Dr. J. B. Sissons' recent paper on this subject argues, mainly on theoretical grounds, that in the Forth area the so-called 100-FT Beach (broadly the various deposits and features now classed as High Raised Beach on Geological Survey Maps) will, on analysis, prove to be composed of small areas of many beaches formed at successive periods of time and at widely differing levels but each brought to a common level by differential isostatic uplift. The proposition that the High Raised Beach has resulted from a fairly well-defined phase of high sea-levels during any one episode of which sea-level was approximately the same over the whole Forth area is dismissed. It is claimed that after a beach was formed the process of raising it must have been differential, the amount of uplift increasing towards the west; consequently in the Forth area an early ' single-episode' beach should now slope down very markedly from west to east; later beaches would be appreciably tilted but less markedly so than earlier ones. Among the many implications of the theory is the critical one that a low raised beach, e.g. one at 10 ft. (hypothetical) in the east Firth of Forth area, may be the time-equivalent of the High Raised Beach of Stirling, while an intermediate beach, e.g. one at 70 ft. (hypothetical) in the middle Firth of Forth area, may be the time-equivalent of both. Conclusions such as this are so out of harmony with recent stratigraphical work on raised beaches in the Forth


Much work on probabilistic evidential reasoning for crime investigation employs probabilities that express subjective expert beliefs. This use of subjective probabilities is inevitable for several reasons, including lack of data, non-specificity of phenomena and fuzziness of concepts in this domain. Numerous representation formalisms and corresponding inference mechanisms have been developed to capture and reason with the intrinsic vagueness in subjective probabilities. In the literature, these schemes are largely presented as though they are diametrically opposed to one another. This paper critically examines what aspects of vagueness are captured by these different approaches. It demonstrates that they are concerned with different aspects of vagueness. This leads to a proposal of a method to combine the different approaches.


Administrating Epi-ADR (Epiadriamycin) to the patients for whom ADR was cardiologically contraindicated did not cause significant complications. No complications occurred in the patients treated with Epiadriamycin, after they had completed a full course of maximal dose of ADR. The trial was conducted in close cooperation with a cardiological intensive care unit which is an essential arrangement in such clinical situation, until the optimal therapeutical method of administrating Epi-ADR is defined with special attention devoted to its critical dose.


Q. Edward Wang's unparalleled four-volume survey of historiography examines the nature and significance of history writing from ancient worlds to the present day. Taking a global approach, it presents and contextualizes classic works that portray the traditions of historical writing around the world. The collection also incorporates key essays and articles from the eighteenth century to the present that analyze the continuities and transformations that have existed and taken place within those traditions.
 Edited by a world-renowned, leading scholar in the field, the four volumes cover the ancient and medieval eras, the Renaissance period through to the 18th century, the rise of the Rankean school and 'scientific history' in the West, and new developments in worldwide historiography from the 1990s to the present day. As well as substantial contextualizing editor introductions for each volume, there are 60 individual essays and extracts included across the set, with notions of time, antiquarianism, the Annales School and postcolonialism all key topics at the heart of this vital collection.
 This is an essential resource for all scholars interested in historiography and the development of history as a discipline.


Present industrial practice in submerged fermentations of the aerobic type requires the dispersion of large quantities of air, and the dissipation of large amounts of electrical energy in motor-driven agitators. Most fermentation media foam vigorously under these conditions, and require the addition of some type of antifoam agent or the use of special mechanical foambreaking equipment to confine the foam to the fermentor. Equipment of this type has been described by Edwards (1946), Gordon and Veldhuis (1953), Humfeld et al. (1952) and Naucler (1948). Several types of submerged pure-culture fermentations of the aerobic type are carried out at this laboratory, and the foaming problem has been encountered in nearly every case. Liquid antifoam agents are used to control foaming. These include soybean and lard oils, industrial oil-base antifoam agents, silicone suspensions, higher alcohols, and ethanol solutions of higher alcohols such as octadecanol. A number of devices available on the market permit the addition of antifoam agent from a reservoir when foam reaches a predetermined level in a tank. Some of these devices operate at high potentials and offer some danger of electric shock. A recent paper by Echevarria (1955) described an electronic foam controller actuated by two electrodes, and functioning in a manner such that the foam is maintained at or below the upper electrode tip. Stefaniak et al. (1946) described a foam control system in which a definite increment of antifoam is added to a fermentor each time an insulated electrode is contacted by the foam. Hersh et al. (1938) described an electronic interface controller that m*be used as a foam controller. This paper describes an electronic foam controller which operates at low electrode voltage, is simple and easy to construct with components readily available from radio and electric supply companies, and has features not obtainable in some marketed devices of this nature.


Introduction: It is observed that auto rickshaw drivers are prone to musculoskeletal, respiratory, and gastrointestinal disorders and also to injuries and substance abuse. Objective: To study the health status, disease profile, and substance abuse among auto rickshaw drivers in Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. Materials and methods: Participants in this cross-sectional obser-vational study were drivers plying rickshaws registered at Regional Transport Office (RTO), Vashi, Navi Mumbai, India. Considering 1,500 registered auto rickshaws, a 10% random sample was planned. Questionnaire was designed to collect data by trained doctors including sociodemographic factors, occupational details, perceived stress scale, Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMSQ), addiction details, current symptoms, and significant history of past illness as well as general and systemic examination findings. Bone mass density (BMD) testing and random blood glucose levels were done. Data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel and Epi Info. Results: Totally, 159 drivers participated. Majority [82 (51.6%)] belonged to socioeconomic class III, 37 (23.3%) to class IV, while 40 (25.1%) to class II. Among those, 54 (33.9%) drivers were in the profession for 10 to 19 years, while 36 (22.7%) were driving for 20 years or more. Only 19 (11.9%) drivers were asymptom - atic, while 140 (88.1%) had one or more complaints. The com - monest complaint was musculoskeletal pain in 95 (59.9%) of the study participants. Generalized fatigue, acidity, and headache were other common complaints. Ninety seven (61.1%) drivers had osteopenia. This had significant association with age and the number of years in profession. Substance abuse was found in 95 (59.7%) of the study participants. Conclusion: Auto rickshaw drivers are very susceptible to health-related problems and there is need for monitoring on an ongoing basis and institutionalization of measures to prevent it.


Quantum mechanics allows systems to be entangled with each other, which results in stronger than classical correlations. Many methods of identifying entanglement have been proposed over years, most of which are based on violating some statistical inequalities. In this work we extend the idea due to Hardy, in which entanglement is not identified with use of statistical inequalities, but by simultaneous satisfaction of certain conditions. We show that the new variant of the Hardy paradox relying on marginal probabilities can be resolved only by true multipartite entangled states. Also, the state resolving this paradox for given local measurements is pure and unique in case of qubit collections.


textabstractWithout definitional clarity the 'quango debate' is inherently flawed and meaningful progress undermined. A possible solution to this problem is proposed in this article by way of a subsectional map which aims to clarify the quango topography.
This accepts the diversity inherent in the quango debate whilst allowing for increased clarity and focused research. This, the authors believe, is the only way forward for practitioners, academics and policy makers working within the sphere of
quasi-government. There is a need to address precise forms or subsections of the quango continuum as studies or reforms which focus on one type of quango would not necessarily work if applied to all quangos, or quangos in other countries.


The curing of 200 μm thick, surfactant-stabilized water-in-dicyclopentadiene high internal phase emulsion films by ring opening metathesis polymerization yielded 140–200 μm thick, open-cellular macroporous membranes with 81.5 ± 2% porosity. Depending on the support on which high internal phase emulsion (HIPEs) were cast, different polyHIPE membrane surface morphologies ranging from almost closed (on steel) to fully open (on glass) were obtained. At the same time, the interior morphology of the membranes was identical, featuring cavity and window diameters of 7 ± 5 and 1.4 ± 0.6 μm, respectively. The membranes were tough and ductile, as revealed by a Young's modulus of 125 ± 8 MPa and an ultimate strength at break, which occurred at 20 ± 2% elongation and 3.1 MPa. The swelling behavior of the membranes was tested in several solvents and finally the swollen membranes were functionalized by bromination, yielding still ductile membranes of 80.6 ± 1% porosity and bromide loading of 5 mmol g−1.


Tracking protein corona (PC) formation on the surface of nanoparticles (NPs) is a prerequisite for successful design of next generation nanocarriers with predictable fate and behavior. However, PC formation has mostly been investigated for plasma proteins without considering potential competition with the extravascular proteins either when the NPs exit the blood circulation or when they are injected extravascularly. This study investigates the deposition of collagen, an extravascular protein that is the most abundant in the body, and albumin, the most abundant vascular protein, on the surface of gold (Au) NPs using UV-Vis and fluorescence spectroscopy with the support of mathematical modeling. Moreover, a novel spectroscopic approach to determining the protein-NP binding constants and surface occupancy is presented. We show that albumin and collagen have drastically different affinities for Au NPs. Our data demonstrates that the surface bound albumin can be exchanged with collagen confirming the dynamic nature of PC in the extravascular milieu. We propose that future PC investigations in the framework of drug delivery should rely on understanding of the NP transit in the body, and include competition experiments with relevant vascular and extravascular proteins. Furthermore, our results that reveal very strong binding of collagen to AuNPs may lay the foundation for designing long circulating collagen-coated NPs with minimal surface adsorption of plasma proteins and, thus, reduced immune recognition.


