INTRODUCTION
We investigated the value of Magnetic Resonance Imaging compared to the clinical examination for meniscal lesions.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
From 1991 to 1995 we did arthroscopic evaluation at 824 patients with the diagnose "meniscal lesion". 73 of them had an MRI-examination elsewhere before surgery.

RESULTS
During arthroscopy we found 473 lesions of the medial meniscus and 160 of the lateral meniscus. The MRI-examination had an accuracy of 70% for the medial meniscus (sensitivity 79%, specificity 63%, positive predictive value 64%, negative predictive value 78%) and 78% for the lateral meniscus (sensitivity 50%, specificity 86%, positive predictive value 50%, negative predictive value 86%). The clinical examination had an accuracy of 73% for the medial meniscus (sensitivity 98%, specificity 39%, positive predictive value 69%, negative predictive value 88%) and 87% for the lateral meniscus (sensitivity 67%, specificity 92%, positive predictive value 65%, negative predictive value 93%).

CONCLUSIONS
We conclude, that by an experienced examiner a meniscal lesion can be diagnosed adequately by clinical examination alone. The different radiologists who did the MRI examination in our study belong to different outward departments and used different apparatus with sometimes insufficient quality of the pictures. Therefore the sensitivity and specificity of the MRI for meniscal lesions is markedly lower than in other studies of departments where a close cooperation between the radiologist and the orthopedic surgeon is performed.


This is the first time two species Solanum nienkui Merr.& Chun. and Solanum neogriffithii V. V. Hop, nom. nov. [ Solanum griffithii (Prain) C. Y. Wu & S. C. Huang (1978), non Solanum griffithii Kuntze (1891)] (Solanaceae Juss.) have been discovered in Vietnam. The  species  Solanum nienkui Merr. & Chun differs from all other species of the genus Solanum known in Vietnam by its elongate racemose inflorescences with many flowers. The species Solanum neogriffithii V. V. Hop differs from all other species of the genus Solanum known in Vietnam by its calyx accrescent with dense stellate hairs and numerous short yellowish prickles, closely enveloping the most of the glabrous berry.


People who drop out of high school fare worse in many aspects of life. We analyze the relationship between dropping out of high school and the probability of contracting a sexually transmitted infection (STI). Previous studies on the relationship between dropout status and sexual outcomes have not empirically addressed unobserved heterogeneity at the individual level. Using fixed effects estimators, we find evidence supporting a positive relationship between dropping out of high school and the risk of contracting an STI for females. Furthermore, we present evidence that illustrates differences between the romantic partners of dropouts versus enrolled students. These differences suggest that female dropouts may be more susceptible to contracting STIs because they partner with significantly different types of people than non-dropouts. Our results point to a previously undocumented benefit of encouraging those at risk of dropping out to stay in school longer.


How do individuals change their minds as a result of argumentation? It is generally assumed the speech act of argumentation can trigger a change of mind in the other party—the perlocutionary act of convincing. This means that a discussant changes her commitment relative to the proposition under scrutiny when the other party presents argumentation that is in some way convincing or persuasive. I challenge this received view by showing that argumentation cannot trigger this change of commitment in the way that scholars commonly assume. Convincing cannot be triggered by assertives that are already in the listener's commitment set, nor can it be triggered by assertives that are newly introduced in the discussion. Using the notion of "joint commitment" I propose an alternative account according to which change of mind is the result of two speakers jointly experiencing facts as stipulated by a joint commitment. I conclude the paper by sketching the impact of such an approach in the study of argumentation and provide suggestions for further developments.


The study was conducted to determine the double nutritional burden status among high school students and some related factors. This study was designed as a cross-sectional study with 384 high school students in Long Xuyen city, An Giang province. Students were measured weight and height by anthropometric methods and collected information, eating habits through questionnaires. The research results show that the stunting, wasting, and overweight/ obesity rate was 8.3%, 7.8%, and 6.2%, respectively. The percentage of high school students who ate fatty, snacking, and sweet foods were high, at 60.7%, 79.4% and 68.5%, respectively. The percentage of students who have a habit of eating at night after 9 pm was 22.1%. Average family income over 10 million VND/month, fatty and sweet eating habits were factors contributing to reducing the risk of stunting and wasting, but increasing the risk of being overweight/obesity.


BACKGROUND
A website developed by the National Heart Foundation (WA Division) and Edith Cowan University, with the help of an Australian Research Council-Linkage grant, provides insight into the sense of isolation experienced by many heart patients which prompts them to engage in a relentless search to answer the fundamental question: why me?

OBJECTIVE
To discover whether an online community for people with heart conditions may help instill a sense of sharing a journey with others, and to assess the impact of this shared experience.

METHODS
The qualitative data constituted 50 in-depth interviews with heart patients using the HeartNET website. This website, with its 600+ membership, also provides Discussion Board data to add depth to the analysis.

RESULTS
Patients describe how their unsatisfactory search for information in one 'place' (the Internet) led them to discover a new 'place' (an online community) where they could 'ask difficult questions', and 'gain support and wisdom' from others.

CONCLUSION
This paper suggests that, when anxious patients seek health-related information, for example in a library, they may benefit from being given contact points to communicate with others who find themselves in similar situations. Internet-based social software (Web 2.0) can provide this kind of communication.


Multimedia has become an extremely useful tool in the treatment of psychic disorders.  Virtual reality programs and movies are usually used for this purpose. After 1990 cinema therapy has increasingly been used in psychological counseling and psychotherapy. This paper evaluates the opinion of specialists in child psychology regarding the use of a short movie in treating children with obsessive compulsive disorder and specific phobia. We made a short movie about an event in the life of two adolescents with psychic disorders. 123 Cluj-Napoca psychologists and psychotherapists watched the movie and filled in a questionnaire. Their answers revealed that 80% considered that this short movie could be successfully employed in treating children with psychic disorders. Most respondents considered the movie useful in desensitization or cognitive behavioral psychotherapy.


The best beam steering directions are estimated through beam training, which is one of the most important and challenging tasks in millimeter-wave and sub-terahertz communications. Novel array architectures and signal processing techniques are required to avoid prohibitive beam training overhead associated with large antenna arrays and narrow beams. In this work, we leverage recent developments in true-time-delay (TTD) arrays with large delay-bandwidth products to accelerate beam training using frequency-dependent probing beams. We propose and study two TTD architecture candidates, including analog and hybrid analog-digital arrays, that can facilitate beam training with only one wideband pilot. We also propose a suitable algorithm that requires a single pilot to achieve high-accuracy estimation of angle of arrival. The proposed array architectures are compared in terms of beam training requirements and performance, robustness to practical hardware impairments, and power consumption. The findings suggest that the analog and hybrid TTD arrays achieve a sub-degree beam alignment precision with 66% and 25% lower power consumption than a fully digital array, respectively. Our results yield important design trade-offs among the basic system parameters, power consumption, and accuracy of angle of arrival estimation in fast TTD beam training.


Amperometric biosensor is a type of biosensor which measures the change in the current of a working indicator electrode by direct electrochemical oxidation or reduction of the products of a biochemical reaction. In these types of biosensors, the potential at the electrode is made constant during the measurement of current. These are known to be reliable, cheap and highly sensitive for environment, clinical and industrial purposes. These biosensors have plethora of applications in diverse fields; hence mathematical modeling of the same is highly desirable. This can help in prefiguring its various characteristics. A mathematical model is proposed which can study the cyclic conversion of substrate in an amperometric biosensor. The governing parameters for the Michaelis-Menten kinetics of enzymatic reactions are the enzyme kinetic rate and the diffusion rate across the enzymatic layer. Relative influence of these parameters is decided by a non dimensional number called Damkohler number, which is a ratio of the rate of enzymatic reaction to the rate of diffusion. The effect of Damkohler number on the current density, substrate concentration, and product concentration has been studied. It has been observed that when the Damkohler number is low then enzyme kinetics controls the biosensor response whereas when it is high (of the order of 1) the response is under control of diffusion rate. The current density is found to increase with the decrease in Damkohler number and vice versa.


Cubic silsesquioxanes (T8 SQs), with the formula of [RSiO1.5]8, enable advanced materials design. In this thesis, a computational materials science framework, including ab initio density functional theory (DFT) calculations, molecular dynamics (MD), and Monte Carlo (MC) simulations, was developed to perform computational molecular design and crystal engineering of SQ based diacene-SQ and then octa(halogenphenyl)-SQ molecular systems. The goal of this project was to identify novel molecular architectures, a priori, that exhibit targeted self-assembly behaviors and result in materials with improved electronic properties. First, existing force fields, including our in house charge transfer reactive (CTR) force field, and COMPASS, were evaluated for simulating cubic SQ systems. All force fields reproduced the experimental structure of SQ-based crystals very well. However, only the FLX force field reproduced the experimentally observed vibrational properties and thermodynamic behavior. Next, targeting materials performance, such as high electronic mobility, a series of diacene-SQ molecules were designed and their crystal structures predicted by following the computational molecular design recipe that accounts for transport theory, symmetry relationships, polymorph prediction procedures, and solid state electronic property evaluation methods. Computationally derived diacene-SQ crystals are predicted to exhibit advanced electronic properties, such as very small band gaps and parallel packing of the acene groups in crystal structures, indicating excellent transport properties, as well as improved thermal and mechanical properties. Finally, a series of new small-band gap octa(halogenphenyl)-SQ molecular systems were identified by computationally exploring alternative architectures and functionalization of recently synthesized octa(halogenphenyl)-SQ crystals. These hybrid molecular crystals also feature other unique properties, such as solution processability, cubic molecular symmetry, and the three-dimensional conjugation. The computationally designed octa(2,5-diiodophenyl)-SQ (ODIPS) shows a calculated conduction band structure similar to that of 1,4-diiodobenzene (DIB), whose high hole mobility is known from experiment. Electronic band structure calculations indicate that the SQ cages, which are by themselves insulators, contribute to the electronic transport process in these hybrid molecules, and enhance the intrinsic electronic properties of the organic semiconductor functional groups.


