Background Previously, we described increased expression of Wnt-1-induced signaling protein 1 (Wisp1) in murine synovium and cartilage after induction of two experimental osteoarthritis (OA) models. Wisp1 is a downstream target of the canonical Wnt signaling pathway that has been shown to play a pivotal role in the etiopathology of OA. In line with this, we have observed increased breakdown of the articular cartilage after overexpression of Wisp1 in naïve mouse knee joints, whereas Wisp1-/- mice revealed decreased cartilage degeneration in three independent experimental OA models compared to wild type controls. Together, these data indicate a direct correlation between Wisp1 and OA in mice. Objectives In the current study we set out to characterize the relation between expression of WISP1 and human OA. Methods Articular cartilage from preserved and degenerated OA areas was collected from 39 Caucasian end-stage OA patients. Cartilage from non-OA-diagnosed individuals was collected after femoral neck fractures. Cartilage degeneration was classified according to the Mankin scoring system. DNA was isolated to determine correlation between WISP1 expression and methylation profiles using Generalized Linear Mixed Model (GLMM). RNA expression levels were determined with microarray analysis and RNA sequencing. Immunohistochemical staining was used to determine WISP1 protein expression. Recombinant WISP1 was added to human chondrocyte microparticles, and cartilage extracellular matrix deposition was determined by measuring cartilage microparticle size and Safranin O/Fast Green staining. Results We observed increased WISP1 expression in cartilage of OA patients compared to non-OA-diagnosed controls. Moreover, within OA patients, both WISP1 mRNA and protein expression were significantly increased in OA-affected cartilage compared to preserved regions of the same joint, and WISP1 expression significantly correlated with Mankin score. Interestingly, we found that positional CpG dinucleotides were hypomethylated in cartilage of OA-affected areas as compared to unaffected areas from the same joint, which correlated with increased RNA expression as determined with both microarray analysis and RNA sequencing analysis. Of note, methylation levels of a CpG affecting WISP1 transcription were found to highly significantly correlate to a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) at the WISP1 locus. Next, to investigate effects of increased WISP1 levels on chondrocyte microparticles, we added human recombinant WISP1. This resulted in a significantly decreased deposition of cartilage extracellular matrix as reflected by decreased microparticle circumference, and a strongly decreased proteoglycan content, suggesting that increased WISP1 levels are detrimental to cartilage. Conclusions The expression of WISP1, both RNA and protein, is increased in OA-affected as compared to preserved articular cartilage. This increased expression is inversely correlated with methylation levels of a positional CpG for WISP1, which was found to be under the influence of a SNP at the WISP1 locus. Together, our results suggest that tight regulation of WISP1 expression via methylation is essential to maintain cartilage homeostasis. Disclosure of Interest None declared


Context and Objective Obesity and SLC2A9 genotype are strong determinants of uric acid levels. However, data on SLC2A9 variants and weight loss induced changes in uric acid levels are missing. We examined whether the changes in uric acid levels two- and ten-years after weight loss induced by bariatric surgery were associated with SLC2A9 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the Swedish Obese Subjects study. Methods SNPs (N = 14) identified by genome-wide association studies and exonic SNPs in the SLC2A9 gene locus were genotyped. Cross-sectional associations were tested before (N = 1806), two (N = 1664) and ten years (N = 1201) after bariatric surgery. Changes in uric acid were compared between baseline and Year 2 (N = 1660) and years 2 and 10 (N = 1172). A multiple testing corrected threshold of P = 0.007 was used for statistical significance. Results Overall, 11 of the 14 tested SLC2A9 SNPs were significantly associated with cross-sectional uric acid levels at all three time points, with rs13113918 showing the strongest association at each time point (R2 = 3.7−5.2%, 3.9×10−22≤p≤7.7×10−11). One SNP (rs737267) showed a significant association (R2 = 0.60%, P = 0.002) with change in uric acid levels from baseline to Year 2, as common allele homozygotes (C/C, N = 957) showed a larger decrease in uric acid (−61.4 µmol/L) compared to minor allele carriers (A/X: −51.7 µmol/L, N = 702). No SNPs were associated with changes in uric acid from years 2 to 10. Conclusions SNPs in the SLC2A9 locus contribute significantly to uric acid levels in obese individuals, and the associations persist even after considerable weight loss due to bariatric surgery. However, we found little evidence for an interaction between genotype and weight change on the response of uric acid to bariatric surgery over ten years. Thus, the fluctuations in uric acid levels among the surgery group appear to be driven by the weight losses and gains, independent of SLC2A9 genotypes.


During the past few years a tremendous quantity of publicity has been given to the use of various substances to stimulate growth in plants. Most of the emphasis has been laid on the use of such substances for the rooting of cuttings of woody plants such as Camellia, rhododendrons, holly and others which ordinarily are extremely difficult to root, and for accelerating the rooting of other cuttings which are more easily rooted with the customary propagating practices. More recently, the effect of these same substances on seed germination has been capitalized upon in the seed trade. As is frequently the case in commercial propaganda, promises are made which far exceed, and in some cases have but little bearing on, the actual facts which have been demonstrated in wellcontrolled scientific experiments. For this reason, as well as because of the confusion and disagreement which appears to exist among the various investigators themselves, it has seemed wise to make an effort at this time to give our readers some notion of the actual principles involved in the use of growth substances, and of what they can and cannot be expected to accomplish.


Three brothers had a syndrome of hypospadias and mental retardation in association with microcephaly, craniofacial dysmorphism, joint laxity, and beaked nails. No other family members were affected, and this previously undelineated condition appears to be inherited in either an autosomal recessive or X-linked recessive mode.


Loot boxes provide randomized rewards in video games; their purchase is linked to disordered gambling and they are present in approximately half of UK video games. The relative novelty of loot boxes means that regulators and policymakers in various jurisdictions are still deciding how to regulate them. The People's Republic of China (PRC) is the first, and presently only, jurisdiction to legally require companies to disclose the probabilities of obtaining randomized loot box rewards – an approach that is also favored by the industry as self-regulation. This study is the first to assess paid loot box prevalence in the PRC and companies' discretionary interpretations of probability disclosure regulations. Loot boxes were found in 91 of the 100 highest-grossing PRC iPhone games. Of games deemed suitable for children aged 12+, 90.5% contained loot boxes. Probability disclosures could not be found for 4.4% of games containing loot boxes. Disclosures were implemented through various methods both in-game and on the games' official websites; however, consistent with the concept of 'sludge,' only 5.5% used the most prominent format of automatically displaying the probabilities on the in-game loot box purchase page. Loot box probability disclosures should be uniform and visually prominent to best help inform consumers.


Empowering smallholder cattle farmers through the Field station of School for Smallholder Community (SL-SPR) Program is one of the efforts to improve the reproductive performance of Bali cattle in smallholder farmers. This research aims to evaluate the reproductive performance of Bali cattle reared semi-intensively in SL-SPR Sungai Lilin, South Sumatra. Data on reproductive performance were collected from the observation method through direct observation and interviews with respondents in the community. The respondents was totally 45 smallholder farmers, with a total number of Bali cattle observed of as many as 150 cattle and 372 heads of cow-calf. The data were analyzed using descriptive analysis of variance mixed model using SAS 9.2 software. The results showed that Bali cattle reproductive performances average first calving (AFC) was 971.09 ± 246.47 days. The average calving interval (CI) value was 381.90±72.33 days, while the average days open (DO) value was 111.90±72.33 days. However, the values of AFC, CI and DO had no significant differences (P>0.05) based on differences in season, sex, year of birth, and the interaction between the year of birth, and parity. Bali cattle reproductive performance in SL-SPR Sungai Lilin is in the ideal category.


As science advances day by day, people rely upon technology for their assistance. Compared to older days, people who are handicapped and who have disabilities of limbs due to old age have been increased today. Several availabilities have been introduced by the new technology to overcome this problem. One of the best options among them is the human-assisting robot . These robots can be controlled by a human in different ways. An Electromygraphy (EMG) is a signal which is produced due to the electrical activity when muscle contracts. These signals can be used as control signals for serving the robot. In this paper, a pick and place robotic arm is controlled using the EMG signals acquired from the arm of the user in real time. EMG signals are acquired from the forearm of the user with the help of surface electrodes attached to the user's skin. It is found to be more robust when compared to other ideas.


The Quality-Oriented Adaptation Scheme (QOAS) supports the distribution of high quality multimedia services to a large number of simultaneous customers via given broadband IP infrastructure. This paper presents subjective testing results that augment previously reported objective performance assessment. Clips representing different classes of multimedia sequences in terms of motion content and types were selected and streamed using a QOAS-based prototype system. Congested delivery network conditions were emulated and the effects of the consequent QOAS-driven adaptations were subjectively assessed by end-users. The test subjects have also graded their perceived quality when using a nonadaptive streaming approach. The QOAS-related results were much higher than those obtained for a nonadaptive approach, being above the "good" perceptual level for all multimedia clips and in all tested delivery conditions.


Abstract Objectives: We aim to describe the early and upto 16 months follow-up of post-coronavirus disease (COVID), multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), with special reference to cardiac involvement. Study design: This cohort non-interventional descriptive study included patients <18 years admitted between May, 2020 and April, 2021. Based on underlying similarities, children were classified as post-COVID MIS-C with overlapping Kawasaki Disease, MIS-C with no overlapping Kawasaki Disease, and MIS-C with shock. Post-discharge, patients were followed at 1, 3, 6, 12, and 16 months. Results: Forty-one patients predominantly males (73%), at median age of 7 years (range 0.2–16 years) fulfilled the World Health Organisation criteria for MIS-C. Cardiac involvement was seen in 15 (36.5%); impaired left ventricle (LV) function in 5 (12.2%), coronary artery involvement in 10 (24.4%), pericardial effusion in 6 (14.6%) patients, and no arrhythmias. There were two hospital deaths (4.9%), both in MIS-C shock subgroup (2/10, 20%). At 1 month, there was persistent LV dysfunction in 2/5, coronary artery abnormalities in 7/10, and pericardial effusion resolved completely in all patients. By 6 months, LV function returned to normal in all but coronary abnormalities persisted in two patients. At last follow-up (median 9.8 months, interquartile range 2–16 months), in 36/38 (94.7%) patients, coronary artery dilatation was persistent in 2 (20%) patients. Conclusions: Children with MIS-C have a good early outcome, though MIS-C with shock can be life-threatening subgroup in a resource-constrained country setting. On midterm follow-up, there is normalisation of LV function in all and recovery of coronary abnormalities in 80% of patients.


