As the count for COVID-19 infection and deaths climb around the world, it is pertinent to look at the other pandemic of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and hypertension (HT). These conditions have been found to be the most common underlying conditions around the world. Unlike CVD, HT is not considered an independent risk factor for COVID-19. However, it is a risk factor for CVD and hence needs attention. Globally, HT affects approximately 900 million people and kills an estimated 9 million annually (11% of all deaths). It causes end-organ damage to cardiac, cerebral, and renal systems as well as eyes. However, <15% of those with HT have it under control. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the HT situation by its psychogenic effects which are known to exacerbate HT, questioned the use of certain antihypertensives, decreased access to health services, and diverted resources from already stretched health systems. Despite these challenges, some lessons from the earlier outbreaks of infectious diseases are indicative. Primary health services can still support patients of HT with some adaptation of the traditional system, as well as by the adoption of new technologies. Patients can be encouraged for self-care. HT needs attention as a serious medical condition that can be controlled with concerted efforts from the global community. In the pandemic situation, there needs to be an advocacy for the continuity of services for HT as well as for other noncommunicable diseases and other health services. The treatment protocols for HT need to be simplified keeping prolonged social isolation in mind. Serious efforts are being made to protect healthcare workers from infection. These should be complemented with attention to HT and other underlying conditions that increase morbidity and mortality among the infected. Countries should adopt a policy of data sharing to learn from each other and to keep the public informed. Finally, countries should reserve health funds for disasters and pandemic situations and build a reserve force of healthcare workers to prevent a massive disruption of regular health services.


Introduction Transition and transfer of adolescent IBD patients to adult health care services is considered suboptimal in surveys. There is limited data on patients undergoing transition and transfer. We aimed to evaluate the impact of transition service on clinical and developmental outcomes of adolescent IBD patients on transfer to adult health care services. Methods We reviewed records of IBD patients diagnosed in paediatric care who has been transferred to the adult IBD service. We extracted data on their transition and transfer arrangements, disease outcomes, surgery requirements, radiation exposure, medication compliance, alcohol and drug use and growth and development. The data was compared between those who attended transition service with those who did not pass through the transition service. Results 51 patients were identified (29M and 22F). 38 patients had Crohn`s disease, 11 ulcerative colitis and two indeterminate. The median age at diagnosis was 14 years (range 9–16 years) and the median age at first visit to adult health care was 18 years.35 patients went through the transition system (group A) but 16 had no formalised transition arrangement before transfer (group B). Group A patients had a median of three appointments (range 2–7) in transition clinic before transfer. Significantly higher number of group B patients needed surgery within 2 years of transfer when compared to patients in group A (26% vs 17.1%, p=0.05). Similarly 75% of patients in group B needed at least one admission when compared to only 28.6% of group A patients (p=0.002). Non-attendance to clinics was a higher problem in group A patients with 93.75% having at least one non attendance while 37.1% of group B failed to attend at least one appointment. In addition, drug compliance rates were higher in the transition group when compared to group B (76% and 37.5% respectively p=0.001. Higher proportion of transitioned patients achieved their estimated maximum growth potential when completing adolescence. 31 of the 35 patients in group A proceeded to higher education/and or employment while this was achieved only by 50% of the group B patients. The mean cumulated IBD related radiation exposure was higher was in group B patients (17.04 mSv) when compared to group A (7.48 mSv) (p=0.0001). There was a trend towards higher dependence on opiates and smoking in group B patients. Conclusion In adolescent IBD patients, transition care is associated with better disease specific and developmental outcomes. Prospective studies of different models of transition care in IBD are needed. Competing interests None declared.


This study investigates the association between the sea-land interface moisture flux and reference evapotranspiration during 1971-2010 in Liaohe Delta, Northeast China, which moisture flux is derived from NCAR/NCEP reanalysis I data and reference evapotranspiration is calculated by Penman-Monteith equation. The result shows that the sea-land interface moisture flux presents a seasonal variation with the highest value in summer and the lowest value in winter. The sea-land interface moisture flux and reference evapotranspiration show significantly positive correlation in spring and autumn and significantly negative correlation in summer. Consistent with the past field experiments, the sea-land moisture flux suppresses reference evapotranspiration in summer. The positive correlation reveals that the sea-land moisture flux, especially in surface sublayer, facilitates reference evapotranspiration in spring and autumn. Regressions analysis demonstrate that reference evapotranspiration increases when moisture flux of surface-to-850-hPa sublayer increases until reaches the threshold (67-75 kg/ms), and the opposite trend appears when moisture flux exceeds the threshold.


The genome of Vitis vinifera contains 79 defensin-like (DEFL) gene sequences, classified in four groups based on peptide sequence similarity. Group-2 DEFL proteins are highly conserved peptides with 10 cysteine residues, and include VvAMP2, a defensin active against the fungal pathogen Botrytis cinerea. Here, quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis was used to show that group-2 DEFLs are specifically expressed in grapevine inflorescences, with the highest level in pollen/stamen, and weak expression in calyptrae and carpels. Immunofluorescence microscopy showed that the protein accumulates in pollen grains and in specific areas of the ovary parenchyma, suggesting a role in grapevine fertilization. Antimicrobial tests showed that VvAMP2 inhibits the growth of B. cinerea, but not of other fungal pathogens, nor bacteria. Fluorescence microscopy analysis of B. cinerea cells treated with VvAMP2 revealed that this defensin is first internalized and then leads to membrane permeabilization, suggesting that membrane damage is a secondary effect of this plant defensin. To identify possible intracellular targets of VvAMP2, its inhibitory action was tested on 54 B. cinerea mutants, with deletions in key signalling genes. The ΔBcATF1 transcription factor mutant, impaired in regulation of cell wall and oxidative stress genes, completely lost sensitivity to VvAMP2. Mutants lacking the Rho-type GTPase BcCDC42, the G protein-coupled receptor BcGPR3 and the putative scaffold protein BcBEM1, showed very low sensitivity.


Yushania niitakayamensis is distributed in Taiwan, south‐west China and northern Philippines. In Taiwan, the species occurs in the central mountain ranges from 1500 to 3500 m in altitude. Morphological variation, especially in terms of plant height, is large, with plants ranging from 10 cm to 5 m in height. The species appears to spread mainly by rhizomes and flowers rarely, leading to the prediction that most populations are comprised of a single or a few clonal genotypes and that the observed morphological variation is primarily due to phenotypic plasticity. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the genetic structure of this species on Mt Hohuan in central Taiwan. Ten plants from a single clone and ten plants of unknown genetic background were surveyed at one site in order to select RAPD primers useful for clone identification. Plants at a second site were collected at 1‐m intervals across a 50‐m transect through the population. Plants at one extreme (exposed portion) of the transect were approximately 15–30 cm in height, whereas plants up to 410 cm in height were found at the other shaded end of the transect. Comparison of amplification profiles for 12 primers revealed that in contrast to our predictions of genetic uniformity, many samples had reproducibly different RAPD amplification profiles, with the 51 samples representing 31 clones. These data imply that the clone size is relatively small, and the population is actually highly diverse genetically. The genetic variation in this population may be due to a higher frequency of sexual reproduction during the evolutionary history of the species and/or a high somatic mutation rate for RAPD loci in clones of Yushania.


We thank Drs Lang and Obeso for their perspectives on our article. As described in our article and their letter, the mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative diseases are complex and therefore require multiple different treatment strategies. Because Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, spinal muscular atrophy, and Parkinson's disease (PD) are therapeutically challenging disorders, there is increasing interest in cellular therapies. Current research is centered on the ability of stem and progenitor cells to provide direct replacement of diseased or lost cells, enhance neuronal circuitry, and enrich the local neuronal environment. Clearly, it is a combination of these factors that contributes to the attractiveness of stem cells as a potential therapy for complex neurodegenerative disorders, including PD. We fully agree with Drs Lang and Obeso that PD is characterized by a complex loss of cell types and pathways. Yet while multiple cell types are affected in PD, classical approaches to cellular therapies over the past 2 decades have focused on replacement of lost dopaminergic neurons. This has yielded promising results in vivo and modest functional improvements in patients. In a review article, we contend that we should provide the state of current research, and improving dopaminergic neuronal replacement remains the topic of numerous preclinical and clinical studies for PD. Given the complexity of PD pathogenesis, however, we agree with Drs Lang and Obeso that current and future research should focus on the use of cellular approaches to support essential circuitry and all affected cell types in PD. These multifaceted roles for emerging cellular therapies represent highly important and promising mechanisms of neuroprotection for PD. Most likely, combining cellular replacement with multidimensional support is essential for neuroprotection not only to dopaminergic neurons but to all other cell types and neuronal pathways affected by PD. Overall, the capacity of stem cell technologies to treat neurodegenerative diseases is still a relatively new concept, and much work remains to be done before these approaches progress into realistic and tangible clinical treatments and cures. We acknowledge that there are remaining issues to address and that it can take over a decade to translate promising treatments to the clinic. With continued advances in stem cell technologies and continued comprehension of mechanisms responsible for disease onset and progression, however, we can learn from previous results and evolve new innovative approaches for treating neurodegenerative disorders to maximize the potential of stem cell therapies and support the growing public hope.


The family-run business model is in the Czech Republic not used in the scope, as it is the case of other EU Member States. Until recently one of the reasons was also the absence of a legislative framework that would give to the family business or its organization a comprehensive and systematic rules and a stable order. This has – from a part – changed since January 1st, 2014 with the entry into force of the new Czech Civil Code, Act No. 89/2012 Coll. The present paper aims at pointing out the ways, forms and the diversity of family business from business in general according to the legislation in the Civil Code introducing in its Sections 700 – 707 the institute of family enterprise. In the context of economic-legal analysis undertaken some aspects related to the family enterprise are highlighted, in particular the sharing of profit gains, employment of family members in the operation of the family enterprise and the continuing of operation of the family business after the death of the family member being in the legal position of the entrepreneur.


