Cocaethylene is an active metabolite of cocaine believed to play a causative role in the increased incidence of sudden death in individuals who coadminister ethanol with cocaine. However, the direct effects of cocaethylene on the heart have not been well defined. In this study, we defined the effects of cocaethylene on the cardiac Na current (INa) in guinea pig ventricular myocytes at 16 degrees C using the whole-cell patch-clamp method. Cocaethylene (10-50 microM) produced both a significant tonic block and a rate-dependent block of INa at cycle lengths between 2 and 0.2 sec. Cocaethylene produced a significantly greater tonic block than cocaine at a concentration of 50 microM and produced a significantly greater use-dependent block over a 5-fold range of drug concentrations (10-50 microM) and cycle lengths (0.2-1.0 sec). Analysis of channel-blocking characteristics revealed that cocaethylene had a significantly higher affinity for inactivated channels (Kdi = 5.1 +/- 0.6 microM, n = 15) compared with cocaine (Kdi = 7.9 +/- 0.5 microM, n = 10) (P < .01) and that cocaethylene produced a significantly greater hyperpolarizing shift of the steady-state INa inactivation curve (P < .05). Cocaethylene also had a significantly longer time constant for recovery from channel block at -140 mV (12.24 +/- 0.88 sec, n = 16) compared with cocaine (8.33 +/- 0.56 sec, n = 14) (P < .01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


Background SLE affects women of childbearing age. Research suggests that patients with SLE have similar rates of pregnancy as other women but a higher rate of pregnancy loss [1]. Parity may be reduced due to infertility eg. secondary to antiphospholipid syndrome, pregnancy loss or personal choice. Concerns over teratogenic medication, disability and child health have been cited as personal reasons [2]. Objectives Our aim was to carry out a retrospective analysis of the pregnancy experience of women with SLE followed up for a mean of 18 years in a specialist clinic. Methods Pregnancy data were collected on 85 women with SLE via questionnaire between June and December 2015. Questions focused on parity, number of pregnancies, miscarriages, stillbirths, termination of pregnancy and number of live births. Questions related to pregnancy complications included pre-eclampsia, intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), abruption placenta, gestational diabetes, caesarean sections (CS) and preterm labour <37 weeks. Data on smoking and serology were obtained from the medical records. Results Of 85 women with SLE, the mean age was 45 years and mean follow-up was 18±11 years. Ethnicity was 53% white, 10.5% Asian, 27% Afro-Caribbean and 9% other. 20% were current/previous smokers. 43.5% were anti-Ro positive. 14% were LA positive, 15% were aCL positive and 8% were anti-β2GPI positive. The questionnaire results are summarised in Table 1, with comparison to UK population figures where they are available.Table 1 SLE (n=85) UK population average Never pregnant 36.5% Unknown No children 47% 20% at age 45* Miscarriage rate 22% 15–20% Elective TOP 20% ≈36% by age 45 Average family size (for the 45 who had children) 1.5 1.82 children Number with >3 children 11% 14.3%* *Office of National Statistics UK. Among the 45 parous women, there were 83 live births. 80% (36/45) had 1–2 children. 15% had 3 (7/45) children and 4% (2/45) had 4 children. No patient had more than 4 children. Miscarriages occurred in 22% (19/85); 18% (8/45) had preterm labour, 4.4% (2/45) had hypertension during pregnancy, 9% (4/45) had CS, 4.4% had low birth weight. Other adverse pregnancy outcomes included placental abruption (2.2%), ectopic pregnancy (2.2%), IUGR (2.2%) and stillbirth (twins) (2.2%). Conclusions The major finding of this study was that almost half the respondents had no children, more than double what one would expect in UK women of the same mean age. This was primarily due to never having been pregnant rather than increased rate of TOP or miscarriage. Further research into the social and/or medical reasons for this avoidance of pregnancy is required. Pregnancy morbidity amongst those who had been pregnant was common especially miscarriage and pre-term labour. References Petri, M. and J. Allbritton, Fetal outcome of lupus pregnancy: a retrospective case-control study of the Hopkins Lupus Cohort. J Rheumatol, 1993. 20(4): p. 650–6. Clowse, M.E., et al., Effects of infertility, pregnancy loss, and patient concerns on family size of women with rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken), 2012. 64(5): p. 668–74. Disclosure of Interest None declared


We present a 67-year-old woman who was hemodynamically stable with radiographic evidence of saddle pulmonary embolism (PE) in the main pulmonary artery and mobile thrombus in the right heart. Endovascular thrombectomy was scheduled under general anesthesia. Before anesthesia induction, femoral vessel access was planned under local anesthesia in case emergent cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) was needed. Immediately after abdominal pannus retraction was applied for better groin access, the patient developed cardiac arrest, and advanced cardiovascular life support (ACLS) protocol was initiated. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) confirmed acute massive PE. CPB was emergently established. Surgical embolectomy was conducted with successful outcome.


Across the nation, states are placing their faith in managed care as the solution to the rising health care costs associated with the Medicaid program. Historical providers of care to the vulnerable and uninsured are competing in this new price-sensitive market while struggling to remain faithful to their missions. In Maryland, a unique partnership between an academic health center (Johns Hopkins HealthCare) and a coalition of community health centers has emerged as a model that promises to preserve the financial and philosophical goals of historical providers.


Abstract Fusarium head blight (FHB) and the associated mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) negatively impact the wheat industry worldwide. In North America, FHB is mainly caused by Fusarium graminearum sensu stricto. The purpose of this study was to evaluate, under storage conditions, the expression of the DON biosynthetic gene trichodiene synthase (Tri5) of F. graminearum in grain of hard red winter wheat cultivars 'Overley' (FHB-susceptible) and 'Overland' (moderately resistant to FHB) from field plots treated or untreated with the triazole fungicide Prosaro and the strobilurin fungicide Headline. Infected grain was stored and periodically sampled to determine gene expression by qRT-PCR analysis. The F. graminearum housekeeping gene GAPDH was consistently detected, indicative of metabolically active fungi, and Tri5 detection was significantly higher in 'Overley' compared with 'Overland'. Tri5 gene expression and DON concentrations showed little to no correlation; consequently, Tri5 expression levels did not accurately predict DON concentrations. The strobilurin did not significantly reduce Tri5 gene expression compared with untreated wheat. In the triazole treatment, a significant reduction in the relative expression of Tri5 was detected after 120 days, as well as a downregulation of Tri5 from 60 to 120 days of storage in 'Overley'. In grain from strobilurin-treated plots of both cultivars, the expression of Tri5 increased from 0 to 30 days after tempering. Genetic expression of Tri5 that is necessary for the production of DON can increase during storage of high-moisture grain. Fusarium fungi can persist in wheat kernels for several months postharvest and may actively produce toxin during this period.


STUDY OBJECTIVES
Prior studies have suggested a benefit of yoga for alleviating sleep disturbance; however, many studies have had methodological limitations. This trial study aimed to extend that literature by including an active sleep hygiene (SH) comparison.

METHODS
Participants aged 25-59 with a primary complaint of sleep onset insomnia lasting at least six months were block randomized to 8-week Kundalini Yoga or SH intervention, both consisting of initial 60-minute instruction and weekly check-ins. Daily sleep diaries and questionnaires were collected at baseline, throughout intervention, and at 6-month follow-up. Data were analyzed using linear mixed models (N=20 in each group).

RESULTS
Participant ratings of the interventions did not significantly differ. SH improved several diary and questionnaire outcomes, however, yoga resulted in even greater improvements corresponding to medium-to-large between-group effect sizes. Total sleep time increased progressively across yoga treatment (d=0.95, p=.002), concurrent with increased sleep efficiency (SE; d=1.36, p<.001) and decreased sleep onset latency (SOL; d=-1.16, p<.001), but without changes in pre-sleep arousal (d=-0.30, p=.59). Remission rates were also higher for yoga compared to SH, with ≥80% of yoga participants reporting average SOL<30 minutes and SE>80% at 6-month follow-up. For over 50% of yoga participants, the insomnia severity index decreased by at least 8 points at end of treatment and follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS
Yoga, taught in a self-care framework with minimal instructor burden, was associated with self-reported improvements above and beyond an active sleep hygiene comparison, sustained at 6-month follow-up. Follow-up studies are needed to assess actigraphy and polysomnography outcomes, as well as possible mechanisms of change.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION
Yoga as a Treatment for Insomnia (ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT00033865).


The current status of research in the field of power semiconductor device models is reviewed. For this purpose, the basic modeling problems and research issues, which have to be overcome in this field, are discussed. Some new and quite promising modeling concepts have been proposed, which are compared with more traditional ways of achieving an efficient tradeoff between the necessary accuracy, required simulation speed, and feasibility of parameter determination. From this comparison, a prediction of the future evolution of circuit simulation models for power semiconductor devices naturally emerges. Many of the different concepts are expected to survive only in an application niche, where their specific points of strength are important. However, three modeling concepts have already been proven to be successfully applicable to the complete spectrum of power semiconductor devices and have their strength for different grades of complexity of the power circuit. A revolutionary development from anticipated or long-due breakthroughs is on the other hand not expected in the foreseeable future.


The aberrant proteolytic processing of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) by beta- and gamma-secretases is key to amyloid plaque formation in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Identification of an aspartyl protease as the beta-secretase (beta-site APP cleaving enzyme, BACE) involved in APP processing provides a pharmaceutical target for potential AD treatment. In the present studies, we demonstrate that transient cerebral ischemia in female rats caused a 30% increase in beta-secretase activity. alpha-Secretase activity did not increase significantly. We examined protein levels of BACE1, and its analogue BACE2, in ischemic brain extracts. BACE1 protein levels increased 67%, while BACE2 protein level did not change after such a transient ischemia. Immunohistochemical studies demonstrated that BACE1 protein was increased in the ischemic neocortex, when compared with its contralateral cortex. Further, colocalization assessment indicated that BACE1 strongly associated with staining for the apoptotic marker, TUNEL. These results may partially explain epidemiological study, which demonstrate a higher incidence of dementia after stroke. Further, our results support the hypothesis that apoptosis and aberrant APP processing are correlated events in AD brain, and suggest that inhibition of BACE may have a therapeutic effect in the prevention of dementia after stroke recovery.


