Three-layered electrode structures are often employed in multiple-electrode capacitive position sensors. Even when advanced algorithms and well-designed guarding electrodes are used, the electric-field-bending effect is still one of the major contributors to the nonlinearity of capacitive position sensors. In this paper, the effects of electric-field bending on linearities of five capacitive linear-position sensors have been studied based on a physical model of the capacitive sensor. It is shown that the effect of electric-field bending on linearities strongly depends on the sensor structures, and that it is significantly reduced when advanced sensor structures and algorithms are used. The results are very useful for optimizing the sensor structure according to its application.


Aim The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) is a widely used statistic for assessing the discriminatory capacity of species distribution models. Here, I used simulated data to examine the interdependence of the AUC and classical discrimination measures (sensitivity and specificity) derived for the application of a threshold. I shall further exemplify with simulated data the implications of using the AUC to evaluate potential versus realized distribution models. Innovation After applying the threshold that makes sensitivity and specificity equal, a strong relationship between the AUC and these two measures was found. This result is corroborated with real data. On the other hand, the AUC penalizes the models that estimate potential distributions (the regions where the species could survive and reproduce due to the existence of suitable environmental conditions), and favours those that estimate realized distributions (the regions where the species actually lives). Main conclusions Firstly, the independence of the AUC from the threshold selection may be irrelevant in practice. This result also emphasizes the fact that the AUC assumes nothing about the relative costs of errors of omission and commission. However, in most real situations this premise may not be optimal. Measures derived from a contingency table for different cost ratio scenarios, together with the ROC curve, may be more informative than reporting just a single AUC value. Secondly, the AUC is only truly informative when there are true instances of absence available and the objective is the estimation of the realized distribution. When the potential distribution is the goal of the research, the AUC is not an appropriate performance measure because the weight of commission errors is much lower than that of omission errors.


Building upon the exciting precedent exemplified by olaparib in the PARP-BRCA axis, we aim to identify and exploit further synthetic lethal (SL) interactions within and beyond the DNA damage response (DDR) area. To facilitate with this search, we have developed a method implemented as an in silico algorithm that uses gene expression and mutation data to detect putative SL interactions in cell lines and cancer tissue across The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). This approach has detected relatively rare signatures including those described in the literature, for example ATM and ATR. The algorithm has also revealed potentially novel in silico SL gene pairs outside of DDR involving frequently mutated tumor suppressor genes linked to targets that AstraZeneca has previously developed selective compounds against. We are validating an attractive selection of these in vitro using appropriate cell lines, siRNA and small molecule inhibitors. Citation Format: Mark Wappett, Richard Ward, Paul Fisher, James Bradford, Jonathan Dry, Mark O9Connor, Alan Lau, Steve Durant. Exploiting synthetic lethal interactions in the DNA damage response area and beyond in drug discovery. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Precision Medicine Series: Synthetic Lethal Approaches to Cancer Vulnerabilities; May 17-20, 2013; Bellevue, WA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2013;12(5 Suppl):Abstract nr A41.


Objectives: The knowledge, attitude and practice of skin-whitening products among female undergraduates in the medical campus, University of Khartoum.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the medical campus of University of Khartoum. All consenting female undergraduates were included in the study population. 417 women were chosen through proportional stratified random sampling, and were asked to complete a questionnaire.365 completed the questionnaire with a response rate of 87%. Result: 365 women completed the questionnaire, of whom 52% had average knowledge, 32% had poor knowledge and 16% had excellent knowledge,.32% had a positive attitude, and 38% reported using skin-whitening products.Knowledge, attitude and practice were associated with several factors.Conclusion : Although The overall knowledge about skin-whitening products is average. The knowledge about skin-whitening agents is rather poor. The majority of Sudanese University students have a negative attitude towards skin-whitening, but still the use of skin-whiteners is common amongst them .. Women who feel pressured by society to whiten their skin, are more likely to use skin-whiteners, as well as those who have a family history of skin-whitening. Media and social media play an important role in this matter, being the most important source of information and the most common factor pressuring women to lighten their skin as well. We recommend media and social to be used to promote the acceptance of dark skin and raise awareness about the safe practice of skin whitening. We also recommend that the Ministry of Health and Standards and Metrology Authority mandate the labeling of all products sold in Sudan detailing ingredients and concentrations of ingredients.


THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE on Unmanned Aerial System in Geomatics (UASG 2019) will be held at the Indian Institute of Technology. Using small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as data acquisition platforms and autonomous or semi-autonomous measurement instruments has become attractive for many emerging applications. The aim of UASG 2019 is to bring together experts in photogrammetry and remote sensing, surveying, robotics, computer vision, artificial intelligence, aerospace engineering, geosciences and various UAS user communities. UASG 2019 is an opportunity to learn about the most recent developments and to exchange views on the future direction of UAS in geomatics research, applications and services. Dates: 6th to 7th April 2019; Themes: UAV start-ups and Indian market; UAV concepts and innovations; UAV regulations and requirements; UAV application and practices; Location: Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, India; Contact: email@example.com; Website: https://www.iitr.ac.in/uasg2019/


The fat body plays major roles in the life of insects. It is a dynamic tissue involved in multiple metabolic functions. One of these functions is to store and release energy in response to the energy demands of the insect. Insects store energy reserves in the form of glycogen and triglycerides in the adipocytes, The neutral lipids (NL) and phospholipids (PL) with their constituents were studied in the fat body of male and female adults of Leucopholis lepidophora and Oryctes rhinoceros by employing thin layer chromatography (TLC) and bioassay technique. Comparatively O. rhinoceros exhibits more lipids than L .lepidophora. The quantity of neutral lipids in male and female fat bodies of former and later species was measured 30.12, 45.212 and 49.221. 63.894 mg/gm wet weight of tissues respectively. The phospholipid values in male and female fat bodies of former species were 20.663, 14.798 and 23.266, 17.349 mg/gm wet weight of tissues respectively. The NL: PL ratio in male and female adult fat bodies of former species was 2: I and 3:1 whereas in later species it becomes 2:1 and 4:1. This indicated that the neutral lipids were dominated over the phospholipids in both species. . The neutral lipids found in six forms. Triacylglycerol was the main component, monoacylglycerol, diacylglycerol, cholesterol, was moderate and cholesterol ester and free fatty acids low in quantity. Phospholipids exhibited seven constituents; phosphatidyl-choline and phosphatidyl-ethanolamine high in concentration, Lysophosphatidyl-choline and sphingomyelin moderate in concentration, and phosphatidylinositol , phosphatidyl-serine and phosphatidic acid low in quantity.


Abstract The author examines a series of diagrams produced by gallerist René Block in the 1980s that aimed to provide a genealogy for the nascent field of sound art. She assesses the broad narratives presented in these schematics and the people and practices omitted. She then compares them to other modernist diagrams, including Alfred H. Barr Jr.'s 1936 chart for the Museum of Modern Art asserting the trajectory of abstraction. Finally, she measures Block's diagrams against today's expanded field of sound art.


The shape of Christian Education in the United States has shifted as new communication media have come to the fore, interacting with the overarching purposes and content of Christian Education. As we begin to ask how computer technologies and the Internet may affect Christian Education, it is helpful to look back at the ways communication media have affected Christian Education over the past 200 years.