An efficient design of a vector quantizer for image compression is dependent on optimization criteria used in partitioning similar vector groups formed from the image in the spatial or transform domain. Usually a 3D vector quantization is applied to trivariant color spaces. Current trends in image coding exploit the advantage of subband/wavelet decompositions in reducing the complexity in optimal scalar/vector quantizer (SQ/VQ) design. We have used adaptive vector quantization of wavelet coefficients of subimages in each color plane in RGB color space. Our design of vector quantizers using two neuro-fuzzy clustering algorithms namely AFLC-VQ, and IAFC-VQ generates very low bit rate image encoder in color as well as monochrome and outperforms other similar designs in minimizing distortion arising from quantization. Further tuning of these algorithms, and addition of an entropy coder module after the VQ stage could result in extremely low bit rates (compression ratio around 100:1) at minimal distortion.


Introduction This article explores the rate and degree of loneliness in community-dwelling older visually impaired people, and is the first study to investigate the unique contribution that social and emotional loneliness makes to perceived quality of life (PQOL) in this population. Methods The study constituted a secondary analysis of postal survey data from the second wave (2012) of the nationally representative New Zealand Longitudinal Study of Ageing, a longitudinal study of older New Zealanders. A total of 2,683 participants completed both the visual status screening question and all 11 loneliness items to meet the criteria for inclusion in this study. Results Those designated as being visually impaired (n = 315) were found to be more likely to experience loneliness (53% vs. 36%) than their sighted peers (n = 2,368). Increased loneliness among those who are visually impaired was found to be associated with decreased economic well-being, mental health, satisfaction with activities of daily living, satisfaction with life, and PQOL. Social loneliness, but not emotional loneliness, was found to make a unique contribution to the prediction of variance in the PQOL of older visually impaired people over and above the impact of other predictors. Discussion Loneliness is much more prevalent in, and occurs with greater severity among, people who are visually impaired than with those who are not. Social loneliness made a unique contribution to PQOL over and above the contribution of variables that previous research has shown are central to PQOL in this population. Implications for practitioners Loneliness is not often addressed in vision rehabilitation programs designed for older adults, yet it is apparent from these findings that rates of loneliness may be high in this population. Its effect, even at moderate levels, is detrimental to the PQOL of older people with visual impairments.


It is widely believed that rabbits sensitized to complex proteins, such as horse serum, cannot be desensitized by the intravenous injection of the specific protein. In order to desensitize an animal, it is apparently necessary to cause the disappearance of the precipitins from the circulation. In the case of purified proteins this disappearance of the precipitins appears to be an established fact (1) and is believed to be due to the union in vivo of the injected precipitinogen with the circulating precipitins. A complex protein, however, consists of a number of antigens, and when injected into an animal, presumably calls forth the production of a corresponding number of precipitins. The removal of the precipitins from the circulation would require that all of the precipitinogens and their corresponding precipitins are in correct proportion for complete precipitation, a condition that is not likely to occur, and as long as precipitins remain in the circulation, complete desensitization is believed to be impossible.


Sex, comprising biological and gender-related distinctions, is a known risk factor for alcohol use disorders. Moreover, sensation seeking, impulsivity, and aggression have been found to predict binge drinking and to reflect behavioral disinhibition. We tested effects of these disinhibited traits on binging during intravenous alcohol self-administration (ivASA), a method that eliminates sex differences in the pharmacokinetics of alcohol. Eighty-five German social drinkers (49 men) completed 3 questionnaires assessing sensation seeking, impulsivity, and aggression, as well as an ivASA session at ages 18-19. Sixty-five of them were retested at ages 21-22. Participants reported real-life drinking problems and the number of binge days in the 45 days preceding lab testing. Analyses employed continuous data and median splits to examine associations between disinhibited traits and the portion of women and men in the sample who achieved a breath alcohol concentration of 80 mg% during ivASA ("binge fraction"). At ages 18-19, and only if scoring low on sensation seeking, impulsivity, or aggression, women had significantly lower binge fractions during ivASA than men. Further, low compared to high impulsivity or aggression predicted lower binge fractions in women but not in men. Neither first- nor second-wave disinhibited traits significantly predicted binge fractions at ages 21-22. We perceive that personality traits reflecting behavioral disinhibition might be a strong indicator of drinking problems, specifically among young women. Targeted brief interventions might therefore be used in educational or clinical settings to inform such women about their increased risk and the potential health and behavioral problems associated with binge drinking. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).


The antirheumatic drug dl-2-(4-chlorophenyl) -alpha-methyl-5-benzoxazole-acetic acid (benoxaprofen, Coxigon) can induce mild phototoxic immediate reactions of the skin after some hours of sun exposure and sometimes partial onycholysis. In Central Europe the incidence of this side-effect is about 3 and 1%, respectively. In clinical trials and after experimental high-dose UVA-irradiation (45-64 J/cm2) alpha short-lasting skin burning, already beginning during irradiation, and an erythema of up to 2 h duration could be observed after the ingestion of the recommended daily dose of 600 mg. Photosensitization of the skin can safely be inhibited by a UVA -irradiation absorbing sunscreen agent (Contralum ointment) and onycholysis by using an opaque nail varnish. After epicutaneous and intracutaneous application of benoxaprofen, photosensitization did not occur. The pathogenesis of this unusual phototoxic immediate reaction is unknown.


Ficusreligiosa Linn, (Moraceae), is a large evergreen or deciduous, irregularly shaped tree. Traditionally the leaves are used for the treatment of constipation, vomiting, hiccup, and others. Leaves were extracted by two methods; maceration and soxhelt using hexane and 80% aqueous methanol, then subjected to preliminary phytochemical examination, fractionation with chloroform, ethyl acetate, and n.butanol, then TLC. Soxhelt was the suitable extraction method. Sterols, alkaloids, saponins, tannins, and flavonoids were identified in leaves. TLC examination demonstrates the possible presence of stigmasterol, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, rutin, and luteolin or apigenin.


This study investigated the interactional patterns for shaping learner contributions in an EFL classroom with reference to Walsh's classroom interactional competence (CIC). In doing so, an EFL class at an English preparatory school in a Turkish state university was both videotaped and audiotaped in the course of six classroom hours. Conversation analytic methodology was adopted for the data analysis. The analysis revealed various interactional patterns in post-expansion sequences for shaping learner contributions both in the form-and-accuracy and meaning-and-fluency contexts. There was evidence in the data for repeating, translating, extending, clarifying, summarising, modelling and paraphrasing learner contributions. In addition, there were instances when the teacher used clarification requests and confirmation checks, asked elaboration questions and used the board to shape learner responses and, hence, to construct learning opportunities. As well as revealing parallel findings with those of Walsh's studies, differently from his findings, this study also uncovered that the teacher shapes learner contributions by translating them into L1/L2 and by using the board. It is also illustrated that the nature of these interactional features showed variation in different L2 classroom contexts. As a result, the findings have implications for teacher education which should encourage prospective teachers to improve their CIC.


Dielectric constants of crystal and amorphous phases in ferroelectric copolymers of vinylidene fluoride and trifluoroethylene are separated from the dielectric constant of samples including both phases by means of a two-phase model in which the depolarization field coefficient L=1/3 is assumed. Temperature dependence of the dielectric constant of the ferroelectric crystal is not much different from that of a sample with a high degree of crystallinity, which increases during heating up to a ferroelectric-paraelectric phase transition temperature. On the other hand, the dielectric constant of the amorphous phase decreases with increasing temperature after an abrupt increase at the glass transition temperature. Although the tendency to decrease is explained as a property of liquid obeying Frohlich-Kirkwood theory, the rate of the decrease becomes steep with increasing temperature and deviates from the theory.


Chronic Atrophic gastritis (CAG) is a histopathological entity characterized by chronic inflammation of the gastric mucosa with loss of gastric glandular cells and replacement by intestinaltype epithelium and fibrous tissue. Atrophy of the gastric mucosa is the endpoint of chronic processes, such as chronic gastritis associated with Helicobacter pylori infection. This study designed to determine the molecular role of NFkB signaling on Fas receptor mediated apoptosis in H.pylori associated CAG cases. Forty five patients suffering from CAG that proved via endoscopical and histopathological examination were eligible for this study. Males represent (73.33%) and the rest (26.67%) were females with a mean age of 39.26 years .twenty apparently healthy volunteers (10 male and 10 female) with the mean age 38 years and age range (23-58) years were enrolled as control group. Multiple mucosal biopsy specimens were taken from the inflamed area of gastric mucosa for rapid urease test other biopsy specimens were fixed with 10% buffered formalin for prepara on of paraffin embedded tissue blocks to prepare slides for histological examination using haematoxylineosin stain to evaluate the grades of Polymorphonuclear leukocytes(PMNs) and lymphocytes infiltration . Insitu hybridization technique (ISH) using biotinylated long DNA probe for human NF-KB Gene and for human FAS gene as well as H.pylori Cag A gene were used for detection of NF-KB and Fas mRNA and Cag A mRNA expression in tissue infiltrated lymphocytes and neutrophils as well as gastric epithelial cells and for detection of H.pylori Cag A. This study explained that there was a statistical significant positive linear relationship between lymphocytes grade and Fas mRNA expression in PMNs and gastric epithelial cells. PMN grade has significant positive linear relationship with each of the following markers: Tissue Fas mRNA expression. Tissue NFkB mRNA expression, lymphocytes NFkB mRNA expression, PMN NFkB mRNA expression, Cag A mRNA expression.  College of medicine \Diyala University 188 Lymphocytes Fas mRNA expression has significant positive linear relationship with PMN Fas mRNA expression and Cag A mRNA expression .PMN Fas mRNA expression has significant positive linear relationship with Cag A mRNA expression and negative linear relationship with tissue NFkB mRNA expression . Tissue Fas mRNA expression has significant positive linear relationship with tissue NFkB mRNA expression ; lymphocytes NFkB mRNA expression ; PMN NFkB mRNA expression ;Cag A mRNA expression . Tissue NFKB mRNA expression has significant positive linear relationship with lymphocytes NFkB mRNA expression; PMN NFkB mRNA expression. Lymphocytes NFkB mRNA expression has significant positive linear relationship with PMN NFkB mRNA expression. This study conclude that NFkB play a vital role in determination of immunopathological and inflammatory events of gastritis that leads finally to development of atrophic changes.