Open-access global Digital Elevation Models (DEM) have been crucial in enabling flood studies in data-sparse areas. Poor resolution (>30m), significant vertical errors and the fact that these DEMs are over a decade old continue to hamper our ability to accurately estimate flood hazard. The limited availability of high-accuracy DEMs dictate that dated open-access global DEMs are still used extensively in flood models, particularly in data-sparse areas. Nevertheless, high-accuracy DEMs have been found to give better flood estimations, and thus can be considered a 'must-have' for any flood model. A high-accuracy open-access global DEM is not imminent, meaning that editing or stochastic simulation of existing DEM data will remain the primary means of improving flood simulation. This article provides an overview of errors in some of the most widely used DEM data sets, along with the current advances in reducing them via the creation of new DEMs, editing DEMs and stochastic simulation of DEMs. We focus on a geostatistical approach to stochastically simulate floodplain DEMs from several open-access global DEMs based on the spatial error structure. This DEM simulation approach enables an ensemble of plausible DEMs to be created, thus avoiding the spurious precision of using a single DEM and enabling the generation of probabilistic flood maps. Despite this encouraging step, an imprecise and outdated global DEM is still being used to simulate elevation. To fundamentally improve flood estimations, particularly in rapidly-changing developing regions, a high-accuracy open-access global DEM is urgently needed, which in turn can be used in DEM simulation.


Social motivation plays an important role in electoral participation, political contributions, and charitable donations. We examine the role of social image concerns in the decision to participate in political protests. We develop a dynamic model of protest participation, where sociallyminded individuals use protest participation to signal their type to the peers. We test predictions of the model using individual and city-level data from 2011-2012 political protests in Russia. We report several findings. First, list experiment results imply that social signaling motives indeed were important for the decision to participate in protests. Second, consistent with the model, protest participation was declining over time. Third, participation in online protest groups increased offline protest participation. Fourth, participation in protests was higher in cities with higher social capital. Finally, the importance of both online social networks and offline social capital for protest participation diminished over time, consistent with predictions of the model.


Drs. Ingwall and Weiss' recent review article in Circulation Research ("Is the failing heart energy starved? On using chemical energy to support cardiac function"1) addresses an important issue. They conclude, "The requirement of chemical energy in the form of ATP to support systolic and diastolic work of the heart is absolute. We briefly review the basics of myocardial ATP metabolism and describe how this changes in the failing heart."1 Their insight into the need for adequate high energy phosphate compounds in congestive heart failure has been previously theorized, and is gaining acceptance. Their meticulous discussion in this review as to the need for energy, including mechanistic relationships, is important for both basic and clinical research and serves as a foundation for newly devised metabolic therapies. Further, not only the failing heart, as presented in their review, but other cardiovascular diseases might also demonstrate an equal benefit from preservation or regeneration of cardiac energy stores. Obviously, energy molecules are essential for the maintenance of cellular integrity and function. Normally, these compounds are continuously produced with production meeting demand. However, this is not the case in cardiac disease states. Production falls behind demand and required tissue levels are seldom achieved, thereby compromising cellular, tissue and ultimately organ function. A temporal relationship between tissue energetics and function in ischemic hearts has been established.2 Ribose, a natural occurring pentose sugar, can enhance the recovery of depressed myocardial energy levels and improve cardiac function following ischemia.3 This benefit has also been found clinically in congestive heart failure patients (classes II and III). Omran et al demonstrated that the addition of ribose to a congestive heart failure patients' diet was well tolerated with a subsequent significant improvement in diastolic compliance, quality of life, and physical function parameters.4 Therapeutic regimens for congestive heart failure aim for both subjective and objective benefits while minimizing adverse reactions. However, in advancing classes of congestive heart failure or progression of failure, encompassing benefits are not commonly found or, if they are with increasing medication dosages, they are not always maintained due to untoward adverse effects. Therefore, new therapeutic options are always of interest both to the patient and their physician. As summarized by Drs. Ingwall and Weiss' review, the importance of energy compounds in myocardial cellular metabolism is critical. Treatment strategies used in congestive heart failure and potentially other cardiovascular diseases should strongly consider the importance of preserving or replenishing cellular energetics. Ribose alone, or in combination with other metabolic substrates may well offer a therapeutic option in patients with myocardial energy depleted conditions.


Fifty patients who presented with upper gastrointestinal bleed were taken up for electrohemostasis with endoscopic electrocoagulation. Hemostasis was achieved in 32 patients at the first sitting, and in a second session in two of eight patients in whom it was attempted. No complications were encountered. EEC is an effective and safe method of achieving hemostasis in upper gastrointestinal bleed due to varied gastroduodenal lesions, and may help cut down the number of patients subjected to emergency surgery.


Purpose To study the factors that may affect reading speed in patients with diabetic macular edema previously treated with laser photocoagulation. Methods Consecutive patients with type II diabetes treated with laser photocoagulation for diabetic macular edema (DME) at least twelve months previously, with best corrected visual acuity of better than 65 letters (approximately 20/40) measured with Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) charts were included in this study. Patients previously treated with pan-retinal photocoagulation, vitrectomy, intravitreal steroid or anti-VEGF therapy were excluded. Any other ocular co-morbidities that may influence reading ability such as cataract, glaucoma or macular degeneration were also excluded. All patients were refracted by a certified examiner, the following measurements were collected: best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), contrast sensitivity with Pelli-Robson chart, reading speed with MNREAD chart, microperimetry with Nidek MP1, and central subfield thickness with Zeiss spectral domain optical coherent topography. Results The slow reading group had poorer contrast sensitivity (p = 0.001), reduced retinal sensitivity (p = 0.027) and less stable fixation (p = 0.013). Most interestingly the reduced retinal sensitivity findings were driven by the microperimetry value on the right subfield (p = 0.033), (nasal to the fovea in the right eye and temporal to the fovea in the left eye). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that contrast sensitivity is probably the most important factor that affects reading speed (p = 0.001). Conclusion Reduced retinal sensitivity after laser treatment is associated with reduced reading speed in patients with diabetic macular edema.


Abstract We apply the transport synthetic acceleration (TSA) scheme to the long-characteristics spatial discretization for the two-dimensional assembly-level transport problem. This synthetic method employs a simplified transport operator as its low-order approximation. Thus, in the acceleration step, we take advantage of features of the long-characteristics discretization that make it particularly well suited to assembly-level transport problems. Our main contribution is to address difficulties unique to the long-characteristics discretization and produce a computationally efficient acceleration scheme. The combination of the long-characteristics discretization, opposing reflecting boundary conditions (which are present in assembly-level transport problems), and TSA presents several challenges. We devise methods for overcoming each of them in a computationally efficient way. Since the boundary angular data exist on different grids in the high- and low-order problems, we define restriction and prolongation operations specific to the method of long characteristics to map between the two grids. We implement the conjugate gradient (CG) method in the presence of opposing reflection boundary conditions to solve the TSA low-order equations. The CG iteration may be applied only to symmetric positive definite (SPD) matrices; we prove that the long-characteristics discretization yields an SPD matrix. We present results of our acceleration scheme on a simple test problem, a typical pressurized water reactor assembly, and a typical boiling water reactor assembly.


The response of L1A2 cells in vitro to water bath hyperthermia was investigated. In previous studies in the temperature range 40.5-45.0 degrees C, an Arrhenius plot for heat killing of L1A2 cells was linear, and thermotolerance did not develop during continuous heating. The present Arrhenius analysis was extended to the range 38-45 degrees C, and the Arrhenius plot was biphasic with an inflection point at 40.5 degrees C, below which the activation energy was significantly increased from 724 to 923 kJ/mol (P less than 0.001). In order to test for the development of thermotolerance during continuous heating, the cells were heated in the range 38-41 degrees C for 10 h, followed immediately by a graded test treatment at 42 degrees C. Thermotolerance developed below 40.5 degrees C as shown by an increased D0 of the 42 degrees C survival curve, but not at 40.5 and 41 degrees C. Preheating for 90 min at 42 degrees C followed by a 10 h incubation at 37 degrees C resulted in maximal thermotolerance with a thermotolerance ratio of approximately 4.3, a ratio also obtained if the cells were incubated for 10 h at temperatures of 38-40 degrees C. No thermotolerance was observed at incubation temperatures of 40.5 degrees C and above. Thus, in the L1A2 cells 40 degrees C is the upper temperature permissive for thermotolerance development, and the data support the assumption that the inflection point on the Arrhenius plot reflects the upper limit for thermotolerance development.


OBJECTIVE
Clinical care pathways designed to triage spinal disorders have been shown to reduce wait times and improve patient satisfaction. The goal of this study was to perform an analysis of outpatient radiology costs before and after the implementation of a spine care triage pathway.

METHODS
All imaging orders and surgical procedures were captured in a prospective spine registry for patients referred to the department of neurosurgery within a single academic center between July 1, 2017, and November 3, 2020. A spine triage algorithm was developed and implemented January 1, 2018. Healthcare utilization was recorded for 1 year after the first appointment in the department of neurosurgery. Imaging costs were estimated using publicly available data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Statistical analysis consisted of an independent sample t-test or randomization test for continuous variables and a chi-square test for categorical variables.