The leaves of Anacardium occidentale are used in folkloric medicine for the management of gastrointestinal disorders. This study evaluated the gastroprotective properties of methanol extract of A. occidentale leaf against ethanol- and indomethacin-induced gastric ulcers. Cold maceration method was used in the preparation of methanol extract of A. occidentale leaf. The extract was concentrated under reduced pressure using a rotary evaporator. The gastroprotective effects of the methanol extract of A. occidentale was tested at 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg against ethanol and indomethacin-induced gastric ulcer. Omeprazole and misoprostol were used as the positive controls for the ethanol and indomethacin-induced gastric ulcer models respectively while distilled water was used as the negative control. The effects of the extract on histamine receptor were also evaluated on isolated rabbit jejunum. The extract significantly (p < 0.05) reduced ulcer index in the treated rats relative to the negative control. The effects of the extract were comparable with the effects of the reference drugs. The extract relaxed spontaneously contracting rabbit jejunum and inhibited histamine induced contraction of rabbit jejunum. This study suggests a pharmacological basis for the folkloric use of Anacardium occidentale in the management of gastric ulcer. Keywords: Anacardium occidentale ; ulcer; ethanol; indomethacin; misoprotol; omeprazole


BCR-ABL1 negative myeloproliferative neoplasms not only include atypical chronic myeloid leukemia (aCML), but also chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML), chronic neutrophilic leukemia (CNL), and myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasm, unclassifiable (MDS/MPN, U). Despite the recent advances in characterizing aCML more specifically, based on next generation sequencing data, the differential diagnosis and subsequent treatment decisions remain difficult.
 Therefore, we analyzed the transcriptome and performed whole genome sequencing (WGS) in a cohort of morphologically defined 231 patients (pts): 49 aCML, 30 CNL, 50 MDS/MPN, U, and 102 CMML all diagnosed according to WHO classification.
 WGS libraries were prepared with the TruSeq PCR free library prep kit and sequenced on a NovaSeq 6000 or HiSeqX instrument with 100x coverage (Illumina, San Diego, CA). The Illumina tumor/unmatched normal workflow was used for variant calling. To remove potential germline variants, each variant was queried against the gnomAD database, variants with global population frequencies >1% where excluded. For transcriptome analysis total RNA was sequenced on the NovaSeq 6000 with a median of 50 mio. reads per sample. The obtained estimated gene counts were normalized and the resulting log2 counts per million (CPMs) were used as a proxy of gene expression.
 Unsupervised exploratory analysis techniques, such as principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical clustering (HC) were used to identify groups of samples with similar expression profiles. We observed a high similarity between the different entities with CMML being the most distant entity, followed by CNL. MDS/MPN, U and aCML were the most similar entities. Due to high within-group heterogeneity, we found that it was impossible to identify a gene expression signature that separated aCMLs reliably from the other MDS/MPN overlap entities.
 Surprisingly, PCA as well as HC indicated the existence of two subgroups within the aCMLs. Therefore, we searched for genes with a bimodal-like expression profile. We found that FOS expression levels strongly separated aCMLs into two groups of 16 pts (FOSlow) and 33 pts (FOShi), respectively. Interestingly, FOShi correlated with mutations in SETBP1 (12/33, 36% vs. 3/16, 19%), a known marker typically mutated in aCML (Figure 1a).
 Addressing the mutational landscape of these two groups (FOShivs.FOSlow) we found that ASXL1 (88% vs. 100%), TET2 (33% vs. 50%), SRSF2 (45% vs. 56%), EZH2 (27% vs. 31%), and NRAS (21% vs. 25%) showed rather similar mutation frequencies. GATA2 (15% vs. 31%) and RUNX1 (18% vs. 38%) mutations were less frequent in FOShi, whereas SETBP1 and CBL (18% vs. 6%) were more frequent in this group. Consistent with known features of SETBP1 mutation this group showed a higher white blood cell count (78 x109/L vs. 52 x109/L) and platelet count (158x109/L vs. 90x109/L), although none of these differences were significant.
 The two groups were further analyzed for gene expression differences and we found 16 genes with synchronized upregulation within the FOShi group that were differentially expressed (FDR < 0.05, absolute logFC > 1.5) compared to FOSlow. Functional enrichment analysis linked those genes with regulation of cell proliferation (p<0.001), negative regulation of cell death (p<0.001), and the AP-1 complex (p<0.001). Those 16 genes included the transcription factors JUN, FOSB, EGR3, and KLF4, the cancer-related genes DUSP1, RHOB, OSM, TNFRSF10C, and CXCR2, and the FDA approved drug targets JUN, COX-2, and FCGR3B (Figure 1b).
 JUN/FOS are the main components of the AP-1 complex, a regulator of cell life and death. The upregulation of these genes results in increased proliferation as clinically observed in aCML pts. Furthermore, for these pts a treatment with INFα might result in an anti-proliferative effect by modulation of FOS transcript levels. Further, COX-2 inhibitors might also suppress proliferation and differentiation of leukemia cells. However, for the FOSlow pts these treatments might not be as effective due to the already low expression levels of the respective genes.
 Since the expression levels of FOShi equal those of MDS/MPN overlap, whereas FOSlow levels are closer to the ones of a healthy control cohort, SETBP1 mutation might be a marker and indicator for pts with high FOS expression and therefore providing further treatment options by targeting specifically the FOS mediated pathways.

 Meggendorfer: MLL Munich Leukemia Laboratory: Employment. Walter:MLL Munich Leukemia Laboratory: Employment. Hutter:MLL Munich Leukemia Laboratory: Employment. Kern:MLL Munich Leukemia Laboratory: Employment, Equity Ownership. Haferlach:MLL Munich Leukemia Laboratory: Employment, Equity Ownership. Haferlach:MLL Munich Leukemia Laboratory: Employment, Equity Ownership.


A model of five layers of fuzzy neural network which is appropriate for high-speed machining (HSM) processing optimization is proposed to fully exert the advantages of HSM. This model built a mapping relationship among the credibility of three-optimization objective "efficiency priority", "quality priority" and "precision priority", material removal rate, cutter rigidity, machine-tool precision, and the smooth degree and fitting error of tool path. Gradient descent method is used to conduct training of network on the basis of orthogonal test. The constraints are also given in the HSM processing optimization objective. A prototype system of HSM processing optimization is developed based on fuzzy neural network. The result of test shows that not only the systems runs reliably and steady, but also the processing scheme optimized is economic and reasonable.


Background: Neuropathic pain can cause significant physical and economic burden to people, and there are no effective long-term treatment methods for this condition. We conducted a bioinformatics analysis of microarray data to identify related mechanisms to determine strategies for more effective treatments of neuropathic pain.Methods: GSE24982 and GSE63442 microarray datasets were extracted from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database to analyze transcriptome differences of neuropathic pain in the dorsal root ganglions caused by spinal nerve ligation. We filtered the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the two datasets and Webgestalt was applied to conduct GeneOntology (GO) functional analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis of the shared DEGs. String Database and Cytoscape software were used to construct the Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) network to determine the hub genes, which were subsequently verified in the GSE30691 dataset. Finally, miRDB and miRWalk Databases were used to predict potential miRNA of the selected DEGs.Results: A total of 182 overlapped DEGs were found between GSE24982 and GSE63442 datasets. The GO functional analysis and KEGG enrichment analysis showed that the selected DEGs were mainly enriched in infection, transmembrane transport of ion channels, and synaptic transmission. Combining the results of PPI analysis and the verification of the GSE30691 dataset, we identified seven hub genes related to neuropathic pain (Atf3, Aif1, Ctss, Gfap, Scg2, Jun, and Vgf). Predicted miRNA targeting each selected hub genes were identified.Conclusion: Seven hub genes related to the pathogenesis of neuropathic pain and potential targeting miRNA were identified, expanding understanding of the mechanism of neuropathic pain and facilitating treatment development.


textabstractTo prevent the development of IH, the abdominal wall can best be closed with a continuous 'small bites' suture technique, using a slowly-absorbable suture. Reducing the rates of PSH will likely reduce the incidence of IH. When performing large hernia repair, mesh augmentation reduces recurrence rates. Several intraperitoneal-implanted synthetic composite meshes showed good incorporation and low adhesion formation. Even in the contaminated environment, some synthetic composite meshes did not show any mesh infection. Between clean and contaminated environments, the various brands of biological meshes behave very differently. Infection susceptibility and poor incorporation remain problematic with the majority of biological meshes. Only one non-crosslinked biological mesh was found to have no mesh infections and very little adhesion formation, but incorporation into the abdominal wall was insufficient for an intraperitoneal position.