The paper describes investigations and use of a reconformable reflector. Implementation is discussed for millimetre and/or sub-millimetre wave antenna configurations. The perspectives of alleviating requirements for the high-accuracy main reflector, which can be very expensive, are of great interest. This is the case in particular for space applications, with stringent environmental constraints. Applications for radiometers, sounders or ground-based radio-telescopes are of interest. The technological implementation is based on a galvanic electroformed nickel shell as developed by Media-Lario, which permits deformation capabilities suitable for mm/sub-mm applications.


Hot smoking is among the oldest methods of preservation which mankind has used in food processing. Potential health hazards associated with smoked foods may be caused by carcinogenic components of wood smoke – mainly polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their derivatives. This paper presents results based on the determination of PAHs in smoked Lates niloticus from three markets in Gulu district, northern Uganda. The samples were analysed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The PAHs detected in the fish samples were acenaphthylene, fluorene, phenanthrene, anthracene, fluoranthene, pyrene, chrysene, benzo[b]fluoranthene and indeno [1,2,3-cd]pyrene. The analysed samples showed PAH levels ranging from non-detectable (n.d) levels to 53.23 µg/kg of smoked fish. High molecular weight (HMW) PAHs constituted 71.1% by mass of the total PAHs detected and quantified in the samples, with indeno [1,2,3-cd]pyrene and benzo[b]fluoranthene featuring substantially in 95.8% of all the samples analysed. However, seven of the nine (77.8%) compounds detected in the samples were low molecular weight (LMW) PAHs. The higher concentrations of HMW PAHs suggest that the fish could have been smoked using soft wood or smoked for longer time and, also, may be due to the resistance of these PAHs to environmental degradation. Generally most of the samples analysed had ∑BaPeq and ∑PAH4 levels within the maximum acceptable risk limits of 5 and 30 µg/kg respectively, as recommended by European Commission Regulations for muscle meat of smoked fish. Hence the fish could therefore be deemed fit for human consumption.

 Key words: Lates niloticus, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; smoked fish, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), toxic equivalency.


Relative ion-yield spectra for Rbn+ (n=1-4) and Srn+ (n=1-4) produced by photoionisation have been determined using a combination of a time-of-flight mass spectrometry and monochromatised synchrotron radiation crossed with an atomic beam. The measurement was made in the energy region from the vicinity of the 3d ionisation threshold to the higher-energy tail of the 3d- in f shape resonance: 110 to 280 eV for Rb and 130 to 280 eV for Sr. The main products in this energy region are triply charged ions for both Rb and Sr. A strong 3d shape resonance peak is observed in the yield curves of Rb2+, Rb3+ and Sr3+. The yield curve of Rb4+ has its onset around the lowest photoelectron shake-off (4d-15s-1) state. Although the multiply charged ions are produced mainly by stepwise autoionisation from the 3d hole states, 3d ionisation with simultaneous ionisation of another electron (i.e. the photoelectron shake-off process) is found to have considerable probability. The photoelectron shake-off probability for Rb is estimated from the present data to be about 0.2 in the higher-energy region of this experiment.


"Severe sepsis" is defined by organ dysfunction due to infection-induced hypoperfusion. "Septic shock" is defined by hypotension refractory to fluid resuscitation, associated with organ dysfunctions or hypoperfusion. Mortality from severe sepsis and from septic shock is high. Guidelines to help physicians improve the survival of patients with severe sepsis comprise one part of an international project called the Surviving Sepsis Campaign. They bring together treatment innovations based on monitoring aimed at ensuring comprehensive management of tissue oxygen levels (central venous oxygen saturation: SvcO2). They are based on the optimization of early treatment, during the first six hours of severe sepsis, and ensuring no delay in fluid resuscitation. In case of septic shock, fluid resuscitation must be rapidly accompanied by administration of vasoconstrictive catecholamines. Noradrenaline is preferred to dopamine. Dobutamine is recommended when the cardiac index is less than 2.5 L x min(-1) x m(-2). Because of the relative adrenal insufficiency that occurs during septic shock, corticoids are recommended, after a synacthen test. Activated protein C is currently the only therapy produced by biotechnology that reduces mortality from severe sepsis. Global management of septic shock must form an integral part of resuscitation guidelines and include protocols for, among other things, sedation, ventilation, strict glycemic control, and prophylaxis for deep vein thrombosis and stress ulcers.


There is a growing body of research on the topic of globalization, which seems to be a topic of broad-brush interest to scholars in a variety of fields, such as sociology, political science, ecology, international business, anthropology and communication. This paper focuses on the phenomenon of media globalization and examines a variety of theories that address multinational corporations with media properties. While there are many theories that address mass communication (Gerbner, Gross, Morgan, & Signorielli, 1986; Lazarsfeld, Cantril, & Stanton, 1939; McLuhan & Powers, 1989; Schramm, 1954), this paper highlights the need for new theories which specifically address media globalization and the unique aspects which convergence and new digital technologies offer to the media-user.


From our material exploration study in wide pressure and temperature conditions, we found a new 6H polymorph of BaRhO3 was stabilised under high pressure conditions from 14 to 22 GPa. The material crystallised in the monoclinic 6H hexagonal perovskite structure in space group C2/c. The 4H BaRhO3 polymorph was stabilised at lower pressures, but the 3C cubic BaRhO3 likely requires pressures greater than 22 GPa. Both 6H and 4H polymorphs contain Rh2O9 dimers and the large 4d Rh orbital spatial diffusivity in these dimers leads to Pauli paramagnetic and metallic ground states, which are also supported by first-principles electronic structure calculations. High Wilson ratios of approximately 2 for either compound indicate strong electron correlation.


Heat dissipation is a serious limitation for increasingly miniaturized and functionalized electronics, resulting in the continuous need for developing highly efficient cooling methods. Here, utilizing the strong van der Waals force between super-aligned carbon nanotubes (SACNTs), a self-supported three-dimensional (3D) CNT/CaCl2 radiator with a more outstanding cooling performance than Al cooling fins was designed. Unlike the soft CNT sponges, these 3D structures could sustain a high pressure of 4.5 MPa with a small compression of 10% and thus are defined as hard CNT sponges. Hard CNT sponges show a 44.3% higher cooling efficiency than commercial Al cooling fins at a humidity of 50% due to the massive latent heat of water combining with the high thermal conductivity of CNTs and the high emissivity of the composites. The self-adjusting moisture absorption-desorption process could dissipate heat by water evaporation when electronics work at high power and spontaneously absorb moisture to regenerate the sponges at the standby mode of electronics. Besides, hard CNT sponges possess a much lower density (0.98-1.70 g cm-3) than aluminum (2.7 g cm-3). This high-performance cooler provides an alternative thermal management method for electronics.


Introduction: Extravasation injury is defined as the damage caused by the accidental leakage of intravenous solution from a vessel into surrounding tissues. Extravasation damage ranges from painful intravenous sites to soft tissue necrosis and even nerve damage and tendon rupture. The incidence in hospitalized adults has been reported up to 39%; while up to 70% of newborns in neonatal intensive care units suffer an extravasation incident. Because of their location-the hand and foot--and because most extravasations occur at night (and therefore often go unnoticed for many hours), the consequences of such events can be both functionally and aesthetically devastating, in particular in pediatric patients. Despite their grave consequences, no surgical treatment guidelines have been published to date. Material: In this article, we aim to address the surgical challenges posed by this problem and present our treatment algorithm for patients who present with full thickness tissue necrosis following extravasation. Here we also describe our own experience using early aggressive debridement followed by tissue coverage with a dermal skin substitute (Integra) and a thin skin graft in an infant who suffered an extravasation injury of the dorsum of the hand. We were able to obtain adequate soft tissue coverage while preserving complete hand function. No complication was observed except for skin hyperpigmentation. Conclusion: It is our opinion that these patients should be treated as burn patients and undergo early aggressive surgical excision of involved areas to limit untoward sequelae.


The immunosuppressive state of tumour‐bearing hosts is attributable, at least in part, to myeloid‐derived suppressor cells (MDSC). However, the role of MDSC in physiological conditions and diseases other than cancer has not been addressed. As the liver is a tolerogenic organ, the present study attempted to localize and assess functions of hepatic MDSC in a normal liver and in a murine model of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. MDSC was identified in the liver of normal mice and HBV transgenic mice (TM) as CD11b+ Gr1+ cells by dual‐colour flow cytometry. Highly purified populations of MDSC and their subtypes were isolated by fluorescence‐activated cell sorting. The functions of MDSC and their subtypes were evaluated in allogenic mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)‐specific T cell proliferation assays. Normal mice‐derived liver MDSC, but not other myeloid cells (CD11b+ Gr1‐), suppressed T cell proliferation in allogenic MLR in a dose‐dependent manner. Alteration of T cell antigens and impaired interferon‐γ production seems to be related to MDSC‐induced immunosuppression. In HBV TM, the frequencies of liver MDSC were about twice those of normal mice liver (13·6 ± 3·2% versus 6·05 ± 1·21%, n = 5, P < 0·05). Liver‐derived MDSC from HBV TM also suppressed proliferative capacities of allogenic T cells and HBsAg‐specific lymphocytes. Liver MDSC may have a critical role in maintaining homeostasis during physiological conditions. As liver MDSC had immunosuppressive functions in HBV TM, they may be a target of immune therapy in chronic HBV infection.


