. Longer treatment follow up and increased patient enrollment will be valuable in determining the effects of VT on vaginal microbiome and recurrent UTI.


The postmodern and critical movements in language policy, with their redefinition of governmentality and attention to power structures, call for localised perspectives on language arrangements. In this way, a polity, in its social and cultural context, can be understood as much as the policies it operates. In the case of Indigenous languages undergoing revitalisation, this allows us to define language revitalisation, and the vitality it should deliver, not through western scholarship but for local purposes with local ideas by examining local knowledge and preferences. To do this, a folk linguistic approach was applied to language policy research. A quantitative and qualitative survey investigated how around 1,300 Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth in New Zealand define M aori language revitalisation from their own perspective and how they perceive the revitalisation processes and outcomes proposed in scholarship and local discourses. The paper shows that claimed linguistic knowledge not only exists parallel to language attitudes, but informs local policy ideas. The findings indicate that these youth define language revitalisation and vitality in terms contextualised by local ontology, knowledge, ideologies and values, therefore challenging the local applicability of universal theories.


Inferences of population structure and more precisely the identification of genetically homogeneous groups of individuals are essential to the fields of ecology, evolutionary biology and conservation biology. Such population structure inferences are routinely investigated via the program structure implementing a Bayesian algorithm to identify groups of individuals at Hardy–Weinberg and linkage equilibrium. While the method is performing relatively well under various population models with even sampling between subpopulations, the robustness of the method to uneven sample size between subpopulations and/or hierarchical levels of population structure has not yet been tested despite being commonly encountered in empirical data sets. In this study, I used simulated and empirical microsatellite data sets to investigate the impact of uneven sample size between subpopulations and/or hierarchical levels of population structure on the detected population structure. The results demonstrated that uneven sampling often leads to wrong inferences on hierarchical structure and downward‐biased estimates of the true number of subpopulations. Distinct subpopulations with reduced sampling tended to be merged together, while at the same time, individuals from extensively sampled subpopulations were generally split, despite belonging to the same panmictic population. Four new supervised methods to detect the number of clusters were developed and tested as part of this study and were found to outperform the existing methods using both evenly and unevenly sampled data sets. Additionally, a subsampling strategy aiming to reduce sampling unevenness between subpopulations is presented and tested. These results altogether demonstrate that when sampling evenness is accounted for, the detection of the correct population structure is greatly improved.


The results of interconnectional comparisons of iodine-stabilized He-Ne lasers at lambda =633 nm between Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (BIPM) and 11 national laboratories are presented. The measured frequency differences were all within +or-3 parts in 10/sup 11/. Investigations concerning He-Ne lasers at lambda =612 nm using internal or external iodine cells are discussed. The frequency reproducibility is limited by, among other things the quality of the iodine cells. Therefore, the contamination of iodine cells has been studied using laser-induced fluorescence. First results obtained on the green line of He-Ne at lambda =543 nm stabilized on iodine are presented. The frequency repeatability between two such systems was (14+or-5) kHz. >


Combinations of penicillin with various aminoglycosidic aminocyclitols were tested against a collection of clinical isolates of Streptococcus faecium in vitro and were used to treat endocarditis caused by S. faecium in the rabbit model. S. faecium proved more resistant to penicillin than Streptococcus faecalis. Even more striking, however, was the resistance to in vitro synergism by combinations of penicillin and various aminoglycosides. At clinically achievable concentrations, penicillin-gentamicin was the only combination that was synergistic against all strains that were tested. Combinations of penicillin and streptomycin and penicillin and amikacin were synergistic only against those strains that were not highly resistant to streptomycin and kanamycin, respectively. Combinations of penicillin with kanamycin, tobramycin, sisomicin, or netilmicin failed to produce synergism against any of these strains. The possible clinical significance of these findings was verified by use of the rabbit model of endocarditis. Combinations of penicillin with gentamicin or streptomycin were synergistic in the therapy of endocarditis that was produced by a strain of S. faecium that did not have a high level of resistance to aminoglycosides. However, the combination of penicillin and netilmicin was no more effective than penicillin alone.