Four experiments were conducted to study the effect of self-focused attention on affective reactions. In addition, the research was also intended to help resolve the controversy over attentional versus arousal explanations of self-awareness research. In Experiment 1, undergraduate men were asked to view and rate slides of nude women in the presence of a mirror or with no mirror. In Experiment 3, subjects were either exposed or not exposed to a mirror and read a set of mood statements which became either increasingly positive or increasingly negative. Experiments 2 and 4 conceptually replicated Experiments 1 and 3 by selecting subjects on the basis of private self-consciousness. In each study, self-focused attention increased the person's responsiveness to his transient affective state. The convergence between mirror-manipulated self-awareness and private self-consciousness was offered as support for an attentional interpretation of the findings. The implications of the research for self-awareness theory are discussed.


OBJECTIVE
To explore whether or not multi-drug resistance could be reversed by RNA interference the expression of Topo II alpha gene in epithelial ovarian cancer cell lines in vitro.

METHODS
(1) The best silent small interference RNA (siRNA) of Topo II alpha gene was designed and chose and cloned into psilencer4.1-CMV-neo vector. The psilencer4.1-CMV-neo-Topo II alpha was transfected into SKOV3/DDP cell, then Topo II alpha siRNA(+)SKOV3/DDP cells was incubated. (2) The Topo II alpha mRNA and protein expression of the stability-transfecting cell lines were detected by RT-PCR and western blot method, respectively. The resistance index, the cell cycle and the cellular content of cisplatin were detected by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assay, the flow cytometry and high performance liquid chromatography method before and after Topo II alpha RNA interference in cells.

RESULTS
(1) The Topo II alpha gene expression level in SKOV3/DDP cells could be inhibited after the plasmid DNA psilencer4.1-CMV-neo-Topo II alpha transfeced. The expression level of Topo II alpha mRNA in Topo II alpha siRNA(+)SKOV3/DDP and SKOV3/DDP cells were 0 and 0.92 +/- 0.08; the expression level of Topo II alpha protein in Topo II alpha siRNA(+)SKOV3/DDP and SKOV3/DDP cells were 0.51 +/- 0.04 and 1.95 +/- 0.09 (P < 0.01). (2) The multi-drug resistance index of Topo II alpha siRNA(+)SKOV3/DDP cell was significantly lower compared with that in SKOV3/DDP cell (3.46 vs 5.05, P < 0.05). (3) The percentage of G(0)/G(1) and G(2)/M phase cell in Topo II alpha siRNA(+)SKOV3/DDP cells were higher than that in SKOV3/DDP cells (P < 0.05). (4) The content of cisplatin in Topo II alpha siRNA(+)SKOV3/DDP cells treated with cisplatin for 24 hours was significantly higher than that in SKOV3/DDP cell (157.20 vs 63.99 ng, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION
The results showed that the tolerance of cisplatin would be reversed by blocking the Topo II alpha gene expression in cisplatin-resistant epithelial ovarian cancer cells.


Background. A number of point-of-care diagnostic tests are commercially available in the UK, however, not much is known regarding GPs' desire for these tests or the clinical areas of interest. Objective. We sought to establish for which conditions point-of-care tests (POCTs) would be most helpful to UK GPs for diagnosis, reduction of referrals, and monitoring of chronic conditions. Methods. A total of 1635 regionally representative GPs were invited to complete an online cross-sectional survey between 31 September and 16 October 2012. Results. A total of 1109 (68%) GPs responded to the survey. The most frequently cited conditions were urinary tract infections for diagnosis (47% of respondents), pulmonary embolism/deep vein thrombosis for referral reduction (47%) and international normalized ratio/anticoagulation for monitoring (49%). Conclusions. This survey has identified the conditions for which UK GPs would find POCTs most helpful. Comments by respondents suggest that quite radical system-level adjustments will be required to allow primary care clinicians to capitalize on the potential benefits of POCTs.


Loss of insulin-producing β-cells is a central feature of diabetes. While a variety of potential replacement therapies are being explored, expansion of endogenous insulin-producing pancreatic islet β-cells remains an attractive strategy. β-cells have limited spontaneous regenerative activity; consequently, a crucial research effort is to develop a precise understanding of the molecular pathways that restrain β-cell growth and to identify drugs capable of overcoming these restraints. Herein an automated high-content image-based primary-cell screening method to identify β-cell replication-promoting small molecules is presented. Several, limitations of prior methodologies are surmounted. First, use of primary islet cells rather than an immortalized cell-line maximizes retention of in vivo growth restraints. Second, use of mixed-composition islet-cell cultures rather than a β-cell-line allows identification of both lineage-restricted and general growth stimulators. Third, the technique makes practical the use of primary islets, a limiting resource, through use of a 384-well format. Fourth, detrimental experimental variability associated with erratic islet culture quality is overcome through optimization of isolation, dispersion, plating and culture parameters. Fifth, the difficulties of accurately and consistently measuring the low basal replication rate of islet endocrine-cells are surmounted with optimized immunostaining parameters, automated data acquisition and data analysis; automation simultaneously enhances throughput and limits experimenter bias. Notable limitations of this assay are the use of dispersed islet cultures which disrupts islet architecture, the use of rodent rather than human islets and the inherent limitations of throughput and cost associated with the use of primary cells. Importantly, the strategy is easily adapted for human islet replication studies. This assay is well suited for investigating the mitogenic effect of substances on β-cells and the molecular mechanisms that regulate β-cell growth.


The purpose of this paper is to compare the prevalence of abnormal cholesterol in children, adolescent and adults in the United States. Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination survey (NHANES) for 2011-2014 were obtained for the comparison. A t test statistical analysis was conducted at a significant level of p<0.05 to check for differences in the groups. The results of high total cholesterol and low high density lipoprotein (HDL) were compared in children, adolescent and adults according to race, sex and ethnicity. A total of 27.9% of men had low level of HDL cholesterol, 10% of women had low HDL,13.4% of children and adolescent had low level of HDL. Boys had low HDL (14.8%) while girls had 12%. The non-Hispanic black adults with elevated total high cholesterol was 8.6%, non-Hispanic white (12.5%), Hispanic adults (13.1%) while non-Hispanic black children and adolescent had elevated total high cholesterol, the non-Hispanic white and Hispanic adolescent and children had low total high cholesterol. The level of low HDL cholesterol was higher in children, adolescent and adult male population, the high total cholesterol was higher in the female children, adolescent and adults.


ABSTRACT The purpose of our study is to delve into the education gap between the United States and some countries by examining the literacy and digital problem-solving skills of American educators, and comparing their performance with that of their peers from Canada, Finland, and Japan. We use PIAAC data collected by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and define educators as professionals with the highest level of qualification in the area of teacher training and education science. Our findings show that, internationally, U.S. educators are at a great disadvantage vis a vis their peers in Finland and Japan in terms of literacy, and they rank the lowest in digital problem-solving skills among the four studied countries. Other key findings include (a) in Canada and Finland, educators perform significantly higher in literacy than non-educators in their respective countries; (b) young educators in the United States (under age 35) lag far behind the same age group in Finland, Japan, and Canada; and (c) in all four countries, digital problem-solving skills of educators tend to decrease as their age increases. All statistical analyses are based on regression using sampling weights.