This thesis proposes a frequency selective surface (FSS) for interference control causes by the proliferation of mobile devices. FSS is a periodic structure etched on a dielectric substrate which acts as a spatial filter. The proposed FSS is designed as a band-stop filter to attenuate the cellular signals operating at GSM900, GSM1800 and IMT2000 frequency bands. The employment of the FSS is an effective shielding technique as it eliminates the need for power supply and prevents the use of mobile phone without disrupting other types of communications. All the designs and simulations are done using the Computer Simulation Technology (CST) Microwave Studio software. There are three main groups of the FSS prototype designed in this study. The first group of the FSS prototype is etched on FR-4 substrate using the photolithography technique. On the other hand, the second group of the FSS prototype is printed on glossy paper substrate using the manual fabrication and inkjet printing techniques. These two techniques are implemented using the conductive silver pen and copper nanoparticle ink, respectively. The simulated results of the conventional square loop FSS printed on paper shows a good angular stability compared to the conventional square loop FSS printed on FR-4 substrate. The utilization of the inkjet printing technique is proposed in order to overcome the limitations of the manual fabrication technique. In order to transform a non-conductive printed pattern to a conductive one, the printed FSS element has to undergo the post-processing, called sintering. This consequently leads to a final prototype of the FSS printed on polyimide film. In order to validate the simulated results experimentally, the measurement is performed inside the anechoic chamber. The measured and simulated results are shown to be in a very good agreement with each other. FSS printed on glossy paper is highly recommended due to its very low cost and environmental-friendly material.


Electrocardiographic abnormalities have been reported during ritodrine tocolysis. No previous studies, however, have included controls. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the electrocardiographic tracings of patients receiving ritodrine tocolysis and compare them with those of matched controls. Holter monitors were placed on eight patients receiving ritodrine tocolysis and eight control patients for 24 hours to make continuous electrocardiographic records. Twelve-lead electrocardiograms, serum glucose, and electrolyte concentrations were monitored serially in all patients. Four of the eight patients receiving ritodrine tocolysis demonstrated ST segment depression, while none of the control patients manifested any electrocardiographic abnormalities. The observed ST segment depression appears to be related to the degree of maternal tachycardia and the level of hypokalemia and hyperglycemia that occurs during early ritodrine tocolysis.


Although fine needle aspiration (FNA) of the thyroid has been found to be useful in selecting patients for surgery in most cases, the cytologic differentiation of cellular colloid nodules from follicular neoplasms has not been possible because of the scanty amount of tissue obtained by this technique and because of the infrequent preparation of cell blocks, thus precluding appreciation of the tissue architecture. Review of the histology of nodular goiters and follicular neoplasms and comparison of their morphology in smears and cell blocks from FNA specimens with the histology of the surgically excised specimens in 74 cases revealed the presence of hyperplastic papillae and fragments of dilated follicles in the aspirates of most cases of colloid nodules. These two features appear to be specific for colloid nodules and are useful for distinguishing colloid nodules from follicular neoplasms. The merits of using a 21-gauge needle and of preparing cell blocks in thyroid studies are also discussed.


Objective: The study was designed first, to find out from the medical students if their perceived self-efficacy is related
to their use of cognitive learning strategies; second, to asses if, in terms of gender and parent education, differences do
exist in their levels of self-efficacy and their use of the cognitive strategies. Method: This was a cross section study which
employed a pre-tested questionnaire, Motivated Strategies for Leaning Questionnaire (MSLQ), scored on a Likert Scale.
The study population was made up of first year medical students after consenting to take part in the study. There was an
86% response rate. Results: Self-efficacy positively predicted both learning strategies of shallow [β = 0.47] and deep
[β = 0.42]. There were no significant differences between male and female students on both shallow and deep learning
strategies, and self-efficacy beliefs (p < 0.05). First generation students had higher levels of cognitive learning strategies
in both shallow (p < 0.05) and deep (p < 0.01) learning strategies. Conclusion: Self efficacy is therefore important for
adoption of study habits in medical students with respect to the learning of Anatomy. It is therefore imperative to employ
methods that will yield high self-efficacy in students.


Grape pomace (GP), the residue of grapes after wine making, is rich in dietary polyphenols and fiber, and it has potential to serve as a functional food ingredient to improve health. However, high polyphenol diets have also been reported to inhibit the growth of young animals and cause liver necrosis. This study investigated the effect of diets containing different amounts of GP on the growth performance and blood lipid profile by using a young rat model. Twenty female Sprague-Dawley rats of age 7 weeks were randomly divided into four groups that were fed AIN-93G diets that were modified by substituting 0%, 10%, 20%, and 30% of carbohydrate with GP for 10 weeks (the diets, thus, obtained contained 0%, 6.9%, 13.8%, and 20.7% of GP). The group fed original AIN-93G (0% GP) was used as control. Feed consumption, body weight, length, and height were recorded weekly. Blood samples were taken biweekly to analyze plasma lipid profile. At the end of the feeding period, the rats were fasted overnight and euthanized by exsanguination under anesthesia. Livers, hearts, and kidneys were collected, and their weights were recorded. Results show that the diet containing a maximum of 20.7% of GP did not influence the body weights, lengths, and heights of rats. As the GP content increased, the blood triglyceride and very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL) decreased, the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) increased slightly but were statistically significant, and total cholesterol remained constant. In conclusion, GP in the AIN-93G diet did not influence the growth performance of young rats, but it exhibited both positive and negative effects on the blood lipid profile.


Acetylcholine promotes paradoxical sleep (PS), but the role of noradrenaline in this stimulation is controversial. The relationship between cholinergic and noradrenergic systems in the production of PS was investigated in the rat implanted on a continuous basis for sleep recordings. Stimulation of PS was obtained with microinjections of carbachol (1 microgram) into the pontine reticular formation. In the presence of the alpha 2-agonist clonidine (5 micrograms/kg, IP), the carbachol activation of PS was abolished. This stimulation also disappeared when the animals were pretreated with alpha-methyl-paratyrosine (150 mg/kg, IP), an inhibitor of catecholamine synthesis. Thus, carbachol stimulation appeared inefficient when brain noradrenergic activation was decreased. This observation supports the view that the realization of PS by the cholinergic system requires a certain level of noradrenergic activity.


The scalability of market-based approaches in multi-robot system coordination enables an assigned task to be decomposed into subcomponents achievable by individuals or subteams within the team. However, in some potential multi-robot system applications, particularly search and rescue operations, this can involve deployment of multiple teams of robots from different parties to work side by side. Each team of robots is independently managed by its operator. A loose collaboration among teams of robots is needed to increase the efficiency of a task completion. This work presents a variant architecture of multi-robot systems using Contract Net Protocol to address the coordination among multiple teams of robots. The system is named a multi-team robot system. It places emphasis on a team's data security in communication where each team operates on a respective communication network while maintaining their collaboration. The method of task coordination is explained in detail and verified on a physical mobile robot platform.


Vertical well-aligned and crabwise ZnO nanowires were prepared on patterned ZnO:Ga/glass substrates by reactive evaporation method under different growth conditions. The average length and diameter of vertical well-aligned ZnO nanowires were around 1 mum and 50-100 nm, respectively. In contrast, the average length and diameter of crabwise ZnO nanowires were around 5 mum and 30 nm, respectively. Upon illumination with UV light (lambda = 362 nm), it was found that measured responsivities were 0.015 and 0.03 A/W for the crabwise ZnO nanowire photodetector biased at 10 and 15 V, respectively. Furthermore, a rejection ratio of approximately 10 was obtained for the crabwise ZnO nanowire photodetector with an applied bias of 10 V.


The influence of small radial perturbations of the cathode current on the characteristics of a homogeneous barrier discharge in nitrogen is investigated on the basis of a two-dimensional fluid model. In a Townsend discharge, radial fluctuations are substantially suppressed, which is the evidence of its stability. The oscillative mode of the Townsend discharge is also stable with regard to radial perturbations. As the discharge turns into a form controlled by spatial charge (a streamer is developed), disturbances of all radii grow in time. Such a behaviour testifies the instability of a streamer front and may cause the discharge filamentation. Since only the Townsend discharge is stable, it is possible to use a one-dimensional model to determine the domain of existence for a homogeneous discharge. The study of homogeneity domains by means of the one-dimensional model shows that at relatively large values of the voltage growth rate, discharge gap width, or capacitance of dielectric barriers the discharge tends to be filamentary. Calculation of the domain of the discharge homogeneity agrees satisfactory with the experimental data available as the account is taken for the gas heating.