Techniques for gauging the accuracy of approximate testability measures that estimate the random-pattern testability of gate-level faults in designs with combinational logic are considered. The measures examined are overall fault-exposure distribution, high coverage, and fault grading. Sampling techniques are compared with the Stafan and Protest approximate testability measures. For random-pattern testing, it is clear that state-of-the-art testability measures like Stafan and Protest do provide some information about the testability of single faults or complete designs, but this information is not accurate; in many areas of use they cannot compete with carefully chosen sampling techniques. The three techniques described here are applicable to testing strategies other than the random-pattern testing of stuck-at faults; they are equally useful in a weighted random-pattern testing environment, for example.<<ETX>>


is a bad life. The radical operation is destined to become an important factor in considering risks. At the same Society Braislin (t)32) reported a case of Teratoma of the Ear. Voss (672) noted three cases of Encephalitis associated u-ith Otitis Media. We have not referred to all the papers on otology which have appeared in full or in abstract in the JOURNAL during the past year, but we trust we have sufficiently indicated the chief points of novelty and interest.


Two new Brazilian species of the genus Neapion Alonso-Zarazaga, 1990 subgenus Neotropion Alonso-Zarazaga, 1990 (Brentidae: Apioninae) are described and illustrated: Neapion (Neotropion) marquesae sp. n. (Type locality: Brazil, Mato Grosso) and Neapion (Neotropion) diringsi sp. n. (Type locality: Brazil, Amazonas).  Neapion (Neotropion) marquesae sp. n.  has dense, thin vestiture and raised areas on the elytra (recorded for the first time to the South American Apioninae); Neapion (Neotropion) diringsi sp. n. differs by the sparse vestiture and absence of raised areas. In addition to these characters, the vestiture color pattern and male genitalia characters such as the form of penis, length of the 'tuning-fork' shaped sclerite in the internal sac (the largest found in Apioninae) and the form of the tegminal plate are fundamental for the diagnosis of species of this subgenus. We also provide a key to the species of South American Neapion (Neotropion).


BACKGROUND AND AIMS
The saltbush Atriplex halimus is a chenopodiaceous plant well adapted to dry saline habitats and widely distributed in the Mediterranean Basin. A study was carried out to analyse the genetic diversity of A. halimus at the level of the Mediterranean Basin.

METHODS
To assess the intra- and interpopulational variation of A. halimus a total of 51 populations and six plants per populations was analysed with the RAPD-PCR technique. For the study of the phylogeny of the populations, 21 samples of A. halimus and seven samples of other species of Atriplex were analysed by the sequencing of the ITS (internal transcribed spacer) region of the ribosomal DNA.

KEY RESULTS
The AMOVA analysis of the RAPD results showed that populations were divided into two discrete genetic groups, as the variation among groups accounted for 54.36 % of the total variance of the collection. At the same time, the intrapopulational diversity was high, as 301 out of 306 plants analysed constituted an individual RAPD haplotype. The sequencing of the ITS region also showed a significant separation of the two genetic groups, with a genetic distance of 0.023 nucleotide substitutions per site. Using A. breweri, A. canescens, A. glauca and A. prostrata as outgroups in the phylogenetic analysis, A. breweri and A. canescens are the species closest to A. halimus from this group, while A. prostrata is the most distant.

CONCLUSIONS
The present work indicates that two genetic groups of A. halimus can be distinguished after analysing the genetic diversity of 51 populations from ten countries in the Mediterranean Basin.


It is the purpose of this paper to sensitize the business aircraft community to some subtleties of aircraft electronic system safety concepts. Suggestions of what to look for and how to test for reality will be made. The near-term future of business aviation will see a deluge of new gadgets. The end customer can enforce either a climate of real professional values or blatant disregard for appropriate system concepts by his actions. Informed and careful selection of equipment and installations can successfully guide the rapidly expanding aircraft electronics systems industry to policies that will increase safety and performance for the end customer.


Objectives: To report three cases of neural injuries during dental implant placement. Material and methods: In 2014, three female patients aged 59 (A); 60 (B); and 70 (C) years old were referred by the courts for legal investigation of malpractice during implant placement. Seven implants were placed in patient A; three implants were placed patient B; and seven implants were placed in patient C. Postoperative computed tomography of the patients revealed signs of injury in the Inferior Alveolar Nerve. Clinically, the patients referred lack of sensitivity in the soft tissue adjacent to the implant-surgical site. Results: All the presented cases culminated into legal suits. Consequently, the dentists involved with patients A and B are awaiting respective legal trials, while the dentist involved with patient C was already condemned. Conclusion: The present study highlights the need for optimal preoperative planning; careful transoperative performance; and adequate postoperative follow-up. Based on that, oral and maxillofacial injuries and legal consequences may be avoided in Implantology.