Advancement and affordability is leading to the popularity of plastic surgery procedures. Facial plastic surgery can be reconstructive to correct facial feature anomalies or cosmetic to improve the appearance. Both corrective as well as cosmetic surgeries alter the original facial information to a large extent thereby posing a great challenge for face recognition algorithms. The contribution of this research is 1) preparing a face database of 900 individuals for plastic surgery, and 2) providing an analytical and experimental underpinning of the effect of plastic surgery on face recognition algorithms. The results on the plastic surgery database suggest that it is an arduous research challenge and the current state-of-art face recognition algorithms are unable to provide acceptable levels of identification performance. Therefore, it is imperative to initiate a research effort so that future face recognition systems will be able to address this important problem.


SPMMS is an ESPRIT project which aims to develop a system to support the management of software production and maintenance. In this paper we list some of the reasons why such a system is required, and then outline the characteristics which it needs to have in order to meet those requirements. The remainder of the paper addresses two of the central problems which must be solved before an adequate SPMMS can be built: how to make SPMMS flexible enough to adapt to a useful range of organisational types and working practices, and what information structure to choose to deliver the required degree of control.


Introduction
Too few medical graduates choose to care for underserved populations. This qualitative study explores medical student perceptions of the benefits of participating in the Underserved Pathway (UP), a 4-year extracurricular program designed to nurture interest in, and develop skills to serve vulnerable populations.

Methods
Fourteen of 28 graduating students in the class of 2013 who completed the UP were interviewed. Using conventional qualitative content analysis, an iterative process was used to code transcriptions until there was high concordance among the assigned codes. The research team analyzed the data for common themes, theme saturation, and unique perspectives.

Results
Four major thematic areas emerged: 1) the underserved curriculum scaffold, 2) influence on career choice, 3) influence on residency choice, and 4) capacity to match. Of all participants, 78.6% thought the UP influenced their career choice, 64.3% stated the UP played a role in residency choice and rank, and 85.7% thought participation in the UP would improve match success. No single curricular component of the UP was individually responsible for career or specialty choice, or as being most useful to student understanding of the underserved.

Conclusions
Students noted that participation in the UP provided them with a scaffold to support their interest in underserved careers, and influenced their specialty and residency choice. They also perceived it as making them more competitive as residency applicants. This study provides medical educators with insight into the importance of building robust frameworks, even extracurricular ones, to support student interests in serving vulnerable communities.


In a multiple linear regression model, there are instances where one has to update the regression parameters. In such models as new data become available, by adding one row to the design matrix, the least-squares estimates for the parameters must be updated to reflect the impact of the new data. We will modify two existing methods of calculating regression coefficients in multiple linear regression to make the computations more efficient. By resorting to an initial solution, we first employ the Sherman-Morrison formula to update the inverse of the transpose of the design matrix multiplied by the design matrix. We then modify the calculation of the product of the transpose of design matrix and the design matrix by the Cholesky decomposition method to solve the system. Finally, we compare these two modifications by several appropriate examples.


Three patients had epidermolysis bullosa acquisita in association with Crohn's disease. We believe that epidermolysis bullosa acquisita should be included among the extraintestinal manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease. This article describes the diagnostic criteria, treatment, and other systemic diseases associated with epidermolysis bullosa acquisita.


This paper introduces a control system for human/robot interactive handling of heavy parts and loads. The aim of the study was to demonstrate the feasibility of human/robot cooperative handling of heavy parts and loads with a robot as a load carrier and a human as a motion guide. The control system included a medium sized industrial robot and two 6-dof F/T sensors adjusting the robot motion via parallel impedance compensators. This paper shows the principles for designing stable impedance compensators for hard contact with the environment as well as for soft contact with the human operator. The impedance compensators were evaluated in MATLAB Simulink and the target impedance models were verified with the real robot system. The result was a pilot system for flexible handling of heavy and large-size parts which can substantially improve the production performance and ergonomic work conditions in mechanical and manufacturing shops.Copyright © 2015 by ASME


This study aimed at investigating the influence of teachers' motivation on the provision of quality community secondary education in Kibaha District in Tanzania. Specifically, it intended to explore stakeholders' conception on teachers' motivation, to determine how practices of teachers' motivation affect the provision of quality education, and to find out the teachers' motivational challenges which limit the provision of quality education as well as to determine ways to improve teachers' motivation. The study   sample of 100 respondents selected purposely and randomly: There were 50 teachers, five school headmasters/mistress from five selected secondary schools, six TSD officers, one District Secondary Education Officer, one Ward Education Officer and eight education inspectors. The questionnaire, interview and documentation were used to collect information from the field. Quantitative data were analyzed and presented in, tables, figures and percentages. Qualitative data were analyzed and organized into themes. Results showed that teachers' salary level are too low and do not satisfy their daily basic needs, they are not given allowances as required. In addition, they showed that their employers professionally develop a few number of teachers and the majority are not developed. The majority of teachers in community secondary schools are living in rented houses outside the school campuses due to shortage of school houses. This situation tires the teachers who come to school late due to the long walking distance from their homes. Further, the teaching and learning environment still too poor that de-motivate   teachers. Therefore, the researcher recommends that all stakeholders should participate fully in maintaining teaching and learning environments to be conducive for teachers and learners and to ensure  teachers are motivated  to provide quality community secondary education.


Parallel with improved socio-economic conditions, better nutrition, housing and care, infant morbidity and mortality have dramatically diminished during the last 100 years in industrialized countries. In the changed panorama of childhood disease the chronic disorders and handicaps have become more important due to the relative increase, to their impact on the family welfare and on the health care system. Thus, children with chronic illness or disabilities comprise at least 5-10% of the population under the age of 16 ( I , 2). Motor disorders account for a major part of chronic disorders in childhood ( 1 ) . In the 1950s and 1960s similar frequencies of cerebral palsy (CP) have been reported (3 , 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11). It has been feared that intensive neonatal care-resulting in lower in-


We put forward a simple, scalable and robust technique for generating periodically structured light beams with intensity patterns, e.g. of the form cos2n(kxx) cos2m(kyy), where kx and ky are real numbers that can be tailored and n and m are integers. The technique combines the use of Gaussian beams with curved wavefronts, birefringent crystals (Savart plates) and linear polarizers. Applications range from photolithography to fabrication of micro-lens array and fiber Bragg gratings, 3D printing and tailoring of optical lattices for trapping atoms and molecules.


Several models establish a positive association between public debt ratios and long-term real yields, but the empirical evidence is not always conclusive. We reconsider this issue, focusing in particular on possible spillover effects of large advanced economies' debt levels to other economies' borrowing yields, especially in emerging markets. We extend the existing literature by using real time expectations of fiscal and other macroeconomic variables for a large sample of advanced and emerging economies. We show that an increase in the public debt levels of large advanced economies - especially the United States - spills over to both emerging markets and other advanced economies' long-term real yields and that this effect is significant at the current levels of advanced economies' debt ratios.


Between 1959 and Oct. 1990, 307 cases of primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) were operated on in our hospital. Among them, 23 cases (7.5%) were asymptomatic chemical type of PHPT, and the incidence of this type has been increasing these days. Various symptoms or signs including urolithiasis, bone disease, cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal disease, diabetes mellitus and others were associated with PHPT. Especially, as a lethal factor, malignant tumors developed in 14 cases (4.6%); 9 cases of non-medullary thyroid cancer and tumors of other organs. In consideration of these associated disorders, the chemical type of PHPT should be operated prophylactically. In order to reduce operative complications, unilateral exploration is available for the cases of single normally localized adenoma; 85.7% of our 307 cases. Moreover, the positive rate of preoperative localized test by CT and ultrasonography for such adenomas is 78% in the recent 5 years. The predictive values of successful operation by unilateral exploration are 89% in the cases of normally localized single adenoma and 76% in all PHPT.


