Changes in migration patterns have radically altered the composition of the student body and challenged the personnel of urban schools over the last generation. Unfortunately, due to the paucity of data and the presence of epistemological conflicts in research, teacher-educators have rarely relied on empirical research to guide them in their decision-making about how to prepare practitioners to meet the needs of increasingly diverse populations. This paper marshals empirical data from a cohort of students in British Columbia, Canada, to demonstrate where gaps in equity among identifiable social groups occur. It also suggests how the results might be used to challenge both teacher and teacher-candidates' beliefs about schooling and society, as well as teacher-educators' priorities for preparing teachers for diverse populations.


This report is based upon information on population statistics and death statistics by different age groups in Yuyao, Jiangshan, and Huangyan counties of Zhejiang Province since 1978. The population condition in this area is analyzed. Collected information is then used as a foundation for predicting the trends in population growth in the next 20-60 years. In addition, the changes in the population's age structure and their impact are also studied in order to provide useful reference materials for the formulation of reasonable population planning measures. According to the general trends of population growth as predicted in this report, the authors believe that efforts should be made to encourage all married couples to have only one child. The first goal should be that at least half of the married couples have only one childs, and that all parents agree not to have a third child. This basic approach is reasonable and realistic and should not be used as a guiding principle to formulate policies and regulations on population planning. More actions and practices are needed to determine how effective this guiding principle is in reality.


This study evaluated the impact of 68Ga-DOTATOC PET/CT in detecting recurrence or metastases in differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) patients with elevated serum thyroglobulin and both negative radioiodine imaging and negative 18F-FDG PET/CT. Methods: 68Ga-DOTATOC PET/CT (CT without contrast, low-dose) was performed on average 6 wk after negative 18F-FDG PET/CT (CT contrast-enhanced, full-dose) in 15 consecutive radioiodine-negative DTC patients with elevated and rising thyroglobulin. Visual assessment of 68Ga-DOTATOC PET/CT images used a 4-point scale for classification of lesions (0, no pathologic findings; 1, benign; 2, equivocal; 3, malignant). PET findings were correlated with the histologic subtype of tumor, levels of serum thyroglobulin, and morphologic findings on full-dose CT and neck ultrasound. Histology or clinical and imaging follow-up served as a reference standard. Analysis was performed on a patient and lesion basis. Results: 68Ga-DOTATOC PET/CT was true-positive in 5 patients (10 tumor lesions) and was false-positive in 1 patient. The rate of positive 68Ga-DOTATOC PET/CT was significantly higher in poorly differentiated/oxyphilic carcinomas (4/4 patients) than in papillary (1/5) or follicular (0/6) tumors. Thyroglobulin levels tended to be higher in patients with tumor localization on 68Ga-DOTATOC PET/CT, but differences were not significant. In 2 of 5 patients with true-positive findings on 68Ga-DOTATOC PET/CT, CT alone but not ultrasound identified 2 of 10 tumor lesions, but in both patients 68Ga-DOTATOC-PET/CT revealed further tumor lesions not detected on CT alone. Conclusion: 68Ga-DOTATOC PET/CT should be considered in the case of negative 18F-FDG PET/CT in radioiodine-negative DTC patients with elevated and rising thyroglobulin. Imaging with 68Ga-DOTATOC appears promising especially in poorly differentiated and oxyphilic subtypes of DTC.


Summary 1. Estimates of penguin abundance are important for developing marine ecosystem models and assessing potential competition between penguins and fisheries operations. 2. Most shipboard surveys of penguins use strip transect (ST) or conventional distance sampling (CDS) methods to estimate abundance, but the assumptions of these methods are largely untested. To test their validity for surveys of Adelie penguins in the Antarctic pack-ice, we recorded mark‐ recapture line-transect data and estimated detectability using a point-independence (PI) analysis. 3. Contrary to ST assumptions, detectability declined markedly with distance from the transect line and varied with group size, substrate and observer position. Estimated detection probabilities across a 300-m strip width, which has frequently been used in shipboard surveys, ranged from 0·09 for single penguins in water to 0·91 for groups of > 5 penguins on ice floes. 4. Contrary to CDS assumptions, only two-thirds of detections close to the transect line by one observer team were detected by the second team. Estimated detection probabilities on the transect line ranged from 0·30 for single penguins in water to 0·92 for large groups of penguins on ice. 5. Synthesis and applications . Most shipboard surveys have not accounted for incomplete detection, potentially resulting in large negative biases that may vary between surveys. Recent theoretical improvements provide the potential for these biases to be addressed, but this requires application of more sophisticated and rigorous survey protocols. Application of PI analysis to mark‐recapture line transect data demonstrated that substantial improvement to abundance estimates could be achieved for penguins compared with previously used methods. The protocols required for PI estimation can be applied to shipboard surveys of slow-moving species such as penguins and seals, but may be difficult to apply to species moving faster than the survey platform, such as flying seabirds. The benefits of multiple observers are maximized only if they operate independently. For multi-species surveys, it would be beneficial to have multiple teams of observers, each focussing on a species group. Improved estimation of marine predator abundance will facilitate the development of more realistic ecosystem models and allow improved management of the impact of fisheries operations on non-target species.


The prediction of shear strength for unsaturated soils remains to be a significant challenge due to their complex multi-phase nature. In this paper, a review of prior experimental studies is firstly carried out to present important pieces of evidence, limitations, and some design considerations. Next, an overview of the existing shear strength equations is summarized with a brief discussion. Then, a micromechanical model with stress equilibrium conditions and multi-phase interaction considerations is presented to provide a new equation for predicting the shear strength of unsaturated soils. The validity of the proposed model is examined for several published shear strength data of different soil types. It is observed that the shear strength predicted by the analytical model is in good agreement with the experimental data, and get high performance compared to the existing models. The evaluation of the outcomes with two criteria, using average relative error and the normalized sum of squared error, proved the effectiveness and validity of the proposed equation. Using the proposed equation, the nonlinear relationship between shear strength, saturation degree, volumetric water content, and matric suction are observed.


As forest management scenarios become more complex, the ability to more accurately predict erosion from those scenarios becomes more important. In this second part of a two‐part study we report model parameters based on 66 simulated runoff experiments in two disturbed forests in the northwestern U.S. The 5 disturbance classes were natural, 10‐month old and 2‐week old low soil burn severity, high soil burn severity, and logging skid trails. In these environments the erosion rates were clearly detachment limited, and the rill erodibility parameters calculated from four hydraulic variables increased by orders of magnitude. The soil shear stress based erodibility parameter, Kr, was 1.5 × 10−6 s m−1in the natural plots, 2.0 × 10−4 s m−1 in the high soil burn severity plots, and 1.7 × 10−3 s m−1 in the skid trail plots; Kr values for the low soil burn severity plots had negative sign. The erodibility value for the skid trail plots fell within ranges reported for tilled agricultural fields and also for forest roads. The Kr values decreased as erosion occurred in the plots and therefore should not be a constant parameter. The stream power produced the largest R2 value (0.41) when hydraulic predictors and the sediment flux were log‐transformed, but none of the four hydraulic variables (soil shear stress, stream power, unit stream power, and unit length shear force) explained much of the variability in sediment flux rates across the five levels of disturbance when evaluated in the linear form of the erosion models under consideration.


INTRODUCTION
The biodegradation processes that take place in municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills deliver not only leachate and biogas as byproducts but also heat due to the exothermic nature of the biochemical reactions that decompose organic matter [1,2]. This heat is a potentially significant source of shallow geothermal energy. Furthermore, in low-income municipalities across the world, the MSW organic load is typically much higher than that of wealthy nations.
The study of the geothermal potential available in sanitary MSW landfills is a relatively recent field of research [3–7]. Evidence indicates that, in North America and Europe, MSW landfill temperatures can be about 35°C higher than that of typical shallow soil profiles [5,6], and may rise above 65°C as a result of the anaerobic MSW biodegradation [1]. A few studies have even assessed the implementation of geothermal technology for harvesting shallow geothermal energy at landfills [8,9].
Research on geothermal energy potential and its possible recovery from high-organic content (HOC) landfills is still scarce. This may be explained due to the tropical climates where many HOC landfills exist, where no meteorological seasons take place. Nonetheless, HOC landfill geothermal energy may benefit operational, agricultural, or farming activities within and around the facility.
Based on in-situ temperature measurements and computational simulations, the present study estimates the geothermal gradients and recoverable energy potential available in a HOC MSW landfill cell after 11 years of closure.
METHODS
The Doña Juana landfill (DJL) is the main MSW engineered disposal facility in the city of Bogotá, Colombia. DJL spans across 626 hectares and is divided into 11 disposal zones. At least 61.5% of the MSW at DJL is oxidizable organic matter [10], which is significantly higher than the organic fraction in landfills of high-income countries, i.e., 12% to 30% [11]. Some official measurements of organic content at DJL have reported values as high as 74.5% [12]. The DJL has an extensive network of vibrating wire piezometers (Geokon model GK 4500), which include thermistors that allow temperature measurements. In August 2021, the DJL operator kindly measured temperatures in all their piezometers for the present project. Overall, 190 measurements were recorded with temperatures of up to 52.9°C. Additional data including landfill topography, cell age, and closure date was made available. The DJL's "Zone 8" was selected as the landfill cell for modeling. This zone (41 Ha) operated from March 2022 through September 2010. In 2021 (11 years after closure), Zone 8 showed up to 50.5°C at 23.4 m of depth inside piezometer PZ-13 (see Figure 1b).
A two-dimensional finite-element model was constructed to simulate a representative section of the DJL's Zone 8. Modeling of heat transfer in porous media was implemented in Comsol Multiphysics® assuming no unsaturated flow across the landfill volume during up to 100 years of heat production. A published heat generation function [13,14] was used, which is surprisingly independent of MSW organic content. A conservative value of DJL's organic fraction (61.5%) [10] was adopted, as well as a compacted density (1150 kg/m3). Because direct measurements of MSW thermal properties at DJL are not available yet, these were estimated by adjusting published values [15] by proportion with respect to organic content, thus yielding thermal conductivity of 1.15 W/m.K and heat capacity of 2280 J/kg.K. In addition, permeability and porosity values were adopted from the MSW literature.
Model calibrations to fit the field-measured temperatures were undertaken by varying only the independent parameter  (dubbed "composite climatic-operational condition factor") of the heat generation function [14]. This parameter depends on mean annual ambient temperature and rainfall, in-landfill MSW density, and annual rise of the landfill during disposal (respectively, 12.3°C, 700 mm/year, 1150 kg/m3, and 7.82 m/year for DJL). Finally, as a first approach to estimate recoverable heat, the "volumetric method" was used assuming a typical recovery for fractured aquifers of 2.4% across the entire extraction volume. For the calculation, a extraction step of one year was adopted, and the DJL cross-section was assumed to have a thickness of 200 m.
RESULTS
The calibration of the numerical model with in-situ data yield a peak heat generation rate of about 3 W/m3, which is between 1.3 and 15.5 higher than that of North American landfills [14]. Figure 1 displays an animation of the calculated temperature evolution during 50 years, as well as the measured and calculated geothermal gradients at piezometer PZ-13. The volumetric method predicts a peak heat recovery of 2.4 kW on year three, determined by calculation of the heat generated annually during 50 years. These results likely underestimate the actual recoverable energy at the landfill; follow-up studies, currently underway, are modeling the three-dimensional implementation of ground-source heat pump exchangers.