Background To date, rheumatologists do not have curative treatments for connective tissue disease-associated interstitial lung disease (CTD-ILD) (1), therefore an stabilization of the disease is considered as a therapeutic success. One of the most frequent drugs used for achieving this goal is Cyclophosphamide (CYC); however, in the last years there has been an increasing interest in the use of Rituximab (RTX) as a treatment for CTD-ILD. Objectives To compare long-term effectiveness of CYC vs. RTX as a treatment in patients with CTD-ILD. Methods Unicentre and retrospective study in which it was analyzed clinical and image data of 26 CTD-ILD patients treated with CYC or RTX between June 2004 and December 2016. Previously, we checked that baseline characteristics and baseline levels of Pulmonary Function Tests (PFTs) in both groups were similar by using Fisher and T-student tests. The primary outcome of the study was the stabilization of PFTs or HRTC (High Resolution Tomography Computed Tomography) considering as relapse: a) a deterioration ≥10% in FVC (Forced Vital Capacity), or b) a decrement ≥15% in DLCO (diffusing capacity of carbon monoxide), or c) a worsening in HRCT. The prognostic effect of each treatment on stabilization was evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method and Long Rank test. Subsequently, values of FEV1 (forced expiratory volume in one second), FVC, DLCO and DLCO/VA were compared 12 months after the beginning of the treatment with their corresponding baseline levels in both groups, using paired T-test. Finally, direct comparison between the CYC and the RTX groups was performed at the 12-months time point using T-test. Results The study includes 20 women and 6 men with an average age of 58.9±14.2 years. 14 patients had a diagnosis of Systemic Sclerosis whereas 12 had other types of CTD. From the 26 patients, 15 received CYC and 11 RTX, according to the physician's decision. Both groups presented similar baseline characteristics and levels in PFTs. The Kaplan-Meier method showed that the treatment had an influence on the stabilization of CTD-ILD, although long Rank test was non-significative. The average of months without relapse in CYC and RTX group was 59.79±9.50 and 79.27±7.81 respectively. Patients in the CYC group did not present any changes in FEV1, FVC, DLCO and DLCO/VA levels during the first year of treatment. In contrast, patients in RTX group showed an increase of all PFTs levels during the first year of monitoring, although these differences were non-significatives. A direct comparison between both treatment groups after 12 months showed lower levels of all PFTs in CYC vs RTX, been DLCO/VA (67.30±10.69 and 86.25±4.59, respectively) statistically significative. Conclusions This study suggests, in patients with ILD-CTD, that CYC treatment stabilizes the lung function, whereas RTX shows a tendency to improve it. Also, patients with RTX treatment shows a larger mean time of stabilization than CYC group. However, large scale randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm these results. References Fischer A, du Bois A. Interstitial lung disease in connective tissue disorders. Lancet 2012;380:689–98. Disclosure of Interest None declared


Genetic modification involves the insertion of genes from other organisms (within or between species) into host cells to select for desirable qualities. Potential benefits of GM foods include increased nutritional value; reduced allergenicity; pest and disease‐resistance; and enhanced processing value. Possible detrimental outcomes include producing foods with novel toxins, allergens or reduced nutritional value, and development of antibiotic resistance or herbicide‐resistant weeds. Benefits to individuals or populations need to be weighed against adverse health and environmental risks, and may differ between developing and Westernised countries. Whether testing and monitoring should exceed requirements for conventional foods is under debate. While not necessarily scientifically justifiable, consumer concerns have resulted in Australian and New Zealand requirements to label foods containing GM‐produced proteins. Dissatisfied consumer advocacy groups are calling for all foods involving GM technology to be labelled, irrelevant of whether the final product contains novel protein. Goals to improve the quantity, quality and safety of foods are laudable; however, the primary aim of the bio‐food industry is financial gain. GM foods may be as safe as conventional foods but public distrust runs high. It is important that discussion is informed by science and that claims of both benefits and risks are evidence‐based, to ensure that the process is driven neither by the vested interest of the bio‐technical multinational companies on the one hand, nor ill‐informed public fears on the other.


This work presents data from a search that with have general goal investigate how to occur the teaching of Natural Sciences in the early years of basic education (BE) in some public schools in Sergipe. At work was presented a profile of teachers from two public schools in the state of Sergipe and the characterization of the teaching of discipline Natural Sciences in the third and fourth year of basic school of the surveyed schools. For data collect were used questionnaires, interviews and observations. In the same vein of others studies that proceeding of formation of teachers that works in the primary years, to realize the need that during the training process, must be paid more attention to pedagogical knowledge and content that contribute to the teaching of scientific knowledge at this level education.


Background: Endoscopic resection has been introduced as an alternative treatment for superficial adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (AEG), but is limited by positive nodal status. We aimed to investigate the predictors of lymph node metastasis (LNM) in patients with Siewert type II T1 AEG. Methods: The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database was used to identify eligible patients with Siewert type II T1 AEG. The prevalence of LNM was assessed. Logistic regression analysis with multivariable adjustment was used to determine predictors of LNM. We also performed Cox regression analysis to examine the prognostic value of LNM, which was further confirmed by competing risk analysis and cumulative incidence function (CIF). Results: In total, 2651 patients with T1 AEG were included, with a median age of 69 years and a median follow-up of 28 months. The overall prevalence of LNM was 17.2% in T1 AEG. When stratified by tumor invasion depth, the prevalence of LNM was 8.5% for intramucosal tumors and 22.6% for submucosal tumors. Adjusted logistic regression analysis showed that age, sex, tumor grade, tumor size and tumor infiltration depth were independent predictors of LNM in T1 AEG. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that positive nodal status was significantly associated with worse overall survival and cancer-specific survival (CSS). Subgroup analysis consistently demonstrated that patients with LNM had significantly poorer CSS than those without LNM in most subgroups. Finally, the CIF was calculated, showing that patients with LNM had a significantly higher cancer-specific death rate than those without LNM. Conclusions: This population-based study identified age, sex, tumor grade, tumor infiltration depth and tumor size as independent predictors of LNM in T1 AEG. Considering the high prevalence of LNM in T1 AEG, endoscopic resection for curative aims may only be introduced in patients without high risks of LNM.


An 8 day old girl with infradiaphragmatic total anomalous pulmonary venous connection presented with severe unconjugated hyperbilirubinaemia; exchange transfusion resulted in haemodynamic deterioration. Hyperbilirubinaemia is a rare complication of this condition, however exchange transfusion should be avoided. The diagnosis can be made on the neonatal unit by ultrasound demonstration of dilated hepatic portal veins.


Background and Aims Tympanostomy and adenoidectomy are the most frequently performed surgical procedures in children, which are indicated in otitis media with effusion (OME) and recurrent otitis media (ROM). The Aim of our research is to analyze the effectiveness, complications and outcome of tympanostomy and adenoidectomy in treatment of otitis media. Subjects and methods Children at age 1–7 years of life with chronic OME and ROM with the disease duration 6 months and more and complete clinical, audiological and otoscopical evaluation received medical treatment according to our scheme. The absence of positive results after the treatment was the condition for including in the Project 687 children (506 with OME and 181 with ROM). Tympanostomy was performed according to elaborated principles concomitant with adenoidectomy. In 12–18 months we removed tubes and revised the tympanic cavity. Audiological, clinical and otoscopical assessment was carried out before and every three months during 2 years after surgery. Results Before surgery the mean hearing level was 33 dB (SD 3.1 dB), after surgery - 13 dB (SD 2.7) in 93% of cases during all period of follow up. In 3 % of ears we noted aggravation of ROM in 3 months after surgery, in 2 % - in 6–9 months and in 2% - in 10–15 months after surgery. Revision of tympanic cavity showed disappearing of chronic changes in 95%. Conclusions Complex surgical treatment including tympanostomy according to elaborated principles concomitant with adenoidectomy is an effective method of otitis media treatment in children.


A central concept for understanding the mechanisms linking diversity and primary production or more general, ecosystem functioning, is resource use efficiency (RUE). It quantifies the amount of biomass production over time relative to unit resource supplied, that is, represents a quota of matter use efficiency. Given anthropogenic alterations of biogeochemical cycles, the consequent changes in supply rate and especially supply ratio of nutrients will change. Using four species of freshwater phytoplankton, and their mixture, we asked how the RUE for nitrogen and phosphorus depends on the stoichiometry of resource supply and how this differs between single species and their mixture. We conducted a factorial laboratory experiment spanning 25 different nutrient supply treatments with differing absolute and relative nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations. N and P supply increased biomass production and decreased C : nutrient ratios and RUE for the respective nutrient, but always significantly affected by the supply of the respective other nutrient. Biomass peaked at molar N : P supply ratios above the Redfield ratio (18–22). Species tended to respond similarly to the resource gradients. Consequently, mixtures outperformed the component species only during early growth responses, but not regarding maximum biomass and RUE. Bioassays performed at the end of the main experiment revealed predominance of N‐limitation, but again strongly depending on the interaction between both nutrient gradients. Our study suggests that stoichiometric constraints of resource incorporation and RUE need to be accounted for when studying the response of phytoplankton to natural and anthropogenic variation in resource availability.