There have been many reports concerning the intracellular binding sites of acridine orange (AO), although the actual localization of AO in living cells remains controversial. This study was undertaken to clarify the intracellular localization of AO in living mouse osteosarcoma cells by cytochemical staining. A mouse osteosarcoma cell line (MOS) was cultured and continuously exposed to 0.5 microgram/ml of AO. The intracellular localization and stainability of AO the living tumor cells was morphologically detected by a high resolution fluorescence microscope. To detect the intracellular microstructure, cytochemical staining with rhodamin 123 for mitochondria, acid phosphatase for lysosome, Sudan-black for fat vesicle and toluidine blue for glucosaminoglycan were performed using fixed cells. The results showed that both the nucleus and cytoplasm of tumor cells at 10 minutes after exposure to 0.5 microgram/ml of AO emitted green fluorescence, which was especially intense in the nucleolus, but not brilliant in the nucleus and was granular orange to red fluorescence in the perinuclear particles. This stainability of AO was different from that of rhodamin 123, Sudan-black or toluidine blue, but similar to that of acid phosphatase. Based on these results, we conclude that the green fluorescence may have derived from AO binding to double stranded RNA, not to DNA, and that orange fluorescence may have derived from aggregated AO binding to lysosome.


Kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa) is one of the most significant commercial crops in Iran. In 2015 a destructive disease of kiwifruits was observed in orchards, storage facilities and retail markets, resulting in great economic loss to producers. In this study phenotypic and molecular techniques were applied to characterize the causal agent of kiwifruit rot observed in Mazandaran province, northern Iran. From the similarity among the results of pathogenicity tests, equivalency with standard taxonomic criteria for disease and PCR-based analysis of the ITS region, all the isolates were identified as Botryosphaeria dothidea.


Being one of the most abundant proteins in human and other mammals, albumin plays a crucial role in transporting various endogenous and exogenous molecules and maintaining of colloid osmotic pressure of the blood. It is not only the passive but also the active participant of the pharmacokinetic and toxicokinetic processes possessing a number of enzymatic activities. A free thiol group of the albumin molecule determines the participation of the protein in redox reactions. Its activity is not limited to interaction with other molecules entering the blood: of great physiological importance is its interaction with the cells of blood, blood vessels and also outside the vascular bed. This entry contains data on the enzymatic, inflammatory and antioxidant properties of serum albumin.


Abstract Endovascular gastrointestinal anastomosis (Endo-GIA) staplers are widely used in various surgical procedures despite difficulties in operating them and associated mechanical failures. We present a case of a patient whose post-operative recovery was complicated by intraoperative Endo-GIA stapler failure, which is rarely reported in literature. Our report describes the behavior and consequences of surgical stapler failure so surgeons can anticipate challenges of newer surgical devices while maintaining optimal patient outcomes.


It is possible to develop an alternative housing finance instrument that matches the cash flow, and reduces the risks faced, by homeowners and pension funds. The instrument would also reduce the liquidity constraints faced by new and existing homeowners, and eliminate the cash flow tilt imposed by high inflation. Moral hazard and anti-selection risks are likely to restrict the market to employees of large institutions, but such an instrument would encourage a greater flow of funds from superannuation into housing. Other obstacles to its introduction can be overcome.


This paper presents narratives that focus on experiences of hope, told by 10 participants three to four years after suffering spinal cord injury. Experiences of hope are understood as vital, essential and dynamic aspects of human life and human health. This is the first study addressing patients' experiences of hope three to four years following spinal cord injury. This study has a descriptive, longitudinal design, and is part of a larger study on patients' experiences of hope three to four years following spinal cord injury (Lohne, 2001, 2006, 2008a, 2008b; Lohne & Severinsson, 2004a, 2004b, 2005, 2006). Data were collected at three points in time by personal interviews. A phenomenological approach inspired by Ricoeur (1976) was used to extract the meaningful content of the patients' experiences. Findings revealed three main themes: Life-related hopes (I), Body-related hopes (II), and Creative and expanding hopes (III). Results indicated that three to four years following injury, participants were focusing on life more than on hope due to improvements and adaptation to a new life.


Purpose
This study aims to conduct a systematic literature review to investigate the mental health problems during COVID-19 and the role of nutrition in minimizing mental and health-related issues during COVID-19.

Design/methodology/approach
A literature search was done electronically on April–May 2022 in the databases Google Scholar, PubMed and Cochrane Library, reviewing all the articles published in English. There were no limitations for the study (such as study design, region or any time frame). The quality assessment was done. The beginning database search picked out a total of 654 articles, 47 in PubMed, 575 in Google Scholar, 22 in Cochrane Library and 10 records from other sources. A total of 565 (duplicates found 89) were found after removing the duplicated articles, after reading the title and abstracts were further decreased to 88 full-text articles. These 88 studies went for full-text analysis, which excluded 56 studies and generated a final 32 articles for systemic analysis. The quality of the included study for the systematic review was assessed in two ways: one is evidence-based and another one on the JBI checklist.

Findings
People in social isolation and home quarantine suffer from severe anxiety, stress, depression, loneliness, anger and panic attack. During COVID-19, the vital role of diet and nutrients in mental health has been acknowledged and helps mitigate COVID-19 infection. Many studies showed stress and anxiety due to increased unhealthy eating and lifestyle practices.

Originality/value
This review will explain the interlink between diet and mental health because what we eat and think is interconnected with the gut–brain axis. The dietary elements and psychobiotic help in improving the immune system and psychological distress during the pandemic. This paper describes the role of different nutrients, psychobiotics and phytochemicals, to minimize mental and health issues during the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper also contains a balanced diet plan to withstand COVID-19.


The activity on human serum-chicken red blood cell (RBC) bioassays, which have been reported to measure an abnormal lipoprotein in the serum of some schizophrenics, is not associated with low-density serum lipoproteins upon serum fractionation, but is complement-dependent and can be eliminated from at least some samples by passage through antihuman IgM affinity chromatography columns. Sera with high bioassay activity can be produced by immunizing rabbits with chicken RBCs and there is a strong correlation between hemolysis and bioassay activity (lactate stimulation and tryptophan uptake). It is concluded that hemolysins present in human sera produce high scores on the bioassays. High bioassay activity was not correlated with the diagnosis of schizophrenia among psychiatric patients at the Minneapolis Veterans Administration Hospital.


Background Growing evidence supports that prostate cancer (PCa) is a metabolic syndrome-related cancer, but the evidence is lacking regarding the association between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and PCa. We aimed to investigate whether PCa is related with NAFLD in Korean adults. Methods Data from the National Health Insurance Corporation between 2009 and 2012 were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression method. NALFD was defined based on the fatty liver index (FLI) and hepatic steatosis index (HSI). Newly diagnosed PCa was identified using the claims data. Results NAFLD based on FLI and HSI was identified in 2,002,375 (19%) and 2,629,858 (25%) of 10,516,985 subjects, respectively. Each FLI ≥ 60 and HSI ≥ 36 was independently associated with the development of PCa after adjusting for other confounders (hazard ratio (HR) 1.09, 95% CI: 1.06–1.12 and HR 1.19, 95% CI: 1.16–1.23). The association was more prominent among those who were older (FLI, ≥ 65 years old and HSI, ≥ 40 years old), were not currently smoking, were presently consuming alcohol (< 30g/day) and had null components of metabolic syndrome than each counterpart. Non-obese persons with NAFLD defined by HSI had a higher risk of developing PCa than those with body mass index > 25 Kg/m2. Conclusions NAFLD defined by FLI or HSI may help identify high-risk individuals for developing PCa particular in the elderly, even in the absence of obesity or metabolic syndrome. Future studies on this topic should necessarily be repeated based on ultrasonographic findings.


Variation in post‐dispersal seed predation between mature forest and fallow swidden agriculture sites (young forest) was examined for 26 tree and liana species in Peruvian lowland tropical forest. Exclosures were also used to determine the relative importance of vertebrate and invertebrate seed predators. Although species differed significantly in levels of predation, predation of seeds exposed to vertebrates was high (>75%) for all species, while seed predation by invertebrates was lower and more variable. Seed and seedling predation by insects was significantly higher in mature forest, while seed predation by rodents was higher in fallow areas. Other sources of mortality (primarily desiccation) were higher for seeds in fallow areas. The percentage of seeds moved was significantly different among species but not between forests.


Purpose: To assess the diagnostic performance of multiparametric MRI (mpMRI), in the detection of prostate cancer in two different coil setting: endorectal coil (ERC) versus phased array coil alone (PAC).

Materials and Methods: The study included 302 out of 395 consecutive patients with PSA values between 2.5-4 ng/ml and an abnormal Digital Rectal Examination (DRE), or patients with PSA values between 4-10ng/ml, independently from DRE. Each patient provided informed consent to undergo at serum free/total PSA ratio (f/t PSA) assay, morphological MRI (mMRI), DWI, MRS, and Trans Rectal Ultrasonography (TRUS) biopsy. The MRI data sets were scored singularly and then mMRI, DWI and MRS data were combined in a single score (cMRI score). cMRI score was correlated to negative biopsies and Gleason score biopsies. ROC curve and McNemar tests were performed.

Results: cMRI score showed high value of sensitivity and NPV for both coil setting (84% and 93% respectively using ERC, 87% and 87% respectively using PAC). cMRI score using ERC did not show statistical superiority compared with cMRI score using PAC alone (p value at McNemar test > 0.05). A significant correlation was obtained comparing the cMRI score to the Gleason score for both coil conditions.

Conclusions: Pelvic phased array coil imaging of the prostate produces high quality images and the overall performance in prostate cancer detection is equal than those obtained with endorectal coil imaging.