The design concept and the experimental results for a power combiner made of two strongly coupled FET oscillators use in a quasi-optical array are reported. To demonstrate the approach, a 2*2 planar array has been fabricated using a direct connection through a microstrip line. Taking the input impedance of the slot radiator into account, circuit the passive part of the array is investigated. The length of the microstrip feed lines are regulated to achieve the desired sum radiation pattern. At an operating frequency of 20 GHz, sum radiation patterns have been observed in both the H-plane and the E-plane. >


The Chinle Formation and the lower part of the overlying Wingate Sandstone and Moenave Formation were deposited in fluvial, lacustrine, paludal, and eolian environments during the Norian and Rhaetian stages of the Late Triassic (~230 to 201.3 Ma), during which time the climate shifted from subtropical to increasingly arid. In southern Utah, the Shinarump Member was largely confined to pre-Chinle paleovalleys and usually overprinted by mottled strata. From southeastern to southwestern Utah, the lower members of the Chinle Formation (Cameron Member and correlative Monitor Butte Member) thicken dramatically whereas the upper members of the Chinle Formation (the Moss Back, Petrified Forest, Owl Rock, and Church Rock Members) become erosionally truncated; south of Moab, the Kane Springs beds are laterally correlative with the Owl Rock Member and uppermost Petrified Forest Member. Prior to the erosional truncation of the upper members, the Chinle Formation was probably thickest in a southeast to northwest trend between Petrified Forest National Park and the Zion National Park, and thinned to the northeast due to the lower Chinle Formation lensing out against the flanks of the Ancestral Rocky Mountains, where the thickness of the Chinle is largely controlled by syndepositional salt tectonism. The Gartra and Stanaker Members of the Ankareh Formation are poorly understood Chinle Formation correlatives north of the San Rafael Swell. Osteichthyan fish, metoposaurid temnospondyls, phytosaurids, and crocodylomorphs are known throughout the Chinle Formation, although most remains are fragmentary. In the Cameron and Monitor Butte Members, metoposaurids are abundant and non-pseudopalatine phytosaurs are known, as is excellent material of the paracrocodylomorph Poposaurus; fragmentary specimens of the aetosaurs Calyptosuchus, Desmatosuchus, and indeterminate paratypothoracisins were probably also recovered from these beds. Osteichthyans, pseudopalatine phytosaurs, and the aetosaur Typothorax are especially abundant in the Kane Springs beds and Church Rock Member of Lisbon Valley, and Typothorax is also known from the Petrified Forest Member in Capitol Reef National Park. Procolophonids, doswelliids, and dinosaurs are known but extremely rare in the Chinle Formation of Utah. Body fossils and tracks of osteichthyans, therapsids, crocodylomorphs, and theropods are well known from the lowermost Wingate Sandstone and Moenave Formation, especially from the St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site at Johnson Farm.


We have investigated the effect of the initial growth mode on the dislocation structure in ZnSe epilayers grown on GaAs(100) by molecular beam epitaxy. For the case where the initial growth occurred by the formation and coalescence of three‐dimensional islands, the threading dislocation density was found to be an order of magnitude higher and misfit dislocation lengths much shorter than that for the case where the initial growth proceeded by a two‐dimensional layer‐by‐layer mode. These differences are discussed in terms of dislocation formation at island coalescence boundaries for a three‐dimensional growth mode.


Diffracted arrivals from geological discontinuities in the vicinity of the borehole are often seen in Vertical Seismic Profile (VSP) datasets. For simple VSP configurations there is not usually sufficient data to migrate the diffractions to a sharp image. Other location methods often have to be utilised. The use of one microseismic processing technique is investigated as a way of locating diffraction sources using a real VSP example.


Learning word problem can be used as a means to drill students to solve problems. In word problem, students are demanded to be able to comprehend problems contexts that are given, make Math model from those problems, find ways to solve them and re-examine the results gotten. While in fact, it is shown that there are still a lot of students who find difficulties so that they make some errors in solving word problems. Related to the wills that appear to know the students' behaviour and errors that are done by students while solving word problem by using Polya solving problem model. This study is focused to identify and classify errors that are done by students in solving word problems.. In addition, the reasons why the errors occur and hoe to solve them are going to be revealed here. This study uses qualitative descriptive approach. This research is done by students of fifth graders in SDN 1 Kebonsari Malang. The subjects of this study are chosen through the entrance test with errors variations and discussion results with teachers. There are eight students that are chosen who are divided into two students who have high ability, two students who have medium ability and four students who have low ability. Behaviour, types of errors and the reasons are gotten from the result of test and interview. The behaviour that is shown by the students of fifth graders in SDN 1 Kebonsari Malang are classified into four categories such as DTA-not proficient and DTA-proficient. Moreover, it is also found that there are other different reasons occur, but they are still related to the Pape behaviour problem solving, that is DTA-Limited Context + behaviour translation but without explanation, DTA Proficient + behaviour translation and DTA-Not Proficient + behavior translation. Based on the result of the study, it is suggested that teachers should know the errors that are often done by the students before the lesson begins to emphasize the teaching and learning process in those errors. Teachers are also able to give some practices, mainly in word problem to drill students' experiment in solving them. Furthermore, the steps of solving the problems by using Polya model need to emphasize in terms of its usage so that it can practice students' thinking process systematically. For the further research, if other researchers want to use this model to conduct further research so that they need to consider the application of this method in students and schools' condition that are relatively different or other Math topics in the same subject.


The theory of modal expansions in an ideal cavity, in the presence of low-frequency current and charge distributions, is developed using the scalar and dyadic Green's functions. The case of a vertical antenna in a rectangular cavity is solved in detail, and the need for irrotational as well as solenoidal eigenvectors in the solution is established. The solutions are obtained in double-sum form, achieving an important computational advantage. Finally, the theory is checked against experimentally measured field distributions, obtaining excellent agreement and shedding light onto the unique behavior of the fields inside a cavity at frequencies below the first resonance.


Background: Salivary gland tumors are uncommon, accounting for between 2 to 6.5 percent of all neoplasms of the head and neck. About 70% of all salivary gland tumors arise in the parotid gland and a great number of these are benign tumors, with an average prevalence of 75%-85%.Parotid gland can give rise to a wide variety of neoplasms because of their mixed array of cells and tissues. Involvement of deep lobe is common in malignancy. Methods: The aim of the study is to analyze the deep lobe involvement in parotid tumors and to study incidence of facial nerve injury in deep lobe parotid tumors. Our study is a prospective study done between April 2012 to October 2014 in the Department of General Surgery, Sri Ramachandra University, Chennai, Tamilnadu. Results: In our study in about 36% of the tumors, the deep lobe was involved and facial nerve injury was present in 55.5% of the patients. Conclusions: We conclude that deep lobe involvement in parotid tumors are rare and identifying it by clinical and imaging modalities plays an important role in reducing the perioperative complications like facial nerve injury.


Synthesis of some new substituted [3-(3-chloro-4-fluorophenyl)-2-oxo-3,4-dihydro-2H-2lambda(5)-benzo[e][1,3,2]oxazaphosphinin-2-yl]-(aryl/alkyl)methanols (7a-k) based on the Pudovick reaction was accomplished in the presence of niobium pentoxide (Nb(2)O(5)) without using an external chiral ligand. Nb(2)O(5) appears to form the metal complex intermediate catalyst system (6) by reacting with 3-(3-chloro-4-fluoro-phenyl)-3,4-dihydrobenzo[e][1,3,2]oxazaphosphinine-2-oxide (4), which not only directs the Pudovick addition reactions of aldehyde but also increases the yields and purity of the products. These compounds exhibited a lethal effect on whip smut of sugarcane and were degraded in the environment in the presence of bacteria and fungi to nontoxic phosphate residues that act as possible plant nutrients. Thus, a new class of benzooxazaphosphininyl methanol derivatives that act in synergy both as antipathogens and as plant nutrients in the environment have been discovered.


The Organization Development and Training Office provides training and development opportunities to employees at NASA Glenn Research Center, as a division of the Office of Human Resources and Workforce Planning. Center-wide required trainings, new employee trainings, workshops and career development programs are organized by the OD&TO staff. They also arrange all academic, non-academic, headquarters, fellowship and learning center sponsored courses. They also service organizations wishing to work more effectively by facilitating teambuilding exercises. Equal Opportunity programs and upward mobility programs such as the STEP and GO programs for administrative staff. In working with my mentor I am very involved with Cuyahoga Community College classes, mandatory supervisory training and administrative staff workshops. My largest tasks are in the secretarial training category. The Supporting Organizations And Relationships workshop for administrative personnel, commonly known as SOAR, began last year and continued this summer with follow-up workshops. Months before a workshop or class is brought to Glenn, a need has to be realized. In this case, administrative staff did not feel they had an opportunity to receive relevant training and develop skills through teambuilding, networking and communication. A Statement of work is then created as several companies are contacted about providing the training. After the company best suited to meet the target group s needs is selected, the course is announced with an outline of all pertinent information. A reservation for a facility is made and applications or nominations, depending on the announcement s guidelines, are received from interested employees. Confirmations are sent to participants and final preparations are made but there are still several concluding steps. A training office staff member also assists the facilitator with setting up the facility and introducing the class. After the class, participants evaluations are read and summarized to determine the effectiveness of the class and instructor. In addition to the SOAR workshops, I have several projects and daily tasks to complete. Coding training applications, which require me to be familiar with Glenn s budgetary allocations and policies on training, is an ongoing process. It also requires verifying information reported by an employee via her C-478 form, more commonly known as the training application. I am also the point of contact for the Cuyahoga Community College Advising Sessions held here at NASA Glenn which involves coordinating counselors visits with employees schedules. Two databases had to be created. The first database holds information on administrative staff, and the other tracks supervisors training histories. Through these assignments I gained experience in Microsoft Access 2002 and spreadsheet creation, communicating with co-workers, and successfully facilitating a training to serve specific purposes. With trainings and evaluations to assessment them, the Organization Development and Training Office can assure a quality product and continued customer satisfaction.