Objective: To investigate important factors for health maintenance and the socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of women users of Basic Health Units. Methods: Observational, cross-sectional, and analytical study, carried out in 2011, involving 204 women seen in 26 units of the city of Queimadas, Paraiba. Information regarding demographic (housing location, skin colour, age, and marital status) and socioeconomic characteristics (educational level and assistance by the 'Bolsa Familia' conditional cash transfer program), and life habits (diet, smoking, medical consultation, sedentarism, alcohol intake, and weight and stress control) was obtained by questionnaire, and then applied descriptive statistics and prevalence ratio. Results: The participants had mean age of 28.22 years (SD=6.49). The majority lived in rural areas (n=126; 61.76%), declared being able to read or write (n=184; 90.2%) and receiving the Bolsa Familia grant (n=153; 75.0%). The most frequently cited features for health maintenance were healthy diet (n=126; 61.8%), not smoking (n=21; 10.3%), and regular medical consultation (n=19; 9.3%). The socioeconomic and demographic variables showed no significant statistical associations with the important features for health maintenance. Conclusion: The studied population recognizes the healthy diet, not smoking, and regular medical consultation as the most important features for health maintenance.


This paper chooses south Yingkou coast as study area, some landscape pattern indexes such as water landscape dominant index, wetland landscape index, building disturb index and landscape stability degree are created to describe coastal landscape pattern change. Remote sensing images obtained in 1990,2000,2005,2010 and 2015 were employed as data sources. The result shows that water landscape which include salt pools, fishing ponds and tidal channel decreased, while terrain landscape include building land and grassland increased. Sea reclamation by human activities weakened coastal landscape characteristics in different sub-regions. The north sub-region has changed from salt pools, fishing ponds to town and industry landscape, the water landscape dominant index reduces to 0.15 and building disturb index raises to 45.40. The middle sub-region is just changing from water landscape to terrain landscape. Its water landscape dominant index is 0.56 and building disturb index is 10.30. The south sub-region still maintains water landscape. Its water landscape dominant index is 0.85 and building disturb index is only 4.40. The landscape stability degree of Iand II covered most areas.Idegree areas account for 35.73%. IIdegree areas account for 39.86%, while the areas which landscape types changed above 2 times, only account for 24.41%.


This thesis presents a series of electron impact ionization measurements on the gas phase targets of argon and krypton. The (e,2e) coincidence technique has been employed to measure the triple differential cross section (TDCS) using a new coincidence spectrometer designed to operate in the low energy regime (2 to 5 times the ionization energy) and in the coplanar geometry. The spectrometer is a conventional device utilizing a non-energy selected electron gun and two 1800 hemispherical electron analysers fitted with channel electron multipliers for detection of the outgoing electrons. A series of TDCS measurements were performed on the 3s inner-valence and 3p valence orbitals of argon employing coplanar asymmetric kinematics. Measurements for both orbitals were performed at an incident energy of 113.5 eV, ejected energies of 10, 7.5, 5 and 2 eV and a scattering angle of -15°. The energy of the scattered electron in each case was chosen to satis~' energy conservation and is dependent on the ionization energies of the different orbitals. The experimental cross sections are compared to theoretical TDCS calculations using the distorted wave Born approximation (DWBA) and variations of the DWBA in an attempt to investigate the role that post collisional interaction (PCI), polarization and electron exchange play in describing the TDCS in the low energy regime. To further extend this analysis, a series of TDCS measurements were performed on the 3s and 4s. orbitals of argon and krypton, respectively, employing coplanar symmetric kinematics. Measurements were performed for the 3s orbital at outgoing energies of 50, 20, 10 and 4eV and for the 4s orbital at outgoing energies of 85, 50, 20 and 10 eV. The kinematics were chosen to coincide with several of the (e,2e) measurements made in the same geometry on the 3p orbital of argon by Rouvellou et al (1998). The experimental results were again compared to a DWBA calculation and similar variations to those employed for the asymmetric measurements.


Abstract Objective The goal of this study was to verify the details of neonatal respiratory inhibition (NRI) in healthy infants. Methods We screened for NRI in 521 infants who weighed at least 2000 g and who were born at a gestational age of at least 36 weeks. Respiratory inhibition was defined as severe hypoxemia, accompanied by clinical manifestations of central cyanosis and a decrease in SpO2 to less than 70%. NRI consists of feeding hypoxemia, respiratory inhibition after crying (RIAC), and respiratory inhibition after gastroesophageal reflux (RIGER). The subjects were monitored continuously via pulse oximetry from birth until discharge. To identify the details of NRI, we analyzed detailed notes taken by both parents and medical staff during monitoring using specific software designed to interpret pulse oximetry measurements. The mothers of infants with feeding hypoxemia received nursing guidance. Results NRI was observed in 268 (51.4%) infants (feeding hypoxemia in 227 (43.6%); RIAC in 121 (23.2%); and RIGER in 12 (2.3%)). Among perinatal factors, NRI was related to diabetes mellitus (p = .008; odds ratio = 3.290; 95% CI: 1.371–7.895), twin pregnancy (p = .032; odds ratio = 2.061; 95% CI: 1.062–3.998), and cesarean section (p = .036; odds ratio = 1.537; 95% CI: 1.027–2.299) using multiple logistic regression analysis. Almost all infants with RIAC and RIGER, even those with severe cases, recovered until discharge. However, 93 (41.0%) infants with feeding hypoxemia needed additional feeding control after being discharged. Despite the provision of nursing guidance in feeding control, 143 (63.0%) infants experienced feeding hypoxemia continuously. The more frequently the infants experienced feeding hypoxemia, the more severe the degree of feeding hypoxemia became. Breastfeeding reduced the frequency and degree of feeding hypoxemia compared to bottle-feeding. Conclusions NRI was often observed in healthy infants. Breastfeeding and careful feeding control should be recommended to mothers of infants with repeated feeding hypoxemia.


We consider a queuing system consisting of a finite number of identical exponential servers. Each server has its own queue, and upon arrival each customer must be assigned to some server's queue. Under the assumption that no jockeying between queues is permitted, it is shown that the intuitively satisfying rule of assigning each arrival to the shortest line maximizes, with respect to stochastic order, the discounted number of customers to complete their service in any time t.


Abstract The present approach to environmental assessment of water resources development is seriously flawed and unsatisfactory. While no one will argue against the importance of carrying out environmental assessment, the real question remains how this assessment can be carried out properly and efficiently for the benefit of society as a whole. This paper outlines some of the major problems associated with the environmental assessment techniques used at present, and argues that until and unless these shortcomings are recognized, improvements are likely to be limited in the future.


The all-electron full potential augmented plane-wave plus local orbital (APW+lo) method with the local-density approximation (LDA) is used to calculate the static equation of state (EOS) and elastic constants of crystalline GaSe. After the full relaxation of atomic positions, the calculated band structure at ambient pressure is consistent with the experimental data to the extent expected to give the known limits of LDA one-electron energies. The equilibrium lattice parameters found here exhibit the usual LDA-induced contraction. However, constrained with the experimental cell volume, the interlayer separation exhibits an expansion due to the LDA underestimate of the weak interlayer bonding. The calculated values of elastic constants are in good agreement with acoustic measurements. The pressure derivatives of the lattice constants derived from the theoretical elastic constants are in very good agreement with x-ray spectra measurements. Two analytical EOSs have been determined at pressures up to 4.5 GPa. The pressure evolution of the structure indicates that the layer thickness decreases slightly under pressure.


Observations of prestellar cores in star-forming filaments show two distinct morphologies. While molecular line measurements often show broad cores, submillimetre continuum observations predominantly display pinched cores compared to the bulk of the filament gas. In order to explain how different morphologies arise, we use the gravitational instability model where prestellar cores form by growing density perturbations. The radial extent at each position is set by the local line mass. We show that the ratio of core radius to filament radius is determined by the initial line mass of the filament. Additionally, the core morphology is independent of perturbation length-scale and inclination, which makes it an ideal diagnostic for observations. Filaments with a line mass of less than half its critical value should form broad cores, whereas filaments with more than half its critical line-mass value should form pinched cores. For filaments embedded in a constant background pressure, the dominant perturbation growth times significantly differ for low and high line-mass filaments. Therefore, we predict that only one population of cores is present if all filaments within a region begin with similar initial perturbations.


The restricted mean survival time (RMST) has been advocated as an alternative or a supplement to the hazard ratio for reporting the effect of an intervention in a randomized clinical trial. The RMST difference allows quantification of the postponement of an outcome during a specified (restricted) interval and corresponds to the difference between the areas under the 2 survival curves for the intervention and control groups. This article presents examples of the use of the RMST in a research and a clinical context. First, the authors demonstrate how the RMST difference can answer research questions about the efficacy of different treatments. Estimates are presented for the effects of pharmacologic or strategy-driven glucose-lowering interventions for adults with type 2 diabetes from 36 trials and 9 follow-up studies reporting cardiovascular outcomes and mortality. The authors show how these measures may be used to mitigate uncertainty about the efficacy of intensive glucose control. Second, the authors demonstrate how the RMST difference may be used in the setting of a clinical consultation to guide the decision to start or discontinue a treatment. They then discuss the advantages of the RMST over the absolute risk difference, the number needed to treat, and the median survival time difference. They argue that the RMST difference is both easy to interpret and flexible in its application to different settings. Finally, they highlight the major limitations of the RMST, including difficulties in comparing studies of heterogeneous designs and in inferring the long-term effects of treatments using trials of short duration, and summarize the available statistical software for calculating the RMST.


The ultrastructure of the lens epithelium in Alport's syndrome was studied. In a transmission electron-microscopic examination, a large number of tonofilaments, swollen mitochondria, a dilated Golgi complex, a dilated rough endoplasmic reticulum with electron-dense (osmiophilic) material in some of these irregular structures and myelin figures were observed. Most of the cells had regularly shaped and only a few of them irregularly shaped nuclei. Additionally, polymorphism and marked degeneration in the transitional zone were observed in the scanning electron-microscopic examination of the lens epithelium. After the transitional zone, there were no epithelial cells present under the lens capsule, an observation that has never been reported in the literature.