a)

b)

Figure 1. DJL's Zone 8 heat transfer simulation results. a) Temperature distribution and evolution through 50 and 100 years. b) Measured and calculated geothermal gradients inside PZ-13

CONCLUSIONS
This study estimates the spatial and temporal distributions of temperature, as well as the geothermal gradients, within a high-organic content landfill. The two-dimensional heat-transfer finite-element model developed for the present research is calibrated against actual temperature measurements recorded 11 years after closure of a landfill cell. Because previously published MSW heat-generation functions depend only on operational and climatic variables, future research should pursue a modified heat generation function that accounts for MSW organic content.
The present study has limitations, including: 1) the computational simulations were not three-dimensional; 2) actual MSW thermal properties evolve with time; and 3) fully coupled THBCM may be required to capture the complex behavior of a HOC landfill. Nonetheless, the authors hope that this study helps bring awareness to landfill operators and government decision-makers about the feasibility of HOC landfills as sources of shallow geothermal energy.


Research on violence against women has developed exponentially over the past 20 years, however, there are still many areas in which knowledge is scarce. In particular, there is very little empirical information regarding the cessation and persistence of intimate violence against women. There is even less research that looks at racial and ethnic differences in patterns of violence. This study uses data from the first and second waves of the National Survey of Families and Households to examine changing patterns of physical violence in a sample of approximately 3,000 married and cohabiting couples. The results from the current study suggest that the same factors that might increase the initial risk for violent behavior may not affect whether or not this behavior continues. Additionally, the same risk factors may be related in different ways to different patterns of violence for different racial/ethnic groups.


The brainstem auditory evoked response (BAER) was evaluated as an aid in the early diagnosis and prognosis of 17 comatose blunt head-injury patients. Click stimuli (60 dBSL, 10/sec) were presented monaurally through headphones. BAER's were recorded between Cz and ipsilateral mastoid; contralateral mastoid ground. No BAER waves occurred in three "brain-dead" patients. Two patients with initially abnormal BAER's did not show improvement in followup recordings, and died of their brain injuries. Recovery occurred in 12 patients with normal followup BAER's, regardless of whether initial BAER's had been abnormal (three patients) or normal (nine patients). Apparently, initial BAER's (mean, 31 hours postinjury) can be abnormal as the result of reversible damage. Followup BAER's (3 to 6 days postinjury) did correspond with patient outcome at a time when clinical prognoses were often uncertain. BAER's aided diagnostically in determining the extent of brainstem damage and the effectiveness of treatment.


This paper ascertained the perceived level of stress and coping strategies of trainers at Puerto Princesa School of Arts and Trades to minimize stress in the workplace. A quantitative method was used to find trainers' sources of stress, perceived level of stress, coping strategies, and the relationship between the perceived level of stress and IPRC as an indicator of work performance. Data revealed that PPSAT trainers have similar or common stressors and perceived levels of stress. Their coping strategies differed in some aspects, showing uniqueness in dealing with different situations. More so, it was found that there is no significant relationship between the trainers' perceived level of stress and work performance. Keywords: stress, coping strategies, resiliency, work performance


The Internet of Things (IOT) is a promising area which will boost the world economy. Theconstituent components of the IOT are smart objects which generate actuation signals or receivesensory signals which are usually noisy, have trend or has small signal-to-noise ratio. Processing thesesignals for filtering, detrending and enhancing the signal-to-noise ratio is crucial for embeddingintelligence in these smart objects. This research discovers the potential of CEEMD in preparingsignals for further intelligent applications such as event detection or pattern recognition in smartobjects. Algorithms are presented for signal filtering, detrending and event detection based on acombination of both CEEMD, the autocorrelation function and the learning vector quantizationclassifier.The performance of the proposed algorithms is compared for both CEEMD and the leastsquares fit approach. The CEEMD has shown promising results.


A massive undertaking, this invaluable tool for the chronology of all the Chinese dynasties remains indispensable for specialists in Chinese history. All dynastic names are analysed in full detail in chart form with ten columns presenting names in Chinese and in romanised form, together with explanatory footnotes. There are also indexes of temple and memorial titles, names, styles, family names and year titles. Each dynasty also has a detailed Introduction citing and interpreting the various Chinese sources.


We propose and solve a stochastic dynamic programming (DP) problem addressing the optimal provision of regulation service reserves (RSR) by controlling dynamic demand preferences in smart buildings. A major contribution over past dynamic pricing work is that we pioneer the relaxation of static, uniformly distributed utility of demand. In this paper we model explicitly the dynamics of energy service preferences leading to a non-uniform and time varying probability distribution of demand utility. More explicitly, we model active and idle duty cycle appliances in a smart building as a closed queuing system with price-controlled arrival rates into the active appliance queue. Focusing on cooling appliances, we model the utility associated with the transition from idle to active as a non-uniform time varying function. We (i) derive an analytic characterization of the optimal policy and the differential cost function, and (ii) prove optimal policy monotonicity and value function convexity. These properties enable us to propose and implement a smart assisted value iteration (AVI) algorithm and an approximate DP (ADP) that exploits related functional approximations. Numerical results demonstrate the validity of the solution techniques and the computational advantage of the proposed ADP on realistic, large-state-space problems.


Background
Meals, particularly carbohydrate intake, determine diurnal blood glucose (BG) excursions. However, the effect of meals with variable carbohydrate content on diurnal BG excursions remains poorly understood, despite routine consumption of meals that vary daily.

Objective
The aim of this study was to verify our hypothesis that glycemic response is elevated when a meal with a higher carbohydrate content follows a meal with a lower carbohydrate content.

Design
This was a secondary analysis of a study whose primary endpoint was energy metabolism (e.g., energy expenditure and substrate oxidation). This crossover study was designed to test BG responses to 3 types of meals with different macronutrient contents [regular meals (R), meals with a high-carbohydrate breakfast (CB), and meals with a high-fat breakfast (FB)] using a continuous glucose monitoring system. The R test included 3 meals/d with the same macronutrient composition; the CB test, a high-carbohydrate meal at breakfast, a high-fat meal at lunch, and a high-carbohydrate meal at dinner; and the FB test, a high-fat meal at breakfast, a high-carbohydrate meal at lunch, and a high-carbohydrate meal at dinner. Each test had similar daily macronutrient compositions, except CB and FB had larger variations in carbohydrate content than R. Fourteen healthy young men were tested in random order and underwent whole-body indirect calorimetry.

Results
Daily peak BG concentrations were higher for the CB (mean ± SD: 143.9 ± 25.3 mg/dL) and FB (140.2 ± 24.8 mg/dL) conditions than for the R condition (127.5 ± 15.7 mg/dL). Postprandial BG peaks after a high-carbohydrate meal were ∼20 mg/dL higher when a previous meal was relatively high-fat than when not high-fat (P < 0.05 for all). A multiple regression analysis indicated that the postprandial glycemic response was negatively associated with the preprandial respiratory quotient.

Conclusions
Our findings indicate that switching from high-fat to high-carbohydrate meals contributes to larger postprandial BG excursions, along with alterations in prioritization of carbohydrate utilization. This study was registered at the UMIN Clinical Trials Registry as UMIN000028895.


The alterations in carbohydrate metabolism that fuel tumor growth have been extensively studied. However, other metabolic pathways involved in malignant progression, demand further understanding. Here we describe a metabolic acyl-CoA synthetase/stearoyl-CoA desaturase ACSL/SCD network causing an epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) program that promotes migration and invasion of colon cancer cells. The mesenchymal phenotype produced upon overexpression of these enzymes is reverted through reactivation of AMPK signaling. Furthermore, this network expression correlates with poorer clinical outcome of stage-II colon cancer patients. Finally, combined treatment with chemical inhibitors of ACSL/SCD selectively decreases cancer cell viability without reducing normal cells viability. Thus, ACSL/SCD network stimulates colon cancer progression through conferring increased energetic capacity and invasive and migratory properties to cancer cells, and might represent a new therapeutic opportunity for colon cancer treatment.