Importance:
Natalizumab discontinuation induces the recurrence of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) disease activity: Currently no therapeutic approach has been found able to abolish disease reactivation. Objective: To collect data from patients with MS switching from natalizumab to cyclophosphamide. Design: Retrospective multicentre study.
Setting: Nine Multiple Sclerosis Centers in Italy. Participants: A total of 47 patients with clinically definite RR-MS switched to cyclophosphamide after natalizumab discontinuation. Two patients were excluded from the analysis because received less than 12 natalizumab infusions. The remaining 45 patients were subdivided into two main groups: Early Treatment (period of washout between natalizumab and cyclophosphamide 1 to 3 months), Late Treatment (washout between natalizumab and cyclophosphamide higher than 3 months). Intervention: Cyclophosphamide intravenous pulses after natalizumab discontinuation.
Main outcome measure: Number of relapses, Expanded Disability Status Scale scores, number of new T2/fluidattenuated inversion recovery lesions and contrast-enhancing lesions on brain magnetic resonance imaging, rebound effect, adverse events. Results: In the Early Treatment group, only 3/23 patients (13%) experienced a clinical relapse and only 2 out of 13 (15%) patients showed brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) activity at 3 months, while none developed MRI activity at 6 months after cyclophosphamide introduction. In the Late Treatment Group 12/22 patients (63%) had relapses during the washout period and 4/22 (40%) after the introduction of cyclophosphamide; MRI disease activity was shown in 5/9 (56%) at 3 months and in 5/14 (36%) at 6 months after cyclophosphamide introduction.
Conclusions and relevance: These data show that cyclophosphamide could be able to reduce disease reactivation after natalizumab, in particular with a short washout period after natalizumab discontinuation. It can be suggested that a short period (3-6 months) of cyclophosphamide monthly pulses could be used as "re-induction" treatment in patients discontinuing natalizumab.


Opportunistic salpingectomy for ovarian-cancer risk reduction has been rapidly adopted in the U.S., with significant variation in uptake by demographic and clinical factors. Studies examining barriers to opportunistic salpingectomy access and the long-term effectiveness and potential adverse effects of opportunistic salpingectomy are needed. Evidence suggesting that high-grade serous ovarian cancers originate in the fallopian tubes has led to the emergence of opportunistic salpingectomy (OS) as an approach to reduce ovarian-cancer risk. In the U.S., some national societies now recommend OS in place of tubal ligation for sterilization or during a benign hysterectomy in average-risk women. However, limited data exist on the dissemination of OS in clinical practice. We examined the uptake and predictors of OS in a nationwide sample of inpatient and outpatient claims (N = 48,231,235) from 2010 to 2017. Incidence rates of OS were calculated, and an interrupted time-series analysis was used to quantify changes in rates before (2010–2013) and after (2015–2017) national guideline release. Predictors of OS use were examined using Poisson regression. From 2010 to 2017, the age-adjusted incidence rate of OS for sterilization and OS during hysterectomy increased 17.8-fold [95% confidence interval (CI), 16.2–19.5] and 7.6-fold (95% CI, 5.5–10.4), respectively. The rapid increase (age-adjusted increase in quarterly rates of between 109% and 250%) coincided with the time of national guideline release. In multivariable-adjusted analyses, OS use was more common in young women and varied significantly by geographic region, rurality, family history/genetic susceptibility, surgical indication, inpatient/outpatient setting, and underlying comorbidities. Similar differences in OS uptake were noted in analyses limited to women with a family history/genetic susceptibility to breast/ovarian cancer. Our results highlight significant differences in OS uptake in both high- and average-risk women. Defining subsets of women who would benefit most from OS and identifying barriers to equitable OS uptake is needed. Prevention Relevance: Opportunistic salpingectomy for ovarian-cancer risk reduction has been rapidly adopted in the U.S., with significant variation in uptake by demographic and clinical factors. Studies examining barriers to opportunistic salpingectomy access and the long-term effectiveness and potential adverse effects of opportunistic salpingectomy are needed.


Occurrence rates and determinants of infection with herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2) were measured in first- and fourth-year undergraduate students at a state university. This cross-sectional multistage probability sample survey included sociodemographic characteristics, sexual behavior patterns, disease history, and HSV type-specific antibody status. The prevalence of HSV-1 antibody was 37.2% in freshmen and 46.1% in fourth-year students; that for HSV-2 antibody was 0.4% and 4.3%, respectively. A history of cold sores was obtained in 25.6% of the freshmen; none had a history of manifest genital herpes. A history of cold sores was obtained in 28% and a history of genital herpes in 1.1% of the fourth-year students. The case-weighted prevalence of HSV-1 and HSV-2 antibodies was found to be significantly elevated for a number of student characteristics. However, multiple logistic regression analyses indicated that the significant predictors of HSV-1 antibodies in this population were female gender, black race, first intercourse at age less than or equal to 15 years, total years of sexual activity, history of a partner with oral sores, and a personal history of a non-HSV sexually transmitted disease (STD). Predictors of HSV-2 antibody were black race, duration of sexual activity, and history of a non-HSV STD.


The level-set method is a popular method for interface capturing. One of the advantages of the level-set method is that the curvature and the normal vector of the interface can be readily calculated from the level-set function. However, in cases where the level-set method is used to capture topological changes, the standard discretization techniques for the curvature and the normal vector do not work properly. This is because they are affected by the discontinuities of the signed-distance function half-way between two interfaces. This article addresses the calculation of normal vectors and curvatures with the level-set method for such cases. It presents a discretization scheme that is relatively easy to implement in to an existing code. The improved discretization scheme is compared with a standard discretization scheme, first for a case with no flow, then for a case where two drops collide in a shear flow. The results show that the improved discretization yields more robust calculations in areas where topological changes are imminent.


Absolute cross sections for electron-impact single ionization of krypton ions Krq+ (q = 12-18) have been measured. The animated crossed-beam method has been applied. The measurements cover the energy range from threshold to about 5.5 keV. The presence of ions formed in metastable states is observed for Kr18+, Kr16+ and Kr14+. Inner-shell excitation from the 2s, 2p, 3s and 3p subshells followed by autoionization is seen to play a dominant role for this reaction over the whole energy range. The importance of these excitation-autoionization processes explains the large underestimation of cross sections from the available theoretical and semi-empirical estimations which include direct processes only.


Presynaptic active zones are synaptic vesicle release sites that play essential roles in the function and pathology of mammalian neuromuscular junctions (NMJs). The molecular mechanisms of active zone organization use presynaptic voltage‐dependent calcium channels (VDCCs) in NMJs as scaffolding proteins. VDCCs interact extracellularly with the muscle‐derived synapse organizer, laminin β2 and interact intracellularly with active zone–specific proteins, such as Bassoon, CAST/Erc2/ELKS2alpha, ELKS, Piccolo, and RIMs. These molecular mechanisms are supported by studies in P/Q‐ and N‐type VDCCs double‐knockout mice, and they are consistent with the pathological conditions of Lambert–Eaton myasthenic syndrome and Pierson syndrome, which are caused by autoantibodies against VDCCs or by a laminin β2 mutation. During normal postnatal maturation, NMJs maintain the density of active zones, while NMJs triple their size. However, active zones become impaired during aging. Propitiously, muscle exercise ameliorates the active zone impairment in aged NMJs, which suggests the potential for therapeutic strategies.


This study examines prominence-boundary interactions as they relate to the perception of durational cues in Tokyo Japanese. We tested if the lexical pitch accent (lexical prominence) status of a word mediates the effects of a prosodic boundary in the perception of contrastive vowel length. We implemented a two-alternative forced choice perception task in which listeners categorized a vowel duration continuum as a phonemically short or long vowel, while we manipulated pitch accentuation and phrasing as contextual cues. We first replicated a recent finding (Steffman & Katsuda [1]) that listeners require longer phrase-final vowel durations (as compared to phrase-medial) to perceive vowel as phonemically long: a compensatory perceptual adjustment for final lengthening. We further find that this boundary effect is mediated by pitch accent, consistent with recent speech production results (Seo et al. [2]) which show that a pitch accent reduces the magnitude of final lengthening in a word (i.e., unaccented words undergo greater final lengthening). Our perception results indicate that listeners accordingly require even longer vowel duration for a long vowel percept when a target word is both phrase-final and unaccented. Overall, our results show that listeners take both prominence and prosodic boundaries into consideration when they compute vowel length: a perceptual analog to intricate prominence-boundary effects in speech production.


The past decade has witnessed the emergence of several publicly available and proprietary knowledge graphs (KGs). The depth and breadth of content in these KGs made them not only rich sources of structured knowledge by themselves, but also valuable resources for search systems. A surge of recent developments in entity linking and entity retrieval methods gave rise to a new line of research that aims at utilizing KGs for text-centric retrieval applications. This tutorial is the first to summarize and disseminate the progress in this emerging area to industry practitioners and researchers.


Considering the Information Technology continuous innovation and
 upcoming technological trends, industries are now more eager to utilize
 inventive technologies to adopt and efficiently function in today's
 competitive business environment. Technologies such as big data, IoT and now
 digital twins are now being widely applied through a broad spectrum of
 different industries and have already had a game-changing impact.
 Technologies such as digital twins despite coming the extra mile in recent
 years still hold a more promising future. Digital twins will emerge as one
 of the key tools in many industries, especially in manufacturing. This paper
 takes a closer look at how the retail industry is utilizing digital twins to
 better implement quality function development of a product. With the
 proposed framework, Quality function developments can be improved to collect
 data from customers through social networks and boil down the data of the
 voice of the customer through product development process. These Voice of
 the Customer items will continue to trickle down into other stages of
 product development and deployment, including component definition, process
 planning, and quality control. This study has established a connection among
 social media data analytics and links it to QFD framework. Using social
 media data, the emotions of the customer can be viewed in real-time what
 people are saying about the product. This not only helps in creating a
 better product it also enriches the customer experience. To clarify the
 capabilities of the proposed idea, an illustrative case is designed and
 explained for link of social data analytics tools with QFD through a digital
 twin enabled framework. This gives customers a chance to be integrated into
 the product development process and as a result, produce results in better
 satisfying customers' expectations.