RESULTS
A total of 3854 patients were included in this study. The mean age was 60 years (50.8% female) and 89.8% had undergone advanced imaging before being referred to the department of neurosurgery. In total, 12.6% of patients were referred with a specific surgical diagnosis (i.e., spinal stenosis, lumbar spondylolisthesis, etc.). During the pretriage phase 1810 patients were enrolled, and there were 2044 patients enrolled after the triage algorithm was implemented. Advanced imaging (CT or MRI) was ordered more frequently by providers before the triage program was initiated, with imaging ordered in 34% (617/1810) of patients pretriage versus 14.8% (302/2044) after the triage pathway was implemented (p < 0.001). The authors calculated a significant reduction in cost associated with reduced radiology utilization. Before triage, the cost of radiology utilization was $85,475/1000 patients compared with $40,107/1000 patients afterward (p < 0.001). The triage program did not change the utilization of surgery (14.6% before, 13.6% after).

CONCLUSIONS
Among patients treated after a spinal triage program was implemented in a single neurosurgery department, there was a substantial reduction in the use of advanced imaging and a 50% reduction in cost associated with outpatient radiology utilization. The triage program did not change the rate of spine surgery being performed.


CIA -Brainwashing Experiments. Montreal: Eden Press. MEs.slcxy, H. (1995) Multiple personality disorder and false memory syndrome. British Journal of Psychiatry, 166, 281—283. Ross, CA. (1995) The validity and reliability of dissociative identity disorder. In Dissociative Identity Disorder. Theoretical and Treatment Controversies (eds L. Cohen, J. Berzoff & M. Elm), pp. 65—84. Northvale, New Jersey: Jason Aronson.


We systematically compared the contribution of two dopaminergic and two cholinergic ascending populations to a spatial short-term memory task in rats. In ventral tegmental area dopamine (VTA-DA) and nucleus basalis cholinergic (NB-ChAT) populations, trial-by-trial fluctuations in activity during the delay period related to performance with an inverted-U, despite the fact that both populations had low activity during that time. Transient manipulations revealed that only VTA-DA neurons, and not the other three populations we examined, contributed causally and selectively to short-term memory. This contribution was most significant during the delay period, when both increases or decreases in VTA-DA activity impaired short-term memory. Our results reveal a surprising dissociation between when VTA-DA neurons are most active and when they have the biggest causal contribution to short-term memory, while also providing new types of support for classic ideas about an inverted-U relationship between neuromodulation and cognition.


We present the latest precision measurements of the electron flux based on 57 million electron events collected by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer. These results on cosmic-ray electrons in the energy range from 1 GeV to 2 TeV reveal new features that are crucial for providing insights into their origins. Comparing the behavior of the electron spectrum with the spectrum of positrons measured by AMS, we found that at lower energies below few hundred GeV these two spectra have distinctly different magnitudes and energy dependences. This shows that at lower energies these two species of cosmic ray particles have very different origins. At high energies we observe that the source of high energy positrons, which has either particle or astrophysical origin, also manifests itself in the electron spectrum. This is the first indication of the existence of identical charge symmetric source term both in the positron and in the electron spectra and, as a consequence, the existence of new physics.


Marking anurans by invasive methods has been strongly debated on the grounds of ethics, public opinion, the
potential for infection, and potential impacts on behavior and survival of marked animals. One possible alternative is the use of photographs to enable identification of individuals by their patterns. This requires that individuals have distinguishable markings that remain constant through time. We compared the accuracy of the photographic identification method (PIM) to marked frogs in the field to evaluate whether PIM can be used to identify adult Greeneyed Tree Frogs, Litoria genimaculata. We captured 59 animals on second and subsequent nights of trips. Thirteen were correctly identified as recaptures; 61.5% of them by using the PIM. This was a substantial (39.5%) improvement over chance (expected rate if frogs assigned as recaptures at random was 22%), but was less accurate than the toe-tipping method, with which only one recapture was misidentified (92.3% correct). The majority of frogs, including all of the individuals that were not correctly identified, lacked a distinct dorsal "hourglass" pattern. This may have contributed to the relatively high error rate. We found that the PIM was slower than toe-tipping animals in both time taken for application and identifying individuals. We conclude that the PIM needs to be carefully validated before it is applied to a new species. For L. genimaculata it may be of use in short-term studies when the goal is to reduce the chance of doublesampling individuals. Even then, it will probably only be worth using when a relatively high proportion of the population is being sampled on each occasion, so that a 60 to 70% reduction in double-sampling rates over random is worth achieving.


Petroleum exploration has brought a lot of revenue to the Nigerian government as most of the country's investments and expenditures depend on the profits from oil. However, the processes of petroleum exploitation over the years have resulted in the destruction of the Niger Delta ecosystem. Thus, this study aims to analyse the impact of pollution on the Niger Delta Ecosystem in Nigeria and identify persons responsible for the devastation. Consequently, published literatures, newspapers, stored recordings and other valuable materials on the Niger Delta region were reviewed extensively. The study revealed that the stakeholders (government, operating oil companies, and host community representatives) in the business of petroleum exploration have always denied their involvement in the pollution and destruction of the region, but the fact remains that the operating oil companies are responsible for the numerous spills from their rusty or outdated pipelines and the gases that are been flared in the region; the illegal refining and pipeline vandalism that are perpetrated by some members (militant groups) of the host communities have resulted in a more polluted environment; and government negligence in monitoring and supervising the oil operations in the region and ensure that polluted sites are adequately remediated had compounded the crisis and devastation in the region. All the stakeholders, in the business of petroleum exploration should accept responsibility of protecting the environment against further pollution by avoiding acts and practices that destroys the environment. In conclusion, the blame directly goes to the government, operating oil companies and the community representatives (militant groups, political leaders, traditional ruler, and village chiefs), as culprits for the destruction of the Niger Delta ecosystem.


ObjectiveTo explain how the Primary Health Network commissioning model works, and factors likely to affect its success.MethodsThe study focuses on the delivery of primary healthcare services by one Primary Health Network (PHN) in Australia. The qualitative case study is informed by a desk top review, interviews (n = 49) and observations with key stakeholders involved in commissioning and delivering primary healthcare services in the region.ResultsThe study provides several insights about the PHN model. First, conceptually, the PHN commissioning model is well suited to identifying and meeting local primary healthcare priorities, bringing together a range of stakeholders involved in healthcare provision. Second, although primary healthcare services are difficult to specify and measure, PHN staff use their content knowledge and experience, and relationships with providers and the community, to design services that meet the needs of consumers. Third, the success of this model may be undermined by short funding cycles and short lead-times, a focus on national rather than local priorities, and continual reductions in operational funding. This may result in more procedural forms of contract management, which may mean that changes in service need, provision and quality go unnoticed.ConclusionsThis study shows that although clever in design, the PHN model may not meet its full potential. Given continual changes to the model, including funding, further independent research should be undertaken to understand how PHNs adjust and whether services continue to meet the needs of the local community.


We have investigated the adsorption and reaction mechanisms of C2H4 and O2 catalyzed by a Au38 nanoparticle based on periodic density-functional theory (DFT) calculations. The configurations of the adsorption of C2H4/Au38, O2/Au38, and O/Au38 as well as the coadsorption of C2H4-O2/Au38 were predicted. The calculation results show that C2H4, O2, and O are preferably bound at top (T), bridge (B), and hexagonal (h) sites with adsorption energies of -0.66, -0.99, and -3.93 eV, respectively. The detailed reaction mechanisms for ethylene epoxidation on the Au38 nanoparticle has been illustrated using the nudged elastic band (NEB) method. The oxidation process takes place via the Langmuir-Hinshelwood (LH) mechanism to generate ethylene oxide and acetaldehyde. The overall reaction of C2H4 + O2 + Au38 → ethylene oxide + O/Au38 is exothermic by 2.20-2.40 eV whereas those are 3.03-3.08 eV for the production of acetaldehyde and O/Au38. The nature of the interaction between the adsorbate and gold nanocluster has been analyzed by the detailed electronic local density of states (LDOS) to understand the high catalytic activity of the gold nanoclusters.


Enabled by the discovery of new cinchonium salts and coadditives, a direct and efficient asymmetric access to trifluoromethylated γ-amino esters/lactones has been realized through the enantioselective and diastereoselective umpolung reaction of trifluoromethyl imines with acrylates or α,β-unsaturated lactones as carbon electrophiles. At 0.5-5.0 mol % catalyst loadings, the newly developed catalytic system activates a variety of imine substrates as unconventional nucleophiles to mediate highly chemo-, regio-, diastereo-, and enantioselective C-C bond forming reactions. The developed synthetic protocol represents an excellent strategy to target a series of versatile and enantiomerically enriched γ-amino esters/lactones in good to excellent yields from the readily available starting materials. Additionally, we found that the epi-vinyl catalysts based on cinchonidine and quinine promote a similarly high enantioselective reaction generating the opposite configuration of chiral products in a highly efficient manner, which allows convenient access to either the R- or S-enantiomer of the chiral amine products in high yields and excellent enantioselectivities.


Plant response to drought is complex, so that traits adapted to a specific drought type can confer disadvantage in another drought type. Understanding which type(s) of drought to target is of prime importance for crop improvement. Modelling was used to quantify seasonal drought patterns for a check variety across the Australian wheatbelt, using 123 yr of weather data for representative locations and managements. Two other genotypes were used to simulate the impact of maturity on drought pattern. Four major environment types summarized the variability in drought pattern over time and space. Severe stress beginning before flowering was common (44% of occurrences), with (24%) or without (20%) relief during grain filling. High variability occurred from year to year, differing with geographical region. With few exceptions, all four environment types occurred in most seasons, for each location, management system and genotype. Applications of such environment characterization are proposed to assist breeding and research to focus on germplasm, traits and genes of interest for target environments. The method was applied at a continental scale to highly variable environments and could be extended to other crops, to other drought-prone regions around the world, and to quantify potential changes in drought patterns under future climates.