7-methoxy-2-nitro-naphtho[2,1-b] furan (R 7000), known as a very potent mutagen and a very active in vivo carcinogen was employed here to develop squamous cell carcinoma in the rat. Seventy male Wistar rats received R 7000 p.o. dissolved in deionized water with 5% ethanol for periods from 1 to 21 months, while 20 served as controls receiving either water or 5% ethanol. All the animals were killed 21 months after the beginning of the experiment. Microscopic lesions were noticed in the forestomach after only 1 month of R 7000 administration. Histologic features varied from slight dysplasia to invasive carcinoma. Their sizes and invasive character increased significantly with the amount of R 7000 administered (P less than 0.05). R 7000 can be considered as a locally acting carcinogen since its carcinogenic effects appear at a place where the compound collects after swallowing. R 7000 is a weak carcinogen at the concentration employed here, when compared to some nitrosamines used in the development of forestomach cancer in rodents. The exact mechanism of the carcinogenic effects remains to be explained.


Abstract Most patients who sustain pelvic fractures survive. It can be difficult to identify patients at risk for death. Oncepatients at risk are identified, it is difficult to decide on a best course of treatment to prevent mortality. The best markers for death after pelvic fracture are hemodynamic shock; age greater than 55 to 60 years, and the presence of a grossly unstable fracture. Emergency treatments to decrease hemorrhage are limited to: provisional stabilization of the pelvic fracture using a sheet, pelvic binder, pelvic clamp, or external fixator, angiography embolization of bleeding vessels; and direct surgical approach with packing of the pelvis. Immediate application of a sheet or pelvic binder in higli-risk patients seems reasonable, since these maneuvers carry little risk. But, there are no studies to show that these methods decrease mortality. For hypotensive patients with stable fracture patterns, exploratory laparotomy before angiography may decrease mortality, since the source of bleeding in these patients is commonly intraabdominal. For patients with unstable fracture patterns, angiography and embolization before laparotomy may decrease mortality, since the source of hemorrhage for these patients is often pelvic vascular injury. However, the best sequence of treatments is unknown because of the lack of controlled studies in this clinical area.


Tenth-century Islamic alchemy attributed different roles to the figure of Hermes, all of which were retained in later alchemy. The playful changing of perspectives, in which Harmis al-Harāmisa perpetually changed his connotation, allowed for a complex game played at the border between science and literature. In the process, he turned from representing the venerable author of the early alchemical texts - master over ancient wisdom and scientific 'subject' - into an 'object' of research, into an allegory of the nucleus of the Great Work, and into a mysterious image of the secret that he himself had handed over to men.


A communication theory approach to decision tree design based on a top-town mutual information algorithm is presented. It is shown that this algorithm is equivalent to a form of Shannon-Fano prefix coding, and several fundamental bounds relating decision-tree parameters are derived. The bounds are used in conjunction with a rate-distortion interpretation of tree design to explain several phenomena previously observed in practical decision-tree design. A termination rule for the algorithm called the delta-entropy rule is proposed that improves its robustness in the presence of noise. Simulation results are presented, showing that the tree classifiers derived by the algorithm compare favourably to the single nearest neighbour classifier. >


Several bacterial proteins have been recently described that share the ability to inhibit the proliferation of cells in culture without causing early signs of cytotoxicity. Such observations suggest the existence of bacterial mechanisms of control of the eukaryotic cell cycle contributing to pathogenicity or adaptation to the host. This emerging concept of cellular microbiology is critically analyzed considering as a model the cytolethal distending toxins (CDT), a family of toxins whose mode of action on the cell cycle has been thoroughly studied over the last few years. CDTs activate a physiological G2 checkpoint in exposed cells, probably from an initial DNA alteration whose precise molecular nature has not yet been determined. Experimental data are lacking to extrapolate in vivo the antiproliferative effect of these bacterial proteins that we tentatively propose to call cyclostatins.


The kinetics of the thermal isomerization of palladium dithizonate (Pd(HDZ)2) in the binary mixture of toluene and alcohols has been studied. In the solvent effects on the Pd(HDZ)2 isomerization rates, we found that the maximum lies in the range x = 0.02 ∼ 0.2 (x represents the mole fraction of alcohols). The experimental kinetic data for the specific solvent effect with maximum can be reproduced well by taking into account hydrogen bonding and coordination of alcohols with Pd(HDZ)2. The rate constants for the thermal isomerization of Pd(HDZ)2 involving hydrogen bonding and the coordinate interaction with 1-butanol are evaluated. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 32: 542–547, 2000


Volatile organochlorine compounds emitted from natural sources can participate in environmentally relevant processes affecting life on Earth, such as stratospheric ozone destruction and warming of the troposphere. The aim of this study was to investigate if forest bogs contribute to the environmental input of naturally produced volatile organochlorine compounds. The concentrations of four different volatile organochlorine compounds were determined in ambient air, rainwater, surface water, and sub-surface water. For chloroform, up to 10-times higher concentrations were detected in the surface water compared to the sub-surface water taken at 40 cm depth. As the concentrations of chloroform in rainwater where almost in the same range as the concentrations in the sub-surface water, a formation of chloroform is suggested in the surface water. The results of this study indicate forest bogs as a possible new natural source for the input of volatile organochlorine into the environment.


[1] The circulation in a glacial fjord driven by a large tidewater glacier is investigated using a nonhydrostatic ocean general circulation model with a melt rate parameterization at the vertical glacier front. The model configuration and water properties are based on data collected in Sermilik Fjord near Helheim Glacier, a major Greenland outlet glacier. The approximately two-layer stratification of the fjord's ambient waters causes the meltwater plume at the glacier front to drive a "double cell" circulation with two distinct outflows, one at the free surface and one at the layers' interface. In summer, the discharge of surface runoff at the base of the glacier (subglacial discharge) causes the circulation to be much more vigorous and associated with a larger melt rate than in winter. The simulated "double cell" circulation is consistent, in both seasons, with observations from Sermilik Fjord. Seasonal differences are also present in the vertical structure of the melt rate, which is maximum at the base of the glacier in summer and at the layers' interface in winter. Simulated submarine melt rates are strongly sensitive to the amount of subglacial discharge, to changes in water temperature, and to the height of the layers. They are also consistent with those inferred from simplified one-dimensional models based on the theory of buoyant plumes. Our results also indicate that to correctly represent the dynamics of the meltwater plume, care must be taken in the choice of viscosity and diffusivity values in the model.


Locoregional chemotherapy enables specific treatment of organ metastases by using a dosage of medication that is maximally effective but only has minimal side effects on other organs. Since 1983, we have applied this procedure in patients whose liver represented the only target-organ of metastases. Between 1983 and 1990, locoregional chemotherapy was performed in 59 women suffering from liver metastases of breast cancer. The average age of our patients was 52 years. 4 patients were treated for solitary metastases that could not be resected, in 5 patients the infiltration of hepatic parenchyma with metastases accounted to 25%, in 32 patients hepatic infiltration ranged between 25% and 75% and in 18 patients it surpassed 75%. In 39% of our patients, a partial remission occurred. The mean period of survival after beginning of treatment was 149 days, whereas the longest survival time lasted 1009 days. We conclude that the locoregional chemotherapy, destined for treatment of liver-metastases of breast cancer, with a mean survival time of only five months could insufficiently satisfy our expectations. Therefore, a decision to administer such palliative therapy should be made on an individual basis. In our opinion, one indication represents solitary metastases that are not resectable, a further indication is pain due to expansion of the liver capsule because of diffuse metastases.


This paper examines the effects of microfinance, financial development and foreign aid on income inequality for 43 Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. Panel data for the period 1995–2015 is examined using fixed effects, pooled ordinary least square and system generalized method of moments (GMM) estimation techniques. Findings suggest that although foreign aid plays a determining role in explaining the dynamics of inequality in SSA, it does not appear to be pro-poor. Moreover, the results reveal that both microfinance and financial development contribute to narrowing the income gap between the poor and the rich and to reducing inequality. This implies that providing access to loans through microfinance institutions or bankbased financial system offer to the poor the potential for income-generating activities. Furthermore, the empirical evidence suggests that GDP per capita growth and government expenditures appear to be pro-poor. While a rapid population growth, high levels of inflation, FDI and trade openness are correlated, positively and significantly, with greater income inequality. These results have important policy implications for SSA. Enhancing the efficiency of social protection, promoting progressive taxation and distributional effectiveness of fiscal are crucial to address income inequalities.


A systematic investigation has been lacking regarding children's deliberate regulation of others' emotions which is labeled interpersonal emotion regulation (ER). Based on a theoretically derived model of Interpersonal Affect Classification, we examined children's interpersonal ER strategy use in the peer group. Participants were 398 fourth and fifth grade children from the Midwestern United States. Children rated themselves regarding their use of intrapersonal and interpersonal ER strategies as well as attention to friends' emotions. Teacher-report and peer nominations were used to assess social competence regarding prosocial behavior and emotion sharing. Awareness of and attention to friends' emotions were positively and more strongly associated with interpersonal ER than intrapersonal ER. Children reported affective engagement most strongly followed by humor, cognitive engagement, and attention to improve friends' feelings. Among the four interpersonal ER strategies, only affective engagement was uniquely associated with social competence; intrapersonal ER was not associated with social competence. The findings support the significance of broadening the focus of ER to the interpersonal domain to promote the development of children's ER and social competence.


Since therapeutic blockade of the cellular proteasome has previously demonstrated preclinical efficacy against inflammatory diseases, the evaluation of a novel, orally active proteosome inhibitor, CEP-18770, was tested in models of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Age matched, 8-week old (MRL/lpr) or 8 months old (NZM) mice with established SLE or lupus nephritis (LN), respectively, were treated with CEP-18770 either 3mg/kg 1-2x/wk, iv, or orally at 10mg/kg. Reference agent, bortezomib, was provided at 0.5mg/kg, 1x/wk, or 0.3mg/kg 1-2x/wk. Standard of care agents included dexamethasone or cyclophosphamide. Mice were monitored for clinical, pathological and immunological changes. Reductions in the frequencies of specific anti-chromatin, smith and dsDNA antibody secreting cells (ASC) and levels of the corresponding antinuclear antibodies (ANA), followed CEP-18770 treatment and were accompanied by decreases in spleen ASCs, plasma cells, and serum cytokines (IL-12, IL-17A, IL-1β, TNFα). CEP-18770-treatment also mitigated the incidence of renal histopathology, and subsequently, proteinuria, in both models. CEP-18770 treatment also extended survival for both models over bortezomib. Proteasome inhibition and IκBα accumulation in target tissues followed administration of CEP-18770 and bortezomib. CEP-18770 was equivalent to treatment with bortezomib; however, CEP-18770 resulted in greater tolerability and rate of response resulting in greater SLE disease stability overtime.