Prevention and treatment of thromboembolism has to be directed toward two main goals: (1) prevention of formation of primary and secondary thrombi and (2) prevention of mobilization of a locally formed thrombus causing embolism. Prevention of thrombus formation can be achieved by modern anticoagulants such as heparin or Dicumarol (3,3′-methylene-bis-[4-hydroxycoumarin]). However, once the thrombus has formed, attention has to concentrate toward preventing the formed thrombus from being broken off and carried into the circulation. This obviously is a mechanical problem and can be solved either by interruption of the continuity of the vein above the thrombus or by prevention of mobilization of the thrombus from its venous bed. Linton and Chapman have recently discussed the importance of intravenous pressure (Valsalva's experiment) in the production of pulmonary embolism. In the Valsalva experiment, in sudden straining and in the act of defecation there occurs an impediment of venous return with rise in


The increasing numerical strength of Ghanaian pentecostalism and the movement's involvement in filling in the socioeconomic vacuum in society means that the position of the pastor-prophet cannot be a neglected one. Yet, the extent to which human rights violations are involved in the activities of some of these pastor-prophets has raised some concerns. This article will focus on the often violent treatment of alleged witches during exorcism and explore how these challenge human rights development and implementation in Ghana. Bourdieu's notion of habitus and symbolic violence will be applied to a discussion of human rights and Ghanaian popular deliverance-oriented pentecostal/charismatic ministries. I will argue that pentecostal/charismatic discourse on witchcraft fashions an ideological foundation for symbolic and actual violence against those accused of witchcraft.


In this paper, the coupling hysteresis and creep in piezoelectric actuators are identified and compensated for accurate tracking. First, we present the coupling hysteresis and creep model in smart actuators. Next, a complete identification strategy is designed according to the properties of the Preisach model. Then, an approach for parameter updating of the coupling model is provided. With the identified hysteresis and creep, the model‐based inversion compensation is designed. Finally, we apply the model identification and compensation to a piezoelectric stage to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approaches. Significant reduction of the tracking error is achieved with the model‐based inversion feedforward compensator in which the relative errors at 10 Hz and 50 Hz are reduced to 1.85% and 4.53%, respectively. In addition, the model‐based feedforward is augmented with an integral feedback controller. With the composite controller, the relative errors at 10 Hz and 50 Hz are reduced to 0.42% and 3.04%, respectively.


To deal with complicated constraints via locally light computations in distributed online learning, a recent study has presented a projection-free algorithm called distributed online conditional gradient (D-OCG), and achieved an O ( T 3 / 4 ) regret bound, where T is the number of prediction rounds. However, in each round, the local learners of D-OCG need to communicate with their neighbors to share the local gradients, which results in a high communication complexity of O ( T ) . In this paper, we first propose an improved variant of D-OCG, namely D-BOCG, which enjoys an O ( T 3 / 4 ) regret bound with only O ( √ T ) communication complexity. The key idea is to divide the total prediction rounds into √ T equally-sized blocks, and only update the local learners at the beginning of each block by performing iterative linear optimization steps. Furthermore, to handle the more challenging bandit setting, in which only the loss value is available, we incorporate the classical one-point gradient estimator into D-BOCG, and obtain similar theoretical guarantees.


Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) aims at providing unobtrusive support to frail and elderly people for their daily life based on their context and situation. To this end, systems and services are required which are user-centric and adaptable towards the needs and capabilities of the people in need of care. The continuous integration of leading-edge technologies, such as cloud and wireless communication technologies, in the context of the Internet of the Things (IoT), can meet this requirement by enabling a new form of communication between frail and elderly people, their environment and relevant groups of care givers. However, for IoT-based systems to reach their full potential, sound answers need to be provided to the important security questions arisen, particularly those regarding authentication of entities (people and environmental objects) and data privacy. This paper presents a system based on Gateways (GW) that aggregate health sensor data and resolve security issues through digital certificates and PKI data encryption.


Post-harvest withering of grape berries is used in the production of dessert and fortified wines to alter must quality characteristics and increase the concentration of simple sugars. The molecular processes that occur during withering are poorly understood, so a detailed transcriptomic analysis of post-harvest grape berries was carried out by AFLP-transcriptional profiling analysis. This will help to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of berry withering and will provide an opportunity to select markers that can be used to follow the drying process and evaluate different drying techniques. AFLP-TP identified 699 withering-specific genes, 167 and 86 of which were unique to off-plant and on-plant withering, respectively. Although similar molecular events were revealed in both withering processes, it was apparent that off-plant withering induced a stronger dehydration stress response resulting in the high level expression of genes involved in stress protection mechanisms, such as dehydrin and osmolite accumulation. Genes involved in hexose metabolism and transport, cell wall composition, and secondary metabolism (particularly the phenolic and terpene compound pathways) were similarly regulated in both processes. This work provides the first comprehensive analysis of the molecular events underpinning post-harvest withering and could help to define markers for different withering processes.


Group comparisons can be conducted at three levels: (1) group means, (2) both group means and variabilities, and (3) group distributions. A traditional contrast is defined as a linear combination of group means; thus, traditional contrast analysis may only effectively address group comparisons in the first level. The concept of a contrast variable has recently been proposed. A contrast variable is defined as a linear combination of random variables (each variable representing random values in a group) instead of group means. Based on a contrast variable, we can use the mean of a contrast to address questions on group comparisons at the first level as in traditional contrast analysis. Meanwhile, we can use the ratio of mean to standard deviation of a contrast variable, that is, standardized mean of a contrast variable (SMCV), to effectively address questions at the second level. We can further use the probability that a contrast variable obtains a positive value, that is, c +-probability, to effectively address questions at the third level. In this article, we explore the use of contrast variable, SMCV, and c +-probability for comparing multiple groups in biopharmaceutical studies. Contrast variable, c +-probability, and SMCV are applicable in a comparison context with or without independence and with or without homoscedasticity.


With the rapid transformation and development of contemporary Chinese network society, the phenomenon of stigmatization is becoming more and more common in social media communication. The theory about the social stratum and the mobility of society could give us a good theoretical explanation, it could help us understand why a group is stigmatized and excluded. The purpose of this article was to find out the formation mechanism of stigmatization with Phoenix man through literature review and qualitative analysis, linked this phenomenon to social mobility and anxiety of middle-class in China, and finally point out the existing deep-seated social inequality problems and hazards in China. Through the network search engine "Baidu" and literature review, get the network search index and some other social media information about Phoenix Man, found the process (initial, development and final) of stigmatization phenomenon of Phoenix Man, and made reasonable analysis. By compared Phoenix Man with the two groups, Zhuanjia and Gongzhi, it easily to find that Phoenix Man have always been highly concerned in Chinese social media. Finally, this study found that the stigmatization was originated from the anxiety caused by differences in cultural, customs and habits between middle-class and the lower-class. The stigmatization made the people who came from lower class groups been marginalized, also damaged social justice and harmony. Keywords— Social Media, Communication, Stigma, Social Mobility, Phoenix Man


BACKGROUND: Cardiac valvular disease affects millions of people worldwide and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Female patients have been shown to experience inferior clinical outcomes after nonvalvular cardiac surgery, but recent data are limited regarding open valve surgical cohorts. The primary objective of our study was to assess whether female sex is associated with increased in-hospital mortality after open cardiac valve operations. METHODS: Utilizing the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) State Inpatient Databases (SID), we conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent open cardiac valve surgery from 2007 to 2018 in Washington, Maryland, Kentucky, and Florida; from 2007 to 2011 in California; and from 2007 to 2016 in New York. The primary objective of this study was to estimate the confounder-adjusted association between sex and in-hospital mortality (as recorded and coded by SID HCUP) after open cardiac valve surgery. We used multilevel multivariable models to account for potential confounders, including intrahospital practice patterns. RESULTS: A total of 272,954 patients (108,443 women; 39.73% of sample population with mean age of 67.6 ± 14.3 years) were included in our analysis. The overall mortality rates were 3.8% for male patients and 5.1% for female patients. The confounder-adjusted odds ratio (OR) for in-hospital mortality for female patients compared to male patients was 1.41 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.35–1.47; P < .001). When stratifying by surgical type, female patients were also at increased odds of in-hospital mortality (P < .001) in populations undergoing aortic valve replacement (adjusted OR [aOR], 1.38; 95% CI, 1.25–1.52); multiple valve surgery (aOR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.22–1.57); mitral valve replacement (aOR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.12–1.34); and valve surgery with coronary artery bypass grafting (aOR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.54–1.74; all P < .001). Female patients did not have increased odds of in-hospital mortality in populations undergoing mitral valve repair (aOR, 1.26; 95% CI, 0.98–1.64; P = .075); aortic valve repair (aOR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.67–1.14; P = .32); or any other single valve repair (aOR, 1.10; 95% CI, 0.82–1.46; P = .53). CONCLUSIONS: We found an association between female patients and increased confounder-adjusted odds of in-hospital mortality after open cardiac valve surgery. More research is needed to better understand and categorize these important outcome differences. Future research should include observational analysis containing granular and complete patient- and surgery-specific data.


West Turkey, one of the most seismically active regions of Turkey, has been analysed to reveal seismic hazard by using fractal behaviour, seismic quiescence z- and Gutenberg-Richter b-parameters. Starting from raw earthquake catalogue, we performed completeness analysis on recorded events, and a final catalogue, could be accepted as homogeneous, was obtained. According to the results obtained from the Frequency-Magnitude Distribution (FMD), seismic activity rates (b- and z-values) and fractal correlation dimension, we detected three anomalous zones throughout the Aegean Extension Region (AER). These are: (1) Candarli Bay and Bergama-Zeytindag Fault Zone, (2) Izmir fault and Orhanli Fault Zone, and (3) Buldan and surrounding areas. The relatively infrequent occurrence of the great earthquakes in the AER and present hazard parameters obtained by this study suggest that magnitude of a destructive earthquake may reach up to Ms= 6.5. Hence, it is also possible to say that large earthquakes are generally not expected in those related zones because of seismic moment release from small-moderate sized earthquakes.