I. INTRODUCTION The threshold question to ask in examining the role of private counsel in the WTO dispute settlement procedures is whether private counsel can have a role. The first section of this Note addresses whether WTO member governments can hire private lawyers to represent them in disputes before the WTO. This question requires an inquiry into both the text of the WTO Dispute Settlement Understanding(2) (DSU) and into prior and current expectations and practice. This section will examine arguments for and against private counsel representation of Member governments. The second question to ask (assuming private counsel is allowed to represent members) is whether individual WTO Member governments should choose to give private sector counsel access to the dispute settlement proceedings. The second section of this Note addresses this issue and examines two different levels of access that could be allowed. The first involves limited access with government control and the second involves giving private parties a right to access. Also examined in the second section are the practices and expectations regarding private sector access to WTO dispute settlement proceedings and the various issues raised by each of the two levels of access. II. PRIVATE COUNSEL REPRESENTATION OF WTO MEMBER GOVERNMENTS IN WTO DISPUTE SETTLEMENT PROCEEDINGS A. Increased Use of WTO Dispute Settlement Proceedings 1. Increased Case Load Overall The WTO dispute settlement procedures have become more important due to the fact that they have been increasingly utilized. This "steady increase in the case-load"(3) is only expected to continue. Washington attorney Andrew Shoyer, formerly with the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), has said "[t]he World Trade Organization dispute settlement process will be challenged by both an increasing volume of complaints and greater complexity of cases."(4) Phillipe Sands, of the University of London, has written: Over the past decade States have shown a willingness to resort to the use of ... international bodies to resolve their international disputes.... This is reflected in the increased case load of most of the well-established bodies, the creation of a number of new such bodies, and the number of cases being brought before the new bodies. The consequential prospect is for an increase in international litigation.(5) This increase in cases makes the role of private counsel particularly significant: "With more cases expected to be filed ... there will be greater reliance on private parties to do the ground work."(6) Exactly what private counsel can do is therefore a question of importance. 2. Increase in Use by Developing Countries Developing countries have increasingly seized the opportunity to litigate cases within the WTO's dispute settlement system.(7) This increased use suggests that they view the WTO dispute settlement procedures as presenting new prospects.(8) The capability of developing countries to effectively utilize the dispute settlement procedures is closely related to whether or not they can hire private counsel to represent them. This ability can help developing countries to overcome the disadvantages they face in international litigation due to their lack of resources and experience.(9) B. Assumptions Based Upon Past Practices Under GATT The assumption of some had been that private counsel would not be permitted to represent WTO Member governments in dispute settlement proceedings.(10) This assumption relied upon practices under the GATT. It has been said that "[t]he absence of lawyer representatives has been maintained in the GATT/WTO forum as a testimony of the diplomatic roots of the system."(11) Those who oppose such representation argue that allowing private counsel impairs the position of other parties because it is counter to their legitimate expectations. …


The aim of this technique is to provide adequate interocclusal distance (3 mm) allowing preprosthetic management. A bone block was cut with piezosurgery and extracted, leaving the crestal cortical bone intact. The free crestal alveolar bone was fixed to the maxilla with 2 dental implants. After 3 months of follow-up, abutment surgery was performed and osseointegration was evident with adequate interocclusal height (7 mm) allowing prosthetic management.


What caused the 'neoliberal turn' in international trade law and how exactly this event manifested itself in the medium of international legal practices is not a question that lends itself to simple resolutions. What I wish to do in these pages, consequently, is offer a few general theses which should help put this inquiry into sharper perspective. I do this by taking as my starting point Andrew Lang's recent writings on the history of international trade law. My main focus in this context falls on the question of international legal-historical methodology. By exploring the various, often very nuanced discrepancies between Lang's formally declared theoretical project and his apparent theoretical practices, I aim to work out the common set of challenges confronting the broader enterprise of critical legal history in modern international law.


Abstract Background Staphylococcus aureus is a leading global cause of bacteremia that can cause invasive tissue infections with high morbidity and mortality despite appropriate antibiotic therapy. Clinicians lack sufficient tools to rapidly identify patients with a poor prognosis to guide diagnostic workup and treatment decisions. Host cell-free DNA provides prognostic value across a spectrum of critical illnesses, including S. aureus bacteremia and sepsis. Metrics of high bacterial load are associated with disease severity in S. aureus bacteremia, and the objective of this study was to evaluate whether incorporating quantitation of cell-free bacterial DNA would provide additive prognostic value when combined with biomarkers of the inflammatory response. Methods S. aureus cell-free DNA was measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in baseline serum samples from an observational cohort of 111 patients with complicated S. aureus bacteremia and correlated with host inflammatory markers and clinical outcomes. Results High levels of S. aureus cell-free DNA at the time of positive index blood culture were prognostic for all-cause and attributable mortality and persistent bacteremia and were associated with infective endocarditis. However, they did not provide additive value to biomarkers of the host response to infection in multivariate analysis. Conclusions Measurements of bacterial load by PCR are a clinically feasible candidate biomarker for stratifying patients at higher risk for complications and poor outcomes. Their diagnostic and prognostic value for identifying foci of infection and influencing treatment remain to be evaluated in additional cohorts.


Carbamate is one of the pesticide groups widely used in Indonesia. Due to its relative persistence in soil, carbamate residues occur in the environment, so that any sensitive and specific analytical method should be developed. This work is aimed to evaluate the separation and detection of several carbamates (propoxur, carbaryl, BPMC). The separation was carried out in HPLC and the detection was done by UV detector (HPLC-UV) and by fluoresence detector after on line post column derivation (HPLC-fluoresence). The two methods were evaluated to obtain the best analytical method. The results showed that sensitivity was much higher in the fluoresence detection. The HPLC-UV for propoxur showed the slope of 3.29;  carbaryl of 4.59 and BPMC of 0.82; while the HPLC-fluoresence for propoxur has a slope of 6.11x10 3 , carbaryl of 2.69x10 3 and BPMC of 0.97x10 3 . The HPLC-UV for propoxur showed a LOD of 44.56 ng; carbaryl of 11.56 ng and BPMC of 4653 ng; while the HPLC-fluoresence for propoxur showed a LOD of 0.59 ng, carbaryl of 1.71 ng  and BPMC of 2.24 ng. The separation kinetic of HPLC-UV and HPLC-fluoresence is not significantly different. The HPLC-UV value k' : 6.47- 17.14; Rs : 24.32-66.11; HETP : (1.59-4.89) mm; and a : 1.39-1.72; while the HPLC-fluoresence value k' : 7.86-18.76; Rs : 17.84-4.50; HETP : (1.58-4.50) mm;  and a : 1.39-1.72. Keywords : carbamates, HPLC, post column derivation


Severe-type Kawasaki disease (KD) complicated by serious myocarditis and encephalopathy can be successfully treated without abnormality of the coronary arteries by steroid pulse treatment and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg). A 4-year-old Japanese girl was diagnosed with KD due to a 6-day history of fever, rash, flushed lips, conjunctival hyperemia, palmar edema, and cervical lymphadenopathy. The day after initiation of IVIg and aspirin, cardiac gallop rhythm was identified. Cardiac ultrasonography revealed severe left ventricular dysfunction. Disturbance of consciousness, hallucinations, and slurred speech were also observed. Magnetic resonance imaging showed no abnormalities, but electroencephalography revealed high-voltage slow waves. Despite this serious disease, cardiac function and neurological abnormalities showed complete recovery without dilatation of the coronary arteries by steroid pulse treatment and additional IVIg. Follow-up at 15 months revealed no abnormality of the coronary arteries. In conclusion, we suggest that early combined treatment with steroid and IVIg is effective for serious KD complicated by myocarditis and encephalopathy.