The proliferation of international legal regimes, norms, and institutions in the post-Cold War era, known as the 'fragmentation' of international law, has sparked extensive debate among jurists. This debate has evolved as a dialectical process, seeing legal scholarship shifting from grave concern about fragmentation's potentially negative impacts on the international legal order to a more optimistic view of the phenomenon, with recent literature suggesting that the tools needed to contain fragmentation's ill-effects are today all at hand, thus arguing that the time has come 'to bid farewell to the f-word.' Drawing on the COVID-19 crisis as a test case and considering the unresolved problems in existing fragmentation literature that this crisis brings to the fore, this article asks whether such calls have perhaps been premature. Existing works on fragmentation, the article submits, including those bidding farewell to the f-word, have mainly focused on the problems of conflicts between international norms or international institutions, especially conflicts between international courts over competing jurisdictions and interpretations of law. But, as the COVID-19 case – and, particularly, the deficient cooperation marked between the numerous international organizations reacting to the crisis – shows, the fragmentation of the international legal order does not only give rise to the potential consequences of conflicts of norms and clashes between international courts. Fragmentation also gives rise to pressing challenges of coordination when a proactive and cohesive international response is required to address global problems like COVID-19, which cut across multiple international organizations playing critical roles in the creation, administration, and application of international law. By foregrounding cooperation between international organizations as a vital-yet-deficient form of governance under conditions of fragmentation, the article argues, the COVID-19 crisis not only denotes that the time is not yet ripe to bid farewell to the f-word. It further points to the need to expand the fragmentation debate, going beyond its conflict- and court-centred focus, while probing new tools for tackling unsettled problems that arise from the segmentation of international law along sectoral lines.


This research is motivated by problems in dealing with mild mental retardation children who have problems in solving numbers subtraction operation. Under these conditions, this study aims to prove whether the drill method can improve the ability of reduction surgery for mild mental retardation children in class V SLB Muhammadiyah in Padang. This type of research is the Single Subject Research (SSR) using the AB design. Results for the baseline condition (A) lies in the range of 20% - 30%. After a given intervention (B) the percentage reduction in the ability of the child lies in the range of 40% - 100%. Percentage overlap data obtained at baseline conditions (A) and intervention (B) is 0%. Thus the hypothesis is accepted, that the drill method can improve the ability of mild mental retardation children reduction surgery. Researchers suggest it to teachers and parents to use this method to the maximum drill so children are able to complete the reduction of number operations properly.


The halogenated alkaloid chloromethylhalicyclamine B (1), together with the known natural compound halicyclamine B (2), was isolated from the extract of the sponge Acanthostrongylophora ingens. The structure of compound 1 was determined by spectroscopic means, and it was shown that 1 is produced by reaction of 2 with CH2Cl2 used for extraction. Compound 1 was a selective CK1δ/ε inhibitor with an IC50 of 6 μM, while the natural compound 2 was inactive. The absolute configuration of 1 was determined by quantum mechanical calculation of its ECD spectrum, and this also determined the previously unknown absolute configuration of the parent halicyclamine B (2). Computational studies, validated by NOESY data, showed that compound 1 can efficiently interact with the ATP-binding site of CK1δ in spite of its globular structure, very different from the planar structure of known inhibitors of CK1δ. This opens the way to the design of a new structural type of CK1δ/ε inhibitors.


To achieve optimal performance in a conjugated polymer-based electrochemical device, i.e. for a supercapacitor to reach full depth of discharge or for an electrochromic device (ECD) to achieve maximum contrast, the two electrodes must be in different oxidation states when the device is assembled. Here, we evaluate the use of chemical oxidation as a scalable postprocessing method to adjust the redox state of polymer-coated electrodes. We evaluate how the extent of oxidation depends on both the redox properties of the conjugated polymer and on the choice of chemical oxidant, and how these parameters affect the functionality of the film. Comparing Ag(I) and Fe(III) oxidants, we find that it is not the oxidizing power that determines the extent of doping but rather the redox potentials of the polymers, with the more easily oxidized polymers doping to a higher extent. Because the polarity and surface energy of the polymer changes upon oxidation, we also show how a phosphonic acid surface pre-treatment improves interfacial adhesion between the polymer and a transparent oxide electrode (ITO). Finally, as a proof of principle, we demonstrate how chemical oxidation of the organic counter electrode a minimally color changing dioxypyrrole polymer enhances the device contrast of an ECD, confirming that this approach is a promising route toward high-throughput manufacturing of ECDs and other polymer-based electrochemical devices.


Graft‐versus‐host (GVHD) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). As donor T cells are recognized as key drivers of GVHD, some approaches to prevent GVHD have focused on T cell depletion of the allograft. In this review we summarize methods and outcomes of ex vivo T cell depleted (TCD) HCT with a focus on CD34+ selection. This platform is efficacious in preventing acute and chronic GVHD across a wide range of hematologic malignancies, and with the exception of chronic myeloid leukemia, is not associated with adverse relapse or survival outcomes compared to conventional GVHD prophylaxis platforms. In retrospective comparisons recipients of CD34+ selected HCT have higher rates of GVHD‐free relapse‐free survival (GRFS) than conventional HCT counterparts. Although CD34+ selected allografts require myeloablative and antithymocyte‐globulin based conditioning to support engraftment, abrogation of calcineurin inhibitors and methotrexate in this approach reduces its toxicity such that it can be considered in select older and more comorbid patients who could benefit from ablative HCT. A trial comparing GVHD prophylaxis regimens (BMT CTN 1301, NCT 02345850) has completed accrual and will be the first to compare CD34+ selected HCT with conventional HCT in a randomized prospective setting. Its findings have a potential to establish CD34+ selected HCT as a new standard‐of‐care platform for GVHD prevention.


Stem cells have the remarkable potential to develop into many different cell types in the body. Serving as a sort of repair system for the body, they can theoretically divide without limit to replenish other cells as long as the person or animal is still alive. However, progress in stem cell biology and tissue engineering may present new options for replacing heavily damaged or lost teeth, or even individual tooth structures. The goal of this review is to discuss the potential impact of dental pulp stem cells on regenerative endodontics.


! Lingual treatment is an area of orthodontics that has gathered more and more interest especially in the past five years. It has become a common treatment option that the patients are demanding and it is therefore essential that orthodontists become proficient in this specialist field. Many lingual orthodontic societies have now been established, of major importance in Europe, is the European Society of Lingual Orthodontics (ESLO). It is a rapidly growing society with an increasing number of active members. The following article covers four case studies, in which patients were successfully treated by a custom made lingual appliance (Incognito). As a result of the case presentations, the authors became active members of ESLO.


Abstract:Women who migrate to the United States often face structural and cultural obstacles when joining the workforce. The US-born daughters of these women show considerable upward mobility, yet recent scholarship finds substantial variation in the employment of second-generation women by parental country of origin. This study assesses whether gender traditionalism in the parental country of origin has a persistent effect on the labor force participation of partnered second-generation women in the United States. An analysis of 1995–2015 Current Population Survey data supplemented with parental origin country characteristics finds that gender-traditional behaviors, religions, institutions, and attitudes are each associated with a lower likelihood of female labor force participation (FLFP). We propose that the successful intergenerational transmission of conservative cultural repertoires from the first to the second-generation accounts for these relationships. Conservative religious context is the best overall predictor of lowered second-generation FLFP. However, patriarchal attitudes and institutions in the parental birthplace best account for the participation of women with parental origins in Latin America and the Caribbean, while the effect of religious context is strongest among women with parental origins in Asia and Europe.


This study was planned in order to make good the lack of information about population-based data on the prevalence of brucellosis in the Kayseri region. This cross-sectional research was performed on 1850 individuals living in the rural regionaround Kayseri. People aged 15-85 in 9 districts in this rural areas were interviewed and blood samples were screened using the Rose Bengal Agglutination test. The overall prevalence of brucellosis was 3.4%. Although the rate was higher in females (3.7%) than in males (2.9%), there was no significant difference. The lowest prevalence (2.0%) was observed in the 25-34 age group, and the highest prevalence (4.3% and 4.1%) were in the 35-44 and 15-24 age groups, respectively. The highest prevalence was observed in the illiterate group. The prevalence was much higher among people in close contact with sheep and/or cattle, those making home made cheese, butter and cream and also in those who consumed butter and cream. It was concluded that although the seroposivity rate is low in Turkey, health education and screening of people in rural areas is necessary.


Background/Aim. Central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) is a disease of the eye where the flow of blood through the central retinal artery is blocked. It causes sudden, painless, unilateral and usually severe vision loss. The aim of our study was to examine significance of cilioretinal artery on collateral and neovasculatization development after occlusion of the central retinal artery. ethods. This study retrospectively reviewed all fluorescein angiography (FA) cases with confirmed CRAO and presenting, one or more, cilioretinal arteries on initial examination. The study included patients referred to the Clinic of Ophthalmology, Clinical Center Kragujevac for the examination in the period from January 2010 to January 2015. Ten eyes of 10 patients with confirmed CRAO and existing cilioretinal artery on initial examination were found and analyzed in this study. Results. This study included 10 (6 males and 4 females) patients from 50 to 76 years old (mean 66.3 ± 10.078 years). Visual acuity on initial examination presented on the decimal scale was from 0.01 to 0.2 (mean 0.087 ± 0.066). Intraocular pressure measured by applanation tonometry was in the range from 14 to 20 mmHg (mean 16.7 ± 2.540 mmHg). Cilioretinal artery was revealed on the first FA examination of all eyes. On control FA, in three eyes de novo collaterals were discovered. In the first eye, collaterals were discovered after two months, in the second eye after four months, and in the third eye after seven months of the performing the initial angiogram. Visual acuity was checked after one year. It was from light perception to 0.03 (mean 0.016 ± 0.009). Conclusion. The presence of cilioretinal arteries with preexisting or de novo developed collaterals was not enough to preserve visual acuity and prevent neovascularisation over a longer period after CRAO.