Ethnic-based conflicts have continued to dot the global landscape. African countries and Nigeria, in particular, have been embroiled in these tidal waves of violent conflicts with cataclysmic consequences. Media Ethics and the Case of Ethnicity: A Contextual Analysis in Plateau State, Nigeria is a critical investigation into the participation of the newspaper journalists in reporting this intractable violent episode in Plateau State, Nigeria. Through deliberate use of lexical, phrases, stereotypes, frames, propaganda and litotes, journalists intensified the conflict. In this easy-to-read book, the author provides guidelines for conflict journalists which includes human rights consciousness journalism as pre-emptive approach to preventing conflicts before they turn violent.


1 McCausland WJ, Cox PJ. Pseudomonas infection traced to motel whirlpool. J Environ Health 1975; 37: 455–97. 2 Ratnam S, Hogan K, March SB, Butler RW. Whirlpool-associated folliculitis caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa: report of an outbreak and review. J Clin Microbiol 1986; 23: 655–9. 3 Scupham R, Fretzin D, Weinstein RA. Caribbean sponge-related Pseudomonas folliculitis. JAMA 1987; 258: 1607–8. 4 Frenkel LM. Pseudomonas folliculitis from sponges promoted as beauty aids. (Letter.) J Clin Microbiol 1993; 31: 2838. 5 Maniatis AN, Karkavitsas C, Maniatis NA et al. Pseudomonas aeruginosa folliculitis due to non-0:11 serogroups: acquisition through use of contaminated synthetic sponges. Clin Infect Dis 1995; 21: 437–9. 6 Zacherle BJ, Silverman DS. Hot tub folliculitis: 'a sheep in wolf 's clothing' (letter). Arch Intern Med 1982; 142: 1620.


Let $Q$ be an acyclic quiver and let $\mathcal A(Q)$ be the corresponding cluster algebra. Let $H$ be the path algebra of $Q$ over an algebraically closed field and let $M$ be an indecomposable regular $H$-module. We prove the positivity of the cluster characters associated to $M$ expressed in the initial seed of $\mathcal A(Q)$ when either $H$ is tame and $M$ is any regular $H$-module, or $H$ is wild and $M$ is a regular Schur module which is not quasi-simple.


Africa has been a victim of misrepresentation since the advent of colonialism. This paper, which is largely based on textual analysis, examines how African philosophy and literature intersect in an attempt to bring about a better understanding of Africa in both the West and Africa itself. The study argues that the intersection of literature and philosophy in African literary discourse we witness is an inevitable consequence of the historical events (including colonialism) that conspired to condemn the continent—as a body—to subjection in the Western world of thought, and the response that this reality solicited from Africans facing the challenges of the Western engineered modernity. The study examines the writing of some of the pioneering modern African writers who have tried to undermine ideas propagated by philosophers such as Hegel—in a typical Eurocentric tradition—to undermine Africa, a continent they hardly understood. The objective is to show that through literature, African writers were able to reveal more about African thought than what has been readily acknowledged.

 Key words: Africa, African literature, African philosophy, intersection, African discourse.


In this rapid, cost-effective, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP) eluted from dried blood spotted on filter paper, second antibody is coated onto the microwell plate and horseradish peroxidase (EC 188.8.131.52) is the label enzyme. Antiserum to 17-OHP was prepared by using 4-(2-carboxymethylthio)-17-OHP-bovine serum albumin conjugate as immunogen. Enzyme conjugate was prepared from 4-(2-carboxymethylthio)-17-OHP and peroxidase. The blood spots are assayed in the microwells without extraction or centrifugation steps. The detection limit of the assay is 1 microgram/L, equivalent to 3.5 pg (10.6 fmol) per disc. Intra- and interassay CVs at two steroid concentrations (7.38 and 22.79 micrograms/L) ranged from 3.74 to 11.90% (n = 5), and 9.49 and 9.83% (n = 5), respectively. Results correlated well (r = 0.91) with those of a fluorescence enzyme immunoassay. The sensitivity, specificity, and precision of this method make it potentially useful in the mass screening of neonates for congenital adrenal hyperplasia.


Our understanding of geomagnetic field intensity prior to the era of direct instrumental measurements relies on paleointensity analysis of rocks and archaeological materials that serve as magnetic recorders. Only in rare cases are absolute paleointensity data sets continuous over millennial timescales, in sub‐centennial resolution, and directly dated using radiocarbon. As a result, fundamental properties of the geomagnetic field, such as its maximum intensity and rate of change have remained a subject of lively discussion. Here, we place firm constraints on these two quantities using Bayesian modeling of well‐dated archaeomagnetic intensity data from the Levant and Upper Mesopotamia. We report new data from 23 groups of pottery collected from 18 consecutive radiocarbon‐dated archaeological strata from Tel Megiddo, Israel. In the Near East, the period of 1700–550 BCE is represented by 84 groups of archaeological artifacts, 55 of which were dated using radiocarbon or a direct link to clear historically dated events, providing unprecedented sub‐century resolution. Moreover, stratigraphic relationships between samples collected from multi‐layered sites enable further refinement of the data ages. The Bayesian curve shows four geomagnetic spikes between 1050 and 600 BCE, with virtual axial dipole moment (VADM) reaching values of 155–162 ZAm2, much higher than any prediction from geomagnetic field models. Rates of change associated with the four spikes are ∼0.35–0.55 μT/year (∼0.7–1.1 ZAm2/year), at least twice the maximum rate inferred from direct observations spanning the past 180 years. The increase from 1750 to 1030 BCE (73–161 ZAm2) depicts the Holocene's largest change in field intensity.


Background: Despite the proven benefit of stent retriever thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke caused by large-vessel embolic occlusion, acute revascularization in the setting of underlying intracranial, atherosclerosis-related, and emergent large-vessel occlusion remains to be a challenge. In this case report, we present a novel revascularization technique that can be used to treat acute ischemic stroke caused by suspected intracranial, atherosclerosis-related, and emergent large-vessel occlusion of the internal carotid artery (ICA). Case Description: This case report presents two patients with intracranial, atherosclerosis-related, and emergent large-vessel occlusion of the ICA: a 73-year-old man with a right-sided hemiparesis and aphasia and a 60-year-old man with altered level of consciousness. These patients were treated using the prolonged deployment and partial resheath method with a stent retriever, using the following devices: Solitaire Platinum, Trevo Trak 21, and AXS catalyst 6 for suction. On prolonged deployment of the Solitaire Platinum device, underlying focal atherosclerotic disease was noted. The device remained in place for more than 10 min, until the blood vessel was occluded. Next, the device was partially resheathed into the Trevo Trak 21 to reduce the radial force and minimize vessel injury during the pull. The partially constrained device was then retrieved under continuous aspiration at the lesion site and blood flow was successfully restored. Both patients recovered without any new deficits. Conclusion: The prolonged deployment and partial resheath method using a stent retriever may be safe and effective in the treatment of intracranial, atherosclerosis-related, and emergent large-vessel occlusion of the ICA.


Five samples of drinking water (DW) were taken from five different academic institutes of District Vehari, Pakistan which are; Sample-1 from University of Education Vehari Campus; Sample-2 from Government Post Graduate College for Women Vehari; Sample-3 from Government Post Graduate College for Women Vehari; Sample-4 from COMSATS Institute of Information Technology Vehari Campus and Sample-5 from BZU Vehari Campus. The analysis was qualitative as well as quantitative to determine the quality of DW, which is based on the determination of physico-chemical characteristics of DW samples. These physico-chemical characteristics are; pH, temperature, turbidity, alkalinity, total hardness, chloride ion estimation, color and taste. Different chemical tests and techniques were applied to determine the water quality. After that, the results obtained from these experiments indicated that Sample-2 is very polluted with large amounts of salts which cause its hardness and made it unfit for drinking purposes, because this hardness causes health diseases in humans. The Sample-3 contains large amounts of chloride ions which hardened it, as its temperature is also low. Except Sample-3, all other four samples are not much polluted and are fit for drinking. So, author recommended leaving the use of Sample-3 of water of Government Post Graduate College for Boys Vehari.


The relationships among coronal loop structures at different temperatures are not settled. Previous studies have suggested that coronal loops in the core of an active region (AR) are not seen cooling through lower temperatures and therefore are steadily heated. If loops were cooling, the transition region would be an ideal temperature regime to look for a signature of their evolution. The Extreme-ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer on Hinode provides monochromatic images of the solar transition region and corona at an unprecedented cadence and spatial resolution, making it an ideal instrument to shed light on this issue. Analysis of observations of AR 10978 taken in 2007 December 8–19 indicates that there are two dominant loop populations in the AR: (1) core multitemperature loops that undergo a continuous process of heating and cooling in the full observed temperature range 0.4–2.5 MK and even higher as shown by the X-Ray Telescope and (2) peripheral loops which evolve mostly in the temperature range 0.4–1.3 MK. Loops at transition region temperatures can reach heights of 150 Mm in the corona above the limb and develop downflows with velocities in the range of 39–105 km s−1.


The recognized endocrine consequences of alcohol abuse are reviewed on an organ by organ basis. The organ systems for which the most information is available (liver, heart, brain) are presented first followed by those where the information base is less.