In this letter, an alternative approximation is developed for the treatment of breakup process in nuclear reactions, which presents a way of evaluating non-adiabatic corrections to the adiabatic model three-body wavefunction by introducing a more consistent prescription for the continuum n-p center of mass energy. Although the present formalism goes beyond the quasi-adiabatic approach, due to the use of exact continuum channel energies, its application to deuteron involving reactions at medium energies shows that such an approach can not be used in its present form. A possible reason behind this failure is discussed.


Background: Countries interested in monitoring and quantifying the carbon stock of their tropical forests need cost-effective methodologies to map aboveground carbon density (ACD) at regional and national project levels, and with measurable precision and accuracy. This study reports on improvements made possible by the use of airborne high resolution LiDAR samples to regionally fine-tune freely available moderate resolution remote sensing data, and generate maps of ACD with greater detail and improved accuracy than existing pantropical data sets. Results: Regions in the Peruvian and Colombian Amazon indicate that, although existing pantropical data sets of ACD explain approximately 70% of the variance in ACD relative to high resolution LiDAR estimates, by fine calibration with airborne LiDAR samples, it is possible to reduce the relative root mean squared error from 25.2 and 31.4 MgC ha-1, to 15.7 and 17.6 MgC ha-1, respectively, in Colombia and Peru. Conclusion: Airborne LiDAR data can successfully be used for fine-tuning freely available moderate resolution remote sensing image data and significantly improving existing aboveground carbon density maps, to better meet the requirements for national and subnationl carbon density mapping.


Introduction: Besides conventional resistance training (CRT), whole body vibration (WBV) has been shown to be effective. Effects of WBV in COPD patients have not been assessed so far.

Aim: To compare, the effects of WBV with those obtained by CRT on exercise capacity, muscle force and QoL.

Methods: Patients with COPD, referred for pulmonary rehabilitation, were randomized in one of two training groups. Patients in CRT group performed resistance training on multigym equipment and patients in WBV group trained on a FITVIBE.

Results: 70 patients with COPD, showed at baseline an impaired exercise capacity, muscle force and QoL, no significant differences were seen between groups. Both groups improved the exercise capacity, muscle force and Qol over time. There were no significant differences after training.

View this table:

Conclusion: WBV is a promising training modality, which yielded the same magnitude of training effects as those obtained with CRT.


Background

Postpartum uterine infection can lead to endometrial inflammation and oxidative damage. Progesterone makes the animal more susceptible to uterine infection. Progesterone has been proved to play an anti-inflammatory role in inhibiting uterine innate immunity, and to reduce tissue oxidative damage. But the effect of progesterone on the oxidative damage of bovine endometrium has not been reported. The purpose of this study was to explore the effect and mechanism of progesterone (1, 3, and 5 ng/mL) on oxidative damage in primary bovine endometrial epithelial cells (BEEC) induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from Escherichia coli.
Results

Compared with the LPS group, there were decreases (P < 0.05) in the levels of reactive oxygen and malondialdehyde, and increases (P < 0.05) in the activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase, and total antioxidant capacity in the cotreatment groups of progesterone and LPS. The cotreatment of LPS and P4 upregulated (P < 0.05) the mRNA abundance of antioxidant genes and the key protein levels in Nrf2/Keap1 pathway, and promoted the Nrf2 protein to enter the nucleus. The use of progesterone receptor antagonist mifepristone reversed the antioxidative effect of progesterone.
Conclusions

Progesterone protects BEEC from LPS-induced oxidative damage by activating Nrf2/Keap1 pathway through progesterone receptor.


Twenty patients complaining of tinnitus were investigated by extra tympanic electrocochleography (ECochG). Baseline ECochG recordings were carried out, followed by sequential recording after injections first of saline, as a control, and then after lignocaine in the dosage 1.5 mg/kg body weight. Significant improvement in the tinnitus was seen in 13 patients after lignocaine compared with only 3 patients after saline. A statistically significant reduction in the amplitude of the action potential was seen after the lignocaine injection. Our results confirm the views of Melding et al. that the effect of lignocaine is on the neuronal activity of the auditory pathway.


We aimed to estimate the occurrence of syphilis in pregnant women (SPW) and congenital syphilis (CS) in the municipalities of the state of São Paulo (SP) and evaluate their relationship with socioeconomic, demographic, and health care variables. We developed an ecological study based on secondary data of SPW and CS with spatial and temporal components from 645 municipalities in SP and included data from 2007 to 2018. We modeled the data in a Bayesian context, considered spatial and temporal random effects, and used a binomial negative probability distribution. We found a continuous increase in the relative temporal risk of SPW, from 2007 to 2018, and CS, from 2007 to 2017, when their incidences increased by 8.7 and 6.6 times, respectively. Moreover, this increase occurred in en bloc in practically all municipalities of SP. The increase in SPW was associated with teenage pregnancy, municipalities with a large number of inhabitants, and aids incidence. The increase in CS was associated with municipalities with a large number of inhabitants, incomplete antenatal care, inadequate technology to perform deliveries in the municipality, and aids incidence. Interventions to control these diseases are needed in almost all the municipalities of the SP.


Distributed energy resources (DERs) are playing an increasing role in ancillary services for the bulk grid, particularly in frequency regulation. In this article, we propose a framework for collections of DERs, combined to form microgrids and controlled by aggregators, to participate in frequency regulation markets. Our approach covers both the identification of bids for the market clearing stage and the mechanisms for the real-time allocation of the regulation signal. The proposed framework is hierarchical, consisting of a top layer and a bottom layer. The top layer consists of the aggregators communicating in a distributed fashion to optimally disaggregate the regulation signal requested by the system operator. The bottom layer consists of the DERs inside each microgrid whose power levels are adjusted so that the tie line power matches the output of the corresponding aggregator in the top layer. The coordination at the top layer requires the knowledge of cost functions, ramp rates, and capacity bounds of the aggregators. We develop meaningful abstractions for these quantities respecting the power flow constraints and taking into account the load uncertainties and propose a provably correct distributed algorithm for optimal disaggregation of regulation signals among the microgrids.


The increasing complexity in the development of distributed systems has promoted the appearance of new software technologies that complements compositional framework technology providing a high degree of separation of concerns. One of these approaches is aspect-oriented-programming that introduces a new entity, the aspect, to model those features that cut across different components in the system, increasing its extensibility and configurability. Our goal is the application of this new technology to develop an aspect-oriented application framework to construct highly reusable collaborative virtual environments in short time.


Acetogens are microbes which produce acetate as a fermentation by-product. They have diverse phylogeny but a metabolic feature in common called the Woods-Ljungdahl Pathway (WLP), which confers the ability to fix carbon dioxide via a non-photosynthetic route. Electrons for this process are derived from diverse substrates including molecular hydrogen and carbon monoxide. The ability of acetogens to utilise components of syngas (H2, CO, CO2) make them an attractive target for metabolic engineering for industrially relevant products. We have previously reported the construction of a genome-scale metabolic model of the model acetogen Acetobacterium woodii using a sequenced and annotated genome of strain DSM1030. The model consists of 836 metabolites, 909 reactions and 84 transporters and can account for growth on diverse substrates reported in the literature. We identified the reactions used to catabolise fifteen single substrates and 121 substrate pair combinations, and used this to construct a sub-model representing a core set of energy producing catabolic pathways. We then introduced heterologous reactions to allow for the production of chemical of interest. Elementary modes analysis of this extended sub-model was applied to further decompose it into unique sets of the smallest functioning sub-networks. With CO2 and H2 as substrates, we find routes for the production of several chemicals where small amounts of excess ATP are produced simultaneously. Repeated analysis with alternative renewable feedstocks such as methanol and formate, indicate a wider potential in producing compounds of interest while also maintaining energy generation and co-factor conservation.


Faced with procuring transportation over its freight network, a shipper can either bid out all of its lanes at once, or somehow divide up the network and bid it out in pieces. For large shippers, practical concerns such as attendant manpower requirements and exposure to financial/operational risks can make the former undesirable or even infeasible. Such a shipper therefore needs to determine how to best allocate the lanes in its freight network to different bids to be run at different times. This thesis addresses this allocation problem. Two related approaches are presented. The first focuses on explicitly preserving the synergies that arise in truckload network operations while attempting to balance the sizes of each bid, and is framed as a graph partitioning problem. The second treats lanes as independent entities and frames network allocation as a bin-packing problem, with constraints that attempt to achieve both balance and, implicitly, synergy preservation. These two approaches are illustrated and evaluated using a small subnetwork consisting of lanes from a large shipper. While the graph partitioning approach works in theory, the as yet unresolved question of what constitutes a "correct" synergy definition for network partitioning purposes, and the practical significance of the constraints considered in the bin-packing approach, make this second approach more attractive. The development of a lane allocation model that can explicitly consider inter-lane synergies as well as the kinds of constraints addressed in the second approach is left for future work. Thesis Supervisor: Chris Caplice Title: Executive Director, Center for Transportation and Logistics


Theme: "Education Modelling and Forecasting " Two decades of implementation of the Universal Primary Education Policy in Uganda, have been associated with notable achievements regarding increase in enrolment and investment in primary education by both the public and households. However, the policy has been marred by critical challenges including high dropout rates and lower completion rates that need addressing through evidence-based interventions deriving from rigorous statistical modelling and forecasting. is policy brief draws on the ndings of the education modelling and forecasting thematic area of the independent comprehensive evaluation of the Universal Primary Education (UPE) Policy undertaken by the National Planning Authority. It presents the trend of progress made on key indicators during the UPE policy implementation, the main drivers of such progress, the interventions that have had the largest and most cost-e ective impact on educational outputs, and the contribution of UPE to returns to education and overall household welfare. e ndings show that (i) while 93% of primary school-age children are enrolled in school compared to 40% before introduction of UPE, there is limited achievement in completion of the primary cycle and acquisition of the de ned competences (ii) whereas government has prioritized increasing school resource inputs as key drivers of progress, government aided primary schools remain technically ine cient in converting such inputs into outputs (iii) while there is higher return to primary education, this is dependent on the technical e ciency of primary schools. It is recommended that monitoring and evaluation of the inputs, processes and outcomes of the primary education system should be prioritized to improve the technical e ciency of especially government aided primary schools. Besides, more investment in UPE is required to deliver the intended results.