Children and youth with medical complexity are a diverse group with uncommon diagnoses, a spectrum of needs and varying access to supports. Although this population represents a small proportion of all children, their unique needs lead to substantial use of healthcare services. With its first pan-Canadian report on children and youth with medical complexity, the Canadian Institute for Health Information examined how this population uses healthcare services. Key findings include the wide variation in the rate of medical complexity among children and youth across Canada. Children and youth with medical complexity were found to require a high proportion of hospital and emergency department care; however, their readmission rates were found to be lower than that of the general pediatric population.


In this work, we present a method to estimate the mass distribution of a rigid object through robotic interactions and tactile feedback. This is a challenging problem because of the complexity of physical dynamics modeling and the action dependencies across the model parameters. We propose a sequential estimation strategy combined with a set of robot action selection rules based on the analytical formulation of a discrete-time dynamics model. To evaluate the performance of our approach, we also manufactured re-configurable block objects that allow us to modify the object mass distribution while having access to the ground truth values. We compare our approach against multiple baselines and show that our approach can estimate the mass distribution with around 10% error, while the baselines have errors ranging from 18% to 68%.


This guide will assist students in Viticulture and Wine courses to locate appropriate information and resources for their coursework. Your Library holds many books and DVDs that will be useful for your research on Fitness.


Quality characteristics of ricotta manufactured with various levels of lemon and green tangerine (3%, 5%, and 7%, respectively) were examined. The pH was significantly lowered as the content of lemon and green mandarin increased (p<0.05). The lightness value of ricotta added with lemon did not differ according to the amount added, and the lightness value of ricotta added with green mandarine showed a significantly higher difference as the amount increased (p<0.05). In redness, G5 showed a significant difference compared to other treatments, yellowness, the increase of lemon and green mandarine increased. The moisture content increased with the addition of lemon and green mandarine, and the protein content of G5 was significantly lower than that of other treatments. The production yield tended to increase as the amount added increased were increased, and the viscosity increased as lemon and green mandarin oranges increased. In overall acceptability, G7 showed higher values than other treatments, and color properties showed similar values between L7 and G7. In the flavor, the treatments with green mandarine showed higher values than those with lemons. Therefore, it is judged that 5% of lemon and 7% of green tangerine produce similar results, and it is considered that it is suitable to add 5% of lemon and 7% of tangerine when preparing ricotta.


Open-flow respirometry was used to measure the magnitude of specific dynamic action (SDA), the maximum rate of oxygen consumption and the length of time that the rate of oxygen uptake remained elevated above pre-feeding level in MF1 female mice fed different macronutrient diets. Irrespective of diet, the metabolic rate increased immediately after feeding and reached a maximum within 1.7 hours. The composition of the diet significantly altered the magnitude of SDA. SDA was highest for high protein-fed mice (9.4%), followed by high carbohydrate-fed mice (6.1%) and lastly high and medium fat-fed mice (3.9% and 4.5%). KEY WORDS: Specific dynamic action, resting metabolic rate, macronutrient diets, open-flow respirometry, respiratory quotient, energy expenditure


SEASONAL DIFFERENCES IN DIET OF TWO PREDATORY FISHES IN RELATION TO REEF TYPE IN THE INSHORE NORTHERN GULF OF MEXICO by Brinton Thomas Barnes May 2014 Relationships of various structural features between reefs and their developing benthic and fish communities have an immense biological and ecological importance for reef restoration and rehabilitation. Therefore, objectives of this study were to establish how abundance (CPUE) and diet composition (%IRI) changes seasonally within Spotted Seatrout, Cynoscion nebulosus, and Sand Seatrout, Cynoscion arenarius, to view which trophic levels are interacting in relation to different reef type (high relief profile vs. low profile relief). A KruskalWallis one-way ANOVA was performed on non-normal abundance data and determined no significant differences for reef type and season for both piscivorous species. Both Cynoscion spp. had relatively similar mean ranked CPUE across reef type and season suggesting their transient ubiquitous distribution may be influenced by prey availability rather than reef profile. Diet composition was analyzed by a PERMANOVA, HMD, MDS, and SIMPER analysis. Between the main terms, only season was significant for both species while the interaction was only significant for Spotted Seatrout. Various fishes and crustaceans were the main prey taxa in both species suggest that both species are opportunistic foragers where gap limitations on available prey may be the ii only restriction on diet. Prey availability most likely was driven from seasonal changes within the Mississippi Sound and further studies must include prey density in relation to diet composition for each species.


The tumor suppressor, cylindromatosis (CYLD), is a negative regulator of NF-κB signaling by removing lysine 63-linked ubiquitin chains from multiple NF-κB signaling components, including TRAF2, TRAF6, and NEMO. How CYLD itself is regulated, however, remains yet to be characterized. In this study, we present the first evidence that UV irradiation is able to induce CYLD translocation from the cytoplasm to microtubules and that the cytoskeleton-associated CYLD is subject to posttranslational modification and degradation in a proteasome-independent manner. By immunostaining, we found that CYLD displayed microtubule-like filament localization under ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. Further studies revealed that the cytoskeleton-associated CYLD underwent posttranslational modification, which in turn contributed to CYLD degradation in an unknown manner, distinct from proteasome-mediated degradation under normal conditions. Collectively, our data suggest that UV-induced CYLD degradation might serve as an underlying mechanism for UV-induced NF-κB pathway activation.


BACKGROUND
The temporomandibular joint is one of the most complex anatomic structures. It takes a great role in masticatory system and helps to make possible some functions such as speaking, chewing and swallowing. Clinicians should have sufficient anatomical knowledge to assess relationships of the hard and soft tissues, including the mandibular condyle, glenoid fossa, articular eminence of the temporal bone, the articular disc and its attachments. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of different types of mandibular condyles and its distribution according to the age and gender. It was also evaluated whether the condyle types were bilaterally symmetrical or not.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
A total of 1315 digital panoramic images which obtained from the patients suffering from the dental problems were assessed. Demographic data, condylar morphology were noted. All obtained data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics. Morphology of mandibular condyles were classified into four shapes as identified in other studies, namely: Type I - Oval shape, Type II - Diamond shape, Type III - Bird beak shape, Type IV - Crooked finger shape. Two independent examiners, who have 19 and 7 years of experience in oral and dentomaxillofacial radiology, made a consensus and evaluated all images.

RESULTS
A total of 1315 digital panoramic images were assessed. 767[58.3%] of the patients were female and 548[41.6%] were male. The age range of patients was from 18 to 84 years. Right-left condyle types were found to be symmetrical in the range of 67% of the subpopulation examined in the study. For the consensus, 'oval' condyle was common on both the right and left, while 'crooked finger' condyle was the rarest.

CONCLUSIONS
The TMJ is the most important structure for all jaw functions such as speech, swallowing. In order for all these functions to continue in a healthy way, the anatomical structure should be known very well down to the finest detail. Identification of anatomical structures and their variations can play an important role in implant dentistry. Clinicians commonly prefer conventional radiologic methods to evaluate dentomaxillofacial region. Although the most of the variations are asymptomatic and require no treatment, correct identification of these findings will reduce unnecessary further diagnostic assessments and will provide more appropriate treatment plans.


Dye-doped jelly-like gelatin is a thick-layer self-developing photosensitive medium that allows single and multiplexed volume phase holograms to be successfully recorded using pulsed laser radiation. In this Letter, we present a method for multiplexed recording of volume holograms in a dye-doped jelly-like gelatin, which provides significant increase in their diffraction efficiency. The method is based on the recovery of the photobleached dye molecule concentration in the hologram recording zone of gel, thanks to molecule diffusion from other unexposed gel areas. As an example, an optical recording of a multiplexed hologram consisting of three superimposed Bragg gratings with mean values of the diffraction efficiency and angular selectivity of ∼75% and ∼21', respectively, is demonstrated by using the proposed method.


Dose-related abnormalities in renal function occurred in ten of 18 patients following administration of methoxyflurane (Penthrane) with the usual anesthetic adjuvants. Eight control patients anesthetized with halothane (Fluothane) showed no abnormalities in renal function. Subclinical toxicity occurred following methoxyflurane at minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) for 2.5 to 3 hours, that is 2.5 to 3 MAC hours (serum inorganic fluoride, >50 micromols/liter), while clinical toxicity was present in all patients at dosages greater than five MAC hours (serum inorganic fluoride, >90 micromols/liter). Superimposed on the dose-response relationship were other factors that probably increased nephrotoxicity. These were as follows: individual variations in metabolism of methoxyflurane; increased sensitivity to the nephrotoxic effects of inorganic fluoride; presence of enzyme induction; and interaction of methoxyflurane with other nephrotoxic drugs. The use of methoxyflurane in clinical anesthesia should be restricted to situations where it offers specific advantages and where dosages less than 2.5 MAC hours can be attained.


ABSTRACT Circadian clocks regulate the rhythmic expression of thousands of genes underlying the daily oscillations of biological functions. Here, we discuss recent findings showing that circadian clock rhythmic transcriptional outputs rely on additional mechanisms than just clock gene DNA binding, which may ultimately contribute to the plasticity of circadian transcriptional programs.


This paper investigates the effect of big-city life on individuals' well-being. Combining data on Italian municipalities' characteristics with individual-level survey data, I find that city size negatively affects subjective well-being. This association is not driven by omitted variable bias or by spatial sorting of citizens. Commute time accounts for most of the differences in subjective well-being among cities of different size. There is suggestive evidence that the negative effect of commuting on well-being is caused by reduced time availability for fostering personal relationships and engaging in leisure activities. This finding suggests that interventions reducing the amount of time people spend in an unpleasant state can spur agglomeration economies and their contribution to aggregate productivity and growth.


Results of molecular quantum electrodynamics calculations of discriminatory interactions between two chiral molecules undergoing resonance energy transfer, van der Waals dispersion, and optical binding are presented. A characteristic feature of the theory is that the radiation field is quantized with signals consequently propagating between centres at the speed of light. In order to correctly describe optically active chromophores, it is necessary to include magnetic as well as electric dipole coupling terms in the time-dependent perturbation theory computations. Recent work investigating the effect of an absorptive and dispersive chiral medium on the rate of migration of energy will also be discussed.