Background The prediction of individual response to biological treatment has become a major clinical challenge in RA. Recent studies have provided evidence that biomarkers may be identified predictive of the response to therapy with these agents1. Objectives To identify a candidate multi-biomarker score (MB) of response to infliximab (INF), rituximab (RTX) and tocilizumab (TCZ) therapies in RA. Methods The study cohort included 97 RA patients, 21 starting INF, 27 RTM and 42 TCZ therapies. After 24 weeks, the EULAR criteria were used to classify patients as responders or nonresponders. Good response was achieved by 22.7% for INF, 5.8% for RTM and 16.6% for TCZ. 4 antibodies (IgM RF, IgA RF, anti-CCP, AMCV), 3 inflammation markers (ESR, CRP, calprotectin), 3 markers of bone (sRANKL) and cartilage (COMP, MMP-3) metabolism, 27 cytokines (IL-1β,-1ra,-2,-4,-5,-6,-7,-8,-9,-10,-12,-13,-15, -17, basic FGF, eotaxin, G-CSF, GM-CSF, IFN-γ, IP-10, MCP-1, MIP-1α, MIP-1β, PDGF-BB, RANTES, TNF-α, VEGF) serum concentrationswere measured. Analysis of consistency and confidence as biomarkers of early RA was carried out by multivariate logistic regression. Results A multi-biomarker scores of response: to INF (MBINF) was calculated based on the concentrations of: IL-17,-12,-9, CRP (AUC 0,96; sensitivity 100%; specificity 75%; LR+ 4; LR- 0, cutoff=0,45); to RTM (MBRTM): VEGF, IL-1ra,-10, G-CSF, IgM RF (AUC 0,99; sensitivity 96%; specificity 99%; LR+ 96; LR- 0,01 cutoff=0,6); to TCZ (MBTCZ): MMP-3, VEGF, anti-CCP (AUC 0,85; sensitivity 80%; specificity 83%; LR+ 4,7; LR- 0,2, cutoff =1,27). Conclusions All candidate multi-biomarker scores of response to INF, RTX and TCZ therapies in RA demonstrated a good diagnostics performance. After accurate validation, this test could be used in clinical laboratory practice. References Simsek I. Predictors of Response to TNF Inhibitors in Rheumatoid Arthritis - Do We Have New Tools for Personalized Medicine? Bull NYU Hosp Jt Dis. 2012;70(3):187-90. Disclosure of Interest None Declared


Listeria monocytogenes is a Gram-positive pathogen responsible for the manifestation of human listeriosis, an opportunistic foodborne disease with an associated high mortality rate. The key to the pathogenesis of listeriosis is the capacity of this bacterium to trigger its internalization by non-phagocytic cells and to survive and even replicate within phagocytes. The arsenal of virulence proteins deployed by L. monocytogenes to successfully promote the invasion and infection of host cells has been progressively unveiled over the past decades. A large majority of them is located at the cell envelope, which provides an interface for the establishment of close interactions between these bacterial factors and their host targets. Along the multistep pathways carrying these virulence proteins from the inner side of the cytoplasmic membrane to their cell envelope destination, a multiplicity of auxiliary proteins must act on the immature polypeptides to ensure that they not only maturate into fully functional effectors but also are placed or guided to their correct position in the bacterial surface. As the major scaffold for surface proteins, the cell wall and its metabolism are critical elements in listerial virulence. Conversely, the crucial physical support and protection provided by this structure make it an ideal target for the host immune system. Therefore, mechanisms involving fine modifications of cell envelope components are activated by L. monocytogenes to render it less recognizable by the innate immunity sensors or more resistant to the activity of antimicrobial effectors. This review provides a state-of-the-art compilation of the mechanisms used by L. monocytogenes to organize its surface for virulence, with special focus on those proteins that work "behind the frontline", either supporting virulence effectors or ensuring the survival of the bacterium within its host.


Management of Greater Everglades Ecosystems: The Joint Ecosystem Modeling Laboratory Laura Brandt, USFWS email@example.com Integrating Ecological and Hydrological Models for Adaptive Management of Greater Everglades Ecosystems: The Joint Ecosystem Modeling Laboratory Best, G.R., US Geological Survey Brandt, L.A., US Fish and Wildlife Service Mazzotti, F.J., University of Florida Adaptive management of restoration of Greater Everglades Ecosystem is required by legislation authorizing the project. Adaptive management and assessment is an organized system of learning to reduce uncertainty inherent in making natural resource management decisions, especially on a large scale. Conceptual models have been used to catalyze integration of existing information to identify vital ecosystem attributes and their linkages with ecosystem stressors. Pre-project evaluations and post-project assessments integrate hydrological and habitat based ecological models to compare and forecast effects of restoration alternatives on selected ecological attributes. The Joint Ecosystem Modeling Laboratory is a SFC-CESU partnership project involving the USNPS, USFWS, USGS, FAU, UM, Audubon, UT (from the Southern Appalachian CESU), and UF. The JEM Lab has been involved in developing and applying ecological models for project evaluation and the Everglades Depth Estimation Network. (EDEN). The SFC-CESU provides the perfect venue for the multi-disciplinary collaboration and cooperation necessary for solving complex problem of restoring complex systems. SERC WQMN: Long-term Declines in TOC, TON and TP Export from the Everglades


This paper proposes a two-dimensional underwater sound propagation model using the Discontinuous Galerkin Finite Element Method (DG-FEM) to investigate the influence of current on sound propagation. The acoustic field is calculated by the convected wave equation with the current speed parameter. Based on the current speed data from an assimilation model, a two-dimensional coupled acoustic propagation model in the Fram Strait water area is established to observe the variability in propagation loss under different seasonal velocities in the real ocean environment. The transmission loss and signal time structure are examined. The results obtained in different source frequencies are also compared. It appears that the current velocity, time and range variation all have an effect on underwater sound propagation.


Integrated farming system is an agricultural practice that must be done for sustainable agriculture. The objectives of the research were to compare the population and diversity of soil meso fauna in the oil palm plantations applying with integrated farming system of cattle and oil palm plantation (IFSCO) and without IFSCO (non-IFSCO) in Ultisols soil. The research was conducted in two oil palm plantations, i.e. oil palm plantation with IFSCO (5 ha) and without IFSCO (non-IFSCO) (5 ha) applications which were located in the Karya Makmur Village, Tulang Bawang District, Lampung, Indonesia. The research was arranged using surveys and with systematic methods for sampling soil, earthworm, and mesofauna. Population of earthworm and soil mesofauna were enumerated by hand sorting methods and trapped with Barlese-Tullgreen funnel, respectively. The results showed that the application of IFSCO had a higher population and biomass of earthworm as well as abundance and diversity of soil mesofauna than that non-IFSCO. There are two types of dominant earthworms and 12 species of mesofauna in IFSCO soil, and 9 species in that of non-IFSCO. Several physical and chemical properties of soils are positively correlated with the presence of these soil fauna.


Modelling and forecasting crude oil price volatility is crucial in many financial and investment applications. The main purpose of this paper is to review and assess the current state of oil market volatility knowledge. It highlights the properties and characteristics of the oil price volatility that models seek to capture, and discuss the different modelling approaches to oil price volatility. Asymmetric response to price change, persistence and mean reversion, structural breaks, and possible market spillover of volatility are discussed. To complement the discussion, West Texas Intermediate futures price data are used to illustrate these properties using non-parametric and conditional modelling methods. The generalised autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity-type models usually applied in the oil price volatility literature are also explored. We additionally examine the exogenous factors that may influence volatility in the oil markets.


In the automotive industry, the assembly of wiring harnesses is done mostly manually. This leads to high labour costs as well as a high number of defects. In order to minimize these disadvantages, both industry and research made huge efforts in recent decades to increase the level of automation in the assembly of wiring harness modules. The fully automated crimping and blockloading machine e.g. Komax Zeta 656, is already successfully used in the industry as a machine for the automated assembly of small wiring harnesses. But still, there is a great potential to increase efficiency and quality in the assembly of wiring harnesses. This paper presents a newly developed machine concept for the fully automated assembly of wiring harnesses. It is shown that the new system can provide higher production efficiency compared to both the competitive systems and manual assembly. The presented concept also helps saving resources as it uses the standard crimping machine as e.g. Komax Alpha 355 as a basis which is already present in many wiring harness factories. To set up the presented mounting machine the Komax Alpha has not to be fully replaced, but only to be extended by a few components.


In this paper, the static load test of long span PSC deck used in the twin steel plate girder bridge was conducted. To evaluate the structural behavior of long span deck, longitudinally sufficient length of deck is needed, but it is difficult to test the full-scale long span deck due to limit of transportation, setting and laboratory space. Therefore, this study proposed a method to apply longitudinal stiffness of the full-scale deck to the test specimen of longitudinally short length, and it was reinforced with the steel beam. The failure behavior and structural performance of the long span deck were evaluated by the proposed test specimen deck.


The main objective of the research is to examine key aspects of the structured trade financing instruments and to analyze prerequisites for its existence. Hereby, the main focus is concentrated around developing economies. The research was carried out based on research methods such as comparative analysis, empirical approaches and logical generalization. Also, for the research purposes the current market situation, infrastructure, opinions and recommendations of international organizations were analyzed, and an optimal model and market conditions were generated. As a result of research an importance of the derivative financial instruments, organization of spot markets and warehouse receipt systems were investigated. The main factor limiting the study is a variable statistical need and mathematical modeling based on the economic specifications of each economy. As each market will need more country-oriented research and solution rather than general model that suits all. The practical significance of the research is to ensure synergies between financial and commodity markets and to develop a sustainable risk management tool, enhance access to capital by introducing an alternative financial instrument and market environment for local producers, including small and medium size entrepreneurs.