In this paper we discuss how software quality assurance is realized in Rational Objectory. Although much support is given through guidelines and checkpoints, the tool fails to provide clear goals and metrics for quality assessments and it only partially supports the phases in a measurement program.


The main aim of this study is to extend our current understanding of the linguistic characteristics of student-centred distance education texts. This aim links directly with the shift in South Africa from an objectivistic, content-centred teaching approach towards an outcomes-based, studentcentred one. Partly because few guidelines exist as to what the linguistic characteristics of student-centred texts are, developers of such texts in a distance education environment face many challenges and thus, a secondary, more indirect aim of this study is to benefit developers of distance education study materials. In view of the educational context in which the study is situated, a brief overview of some of the most relevant pedagogic perspectives underlying the notion of student-centredness is provided. Student-centredness is then interpreted in terms of Biber's (1988) construal of 'involvement' and also in terms of Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL): more particularly, the interpersonal discourse semantic metafunction of SFL and on insights developed in Appraisal Theory. The focus of the study is thus on 'involvement' and the expression of evaluative stance, and consequently on attitudinal language through 'involvement' features. Of particular interest to the present study is how learning is advanced through the use of attitudinal language. The data for the study include six print-based distance education teaching texts (study guides) from three different academic departments at the University of South Africa. Two guides from each department are analysed and compared: one developed by way of a content-centred approach to teaching and the other by way of a student-centred approach. The linguistic construal of evaluative stance in these guides is analysed and interpreted in interpersonal terms. The thesis develops a theoretically motivated explanation of the linguistic characteristics of student-centred distance education texts, and in the process provides evidence of the interpersonal and pedagogic relevance of evaluative stance in the context of distance education. Some of the main conclusions reached are that student-centred texts differ from contentcentred ones with regard to: the extent to which the social presence of discourse participants is signalled in such texts; the extent to which solidarity is negotiated with students; the participation of students in the knowledge construction process; the relationship that prevails between lecturers and students; and the identity developed for both students as well as lecturers. Key terms: 'involvement', attitude, affect, judgement, appreciation, graduation, engagement, appraisal, evaluation, student-centred, content-centred, solidarity negotiation.


In this paper, an iterative method is proposed to perform attenuation correction and image reconstruction simultaneously for positron emission tomography, by using the time-of-flight information. Numerical simulation results are presented to demonstrate an improved performance of the proposed method in attenuation correction and image reconstruction.


Construction projects are getting bigger and more complex. The services of multi-disciplinary teams of professionals are needed. To complete the projects on time, within budget and of required standards, concerted efforts of all team members are paramount. In Hong Kong, the HKSAR government has been promoting the use of the New Engineering Contract (NEC) for use in public projects on the belief that NEC can foster cooperation among the team members. Furthermore, incentives have been used to galvanize team effort in order to meet the project goals. This study posits to study the use of incentives under the NEC, in particular, how the Key Performance Index (KPI) can be used to monitor the attainment of the goals set under the incentive arrangement. Accordingly, Option X20 of the NEC was selected as the focus of this study. A questionnaire survey was used to collect views of practitioners as to what kinds of KPIs are suitable the operation of Option X20. The results of the survey indicated that cost-and time-related; objective and quantitative KPIs should be used as these are indicative of the achievement of collaboration. It is concluded that when suitable KPIs are selected with realistic and attainable targets, incentivizing effects can be materialized.