We report a 94‐year‐old male who died of pneumonia. During the routine dissection of the head and neck for a gross anatomy course at our institution a mass was noted in the region of the right cheek. Macroscopic and microscopic observation of this mass revealed an aneurysm of the facial artery. A traumatic defect was noted at the apex of the aneurysmal wall related to an intraoral prosthetic clasp that had penetrated the buccinator muscle. Traumatic aneurysms of the face have been caused by blunt trauma to the jaw with or without fracture, surgical manipulation around the teeth and jaw, and following missile injury. Some have described compression of neighboring structures such as cranial nerves and other blood vessels with resultant compromise. We believe our case to be the first report of a facial artery aneurysm in a cadaver and we are unaware of other reports from the literature describing the production of a facial artery aneurysm from a puncture of an intraoral prosthesis through the medially placed buccinator muscle. Although seemingly rare, health care professionals should make efforts to ensure that oral prostheses do not develop sharp or irregular edges that could potentially perforate the lateral oral cavity with potential perforation of the overlying vasculature. Clin. Anat. 18:527–529, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


The 5-year relative survival rate of cancer patients in Japan has reached 62.1% owing to advances in cancer treatments. Half of the people are diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lifetime, and one-third of cancer patients belong to the working-age generation between the ages of 20 and 65. In Japan, various governmental policies have been developed in a short period of time with the aim of balancing cancer treatment and employment. The Basic Plan to Promote Cancer Control Programs in Japan, enacted in 2017, specifies the need to prevent cancer patients from leaving employment and to support re-employment, as well as the need for further collaboration among medical institutions, occupations, and local communities. However, Japanese people's perceptions regarding employment of cancer patients is still negative. Employment support for cancer patients is regarded as an important topic in cancer survivorship, and various findings have been accumulated in Japan and other countries. The impact of onset of cancer on the employment of patients is influenced not only by medical factors but also by other factors such as individual factors, health status, psychosocial factors, willingness to work, and workplacerelated factors. Hence, the situations of individuals differ greatly. It is necessary to examine the current state of research and support based on these factors. Points to keep in mind when providing support to balance both cancer and employment include: 1 ) there are many persons related to working cancer patients who are involved and 2 ) it is difficult for physicians to understand the full picture of a patient's job based on the labor contract. Appropriate information sharing; environmental improvement; and mutual cooperation in medical treatment sites, workplaces, and local communities are essential.


An 8*8 switch array with a dilated-Benes architecture that greatly relaxes the crosspoint extinction ratio requirements needed to achieve low overall switch array crosstalk is discussed. This, combined with the low uniform switching voltages (9.2+0.2 V) of the 48 directional coupler crosspoints, facilitates high-speed low-crosstalk operation. The crosspoints can be switched in about 1 ns. The switch array is fully packaged with permanently attached single-mode fiber pigtails. The high data transfer rate inherent in lithium niobate switches in general, combined with the low crosstalk and high switching speed of this switch array, is a good match to the requirements of time-multiplexing switching. >


INTRODUCTION
The exact source of phospholipase A2 is unknown. In this context the liver is discussed because the secretion of phospholipase A2 could be initiated during an acute phase response.

PATIENTS AND METHODS
Three groups of patients were prospectively established: A liver resection (n = 12); B control (n = 22; oesophageal resection, gastrectomy, rectum resection); C sepsis (n = 5). Blood was collected preoperatively, each day postoperatively for seven days and at the day of discharge. Biochemical procedures: Phospholipase A2, PMN-elastase, C-reactive protein, GPT, GOT, GLDH, cholinesterase.

RESULTS
Postoperatively phospholipase A2 is unchanged in the liver resection and control group, whereas it increases significantly in septic patients. Only following liver resection GPT, GOT and GLDH increase. C-reactive protein is increased in all groups.

DISCUSSION
Unchanged phospholipase A2 after liver surgery despite an acute phase response indicated by C-reactive protein does not support the view of phospholipase A2 being of hepatic origin.


Studies of basement‐bounded canyons in West Greenland show that these were long‐lasting features that extended inland for several hundreds of kilometres, acting as prominent sediment conduits sourcing the Albian–Palaeocene Nuussuaq Basin during several phases of basin evolution. The Ilulissat Icefjord canyon was the major conduit for sediment into the basin and provenance data indicate that it had a huge catchment area that extended to East Greenland. The Uparuaqqusuitsut canyon was also an important conduit for sediment in the northern part of the basin. It is suggested that the initial canyon formation occurred during uplift events in the Late Triassic and Late Jurassic when the deeply weathered basement surface formed during Early–Middle Triassic time was eroded. The recognition of these canyons as long‐lasting sediment conduits have huge implications for understanding the sediment distribution, source‐to‐sink studies and the palaeogeography of the North Atlantic basins.


The extent to which mental health consumers encounter stigma in their daily lives is a matter of substantial importance for their recovery and quality of life. This article summarizes the results of a nationwide survey of 1,301 mental health consumers concerning their experience of stigma and discrimination. Survey results and followup interviews with 100 respondents revealed experience of stigma from a variety of sources, including communities, families, churches, coworkers, and mental health caregivers. The majority of respondents tended to try to conceal their disorders and worried a great deal that others would find out about their psychiatric status and treat them unfavorably. They reported discouragement, hurt, anger, and lowered self-esteem as results of their experiences, and they urged public education as a means for reducing stigma. Some reported that involvement in advocacy and speaking out when stigma and discrimination were encountered helped them to cope with stigma. Limitations to generalization of results include the self-selection, relatively high functioning of participants, and respondent connections to a specific advocacy organization-the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill.


The geodetic datum, and its possible descriptions, of the Italian cadastral networks are analyzed, in order to provide a solution to fit the cadastral sheets to modern map contents and grids, using just their corner crosshair data. Analyzing the extension of the Genova 1902 datum to the whole Italian territory, it occured that the transformation error is acceptable only in the original survey area of the respective triangulation net. For Souther Italy and Sicily (Sicilia), the errors exceed the 20 meters. The Molodensky-type transformation parameters of the Castanea della Furie 1910 and the Guardia Vecchia (Sardinia) datums are provided using only their fundamental point coordinates, without error estimation. While these datums are not correctly checked at their whole application are, we suggest to define local datums of the Bessel ellipsoid, using the Bessel and WGS84 coordinates of the respective cadastral grid origins and use them for geo-reference as a basis of the local Cassini grids.


Abstract The aggregation of the microtubule-associated protein tau is a significant event in many neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease. The inhibition or reversal of tau aggregation is therefore a potential therapeutic strategy for these diseases. Fungal natural products have proven to be a rich source of useful compounds having wide varieties of biological activity. We have screened Aspergillus nidulans secondary metabolites containing aromatic ring structures for their ability to inhibit tau aggregation in vitro using an arachidonic acid polymerization protocol and the previously identified aggregation inhibitor emodin as a positive control. While several compounds showed some activity, 2,ω-dihydroxyemodin, asperthecin, and asperbenzaldehyde were potent aggregation inhibitors as determined by both a filter trap assay and electron microscopy. In this study, these three compounds were stronger inhibitors than emodin, which has been shown in a prior study to inhibit the heparin induction of tau aggregation with an IC50 of 1–5 µM. Additionally, 2,ω-dihydroxyemodin, asperthecin, and asperbenzaldehyde reduced, but did not block, tau stabilization of microtubules. 2,ω-Dihydroxyemodin and asperthecin have similar structures to previously identified tau aggregation inhibitors, while asperbenzaldehyde represents a new class of compounds with tau aggregation inhibitor activity. Asperbenzaldehyde can be readily modified into compounds with strong lipoxygenase inhibitor activity, suggesting that compounds derived from asperbenzaldehyde could have dual activity. Together, our data demonstrates the potential of 2,ω-dihydroxyemodin, asperthecin, and asperbenzaldehyde as lead compounds for further development as therapeutics to inhibit tau aggregation in Alzheimer's disease and neurodegenerative tauopathies.


One-dimensional (1-D) microlens parallaxes can be combined with heliocentric lens-source relative proper motion measurements to derive the lens mass and distance, as suggested by Ghosh et al. (2004). Here I present the first mathematical anlysis of this procedure, which I show can be represented as a quadratic equation. Hence, it is formally subject to a two-fold degeneracy. I show that this degeneracy can be broken in many cases using the relatively crude 2-D parallax information that is often available for microlensing events. I also develop an explicit formula for the region of parameter space where it is more difficult to break this degeneracy. Although no mass/distance measurements have yet been made using this technique, it is likely to become quite common over the next decade.