This paper describes endotracheal tubes and adapters which are designed specially for fiberoptic bronchoscopy; the tubes are designed in such a way that they are wide at the upper part but are narrow and thin walled in the part of the tube which goes through and below the cords. By designing tubes in this manner, the resistance to flow of gas through the tube when the fiberoptic bronchoscope is in place is very much reduced and the safety of the whole precedure is enhanced. A special adapter for use under these circumstances is also described which utilizes a commercially available swivel tracheostomy adapter with a special silicone diaphragm fitted onto the top to enable the fiberoptic bronchoscope to be placed through the diaphragm and keep a sealed system. A plug is available for the hole in the diaphragm when the fiberoptic bronchoscope is not being used. Clinical and laboratory data show that these pieces of equipment perform the function for which they were designed.


Daniel Northrop* The attorney-client privilege is the oldest evidentiary privilege known to the common law. It exists to encourage clients to openly communicate with their attorneys. Some commentators, however, have questioned the value of the privilege and called for its elimination. This policy debate, though unlikely to influence typical privilege disputes, is important when the application of the attorney-client privilege is unclear. One example is when a client conveys information to her attorney with the intent that the attorney draft a document to be released to a third party. This Note seeks to shed light on the arguments for and against the application of the attorney-client privilege to this scenario, and concludes that public policy calls for a strict application of the privilege.


Classical approximations in chemical kinetics, the quasi-steady-state approximation (QSSA) and the partial-equilibrium approximation (PEA), are used to reduce rate equations for the concentrations and the extents of the reaction steps, respectively. We make precise two conditions on the rate constants necessary and sufficient to eliminate a well-chosen variable in the vicinity of a steady state. The first condition expresses that dynamics admits a small characteristic time associated with a fast variable. The second condition ensures that the fast variable is a concentration for QSSA and an extent for PEA. Both approximations exploit the zeroth order of a singular perturbation method. Eliminating a fast variable does not mean that it has reached a steady state. The fast evolution is considered over and the slow evolution of the eliminated variable is governed by the slow variables. The evolution of the slow variables occurs on a slow manifold in the space of the concentrations or the extents. In some cases the dynamics of the slow variables can be associated with a reduced chemical scheme. QSSA and PEA are applied to three chemical schemes associated with linear and nonlinear dynamics. We find that QSSA cannot be identified with the elimination of a reactive intermediate. The nonlinearities of the rate equations induce a more complex behavior.


The DEFA Sci-Fi Collection. First Run Features. NTSC region 1. 16:9. us $44.95. Contains Silent Star (Der schweigende Stern/Milczaza Gwiazda; Kurt Maetzig East Germany/Poland 1960), Eolomea (Hermann Zschoche East Germany/ USSR/Bulgaria 1972) and In the Dust of the Stars (Im Staub der Sterne; Gottfried Kolditz East Germany/Romania 1976).Despite the vaunted respect for sf - or rather its official socialist form, the 'utopian adventure' - in the USSR and its satellite states, few sf films were made in the Eastern bloc. The Russians produced about a dozen, the Czechs perhaps another half-dozen, the Poles perhaps three. The German Democratic Republic's state-run DEFA studios made four. First Run Features has released three of these - Silent Star (1960), Eolomea (1972) and In the Dust of the Stars (1976) - in a DVD package, produced from the prints housed in the University of Massachusetts' DEFA collection. Some of these films have attained legendary status. For some viewers, Silent Star and Eolomea represent the most concerted effort by the Eastern bloc to present alternative socialist sf to international audiences. For others, who grew up in the region under Soviet domination, they were powerful childhood experiences and spurs for 'ostalgie'. For most, they are the most accessible examples of sf film under Communism.The three films in the collection are a very mixed bag. It is not clear why the fourth DEFA sf film, Signals: A Space Adventure (Signale - Ein Weltraumabenteuer/ Sygnally MMXX; Kolditz East Germany/Poland 1970), was not included. I have not seen it, and it is not highly regarded by those who have, but historians attest to its importance as the first step in 'DEFA 70', the effort by the studio to produce and distribute 70mm film on a regular basis (see Vonau). Even if Signale had been included, I doubt we would be able to trace a distinctive DEFA style of sf. Unlike romances, musicals and even westerns (of the Karl May type), DEFA did not produce enough examples of the genre to establish a style. Sf proved to be prohibitively expensive to make for the always cash-and-creditstrapped bloc states. And the clear value of utopian adventure as a vehicle for Marxist-Leninist ideology actually hindered its production, as the various bureau-heads and Ministers of Culture, and indeed even Party First Secretaries, insisted on having their say about the films' messages. Nonetheless, DEFA's sf films do share an aesthetic-political purpose: to negotiate between western commercial sf adventure and the Soviet model of socialist romanticism.At first glance, it is surprising that a studio as endowed with experienced filmmakers as DEFA would have produced so little sf. Officially chartered in 1946, the Deutsche Film-Aktiengesellschaft was the reconstituted heir of the great Babelsberg Ufa studios that played such a dominant role in European filmmaking before World War II, and which had produced Fritz Lang's Metropolis (Germany 1927) and Die Frau im Mond (Germany 1929) and the fascist sf films of Harry Piel (on the history of DEFA, see Bergahn; on Harry Piel and Nazi sf film, see Strzelczyk). East German cinema represented a confluence point where the powerful traditions of Soviet and National Socialist propaganda cinema met with its cross-border counterpart-antagonist, the postwar entertainment cinema of US-backed Western Europe. Under other circumstances, this might have led to the emergence of a powerful, reflective sf cinema. In fact, it contributed to its stifling. Burdened by being the main frontline state of the Warsaw Pact, and to Soviet eyes having the most suspect population, East German culture was kept on the shortest leash in the bloc.Not all of the Soviet bloc cultures were equally interested in the genre. Sf in Russia constituted a true literary tradition, both dangerous and uplifting, the stuff of cultural adventure. Extending from pre-Revolutionary times, through a period of high experimentalism, criticism and utopian vision in the 1920s, it was stifled brutally under Stalin, when it became the occasion for the persecution of scientists in the 1930s, and settled into a form of imperial propaganda until the breakout period of Thaw after Stalin's death. …


The anthracnose disease is one of the major economic diseases in chilli production of Thailand. The present study was aims to test and evaluate the fungicidal activity of the ethanolic crude extracts from thirty-four medicinal plants were tested against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (the pathogen of anthracnose disease in chilli of Thailand) by poisoned food technique at 0, 2,000, 4,000, 6,000, 8,000 and 10,000 ppm. The inhibition of mycelial growth was evaluated. From the testing, All the used of thirty-four crude extracts showed significant antifungal activity against C. gloeosporioides. The result showed that the Curcuma aromatica, Zingiber zerumbet, Piper betle, Kaempferia galanga, Rosmarinus officinalis and Origanum vulgare crude extracts showed 100% inhibition of mycelial growth at all concentrations, whereas, the Wedelia trilobata and Polygonum odoratum crude extracts at 10,000 ppm gave the lowest inhibition of 70 and 82%, respectively. The study noted that the crude extracts namely C. aromatica, Z. zerumbet, P. betle, K. galanga, R. officinalis and O. vulgare showed the completely control of mycelial growth against C. gloeosporioides (the pathogen of anthracnose disease in chilli). These research pointed the oppurtunities for screening and application of some ethanolic crude extracts for a eco-friendly environmental management and exploited method as the biological control in chilli production. Keywods: Fungicidal Activity, Anthracnose Disease, Colletotrichum Gloeosporioides Medicinal Plants, Ethanolic Crude Extracts, Chill


This study investigated the effect of social media addiction on sleep problems in college students, and the chain mediating effects in this relationship of fear of missing out and nocturnal social media use. We conducted a survey of 907 college students in China using the Social Media
 Addiction Scale, the Fear of Missing Out Scale, the Nocturnal Social Media Use Scale, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Index Scale. Results showed that social media addiction significantly and positively predicted poor sleep quality, and that fear of missing out and nocturnal social media use had
 a chain mediating effect in this relationship. Reducing social media addiction and nocturnal social media use, and developing education-guided measures aimed at reducing fear of missing out will be beneficial to improving the sleep quality of college students.


Feature extraction in brain-computer interface (BCI) work is an important task that significantly affects the success of brain signal classification. In this paper, a feature extraction method of electroencephalographic (EEG) signals based on wavelet packet decomposition (WPD) is used. The coefficients mean of wavelet packet decomposition and wavelet packet energy of special sub-bands are employed as the original features. The Fisher discriminant analysis (FDA) is used to measure the separabilities of those features. The features which had a higher separability will be considered as effective ones and then the final feature vector are formed. A feature vector is obtained by combining the selected features from six channels. Then, the features are classified by using the k-nearest neighbor (k-NN) algorithm. We obtained significant improvement for the speed and accuracy of the classification for data set Ia, which is a typical representative of one kind of BCI competition 2003 data. The classification results have proved the effectiveness of the proposed method.


Both China and Japan have great influence on the Asia-Pacific and even the world economy. China's development is obvious to all. Chinese construction industry has made significant achievements in recent years. As one of the developed countries, Japan has been stagnating for several years. After decade years of decline, the Japanese construction industry recovered in 2008 and accelerated slightly from 2009. The International Advanced Index is introduced to measure the international performance of Japanese and Chinese construction industry. In addition, a comparative research study design is adopted to explore the difference between the Japanese and Chinese construction industries. Besides the Width Index, the other indexes in the International Advanced Index of Chinese construction industry are higher than the Japanese construction industry. The Chinese construction industry has been catching up to the Japanese construction industry in the global market. Future research on the industrial competitiveness is needed.


Introduction: The revolutionary advances made in molecular biology are occurring in such a rate that it is drastically changing the methods of diagnosis of disease. However practicing as a pathologist in Kathmandu University Hospital (KUH), we have huge limitations.