Background: Endocrine disruptors (EDs) are defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as exogenous compounds or mixtures that alter function(s) of the endocrine system and consequently cause adverse effects in an intact organism, or its progeny, or (sub)populations. European regulations on pesticides, biocides, cosmetics, and industrial chemicals require the European Commission to establish scientific criteria to define EDs. Objectives: We address the scientific relevance of four options for the identification of EDs proposed by the European Commission. Discussion: Option 1, which does not define EDs and leads to using interim criteria unrelated to the WHO definition of EDs, is not relevant. Options 2 and 3 rely on the WHO definition of EDs, which is widely accepted by the scientific community, with option 3 introducing additional categories based on the strength of evidence (suspected EDs and endocrine-active substances). Option 4 adds potency to the WHO definition, as a decision criterion. We argue that potency is dependent on the adverse effect considered and is scientifically ambiguous, and note that potency is not used as a criterion to define other particularly hazardous substances such as carcinogens and reproductive toxicants. The use of potency requires a context that goes beyond hazard identification and corresponds to risk characterization, in which potency (or, more relevantly, the dose–response function) is combined with exposure levels. Conclusions: There is scientific agreement regarding the adequacy of the WHO definition of EDs. The potency concept is not relevant to the identification of particularly serious hazards such as EDs. As is common practice for carcinogens, mutagens, and reproductive toxicants, a multi-level classification of ED based on the WHO definition, and not considering potency, would be relevant (corresponding to option 3 proposed by the European Commission). Citation: Slama R, Bourguignon JP, Demeneix B, Ivell R, Panzica G, Kortenkamp A, Zoeller RT. 2016. Scientific issues relevant to setting regulatory criteria to identify endocrine disrupting substances in the European Union. Environ Health Perspect 124:1497–1503; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/EHP217


For content recommender systems such as TikTok and YouTube, the platform's decision algorithm shapes the incentives of content producers, including how much effort the content producers invest in the quality of their content. Many platforms employ online learning, which creates intertemporal incentives, since content produced today affects recommendations of future content. In this paper, we study the incentives arising from online learning, analyzing the quality of content produced at a Nash equilibrium. We show that classical online learning algorithms, such as Hedge and EXP3, unfortunately incentivize producers to create low-quality content. In particular, the quality of content is upper bounded in terms of the learning rate and approaches zero for typical learning rate schedules. Motivated by this negative result, we design a different learning algorithm -- based on punishing producers who create low-quality content -- that correctly incentivizes producers to create high-quality content. At a conceptual level, our work illustrates the unintended impact that a platform's learning algorithm can have on content quality and opens the door towards designing platform learning algorithms that incentivize the creation of high-quality content.


This article provides a quick history of sexual-harassment law and looks at the appellate-court opinions that came before the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in a same-sex sexual-harassment case. That latter decision has given rise to the relatively novel equal-opportunity-harasser defense, whereby harassing conduct directed at both men and women, no matter how outrageous, may not be unlawful at all. The reason is that the Supreme Court previously established that sexual harassment must be "because of sex," and failure to prove that gender-related component will automatically disqualify claims for quid pro quo or hostile-work-environment sexual harassment, as indicated by the court decisions outlined in this article. The preferred remedy to the equal-opportunity-harasser defense is to make unwelcome workplace sexual conduct per se unlawful.


We have investigated several physicochemical properties of Escherichia coli DNA-dependent RNa polymerase, its constituent subunits alpha, beta, beta', and sigma, and the subassembly alpha 2 beta. These included ultraviolet (UV) absorption, isoelectric points, sulfhydryl content, extinction coefficients, and circular dichroism (CD). Among the most notable results is the observation, based on CD measurements, that the sigma subunit, free and combined in holoenzyme, is a highly structured protein with approximately 75% of its residues folded in alpha-helical conformation and little or no detectable beta sheet. No secondary structure changes in either sigma or core accompany formation of holoenzyme. In contrast to the conformational independence of the subunits in assembly of holoenzyme, the protein and its components exhibit conformational flexibility as glycerol concentration is varied and in their interaction with DNA. The effect of glycerol on the conformation of sigma, core, and holoenzyme was monitored by circular dichroism measurements. In the far-ultraviolet, the residue ellipticity at 220 nm ([theta]220) increased approximately 15% from 0 to 10% glycerol for both core and holoenzyme. In the near-ultraviolet, the residue ellipticity at a peak near 280 nm also varied with glycerol concentration, decreasing in intensity by about 50% with holoenzyme, when glycerol was raised from 5 to 10%, then increasing at still higher glycerol contents. Electrophoretic and molecular sieve anaysis showed core and sigma to have greater affinity for each other in 50% glycerol than in 10% glycerol. The presence of 10% glycerol in the assay buffer increased the activity of the enzyme. The effect of various DNA templates on the conformations of core, holoenzyme, alpha 2 beta subassembly, and beta' subunit was also monitored by far-ultraviolet circular dichroism. All the protein samples showed between 10 and 20% decrease in secondary structure upon the addition of the DNA.


Background and aims: Effective nutrients management under various farming techniques is critical for improving maize productivity and ensuring the long-term protection of water-saving agriculture under semi-arid regions. However, the impacts have not been well documented in determining the features of soil greenhouse gas intensity (GHGI) emissions and the driving factors of nutrients fertilization is important for optimizing crop-land nutrients management under various farming techniques.Methods: The nutrients with farming techniques strategies were investigated under water-saving agriculture of maize during 2019-20 years, using the following nine treatments: BF: ridges covered with biodegradable film; CF: soil crust ridges; TF: conventional flat planting; 0: N:P at 0:0 kg ha-1, 1: N:P at 120:60 kg ha-1, 2: N:P at 280:140 kg ha-1. Results: Our results showed that the nutrients fertilization with various cultivation strategies had a significant influence on the GHG emissions. The BF2 treatment considerably increase soil water storage, soil respiration rate as a result of decreased ET rate and GHG emissions compared with the other treatments. The BF1 treatment significantly mitigated GWP, CH4, N2O, and CO2 emissions, changes in CH4, N2O, and CO2 cumulative emissions. The GHGI differently responded to nutrients with farming techniques strategies. Under the BF2 improved (25.0%) the average net GWP than that of TF2, but reduced GHGI, due to improved (18.5%) biomass productivity. The BF2 and BF1 farming methods results in greater N2O, CO2 emissions, GWP, and changes in cumulative CH4, N2O, and CO2 emissions, as a result, have an adverse effect on the soil than that of CF and TF treatments. Conclusions: However, obtained the higher area-scaled GWP (42.1%), WUEg (96.7%), WUEb (65.4%), and (41.1%) grain yield under the BF2 which may offset the negative environmental effects linked with climate change. Thus, it is recommended to use the BF2 treatment in water-saving agriculture under semi-arid regions for cleaner and more efficient maize production.


In this paper, a humanoid robot is simulated and implemented to walk up a staircase using the blending polynomial and genetic algorithm. Using recently developed kinematics for a biped robot, four schemes for walking up a staircase are newly proposed and simulated separately. For the two schemes of landing a swaying leg on the upper stair, the joint trajectories of seven motors are particularly optimized to generate an energy-minimal motion with the guarantee of walking stability. The proposed scheme of walking upstair is validated by an experiment with a small humanoid robot.


The issues of quality of service (QoS) in IP-based NGN (next generation network) are of the greatest importance today. Introduction of QoS framework for the NGN would help operators to foster its networks from current intradomain QoS to the global QoS assurance. The DiffServ architecture is expected to become a key QoS assurance technique for the NGN at different levels. The paper proposes DiffServ domains hierarchy principle that can be employed for the public packet-switched network (PPSN) QoS assurance across multiple domains, and the QoS plane framework that represents an overlay graph of the interdomain QoS


ABSTRACT MarvelD3, a recently identified tight junction membrane protein, could be associated with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We aimed to investigate the role of marvelD3 in Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) and migration of HCC and explore the underlying molecular mechanisms. First, we assessed marvlD3 expression in HCC and normal liver tissues and found loss of marvelD3 expression was significantly correlated with the occurrence and TNM stage of HCC. Second, we detected that marvelD3 was downregulated in HCC cells with transforming growth factor β1 and snail/slug-induced EMT. Finally, we analyzed expression of marvelD3 protein was significantly associated with EMT and the NF-κB signaling pathway. Our study demonstrated that MarvelD3 inhibited EMT and migration of HCC cells along with inhibiting NF-κB signaling pathway. Abbreviations: HCC, Hepatocellular carcinoma; TJ, Tight junction; MARVEL, MAL and related proteins for vesicle trafficking and membrane link; EMT, Epithelial–mesenchymal transition; NF-κB, Nuclear factor kappa B; TAMPs, Tight junction-associated marvel proteins; TGF-β1, Transforming growth factor-β1; MMP9, matrix metallopeptidase 9; RT-PCR, Real-time PCR; IHC, Immunohistochemistry; IF, Immunofluorescence.


The standard property trilogy of private, commons, and state has become so outdated that it now impedes imagination and innovation at the frontiers of ownership. This essay suggests two approaches - creating new ideal types and synthesizing existing ones - that may help update our static property metaphors. Using these dynamic approaches to property analytics, legal theory can move beyond polarizing oppositions that have made jurisprudential debates unsolvable and rendered concrete problems invisible.


Analyses language modeling in spoken dialogue systems for accessing a database. The use of several language models obtained by exploiting dialogue predictions gives better results than the use of a single model for the whole dialogue interaction. For this reason, several models have been created, each one for a specific system question, such as the request for or the confirmation of a parameter. The use of dialogue-dependent language models increases the performance both at the recognition level and at the understanding level, especially on answers to system requests. Moreover, using other methods to increase the performance, like the automatic clustering of vocabulary words or the use of better acoustic models during recognition, does not affect the improvements given by dialogue-dependent language models. The system used in our experiments is Dialogos, the Italian spoken dialogue system used for accessing railway timetable information over the telephone. The experiments were carried out on a large corpus of dialogues collected using Dialogos.