Background: Patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) are at increased risk of developing bacterial infections as a result of functional asplenia. Fever, a common symptom in SCD often occurs with other sickle cell related conditions and viral infections. This poses a diagnostic challenge and early use of empiric antibiotics is recommended while awaiting cultures. The widespread administration of antibiotics to all patients with SCD with fever can result in problems such as antibiotic resistance and increased medical costs. An early and reliable biomarker is therefore needed to help distinguish between bacterial and non-bacterial causes for fever in SCD. Procalcitonin (PCT) has been shown to be elevated in bacterial but not viral infections. In SCD, few studies have looked at the role of PCT in predicting bacterial infections. Unal et al reported vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC) with or without fever did not increase PCT levels in relation to patients with no crisis and no fever. However, Rincón-López et al reported a PCT < 0.6ng/mL had a negative predictive value of 97.2% and potentially could be used to identify bacterial infection early.
 Methods: We retrospectively studied 122 patients with SCD who presented to the emergency department with fever from 2015-2019. Inclusion criteria were defined as patients with SCD, 17 years and older and PCT measurement on presentation to the emergency department. Exclusion criteria were defined as patients with SCD and fever who had received empiric antibiotics prior to labs being drawn in the emergency department. The cohort was divided into groups of patients with Confirmed Bacterial Infection (CBI, n=18), Suspected Bacterial Infection (SBI, n=6), Viral Infections (n=10) and Vaso-Occlusive Crises (VOC, n=88) only. CBI was defined as a positive bacterial culture (blood, body fluid, urine, respiratory or cerebrospinal fluid) or C.difficile toxin assay. Viral infections were defined as a negative bacterial culture in the presence of a virus found on PCR obtained with nasopharyngeal swab. Characteristics including genotype, age, gender, complete blood count, PCT, creatinine, total bilirubin, hydroxyurea use and length of stay were examined. Data was analyzed between the groups using descriptive statistics and accounting for unequal variances, with p-value set at 0.05 for significance.
 Results: Demographics and clinical characteristics are summarized in Table 1 (Figure). The mean age was 34.6 years with predominantly males (64.8%). Almost two-thirds were on hydroxyurea (62.3%). The most common genotype was HbSS (70.5%) followed by HbSC (26.2%) and HbSβ (3.3%). The mean PCT for patients with CBI was 8.99 ng/mL (range, 0.03-78.36) as compared to 0.31 ng/mL (range, 0.02-6.82) in the VOC group. The most common organisms detected were E.coli, C.difficile, Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus and Enterobacter. There was a significant difference between median PCT for patients with CBI and those with VOC (p=0.036) and between patients with CBI and viral infections (p= 0.045). Using a PCT of >0.5ng/mL resulted in 81% Sensitivity and 85% Specificity for CBI.
 Conclusion: In patients with SCD presenting with fever, PCT on presentation was significantly higher in those with CBI compared to VOC only or Viral Infection.

 No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


This study investigates the effect of forward integration strategy on the organizational growth of selected banking and insurance firms in Nigeria. The specific aim of the study is to examine the nature of the relationship between direct marketing and the firm's profitability. The study utilized a descriptive survey design, and data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire from a sample of 753 respondents who were the staff of twelve selected banking and insurance organizations in south-western Nigeria. The hypothesis was tested with productmoment correlation coefficient at 0.05 level of significance. The finding revealed that there was a significant positive relationship between direct marketing activities and profit growth in the selected organizations. Informed by this finding, the study concluded that there were a limited number of strategic integration moves, especially vertical integration among most of the Nigerian financial organizations. The Nigerian banking and insurance organizations are therefore advised to enhance the personalization of their service to ensure that the existing customers remain locked in and new customers continue to be attracted.


ADAM17 is the primary sheddase for HER pathway ligands. We report the discovery of a potent and specific ADAM17 inhibitory antibody, MEDI3622, which induces tumor regression or stasis in many EGFR-dependent tumor models. The inhibitory activity of MEDI3622 correlated with EGFR activity both in a series of tumor models across several indications as well as in a focused set of head and neck patient derived xenograft models. Cynomolgus monkey and rat PK/PD assays showed MEDI3622 inhibited TNFα shedding. Toxicity observed in cynomolgus monkey and rat was similar to EGFR inhibitor-induced rash. However, the antitumor activity of MEDI3622 was superior to that of EGFR/HER pathway inhibitors in OE21 head and neck and COLO205 colorectal xenograft models suggesting additional activity outside of the EGFR pathway. Combination of MEDI3622 and cetuximab in the OE21 model was additive and eradicated tumors. Proteomics analysis revealed novel ADAM17 substrates which function outside of the HER pathways and may contribute towards the antitumor activity of the monoclonal antibody. Citation Format: Darrin Sabol, Jonathan RiosDoria, Jon Chesebrough, David Stewart, Kevin Schifferli, Raymond Rothstein, Ching Ching Leow, Jenny Heidbrink-Thompson, Li Cheng, Qun Du, Linda Xu, Xiaofang Jin, Ravinder Tammali, Chanshou Gao, Jay Friedman, Brandy Wilkinson, Melissa Damschroder, Andrew Pierce, MunMun Patnaik, Rong Zeng, Yuling Wu, Susan Spitz, Gabriel Robbie, Lorin Roskos, Robert Hollingsworth, David Tice, Emil Michelotti. Medi3622, a monoclonal antibody to ADAM17, inhibits tumor growth by inhibiting EGFR- and non-EGFR-mediated pathways. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 30. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-30


The humoral response of cattle to ovalbumin (OA), a nonenvironmental well-defined antigen, was studied. During 9 weeks of aerosolization, weekly serum and nasal secretion concentrations of immunoglobulin (Ig)G1, IgG2, IgM, IgA, and IgE were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for OA specific antibody. Data from 3 calves given aerosol OA were compared and contrasted with data from 3 calves given aerosol saline solution and 1 calf given parenteral OA. The presence of cytotropic (skin sensitizing) antibody was evaluated during weeks 6 and 9 by direct skin testing with OA. A humoral response was induced in all 3 calves given aerosol OA. Serum IgG1 and IgG2 titers reached a maximum of 64,000 and 2,000, respectively, in calves given aerosol OA compared with 521,000 and 16,000, respectively, in the calf given parenteral OA. The ELISA did not detect an OA-specific IgM response. In contrast, all 3 calves given aerosol OA had serum IgA concentrations that increased to a peak by week 9. The mean IgA absorbance value for the 3 calves given aerosol OA was slightly greater than 5 times that of the calf given parenteral OA. Similarly, nasal secretions from calves given aerosolized OA had absorbance values that were 15-fold greater than that from the calf given parenteral OA. Calves given aerosol OA had antigen-specific IgE responses during weeks 6 to 8. The ELISA results were compared with results of passive cutaneous anaphylaxis tests. The presence of skin-sensitizing antibody was indicated by positive skin tests in the calves given aerosol OA and the calf given parenteral OA by week 9.


Summary.  Top coding of extreme values of variables like income is a common method of statistical disclosure control, but it creates problems for the data analyst. The paper proposes two alternative methods to top coding for statistical disclosure control that are based on multiple imputation. We show in simulation studies that the multiple‐imputation methods provide better inferences of the publicly released data than top coding, using straightforward multiple‐imputation methods of analysis, while maintaining good statistical disclosure control properties. We illustrate the methods on data from the 1995 Chinese household income project.


M3 Simulation is a simulation approach that actively involves real human actors in a virtual reality environment based on multidisciplinary simulation models. This actor based concept aims at integrated simulation of complex processes belonging to heterogeneous levels of reality, paying specific attention to real human behavior. The entities of the real system under consideration are represented in a consistent object-oriented way by agents simulated by environmental models. This distributed network-capable implementation of the M3 system combines environmental modeling with the intuitive graphic representation, complex communication and interaction structures of virtual worlds in order to support the process of investigation of complex real world systems.


Whilst this review was in the press, an iportant paper by Hays et al. (1969) published data obtained from cores taken in the Equatorial Pacific. Four cores have a record of variations in the carbonate percentage and also of magnetic polarity changes; they give, for the first time in the Pacific, the chance of obtaining reliable independent ages for a number of climatic changes. The carbonate variations correspond to those found by Arrhenius (section 7(A) above). Hays et al. have taken the more prominent maxima and minima as marker horizons which they have called B1, B2, ... M1, M2, etc., according to the magnetic epoch in which they occur; even numbers are warm periods. Matuyama numbers are unfortunately wrong in their fig. 12, although correct in figs. 13, 14, 15. Age control within the Pleistocene is provided by the Matuyama → Brunhes transition, and the Jaramillo and Olduvai events. (i) Length of climatic cycles Hays et al. agree with Arrhenius that the carbonate variations indicate climatic cycles; they conclude that the cycles have "periodicities of about 75 000 years in the upper Brunhes to over 100 000 years in the lower Brunhes". At first sight, this conclusion seems to differ markedly from the thesis put forward in this review which postulates a climatic cycle of between 30 and 50 t.y., averaging about 40 t.y. Although the insolution curve shows a cycle with a period of between 30 and 50 t.y., not all the cold half-cycles were glaciations, nor were all


Background: Patients with relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis commonly switch between disease-modifying therapies (DMTs). Identifying predictors of relapse when switching could improve outcomes. Objective: To determine predictors of relapse hazard when switching to cladribine. Methods: Data of patients who switched to cladribine, grouped by prior disease-modifying therapy (pDMT; interferon-β/glatiramer acetate, dimethyl fumarate, teriflunomide, fingolimod or natalizumab (NTZ)), were extracted from the MSBase Registry. Predictors of relapse hazard during the treatment gap and the first year of cladribine therapy were determined. Results: Of 513 patients, 22 relapsed during the treatment gap, and 38 within 1 year of starting cladribine. Relapse in the year before pDMT cessation predicted treatment gap relapse hazard (hazard ratio (HR) = 2.43, 95% confidence interval (CI)  = 1.03–5.71). After multivariable adjustment, relapse hazard on cladribine was predicted by relapse before pDMT cessation (HR = 2.00, 95% CI = 1.01–4.02), treatment gap relapse (HR = 6.18, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.65–14.41), switch from NTZ (HR compared to injectable therapies 4.08, 95% CI = 1.35–12.33) and age at cladribine start (HR = 0.96, 95% CI = 0.91–0.99). Conclusion: Relapse during or prior to the treatment gap, and younger age, are of prognostic relevance in the year after switching to cladribine. Switching from NTZ is also independently associated with greater relapse hazard.