The paper presents a comparative study between the properties of a conventional binder and a polymer-modified binder, as well as some mechanical properties of hot mix asphalt concrete (HMA) made with these binders. The comparation of binder based on conventional indices and advanced dynamic properties obtained with a dynamic shear rheometer (DSR). These include the dynamic modulus |G*|and phase angle ( d ) master curves, the fatigue susceptibility in the LAS (Linear Amplitude Sweep) and permanent deformations in the MSCR (Multi Stage Creep Recovery). The asphalt mixtures dosed and compacted according to the Superpave methodology. The mechanical properties explored in concrete asphalt (CA) specimens subjected to moisture-induced damage and static creep tests.  The results show the positive effects of polymer addition in the binder's and hot mix asphalt concrete properties, especially with regard to elastic resilience and permanent deformation reduction .


This paper proposes a joint TDMA and CSMA-based traffic Adaptive Intelligent Hybrid Medium Access Control protocol (AI-HMAC) for low-power duty cycle Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). The objective of AI-HMAC is to modify the link scheduling and leveraging contention windows mechanism of IH-MAC and smooth the coordination among them by avoiding delay and to efficiently achieve energy consumption. Accordingly, AI-HMAC reintroduces the idea to combines the functionalities of CSMA, TDMA, broadcast scheduling and link scheduling in order to improve throughput and energy efficiency of protocol. It can operate under wide range of data traffic and choosing send/receive mechanism technique according to packet rate and loss with extending energy minimization techniques and bringing down energy consumption. Another advantage of AI-HMAC is to regulating initial contention window according flowing traffic asking rate between nodes in order to achieve high channel utilization under high traffic load without any energy compromising and to minimize certain delay probability that may cause with data collision. AI-HMAC doing this task through applying prioritized back-off scheme to make efficient time adaptive for node idle listening period during Back-off process. It adjusts contention for adapting traffic load with suitable duty cycle length in order to increase energy efficiency. And by leveraging and exploiting the concept of parallel transmission to minimize energy consumption during communication. The mathematical analytical expression of our protocol are presented to compute the energy consumption efficiency and the simulation showing how AI-HMAC efficiently manages compare evaluated protocols in terms of network life, energy consumption and latency.


Aims: To evaluate the effect of microwave disinfection on diametral tensile strength (DTS) of type III and type IV dental stones. Materials and Methods: A total of 80 cylindrical specimens was prepared with dimensions 40 mm in height and 20 mm in diameter. These specimens were divided into 4 main groups: Geastone type III, Zeta type III, Micromod type IV and Silky Rock type IV. Twenty specimens for each main group were divided into 10 specimens as control subgroup and 10 specimens representing microwave irradiated subgroup. The microwave irradiation was performed in a household microwave oven at 900 watts for 5 minutes. The DTS was conducted on a mechanical testing machine at a cross head speed of 1.0 mm/minute. The data were statistically analyzed using Student's t–test, analysis of variance and Duncan's Multiple Range test. Results: The microwave disinfection caused significant increase in DTS (p < 0.05) for all types of dental stone, and dental stones type IV (Micromod and Silky Rock) had significantly higher DTS (p < 0.05) than dental stones type III (Geastone and Zeta). Conclusion: Microwave disinfection of gypsum cast cause significantly increase in diametral tensile strength of type III and type IV dental stone.


The 1991 world population report of the UNFPA projects a world population of 8.504 billion by 2025. The prevalence of the use of modern contraceptives increased from 9% in previous years to an average of 51% at the present time: to 70% in East Asia to 60% in Latin America but only to 17% in Africa. 20% of pregnancies are unwanted the prevention of which would reduce the expected population by 2.2 billion people in 2100. Without birth control programs today there would be 412 million more people in Asia Latin America and Africa; and in 2100 1.48 billion would live on Earth instead of 10 billion forecast by the World Bank. The aim of UNFPA is to increase contraceptive prevalence form 51% to 59% by 2000: from 381 million users in 1991 to 567 million acceptors. Only 15% of men use contraceptives although the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases especially AIDS makes the use of condoms highly advisable. In the report scant mention is made of breast feeding as a family planning method although the Bellagio Consensus of 1988 states that if a woman almost exclusively breast feeds during lactation amenorrhea a more than 98% protection against pregnancy is offered during the 1st 6 months postpartum. During this period no additional contraception is necessary until the 1st menstruation occurs. Women in Bangladesh taking an oral contraceptive after delivery had shorter birth intervals than women exclusively relying on breast feeding. The Working Group of Medical Development Association issued guidelines concerning contraceptive methods including subdermal implant of levonorgestrel although excessively strict standards can foil the contraceptive needs of the Third World. Their reproductive mortality is mainly determined by an extremely high maternal mortality rather than by complications from contraceptive use.


Determining whether a volcanic area exhibits seismicity and identifying the rates and types of signals that are occurring are important diagnostic tools for assessing volcanic unrest. We present an analysis of seismicity recorded with a single available sensor, and some parameters that we can determine from it, to demonstrate the level of unrest and encourage future studies about the nature of Mexico's Ceboruco Volcano and its hazards.

With a single station it is possible to determine whether there is seismic activity occurring near the volcano and to study some important aspects related to the seismic signals detected. In these circumstances, or course, conclusions should be drawn cautiously because of data limitations. In this article we describe the seismicity detected at Ceboruco Volcano with an autonomous three-component, short-period seismograph station (sensor with a sampling rate of 125 samples/s), which first started operating in 1996. For our study we used the best available data recorded during 2003–2008. This paper contains the first results published on seismicity at Ceboruco and should serve as a basis to foster further research and enhance monitoring activity at this important volcano.

Ceboruco Volcano (104.5°W, 21.1°N, 2,280 m above sea level or m.a.s.l., Figure 1) in the state of Nayarit, Mexico, is an historically active volcano near the western end of the Mexican volcanic belt (Simkin and Siebert 1994). During the last 1,000 years, Ceboruco has produced at least eight eruptions (Nelson 1980), including caldera-forming explosive events and emplacement of thick lava flows. At least four stages of activity, herein named stages I through IV, have been suggested from studies of explosiveness and compositional variations of erupted products (Demant 1979; Nelson 1986; Suarez-Plascencia 1998):


Acrylonitrile-acrylic elastomer-styrene terpolymer (AAS resin) was developed to improve weatherability of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene terpolymer (ABS resin). To compare thermal stability of both resins, test pieces of AAS and ABS resins were injection molded at various temperatures and the Izod impact value of the resulting moldings was measured. A study was then made to find the relationship between this value and deterioration of the resins. AAS resin was molded at temperatures from 180°C to 280°C. The impact value of the resulting moldings was almost constant for temperatures up to 260°C, with the first major decrease occuring at 280°C. In contrast, the impact value of conventional ABS resin moldings constantly decreased as the molding temperature elevated. To explain this phenomenon in the both resins, two types of test program steps were undertaken:(1) The cause of the change in characteristics of the AAS resin was first determined by: obtaning its stress-strain curve in a high-speed flexural strength test; measuring its infrared absorption spectrum; and determining its flow properties with a constant-pressure extrusion type rheometer;(2) The distribution of elastomer in the resin was observed with an electron microscope. It was found that the decrease of impact values of both resins at high temperatures is caused by deterioration of the elastomer. Also, it was found that the different relationships between the impact value and molding temperatures for AAS and ABS resins are due to the difference between the rates of thermal degradation of the acrylic elastomer and butadiene elastomer.


Optical diagnostics are used to probe the plasma or neutral gas above the substrate, particles in the gas or on the surface, the film surface and reactor walls, the film itself, and the substrate during thin film processing. The development and application of optical probes are highlighted, in particular for analyzing plasma/gas phase intermediates and products and film composition, and performing metrology, thermometry, and endpoint detection and control. Probing etching (particularly plasma etching) and deposition (particularly epitaxy) are emphasized.


Background:There is an emerging awareness that acutely ill and immobilized neonates are at risk for iatrogenic pressure injury. Therefore, it is crucial for nurses to understand the physiologic indices of pressure injury development and their interventions should be based on evidence-based information to reduce neonatal morbidity and mortality while increasing quality of care in the neonatal care setting.The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of preventivebundle guidelineson reducing iatrogenic pressure injuries among critically ill neonates.Research design: A quasi-experimental design was used. Settings:This study was conducted at the neonatalintensive care units in Benha Specialized Pediatric Hospital.Sample:A Convenient sample of nurses' (n=50) and critically ill neonates(n=60) were included from the above thementioned setting.Those neonateswere divided equally into two groups(study and control).Tools of data collection:Four tools were used namely; structured interviewing questionnaire format,pressure injury preventive bundle compliance checklist,Braden Q Risk Assessment Scales, andnurses opinion likert scale. Results:High percentage of the neonates (76.7%& 83.3%), in the study group were not at risk of pressure injury in the first and second week of admission respectively;this increased to 90.0%before discharge. While around (40%) of neonates in the control group were at high risk of pressure injury from the first week of admission till before discharge. Moreover. The result revealed that there was a significant improvement in nurses knowledge regarding pressure injuries as well as their compliance with preventive bundle guidelines after bundle implementation.Conclusion:The implementation of preventive bundle guidelines proved to be effective in improving nurses' knowledge and their compliance, with a positive impactontheincidence of pressure injury among critically ill neonates. Recommendation: Preventive bundle guidelines should be implemented in all hospitals caring for children to reduce the harm associated with hospital-acquired pressure injuries.


The authors present results from electronic structure calculations of the intermetallic hydrides M2M'H6 (M=Mg, Ca, Sr, M'= Fe, Ru, Os). Most of these hydrides have been recently synthesized and characterized, all showing the K2PtCl6 cubic structure. They have determined their energy bands and densities of electronic states by means of the non self-consistent augmented-plane-wave method. The results show that the nine hydrides are semiconductors with relatively large energy gaps. These isostructural and isoelectronic families of hydrides have been studied in order to establish correlations between the ordering of the electronic states and the energy gaps in terms of differences in metal-hydrogen distances and atomic energy level. They observe that the splitting between the bonding and antibonding M' d(eg) orbitals is responsible for the increase of the energy gap as the atomic number of M'increases. Nevertheless, the presence of d states from the divalent metals Ca and Sr modifies the nature of the unoccupied conduction states above the energy gaps. In general, a reduction of the energy gap is obtained in the Ca- and Sr-derived hydrides.