Frequent kin-biased coalitionary behaviour is a hallmark of mammalian social complexity. Furthermore, selection to understand complex social dynamics is believed to underlie the co-evolution of social complexity and large brains. Vocalisations have been shown to be an important mechanism with which large-brained mammals living in complex social groups recognise and recruit kin for coalitionary support during agonistic conflicts. We test whether kin recognition via agonistic calls occurs in a small-brained solitary foraging primate living in a dispersed social network, the grey mouse lemur (Microcebus murinus, Miller JF, 1777). As mouse lemurs are frequent models for ancestral solitary foraging mammals, this study examines whether kin recognition via agonistic calls could be the foundation from which more complex, kin-based coalitionary behaviour evolved. We test whether female wild mouse lemurs in Ankarafantsika National Park, Madagascar, react differently to agonistic calls from kin and nonkin and to calls from familiar and unfamiliar individuals during playback experiments. Subjects showed no significant differences in reactions to the different stimuli; thus they did not react differently based upon kinship or familiarity. Results suggest that this solitary foraging species does not use agonistic calls to recognise kin and monitor agonistic interactions involving kin, unlike several species of Old World monkeys and hyenas. Thus, kin recognition via agonistic calls may have evolved independently in these lineages in parallel with greater social complexity and frequent coalitionary behaviour.


Two transversely isotropic plasticity-based models for wood, derived from the standard compression properties and the embedment properties were investigated for suitability of application for bolted connections. It was found that the conventional connection models involving the compression properties were incapable of simulating the real behaviour of the connections because the compression properties provided too stiff foundation to represent embedding behaviour of wood under the bolt. However, wood foundation-based connection model that was newly developed using the bolt embedment properties showed good agreement with the actual behaviour of bolted connections.


The present chapter focuses on hydrogen technologies for both stationary and mobility/transportation applications. Hydrogen production from sustainable resources for the generation of pure and low cost hydrogen is described in the chapter. Several potential hydrogen production techniques are introduced and analyzed. The challenges and the advantages of each production method will be discussed. Furthermore, the chapter will introduce hydrogen infrastructure development for mobility applications and will discuss hydrogen storage challenges. Hydrogen production for fuel cell technologies requires an improvement regarding sustainability of the hydrogen supply and an improvement regarding decentralized hydrogen production. Moreover, hydrogen economy as far requires a large scale and long term storage solution to meet the increasing demand.


Objective : HIC1 is a tumor suppressor gene (TSG) located in the 17p13.3 region that encodes a transcriptional repressor. Research published over the past few years indicates that HIC1 methylation is a critical factor in the oncogenesis of ovarian cancer (OC). However, previous studies had only small sample sizes and thus were unable to reach firm conclusions. Data Sources : Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis to further investigate the association between HIC1 methylation and OC. Studies related to HIC1 methylation and OC were identified from searches of PubMed, EMBASE, Medline and CNKI. Methods of Study Selection : Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to assess the association between the two factors. Subgroup analysis and Begg's test were used to evaluate heterogeneity and publication bias. From 591 studies, 7 were selected for meta-analysis and these comprised 455 cases and 278 controls. Tabulation, Integration and Results : A significant association between HIC1 methylation and OC was found under the fixed-effects model (OR = 4.306, 95% CI = 2.846 to 6.515). Subgroup analysis of the control type yielded a less tight association (OR = 4.143, p = 0.147, I 2 = 41.1%). Finally, we conducted analysis of the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data and found higher HIC1 methylation levels in OC compared to adjacent non-tumor tissue. Conclusion : In conclusion, this meta-analysis found that HIC1 methylation was strongly associated with OC.


e extraordinary nature and magnitude of the flood of April 2, 2013 in La Plata, has led to a greater circulation of information about the floods centered in this city. However, the effects of the episode have been made invisible on the coastal municipalities bordering —Berisso and Ensenada—, which have certainly suffered the consequences of the overflow of the water courses that cross their urban core in the direction of their river mouth in the Rio de La Plata. e main objective of the article is to establish a confrontation of newspaper articles that addressed the event in the three parties of the micro-region during the week aer it.e methodological framework is based on the qualitative analysis with the incorporation of quantitative data, through the processing information in tables to quantify and weigh María Aversa, et al. VISIBILIDADES E INVISIBILIDADES DEL RIESGO. LOS ABORDAJES DE LOS MEDIOS GRÁFICOS EN LA INUNDACIÓN DE ABRIL DE 2013 EN... PDF generado a partir de XML-JATS4R por Redalyc Proyecto académico sin fines de lucro, desarrollado bajo la iniciativa de acceso abierto the record, to obtain as a main result, the various approaches made by graphic media about this event.