HIS CHAPTER deals with societal forces that directly influence the selection of subject matter or learning experiences to be provided by the schools. Excluded are developments within a discipline that may have changed the nature of content in a field, but that did not have explicit implications for curriculum planning. Also excluded are most studies generally dealing with social forces affecting the school as a total institution. A few particularly significant items of the latter are listed as additional references. Important findings in some studies are omitted because they were not specifically pertinent to curriculum decision making; the reader should not infer that the conclusions summarized here exhaust the significance of any particular study. Social realities such as race, social class, peer culture, and the family are dealt with first, followed by social problems such as school dropouts, delinquency, and politics. Since society is an entity, it is difficult to establish categories; many studies deal with interrelationships among the various aspects of society. Analyzing forces in a living, changing, incredibly complex society while living within it is no easier for these reviewers than it was for their predecessors, Breslow and others, in the June 1960 REVIEW. In some cases, the writers have supplied their own interpretations of a study's curriculum implications. Inevitably, this chapter reflects the backgrounds and biases of the reviewers, both in the studies selected and in the implications inferred. The reader is urged to examine research in the original and to draw his own conclusions.


Electrospinning has drawn great attention in the fabrication of nanofibre matrix that applies electrostatic potential to draw molten polymer jet as nanofibre onto a collector. This study aims at fabricating hybrid Polycaprolactone (PCL)/Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) nanofibre matrix for regenerative therapies. To optimize the electrospinning system, the effects of various process parameters (e.g. polymer solution concentration, polymer solution flow rate, power supply voltage and collector distance) on the efficacy of the nanofibre were investigated. The process parameters directly influenced the efficacy of the nanofibre, and the optimized values of the parameters were found to be polymer solution concentration of 10 wt% PCL and PEG each component, polymer solution flow rate of 8 ml/h, power supply voltage of 21 kv and collector distance of 14 cm. The thermal properties (e.g. melting temperature, Tm and melting enthalpy, J/g) of the polymers (before and after electrospinning) were also determined through Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Thermo-gravimetric Analysis (TGA) to study whether the electrospinning process change the thermal properties of the polymers. It was observed that the electrospinning process rendered to increase both the melting temperature and melting enthalpy of the polymers. The preliminary results demonstrate the suitability of electrospinning system to fabricate hybrid PCL/PEG nanofibre matrix, and also offers the potential of developing hybrid nanofibre matrix which could better meet the structural and functional requirements of living tissues for regenerative therapies.


AIM: To investigate whether health risk may be reduced in a patient population when taking a lateral cephalogram. METHOD: A laboratory study to determine the minimum effective radiation dose required to obtain a digital lateral cephalogram capable of being analysed by an on‐screen method within an acceptable degree of clinical error. To survey hospital based orthodontic departments in the West Midlands and use the gathered information to estimate what effective dose patients are being exposed to from lateral cephalometric exposures. RESULTS: Using the mean of each of the 10 recruited clinicians' cephalometric measurements with 95% confidence intervals for the mean defined, clinically significant error appears not to have affected cephalometric measurements taken from any of the seven lateral cephalograms analysed down to a minimum effective radiation dose of 0.06μSv. The results of the hospital survey indicate units are exposing patients to an effective radiation dose of between 0.5μSv‐2.4μSv. CONCLUSIONS: A reduction in effective radiation dose and health risk may be possible to patients within the West Midlands during routine lateral cephalometric exposures.


This book will introduce the concept of molecular communications and nanonetworks. The publication addresses why nanoscale communication is needed for the sophisticated nano and biotechnology applications. The text introduces the frontier applications of the molecular communication and nanonetworks. The book examines the molecular communication types called active, passive, and gap junction molecular communications. The author presents the molecular transmitter, receiver, encoding and decoding mechanisms used in these systems. Discussing the molecular communication system model and looking at the unique characteristics of practical molecular communication systems and these chemical reactions and their effects on the communication performance. Finally, the book examines the point-to-point, broadcast, and multiple-access molecular channel and shows two promising application examples of the nanonetworks. The first application example is the body area nanonetworks used in nanomedicine. the second nanonetwork application example, i.e., NanoSensor Networks (NSNs) with Molecular Communication.


The impact of brands has become more powerful than ever in the contemporary world and brand managers are aware that brand growth and expansion are essential for the increase of sales and the development of companies in general. Leading companies like Xerox and Coca-Cola report that brand is as important to their performance as factories, innovations and capital are, since powerful brands attract wealthy customers and investors. The concept of brand equity has been widely employed lately. It refers to the financial worth which adds to the physical properties of tangible assets and of products in particular. Brand equity is in essence the measurement of the value added. The objective of this paper is to present contemporary methods for valuating brand equity and to provide a comparative analysis of their employment. In-depth knowledge about global practices in brand equity valuation is of fundamental importance to designing a successful and efficient branding strategy.


The aim with this Master's thesis is to analyze how small scale libraries works to relate to, and meditate with, the local community. By studying four different public libraries we have gained knowledge in which different ways todays public libraries communicate with their surrounded community. By the process of interviews with local politicians, librarians and heads of libraries we have managed to map the specific prerequisite for each library and how they relate to these conditions. We found that all libraries tries to be a central part of their local communities' and to meet its needs of culture, information, knowledge and to function as a social meeting place. Whether or not a library suceeds with its ambitons, varies with the grade of adaptation to its surroundings, and the meeting of its needs. We believe that a proactive library who act for a broaden mass-education, local democracy and as a accommodator of local culture and democracy, has more potential in becoming a central element in its local community, than the ones who do not.


Cooperative mobility is emerging as a key technology to improve energy efficiency, safety, and road capacity while preserving a high degree of individual freedom. This has attracted a large interest by industry and academia, largely focused on vehicle safety applications, but also on fuel savings by enforcing smoother traffic conditions. More recently, the potentially high benefits in terms of fuel efficiency also for the single traffic participants have been addressed. However, production maturity and public acceptance of cooperative mobility can only be achieved if safety, energy efficiency improvements and compatibility with other traffic participants is demonstrated in a convincing way. Traditionally, similar aims have been tackled using large fleet tests. In the case of cooperative automated driving, the number of use-cases and participants makes this procedure prohibitively expensive. This paper proposes an integrated approach in which a physical engine test bench, a high fidelity vehicle simulator working online and a large scale traffic simulator are connected to provide a representative and fast testing setup able to replace large fleet testing.


Objective Choosing chronic heart failure rats as starting point, to observe whether Autoantibodies against β3-adrenoceptor (β3AA) can reduce the susceptibility to myocardial ischemic/reperfusion injury of heart failure rats, then to study whether β3AA have cardio protective effect to the heart failure rats. Methods β3AA was produced through actively immunised method; The level of β3AA in the sera was detected by ELISA, β3AA positive/negative IgG were purified by Mab Trap Kit (Amersham, USA), BCA Protein Assay kit (Pierce, USA) was used for protein quantitation, the purities of extractions were assessed by conventional SDS-PAGE; Aortic banding surgery was used to prepare the heart failure model, Ligating the left anterior descending coronary artery for 30 min, then loose the ligature for reperfusion 3 h to make the myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury, TTC coloration is used to detect the myocardial infarct sise, caspase 3 ability assay and TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labelling were used to detect the apoptosis. Results After β3AA was administrated to the rats, the myocardial infarct size induced by ischemia/reperfusion injury was smaller than that in the control group (48.81±6.45% vs 60.25±2.52%, p<0.05); after the heart failure rats undergo the myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury, the TUNEL-positive cells and the apoptosis index both were significantly lower in β3AA positive group than in β3AA negative group (24.33±1.82% vs 31.24±1.31%, p<0.01); moreover compared with the β3AA negative group, the caspase-3 activity in myocardiocytes was also lower in β3AA positive group (1941±150.0 vs 1485±89.39, p<0.01). Conclusion β3AA can decrease the myocardial infarct size and cardiomyocyte apoptosis induced by ischemia/reperfusion injury in heart failure rats, so β3AA reduce the susceptibility to myocardial ischemic/reperfusion injury of heart failure rats.


ABSTRACT Seven 3-month-old, female, helminth-free lambs were immunized intranasally with three doses (1 mg total) of a recombinant part of the catalytic region of the serine/threonine phosphatase 2A (PP2Ar) (group 1 [G1]). In addition, four lambs were used as an adjuvant control group (G2), four as unimmunized, infected controls (G3), and four as unimmunized, uninfected controls (G4). Fifteen days after the last immunization, lambs from G1, G2, and G3 were challenged with 10,000 larval stage 3 (L3) organisms in a plurispecific nematode infection composed of ca. 40% Trichostrongylus colubriformis, 40% Haemonchus contortus, and 20% Teladorsagia circumcincta. All the lambs were clinically monitored throughout the experiment. Parasitological (fecal egg output and immunological response), biopathological (packed-cell volume and leukocyte and eosinophil counts), and zootechnical (live-weight gain) analyses were conducted. On day 105 of the experiment, all the animals were slaughtered and the adult worm population in their abomasa examined. Intranasal administration of PP2Ar with bacterial walls as an adjuvant elicited a strong immune response in the immunized lambs, as evidenced by their humoral immune response. Immunized animals and animals receiving the adjuvant shed significantly (P < 0.001) fewer numbers of parasites' eggs in their feces. The immunization significantly reduced the helminth burden in the abomasa by the end of the experiment (>68%), protection being provided against both Haemonchus and Teladorsagia. Live-weight gain in the immunized lambs was similar to that in the uninfected controls versus the infected or adjuvanted animal groups. Our results suggest that heterologous immunization of ruminants by intranasal administration may be efficacious in the struggle to control gastrointestinal helminths in these livestock.