In today's age of modern information technology, large amounts of data are generated every second to enable subsequent data aggregation and analysis. However, the IT infrastructures that have been set up over the last few decades and which should now be used for this purpose are very heterogeneous and complex. As a result, tasks for analyzing data, such as collecting, searching, understanding and processing data, become very time-consuming. This makes it difficult to realize visions, such as the Internet of Production, which pursues the goal of guaranteeing the availability of real-time information at any time and place in an industrial setting. To reduce the time to analytics in such scenarios, we present a data ingestion, integration and processing approach consisting of a flexible and configurable data ingestion pipeline as well as a semantic data platform named ESKAPE. The ingestion pipeline provides an abstraction to all tasks related to data acquisition. The main goal is, therefore, the controllable access to data and meta information contained in machines and other systems on the shop floor. Additionally, it provides the possibility to forward the collected data to a configurable endpoint, such as a data lake. ESKAPE acts as one of those endpoints enabling semantic data integration and processing. By annotating data sets with semantic models originating from the Semantic Web, data analysts are able to understand, process and discover these data sets more efficiently. ESKAPE features a three-layered information storage architecture consisting of a data layer for storing integrated raw data sets, a layer containing user-defined semantic models to describe the contextual knowledge necessary to interpret the stored data and a top layer formed by a continuously evolving knowledge graph, combining semantic information from all present semantic models. Based on this storage system, ESKAPE enables the flexible annotation as well as efficient search and processing of data sources without losing the ability of analyzing and querying the underlying raw data with analytic tools. We present and discuss our approach and its benefits and limitations based on a real-world industrial use case.


BACKGROUND
Since the seminal publications of Shneidman (1969) and Cain (1972), suicide bereavement and postvention have attracted increasing research interest.

AIMS
To examine the topics of suicide bereavement and postvention in the core international suicidology journals, since their inception until mid-2013, in order to reveal the number of postvention articles throughout the years, their geographic distribution, and the topics of suicide bereavement and postvention that have been published.

METHOD
The online databases of four journals (Crisis, The Journal of Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention; Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior [SLTB]; Archives of Suicide Research; and Suicidology Online) as well as the tables of content of all issues were searched. The number of articles and the countries of origin were quantified, and articles were categorized according to their content.

RESULTS
The search identified 144 postvention articles, published during the past 40 years, almost exclusively in two journals (Crisis and SLTB). The majority of articles were (co-)authored by authors from Anglo-Saxon, Western countries. Articles were categorized in three groups: characteristics of suicide bereavement (n = 73), postvention programs (n = 66), and definition/theory and epidemiology of survivors (n = 5).

CONCLUSION
Articles on suicide bereavement and postvention have been published mostly in two suicidology journals, albeit in modest numbers, and from a limited number of mostly Western countries. Our understanding of suicide bereavement and the provision of survivor support might benefit from the development of consensual definitions and from studies in other parts of the world.


In this paper we study, analyse and comment rhetorical figures present in some of most interesting poetry of the first half of the twentieth century. These figures are at first traced back to some famous poet of the past and then compared to classical Latin prose. Linguistic theory is then called in to show how they can be represented in syntactic structures and classified as noncanonical structures, by positioning discontinuous or displaced linguistic elements in Spec XP projections at various levels of constituency. Then we introduce LFG (Lexical Functional Grammar) as the theory that allows us to connect syntactic noncanonical structures with informational structure and psycholinguistic theories for complexity evaluation. We end up with two computational linguistics experiments and then evaluate the results. The first one uses best online parsers of Italian to parse poetic structures; the second one uses Getarun, the system created at Ca Foscari Computational Linguistics Laboratory. As will be shown, the first approach is unable to cope with these structures due to the use of only statistical probabilistic information. On the contrary, the second one, being a symbolic rule based system, is by far superior and allows also to complete both semantic an pragmatic analysis.


Background Homelessness, HIV, and substance use are interwoven problems. Furthermore, homeless individuals are frequent users of emergency services. The main purpose of this study was to identify risk factors for frequent emergency room (ER) visits and to examine the effects of housing status and HIV serostatus on ER utilization. The second purpose was to identify risk factors for frequent ER visits in patients with a history of illicit drug use. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on 412 patients enrolled in a Boston-based health care for the homeless program (HCH). This study population was selected as a 2:1 HIV seronegative versus HIV seropositive match based on age, sex, and housing status. A subgroup analysis was performed on 287 patients with history of illicit drug use. Chart data were analyzed to compare demographics, health characteristics, and health service utilization. Results were stratified by housing status. Logistic models using generalized estimating equations were used to predict frequent ER visits. Results In homeless patients, hepatitis C was the only predictor of frequent ER visits (OR 4.49, p<0.01). HIV seropositivity was not predictive of frequent ER visits. In patients with history of illicit drug use, mental health (OR 2.53, 95% CI 1.07–5.95) and hepatitis C (OR 2.85, 95% CI 1.37–5.93) were predictors of frequent ER use. HIV seropositivity did not predict ER use (OR 0.45, 95% CI 0.21 – 0.97). Conclusions In a HCH population, hepatitis C predicted frequent ER visits in homeless patients. HIV seropositivity did not predict frequent ER visits, likely because HIV seropositive HCH patients are engaged in care. In patients with history of illicit drug use, hepatitis C and mental health disorders predicted frequent ER visits. Supportive housing for patients with mental health disorders and hepatitis C may help prevent unnecessary ER visits in this population.


Despite considerable progress in the field of metal nanoparticles synthesis, major challenges remain in many practical applications of nanoparticles which require their immobilization on solid substrates, presenting additional difficulty in separation and processing. Here, transparent nanoporous cellulose gel obtained from aqueous alkali hydroxide-urea solution was examined as supporting medium for noble metal nanoparticles. Silver, gold, and platinum nanoparticles were synthesized in the gel by hydrothermal reduction by cellulose or by added reductant. Both methods gave nanoparticles embedded with high dispersion in cellulose gels. Supercritical CO2 drying of the metal-carrying gel gave corresponding aerogels with high transmittance, porosity, surface area, moderate thermal stability, and good mechanical strength. The cellulose and metal-cellulose gels were characterized by UV/vis spectroscopy, optical microscopy, SEM, TEM, XRD, nitrogen physisorption, TGA, and tensile testing, systematically.


Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) play an important role in the regulation of the immune response. MDSC expansion occurs in many circumstances, including cancer, inflammation, stresses, and transplant tolerance. Liver transplants in mice are spontaneously accepted, but hepatocyte transplants are acutely rejected, suggesting the immunoregulatory activities of liver nonparenchymal cells. We have reported that hepatic stellate cells (HpSCs), the stromal cells in the liver, are immensely immunosuppressive and can effectively protect islet transplants via induction of MDSCs. The present study shows that the addition of HpSCs into dendritic cell (DC) culture promoted development of MDSCs, instead of DCs, which was highly dependent on complement component 3 (C3) from HpSCs. The C3(-/-) HpSCs lost their ability to induce MDSCs and, consequently, failed to protect the cotransplanted islet allografts. HpSCs produced complement activation factor B and factor D which then enhanced C3 cleavage to activation products iC3b and C3d. Addition of exogenous iC3b, but not C3d, into the DC culture led to the differentiation of MDSCs with potent immune-inhibitory function. These findings provide novel mechanistic insights into the differentiation of myeloid cells mediated by local tissue cells, and may assist in the development of MDSC-based therapy in clinical settings.


This study, a part of the "Big Pig" project, was aimed at highlighting differences in immune responses between control pigs and pigs with PRRSV infections, from early times post inoculation (pi), 14 dpi, to long term persistent infections (as evidenced by viral RNA in tissues). Our goal is to identify immunological or virological correlates of persistent infection. Two-week old pigs (n=109) were inoculated with PRRSV ATCC VR-2332 and 56 age-matched animals served as uninoculated controls. Sets of PRRSV infected and control pigs were euthanized at 2 week intervals through 203 dpi; blood and tissues were collected. RNA and cDNA was prepared from respiratory and regional mucosal tissues [lung, tracheobronchial lymph nodes (TBLN), tonsil] and assayed for expression of a panel of 23 immune markers, representing innate, T helper and regulatory genes. As expected, only low levels of interferon-gamma and certain innate immune genes were expressed by infected pigs early after inoculation. Our studies are aimed at determining whether there is a pattern of cytokine expression that might help predict which pigs will clear virus, and distinguish them from those that remain persistently infected. To date no pattern has been found with lung or TBLN; tests are continuing with tonsils and sera cytokine levels. We hope to identify regulatory pathways that would stimulate PRRSV immunity.
 Supported by USDA ARS and NRI PRRS CAP1 funds.


During HPLC-ESI-MS/MS analysis of rat submandibular saliva secreted under isoprenaline stimulation, a protein with an experimental [M+H](1+) = 10,544.24 m/z was detected (17.5 ± 0.7 min). The MS/MS fragmentation pattern, manually investigated, allowed establishing an internal sequence in agreement with a DNA-derived sequence of an unknown rat protein coded D3Z9M3 (Swiss-Prot). To match the experimental MS/MS fragmentation pattern and protein mass with theoretical data, the removal from the N terminus of the signal peptide and from the C terminus of three amino acid (a.a.) residues (Arg-Ala-Val) and the cyclization of the N-terminal glutamine in pyroglutamic had to be supposed, resulting in a mature protein of 90 a.a. HPLC-ESI-MS/MS of the trypsin digest ensured 100% sequence coverage. For the high glutamine content (34/90 = 37.8%) we propose to name this protein rat gliadoralin A 1-90. Low amounts of five different isoforms were sporadically detected, which did not significantly change their relative amounts after stimulation. Gliadoralin A is substrate for transglutaminase-2, having Lys 60 and different Gln residues as major determinants for enzyme recognition. In silico investigation of superior structures evidenced that a small part of the protein adopts an α-helical fold, whereas large segments are unfolded, suggesting an unordered conformation.