W. T. Stead (1849–1912), newspaper editor, author, social reformer, advocate for women's rights, peace campaigner, spiritualist, was one of the best-known public figures in late Victorian and Edwardian Britain. This a religious biography of Stead, giving particular attention to Stead's conception of journalism, in an age of growing mass literacy, as a means to communicate religious truth and morality, and his view of the editor's desk as a modern pulpit from which the editor could preach to a congregation of tens of thousands. The book explores how his Nonconformist Conscience and sense of divine calling infused his newspaper crusades, most famously his 'Maiden Tribute' campaign against child prostitution, and it considers his efforts, through forms of participatory journalism, to create a 'union of all who love in the service of all who suffer' and a 'Civic Church'. The book considers his growing interest in spiritualism and the occult as he searched for the evidence of an afterlife that might draw people of an increasingly secular age back to faith. It discusses his imperialism and his belief in the English-speaking peoples of the British Empire and American Republic as God's new chosen people for the spread of civilization, and it considers how his growing understanding of other faiths and cultures, but more especially his moral revulsion over the South African War of 1899–1902, brought him to question those beliefs. Finally, it assesses the influence of religious faith on his campaigns for world peace and the arbitration of international disputes.


Most studies find that offender's age, gender, ethnicity, prior arrest record, severity of the current offense and level of supervision significantly influence time to probation failure. There is little evidence to show that treatment interventions significantly affect either the likelihood of failure or the time to failure. We propose that an offender's prior record and lower education level — indicators of social disadvantage — directly affect the mean time to a probation revocation. Further, we suggest that social disadvantage may condition the effects of other offender characteristics, incident offense characteristics, and treatment intervention on failure time. Using a proportional hazards model of probation revocation, we find that intervention increases the risk of failure, as well as partial support for our hypothesis of the conditioning effect of offender's social disadvantage.


3817 Multiple lines of evidence suggest an inverse association between the garlic consumption and the cancer risk. Some volatile organosulfur compounds present in processed garlic oil have been reported to inhibit chemically-induced carcinogenesis and exert antiproliferative activities in many cancerous cells . Recently much attention has been focused on intracellular signaling cascades as common molecular targets of numerous chemopreventive phytochemicals with structural diversity. As abnormally elevated expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is frequently observed in the majority of malignancies, we have investigated the effects of garlic-derived organsulfur compounds on 12- O -tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced COX-2 expression in female ICR mouse skin in vivo. Of the three organosulfur compounds tested, i.e., diallyl trisulfide (DATS), diallyl disulfide (DADS) and diallyl sulfide (DAS), DATS was found to have the most potent inhibitory effects on COX-2 expression when topically applied to mouse skin 30 min prior to TPA (10 nmol) treatment. DATS failed to inhibit TPA-induced DNA binding as well as translocation to the nucleus of nuclear factor kappaB (NF-κB), but suppressed TPA-mediated DNA binding activity of activator protein-1 (AP-1), another key transcription factor involved in COX-2 induction, and also down-regulated c-Jun and c-Fos expression. To elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying inhibition of AP-1 inactivation as well as COX-2 induction by DATS, we examined its effect on TPA-induced activation of some representative upstream kinases including Akt and JNK. We found that that TPA treatment led to rapid activation of Akt and JNK in mouse skin, which was abrogated by DATS as well as the Akt-specific inhibitor (LY29002) or the JNK-specific inhibitor (SP600125). LY29002 and SP600125 also blunted TPA-induced epidermal COX-2 expression and DNA binding of AP-1. In the present study, DATS was also tested for its antitumor promoting effects on two stage mouse skin carcinogenesis. DATS effectively delayed the onset of tumorogenesis as well as reduced the cumulative number of tumors and the average number of tumors per mouse. Taken together, DATS inhibits TPA-mediated COX-2 expression in mouse skin in vivo by blocking activation of AP-1, via Akt and JNK signaling. .


The article analyzes the results of the influence of allelopathically active substances of plant litter and soil on the growth of herbaceous plants of the lower tier in various phytogenic zones of the maple ash-leaved. As model objects the seeds of the Melilotus officinalis and Poa pratensis were used. The study of the allelopathic effect of maple ash-leaved litter was carried out by bioassay, the soil - by experiment. In early July the seeds of grassy plants were sown in containers with soil selected under A. negundo plantations in transformed plant communities. Soil samples were taken in the subcrown and near-ground zones of the studied trees. The outer zone of single trees was chosen as a control. The biometric indicators of the test objects under study were calculated on the basis of determining the height and mass of the plants. For studies of growth parameters, a sample of ten plants was used in triplicate from each site studied. According to the results of the experiments, it was revealed that the highest rates of germination energy and seed germination in the test areas are in the M. officinalis , compared to P. pratensis . The allelopathically active substances contained in the litter and soil of A. negundo had a positive effect on the germination of the studied plants, especially in the near-front zone. Consequently, these species possess allelopathic resistance to the effects of сolin elder maple and have a positive reaction to its phytogenic zones. Probably, M. officinalis and P. pratensis, which have ecological plasticity and adaptability to living in conditions of the natural range, are determined not only by the allelopathic effect of maple root excretions, but, to a greater extent, by environmental factors in transformed plant communities. Experimental data can be used in assessing the state of the ground cover and the structure of the phytocenosis.


OBJECTIVE
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is common in anorexia nervosa (AN), associated with worse outcome and greater suicide risk. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is highly effective in the treatment of MDD refractory to antidepressive treatment. We describe a case series of female adolescents with AN receiving ECT for MDD resistant to treatment and/or with severe suicide risk.

METHOD
We retrospectively analyzed the files of all 30 adolescent females hospitalized in our department because of AN between 1998 and 2017 and treated with ECT. Severity of eating disorder (ED) and depressive symptoms was retrospectively assessed using the Clinical Global Impression-Severity Scale.

RESULTS
Patients were severely depressed and suicidal on admission. All were resistant to antidepressants. A significant deterioration in depression, with severe suicidality, occurred from admission to pre-ECT, with concomitant improvement in ED symptoms and increase in body mass index (BMI). Significant improvement in depressive and ED symptoms and increase in BMI occurred following ECT, continuing to discharge. Adverse effects were mostly minimal. Fifty-three percentage of the patients were rehospitalized within the first year after ECT, mostly because of deterioration of depression and attempted suicide. Several years after discharge, 46.6% of the patients had no evidence of depression, suicidality, and ED-symptomatology, and another 23% had only evidence of ED symptomatology.

DISCUSSION
ECT is safe and well tolerated in AN with severe comorbid treatment resistant MDD and/or with increased suicide risk. Many AN patients undergoing ECT may be remitted at long-term follow-up.


Introduction Attention bias plays an important role in specific fears and phobias. Previous studies revealed that a-priori expectancies affect attention toward neutral stimuli but not threatening stimuli. The aim of the current study was to test whether this selective influence of expectancies on attention is specific to phylogenetic threat (i.e., spiders) or whether it can be generalized to ontogenetic threat (i.e., guns). Correspondingly, we directly compared expectancy effects on attentional allocation to phylogenetically vs. ontogenetically threatening stimuli. Method Expectancies were manipulated by presenting a cue indicating the likelihood of the appearance of a deviant picture in a visual search array. The array included eight distractors and one neutral (phone/bird) or threatening (gun/spider) deviant picture. In a comprehensive design, we examined the effects of stimulus type (phylogenetic/ontogenetic) and visual background (white and sterile/complex and ecological). Individual differences such as intolerance of uncertainty and spider fear were also measured. Results Results showed that attention bias toward spiders does not extend to threatening ontogenetic stimuli (i.e., guns). Our previous findings on attention bias toward spiders were replicated and a small to medium positive correlation was found between reaction time to bird targets and pre-existing fear of spider levels. Cues were used to detect threatening as well as neutral targets on both background types, except for spider targets on a complex background, replicating previous results. A small to medium positive correlation was also found between fear of spiders and intolerance of uncertainty. Discussion Together, these results suggest that expectancy and attentional processes may differ between ontogenetic and phylogenetic threat. Importantly, the effects of expectancy on attentional allocation depend on an interaction between the type of threat (ontogenetic/phylogenetic), visual factors, and individual differences.


The paper investigates the legal regulation of land lease in Ukraine. The expediency of strengthening the role and responsibility of the state in the field of conservation of leased land is substantiated. The current legislative provisions governing the legal issues of leasing land plots in Ukraine are provided. The main issues of legal regulation of land lease in Ukraine are formulated from the standpoint of the current legislative acts. The relevance of the issue is determined by the urgent need to resolve all issues arising between the parties upon handover (acceptance) of land for lease in Ukraine within the framework of the current legislation. Legal regulation of all issues related to the lease of land in Ukraine helps to prevent and resolve disputes between the parties related to ignorance, or failure to perform obligations of lease agreements, which are consolidated by the provisions of the current legislation, by any of the parties. Relations between lessees and lessors acquire a legislative framework, which greatly facilitates the resolution of all possible disputes. The practical significance of the study lies in identification and statement of the main regulations of current legislation, which objectively govern the issues of lease relations between the parties in Ukraine, from a legal position. The results of the paper, the conclusions and opinions contained therein, can be used in practical activities by organizations and individuals concluding lease agreements with each other for the right to use land plots in order to settle their lease obligations from the standpoint of the law. Of particular importance is the ability to facilitate the successful resolution of disputes between parties entering into lease relations, or to completely avoid them.


INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: The Affordable Care Act (ACA) expanded Medicaid coverage to a portion of previously uninsured low-income men receiving free disease-focused navigationbased care through the Improving Access, Counseling and Treatment for Californians with Prostate Cancer (IMPACT) program. To determine the effect of the transition to comprehensive health insurance on health-related quality of life (QoL), we compared men who transitioned to full-scope insurance through the ACA to men who were ACA-ineligible and continued care in IMPACT. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed survey data on IMPACT enrollees when the ACA went into effect in 2014, creating a natural experimental cohort with some men transitioning from IMPACT to ACA coverage (intervention group) and other men remaining in IMPACT (control group). Subjects completed three surveys: one year before, at, and one year after the transition. The main outcomes were two composite domains of general QoL in the RAND 12-Item Health Survey (SF-12) and six domains of prostate cancer-specific QoL in the UCLA Prostate Cancer Index. Statistical analysis compared demographics, clinical characteristics, and the QoL measures. We assessed the independent effects of ACA coverage on QoL outcomes using repeated-measures regression. RESULTS: 84 men (30 intervention, 54 control) met inclusion criteria. Mean age was 61.3 years (SD 7.4), 82% were Hispanic, and 64% were living with their spouse/partner. At the transition, the intervention group was enrolled in IMPACT for less time (40% vs 70% enrolled >1 year, p[0.02) and were less likely to be actively smoking (30% vs 54%, p[0.04). QoL scores at the transition were similar for both groups except for better sexual function in the intervention group (40.0 vs 23.7, p[0.01). QoL did not differ over time between the groups, but sexual function in both groups declined from preto posttransition (Table 1). CONCLUSIONS: Both of those who transitioned to full-scope insurance or remained in a free prostate cancer treatment program had stable general and prostate cancer-specific QoL. Decline in sexual function may be timeor age-related. High-touch navigation aspects of a disease-focused program may have contributed to stability in outcomes.


Oxyhydrogen gas produced via electrolysis was performed for the first time immediately following the invention of electrolysis. It is used on the industrial scale for producing high purity hydrogen, and has become the subject of increasing scientific interest with the possiblity of commercially feasible hydrogen fuel cells. Oxyhydrogen gas also remains an effective high temperature flame source for hobbyist and specialty applications. Initially, this project aimed to build and optimize an electrolytic cell with the aims of producing useful amounts of oxyhydrogen gas. After construction of the system, it became obvious that the high power requirements to produce useful volumes of gas made this goal unfeasible. As a result, the project aim shifted to a scientific investigation of the effect of pulse width modulated power on electrolysis with the goal of improving efficiency. After numerous measurements and attempts at optimization, the experimental setup was unable to produce sufficiently accurate results to make any claims. Numerous recommendations are made should a group choose to improve the experiment setup and retry the experiment. ∗firstname.lastname@example.com


Reported are the heat transfer characteristics of a two-phase loop thermosyphon (TLT) with nanofluids consisted of nano-size silver particles and distilled water as the working fluid. The nanofluids used in the present study are dispersed solutions with various amount of silver nanoparticle in distilled water. It is seen from the present study that the heat transfer performance of the test TLT with nanofluids increased as much as about 2 times higher than that of a TLT with pure water as the working fluid based on same heat flux. The study also showed that there was no deterioration of the TLT performance with time, up to a period of 8 days of continuous operation which implies that there was no coagulation of nanoparticles within the working nanofluid during the operation of the test TLT.


Background Adoption of an active lifestyle plays an important role in the management of type 2 diabetes. Online interventions targeting lifestyle changes in adults with type 2 diabetes have provided mixed results. Previous research highlights the importance of creating theory-based interventions adapted to the population's specific needs. The online intervention "MyPlan 2.0" targets physical activity and sedentary behavior in adults with type 2 diabetes. This intervention is grounded in the self-regulation framework and, by incorporating the feedback of users with type 2 diabetes, iteratively adapted to its target population. Objective The aim of this paper is to thoroughly describe "MyPlan 2.0" and the study protocol that will be used to test the effectiveness of this intervention to alter patients' levels of physical activity and sedentary behavior. Methods A two-arm superiority randomized controlled trial will be performed. Physical activity and sedentary behavior will be measured using accelerometers and questionnaires. Furthermore, using questionnaires and diaries, patients' stressors and personal determinants for change will be explored in depth. To evaluate the primary outcomes of the intervention, multilevel analyses will be conducted. Results The randomized controlled trial started in January 2018. As participants can start at different moments, we aim to finish all testing by July 2019. Conclusions This study will increase our understanding about whether and how a theory-based online intervention can help adults with type 2 diabetes increase their level of physical activity and decrease their sedentary time. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/12413


Article history: Received: 2020/05/05 Accepted: 2021/03/21 Published: 2021/03/21 Abstract Purpose: This study was conducted aimed at investigating the effect of teaching philosophy to children on general health and anxiety among middle school students. Methodology: This was an applied study in terms of purpose and a quasi-experimental one, with a pre-test and a post-test and control and experimental groups, in terms of data collection method. The statistical population included the middle school students in District 5 of Tehran during the period 2009-2010, and the sample size was 30 subjects. Subjects were randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups. Sampling was performed using the convenience sampling method. Data collection tools were the Goldberg's General Health Questionnaire (1972) and the Spitzer's Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire (1983). The experimental group participated in 8 sessions of a 60-minute philosophy training course that was based on the "Philosophy Lesson plans for Children". Data were analyzed using the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Results: Findings showed indicated that there was a significant difference between the general health scores of the experimental and control groups after teaching philosophy (P <0.01). Conclusion: The results indicated that teaching philosophy to children had a positive effect on their general health and anxiety.


The main initiator of the development of PAH is the development of endothelial dysfunction of the pulmonary vessels. The cause of this dysfunction is associated with functional disorders of the serotonin system. This research is devoted to study the role of the serotonin system in the development mechanism of PAH in children with CHD. We examined 30 young children (from 1 month to 2 years) with congenital heart defects (CHD), which were divided into 3 groups: group I - 12 children with CHD complicated by pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH); Group II - 9 children with CHD, not complicated by PAH; Group III - 9 relatively healthy children (control). The serotonin content of platelets, serum and serotonin transporter (SERT) in platelets was determined. To determine serotonin and its carrier, a quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Elisa kit) was used. The study was performed using the Serotonin ELISA diagnostic kit, IBL Hamburg at the automatic ELISA of the Evolis robotic station (BioRad). The results of our studies showed a pronounced (p <0.001) increase in SERT concentration in platelets in the group of children with CHD complicated by PAH compared with the group of children with CHD and the control group. The amount of serotonin in serum tended to increase in this group compared with the control groups and CHD, and the amount of serotonin in platelets tended to decrease. It is likely that an increase in the serotonin transporter in platelets against the background of an increase in serotonin in the blood plasma and a decrease in serotonin in the platelets indicates the inadequacy of SERT activity as a serotonin carrier. However, by activating the proliferation of smooth muscle cells in the pulmonary artery, SERT leads to the development of PAH in children with congenital heart defects. It is necessary to continue research in this direction, which will reveal the molecular mechanisms by which SERT regulates PASMC proliferation and clarify the role of serotonin and its transporter in the development of PAH in children with CHD.


The digital slide, or Whole Slide Image, is a digital image, acquired with specific scanners, that represents a complete tissue sample or cytological specimen at microscopic level. While Whole Slide image analysis is recognized among the most interesting opportunities, the typical size of such images—up to Gpixels- can be very demanding in terms of memory requirements. Thus, while algorithms and tools for processing and analysis of single microscopic field images are available, Whole Slide images size makes the direct use of such tools prohibitive or impossible. In this work a plugin for ImageJ, named SlideJ, is proposed with the objective to seamlessly extend the application of image analysis algorithms implemented in ImageJ for single microscopic field images to a whole digital slide analysis. The plugin has been complemented by examples of macro in the ImageJ scripting language to demonstrate its use in concrete situations.


THE HIND AND THE PANTHER is John Dryden's longest poem and the culmination of his poetic career--the poet laureate's final word on the religious and political issues he had addressed throughout his literary career. It also is the only major work in English literature devoted to the thesis that the Roman Catholic Church is the one holy catholic and apostolic church instituted by Christ. Dryden paid a price for his profession of the Catholic faith. When the Catholic King James II was deposed in 1688, the year after Hind was published, Dryden (1631-1700) lost his position as poet laureate and suffered all the penalties imposed against Catholics by the new government. The new king, William of Orange, issued "an order to banish papists 10 miles from London"; Dryden's Catholic sons lost their government posts; and Dryden, like all Catholics, paid double the taxes levied on those who attended the Established Church. (1) Dryden also paid a critical price for his poem--both during his lifetime and after. No one dared to publicly commend the apologia for the Catholic faith when it came out. Two months after the poem's publication, two wits burlesqued it in The Hind and the Panther Transvers'd to the Story of the Country-Mouse and the City-Mouse. (2) In A Tale of a Tub (1697), Anglican divine Jonathan Swift called Hind Dryden's "Master-piece" but satirized it as a rehashing of Catholic theologians: "a compleat Abstract of sixteen thousand Schoolmen from Scotus to Bellarmin," he wrote. (3) Later critics acknowledged elements of greatness in the poem but registered primarily two complaints: (1) The poem is a beast fable in which animals engage in theological controversy. The poem lacks dramatic action; its drama relies almost wholly on the movement of the theological argument. (2) In the third and final part, the Hind (the figure of the Catholic Church) and the Panther (the Protestant Church of England) themselves tell intentionally obscure animal fables that focus not on theology but on the political and religious strategies of James's government. And yet, as I will argue, some of the critics have a third, even greater problem with the poem: its very thesis, an apologia for the authority of the Catholic Church, a claim that has scandalized many over two millennia. The Hind and the Panther really is two poems: The first (Parts I and II of the poem as well as sections of Part III) is the majestic apologia for the Catholic Church and an argument that England can find her true, full identity only by returning to the ancient faith displaced (as J.J. Scarisbrick and Eamon Duffy later demonstrated and as Dryden suggests) by a violent, top-down uprooting of Catholicism by Protestantism in the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI, and Elizabeth in the century before. (4) Antiquam exquirite matrem (Seek out your ancient mother), taken from the Aeneid, thus is one of Dryden's epigrams for the poem. The poem's Parts I and II, combined, have nearly the same number of lines (1,294 lines) as Part III (1,298 lines). The second poem within the poem comprises the two obscure animal fables in Part III in which Dryden argues that James II should ignore those hard-line Catholics (such as Fr. Edward Petre, vice-provincial of the English Jesuits) who were advising him to advance Catholics' worldly interests in England in a high-handed fashion. The hard-line pro-Catholic policies of James II, along with the decision of his French ally King Louis XIV to revoke the Edict of Nantes (which had provided toleration to French Protestants) in 1685, fueled Protestant fears of Catholic oppression--and provided a justification for the so-called Glorious Revolution, in which English nobles and the Anglican Bishop of London invited Mary, James's Anglican daughter, and her husband and cousin, William of Orange (grandson of Charles I), to take the throne. William finally defeated James on July 12, 1690, at the Battle of the Boyne in Ireland, celebrated by Orangemen to this day as a victory over papists. …