Precision medicine aims to focus on meeting patient requirements accurately,optimizing patient outcomes, and reducing under-/overdiagnosis and therapy. We aim to offera fresh perspective on accuracy driven "age-old precision medicine" and illustrate how newercase-based blended learning ecosystems (CBBLE) can strengthen the bridge between age-old precisionapproaches with modern technology and omics-driven approaches. Methodology: We present aseries of cases and examine the role of precision medicine within a "case-based blended learningecosystem" (CBBLE) as a practicable tool to reduce overdiagnosis and overtreatment. We illustratedthe worki¬'ow of our CBBLE through case-based narratives from global students of CBBLE in highand low resource settings as is rei¬'ected in global health. Results: Four micro-narratives based oncollective past experiences were generated to explain concepts of age-old patient-centered scientii¬caccuracy and precision and four macro-narratives were collected from individual learners in ourCBBLE. Insights gathered from a critical appraisal and thematic analysis of the narratives werediscussed. Discussion and conclusion: Case-based narratives from the individual learners in ourCBBLE amply illustrate their journeys beginning with "age-old precision thinking" in low-resourcesettings and progressing to "omics-driven" high-resource precision medicine setups to demonstratehow the approaches, used judiciously, might reduce the current pandemic of over-/underdiagnosisand over-/undertreatment.

The term "Precision Medicine" was i¬rst coined by Clayton Christensen in his book the"Innovator's Prescription", published in 2009 [1]. According to the early dei¬nition given by theInstitute of Precision Medicine, "Precision medicine is targeted, individualized care that is tailored toeach patient based on his or her specii¬c genetic proi¬le and medical history" [2].While the above dei¬nitions allow us to assume that precision medicine is focused on meetingpatients' requirements accurately, we need to review the scientii¬c nature of accuracy, precision andtheir relationship with each other to put things in perspective. This is essential toward optimizingpatient requirements and outcomes, minimizing damage to the healthcare ecosystem by reducingunder-overdiagnosis and therapy. To quote from Thomas (2014), "The healthcare 'system' is nowbetter understood as an 'ecosystem' of interconnected stakeholders, each one charged with a missionto improve the quality of care while lowering its cost. To ensure patient safety and quality care whilerealizing savings, these stakeholders are building new relationships—often outside the four walls ofthe hospital" [3].

We illustrate the above concepts with micro case studies below:"An elderly patient from a country endemic with tuberculosis presented with a chronic cough andweight loss. A lung pathology was detected on imaging that was not amenable to further biopsyefforts as a result of unavailable resources. He was started on empirical treatment for tuberculosisafter sending a sputum for acid-fast bacillus (AFB) and culture."In tuberculosis endemic countries, physicians often treat empirically for tuberculosis in suspiciouslung pathologies, although lung malignancy is a close differential in such situations. In the abovepatient's context, physicians were being obviously imprecise in starting treatment for tuberculosisempirically even when the tuberculosis bacilli was undetectable. This is an acceptable standardpractice with established protocols for treating sputum-negative tuberculosis utilized globally by manycountries that are endemic for tuberculosi

"The idea of sharing and learning around patients has been alive since the beginning of medicine,when physicians would present their cases to a large audience to primarily learn from the inputs ofother physicians." With the invention of the printing press, instead of restricting themselves to verbalface-to-face case presentations, many physicians published their cases in journals and slowly the medicalfraternity started naming those published diseases after their first authors. "In this way, case reportingbecame a gainful activity not only in terms of scientific advancement towards patient benefits, but alsoas an important instrument of physician fame." We have utilized this case reporting model to help ourpatients and to train our medical students about disease and patient experience

Healthcare 2018,6, 78 5 of 17By reporting cases, this model allows more engagement both from patients and medical studentsto reach a precise and accurate diagnosis, and also helps as an educational tool.

Objectives: To study the molecular tests performed in KUH, the challenges faced and to explore the additional possibilities in the field of Molecular pathology.

Materials and methods: The cases and problems faced in Molecular tests by the doctors, and technicians are discussed, analysed and reported.

Results: The molecular tests currently being performed in KUH are PCR and Immunohistochemistry (IHC). PCR test functioning since 1 year is performed especially for HPV detection and for diagnosing Tuberculosis. Total PCR cases sent are average 10 per day. Among 580 cancer case in a  year, 34 needed IHC for conformation. Only 4 are performed IHC.

Discussion: Use of Molecular pathology tests is at its infancy in KUH. IHC is very difficult to continue because of the cost and hence the scarcity of the cases. The antibody once opened has very short life that aids in increasing the cost. So the patients who can afford are sent abroad. However Kathmandu University have nine affiliated colleges. If we can have standard Molecular diagnosis lab then we can collect the cases from almost all of them which can reduce the cost.

Conclusion: There's frequent diagnosis of cancer cases in KUH and in affiliated colleges, KUH can be made the hub for Molecular diagnosis in Nepal.

This work partly presenting in 2nd International Conference on Molecular Pathology and Genomics on December 09-10, 2020 held at Paris, France.


Anorexia is a severe psychological disorder in which a person's dieting turns into compulsive fasting. Some victims develop, after a time, a bulimic phase; their fasting is interrupted at intervals by bouts of indiscriminate gorging. One successful treatment makes use of a naturally occurring trance state, in which the anorexic's obsession with food recedes temporarily, to offer reassurance and rebuild a personality free of the obsession. The proposed model is catastrophe-theoretic. It assumes (a) that the bifurcation of eating attitudes typical of anorexia can be modeled by a cusp whose controls are hunger and eating regimen; and (b) that the normal cycle of falling asleep and waking up can be modeled by a hysteresis loop controlled by alertness. Catastrophe theory predicts two additional controls, and a larger model organized by the E6 singularity. The new controls are identified with loss of self-control and insecurity, and anorexia is correlated with high insecurity. The model makes the following predictions. First, under moderate levels of self-control and eating regimen, an anorexic has access to balanced, nonobsessive attitudes toward food at a reduced level of wakefulness. This is the trance state. Second, a healthy individual has two distinct sleep modes, dominated by cerebral and somatic elements, respectively. Third, with increasing insecurity the distinct modes fuse together, so that an anorexic's sleep patterns are abnormal. The model is geometric because the connection between behavior and controlling factors is made by graphs of certain standard form.


Tuberculosis (TB) disease placed tremendous burdens on patients, families, communities, and government budgets. In addition to the work productivity loss, most profound effect declineed in level of well-being even impoverishment. The purpose of this study was to analyze the economic burden and impact of Tuberculosis disease in patients and household members. It is a retrospective descriptive study with cross sectional study design. Study population was TB patients who were treated at all Health City Center in Bengkulu City with the sampling technique using a probability proportional to size a number of 71 patients. The estimated total economic burden due to TB disease in Bengkulu City was IDR 7,215,200 up to IDR 12,970,200, - or 28.28% -50.84% of the average household income. The most dominant component of cost was the indirect cost of IDR 5,135,300, - or 20.13% of the average household income, followed by the direct cost of IDR 2,080,600, - (8.15%) of the average household income. 87.3% average monthly income decreased due to TB. The effect of income decline led to 19% of high income households falling in the low income group. Due to the decrease in income, 43.7% of households changed their consumption patterns by reallocating in consumption. Patients with low-income groups spent 14% of household income on TB treatment. To reduce the risk of medical costs and the uncertainty of medical costs, it is necessary to establish the pathnersip with the private sector, the need for public funding in the form of pre-payment mechanism and health policy in protecting the household from all costs due to TB disease.


Eliciting requirements of products or solutions in informally structured domains is a highly creative and complex activity due to the inherent characteristics of these domains, such as the great quantities of tacit knowledge used by domain specialists, the dynamic interaction between domain specialists and their environment in order to solve problems, the necessity of these solutions of products to be developed by teams of specialists and the asymmetry of knowledge between domain specialists and requirements engineers. The knowledge management discipline promotes an integrated approach in order to face these challenges; therefore, a strategy for addressing requirements elicitation that incorporates techniques and methods of this discipline has been proposed as a serious approach to deal with those challenges. The valuable results of the application of the strategy in real cases prove empirical insights about its utility. improve all the KM approaches including the KMoS-RE © strategy.


Background Gout is an inflammatory arthritis with crystallization of uric acid in joints and tissues. Oxidative stress is prevalent in many diseases and is considered to be an important pathogenic mechanism. Objectives exploration of oxidative stress at patients with gout and with/without tophi Methods We had compared products of oxidative stress in 33 healthy persons and 2 group of patients with primary gout: 49 patients without tophi and 25- with tophus gout. Levels of plasma and serum lipid peroxidation (LPO), malondialdehyde (MDA) were used as markers of oxidative stress. Superoxide dismutases (SOD), serum total antioxidant status (TAS) were used as markers of antioxidant activity. Results patients with gout had significant elevated LPO on the relation to control group, p<0,05, another products in patients didn't differ from control group. Our test has showed significant difference of LPO, between control group and patients with tophus gout 7,3 [5,7; 9,1] vs 8,8 [7,7; 11,4] per-unit/1 ml, p<0,05, respectively. The MDA, SOD and TAS level in this group of patients didn't differ from group of control. In comparison patients from fist group (without tophi) not only had higher level of LPO 10,3 [7,9; 16,6] vs 7,3 [5,7; 9,1] per-unit/1 ml, p<0,05, but more higher level of SOD 0,9 [0,7;1,2] vs 0,65 [0,35; 0,82], mkmol/l, p<0,01 and more lower level of TAS 70,6 [53,6; 77,1] vs 80,7 [69,7; 83,3] %, p<0,01. Distinctions between groups of patients were not revealed. Conclusions In patients with gout, there is increase of oxidative stress and decrease antioxidant activity especially in patients without tophi. These changes can testify about active inflammation at earlier stages of gout. Disclosure of Interest None declared DOI 10.1136/annrheumdis-2014-eular.5933


This study estimates the returns to education while controlling endogeneity and sample selection biases in Pakistan, over a time period using Ordinary Least Square (OLS), simultaneous approach using both Heckman Sample Selection and Instrumental Variable, and Fixed Effect techniques. Household Integrated Economic Survey (HIES) data for 2004-05 and 2011-12 time periods have been used in this study. The returns to education have been found downward biased in OLS estimates for both time periods. The unbiased real returns to education have increased on average for wage workers over time period. Landholding and Non-earned income have been used as exclusion restrictions to control for sample selection bias in the Heckman Sample Selection technique. The endogeneity bias has been controlled for with the help of parental education as instrument in Instrumental Variable technique. Both techniques have also been used collectively or simultaneously to get more efficient estimate in simultaneous approach. Household Fixed Effect technique has also been used with the assumption that ability and family characteristics largely remain same within family or household. The increase in the unbiased and real returns to education shows that profitability still exists in investing in education whereas experience via skill enhancement reinforces this rise in wage. Sadly, the historic gender and regional discriminations persist or aggravate in wage market. Married persons are getting more in returns relative to the unmarried individuals. Having negative implications for income inequality, Convexity in education-earning relationship in Pakistan has been confirmed by Indicator Function technique for both time periods. Low education prompt low-earning workers who would be unable to bear the schooling cost of their children. This seriously inhibits earning potential making income inequality worse.