The paper presents results of observations and hydro-meteorological measurements in a small catchment of the Krynica River, representative of the Tomaszow Lubelski Forest Division. The presented analysis of components of the water balance, particularly the volume of runoff, indicates the advisability of the construction of two reservoirs in the Belzec Forest District. These reservoirs are to serve as elements of the fire protection system and the water retention system. Through damming culverts they will be connected with the Krynica River. Presented results constitute the hydrological characteristic of the catchment prior to the change in the engineering infrastructure related with the construction of the reservoirs. A complete evaluation of the efficiency of the investment will be possible after the reservoirs have been put in operation.


We study learning algorithms that optimize revenue in repeated contextual posted-price auctions where a seller interacts with a single strategic buyer that seeks to maximize his cumulative discounted surplus. The buyer's valuation of a good is a fixed private function of a d-dimensional context (feature) vector that describes the good being sold. In contrast to existing studies on repeated contextual auctions with strategic buyer, in our work, the seller is not assumed to know the parametric model that underlies this valuation function. We introduce a novel non-parametric learning algorithm that is horizon-independent and has tight strategic regret upper bound of Θ(T ). We also non-trivially generalize several value-localization techniques of noncontextual repeated auctions to make them effective in the considered contextual non-parametric learning of the buyer valuation function.


ABSTRACT Since February 2020, the world has faced a health emergency due to the rapid spread of COVID-19. Two of the first measures adopted by most countries to ensure social distancing were the closure of schools and childcare services, and the mandate to work from home. Millions of parents, while facing the threat of the virus infection, suddenly found themselves locked down in their homes managing workload and care load in single "crowded" spaces. This study tested whether relevant identity structures and individual differences (i.e., work-parent identity integration, identification with family, and identification with work) and contextual factors (i.e., work demands, family demands, and housing conditions) predicted parents' professional, parental, and mental health outcomes during the lockdown. Data collected in April-2020 from 432 Italian parents working from home during the strict lockdown showed that the main predictor of all outcomes is work-parent identity integration. We provide recommendations for how professionals and organizations can support parents working from home due to COVID-19 or in future lockdowns.


Objective: The aim of the study was to highlight informal caregivers' interest in using the Information and Communication Technology (ICT)-based ACTION service (Assisting Carers using Telematics Interventions to meet Older People's Needs) and their ideas for how to further develop and extend the service. The use of ICT is constantly increasing worldwide. Europe has the highest old age dependency ratio, but other parts of the world are also experiencing a dramatic ageing of their population. The demands for care are increasing, and resources are shrinking. One way to support informal caregivers is through ICT. Methods: The study employed a qualitative design. Focus group interviews were carried out with informal caregivers in Sweden. The interviews were analysed using a latent content analysis method. Results: The analysis yielded a major theme, striving to feel confident, with four categories: informal caregivers' reflections and ideas about ICT; promoting their own health process; increasing their knowledge bank and informal caregivers' rights; and striving for inclusiveness. Conclusions: The present study highlights the challenges that informal caregivers face in their daily life as well as their resources to devise possible solutions that could improve their situation. To preserve their health, a carer support plan including regular health checks could be helpful. ICT-based support (such as the ACTION service) could act as a way forward for supporting informal caregivers in their striving to feel confident. The study highlighted that ICT-based support has the potential to act as a direct benefit for informal caregivers.


Background: The transport of cytoplasmic components can be profoundly affected by hydrodynamics. A striking example is ooplasmic streaming in Drosophila. Forces from kinesin-1 are initially directed by a disordered meshwork of oocyte microtubules, generating slow disordered cytoplasmic flows. When microtubules shift into parallel alignment, kinesin generates fast ordered flows that mix nurse cell and oocyte cytoplasms. Results: To understand the hydrodynamic mechanism of streaming, we used fluorescence microscopy to analyze microtubule organization and cytoplasmic flows, while using mathematical modeling to identify physical conditions that contribute to kinesin-driven self-organization. In the fast ordered state, microtubules align and undergo correlated bending in a subcortical layer. Cytoplasmic flows follow the curving microtubule paths with velocities that are slow near the cortex, faster within the microtubule layer, and fastest beneath it. FRAP and photoconversion indicate that minus-ends of the aligned microtubules are stationary relative to the cortex. Using known values for microtubule stiffness and kinesin velocity, we developed and tested a coupled hydrodynamic model that revealed key variables that can shift the system between disordered and ordered states, including: 1) the distance from the cortex at which microtubules can lie parallel to its plane, and 2) the intensity of kinesin force on its cortical microtubule tracks, which can be controlled by cytoplasmic viscosity.Conclusions: Cytoplasmic streaming in Drosophila oocytes is a result of viscous drag on moving kinesin motors that mediates equal and opposite forces on cytoplasmic fluid and on microtubules whose minus ends are embedded in the cortex. Fluid flows toward plus-ends and microtubules are forced toward stationary minus-ends. Under certain conditions, this causes microtubules to align in bending arrays, creating constantly varying directions of flow that facilitate cytoplasmic mixing


Background: Early treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) results in better long-term outcomes. However, the optimal therapeutic window has not been clearly established. Objective: To determine the clinical outcome of Puerto Ricans with RA receiving early treatment with conventional and/or biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) based on the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) definition of early RA. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed in a cohort of Puerto Ricans with RA. Demographic features, clinical manifestations, disease activity, functional status, and pharmacotherapy were determined. Early treatment was defined as the initiation of DMARDs (conventional and/or biologic) in less than 6 months from the onset of symptoms attributable to RA. Patients who received early (< 6months) and late (≥6 months) treatments were compared using bivariate and multivariate analyses. Results: The cohort comprised 387 RA patients. The mean age at study visit was 56.0 years. The mean disease duration was 14.9 years and 337 (87.0%) patients were women. One hundred and twenty one (31.3%) patients received early treatment. In the multivariate analysis adjusted for age and sex, early treatment was associated with better functional status, lower probability of joint deformities, intra-articular injections and joint replacement surgeries, and lower scores in the physician's assessments of global health, functional impairment and physical damage of patients. Conclusion: Using the ACR definition of early RA, this group of patients treated with DMARDs within 6 months of disease had better long-term outcomes with less physical damage and functional impairment.


Quality of high-voltage (HV) impulse measurements requires adequate dynamic performance of measuring systems (MS) with respect to the waveforms to be measured. Qualification of MSs for various impulses is a prerequisite for repeatability and reproducibility of HV testing results. Alternative qualification procedures are considered with respect to the standard full lightning impulse including evaluation of significance of its frequency components. Duality of step responses and amplitude-frequency responses is described in detailed examples. Special attention is paid to creeping, encountered with some converting devices. Variations of MS response parameters can lead to improper conclusions when only conventional examination of the dynamic behavior is used. Evaluation of the response parameters is an unnecessary step, which brings additional errors to the HV measurements. The paper is pointing out advantages and practical achievements of the frequency-domain qualification of dynamic properties based on the step response data obtained both experimentally and analytically. Measurement errors of the impulse peak value and time parameters have been evaluated via fast Fourier transform (FFT), convolution, and inverse discrete Fourier transform (IFFT) for a commercial divider. Direct determination of the HV impulse measurement range, no need for any additional parameters, and illustrative graphical presentation of results are the main advantages of this approach. Limitations of different qualification approaches are discussed.


This project investigates the host race status of larch and pine associated Zeiraphera diniana populations via studies of actual gene flow, hybrid fitness, and mitochondrial DNA. The formation of host races genetically distinct, host associated biotypes connected by gene flow is an essential step in sympatric spéciation via host shift, and their existence provides strong support for this theory. However, the identification of these forms has been complicated by the use of multiple host race definitions that are often ambigous in an empirical context. Therefore a new, empirically based definition is developed in and employed throughout this thesis. A novel requirement of this definition is that at least 1% actual gene flow (movement of genes via hybridisation) occurs between the races each generation, and leads to backcrossing. Other requirements include sympatry, genetic differentiation, and host fidelity. Previous studies have shown that larch and pine associated Z. diniana meet most host race criteria, but little was known about the level of gene flow between the races. The main findings presented here are that the level of actual gene flow (the movement of genes via hybridisation) between the biotypes is approximately 2.4% per generation, that backcrossing is likely, and therefore that they are indeed host races. The extent of actual gene flow was estimated from the combined probabilities of long range, pheromone-mediated cross attraction (measured in the field), and hybridisation in competitive situations (measured in the laboratory). Evidence of backcrossing was obtained from several experiments. Proportions of non-hybrid, hybrid, and backcross broods hatching, and surviving to final larval instars in the laboratory did not differ. Hybrid females were able to obtain matings with larch males in competitive conditions, and hybrids of both sexes are fertile. In addition, there was no evidence of mitochondrial DNA differentiation between the forms across approximately 800bp of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (partial), tRNA-leucine, and cytochrome oxidase II (partial).