Bis(tri-n-butyltin) oxide and its various commercial preparations are widely used because of their bactericidal, fungicidal, algicidal, and insecticidal properties (Barnes and Stoner, 1958; Barnes and Stoner, 1959; Elsea and Paynter, 1958; van der Kerk and Luijten, 1954). The commercial prepara tions of TBTO1 are used in industry and in agri culture and as disinfectants in hygiene services (Ascher and Nissim, 1964; Daum, 1965; Gr?n and Fricker, 1963; Hedges, 1957; Hudson, S?nger, and Sproul, 1959; Stecker, 1957). With the growing use of TBTO and its prepara tions an increasing number of people are coming into contact with them with the risk of injury, particularly to exposed tissues, such as the skin and eyes. In our experiments we used TBTO as the com mercial product Lastanox2, which is identical with many other similar products having TBTO as their basis, such as Hollicide, bioMET, TBTO, Fungi Ban, Tin anti-slime, etc. All these products are similar in their active component (TBTO) and there fore in their effects and use, the only differences being in the vehicle used and in the TBTO content. The only effective substance contained in Lastanox is TBTO. Because only very few experimental studies on the harmful effects of TBTO on individual tissues have been published and, to our knowledge, none has been published on the eyes we decided to investigate the effects of TBTO on the eyes of rabbits.


In the face of contemporary economic, environmental, and social changes, one of the main challenges facing cities is to build and realise a vision for a sustainable future. To do so, a number of local sustainability strategies are promoted in urban policymaking with the goal of improving citizens' participation and quality of life. The aim is to empower citizens and enable them to be more active in local and global sustainability issues. This paper focuses on identifying and discussing the alternative spaces in which the future of the city can be collectively envisioned, considering processes of socio-ecological change and power relations, consistent with an urban political ecology. The purpose of such spaces should be to link daily behaviour patterns of sustainability with urban environmental governance through processes of participation. In particular we suggest the adoption of an integrative approach between top-down and bottom-up approaches. One example is an experimental process, called the Altrevie project, which took place in a pilot area of the city of Brescia and involved 150 families. The approach is an example of participatory action research. Its first phase was a sample survey to obtain an initial representation of the lifestyles of the residents. In the second phase, residents learnt to measure their ecological footprint and participated in workshops and laboratories to improve the sustainability of their lifestyles. During the project, we identified and tried to promote alternative spaces in which to imagine and build the sustainable city: spaces of alternative consumption which go beyond the traditional market system (according to alternative economic geographies); and spaces of participation that can promote an integrative method between top-down and bottom-up approaches. These different approaches to urban development create unique conditions for seeking sustainability through innovative and participative visions.


Objectives This meta-analysis examined the relationship between two nonsynonymous polymorphisms (F31I and V57I) of the aurora kinase A (STK15) gene and breast cancer risk. Methods A systematic search of the PubMed® and EMBASE™ databases was undertaken to identify case–control studies that investigated the relationship between STK15 gene polymorphisms and breast cancer risk. Results This meta-analysis included seven case–control studies (5966 breast cancer cases; 7609 controls). Combined results, based on all seven studies, showed that breast cancer cases had a significantly higher frequency of the 31 Ile/Ile genotype. In a subgroup analysis by race, breast cancer cases had a significantly higher frequency of the 31 Ile/Ile genotype in Asians and Caucasians. Combined results, based on four studies, suggested that the STK15 V57I gene polymorphism was unlikely to be associated with breast cancer risk in either Asians or Caucasians. Conclusions The present meta-analysis suggests that the STK15 F31I polymorphism is a strong predisposing risk factor for breast cancer, but no significant association existed between the STK15 V57I polymorphism and the risk of breast cancer.


Abstract Objectives To investigate the relationship between language and diagnostic errors (DxE) in the pediatric emergency department (ED). Methods Electronic trigger identified ED encounters resulting in unplanned hospital admission that occurred within 10 days of an index visit from January 2018 through February 2022. Manual screening of each triggered encounter identified cases where the index visit diagnosis and hospitalization discharge diagnosis differed, and these were screened in for review using the Revised Safer Dx instrument to determine if a diagnostic error (DxE) occurred. Non-English primary language (NEPL) and English-proficient (EP) groups were established based on caregiver language. The primary outcome was the proportion of DxE each group. Data were analyzed using univariate analysis and multivariable logistic regression to identify independent predictors of DxE. Results Electronic trigger identified 3,551 patients, of which 806 (22.7 %) screened in for Safer Dx review. 172 (21.3 %) experienced DxE. The proportion of DxE was similar between EP and NEPL groups (21.5 vs. 21.7 %; p=0.97). Age≥12 years and fewer prior admissions in the preceding 6 months predicted higher odds of DxE. NEPL did not predict higher odds of DxE. Conclusions NEPL was not associated with increased odds DxE resulting in unplanned admission.


The ladybird Hyperaspis polita (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) occurs in the coastal areas of East Mediterranean and dry lands in southwest Asia. It is one of the important predatory coccinellids in southern Iran including Khuzestan Province. In this study, we examined life history traits and life table parameters of H. polita fed on the important citrus pest Nipaecoccus viridis (Pseudococcidae) in the laboratory, using the age-stage, two-sex life table. Experiments were performed under controlled conditions (25 and 30 ± 1 °C, 65 ± 5% RH and 14:10 h, L: D). Total preadult developmental period was significantly shorter at 30 (30.5 d (days) males, 30.1 d females) compared to 25 °C (40.0 d males, 40.4 d females). The oviposition period was not significantly different at both examined temperatures. However, the mean female fecundity for the total life span ranged from 180 to 368 eggs at 25 and 30 °C, respectively. The values for the intrinsic rate of increase (r = 0.089 d−1), finite rate of increase (λ = 1.093 d−1), and net reproductive rate (R0 = 102.6) were higher at 30 °C. On the other hand, the mean generation time (T) was shorter for the cohort reared at 30 (51.9 d) than at 25 °C (86.2 d). When literature on H. polita is considered, we suggest N. viridis as suitable host species for efficient mass-rearing of H. polita in the insectary in Khuzestan.


We consider a class of compound renewal (Sparre Andersen) risk process with claim inter-arrival times having a discrete K m distribution, i.e., the probability generating function (p.g.f.) of its distribution function is a ratio of two polynomials of order . The classical compound binomial risk model is a special case when m=1. Li [16] gives a recursive formula for the Gerber-Shiu function. In this paper, an explicit formula for the Gerber-Shiu function is given in terms of a compound geometric distribution function, through which many ruin related quantities are analyzed, e.g., ruin probability, the p.g.f. of the time of ruin, joint and marginal distributions of the surplus before ruin, the deficit at ruin, and the claim causing ruin. Detailed discussions are given in two special cases: claim sizes are rationally distributed, or the claim sizes distribution has a finite support.


This timely and provocative book looks at contemporary American women and their experiences with guns. Scrupulously balanced, this new paperback edition features a new appendix containing a wealth of primary source documents that help illuminate both the dangers and attractions of guns in our society.


This text aims to provide essential background material for primary practitioners who treat lipid disorders, and to serve as a practical guide for treatment of this condition. For those interested in background material, the first several chapters contain the scientific basis for treatment and more complex concepts are carefully explained with examples. However, the main emphasis of the book is on the clinical concepts in terms of laboratory measurements, classification of lipid disorders, causes and means for detecting secondary dyslipidaemias, and the appropriate clinical evaluation. Three chapters are devoted to guidelines for treatment covering non-drug therapies, and drug therapies. Also included are instructional sheets on using hypolipemic drugs for patients. Case studies covering nine pertinent categories are given with commentary. The final sections of the book provide additional educational resources for the practitioner himself, and for the patient.