Accurate assessment of plant symptoms plays a key role for measuring the impact of pathogens during plant-pathogen interaction. Common bacterial blight caused by Xanthomonas phaseoli pv. phaseoli and Xanthomonas citri pv. fuscans (Xpp-Xcf) is a major threat to common bean. The pathogenicity of these bacteria is variable among strains, and depends mainly on a type III secretion system and associated type III effectors such as transcription activator-like effectors (TALEs). Because the impact of a single gene is often small and difficult to detect, a discriminating methodology is required to distinguish the slight phenotype changes induced during the progression of the disease. Here, we compared two different inoculation and symptom assessment methods for their ability to distinguish two tal mutants from their corresponding wild-type strains. Interestingly, rub-inoculation of the first leaves combined with symptom assessment by machine learning-based imaging allowed significant distinction between wild-type and mutant strains. By contrast, dip-inoculation of first trifoliate leaves combined with chlorophyll fluorescence imaging did not differentiate the strains. Furthermore, the new method developed here led to the miniaturization of pathogenicity tests and significant time savings.


Thymic lymphoepitheliomalike carcinoma (LELC) in children is extremely rare and we report 2 such cases with molecular analysis of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and its encoded latent membrane protein-1 as well as a literature review. Both of our patients were male, presented with a huge anterior mediastinal mass, expired within a year after diagnosis despite treatment. There were altogether 9 cases of thymic LELC in children. Their common clinical features include a male predominance, large tumor size, advanced clinical stage, and poor clinical outcome. All cases were associated with EBV and nearly half developed concurrent hypertrophic osteoarthropathy (HOA). Thymic LELC in children is an aggressive EBV-associated malignant tumor frequently accompanied by HOA. We proposed that EBV might play a role in the development of HOA through the interactions of latent membrane protein-1, vascular endothelial growth factor, and cyclooxygenases-2.


Optimizing interpretable policies for Markov Decision Processes (MDPs) can be computationally intractable for large-scale MDPs, e.g., for monotone policies, the optimal interpretable policy depends on the initial state distribution, precluding standard dynamic programming techniques. Previous work has proposed Monotone Policy Iteration (MPI) to produce a feasible solution for warm starting a Mixed Integer Linear Program (MILP) that finds an optimal monotone policy. However, this prior work did not investigate the convergence and optimality of this algorithm, nor did they investigate the impact of state ordering rules, i.e., the order in which policy improvement steps are performed in MPI. In this study, we analytically characterize the convergence and optimality of the MPI algorithm. To test MPI numerically, we formulate a machine maintenance problem wherein the optimal policy is guaranteed to be monotone. We also propose and investigate 19 state ordering rules for MPI based on each state's value function, initial probability, and stationary distribution. Our analytical study reveals that both the convergence of the MPI algorithm and its optimality upon convergence depend on the state ordering rule. Computational results on perturbations of the machine maintenance problem reveal that the best-performing state ordering rules are those that prioritize states with near-optimal values. Specifically, these state ordering rules can yield policies with less than 1% optimality gap and enables near-optimal interpretable policies to be found in under 300 seconds for an MDP with 40 actions and 400 states. In contrast, the MILP formulation could not find an optimal solution within 1800 seconds.


Dr. Beaver is to be congratulated for calling attention to the frequency and importance of visceral larva migrans, for demonstrating the most important etiological agent and the consequent epidemiology of the disease, and for subsequent work in his laboratory which has made it possible, for the first time, correctly to identify larval nematodes found in tissues.
When parasites invade so-called "foreign" hosts to which they are not fully adapted, they frequently lose their way; the guide posts, whatever they may be, that enable a parasite to migrate to its proper destination in a "normal" host are absent, causing the parasites to become stranded along the way, or to end up in abnormal situations. Such misplaced parasites frequently cause more disturbance and embarrassment than they do in their normal hosts. There are examples of this phenomenon in all the major groups of parasites.


The objective of this article is to identify the nature of the relationship between the financial sphere and the productive sphere. First, disclosing the various theoretical and empirical studies on the so-called relationship, then highlighting the nature of the relationship between the two spheres for AMU countries with the exception of Algeria and Libya. We will therefore answer the question: how the financial sector affects -t- it on the real economy by taking as a case study Tunisia, Morocco and Mauritania.


The aims of this study were to provide baseline knowledge about intestinal parasites in Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) that inhabit the Belgrade area, and to analyze the associations among helminths. Of 302 trapped rats, 52% were females and 48% males, with 39% and approx. 37% of juvenile-subadult individuals, per sex, respectively. The following parasites were detected (with their respective prevalence): Cestoda - Hymenolepis diminuta (30.46%) and Rodentolepis fraterna (12.58%); Nematoda - Heterakis spumosa (36.75%), Nippostrongylus brasiliensis (16.22%), Capillaria sp. (5.96%), Trichuris muris (5.96%), Syphacia muris (4.30%) and Strongylus sp. larvae (0.33%). Flukes (Trematoda) were not recorded. Of all examined rats, 68.54% were found to harbor at least one parasite species, with higher prevalence in male hosts and in adult individuals. There were no age-related differences in the prevalence of infection with individual helminth species. Multiple infections occurred with up to four species per rat showing different combinations of parasite infections. These are the first records of the gastrointestinal helminth fauna of Norway rats in Serbia.


Emily Dickinson's "In Winter in my Room" has been interpreted by scholars as representing her dread of and contempt for male sexuality and sex, her penis envy, her repressed incestuous desire for her brother Austin, and her fear of domination and potential violation. This article shifts attention away from such biographical readings and their psychoanalytic perspective, and reads the poem in the context of ideas about dreams available to Dickinson in her own time. It examines pre-Freudian theories of dreaming available in the journals her family is known to have read and the literary representation of dreams in novels by Dickens and the Brontës and in Ik Marvel's Reveries of a Bachelor. This approach opens out possibilities of interpretation for the poem by placing it in its cultural-historical context.


Early detection of site and extent of biliary tract disruption can significantly reduce mortality and morbidity in a postoperative biliary leak. We report a case in whom extent and location of post surgical biliary leak was detected with the help of 99mTc BULIDA cholescintigraphy and showed a good correlation with "T" tube cholangiography. Cholescintigraphy was also useful in assessing the follow up of this patient. We conclude that 99mTc BULIDA cholescintigraphy is a non-invasive, safe, simple and sensitive procedure in the detection of the site, extent of the leak and in follow up of the postoperative biliary leak.


A case of papulonecrotic tuberculids of anterior abdominal wall with active tuberculous cervical lymph gland in a 12-year-old girl was demonstrated. This case illustrated the fact that although the papulonecrotic tuberculid is a rare entity, physicians should be aware of its existance to be considered in the differential diagnosis of dermatological lesions. Lesions, which appear in crops resembling chickenpox, with a longer duration and a strongly positive tuberculin test should lead to the diagnosis of papulonecrotic tuberculid. The investigations should include biopsy and demonstration of an active tuberculous foci. The lesions will regress if the patient receive antituberculosis therapy. Misdiagnosis and postponement of treatment with specific drugs may give rise to unsatisfactory consequences.


The blink reflex was studied in 38 cases with lateral medullary lesions (Wallenberg syndrome). Twenty-one blink reflexes were abnormal. The most common abnormality is an afferent delay in the late reflex on the side of the lesion with a normal early reflex. This abnormality is not pathognomonic of the Wallenberg syndrome. The physiopathogeny is discussed.


Architected cellular structures are increasingly receiving attention in numerous applications due to advances in additive manufacturing and their promising multi‐functional properties. Herein, 30 architected strut‐based lattices of cubic crystal symmetry are developed and their stiffness and strength are investigated computationally and experimentally. Finite element simulations are conducted to compute the effective stiffness, yield strength, and buckling strength under uniaxial, shear, and hydrostatic loadings. Also, elastic anisotropy is assessed and bifurcation analysis is performed to estimate the threshold relative density for each lattice. Selected lattices of various relative densities are 3D printed from a polymeric material using selective laser sintering (SLS). The numerical results show that the modes of deformation whether stretching‐dominated, bending‐dominated, or mixed differ for the various loading conditions. It is observed that by combining different lattice structures in a hybrid approach, a decrease in the anisotropic behavior is obtained, and an overall enhancement of the mechanical properties is achieved. The numerical results show rather good agreement with the experimental findings. The current study can be crucial for using the investigated lattices for enhancing the multi‐functional properties of structural systems.


In a cluttered and increasingly complex environment characterized by the multiplication of platforms, a constellation of quality football print magazines has emerged as an alternative destination in sports journalism. To trace the expansion of the independent football magazine market, in-depth interviews were conducted with the editors of eight prestigious projects from seven countries: Howler (United States), Panenka and Líbero (Spain), Mundial (United Kingdom), So Foot (France), 11 Freunde (Germany), Offside (Sweden), and Ballesterer (Austria). Independent football magazines position themselves as part of a journalistic counteroffensive to the metric-driven, routinized, and complacent approach that currently shapes mainstream sports media output. In contrast to the primary orientation of sports journalism towards economic capital, their editorial philosophy is built on three core axes aimed at developing cultural capital: (1) a diverse and multifaceted football agenda that embraces unheard voices and far-reaching issues of a sociocultural, geopolitical, and economic nature; (2) the importance of dedicating time and resources to create a visually distinctive output; and (3) a deliberate emphasis on nostalgia and resistance to the seemingly endless commodification of football. As part of their creative approach, gathering and nourishing a community of readers has been fundamental to the growth and sustainability of those projects.