MOTIVATION ON AWARD (translated from Swedish): "Tim Foster is an extremely knowledgeable and engaged teacher who, with a burning interest for his students and areas of teaching, motivates them to achieve unbelievable results. With a teaching style that prepares students for their careers and an emphasis on practical applications through real-world projects, Tim creates a commitment and willingness among students to develop themselves and think outside the box. Tim develops his courses on a continual basis and uses the changes in technology to adapt to students' (learning) needs. Tim Foster is a big role model for both teachers and students at Lulea University of Technology."


The author reports an unpublished series of 24 operated cases and considers the surgical problems raised by atheromatous stenosis and obstruction of the innominate artery. At present, excellent results may be obtained thanks to: 1) better precision of the indications, excluding patients with neurological complications undergoing aggravation or permanent neurological signs; 2) at present, operations by the cervical route should be performed when the state of the heart and lungs prevents direct surgery by sternotomy, which remains, however, the method of choice.


The introduction of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination has resulted in a proliferation of discourse about HPV-related health risks, with a particular emphasis on the link between HPV and cervical cancer. Using a discursive narrative approach, we critically examine how young women navigate and construct their identities in relation to discourses on HPV vaccination, and the master narratives of risk, medicalization and individual responsibility for health that inform these discourses. Drawing on positioning theory, the narratives of three women who accepted, declined and were undecided about vaccination are presented to illustrate how they actively and uniquely negotiate their identities in relation to the positions idealized by HPV vaccination discourse, and in the context of their intimate relations and everyday lives. These findings fundamentally challenge dominant techno-scientific perspectives on health risk that underpin the majority of research on HPV vaccine decision-making, and health promotion research more generally. We suggest that discursive narrative approaches can advance critical understanding of how health risk discourse, and emerging technologies aimed at reducing health risks, are implicated in promoting neoliberal constructions of healthy citizenship that frame health risk management as an individual responsibility and moral obligation.


Main goal of the empiric research is to identify significant differences between the two groups of examinees in morphologic space. At the representative sample of N=75 examinees of basketball players and subspecimen of junior players aged 15 to 16 and seniors older than 21 we have measured 16 anthropometric variables according to the standards of International Biologic program. The data were processed by multivariate method of discriminative canonic analysis which differentiated statistically significant quantitative differences between the categories of players. (Wλ =.824; p<.05; χ2=148.87>df=13.277). Obtained values of the coefficient of canonic correlation as well as 64.53% of the proportion of mutual variance of the system of analyzed variables define quantitative inequalities between the groups. Variables with highest orthogonal projection at bipolar structure of extracted discriminative function that mostly contributed to the differentiation of examined groups are: upper arm skinfold, forearm skinfold and chest skinfold. According to the univariant values of important canonic pressures of component variables, extracted discriminative factor is hypothetically interpreted as subcutaneous fat. Manifest distance between the centroids of the groups at discriminative function. i.e. their projection in space limited with the vectors of analyzed variables, showed that juniors have positive relation with isolated anthropometric discriminative, whereas seniors have negative relation with it, i.e. that seniors have less percent of fat in comparison to the values of the skinfold of juniors.


The purpose of our study was to evaluate lentiviral vector-mediated rat retinal transduction using simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) pseudotyped with envelope proteins from vesicular stomatitis virus G glycoprotein (VSV-G), Mokola virus G protein (MK-G), amphotropic murine leukemia virus envelope (4070A-Env), influenza A virus hemagglutinin (HA), lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus G protein (LCMV-G), and RD114 retrovirus envelope (RD114-Env). The six pseudotyped lentivirus vectors carried CMV-driven green fluorescent protein (GFP) or beta-galactosidase (beta-gal) reporter genes. Intravitreal and subretinal injections of each pseudotyped recombinant SIV were performed in cohorts of Wistar rats. Our results showed that no transgene expression was detected after intravitreal injection of each pseudotyped SIV vector. Also, no transduction could be detected following subretinal injection of RD114 pseudotyped SIV vectors. However, selective transduction of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells was repeatedly obtained after subretinal delivery of VSV-G, MK-G, 4070A-Env, HA, and LCMV-G pseudotyped SIV. GFP expression was maximum as soon as 4 days postadministration for VSV-G, MK-G, 4070A-Env, and HA pseudotypes, with no evidence of pseudotransduction for VSV-G. Maximum transgene expression was observed 3 weeks postinjection for LCMV-6. Importantly, HA and VSV-G pseudotyped SIV lead to such a high level of transgene expression that GFP-related toxicity occurred. Therefore, when a high level of GFP synthesis is achieved, replacement of enhanced GFP (egfp, Aequorea victoria) by a low-toxicity GFP (Renilla reniformis) cDNA is necessary to allow long-term expression.


The management of cholelithiasis with gallstone pancreatitis in the heart transplant candidate is a difficult problem. Biliary tract surgery in the heart transplant candidate presents an additional set of clinical risks in view of extensive heart disease. We report the cases of three patients with symptomatic cholelithiasis with gallstone pancreatitis who were successfully operated on while awaiting cardiac allografts. Each patient was preoperatively prepared with (1) a lumbar epidural catheter for postoperative pain control with epidural opioids, (2) a balloon-tipped (Swan-Ganz) catheter and arterial line for perioperative monitoring, and (3) an intraaortic balloon pump for circulatory support with full heparinization after epidural catheter placement. In addition, preoperative optimization of cardiovascular function with pharmacologic agents was carefully achieved for 6 to 12 hours before surgery. All three patients had stable intraoperative courses, with less than a 300 ml blood loss. Their postoperative outcomes were without surgical complication. We think that biliary tract surgery may be safely accomplished in the heart transplant candidate with careful, appropriate preparation and meticulous surgical technique. We also present our management algorithm for heart transplant patients with cholelithiasis before and after operation.


Objectives To explore the feasibility and effectiveness of telehealth-supervised exercise for adults with Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods This was a non-randomised controlled pilot trial comparing telehealth-supervised exercise (8 weeks, 2 days/week, 45 min, moderate intensity) plus usual care with usual care alone. Mixed methods were used to assess change in fatigue (FACIT-fatigue), quality of life (SF36), resting fatigue and pain (11-point scale), lower body strength (five-time sit-to-stand) and endurance (30 s sit-to-stand), upper body endurance (30 s arm curl), aerobic capacity (2 min step test), and experience (survey and interviews). Group comparison was performed statistically using a two-sample T-test or Mann–Whitney U-test. Where known, we used MCID or MCII, or assumed a change of 10%, to determine clinically meaningful change within groups over time. Interviews were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results Fifteen female adults with SLE were included (control group n = 7, exercise group n = 8). Statistically significant differences between groups, in favour of the exercise intervention, were noted for SF36 domain emotional well-being (p = 0.048) and resting fatigue (p = 0.012). There were clinically meaningful improvements over time for FACIT-fatigue (+6.3 ± 8.3, MCID >5.9), SF36 domains physical role functioning (+30%), emotional role functioning (+55%), energy/fatigue (+26%), emotional well-being (+19%), social functioning (+30%), resting pain (−32%), and upper body endurance (+23%) within the exercise group. Exercise attendance was high (98%, 110/112 sessions); participants strongly agreed (n = 5/7, 71%) or agreed (n = 2/7, 29%) they would do telehealth-supervised exercise again and were satisfied with the experience. Four themes emerged: (1) ease and efficiency of exercising from home, (2) value of live exercise instruction, (3) challenges of exercising at home, and (4) continuation of telehealth-supervised exercise sessions. Conclusion Key findings from this mixed-method investigation suggest that telehealth-supervised exercise was feasible for, and well-accepted by, adults with SLE and resulted in some modest health improvements. We recommend a follow-up RCT with more SLE participants.


David Morgan's contributions to family sociology started from a direct engagement with theoretical perspectives, but his 1996 publication, Family Connections, took his family sociology in a new, somewhat 'fuzzy' direction. Two key motifs for his later work are the emphasis on 'family' as an adjective, and its fruitfulness when conjoined with the doing of 'practices'. Yet his 1996 text also identified key theoretical themes he considered important for family sociology to retain. I trace some of the theoretical concerns that he carried forward in his later work, while drawing attention to some aspects that invite further development, including the significance of everyday family meanings, the challenge of considering 'family practices' beyond affluent Minority worlds, and the need to critique the 'individual' along with the 'family'. I offer this discussion on the basis that family sociology is a central issue for sociology in general as a theoretical enterprise.


During several years tungsten field emitter (FE) sources have been used with scanning electron microscopy. Also the FE cathods have been used in electron beam microfabrication systems. The reasons for this are the high brightness and the low energy spread in FE-sources compared with conventional thermal heated cathodes. The obtainable current from a field emitter at room temperature shows great fluctuations and it is not useful in electron beam lithography systems without some form of automatic dosage control. The beam current fluctuations arises from changes in the adsorbate layer by adsorption and sputtering. Heating the tip to 1200°C reduces the adsorbate layer. Consequently the beam current becomes more stable and the heated field emitter source can be used even without an automatic dosage control [5]. In our work we have been using a TFE system manufactured by Coates and Welter, Sunnyvale. Our experience is that one is able to condition the field emitter for stable operation within 30 min. Beam current fluctuation after the initial period of operation lies within ± 5% and the current will stay stable up to 10 h. One easily obtains a current level of 5-10 nA in our system which is equipped with a 100 μm diameter limiting aperture, giving a beam half angle α of 2.0 mrad. With the small semiaperture angle, α, obtainable and the high brightness in the TFE source it is possible to obtain a current of 100 nA in a spot size of about 0.1 μm diameter. In direct beam writing the figures given above imply a steprate of 10 MHz (dose 1 × 10-4 As cm-2). If 10% of a 4 inch wafer is exposed the exposure time will be 3 h for one layer in a process sequence.