The use of antimicrobial compounds obtained from natural sources has been gaining impact in recent years. However, when planning to use these compounds in living beings, careful and exhaustive examination of potential toxicity is necessary. In the present work, we characterized the chemical composition of an aqueous extract of Larrea tridentata and evaluated the toxicity when administered orally to Wistar rats in both single and repeated dosing regimens. Spectrometric characterization of the aqueous extract was performed. Female Wistar rats were inoculated orally with single and repeated doses of the vegetable leaf extract and biochemical parameters and cytokine gene expression were evaluated. Mass spectra of the aqueous extract showed the presence of nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA) and kaempferol along with other non-identified compounds. Rats treated with one dose of the aqueous extract did not show clinical manifestations of acute toxicity. However, treatment over four consecutive weeks, showed significant differences between the study groups in observed food and water consumption and hepatic enzyme levels (P


Open distributed systems are increasingly used to support business transactions within and across organisations. In order to achieve this goal, fundamental concepts of business practices should be incorporated into a supporting architecture. Support for business contracts can be regarded as an essential ingredient of such an architecture in terms of facilitating more efficient inter-organisational business interactions. This is augmented by the prevailing feeling in business today that global interdependencies are becoming more critical for gaining and maintaining the competitive edge. In this paper we make an initial attempt to identify important contract concepts from economic and legal standpoints and use them to derive a business contract framework. We further discuss how these concepts can be incorporated into an architecture for open distributed processing (ODP).<<ETX>>


There is no question that patients today demand a sophisticated level of restorative dentistry, in terms of both esthetics and function. No elective restorative dentistry should be undertaken without a clear understanding of the patient's expectations and the limitations of restorative therapy. The dentist should have a clear picture in mind of the final results before initiating irreversible therapy. The use of mounted diagnostic casts, diagnostic wax-ups and provisional restorations permits patient acceptance to be obtained before the definitive phase is initiated. Too often the dentist does not take advantage of this important restorative option, with disastrous results when definitive restorations are viewed by the patient for the first time. By following the plan of treatment outlined in this article, such disasters can be avoided.


Copper toxicosis with hepatic copper accumulation is associated with chronic
cholestasis which eventually leads to cirrhosis of the liver. Liver is considered to be the
main site for copper homeostasis in the body, and excess of this transition metal induces
apoptotic changes in the hepatocytes followed by cirrhosis which eventually culminates
in liver failure. We were interested to find out the underlying mechanism leading to the
development of copper toxicity and to find out a short term treatment strategy against it.
For this purpose, we have developed an animal model with rats.
In the first chapter, we have established the fundamental mechanism of copper
toxicity developed in liver of young rats. Chronic exposure to copper induces
hepatocellular apoptosis with greater injury in the periportal region compared to the
perivenous region. Here we have identified the factors responsible for the development
of regional damage in the liver under in vivo conditions. Enhanced production of reactive
oxygen species with predominance of superoxide radical indicates the contribution of
redox imbalance in the process. This may be linked with copper catalyzed oxidation of
reduced glutathione to oxidized glutathione resulting in the generation of superoxide
radical. Downregulation of copper-zinc superoxide dismutase in consequence of the
degradation of this enzyme, causes decreased dismutation of superoxide radical that
further contributes to the enhanced level of superoxide radical in the periportal region.
Decreased functioning of manganese superoxide dismutase activity, reduction in
mitochondrial thiol/disulphide ratio and generation of superoxide radical were much
higher in the mitochondria from periportal region, which point to the involvement of this
2
organelle in the regional hepatotoxicity observed during copper exposure. This was
supported by copper-mediated enhanced mitochondrial dysfunction as evident from
adenosine triphosphate depletion, collapse of mitochondrial membrane potential and
induction of mitochondrial permeability transition. Results suggest the active participation
of superoxide radical in inducing mitochondrial dysfunction preferentially in the periportal
region that eventually leads to the development of hepatotoxicity due to copper exposure
under in vivo condition.
In the second chapter, we have ascertained a treatment schedule with
andrographolide and D-penicillamine used in combination manner, which gives a
promising result against copper induced liver damage in rats. Copper toxicity results
from the cytoplasmic copper accumulation in periportal zone of liver due to
intracanalicular cholestasis. We have shown that chronic exposure to copper caused
oxidative stress and induced hepatocellular apoptosis in rats leading to periportal
fibrosis. Despite several studies on the treatment of copper toxicosis, the result of these
experimental therapies to date remains unsatisfactory. D-penicillamine, a metal chelator,
still represents the drug of choice for the treatment of copper toxicosis. Long treatment
regime and side effects after prolonged use remains a major hindrance to successful
treatment with D-penicillamine. Effective short term treatment strategies involve coadministration
of this agent with another hepatoprotective drug, andrographolide which is
our drug of choice. Andrographolide exerts choleretic and anticholestatic effects and
reverts back the cholestasis efficiently. Andrographolide potentiates the cytoprotective
effect of D-penicillamine by accentuating the simultaneous removal of copper through
bile and urine respectively. So, co-administration of andrographolide with D-penicillamine
reduces hepatocyte death. This is accompanied by inhibition of mitochondrial
depolarization, cytochrome c release, and activation of caspase cascade. Toxic events
3
are consequense of oxidative stress and generation of proinflmmatory cytokines, we
suggest that the antiapoptotic activity of combination therapy with andrographolide and
D-penicillamine can be related to their ability to prevent the liver damage associated with
copper toxicosis. To conclude, simultaneous treatment with andrographolide and Dpenicillamine
synergistically exert antifibrotic effect and may therefore have a therapeutic
implication for reducing copper overload as well as hepatic fibrosis associated with
copper toxicosis.
A change in the feeding pattern among Indian children is the first option to
prevent the development Indian Childhood Cirrhosis. There should be a greater
awareness among pediatricians about this disease to enable early diagnosis. Most of the
patients are diagnosed at a very late stage of this disease and as a result commonly
leads to death. We hope that, the research findings of our study will have a good
implication in human society and can be used successfully for the treatment of human
population, suffering from copper toxicity in future.


The last decade has seen the emergence of new views about the mechanisms underlying specificity (or, conversely, generalization) of visual skill learning. Here, we trained participants at orientation discrimination paradigm at a peripheral position to induce position and orientation specificity and to test its underlying mechanisms. Specifically, we aimed to test whether the within-quadrant spatial gradient of generalization is determined by cortical magnification, which would show that retinotopic plasticity contributes to learning and specificity. Additionally, we aimed to test whether late parts of the learning relate differently to specificity compared to early parts. This is relevant in the context of double training papers, which suggest that rule-based mechanisms of specificity in fast, early learning also would apply to late, slower learning. Our data showed partial but significant position and orientation specificity within quadrants. Interestingly, specificity was greatest for those participants who had continued to show threshold decreases during the last five sessions of training (late, asymptotic learning). Performance gains during early learning were less related to specificity. A trend for skill to spread over larger distances towards periphery than towards central vision suggested contributions to transfer of early visual areas showing cortical magnification of central vision. Control experiments however did not support this hypothesis. In summary, our study demonstrates significant specificity after extensive perceptual learning, and indicates that asymptotic learning recruits specific mechanisms that promote specificity, and that may not be recruited yet in early parts of the learning. The contributions of different mechanisms to early and late learning suggests that following these different learning periods, generalization relies on different principles and is subjected to different limits.


The health insurance system cannot achieve health s ystems goals of efficiency and equity. According to the decentralisation act, the majority of the pu blic health service facilities may be devolved to t he local authorities. The objective was to study the r ole of the local fund health security (LFHS) in loc al governments as a component of Thailand's universal coverage healthcare reforms in Thailand. This study using a mix method. A survey section used a c ross-sectional approach within 190 samples in local governments. The qualitative data were focuse d on an After Action Review (AAR) of the LFHS. The LFHSs could manage healthcare services in diffe rent levels, 1) providing supports on the existing public health services, 2) establishing a new publi c health service system, and 3) purchasing of the existing public health services to be fully run at local level. The results suggest that the LFHS wil l be proposed to policy makers of the local government a nd the National Health Security Office for further improvement of healthcare services and health decen tralization.


Thirteen Gram-negative bacterial isolates were recovered from diseased pigeons and were tentatively classified as Riemerella anatipestifer-like strains based on conventional phenotypic features and disease symptoms. Phenotypic characteristics that differentiated the pigeon isolates from R. anatipestifer included their greyish-white to beige pigment formation on Columbia blood agar and the hydrolysis of aesculin. Furthermore, R. anatipestifer strains have thus far not been reported in pigeons. The phenotypic differences together with the unique host range of the new isolates have prompted the inclusion of these strains in a polyphasic taxonomic study. Extensive phenotypic examination, PAGE of total proteins and GC analysis of fatty acid contents revealed that the pigeon isolates constitute a homogeneous cluster, distinct from the R. anatipestifer reference strains. The phylogenetic position of representative strains was examined by using DNA-rRNA hybridizations and indicated that this taxon belongs to the genus Riemerella. Finally, DNA-binding values confirmed that the strains constitute a separate species for which the name Riemerella columbina sp. nov. is proposed. Strain LMG 11607Twas selected as the type strain. Clinical observations suggest that these organisms are involved in pathogenesis of respiratory diseases, similar to those associated with R. anatipestifer infections. However, the role of co-factors and the interaction with other agents are unknown.


Objective: To test the hypothesis that the effects of estrogen reduction on uterine leiomyoma regression are mediated through changes in cell density or the extracellular matrix. Methods: Uterine myomas were obtained from 20 women who had received randomly either the GnRH agonist leuprolide acetate depot for 3 months or placebo. The biochemical and morphologic characteristics studied included: total protein, DNA, and amino acid concentrations; histologic appearance; collagen content; and nuclear density. Results: The absolute and relative concentrations of hydroxylysine, hydroxyproline, glycine, and proline were significantly greater (P < .05) in uterine myomas from patients pretreated with a GnRH agonist compared with placebotreated controls. The GnRH agonist was also associated with trends toward increased mean total protein, DNA, and nuclear density, but the differences did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions: The concentrations of the amino acids contained in collagen were significantly greater in uterine myomas from patients treated with the GnRH agonist compared to myomas from placebo-treated controls. In addition, our observations suggest that the reduction in uterine myoma volume associated with GnRH agonist therapy is associated with alterations in the extracellular matrix.