To study the influence of the cellular environment on the functional activity of leukocyte integrins and to analyze their involvement in hematopoietic cell differentiation, we have developed stable transfectants of LFA-1, Mac-1, and p150,95 (CD11a-c/CD18) leukocyte integrins in cultured cell lines whose differentiation can be induced in vitro. As on circulating leukocytes, the integrins expressed on U937 or K562 cells were expressed in a constitutively inactive state, as demonstrated by the lack of adhesion to their cellular counterreceptors or soluble ligands, the absence of CD18-dependent intercellular aggregation, and their inability to mediate adhesion to protein-coated plates. However, while leukocyte integrin adhesive functions in U937 cells were induced upon treatment with cellular agonists (e.g., PMA), their function in K562 cells could be upregulated only with activating monoclonal antibodies, demonstrating the cell-type-specific regulation of the adhesive capabilities of the three leukocyte integrins in hematopoietic cellular environment. On the other hand, the expression of either CD11b/CD18 or CD11c/CD18 in U937 myeloid cells before induction of differentiation greatly affected the adhesive phenotype of differentiating cells by abrogating the CD11a/CD18-CD54-dependent homotypic aggregation. Unlike that of mock-transfected U937 cells, differentiation of CD11b/CD18- or CD11c/CD18-transfected U937 cells led to cell adhesion and spreading on the tissue culture plates, with an almost total absence of homotypic aggregates. These results confirm the role of CD11b/CD18 and CD11c/CD18 in myeloid cell adhesion and spreading and suggest that the CD11b/- and CD11c/CD18-mediated recognition of substrate-bound ligands competes or interferes with LFA-1-dependent intercellular adhesion.


The Russian base of standards in the field of physico-chemical measurements includes ten hierarchical systems of standards as well as many certified reference materials. The structure and peculiarities of the hierarchical systems of standards are discussed.


In an attempt to find ways of improving the quality of dried Shiitake mushroom, this study compared a conveyer-type far-infrared drying method with a traditional heated air drying method. The conveyer-type far-infrared dryer was performed at air velocity of 0.6 and 0.8 m/s under drying air temperature of 60, 70 and , respectively. Drying characteristics, antioxidant activities and the antioxidant compounds of Shiitake mushroom dried by far-infrared dryer were investigated. Generally, drying rate with the conveyer-type far-infrared drying method was faster than that with the traditional heated air drying method. In the conveyer type far infrared drying method, drying rates were increased with increasing temperature and air velocity. The loss of antioxidant activities during the conveyer-type far-infrared drying method at 60-0.6, 60-0.8, and was less than the traditional drying method. However, the loss of antioxidant activities at 70-0.8, 80-0.6, and was higher than that of the traditional drying method. Therefore, the conveyer type far infrared drying conditions with below and 0.6 m/s air velocity may produce dried Shiitake mushroom with relatively higher antioxidant activities and antioxidant compounds.


The myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are clonal hematopoietic malignancies characterized by dysplasia, ineffective hematopoiesis and a propensity for progression to acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) remains the only curative therapy for the majority of patients. However, overall survival (OS) of patients with MDS following allogeneic HSCT is only about 40%, due to both relapse and non-relapse mortality (NRM) including graft versus host disease (GVHD). Available data suggests that long-term survival following HSCT for MDS is due both to myeloablative therapy and a graft versus tumor (GVT) effect. Mice that express a NUP98-HOXD13 (NHD13) transgene develop MDS with virtually 100% penetrance. In order to develop a pre-clinical model for the study of MDS HSCT, we transplanted NHD13 mice, which are bred on a C57 Bl6 background, with bone marrow harvested from syngeneic C57Bl6 donors. Sub lethally irradiated (650 rad) recipient NHD13 mice transplanted with syngeneic donor cells relapsed early, with no therapeutic benefit in terms of hematologic parameters in peripheral blood or survival. However, lethally irradiated (1000 rad) recipient mice that were transplanted with syngeneic donor bone marrow (BM) showed complete normalization of peripheral blood counts significantly enhanced survival (median survival of 15 months) compared with non-transplanted NHD13 mice (median survival 10 months). Although there were no detectable MDS cells for up to 38 weeks post-transplant, all mice eventually relapsed and died. In order to determine if a GVT effect could enhance survival, we performed 3 types of allogeneic HSCT with donor BM that was mismatched at minor histocompatibility antigen loci (C3H.SW x C57Bl6 donors); donor BM only, donor BM with donor splenocytes (6 x 10E06 CD3+ T cells), and donor BM with donor regulatory T cells (Treg). None of these forms of allogeneic HSCT let to enhanced survival compared to that achieved with syngeneic HSCT. The early relapse rate for allogeneic HSCT with donor BM only was decreased compared to the syngeneic HSCT group (8.3% vs 28% at post-transplantation week 6 and 17% vs 43% at post-transplantation week 16); however, the relapse rate at 38 weeks was similar between the two groups (83.3% vs 85.7%). Adding donor splenocytes, containing reactive T-cells, dramatically decreased the relapse rate, such that the relapse rate was only 20% at post-transplantation week 38, suggesting a GVT effect. This GVT effect was accompanied by a severe GVH effect, and OS was not different between the allogeneic BM + splenocyte and the syngeneic HSCT groups. In an attempt to induce a GVT effect without a severe GVHD, we transplanted allogeneic Treg cells along with allogeneic BM, however, survival and relapse rates were similar to those with allogeneic BM only. Taken together, these findings suggest that a lethal dose of ionizing radiation (1000 rads) is insufficient to eradicate the MDS initiating cell, and that transplantation of donor CD3+ splenocytes leads to decreased relapse rates, but at the cost of severe GVHD. We suggest that the NHD13 mice are a feasible pre-clinical model for the study of HSCT for MDS. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


We present a theoretical study of machine teaching in the setting where the teacher must use the same training set to teach multiple learners. This problem is a theoretical abstraction of the real-world classroom setting in which the teacher delivers the same lecture to academically diverse students. We define a minimax teaching criterion to guarantee the performance of the worst learner in the class. We prove that the teaching dimension increases with class diversity. For the classes of conjugate Bayesian learners and linear regression learners, respectively, we exhibit corresponding minimax teaching set. We then propose a method to enhance teaching by partitioning the class into sections. We present cases where the optimal partition minimizes aggregate teaching dimension while maintaining the guarantee of performance on all learners. Interestingly, we show personalized education (one learner per section) is not necessarily the optimal partition. Our results generalize machine teaching to multiple learners and offer insight on how to teach large classes.


The majority of patients with epilepsy suffer from one or more psychiatric or somatic comorbid conditions, whose nature and prevalence vary with age and sociodemographic factors. In these patients, comorbid conditions have a major adverse effect on overall health and quality of life and substantially increase health care costs. Although there is an understanding of epidemiological aspects of the comorbidity of epilepsy, little is known about causal relationships, clinical interventions to prevent comorbidities, or the management of patients with multiple coexisting conditions. Both the effects of epilepsy therapies on comorbidities and the effects of comorbidities on the efficacy of epilepsy treatments warrant further study.


Formin defines a family of structurally related proteins that have two formin homology domains (FH1 and FH2). Various mutations in the formin locus result in limb deformity, suggesting that these genes play indispensable roles in the limb development. Here we report the isolation of a novel cDNA, man, from the mouse limb, which contains two conserved FH1 and FH2 domains. Its expression is described and possible functional significance is discussed.