The aims of this research is to find the effect of guided inquiry learning model on learning outcomes physics eighth grade students of SMP N 4 Metro semester of academic year 2013/2014. The sample was VIIID as VIIIF as a control class and experimental class were selected by cluster random sampling. The study design used was Posttest - Only Control  Design and researchinstruments in the form of sheets of observations and questions .  Technical analysis of the data use normality test, homogeneity ,  test the similarity of two average ,  and two different test average. The results showed  that the  improvement of learning outcomes learning physics class experiments using guided inquiry learning model is higher than the control class students. From the calculation, the value of t =  2.18 is higher than the value table = 2.02 at significance level α = 5%. Therefore, it can  concluded that the model of guided inquiry learning effect on learning outcomes physics eighth grade students of SMP N 4 Metro semester of academic year 2013/2014. The success of learning during the learning process using guided inquiry model of learning because students can more freely in finding the concept it self and can connect between the knowledge possessed by the results they found in the experiments, so that influenced on learning outcomes.


The behaviour of hybrid sol-gel coatings doped with hydrotalcite-like compound applied on AA2024-T3 alloy was investigated in the present work. The hybrid sol-gel coatings were prepared by copolymerization of 3-Glycydoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GPTMS) and tetra-n-propoxyzirconium (TPOZ). Three different surface finishing on the aluminium alloy AA-2024-T3, grounded, chemical etching and degreased were studied. A sol-gel film with hydrotalcite 5% w/w was deposited by dip coating procedure. The presence of hydrotalcite particles was confirmed by means of X-ray diffraction technique. The different surface morphologies were characterised using mechanical profilometry. The corrosion resistance properties were studied by means of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and salt fog spray cabinet. The results show higher barrier properties in grounded aluminium substrates.


In fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) of lymph nodes, differential diagnosis between reactive lymphoid hyperplasia (RLH) and low grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) may be sometimes difficult. Cytophotometric analysis of DNA content using image analysis has found practical application in the determination of malignancy in different tumours. In this study, image cytometry was applied to compare the ploidy status of the above mentioned lesions to obtain diagnostically helpful information. Thirty smears of histologically proven low grade NHL (10 follicular lymphomas of centroblastic-centrocytic type, 10 lympho-plasmocytoid immunocytomas, 10 chronic lymphocytic leukemias) and 15 smears of RLH were stained with Feulgen and examined by image analysis (CAS 200, Becton Dickinson). The 5c exceeding rate was determined according to the Boecking's definition of aneuploidy. Concerning the histogram types the Auer classification was used. The aneuploidy was found in 4/10 follicular lymphomas and 4/10 lymphoplasmocytoid immunocytomas. All chronic lymphocytic leukemias were diploid. In none RLH a 5c exceeding rate was found. The results verify the value of image cytophotometry as a helpful method in some diagnostically difficult cases.


Author(s): Ahrendt, Steven | Advisor(s): Stajich, Jason E | Abstract: Species belonging to the basal fungal lineages (Blastocladiomycota, Chytridiomycota, Cryptomycota, and Neocallimastigomycota) reproduce via motile zoospores and are found in both aquatic and terrestrial environments. These organisms, colloquially referred to as "chytrids", are traditionally understudied, despite being active decomposers, parasites, a nd symbionts with other organisms in the ecosystem. This dissertation research uses a comparative genomics approach to answer questions about these fungi and their interactions with their environment and other fungi. Chapters 2 and 3 examine the details of putative rhodopsin-mediated photoreception in basal lineages using structural mechanics and genome-wide gain-loss analyses. Chapter 4 provides a transcriptome analysis of one member of the genus Coelomomyces, the only known entomopathic chytrid genus. Chapter 5 describes surprising observations regarding competitive and inhibitory behavior in one member of the Chytridiomycota. Finally, Appendix A briefly looks at gain-loss analysis of molecular aspects of the evolutionary transition from aquatic motile single cells to terrestrial multicellullar organisms.


BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) is a monogenic cerebral small vessel disease. The role of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in CADASIL remains elusive. The present study aims to investigate the prevalence, characteristics, and risk factors for ICH in CADASIL.

METHODS
This retrospective cross-sectional study investigated ICH and cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) in brain susceptibility-weighted imaging or T2*-weighted gradient-recalled echo images of 127 Taiwanese patients with genetically confirmed CADASIL. We analyzed CMBs, lacunes, white matter hyperintensity, and perivascular space. The total small vessel disease score (range, 0-4) was calculated to estimate the overall magnetic resonance imaging burden of small vessel disease. Multivariate regression analysis was performed to identify factors related to ICH lesions in CADASIL.

RESULTS
Thirty-seven ICH lesions, including 15 symptomatic and 22 asymptomatic lesions, were found in 27 (21.3% [95% CI, 14.0%-30.9%]) of the 127 patients with CADASIL. The thalamus and lobar regions were the most common ICH locations, and 72.7% of the lobar hemorrhages occurred silently. Patients with CADASIL with ICH lesions more often had hypertension and a higher total small vessel disease score than those without ICH (odds ratio [95% CI]: 3.22 [1.25-8.30] and 3.79 [1.51-9.51]). The presence of CMBs in the brain stem and a total CMB count >10 were independently associated with ICH lesions in patients with CADASIL, with odds ratio (95% CI) of 5.82 (1.80-18.80) and 3.83 (1.08-13.67), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS
ICH is an underestimated but important manifestation of CADASIL. The location and number of CMBs are associated with the presence of ICH lesions in patients with CADASIL.


Pavement macrotexture is typically reported as mean profile depth over a standard base length. Recently, a new measurement method based on photometric stereo system was introduced. The method requires a minimum of three images of the surface that are illuminated from different directions and isolated from ambient lighting. The variation in intensity of the lighting is used to recover the 3D pavement surface. This paper discusses applications of the photometric stereo system as a new non-contact texture measurement method. The 3D pavement surface is analyzed in space and frequency domains. In frequency domain, the power spectrum energy which reflects the wavelength content of the surface model is introduced as an indicator of surface evenness. The relationship between friction and the 3D texture indicators is examined. The research shows that the texture indicators computed from the recovered surface provide new substantial information on the quality and condition of the riding surface.


Non-contact vital sensing using a Doppler sensor enables us to remotely measure vital signs such as respirations and heartbeats. In addition to such vital signs, the direction of arrival (DOA) of the multiple persons or animals is of our interest. For example, if a robot can detect DOAs of multiple living bodies, the robot is capable of tracing the living bodies, or discover them under disaster fields. ESPRIT is a well-known super-resolution DOA estimation method. However, it is also well-known that its performance is limited by the number of antennas and the coherence of the multiple incoming signals. This paper proposes to use a parameter estimation method so-called ARS, as a preprocessing of ESPRIT to overcome the above-mentioned impairments. The performance of the proposed method is verified through computer simulations.


Abstract Background North Carolina bears a high burden of HIV and was ranked number 8 for the number of new infections in 2015. In 2014, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published updated practice guidelines recommending the use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) with daily oral dosing of tenofovir/emtricitabine to help prevent HIV infection in high-risk individuals. However, the use of PrEP in the primary care setting remains low and 1 in three primary care physicians is not aware of PrEP. The objective of our study was to evaluate PrEP knowledge among primary care resident physicians. Methods 149 resident physicians were surveyed at East Carolina University from the following specialties; Internal Medicine, Medicine-Pediatrics, Obstetrics Gynecology and Family Medicine. We collected participants' age, biological sex, current residency program, and current year within the residency program. Results Sixty out 149 residents completed the online survey. 20% of residents had never heard of PrEP. 17% of residents did not feel comfortable discussing sexual preferences with their patients. 15% of residents thought prescribing would increase risky sexual behaviors and 12% would not prescribe PrEP to patients with multiple sexual partners. Only 3% of residents identified potential side effects of PrEP (e.g., an increase in creatinine levels or decrease in mineral bone density) as a reason to not prescribe PrEP. One resident had ever prescribed PrEP. 83% of residents wanted more information on PrEP and 95% of residents would be willing to prescribe PrEP if educational workshops were offered. Conclusion PrEP is an underutilized tool among resident physicians in Eastern, NC. We identified lack of knowledge of PrEP and concern for increased risky sexual behaviors as barriers to prescribing. Resident physicians require more education on PrEP in order to prescribe it to their patients. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.


The objective of this research was to gain insight into consumers>> attitudes towards genetic modification in food production. With means-end chain theory as the theoretical basis, laddering interviews were conducted with 400 consumers in Denmark, Germany, the United Kingdom and Italy. Perceived risks and benefits of genetic modification in foods were investigated using beer and yoghurt as examples. German and Danish responses revealed more complex cognitive structures than did the results from the United Kingdom and Italy. In all four countries, however, applying genetic modification was associated with unnaturalness and low trustworthiness of the resulting products, independently of whether the genetically modified material was traceable in the product. Moral considerations were voiced as well, as were a number of other consequences that were perceived to conflict with both individual and social values.


There has been growing menace of antibiotic resistance in recent past owing to a number of reasons such as self medication and non-compliance on parts of patients with regard to complete dosage regimen. Medicinal chemists are hard pressed to bring about new molecules to cater to this need. 1,3-pyrimidine derivatives have been explored by a number of scientists worldwide and such these derivatives have emerged potential lead molecules for development of newer antimicrobial moieties. The present work reports the syntheses and evaluation of some 2-(6'-fluorobenzothiazol-2'-ylamino)-4,6-(disubstituted thiouriedo) -1,3-pyrimidine derivatives. Some of the synthesized derivatives showed excellent activity against Gram +ve bacteria Staphyllococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, and Gram -ve bacteria Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The contents of this book must make an excellent read for those interested in antibiotic research and allied interests.