Despite the progress that has been made nationally and internationally in the control of mastitis, this
pathology of the mammary gland continues to be one of the most frequent and expensive diseases of dairy
cows. These pictures of mastitis, both clinical and subclinical, can be caused by a wide variety of
microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi and algae, which can be classified into specific organisms of the
mammary gland, the most frequent, and miscellaneous organisms, the least frequent. Specific agents can
cause clinical or subclinical mastitis, can be contagious or environmental and can be classified as major and
minor pathogens. Among the most contagious major pathogens are Staph. aureus and Strep. agalactiae, and
between environmental Strep. dysgalactiae, Strep. uberis and some species of coliform bacteria (especially
E.coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae); minor pathogens include coagulase-negative staphylococci and
Corynebacterium bovis, which can colonize the nipple and mammary gland without causing inflammation
although occasionally they can cause severe clinical mastitis symptoms; the frequency of isolation of these
pathogens varies in different countries, regions or herds, depending on the control measures in practice in
each case. Among the miscellaneous microorganisms capable of producing mastitis there is a huge variety of
agents (more than 100), mostly environmental, many of which are not diagnosed because they do not grow in
the conventional culture media used for the diagnosis of mastitis or simply, they are not recognized because
laboratories are not familiar with their cultivation characteristics, among which are Mycoplasma (contagious)
and Prototheca (environmental).


Indonesia had the big potency to produce red beans and edamame beans, but its utilization regarding functional food was not optimal. This research was intended for development combining red and edamame beans to become a new functional beverage product. The ratio of edamame milk to red bean milk (100:0, 75:25, and 50:50) and cooking temperature 90 oC has been selected based on SNI soymilk. During storage, a phase separation happened. Consequently, stabilizer should be added to improve its stability. Three types of stabilizers were used,CMC 0.1 %, 0.2%, and 0.3 %, xanthan gum (XG), and guar gum (GG) 0.025 %, 0.05 %, and 0.1 %, respectively. The best formulation was milk ratio 75:25 with 90 oC and addition of XG 0.05 %. The dietary fiber analysis for milk formulation was 4.46 % therefore it was categorized as a functional beverage.


Aggregation activity of platelets in umbilical blood is lower than that in adult blood, but the reason for this is not well understood. It has recently been clarified that calcium plays a role as a second messenger of platelet aggregation, and that glycoproteins of platelet surface membrane such as glycoprotein I b and IIb/IIIa are receptors for agonists inducing aggregation. We examined the concentrations of intracellular calcium and the membrane glycoproteins of platelets in umbilical and adult blood. The increase of intracellular calcium in umbilical platelets was lower than that in adult platelets when the aggregation was induced by ADP, collagen, thrombin and epinephrine. Only calcium ionophore A23187 induced aggregation of both umbilical and adult platelets. On the other hand, there were no qualitative differences between glycoproteins I b and IIb/IIIa of these two groups. Therefore, the low aggregation activity of umbilical platelets seems to be due to low responsiveness of the intracellular calcium system, not to the disorder of functional surface membrane glycoprotein.


Gene Ontology (GO) classification of statistically significant over/under expressed genes is a commonly used to interpret transcriptomics data in functional genomic analysis. In this approach, all significant genes contribute equally to the final GO classification regardless of their actual expression levels. However, the original level of gene expression can significantly affect protein production and consequently GO term enrichment, and genes with low expression levels can participate in the final GO enrichment through cumulative effects. In addition, GO terms have regulatory relationships that allow the construction of a regulatory network that incorporates gene expression levels to better study biological mechanisms. In this report, we have used gene expression levels in bacteria to determine GO term enrichments. This approach provided the opportunity to enrich GO terms across the entire transcriptome (instead of a subset of differentially expressed genes). In the second part, we show a dynamically developed enriched interaction network between Biological Process GO terms for any gene samples. This type of network presents regulatory relationships between GO terms and their genes. We then demonstrate the efficiency of these methods using public data from two important bacterial pathogens as models. We also explain how these methods help us understand potential pathogenesis mechanisms employed by these bacteria.


The ability to acquire accurate information of the surrounding road environment is crucial for autonomous driving and advanced driver assistance systems. A method to estimate the shape of the road has been developed and evaluated. The estimate is based on fusion of data from a road marking detector, a radar tracker, map data, GPS, and inertial sensors. The method is intended for highway use and focus has been on increasing the availability of a sufficiently accurate road shape estimate in the event of sensor failures. To make use of past sensor measurements, an extended Kalman filter has been used together with dynamical models for the road and the ego vehicle. Results from a performance evaluation show that the road shape estimate clearly benefits from being based on a fusion of sensor data. The different sensors have also proven to be of various importance to the different parameters that describe the road shape.


The practicability of using hydrogen peroxide solutions for contrast echocardiography was examined. The administration of 1-3 ml of 0.2% solution mixed with a drop of the patient's blood, into the cubital or catheterized subclavian vein produced intensive and lasting (up to 2 min) contrast of the right cavities of the heart. Cubital injection of the solution was associated with a more lasting effect, as compared to the subclavian administration. The causes of this difference are yet to be investigated. The contrasting effect was fairly persistent and marked even when concentrations of the hydrogen peroxide solutions were reduced to 0.15 or 0.1%. The rate of administration was not more than 1 ml/s and had no negative effect on the quality of the contrast. No side effects associated with repeated administration of 1-3 ml hydrogen peroxide solution in the above-mentioned concentrations were noted in either of the 20 patients thus examined.


The crystal and magnetic structures and properties of the monoclinic form of the iron hydroxysulfate FeOHSO4 were investigated by magnetometry and neutron powder diffraction. The space group C2/c was confirmed, and the proton position was located close to that predicted by ab initio calculations. The collinear antiferromagnetic k(0,0,0) structure forming below the Néel temperature TN ∼ 125 K is described by the C2'/c' (No. 15.89) magnetic space group, with the moments along the b axis. Overall, FeOHSO4 is isostructural to FeSO4F in terms of both the crystal and magnetic structures.


Materials exhibiting mechanoluminescence (ML) are a class of smart materials capable of mechanical-to-light energy conversion. Thus, ML materials have been widely used in various electronic applications such as smart sensors, security systems, human-machine interfaces, and energy harvesting systems. Herein, we report a centrosymmetric ML semiconductor host material family MGa2S4 (M = Ca, Sr), which features in-layered structures constructed with unique distorted bi-tetrahedral [Ga2S2S4/2] lattice units. It exhibited similar structural characteristics to the well-known ML semiconductor host ZnS. Remarkably, the lanthanide ions of 5d → 4f transition-activated hosts showed sensitive and high ML luminance under natural lighting upon mechanical stimulation; thus, an efficient mechanical-to-light energy conversion of a self-powered display was achieved. Moreover, because of structural distortion and strain-gradient-induced electrical polarization in the ML host material upon mechanical stimulation, a ML mechanism based on the synergy effect between local electronic polarization and flexoelectricity was proposed. This study facilitates a deeper understanding of the relationship between the structure and underlying ML, and promotes further development of ML-material-based products and technologies.


Subject and methods: Eight hundred and twenty six female adolescents from two randomly selected female only secondary in llorin metropolis were interviewed with respect to their sexual behaviour and knowledge of sexually transmitted disease (STD).
Results: The age ranged between 11 and 20years. Sexual activity is significantly associated with respondent's family type (polygamy and socio –economic status).
Seven hundred and forty four (90.1%) had ever discussed sexual topic. About three –fifth 440(59.1%) had the first discussion with friends /peer. Five hundred and twenty six (63%) knew one or two symptoms of STD. Two hundred and eighty eight (34.9%) knew the condom use could prevent STD.
Three hundred and eighty six (46.7) had experienced sexual intercourse. The youngest age at first sexual intercourse was 11 years with a mean age of 15.9years. In 140 (32.2%) of those that had sexual experience, the sexual partner was older and in 81(21%) there was some element of force/coercion. Motive for the first sexual intercourse included curiosity 149(38.6%), financial reward/inducement 97(25.1%) and urging of friends 85(22%).
Conclusions: It is recommended that sex education should start at primary school level to educate female teenagers on the dangers of early initiation of sexual activity; and ways of protecting themselves against the sexual advances of the male gender. Key Words: Female adolescents, Sexual behavior, knowledge, Sexually transmitted disease; llorin. Tropical Journal of Medical Research Vol.8(1) 2004: 10-16


An outlier is an observation (or measurement) that is different with respect to the other values contained in a given data set. Outliers can occur due to several causes. The measurement can be incorrectly observed, recorded or processed or otherwise is correctly measured but represents a rare event. In this paper it is shown that observed data can contain values that differ from expected ones and can be interpreted as an outlier, but in fact are caused by a specific physical phenomenon.


This study examined the mediating effect of maternal abuse and neglect on the relationship between socioeconomic status and preschoolers' social behavior. A total of 702 mothers with 3-year-olds(353 boys and 349 girls) and the children's teachers, all of whom reside in Seoul, participated in the study. Socioeconomic status was measured by maternal educational level and monthly household income. Maternal abuse and neglect were assessed by asking mothers to complete the Parent-to-Child Version of the Conflict Tactics Scales. Both mothers and teachers completed the Preschool Social Behavior Scale in order to evaluate prosocial behavior and aggression. The results indicated that both socioeconomic status and maternal abuse and neglect were significantly associated with preschool children's prosocial behavior, and socioeconomic status was significantly and negatively related to aggression. Furthermore, a structural equation model confirmed the mediating effect of maternal abuse and neglect on the relationship between socioeconomic status and preschool children's prosocial behavior, suggesting the need for interventions focusing on improving positive parenting and decreasing negative parenting to promote pro social behavior.