Abstract. How will extreme events due to human activities and climate change affect the oceanic thermohaline circulation is a key concern in climate predictions. The stability of the thermohaline circulation with respect to extreme events, such as fresh-water oscillations, greenhouse gas accumulations and collapse of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation, is examined using a conceptual stochastic Stommel two-compartment model. The extreme fluctuations are modeled by symmetric α-stable Levy motions whose pathways are cadlag functions with at most a countable number of jumps. The mean first passage time, escape probability and stochastic basin of attraction are used to perform the stability analysis of on (off) equilibrium states. Our results argue that for model with weak fresh-water forcing strength, the greatest threat to the stability of the on-state represents noise with low jumps and higher frequency that can be seen as civilization-induced greenhouse gas accumulation. On the other hand, the off-state stability is more vulnerable to the agitations with moderate jumps and frequencies which can be interpreted as wind- driven circulations towards higher latitudes. Under the repercussion of stochastic noise, on to off transitions are more expected in the model if the fresh-water influx is strong. Moreover, transitions from one metastable state to another are equiprobable when the fresh-water input induces a symmetric potential well.


Synthetic polymers are still considered as primitive as compared to the sophisticated polymeric machines like proteins. There is so much that synthetic materials can learn from proteins. This review discusses an emerging class of precision macromolecules called "giant molecules" in the context of materials genome initiative, as a tribute to the workhorse of Nature – the proteins. In protein science, modular protein domains can be tuned and combined in different ways to create new and versatile functions. Inspired by the "domain" concept, we draw an analogy between protein domains and molecular nanoparticles with the hope of developing "artificial domains" for synthetic polymers. Giant molecules are polymers built on such artificial domains. The two categories are then discussed in parallel with respect to their specific types, how they can be engineered, and how they would assemble hierarchically. Indeed, giant molecules share many features common with proteins and exhibit many unconventional hierarchically assembled structures and intriguing phase behaviors at different length, energy and time scales. The functions of giant molecules and their relation to the assembled hierarchical structures are under intense investigation, which shall pave the way to developing a modular and rational approach for advanced materials. Under the materials genome initiative, the field of giant molecules calls for an even closer, more dynamic and creative joint endeavor among chemistry, physics, and biology.


The original strategy used in the Sulfolobus solfatnricus genome project was to sequence non overlapping, or minimally overlapping, cosmid or lambda inserts without constructing a physical map. However, after only about two thirds of the genome sequence was completed, this approach became counter-productive because there was a high sequence bias in the cosmid and lambda libraries. Therefore, a new approach was devised for linking the sequenced regions which may be generally applicable. BAC libraries were constructed and terminal sequences of the clones were determined and used for both end mapping and PCR screening. The PCR approaches included a novel chromosome walking method termed "paired-PCR". 21 gaps were filled by BAC end sequence analyses and 6 gaps were filled by PCR including three large ones by paired-PCR. The complete map revealed that 0.9 Mb remained to be sequenced and 34 BAC clones were selected for walking over small gaps and preparing template libraries for larger ones. It is concluded that an optimal strategy for sequencing microorganism genomes involves construction of a high-resolution physical map by BAC end analyses, PCR screening and paired-PCR chromosome walking after about half the genome sequence has been accumulated.


One possible explanation for the apparently high birth incidence of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a lethal X‐linked disorder, is genetic heterogeneity. As a first step in possibly demonstrating genetic heterogeneity, affected boys were sub‐divided into those with and without severe mental handicap. In those with severe mental handicap, ages at onset and of becoming confined to a wheelchair were later, the fall in SCK level with age was less marked, and the urinary excretion of certain aminoacids was greater than in affected boys with normal intelligence. Though the number of subjects investigated was relatively small (15 in each group) and further studies are therefore needed, the results suggest that DMD may not be a single disease entity.


Integrative analysis of microarray data has been proven as a more reliable approach to deciphering molecular mechanisms underlying biological studies. Traditional integration such as meta-analysis is usually gene-centered. Recently, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) has been widely applied to bring gene-level interpretation to pathway-level. GSEA is an algorithm focusing on whether an a priori defined set of genes shows statistically significant differences between two biological states. However, GSEA does not support integrating multiple microarray datasets generated from different studies. To overcome this, the improved version of GSEA, ASSESS, is more applicable, after necessary modifications. By making proper combined use of meta-analysis, GSEA, and modified ASSESS, this chapter reports two workflow pipelines to extract consistent expression pattern change at pathway-level, from multiple microarray datasets generated by the same or different microarray production platforms, respectively. Such strategies amplify the advantage and overcome the disadvantage than if using each method individually, and may achieve a more comprehensive interpretation towards a biological theme based on an increased sample size. With further network analysis, it may also allow an overview of cross-talking pathways based on statistical integration of multiple gene expression studies. A web server where one of the pipelines is implemented is available at: http://lifecenter.sgst.cn/mgsea//home.htm. DOI: 10.4018/978-1-4666-3604-0.ch031


The prevalence of asthma and allergic diseases has increased dramatically over the past few decades with the highest incidence occurring in children. Most asthma and related atopic disorders have their origins in early life. Thus, it is imperative to understand the early life origins of the disease in order to identify targets for prevention and early intervention. Although atopic diseases have genetic determinants, the increased incidence of these diseases has occurred far too rapidly for genetic changes to explain the increase. This, most likely, results from changes in environmental influences acting on a pre-existent genetic susceptibility. One of the environmental changes over the last 20–40 years that could have contributed to the recent increase in atopic diseases is diet. Food allergy is often one of the earliest manifestations of atopy, and sensitization to food is a risk factor for the subsequent appearance of respiratory allergy and asthma. However, studies investigating the effects of dietary restrictions on the prevention of allergy have been disappointing. On the other hand, current data suggests that exclusive breastfeeding should be encouraged for at least 4–6 months in infants at both high and low risk of atopy. Increased risk of asthma has also been observed in low birth weight infants, suggesting that under-nutrition can detrimentally alter foetal development. Epidemiological and immunological studies also suggest that dietary modification or supplementation in the foetal and early life could reduce the development of atopic diseases. The current dietary hypotheses relate to antioxidants, lipids, electrolytes and probiotics. The aims of this report are: (i) to assess the best methods to analyse nutrient intake and nutrient status; (ii) to review the existing epidemiological evidence for an association between dietary intake (nutrients and food) and allergic diseases; and (iii) to define the windows of opportunity for nutritional supplementation to be used as a preventative strategy for asthma and allergy.


Highly porous alumina-based oxides, γ-Al_2O_3, SiO_2–Al_2O_3, and TiO_2–Al_2O_3 were synthesized by a modified sol–gel method. Polivinylpyrrolidone was used as the pore expanding agent, whereas cetyltrimethylammonium bromide was used as the template in the presence of alkoxide inorganic precursors. Both as-synthesized and calcined solids were used as catalysts for esterification of glycerol with acetic acid (EG). The XRD and SEM-EDS measurements demonstrated that the Si-containing solids are amorphous while those containing Ti are semicrystalline with the latter composed of TiO_2 rutile, TiO_2 anatase, and γ-Al_2O_3 phases. All solids possessed ordered porous structures comprising of micro- and mesoporosity, with interconnectivity between these pores of different length scales. The high acidity of γ-Al_2O_3 and TiO_2–Al_2O_3 materials resulted in good catalytic performances in the EG. Porosity of the solids plays a secondary role in determining the catalytic activity. Under the same conditions, the as-synthesized solids exhibited slightly lower catalytic performances compared to that of the calcined ones.


Background: In Martinique, like everywhere else, firms are increasingly adopting Customer Relationship Management strategies and technologies, realising their benefits throughout the organisation. This has been paralleled with irrevocable metamorphosis in the selling function. Nevertheless, it appeared that both academic and literature have had limited consideration about the strategic issues concerning the impact of CRM strategies and technology on selling. Purpose: The main purpose of this research was to provide empirical data for understanding the impact of CRM on the sales organisation, particularly on a strategic level. To a lesser extent, it aimed at highlighting its differences in practice between Martinique and the major economies where most of the past studies were conducted. Methodology: This was achieved through reviewing the current relevant literature and conducting convergent interviews. The convergent interviewing technique appeared to be the most appropriate technique to build theory in such an under-explored area. Results: This research provided evidence that CRM impacts on internal communications, relationship performance, sales structure, salesperson's attitude, role of sales management, and business performance. Conclusion/Recommendations: It concludes with a series of managerial implications and recommendations for future research.