Over the past three decades, there has been a significant increase in political and media attention towards climate change. The media has been instrumental in shaping, reproducing, and influencing the political and cultural comprehension of this phenomenon. While previous research has concentrated primarily on the textual content of news articles, this study focuses on the use of images in climate communication. It is based on the belief that images can combine facts and emotions, engaging audiences and adding narrative complexity to verbal claims. With focus on climate imagery, a content analysis was conducted on 1010 images used by a Portuguese newspaper (Público) between January 2000 and May 2022 to visually cover climate change. The purpose of the analysis was to identify the visual frames used by the newspaper to frame the issue. The primary findings indicate that 35.5% of the images analyzed employ a frame that dramatizes the effects of climate change, evoking anxiety and vulnerability. However, there is evidence of a growing body of scientific literature that challenges and refutes the sensationalist and demoralizing narrative, resulting in the development of novel methods of communicating the phenomenon. Compared to the preceding period (2000–2005), the proportion of visual frames depicting potential solutions and adaptation strategies has increased substantially over the past three years (2020–2022) by 16.3%.


To the Editor. —In introducing their excellent review on exploratory celiotomy for patients with truncal stab wounds, Sirinek and associates 1 note, "Introduction of the principle of mandatory exploration for all penetrating abdominal wounds during World War II resulted in markedly improved morbidity and mortality rates." Although it may be a matter of diction, I believe we should date the introduction of the principle of mandatory exploration of penetrating abdominal war wounds to World War I when the British surgeon Cuthbert Wallace proclaimed, "No man shot in the belly would be left to lie in a hospital bed in a civilian hospital.... Abdominal surgery, to be successful, must be done at once." 2 Under Wallace's leadership, British surgeons near the front were operating on abdominal wounds with success by the summer of 1915. For 3520 abdominal operations performed from July 15 to September 19, 1917, the operative mortality was 53%,


The interactive visualization and exploration of large scientific data sets is a challenging and difficult task; their size often far exceeds the performance and memory capacity of even the most powerful graphics workstations. To address this problem, we have created a technique that combines multiresolution data reduction methods with parallel computing to allow interactive exploration of large data sets while retaining full-resolution capability. We describe the creation of reduced data sets using several different criteria including user-specified error bounds or a preset performance criterion. We discuss the software architecture of the system with particular emphasis on the algorithms used to efficiently create a reduced data set and the software used to communicate between the remote data reduction server and the local graphics client. We present performance results for the visualization of Rayleigh-Taylor instability and hairpin vortex data sets.


Motivated by the memory features and property to portray substance heterogeneities and arrangement with various sizes of Caputo Fabrizio operator of fractional order to investigate hidden dynamics of several nonlinear differential systems. In the present work, we conduct analytical study and obtain numerical simulations of one, two and (3+1)-dimensional Caputo-Fabrizio reaction-diffusion equations. Hybrid Laplace transform-based iterative method is constructed to find approximate solutions of diffusion equations involving Caputo–Fabrizio derivative with the exponential kernel. We have also carried out comparative analysis between Caputo and Caputo Fabrizio fractional differential operator. Moreover, we have obtained absolute error between exact and approximate solutions. 2D and 3D plots are obtained to demonstrate the efficiency of method graphically.


It is now widely accepted that the market is superior to the state as a means of organising economic activity. But there remain a number of significant problems about the proper scope of the market domain, about the range of activities which are appropriately governed by market mechanisms and their associated forms of commercial organisation. Whilst many would agree that the market is an admirable device, provided it is 'kept in its place', there is much less agreement about the precise location of that place, about where and on what grounds the boundaries of the market should be established.


Institutional investors, such as mutual funds, insurance companies and pension funds, are large shareholder organizations commissioned to manage other people's money. They have emerged as influential front figures of the responsible investment industry claiming to make money and make a difference and positioning themselves as the 'active' and 'responsible' do-gooders of finance. These intermediary organizations have in a relatively short time grown in size and scope and now dominate corporate ownership globally. Institutional investors have, at that, emerged as front figures of the responsible investing industry. They are normative and fostering financial actors that aim to, in their view, better the way companies conduct their businesses.I suggest that 'voice' must be seen is the most important and defining feature of the large and influential new powerhouses of finance. I will, more specifically, show how institutional investors use 'voice', 'dialogue' and 'small talk' with the intent to (1) define and position themselves as a particular type of financial market actor, (2) foster and try to change companies that they own shares in, and (3) set new standards for the investment industry.


Few experimental tools exist for performing label-free imaging of biological samples in a water-rich environment due to the high infrared absorption of water, overlapping with major protein and lipid bands. A novel imaging modality based on time-resolved mid-infrared photothermal microscopy is introduced and applied to imaging axon bundles in a saline bath environment. Photothermally induced spatial gradients at the axon bundle membrane interfaces with saline and surrounding biological tissue are observed and temporally characterized by a high-speed boxcar detection system. Localized time profiles with an enhanced signal-to-noise, hyper-temporal image stacks, and two-dimensional mapping of the time decay profiles are acquired without the need for complex post image processing. Axon bundles are found to have a larger distribution of time decay profiles compared to the water background, allowing background differentiation based on these transient dynamics. The quantitative analysis of the signal evolution over time allows characterizing the level of thermal confinement at different regions. When axon bundles are surrounded by complex heterogeneous tissue, which contains smaller features, a stronger thermal confinement is observed compared to a water environment, thus shedding light on the heat transfer dynamics across aqueous biological interfaces.


This paper explores an isogeometric boundary element method (IGA-BEM) for sloshing problems in cylindrical tanks with single and multiply connected domains. Instead of the Lagrange basis functions used in the standard BEM, the nonuniform rational B-splines (NURBS) basis functions are introduced to approximate the geometries of the problem boundaries and the unknown variables. Compared with the Lagrange basis functions, NURBS basis functions can accurately reconstruct the geometric boundary of analysis domain with almost no error, and all the data information for NURBS basis functions can be directly obtained from the computer-aided design (cad) or computer-aided engineering (cae) commercial software, which implies the modeling process of IGA-BEM is more simple than that of the standard BEM. NURBS makes it possible for the IGA-BEM to realize the seamless connection between cad and cae software with relative higher calculation accuracy than the standard BEM. Based on the weighted residual method as well as the divergence theorem, the IGA-BEM is developed for the single and multiply connected domains, whose boundaries are separately defined in the parameter space by different knot vectors. The natural sloshing frequencies of the liquid sloshing in a circular cylindrical tank with a coaxial or an off-center circular pipe, an elliptical cylindrical tank with an elliptical pipe, a circular cylindrical tank with multiple pipes are estimated with the introduced method by assuming an ideal (inviscid and incompressible) liquid, irrotational small-amplitude sloshing, and the linear free-surface condition. The comparison between the results obtained by the proposed method and those in the existing literatures shows very good agreements, which verifies the proposed model well. Meanwhile, the effects of radius ratio, liquid depth, number, and location of internal pipe (pipes) on the natural sloshing frequency and sloshing mode are analyzed carefully, and some conclusions are outlined finally.


Cloud computing changes the way businesses plan, use and manage their IT systems and resources. Different cloud providers offer distinctive interfaces for the deployment and management of applications in their respective cloud environments. The organization OASIS addresses these circumstances with the Topology and Orchestration Specification for Cloud Applications (TOSCA). This standard offers a language to express applications as directed graphs and their management behavior in a standardized and vendor-independent manner. In numerous roles in the development, a textual description of the application, its entities and their relationships, for instance to serve as textual documentation, is of use. The TOSCA standard places no restriction on the complexity of a topology graph. Therefore, a textual representation of the graph can also get arbitrarily large and complex. Additionally, every change has to be reflected in the documentation accordingly. Consequently, an automated approach to the generation of such textual representations is preferable. This work describes a concept for the automated generation of textual descriptions of TOSCA topology graphs. This is accomplished by combining typical tasks from natural language generation with domain-specific information in order to generate appropriate textual descriptions. The concept is implemented in a prototype and validated in a use-case scenario.


In order to analyze the effect of OC kappa in redox status, photosynthesis, basal metabolism and growth in Eucalyptus globulus, trees were treated with water (control), with OC kappa at 1 mg mL−1, or treated with inhibitors of NAD(P)H, ascorbate (ASC), and glutathione (GSH) syntheses and thioredoxin reductase (TRR) activity, CHS-828, lycorine, buthionine sulfoximine (BSO), and auranofin, respectively, and with OC kappa, and cultivated for 4 months. Treatment with OC kappa induced an increase in NADPH, ASC, and GSH syntheses, TRR and thioredoxin (TRX) activities, photosynthesis, growth and activities of basal metabolism enzymes such as rubisco, glutamine synthetase (GlnS), adenosine 5′-phosphosulfate reductase (APR), involved in C, N, and S assimilation, respectively, Krebs cycle and purine/pyrimidine synthesis enzymes. Treatment with inhibitors and OC kappa showed that increases in ASC, GSH, and TRR/TRX enhanced NADPH synthesis, increases in NADPH and TRR/TRX enhanced ASC and GSH syntheses, and only the increase in NADPH enhanced TRR/TRX activities. In addition, the increase in NADPH, ASC, GSH, and TRR/TRX enhanced photosynthesis and growth. Moreover, the increase in NADPH, ASC and TRR/TRX enhanced activities of rubisco, Krebs cycle, and purine/pyrimidine synthesis enzymes, the increase in GSH, NADPH, and TRR/TRX enhanced APR activity, and the increase in NADPH and TRR/TRX enhanced GlnS activity. Thus, OC kappa increases NADPH, ASC, and GSH syntheses leading to a more reducing redox status, the increase in NADPH, ASC, GSH syntheses, and TRR/TRX activities are cross-talking events leading to activation of photosynthesis, basal metabolism, and growth in Eucalyptus trees.