Diabetes is a major public health concern and natural easy-going remedies are being searched. Since Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume has a low coumarin concentration and possible insulin-enhancing properties, it is preferred over all other cinnamon species. Although similar research has been done on humans, there have been very few studies on this particular species, and none among South Asians. Moreover, no human trial that properly described their intervening agent (C. zeylanicum) and checked its efficacy at the molecular level along with clinical variables was conducted. Therefore, the current research aimed to explore the effects of C. zeylanicum on the glycemic index, lipid profile, and expression of the protein tyrosine phosphatase 1 B (PTP1B) enzyme in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in type 2 diabetes. We examined the presence of bioactive compounds in young C. zeylanicum bark (Alba grade) from native Sri Lanka using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, high-performance thin-layer chromatography, and thin-layer chromatography before introducing it in the clinical study where trans-Cinnamaldehyde was found to be a major chemical constituent (>60%). Then, from January 2020 to March 2022, a randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled trial was carried out in the Diabetic Clinic at AIIMS Rishikesh. A total of 154 diabetic patients were enrolled and were taken either cinnamon or placebo capsules (1.5 g/day) for 120 days on an empty stomach with warm water along with their conventional treatment. Reduction in fasting blood glucose levels in the cinnamon group was found -35.50% (95% CI, -173 to 58.4), whereas in the placebo group change was 5.00% (95% CI, -165 to 224). For glycosylated hemoglobin, it differed -0.85% (95% CI, -8.2 to 1.6) in the cinnamon group compared to the placebo where it was found 0.15% (95% CI, -6.1 to 5.5). PTP1B expression in PBMC was determined from pre- and post-trial blood samples using the Western Blot, and significant inhibition was also observed (p=0.039). The study result depicts, C. zeylanicum is emerging as a beneficial plant for type 2 diabetes in Northern India and could be used as an adjunctive treatment rather than as a standalone managerial remedy.


A link between Alzheimer's disease (AD) and an excess presence of oxidant free radicals in the brain has frequently been reported. It is generally assumed that such oxidative stress and related cellular damage is caused by inflammatory changes in the brain and is consequent to amyloid deposition. This review makes the argument that elevated oxidative stress in AD is an early causal event in the initiation and advancement of this disease. Oxidative stress can be decreased by enhancing antioxidant enzymes through activation of the cytoplasmic transcriptional factor (Nrf2)/ARE (antioxidant response element) pathway, and by dietary and endogenous antioxidant chemicals. Reduction in the binding ability of Nrf2 to ARE lowers antioxidant enzyme levels. Decreased levels of Nrf2 and augmentation of oxidative stress in AD suggest that the ROS-dependent mechanism of activating the Nrf2/ARE pathway has become unresponsive. A combination of agents that can either activate the Nrf2-ARE pathway by ROS-independent mechanisms, or by acting directly as antioxidant chemicals, may be necessary to reduce oxidative stress in AD. Earlier shortcomings of using individual antioxidants may be due to consideration of antioxidants as pharmacological agents, ignoring the fact that individual antioxidants can be transmuted in the highly oxidant milieu that is present in AD. Interactions between various cellular compartments may require simultaneous examination of more than one agent. The clinical utility of such a more integrative method can reveal interactive effects such as those found in nutritional research and this can compensate for any mechanistic shortcomings of simultaneous testing of more than a single agent.


Muramyl dipeptide (MDP), the microbial activator of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain 2 (Nod2), induces NF-κB and MAPK activation, leading to the production of multiple anti-bacterial and proinflammatory molecules. In addition, MDP has been implicated in IL-1β secretion through the regulation of caspase-1. However, the mechanisms that mediate caspase-1 activation and IL-1β secretion in response to MDP stimulation remain poorly understood. We show here that fluorescent MDP molecules are internalized in primary macrophages and accumulate in granular structures that colocalize with markers of acidified endosomal compartments. The uptake of MDP was Nod2-independent. Upon ATP stimulation, labeled MDP was rapidly released from acidified vesicles into the cytosol, a process that required functional pannexin-1. Caspase-1 activation induced by MDP and ATP required pannexin-1 and Cryopyrin but was independent of Nod2. Conversely, induction of pro-IL-1β mRNA by MDP stimulation was abolished in Nod2-deficient macrophages but unimpaired in macrophages lacking Cryopyrin. These studies demonstrate a Nod2-independent mechanism mediated through pore-forming pannexin-1 that is required for intracellular delivery of MDP to the cytosol and caspase-1 activation. Furthermore, the work provides evidence for distinct roles of Nod2 and Cryopyrin in the regulation of MDP-induced caspase-1 activation and IL-1β secretion.


INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE
The presence of airborne bacteria in hospital environments is of great concern because of their potential role as a source of hospital-acquired infections (HAI). The aim of this study was the determination and comparison of the concentration of airborne bacteria in different wards of four educational hospitals, and evaluation of whether particle counting could be predictive of airborne bacterial concentration in different wards of a hospital.

MATERIALS AND METHOD
The study was performed in an operating theatre (OT), intensive care unit (ICU), surgery ward (SW) and internal medicine (IM) ward of four educational hospitals in Isfahan, Iran. A total of 80 samples were analyzed for the presence of airborne bacteria and particle levels.

RESULTS
The average level of bacteria ranged from 75-1194 CFU/m (3) . Mean particle levels were higher than class 100,000 cleanrooms in all wards. A significant correlation was observed between the numbers of 1-5 µm particles and levels of airborne bacteria in operating theatres and ICUs. The results showed that factors which may influence the airborne bacterial level in hospital environments should be properly managed to minimize the risk of HAIs especially in operating theaters.

CONCLUSIONS
Microbial air contamination of hospital settings should be performed by the monitoring of airborne bacteria, but particle counting could be considered as a good operative method for the continuous monitoring of air quality in operating theaters and ICUs where higher risks of infection are suspected.


Abstract Electronic nicotine delivery system (e-cigarette) use is prevalent among pregnant women as a seemingly safe alternative to traditional tobacco use, known to result in fetal developmental abnormalities and impaired fertility of male offspring. However, little is known about the effects of e-cigarette use on fertility or pregnancy outcomes. A successful pregnancy is initiated by a multitude of dynamic molecular alterations in the uterus resulting in embryo implantation at day 4.5 in the mouse. We examined whether e-cigarette exposure impairs implantation and offspring health. Pregnant C57BL/6J mice were exposed five times a week to e-cigarette vapor or sham. After 4 months, e-cigarette exposed dams exhibited a significant delay in the onset of the first litter. Furthermore, exposure of new dams in early pregnancy significantly impaired embryo implantation, as evidenced by nearly complete absence of implantation sites in e-cigarette–exposed animals at day 5.5, despite exhibiting high levels of progesterone, an indicator of pregnancy. RNA microarray from day 4.5 pseudopregnant mice revealed significant changes in the integrin, chemokine, and JAK signaling pathways. Moreover, female offspring exposed to e-cigarettes in utero exhibited a significant weight reduction at 8.5 months, whereas males exhibited a slight but nonsignificant deficiency in fertility. Thus, e-cigarette exposure in mice impairs pregnancy initiation and fetal health, suggesting that e-cigarette use by reproductive-aged women or during pregnancy should be considered with caution.


Paracentral acute middle maculopathy can cause acute paracentral scotomas because of capillary ischemia. We report the first case of paracentral acute middle maculopathy secondary to Waldenström macroglobulinemia, a hyperviscosity syndrome. This case highlights the importance of initiating a work-up for unexplained paracentral acute middle maculopathy-associated visual field defects, especially when associated with arteriolar tortuosity. Purpose: To report a case of paracentral acute middle maculopathy as the earliest sign of an undiagnosed, life-threatening hyperviscosity syndrome. Methods: A 78-year-old man with an acute paracentral scotoma and examination findings of bilateral arteriolar tortuosity and unilateral paracentral acute middle maculopathy. Results: Work-up revealed anemia and elevated serum viscosity. Protein electrophoresis demonstrated an immunoglobulin M kappa monoclonal protein spike, and bone marrow biopsy confirmed an immunoglobulin M gammopathy consistent with Waldenström macroglobulinemia. Systemic chemotherapy was initiated. Conclusion: This case demonstrates typical optical coherence tomography findings of paracentral acute middle maculopathy, which led to the diagnosis of a rare lymphoproliferative disorder. This highlights the importance of a prompt work-up for paracentral acute middle maculopathy to detect underlying systemic diseases, including hyperviscosity syndromes.


Requirements to properties of protectivetechnological coatings for the tin bronze melting from secondary raw materials were formulated in the work. The choice of model glasses compositions in the initial Na2OB2O3-SiO2 system on the basis of the melting parameters values was made. Non-scarce and inexpensive raw materials for protective coatings were selected. Also the best glass composition was determined based on the complex of chosen properties. The formation mechanism of the selected composition glassy melting by using DTА and XRDА was studied.