The purpose of this study was to determine if therapeutic efficacy of a Cetuximab based near-infrared (NIR) targeted photo therapy (TPT) was dependent on light delivery strategies. We examined the cytotoxic effects of TPT in a pancreatic cancer mouse model, when administered to tumors interstitially and superficially. A subcutaneous mouse model of pancreatic cancer using BXPC-3 -GFP cells was established in male athymic (nu/nu) mice. The mice received intravenous (IV) injection of Cetuximab-IR700DX, 24 hours prior to near-infrared light irradiation. Interstitial illumination was administered at a 400mW/cm fixed power output, at a light dose of 100 J/cm to half the mice and at 300 J/cm to the remaining mice. Superficial illumination was administered at a 150mw/cm2 fixed power density at a dose of 50 J/cm2 to half the mice, and at 250 J/cm2 to the other half. Cellular damage and decrease in cell viability was determined by the decrease in GFP fluorescence intensity levels in whole animal images and in relative intensity measurements. Interstitially administered TPT resulted in greater long-term permanent damage (72 hours post treatment) to tumor cells (0% recovery at low dose, and 11% recovery at high dose) compared to superficially administered TPT (1% recovery at low dose, and 44% recovery at high dose). While these results demonstrated that near-infrared targeted photo therapy efficacy was dependent on the type of light delivery strategy, overall, both superficial and interstitial Cet-IR700DX based near-infrared targeted photo therapy can effect significant long-term damage (less signal recovery) to pancreatic cancer cells in vivo at lower doses regimens, compared to higher dose regimens (higher signal recovery).


Chronic progressive Multiple Sclerosis is refractory to many conventional treatments. We performed a pilot study testing desferoxamine (DFO) as a candidate in the treatment of chronic progressive Multiple Sclerosis. DFO was given daily by 8 h subcutaneous infusions at a dose of 2 grams daily for 7 days, followed by 1 gram daily for 7 days. Eighteen of 19 individuals completed the full dose of 21 grams. One patient was unable to complete the course due to nausea. No acute deterioration of neurological status was seen during the administration of DFO. No worsening of vision or hearing was noted except that the one patient who was unable to tolerate the medication had a transient reduction in hearing. All patients had a local redness at the injection site. None of the patients had any sudden worsening during or shortly after the treatment This pilot study suggests that DFO is relatively well tolerated by Multiple Sclerosis patients when given in a short course of therapy.


Nickel substituted cobalt ferrite − reduced graphene oxide (NCF-RGO) composite was synthesized using a facile one-pot chemical co-precipitation method. The addition of graphene oxide (GO) leads to the dimensional decrease of NCF nanoparticles (< 10 nm) in the composite, which controls the magnetic and dielectric properties. Nickel with lower ionic radius, compared to cobalt and its substitution in the composite along with the incorporation of GO results in the transition of ferromagnetic to superparamagnetic ordering. A large magnetisation of 51.63 emu/g and a high dielectric constant of 3.92 x 10 6 (at 100 Hz) were also developed from the composite. The conjugated mechanism of magnetic combined electrical property, with a high charge–storing capability and tuneable magnetization, enables its potential use in magnetic flipping or switching devices and data storing systems.