Abstract. The marine-terminating outlet in Basin 3, Austfonna ice cap, has been
accelerating since the mid-1990s. Stepwise multi-annual acceleration
associated with seasonal summer speed-up events was observed before the
outlet entered the basin-wide surge in autumn 2012. We used multiple
numerical models to explore hydrologic activation mechanisms for the surge
behaviour. A continuum ice dynamic model was used to invert basal friction
coefficient distributions using the control method and observed surface
velocity data between April 2012 and July 2014. This has provided input to
a discrete element model capable of simulating individual crevasses, with the
aim of finding locations where meltwater entered the glacier during the summer and
reached the bed. The possible flow paths of surface meltwater reaching the
glacier bed as well as those of meltwater produced at the bed were calculated
according to the gradient of the hydraulic potential. The inverted friction coefficients show the "unplugging" of the stagnant ice
front and expansion of low-friction regions before the surge reached its
peak velocity in January 2013. Crevasse distribution reflects
the basal friction pattern to a high
degree. The meltwater reaches the bed through
the crevasses located above the margins of the subglacial valley and the
basal melt that is generated mainly by frictional heating flows either to
the fast-flowing units or potentially accumulates in an overdeepened
region. Based on these results, the mechanisms facilitated by basal meltwater
production, crevasse opening and the routing of meltwater to the bed are discussed for the surge in
Basin 3.


It is evident from the title of my paper that the Section on Pathology and Physiology may not have followed precedent in honoring me by election to the chairmanship of the section. The last chairman was a physiologist, and according to custom I should be a pathologist. However, as my field is distinctly known as "clinical pathology," I shall present for your consideration my views as to the relationship of the clinical pathologist to the physiologist and to the medical profession in general. This section of the American Medical Association has existed in its present form for almost thirty years, and it came into being as part of the evolution of modern medicine. It represents the realization of ideas somewhat vaguely formed in the minds of the early founders of the Association. As you know, the American Medical Association grew out of the meetings of the National Medical conventions held


Abstract This article discusses the idea of a motile architecture. By taking as its starting point the new developments in the technical textiles field, the article discusses textiles as a material interface to an architecture of action. Using smart materials to embed the potential for sensing and actuation into the surfaces of the built environment itself, this article seeks to discover how a motile architecture can be conceived, designed, and realized. The article reflects on two projects by the authors: Breathing Room and Slow Furl, and develops a conceptual framework by which the key terms of material interaction can be discussed. Imagined as probes, the projects are test pieces that query the conceptual and technological basis of textile architectures. Referencing the fields of cybernetics, the aim is to develop an understanding of technology not as a posterior implantation but as a fully integrated part of the built environment. The article presents technologies by which textile design can become a model for integrating sensing and actuation into the fabric of architecture. It asks what happens when architecture seeks to engage the moving and the active? How can its motility and behavior be configured and how do we as inhabitants find our position with this behavioral place?


An improved stochastic separated flow (ISSF) model developed by the present authors is tested with sudden-expansion particle-laden flows in this article. The predicted axial mean velocity and turbulent kinetic energy of both phases agree well with experimental data reported by Sommerfeld. Distributions of particle number density and particle flow rate as well as the total flow rate are found to be reasonable. Sensitivity of predicted results to the number of calculation particles is studied and the improved model is shown to require fewer particles and less computing time as compared with traditional stochastic separated flow models.


Willem Anker's debut novel, Siegfried, deals with the experiences of the eponymous character, who is mentally disabled and whose hands and feet are webbed. In this article, an attempt is made to investigate how the theories of Deleuze and Guattari, as well as object oriented ontologies, can be used to argue that the representation of the character of Siegfried involves a blurring of the boundaries between the human and the nonhuman. The second aim of this article is to establish whether such a blurring is ethically problematic, given the cruel ways in which people considered less human than others are often treated. Where the first aim is concerned, it is argued that Siegfried's interaction with the world challenges hegemonic ideas of human subjectivity, especially ideas of what constitutes normal humanity. In the character of Siegfried traces are found of what can be described, in Deleuze and Guattari's terms, as becomings. These becomings serve as lines of flight from blocked forms of human subjectivity. The boundaries between what is considered human and what is considered nonhuman are therefore indeed blurred. Concerning the second aim, it is argued that the novel can be read as a critique of the ways in which society treats disabled people, and that it can therefore be brought into dialogue with disability studies. The potential for object oriented ontologies to be apolitical (and even unethical, in this respect), is countered in the analysis of the novel by disability studies' activism and social commentary.


Inventory routing problem can be defined as forming the routes to serve to the retailers from the manufacturer, deciding on the quantity of the shipment to the retailers and deciding on the timing of the replenishments. The difference of inventory routing problems from vehicle routing problems is the consideration of the inventory positions of retailers and supplier, and making the decision accordingly. Inventory routing problems are complex in nature and they can be solved either theoretically or using a heuristics method. Metaheuristics is an emerging class of heuristics that can be applied to combinatorial optimization problems. In this paper, we provide the relationship between vendor-managed inventory and inventory routing problem. The proposed genetic for solving vehicle routing problem is described in detail.


Perennial pepperweed (Lepidium latifolium L.) is a creeping rooted exotic weed that has infested native hay meadows, riparian areas and agronomic fields throughout the western United States. This highly invasive species causes major losses in forage quality and creates numerous management problems. On many sites infested with perennial pepperweed, a near mono-culture exist. Sustainable suppression programs require the establishment of a competitive perennial species. You can not establish seedlings of a perennial competitive species without some initial substantial reduction in perennial pepperweed stands through weed control. Because tillage is not feasible with this creeping rooted species, herbicidal weed control is the primary option. Experience has shown, that the massive and extensive root system of perennial pepperweed can not be completely eliminated with one application of a herbicide. This means that repeated applications of a selective herbicide are required after the perennial seedlings of a competitive species are established. Perennial pepperweed is a broadleaf species that is some what susceptible to applications of 2,4-D. Therefore, the choice revegetation species is limited to a perennial grass that is resistant to 2,4-D applications at low rates as a seedlings and moderate rates once established. The saline/alkaline nature of the soils where perennial pepperweed is often found limit the adapted perennial grasses to tall wheatgrass (Elytriga elongata [Host] Nevski). The herbicide chlorsulfuron has been shown to be more effective in initially controlling perennial pepperweed than 2,4-D. We determined that applications of chlorsulfuron at rates sufficient to control perennial pepperweed resulted in herbicidal residues that severely reduced or eliminated the establishment of tall wheatgrass seedlings. Application of 2,4-D at flower budding for perennial pepperweed (June), followed by seeding tall wheatgrass in the fall (October), and application of low rates of 2,4-D over the wheatgrass seedlings the next spring (May), gave the best grass seedling establishment and suppression of the perennial weed. DOI:10.2458/azu_jrm_v55i2_young


Based on the climate data and the social statistics of Guangzhou observatory from 1952 to 2014,this paper used Linear trend analysis, Morlet wavelet transform analysis, Mann-Kendall mutation test etc, to analyze the trend of climate change in Guangzhou nearly 65 years. The results showed that climatic conditions in Guangzhou in recent 65 years showed a warming and drying trend and this trend had become increasingly apparent since the 1990s. The average temperature increased at the rate of 0.153 °C / 10a , at the same time, the warming rate of average minimum temperature was higher than the average maximum temperature (0.15 °C / 10a> 0.14 °C / 10a). The annual precipitation had a slight increase at the rate of 37.77 mm / 10a. Under the effect of urban dry-island, the average relative humidity had a decreasing trend at the rate of 0.94% / 10a and the sunshine hours showed a decreasing trend with fluctuation.


Epidemiological and experimental studies indicate a causative role of viruses in malignancies. Recently, a link between bacterial infections and the development of cancer has been suggested. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between chlamydial infection and cancer. The association between C. trachomatis infection and cervix cancer was analysed in a prospective study. The presence of IgG antibodies to C. trachomatis and C. pneumoniae was determined from the serum samples of 182 Nordic women with invasive cervical carcinoma and 538 matched cancer-free controls by the microimmunofluorescence (MIF) method. Serum antibodies to C. trachomatis were associated with an increased risk for cervical squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.33.5), but not for cervical adenocarcinoma (OR 0.4, 95% CI 0.1-1.7). C. trachomatis serotype G was highly significantly associated with an increased risk for SCC (adjusted OR 6.6, 95% CI 1.6-27). The presence of serum IgG antibodies to more than one serotype of C. trachomatis, on the other hand, also increased the risk of SCC. The association between C. pneumoniae infection and lung cancer was analysed separately in men and women. C. pneumoniae-specific antibodies and immune complexes (IC) were analysed from 230 Finnish smoking males with lung cancer and their matched controls using serum samples collected before the lung cancer diagnosis. Suggestive chronic C. pneumoniae infection was associated with an increased risk for lung cancer (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.0-2.3). The risk was increased especially in men younger than 60 years (OR 2.9; 95% CI 1.5-5.4), but not in the older age group (OR 0.9; 95% CI 0.51.6). Chlamydial antibodies and chlamydia-specific ICs were analysed from serum samples of 29 Finnish women with lung cancer and 87 matched cancer-free controls by MIF. The mean follow-up from serum sampling to cancer diagnosis was 6.7 years. IgG class antibodies to C. pneumoniae were common in pregnant Finnish women (66% among cases, 62% among controls), whereas IC-bound C. pneumoniae IgG antibodies were rare. No additional risk for lung cancer in association with chlamydial antibodies was found among women. The association between chlamydial infections and lymphomas was evaluated in a cross-sectional study. Seventy-two lymphoma patients from Tampere University Hospital and 72 matched controls were selected, and IgG antibodies and ICs to C. pneumoniae and C. trachomatis were analysed from their serum samples by MIF and enzyme immunoassay (EIA). The serological markers suggesting chronic chlamydial infection were associated with an increased risk for malignant lymphoma. The association was most evident for the presence of C. pneumoniae-specific ICs in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (OR = 7.3, 95% CI 2.2-25) and appeared to be limited to men. Infection with C. trachomatis was found to increase the risk of subsequent development of invasive cervical SCC. Chronic C. pneumoniae infection was also found to be a new independent risk factor for lung cancer in males. Serological markers suggestive of chronic chlamydial infection were associated with lymphomas, proposing that chlamydial infection may have a similar role as H. pylori in the pathogenesis of lymphomas.