[About the book]
The editors and contributors to this collection explore what it means to adopt an "academic literacies" approach in policy and pedagogy. Transformative practice is illustrated through case studies and critical commentaries from teacher-researchers working in a range of higher education contexts—from undergraduate to postgraduate levels, across disciplines, and spanning geopolitical regions including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Cataluna, Finland, France, Ireland, Portugal, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Key questions addressed include: How can a wider range of semiotic resources and technologies fruitfully serve academic meaning and knowledge making? What kinds of writing spaces do we need and how can these be facilitated? How can theory and practice from "Academic Literacies" be used to open up debate about writing pedagogy at institutional and policy levels?


The part played by calcium in genesis of essential hypertension may be suspected. Yet, the whole of epidemiological research as well in the animal as in man is still not very convincing. The objective of such a research has been to appreciate the calcium intestinal absorption before and after nicardipine treatment in 11 subjects (5 M/6 F) aged between 32 and 82. The group is made up of 7 hypertensive patients (2 M/5 F) and 4 normotensive ones (3 M/1 F). Subjects showing bone disease, kidney insufficiency and stone in kidneys or under such a treatment as to interfere with calcium metabolism had been excluded. Dosage of calcium and phosphate, Na, K, aldosterone, in blood and urine and PTH and PRA in blood had been effectuated. Estimation of true calcium absorption has been made by double isotope deconvolution method. Blood pressure has been measured by semi-ambulatory monitoring method. Similar evaluation has been made after four weeks treatment (60 mg of nicardipine a day). Without any treatment, normotensive subjects have a lower intestinal absorption coefficient than the hypertensive ones, which is normal (non significative statistical results: NS). Under nicardipine, hypertensive patients seem to get lower intestinal absorption (NS); other clinical, biological parameters show no change, except a rise of apoprotein A after nicardipine treatment (P less than or equal to 0.05). So, the intestinal absorption of calcium would become higher in hypertensive subjects and diminished by calcium antagonist treatment.


ypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) is a dimeric transcriptional complex composed of HIF-1 (cid:1) and HIF-1 (cid:2) subunits that has been recognized primarily for its role in the maintenance of oxygen and energy homoeosta-sis. 1–3 Although the HIF-1 (cid:2) subunit is constitutively expressed, the expression and function of HIF-1 (cid:1) are precisely regulated by cellular oxygen concentrations. 1–3 Under conditions of normoxia HIF-1 (cid:1) is rapidly degraded by the 26S proteasome and nonfunc-tional whereas HIF-1 (cid:1) accumulates instantaneously under hypoxic conditions. 3–5 HIF-1 represents a highly important redox-sensitive transcription factor that regulates the expression of numerous genes under pathological conditions including: heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), VEGF, glycolytic enzymes, glucose transporters, erythropoietin, and insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF-2). 4,5 All of these genes encode proteins that are prosurvival in nature and can result in cytoprotection. Because the HIF-1 (cid:1) subunit is highly sensitive to oxygen and is degraded by the proteasome after prolyl-hydroxylation and ubiquitination in normoxic cells, attempts have been made to enhance the expression of HIF-1 (cid:1) as a means to protect cells against ischemic injury. Previous studies have demonstrated that stable expression or activation of HIF-1 (cid:1) can protect isolated cardiac myocytes 6 and isolated hearts 7 against ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. Additionally, it has been previously reported that inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is regulated under conditions of hypoxia by HIF-1 in cardiac myocytes. 8 In the


This paper continues the Guest Essay theme on the positive contribution that experiences in gardens and nature can make to people. It draws on her own and others' personal experiences, particularly in Chicago Botanic Garden, to demonstrate that time spent in a garden, whether as a casual visitor or as a participant in specialised horticulture therapy and education programmes, can improve mental health and physical well-being and that this is to the benefit of individuals and society as a whole. The paper finishes with a comment on the value of the scientific work carried out by botanic gardens and how this also contributes positively to mental health by empowering people to do something constructive about the ecological challenges facing society.


Periodontal diseases are chronic, multifactorial inflammatory diseases that affect more than 10% of the world population. There are two general forms of periodontal diseases including gingivitis (reversible inflammation and confined with gingiva form) and periodontitis (irreversible, destruction form). Several studies have reported that periodontal disease was associated with a decreased antioxidant capacity and elevated oxidative damage within the oral cavity. Glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) is an important enzymatic antioxidant that protects periodontal tissues against oxidative stress. Hitherto, there is contradictory evidence concerning the relationship between the levels of GSH-Px and the periodontal status. Various studies have demonstrated that GSH-Px levels in different biological fluids increased, decreased, or are unaltered in individuals with periodontal disease. This discrepancy might be explained either by different determination protocols/assays applied among the studies or various dynamic processes of the periodontal disease progression. In this section, GSH-Px levels are summarized in the periodontal health and disease including the presence and absence of systemic disease, medication, wound healing, and smoking.


Surgery is the treatment of choice in angle closure glaucoma. Exceptions to this rule are rare. Peripheral iridectomy is the operation in reversible forms: asymptomatic forms, drug normalized attacks without anatomic alterations of the anterior segment, and when both eyes have the same biometry. Trabeculectomy is the treatment of all irreversible forms: attacks that are not controlled even with intensive medical management and subacute forms that progress to chronic angle closure glaucoma. Indication for combined cataract-trabeculectomy surgery are discussed in the text.


The future of technology in education is uncharted territory. Apart from the National Technology Statement ('Technology for Australian Schools,' 1992) there is no clear structuring, indicating the desired direction of computer technology within the education system. Yet at this very moment, many educators such as myself are implementing technology and computer education throughout the school curriculum. Educators should aim to encourage the application of technology, develop and understand the principles of technology, and explore the consequences of applying technology to different situations, thus treating technology not only as a process, but as a tool. Teachers in Australia are currently in a state of transition towards a more technologically focussed syllabus. It is here that teachers of the Graphics, Art, Film and Television, Drama and Design Education discipline are experiencing difficulties. There is much uncertainty regarding the introduction of computer-aided design drafting into their subject area. Despite the hesitancy, it should be acknowledged that computers and CAD with respective graphical software have an important role to play in supporting the curriculum.


We measured CO2, CH4, and N2O gas fluxes from a pool of ultra-basic water discharging from serpentinized rock in Winterhouse Canyon, Gros Morne, Newfoundland. The flux of CH4 released and CO2 sequestered were calculated to be 4.6 × 10−7 and 1.9 × 10−5 mol/(m2·min), respectively, whereas N2O concentrations showed little change. The net radiative forcing owing to the changing concentrations of CO2 and CH4 during the sampling period was –0.21, suggesting that the ultra-basic pool in Winterhouse Canyon has a net cooling effect on the atmosphere. Similarly, the net global warming potential over a time horizon of 100 years was –7, also suggesting a small cooling of the atmosphere. Overall this study was the first to consider the impact of CO2 sequestration and CH4 emissions from an ultra-basic pool above serpentinized rock and demonstrated the need for more research on the net global impacts of serpentinization.


Various methods for measuring the success of conservation actions and for evaluating aquatic habitats are outlined, based on quantifi ed dragonfl y monitoring. Th ey are discussed with respect to their practicability and information value, counts of adult males and especially of exuviae yielding the most valuable results. Th ese are presented by actual examples of mire ponds, streams, ditches and rivers from central Europe, making allowance for the dynamics of the habitats and their dragonfl y community. Records of detailed data, if repeated subsequently at the same localities with the same methods, are considered a useful basis for preparation of distribution maps and for comparison of the fauna over the time. Fauna shifts in horizontal and vertical distribution over the time should be judged critically with respect to climate change as they could also be caused by anthropogenic habitat changes.


Simonton (2006) makes the unwarranted assumption that nonmonotonicity supports a Darwinian view of creativity. Darwin's theory of natural selection was motivated by a paradox that has no equivalent in creative thought: the paradox of how change accumulates when acquired traits are not inherited. To describe a process of cumulative change in which acquired traits are retained is outside of the scope of the theory of natural selection. Even the early evolution of life itself (prior to genetically mediated template replication) cannot be described by natural selection. Specifically, natural selection cannot describe change of state that involves horizontal (Lamarckian) exchange, or occurs through interaction with an incompletely specified context. It cannot describe change wherein variants are evaluated sequentially, and wherein this evaluation can itself change the state space and/or fitness function, because no two variants are ever evaluated according to the same selection criterion. Concerns are also raised as to the methodology used in Simonton's study.


Next-Generation Networks (NGNs) will support Quality of Service (QoS) for multimedia traffic over an IP-based infrastructure. A scalable solution to provide also stringent guarantees is required. DiffServ architecture can offer different levels of service at low complexity, but it is not basically able to efficiently provide end-to-end absolute QoS for real-time traffic. Many research activities have addressed this issue, proposing either an absolute or a relative approach. While the former is complicated to implement in the global Internet, the latter is simpler and can be easily realized without arising scalability concerns because exploiting the Proportional Differentiation Model (PDM), in which the performance distance between classes is proportional to quality differentiation parameters that Network Service Provider (NSP) can configure. This work aims to achieve absolute delay guarantees relying on a PDM that can be easily deployed in DiffServ architecture using a proportional scheduler, like Advanced Waiting Time Priority (AWTP). The key idea is to enhance the end-to-end delay differentiation provided by PDM, with a run-time class adaptation, which dynamically assigns the service class to critical traffic in order to fulfil its end-to-end delay requirements. Simulation results have been collected to analyse the trade-off between the fast reaction to load changes and the system stability with different measurement processes, employed to decide for a class promotion or downgrade. The validity and good performance of our proposal have been demonstrated over various scenarios also in the critical case of network congestion.