We analyzed the relations between nutritional status and several measures of the ability to perform the normal activities of daily living (ADL) in a long-term institutionalized geriatric population and also studied whether changes in this ability, as found ten months later, were associated with changes in the nutritional status. Nutritional status was assessed using objective anthropometric measurements (triceps skinfold, mid upper-arm circumference, midarm muscle area [AMA], midarm fat area [AFA]) and subjective clinical features (temporal muscle atrophy [TMA] and Bichat's fat atrophy [BFA]). The capacity to perform ADL was analyzed considering ability to eat and to walk, dental status, and mental performance status. Patients with total absence or loss of more than 50% of the teeth showed less AMA and AFA and greater degrees of TMA and BFA; the same happened with regard to deterioration of mental performance status. Those patients fed through a nasogastric tube showed less AFA and serum albumin and also a greater degree of TMA and BFA. Patients unable to walk without aid showed less AMA and AFA. Patients whose capacity to walk improved or whose mental performance status ameliorated showed an increase of their AMA, whereas AFA slightly decreased in those patients whose abilities to eat and to walk deteriorated. Long-term hospitalization in our center led to improvement and to deterioration of ADL in approximately the same number of patients, and similar changes were seen in the nutritional measures.


The analysis of the linkage between infection of dairy herds in the Ural region with BVDV, BHV-1, C. abortus and N. caninum with indices of reproductive function and reproductive losses was performed. The results of studies of 1453 samples of biological material by Elisa, PCR and Real-Time PCR were taken into account. The level of BVDV infection in animals of various physiological groups in the examined farms ranged from 15.6 to 66.7%, and the seroprevalence of the BHV-1 field strain was 31.8%. The amount of seroprevalent to C. abortus animals in dairy herds was 55.1 %, to N. caninum-43.3%. The lowest rates of fertilization were found in farms with simultaneous circulation of chlamydia and neosporosis pathogens and in mono-chlamydia infection. In these same herds, there was a longer post-partum interval. The highest mean rate of abortions in cows and heifers was in farms with N. caninum circulation, as well as in mixed infections, with increased action of infectious factors. In the analysis of viral infections, it was established that the highest level of perinatal losses was seen in the presence of BVDV.


Abstract Lower-grade (World Health Organization Grades II and III) gliomas vary widely in clinical behavior and are classified as astrocytic, oligodendroglial, or mixed. Anaplasia depends greatly on mitotic activity, with CDKN2A loss considered as the most common mechanism for cell cycle dysregulation. We investigated whether loss of the CDKN2A gene is associated with overall survival across pathologically and genetically defined glioma subtypes. After adjustment for IDH mutation, sex, and age, CDKN2A deletion was strongly associated with poorer overall survival in astrocytomas but not in oligodendrogliomas or oligoastrocytomas. Molecular classification of astrocytomas by IDH mutation, TP53 mutation, and /or ATRX loss of expression revealed that CDKN2A loss in IDH/TP53 mutated tumors was strongly associated with worse overall survival. CDKN2A loss in IDH mutated tumors with ATRX loss was only weakly associated with worse overall survival. These findings suggest that CDKN2A testing may provide further clinical aid in lower-grade glioma substratification beyond IDH mutation and 1p19q codeletion status, particularly in IDH/TP53 mutated astrocytomas.


Incentives for plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) are typically designed to encourage broad consumer adoption of the new technology. However, maximizing the emissions benefits from electrifying the transportation sector also requires incentives targeted at stakeholders with high travel intensity, i.e., those with particularly high passenger occupancy and/or vehicle-miles traveled (VMT). This policy brief focuses on one such class of stakeholders: transportation network companies (TNCs) such as Uber and Lyft. It examines empirical data of electric vehicle use in TNCs and discusses research findings on the potential impacts of electrifying TNCs. It also raises important considerations for the development of future policy.View the NCST Project Webpage


Aims Protein kinase C epsilon (PKCε) is critical for cardiac protection from ischaemia and reperfusion (IR) injury. PKCε substrates that mediate cytoprotection reside in the mitochondria. However, the mechanism enabling mitochondrial translocation and import of PKCε to enable phosphorylation of these substrates is not known. Heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) is a cytoprotective protein chaperone that participates in mitochondrial import of a number of proteins. Here, we investigated the role of HSP90 in mitochondrial import of PKCε. Methods and results Using an ex vivo perfused rat heart model of IR, we found that PKCε translocates from the cytosol to the mitochondrial fraction following IR. Immunogold electron microscopy and mitochondrial fractionation demonstrated that following IR, mitochondrial PKCε is localized within the mitochondria, on the inner mitochondrial membrane. Pharmacological inhibition of HSP90 prevented IR-induced interaction between PKCε and the translocase of the outer membrane (Tom20), reduced mitochondrial import of PKCε, and increased necrotic cell death by ∼70%. Using a rational approach, we designed a 7-amino acid peptide activator of PKCε, derived from an HSP90 homologous sequence located in the C2 domain of PKCε (termed ψεHSP90). Treatment with this peptide (conjugated to the cell permeating TAT protein-derived peptide, TAT47–57) increased PKCε–HSP90 protein–protein interaction, enhanced mitochondrial translocation of PKCε, increased phosphorylation and activity of an intra-mitochondrial PKCε substrate, aldehyde dehydrogenase 2, and reduced cardiac injury in ex vivo and in vivo models of myocardial infarction. Conclusion Our results suggest that HSP90-mediated mitochondrial import of PKCε plays an important role in the protection of the myocardium from IR injury.


The concept of intentional learning is well established in the educational community. Intentional learning implies that there is a recognized learning goal and that those involved are rational agents who can make choices with regard to achieving that goal. There are typically two different kinds of people involved in a learning situation—learners and those supporting learners (teachers, tutors, trainers, intelligent pedagogical agents, etc.). It is important to recognize that the goals of learners and those who are designated to support them may differ. Optimal learning occurs when such differences are minimized. A second well-established concept in education is that of engagement. Educational research has established time-on-task as a significant predictor of learning—the more time that a student spends on a learning task, the more likely that student is to master that task. More recently, this concept has been expanded to include initiating and sustaining engagement along with motivation and volition. According to the widely accepted constructivist epistemology, a person creates internal representations (a cognitive activity) to make sense of things that the person experiences, especially things that are new or puzzling in some way. In this paper, we review the logical landscape of the cognitive perspective of intentional learning and argue that it is incomplete without also taking into consideration a more holistic account of human learning that includes noncognitive aspects involved in human experience, somewhat akin to embodied cognition. Our review provides reminders of research-based principles that can inform technology-enhanced efforts to support intentional learning and promote engagement. We conclude with a framework for integrating technologies that are likely to engage learners taking into account a variety of learning goals, situations, and learners. This review is preliminary and intended to suggest areas worth investigating to elaborate a more complete picture of how best to promote and support intentional learning and active learner engagement using available technologies.


The expansion of international relations is an important factor of region development, a source of its economic development and an access of regional companies to foreign technologies and financial resources. For the last years the Chuvash Republic has still been a reliable partner for the mutually beneficial co-operation with foreign states. The formation of the institute of trade and economic representatives of the Chuvash Republic in the regions of the Russian Federation has become an important institutional modification in the modern region history. Today, the Chuvash Republic co-operates with 75 countries of the world in trade and economic sphere, has contractual relations with 38 constituents of the Russian Federation.


Problem-based learning (PBL) is one of the possible training strategies that could be more fully implemented in the South African formal education system. The intention to migrate from teacher-centred to learner-centred instructions in higher education institutions and schools makes PBL a plausible option. Geography education students might be exposed to PBL because their training implies the acquisition of abilities to solve real-world situations at various geographical scales. This paper explores the perception of second- and third-year students in a BEd programme in Potchefstroom, South Africa. The study uses a mixed-method research approach based on questionnaire application, students' learning journal entries and field notes. Findings from the study indicate that students show very positive perceptions of PBL as a training strategy for teaching and learning. A gender difference regarding general aspects of PBL, independent learning, workload, assessment rubrics and the different role-players in PBL indicates that female students hold more positive perceptions of the PBL experience. Overall, the results indicate that students with higher academic performances in most instances hold more positive perceptions of the PBL experience.


BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Epidermal growth factor receptor variant III is a common mutation in glioblastoma, found in approximately 25% of tumors. Epidermal growth factor receptor variant III may accelerate angiogenesis in malignant gliomas. We correlated T1-weighted dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging perfusion parameters with epidermal growth factor receptor variant III status. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty-two consecutive patients with glioblastoma and known epidermal growth factor receptor variant III status who had dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging before surgery were evaluated. Volumes of interest were drawn around the entire enhancing tumor on contrast T1-weighted images and then were transferred onto coregistered dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging perfusion maps. Histogram analysis with normalization was performed to determine the relative mean, 75th percentile, and 90th percentile values for plasma volume and contrast transfer coefficient. A Wilcoxon rank sum test was applied to assess the relationship between baseline perfusion parameters and positive epidermal growth factor receptor variant III status. The receiver operating characteristic method was used to select the cutoffs of the dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging perfusion parameters. RESULTS: Increased relative plasma volume and increased relative contrast transfer coefficient parameters were both significantly associated with positive epidermal growth factor receptor variant III status. For epidermal growth factor receptor variant III–positive tumors, relative plasma volume mean was 9.3 and relative contrast transfer coefficient mean was 6.5; for epidermal growth factor receptor variant III–negative tumors, relative plasma volume mean was 3.6 and relative contrast transfer coefficient mean was 3.7 (relative plasma volume mean, P < .001, and relative contrast transfer coefficient mean, P = .008). The predictive powers of relative plasma volume histogram metrics outperformed those of the relative contrast transfer coefficient histogram metrics (P < = .004). CONCLUSIONS: Dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging shows greater perfusion and leakiness in epidermal growth factor receptor variant III–positive glioblastomas than in epidermal growth factor receptor variant III–negative glioblastomas, consistent with the known effect of epidermal growth factor receptor variant III on angiogenesis. Quantitative evaluation of dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging may be useful as a noninvasive tool for correlating epidermal growth factor receptor variant III expression and related tumor neoangiogenesis. This potential may have implications for monitoring response to epidermal growth factor receptor variant III–targeted therapies.