Background Cavernous transformation of the portal vein is a rare entity and usually is a sequela of EHPV. We report a case of a 21 year old Filipino female presented with a history of intermittent hematemesis which started when she was 1 year old. Pre-natal and birth history was unremarkable. She had recurrent episodes of upper GI bleeding even at a young age. No other stigmata of liver disease were noted. Endoscopic band ligation bleeding varices was done. Liver function tests, Hepatitis B and C screening were negative. Abdominal MRI and CT scan revealed portal cavernoma and absence of cirrhosis. Methods We report a case of a young female adult in whom the diagnosis of CTPV was made after extensive workup for the case of her recurrent upper GI bleeding and signs of portal hypertension in the absence of cirrhosis and other stigmata of chronic liver diseases. Results Complete blood count revealed bicytopenia and adequate platelets with microcytic, hypochromic anaemia. PBS revealed Microcytic cells with hypochromicity, anisocytosis and poikilocytosis. Liver function tests, Hepatitis B and C screening were negative. Fibroscan of the liver revealed intermediate fibrosis. Colour flow Doppler ultrasound of the abdomen is compatible with portal hypertension of the portal vein and splenomegaly. MRI of the whole abdomen revealed portal hypertension with marked splenomegaly, cavernous transformation of the portal vein and collateral vessel formation. There's also focal biliary ectasia and cholecystolithiasis. Repeat gastroscopy revealed 3 esophageal varices. Conclusions In conclusion, NCPH is the most common cause of portal hypertension next to cirrhosis. Two disease entities in NCPH, namely NCPF/IPH and EHPVO are distinct diseases, presenting with features of PHT – variceal bleed, splenomegaly and near normal liver functions. Likely pathogenesis is early age, portal inflammation/infection in a prothrombotic individual although we still have to work up this patient for thrombotic risk. The diagnosis needs exclusion of cirrhosis in NCPF/IPH and presence of portal cavernoma in EHPVO. Slow hepatic dysfunction due to parenchymal extinction and portal biliopathy is a late event in EHPVO. Effective management of PHT and its complications results in excellent 5 and 10 years survival.


Objective To compare the treatment efficacy and safety of tofacitinib (TOF) versus methotrexate (MTX) in Takayasu arteritis (TAK). Methods Fifty-three patients with active disease from an ongoing prospective TAK cohort in China were included in this study. Twenty-seven patients were treated with glucocorticoids (GCs) and TOF, and 26 patients were treated with GCs with MTX. The observation period was 12 months. Complete remission (CR), inflammatory parameter changes, GCs tapering and safety were assessed at the 6th, 9th and 12th month. Vascular lesions were evaluated at the 6th and 12th month, and relapse was analysed during 12 months. Results The CR rate was higher in the TOF group than in the MTX group (6 months: 85.19% vs 61.54%, p=0.07; 12 months: 88.46% vs 56.52%, p=0.02). During 12 months' treatment, patients in the TOF group achieved a relatively lower relapse rate (11.54% vs 34.78%, p=0.052) and a longer median relapse-free duration (11.65±0.98 vs 10.48±2.31 months, p=0.03). Average GCs dose at the 3rd, 6th and 12th month was lower in the TOF group than that in the MTX group (p<0.05). A difference was not observed in disease improvement or disease progression on imaging between the two groups (p>0.05). Prevalence of side effects was low in both groups (3.70% vs 15.38%, p=0.19). Conclusion TOF was superior to MTX for CR induction, a tendency to prevent relapse and tapering of the GCs dose in TAK treatment. A good safety profile for TOF was also documented in patients with TAK.


ABSTRACT Cravo, A., Cardeira, S., Pereira, C., Rosa, M., Madureira, M., Rita, F., Luís, J. and Jacob, J., 2013. Nutrients and particulate matter exchanges through the Ria Formosa coastal lagoon. The Ria Formosa lagoon (south coast of Portugal) is a highly productive shallow mesotidal system of high water renewal through six permanent connections to the ocean. The three inlets in the western sector represent ~ 90% of the total tidal prism. To understand spatial and temporal dynamics of nutrients, chlorophyll a (proxy of phytoplankton) and particulate matter, data acquisition of these parameters along with current velocity was conducted hourly during two consecutive semi-diurnal spring and neap tidal cycles (~12.5 h) in the three inlets of Ria Formosa western sector, in late autumn of 2011. In all three inlets, nutrients ranges were typical for this time of the year, varying in antiphase relative to tidal signal, although less evident during the neap tide. Chlorophyll a and suspended solids concentrations were lower during the neap tidal cycle with less evident tidal variation than for nutrients. Net transport results show that Ria Formosa plays an important role in the mass export of nutrients to the adjacent coastal area, particularly during spring tides, with a greater contribution by the Faro-Olhão inlet, followed by the Armona and Ancão inlets. These two, regardless of the residual tidal prism, export nutrients while suspended solids were imported. The Faro-Olhão inlet presented different behaviour: it acts as a flood dominated inlet importing chlorophyll a and nitrate, and exporting ammonium and suspended solids. Nonetheless, values can change due to tidal variability, asymmetry and distortion, and interconnection of inlets inside the lagoon. To further understand the seasonal variation of this system more surveys will be conducted.