A nonlinear statistical method for the inversion of ocean color spectra is used to determine three inherent optical properties (IOPs), the absorption coefficients for phytoplankton and dissolved and detrital materials, and the backscattering coefficient due to particulates. The inherent optical property inversion model assumes that (1) the relationship between remote-sensing reflectance and backscattering and absorption is well known, (2) the optical coefficients for pure water are known, and (3) the spectral shapes of the specific absorption coefficients for phytoplankton and dissolved and detrital materials and the specific backscattering coefficient for particulates are known. This leaves the magnitudes for the three unknown coefficients to be determined. A sensitivity analysis is conducted to determine the best IOP model configuration for the Sargasso Sea using existing bio-optical models. The optical and biogeochemical measurements used were collected as part of the Bermuda Bio-Optics Project and the U.S. Joint Global Ocean Flux Study Bermuda Atlantic Time Series (BATS). The results demonstrate that the IOP model is most sensitive to changes in the exponential decay constant used to model absorption by dissolved and detrital materials. The retrieved chlorophyll a estimates show excellent correspondence to chlorophyll a determinations (r2 = 81%), similar to estimates from standard band ratio pigment algorithms, while providing two additional retrievals simultaneously. The temporal signal of retrieved estimates of absorption by colored dissolved and detrital materials is mirrored in ratios of K d (410) to K d (488), a qualitative indicator for nonalgal light attenuation coefficients. The backscatter coefficient for particles is nearly constant in time and shows no correspondence with the temporal signal observed for chlorophyll a concentrations. Last, the TOP model is evaluated using only those wavelengths which closely match the Sea Viewing Wide Field of View Sensor wave bands. This results in only a to 6% decrease in hindcast skill with the BATS biogeochemical data set. This is encouraging for the long-range goal of applying the IOP model to data from upcoming ocean color satellite missions.


Electrospun poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)/hydrated iron oxide (HIO)/sodium alginate (SA) composite nanofibers with high ultimate tensile strength of ∼31.6 ± 0.4 MPa and good morphologies, such as smooth surface appearance and average diameter of 159 ± 55 to 475 ± 55 nm, were produced in the range of 50% HIO, with significant bacteria decontamination property (92.5% removal of Vibrio vulnificus) from high specific surface area and absorption property, and 10% SA, with anti-bacterial property, based on PEO polymer content. This approach, using HIO and SA, is an effective method to possess the multi-functional properties such as anti-bacterial/bacterial decontamination properties and good mechanical property for various applications in clinical, food, environmental, biomedical, protective clothing, and other areas. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2013. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers.


Abstract The aim of this study is to comprehensively evaluate quantitative experimental mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) studies published between 1994 and 2019 that meet minimal conditions of research design and statistical analysis. Starting with a bibliographical database of 1,144 references to experimental MALL implementations, of which there were 700 objectively substantiated by quantitative experimental language learning outcomes, only 84 experimental MALL studies met the inclusion requirements. Their analysis addresses two critical sets of research questions. First, what are the general characteristics of the selected studies and, second, what are their language learning outcomes in terms of measured effect size. Nine general characteristics are considered: publication source, chronological distribution, country of origin, institutional environment, sample size, intervention duration, targeted language, language learner competence level, and learning focus. Effect size was calculated separately for between-group (independent, experimental) and within-group (quasi-experimental) treatment studies. In both cases, the overall results were quite large: 0.72 for the former and 1.16 for the latter. An analysis of four critical moderator variables (language learner competence level, language area focus, institutional environment, and intervention duration) revealed similarly large effect sizes. Notwithstanding, analysis of the data also confirmed obvious publication bias and a very high level of heterogeneity that frequently approached 100%. The relevance of positive language learning outcome conclusions thus needs to be tempered by these shortcomings.


In recent years, machine learning has made leaps and bounds enabling applications with high recognition accuracy for speech and images. However, other types of data to which these models can be applied have not yet been explored as thoroughly. In particular, it can be relatively challenging to accurately classify single or multi-model, real-time sensor data. Labelling is an indispensable stage of data pre-processing that can be even more challenging in real-time sensor data collection. Currently, real-time sensor data labelling is an unwieldly process with limited tools available and poor performance characteristics that can lead to the performance of the machine learning models being compromised. In this paper, we introduce new techniques for labelling at the point of collection coupled with a systematic performance comparison of two popular types of Deep Neural Networks running on five custom built edge devices. These state-of-the-art edge devices are designed to enable real-time labelling with various buttons, slide potentiometer and force sensors. This research provides results and insights that can help researchers utilising edge devices for real-time data collection select appropriate labelling techniques. We also identify common bottlenecks in each architecture and provide field tested guidelines to assist developers building adaptive, high performance edge solutions.


In this paper, an infiltration approach was proposed to generate a Ti3Si(Al)C2 transition layer in SiC matrix composites to effectually strengthen SiC ceramics. The infiltration temperature played a significant role in the evolution of the microstructure, phase composition, and flexural behaviours. Molten aluminium base alloy fully penetrated SiC ceramic after infiltration at different experimental temperatures (800–1000 °C). The phases in the reaction layer on the surface of SiC ceramic samples varied with the infiltration temperature. When infiltrated at 800 °C, only SiC and Al phases can be found in SiC composites, whereas at 900 °C, a reaction layer containing Ti3Si(Al)C2 and SiC was produced. The Ti3Si(Al)C2 phase grew in situ on SiC. At 1000 °C, the Ti3Si(Al)C2 phase was unstable and decomposed into TiC and Ti5Si3. The cermet phase Ti3Si(Al)C2 was synthesized at a relatively low temperature. Consequently, the flexural modulus and three-point bending strength of samples infiltrated at 900 °C was enhanced by 1.4 and 2.4 times for the original SiC ceramic, respectively.


Throughout the past decade, smoking has remained the single most important modifiable cause of poor pregnancy outcome in the USA. It accounts for 20% of low birth weight deliveries, 8% of preterm births, and 5% of all perinatal deaths.1 New studies have found that maternal smoking during pregnancy contributes to sudden infant death syndrome and may cause important changes in fetal brain and nervous system development.2-7 New economic estimates indicate that the direct medical costs of a complicated birth for a smoker are 66% higher than for non-smokers—reflecting the greater severity of complications and the more intensive care required.8 While quitting smoking early in pregnancy is most beneficial, important health benefits accrue from quitting at any time during the pregnancy.1

Moreover, the health hazards and health care burden to women and their family members caused by smoking do not begin or end with pregnancy. Before pregnancy, smoking increases the risk of serious medical complications for women using oral contraceptives and can impair fertility.1 After pregnancy, in addition to adversely affecting women's health, smoking exposes infants and young children to environmental tobacco smoke. This exposure is linked to SIDS, respiratory illnesses, middle ear infections, and decreased lung function.3 4 9 Currently, 27% of US children aged 6 years and under are exposed to tobacco smoke at home,10with the annual direct medical costs of parental smoking estimated at $4.6 billion and loss of life costs estimated at $8.2 billion.11

Recent national survey data indicate that the goal of reducing smoking among pregnant women from 25% in 1985 to 10% by the 2000 was not met.12 While some reduction was achieved, about 20% of US women currently smoke during pregnancy, based on the 1994, 1995, and 1996 SAMSHA national surveys (table 1). …


The clinical use of glass-ionomer increases, also for restorative goals. The longevity of glass ionomer restorations is among others determined by premature contact with saliva and by acid erosion. The adherence to the dental hard tissues may be increased by acid pretreatment. The longevity data presented here indicate that glass ionomer restorations do not last as long as amalgam restorations. In the deciduous teeth the material seems to be a more acceptable substitute for amalgam. The same holds true for restorations which are not submitted to stress, such as class V.


In classical theories of automaticity, automatic processes are usually thought to occur autonomously and independently of higher level top-down factors (e.g., Posner & Snyder, 1975). However, already Neumann (1984) pointed out that the cognitive system has to be configured in a certain way for automatic processes to occur. In extension of his work, I propose a gating framework to account for the influence of top-down factors such as attention, intention and task set on automatic processes such as masked response or semantic priming. It is assumed that task representations held in prefrontal cortex regulate the gain of neurons in visual and sematic association cortex thereby modulating the effects of unconsciously perceived masked stimuli on further 'automatic' information processing steps. In support of the postulated gating framework, recent studies demonstrated a top-down modulation of automatic processes. Behavioral and electrophysiological studies with the masked response priming and semantic priming paradigms show that masked priming effects crucially depend (i) on temporal attention to the masked prime, (ii) on intentions or action plans and (iii) on the task set active immediately before masked prime presentation. For instance, masked semantic priming was only observed when the preceding task set required the orientation to semantic word features, but not when it required orientation to perceptual word features. These results support the view that unconscious automatic processes are modulated by top-down factors. They are suggestive of a gating mechanism which orchestrates the conscious and unconscious information processing streams.