Amorphous silicon PECVD photonic integrated devices are promising candidates for low cost sensing applications. This manuscript reports a simulation analysis about the impact on the overall efficiency caused by the lithography imperfections in the deposition process. The tolerance to the fabrication defects of a photonic sensor based on surface plasmonic resonance is analysed. The simulations are performed with FDTD and BPM algorithms. The device is a plasmonic interferometer composed by an a-Si:H waveguide covered by a thin gold layer. The sensing analysis is performed by equally splitting the input light into two arms, allowing the sensor to be calibrated by its reference arm. Two different 1 × 2 power splitter configurations are presented: a directional coupler and a multimode interference splitter. The waveguide sidewall roughness is considered as the major negative effect caused by deposition imperfections. The simulation results show that plasmonic effects can be excited in the interferometric waveguide structure, allowing a sensing device with enough sensitivity to support the functioning of a bio sensor for high throughput screening. In addition, the good tolerance to the waveguide wall roughness, points out the PECVD deposition technique as reliable method for the overall sensor system to be produced in a low-cost system. The large area deposition of photonics structures, allowed by the PECVD method, can be explored to design a multiplexed system for analysis of multiple biomarkers to further increase the tolerance to fabrication defects.


An exact analytical solution for the scattering of antiplane elastic waves by a layered elastic eccentric inclusion is derived beginning from the solution of the wave equation in elliptic coordinates. The solution and its degenerate cases are compared with other models, e.g. the scattering due to concentric circular scatterers. The effects of the geometrical properties of the interphase are studied. Hereby the focus lies on geometric parameters which fit the needs of Textile Reinforced Concrete (TRC). The calculations are performed for material properties as they occur with TRC. The numerical results show an enormous influence of eccentricities within TRC to its wave scattering behaviour.


Background: Maternal mental health problems, most often depression and anxiety, remain a major public health concern during the antenatal and postnatal periods. Some studies reported that high level of self-efficacy in pregnant women might improve maternal prenatal care. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between family support and self- efficacy among pregnant women in Yogyakarta. Subjects and Method: This was a cross-sectional study conducted at Kotagede I Community Health Centre, Yogyakarta from October 2017 to July 2018. A total of 30 primigravida dan multigravida women with the third trimester of gestational age was selected for this study. The dependent variable was self-efficacy of pregnant women. The independent variable was family support. The study subjects were selected by accidental sampling. The primary data were collected using family support and maternal confidence questionnaires. The data were analyzed by chi-square. Results: A total of 93.3% of pregnant women had strong family support. The majority of pregnant women possessed high levels of self-efficacy (90%). Good family support increased the self-efficacy of pregnant women (OR= 113.40; 95% CI= 6.26 to 2054.00; p <0.001). Conclusion: Good family support increases the self-efficacy of pregnant women. Keywords: pregnant women, self-efficacy, family support Correspondence: Sumiati. Universitas 'Aisyiyah Yogyakarta. Jl. Siliwangi (Ringroad Barat) No. 63, Nogotirto, Gamping, Sleman, Yogyakarta, 55292. Email: firstname.lastname@example.com. Mobile: +6282134952376. DOI: https://doi.org/10.26911/the7thicph.02.30


Background Peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) reflects the strength and condition of respiratory muscles and the degree of airflow limitation in large airways. PEFR showing postural variation that follows a specific pattern in asthmatics and healthy individuals has been identified. Adequate data are not available for postural variation in normal individuals who are students of professional courses with a sedentary lifestyle. Lung volumes in normal individuals were significantly higher in the standing position. Some studies have reported that in healthy participants spirometric indices were higher while standing in comparison with the sitting position, whereas other studies have reported no differences between spirometric values obtained in the lying, sitting and standing positions. Hence, this study was undertaken to study the postural variation in PEFRs in healthy, adult, male participants in south India. Materials and methods PEFR was recorded in 50 adult, healthy, male participants aged 18–23 years who were students of professional courses. Mini Wright's peak flow meter was used to measure the PEFR. Three readings were taken in the standing and lying positions. The best of the three recordings was considered as the final value. Results PEFR was decreased while lying down compared with standing in the participants studied, and the quantum of difference was noted. Conclusion With postural changes, the PEFR significantly differs on the basis of whether the measurements are taken in the standing or in the lying posture in healthy participants. The effect of posture may be of importance in recording PEFR, and changing to a better posture may be especially useful for those with weak expiration.


In the study of sedimentary units to evaluate thin beds, there lie a lot of uncertainties, primarily, sand, shale or their combination in terms of their petrophysical properties and lateral extant. Good thin beds are capable of yielding a reasonable amount of hydrocarbon if discovered and evaluated. Regrettably, most thin beds are usually bypassed if direct log interpretation techniques are applied in their evaluation due to their low vertical resolutions and ability to only characterize an average of multiple beds which often result to a significant under estimation of oil and gas in the sedimentary unit. To better characterize thin beds and maximize reservoir potential, the resistivity borehole imaging and NMR techniques were adopted in this research study. In addition, the Thomas Stieber equations using laminated sand-shale sequence were employed in calculating parameters such as sand porosity, hydrocarbon saturation and shale volume. Results show that at depths of about 4350m and 4500m (Fig. 2), thin beds were identified, whereas, the conventional logs identified the points as spikes of sand. The NMR imaging technique further confirms the presence of hydrocarbon in the thin beds. It is therefore suggested that the resistivity borehole imaging and NMR techniques should be employed in characterizing thin beds since their use in this study yielded results that are reliable and dependable. Keywords: Thin bed, Borehole image, Sand laminae, Conventional logs, lateral resistivity, Vertical resistivity.


We present some properties regarding diffusion and semi-convexity for fuzzy set multifunctions defined on a ring of subsets of an abstract nonvoid space and taking values in the family of all nonvoid closed subsets of a real normed space.


Abstract : This effort integrated software reliability, measurement, and test techniques in terms of prediction, estimation, and assessment. Experiments were conducted to compare six testing techniques and to measure the effect of software product and process variables on software reliability. A guidebook was produced to help program managers control and manage software reliability and testing. Error/anomaly and code reviews were the test techniques found to be the most effective at the unit level; branch testing and code reviews were the most effective at the CSC level. Software Reliability, Software Measurement, Software Testing.


The extent to which nurses feel that their contribution is recognized and that they are involved in important decisions varies according to grade and location. Clinical nurses generally feel that they exert little influence over doctors, general management or their own nurse managers.


To enhance the robustness of LDMOS ESD protection devices, the influence of a source-bulk layout structure is analyzed by theoretical analysis and numerical simulation. Novel structures with varied source-bulk layout structures are fabricated and compared. As demonstrated by TLP testing, the optimized structure has an 88% larger It2 than a conventional one, and its Vt1 is reduced from 55.53 to 50.69 V.


In order for our office conversant robot to take robust actions according to events rising from different kind of sensors, a layered process network architecture based on an event-driven control model is presented. In this architecture, high level modules are freed from time consuming checking of sensors, and are able to follow multiple scenario-driven consistent behaviors, allowing interruption from human and environment. Programs are written as series of event-action pairs, which are also effective to keep reactiveness and modularity high.


Flash Joule-heating was applied to the Cu47.5Zr47.5Al5 metallic glass for designing fully crystalline metastable nanocomposites consisting of the metastable B2 CuZr and low-temperature equilibrium Cu10Zr7 phases. The onset of crystallization was in situ controlled by monitoring resistivity changes in the samples. The effect of heating rate and annealing time on the volume fraction of the crystalline phases and mechanical properties of the nanocomposites was studied in detail. Particularly, an increase of the heating rate and a decrease of the annealing time lead to a lower number of equilibrium Cu10Zr7 precipitates and an increase of tensile ductility. Tailoring of these non-equilibrium microstructures and mechanical properties may not be possible unless one starts with a fully glassy material that opens new perspectives for designing metastable nanomaterials with unique physical properties.


The polymethylmetacrylate (PMMA) widely used in intraocular lenses production is a polymer of methylmetacrylate.The mechanical damage of safe PMMA including laser energy leads to release of toxic monomer MMA to surrounding environement.


This study investigates the potential of Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) and digital twins to overcome geographical, scheduling, and diversity barriers in the training of secondary educational administrators. Recognizing the limitations in traditional in-person visits to schools-particularly for graduate students in rural areas and those working fulltime with dependents-and the current ethnic composition of educational administrators, where White individuals comprise 64.5% of the population in the US (71.01% for principals), this research explores how VLEs can democratize access and foster diversity in educational leadership training. Over the academic year 2022–2023, pre- and post-engagement surveys were administered to students in a Visionary and Innovative Leadership course that employed a digital twin of a middle school. The virtual environment allowed students to explore the school and interact with its mission and vision principles at their own pace, from any location, and as frequently as required. These digital tools not only offered a homogenous and repeatable experience but also enabled a deeper, self-directed investigation into how an institution's mission and vision are operationalized within its physical environment. Findings from the study indicate that VLEs and digital twins offer considerable potential in terms of accessibility, flexibility, and diversity in educational leadership training. Through the integration of these innovative technologies, future leaders can experience immersive, interactive, and inclusive learning environments, contributing to a more diverse and effective educational leadership landscape.


1Genome Editing Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Gwahak-ro 125, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea; 2Department of Bioinformatics, KRIBB School of Bioscience, University of Science and Technology (UST), Gajeong-ro 217, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea and 3National Institute of Crop Science, Rural Development Administration, Nongsaengmyeong-ro 370, Deokjin-gu, Jeon-Ju 54874, Republic of Korea ∗Correspondence address. Namshin Kim, Genome Editing Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Gwahak-ro 125, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea. Tel/Fax: +82-42-879-8162. E-mail: email@example.com http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6361-274X †These authors contributed equally to this research.