Cluster separation is required to perform multi-class visual statistics tasks and plays an essential role in information processing in visualization. This cognition behavioral study investigated the cluster separation task and the effects of visual complexity and task difficulty. A total of 32 college students (18 men and 14 women, with ages ranging from 18 to 25 years; mean = 21.2, SD = 3.9) participated in this study. The observers' average response accuracy, reaction time, mental effort, and comprehensive cognitive efficiency were measured as functions of three levels of visual complexity and task difficulty. The levels of visual complexity and task difficulty were quantified via an optimized complexity evaluation method and discrimination judgment task, respectively. The results showed that visual complexity and task difficulty significantly influenced comprehensive cognitive efficiency. Moreover, a strong interaction was observed between the effects of visual complexity and task difficulty. However, there was no positive linear relationship between the mental effort and the complexity level. Furthermore, two-dimensional color × shape redundant coding showed higher cognitive efficiency at low task difficulty levels. In contrast, the one-dimensional color encoding approach showed higher cognitive efficiency at increased task difficulty levels. The findings of this study provide valuable insights into designing more efficient and user-friendly visualization in the future.


Purpose: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of foot reflexzone massage on state - anxiety and discomfort of ovarian cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. Method: A quasi experimental design with a non equivalent control group and non synchronized design was used. The experiment was conducted from October 1, 2003 to September 30, 2004. The subjects consisted of 40 patients admitted to C University Hospital. Twenty subjects were assigned to the experimental group and received foot reflexzone massage everyday for 3 days. The other 20 subjects were in the control group and received routine care. Foot reflexzone massage was done on both feet of the subjects for 30 minutes for 3 days using standard protocol. The 'State-Anxiety Inventory' developed by Spielberger was used to measure the degree of state-anxiety. Discomfort was assessed using the 'Symptom Distress Scale' of McCorkle and Young. Data was analyzed by a SAS program using t-test, Wilcoxon signed rank sum test and Wilcoxon rank sum test. Results: State-anxiety and discomfort of subjects receiving foot reflexzone massage were significantly lower than those of the control group. Conclusion: These findings indicate that foot reflexzone massage could be an effective nursing intervention for relieving state-anxiety and discomfort in ovarian cancer patients.


This paper assumes an estimation of economical research of rapidly improving body on financial literacy. We begin with a synopsis of academic research, which emit financial learning as a structure interest in human capital. Development of financial learning has significant implication for benefit; also policies planned to increase levels of financial information in the well-built inhabitants. After that, we depict on topical surveys to ascertain how many numbers of people knows and categorize the least financial aptitude population subgroups. Though the narrative is still undeveloped, conclusions may perhaps strain on the subject of the effects and consequences of financial illiteracy, to work for answering these research gaps. A concluding part suggests a view on what remains to be educated, if researchers are to be improved to inform academic and experimental models with public policy.


To investigate processes related to the interaction of topography and precipitation, a tropics‐wide (±36° latitude) high resolution (0.1°) ten year (1998–2007) rainfall climatology is presented from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) precipitation radar (PR) using algorithm 2A25 version 6 near‐surface rain. We observe a tight coupling between precipitation and topography with distinct precipitation‐topography relationships present in northwest South America and South Asia. An error model is developed by subsampling the TRMM Multi‐satellite Precipitation Analysis as sampled by the PR. The error model predicts observed sampling error as a function of resolution, rain rate and sampling frequency with an r2 of 0.82. This error model indicates that the precipitation climatology at 0.1° resolution does resolve precipitation gradients in regions with large average daily rain totals including the Andes, Western Ghats, and Himalaya.


We have experimentally and analytically studied the influence of the statistical spatial-nonuniformity of dopant atoms on the threshold voltage V th in a system of many metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect-transistors (MOSFETs). According to experimental results and our analytical model, it is found that the nonuniformity of dopant atoms along the channel (the lateral nonuniformity) causes the unstable drain bias V d dependence of V th , whereas the standard deviation of V th has weak dependence of V d . Moreover, the substrate bias dependence of V th fluctuates due to the vertical nonuniformity of dopant atoms which is perpendicular to the channel. Consequently, V th fluctuation is caused by the statistical spatial-nonuniformity of dopant atoms as well as their total-number variation in the channel depletion volume.