ObjectivesThis paper will present findings from a study of linked administrative data on children's social care (CSC) services in England. Its objectives were to identify and profile the underlying categories of demand for CSC services in England and compare the outcomes of provision between these categories, using a range of measures.
MethodsAn anonymised longitudinal dataset was assembled for children in need and children in care who received services in England between 2015-21. Latent Class Analysis (LCA) was used to identify mutually exclusive categories of demand for all children subject to a statutory social work assessment within that period, based on the factors identified at assessment. Descriptive profiles of these categories were constructed using demographic data as well as children's intervention pathway following assessment. Survival analysis using adjusted Cox regression models was then undertaken to compare rates of re-referrals, repeat child protection plans, and re-entries to care, for children receiving services within each category.
ResultsThe latent class analysis found twelve distinct categories of demand for children's social care services, which were consistent across local authorities. Conditional probabilities were used to interpret the demand represented by each category, in consultation with stakeholders. The most prevalent category was domestic abuse and violence (19.7%), followed by complexities around parental mental health (18.4%). Other categories included disability, child mental health, risks outside the home, complex domestic abuse, and concerns about another person in the family or household. The profile of children varied across these categories, including age, gender, ethnicity, the level of risk identified by services, and the type of provision received. Significant differences were also found in the outcomes of provision across categories, especially in re-referrals and re-entries to care.
ConclusionThe categories create an evidence-based typology of demand to supplement conventional performance measures. Local profiling of these categories can be support designing and planning services and aligning the textual information gathered in assessments with the statistical data used for audit and inspection.


These lecture notes are meant to be used by students entering the University of Mannheim Master program in Economics. They constitute the base for a pre-course in mathematics; that is, they summarize elementary concepts with which all of our econ grad students must be familiar. More advanced concepts will be introduced later on in the regular coursework. A thorough knowledge of these basic notions will be assumed in later coursework.


Distribution system is part of a logistics system that has a major role for increase the company's logistic cost. The increase of fuel prices, labor costs, and presence of traffic congestion in Jabodetabek and Bandung area and also to determine the best alternative strategies which viewed from the estimated of the company's required raw materials on each day, empty capacity of the truck, and also costs incurred on each month. The determine the best alternative distribution strategies, raw material necessity forecasting are needed which will affect the entire capacity of the truck as well as the minimum spanning tree which used to determine the most efficient alternative pathway. After simulation of the company's distribution channel, then there are three alternative distributions which incorporating with the different combination of pathways. Alternative I determined by changed the distribution channels of each company's truck, alternative II determined by changed the distribution channels based on the shortest distance of the main warehouse and unify all outlets both inside and outside Jabodetabek and Bandung area into one distribution pathway, and the alternative III determined based on the shortest distance from the main warehouse but separating outlets in outside Jabodetabek and Bandung area into one group. Based on the environmental conditions in Jabodetabek and Bandung which have frequent traffic congestion, the monthly required distribution cost, the empty capacity of each truck, and estimated company needs of marine fish, it can be stated that alternative II is deal alternative and can be used by the company. Keywords: distribution cost, distribution system, forecasting, logistic system, minimum spanning tree


Among all the noteworthy preservation techniques
for food items, drying is considered to be one of the most
consequential one. Different types of drying systems exist
bottomed on the manner in which air flow takes place in the
drying chamber and method of utilising incident solar radiation
for drying. An indirect forced convection solar drying system with
a dryer of varying cross section was considered in the present
work. Banana (Musa Paradisiaca) was the raw material to be
dried. Performance of the system at discharges of 0.03 and 0.02
kg/s, respectively for the specified mass of product was obtained
and compared with open sun drying in the range of 66.3% - 9.9%
of wet basis moisture content. Drying process in chamber drying
was completed four and two hours earlier than open sun drying at
discharges of 0.03 kg/s and 0.02 kg/s, respectively. Cumulative
and tray wise instantaneous drying rates were found and obtained
maximum drying rates of 75 g/h and 15 g/h, respectively. Trend of
moisture ratio against time was obtained by polynomial fitting
which has satisfactory agreement with available mathematical
model.


On February 23, 1945, U.S. Marines claimed victory in the battle of Iwo Jima, one of the most important battles in the Pacific islands during World War II. Instrumental to this defeat of Japanese forces was a group of specialized Marines involved in a secret program. Throughout the war, Japanese intelligence agencies were able to intercept and break every battlefield code the United States created. The Navajo Code Talkers, however, devised a complex code based on their native language and perfected it so that messages could be coded, transmitted, and decoded in minutes. The Navajo Code was the only battlefield code that Japan never deciphered. "Unsung Heroes of World War II" details the history of the men who created this secret code and used it on the battlefield to help the United States win World War II in the Pacific.


Ash clouds resulting from volcanic eruptions are a serious hazard to aviation safety. In Alaska alone, there are over 40 active volcanoes whose eruptions may affect more than 40,000 flights using the great circle polar routes each year. The clouds are especially problematic because they are invisible to radar and nearly impossible to distinguish from weather clouds. The Arctic Region Supercomputing Center and the Alaska Volcano Observatory have collaborated to develop a system for predicting and visualizing the movement of volcanic ash clouds when an eruption occurs. The output from the model is combined with a digtal elevation model to produce a realistic view of the ash cloud which may be examined interactively from any desired point of view at any time during the prediction period. This paper describes the visualization techniques employed in the system and includes a video animation of the 1989 Mount Redoubt eruption which caused complete engine failure on a 747 passenger jet.


In the last decades several investigators have suggested the association of androgens with hypertension. Recently, some studies have shown that the incidence of cardiovascular diseases is increased in men with low testosterone levels, suggesting a protective role of androgens. Hypertension is one of the most common problems in pregnancy that complicates 5-10 % of pregnancies. An increase of morbidity was observed in babies from pregnant women with hypertension. However, the pathogenesis remains unclear and this limits the ability to prevent and treat this pathology. The beneficial effects of androgens for vascular system are associated with their ability to cause vasorelaxation. In human vessels, this non genomic effect of androgens appear to be due to activation of large conductance calcium-activated potassium channels (BKCa) and voltage gated potassium channels (KV) which is induced by cGMP increase and a consequent activation of cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG). On the other hand, the genomic effects of androgens concerning ionic channels are almost unknown. Our previous studies suggested that androgens increase the expression of BKCa channels and decrease expression of L-type calcium channels (LTCC). The aim of this work was to analyze the genomic effects of androgens on the expression of other proteins involved in the regulation of vascular contractility, such as soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC), the natriuretic peptide receptor-A (NPRA) and PKG. This study also aimed to compare the expression levels of these proteins in human umbilical artery (HUA) from normotensive and hypertensive pregnant women. To achieve these goals real time PCR was performed using smooth muscle cells of HUA pre-incubated for 24 hours with DHT (1-1000nM) or not (control). In the cells from normotensive pregnant women, androgens caused a decreased expression of sGC and PKG and an increase in the NPRA expression. However, in HUA muscle cells from pregnant hypertensive women, androgens cause a decrease in expression of sGC and NPRA and an increased expression of PKG. In summary, DHT modulates differently the expression of the analyzed proteins in normotensive and hypertensive pregnant women, which suggest that androgens could play an important role in hypertension.


The purpose of this study is to compare between mothers' and father's the sense of mothers and that of fathers about values related to childcare and satisfaction in a relationship with their spouse and review how the differences in the sense between mothers and fathers affects the parenting stress of wives. Data for this research were collected in April 2007 from 300 couples living in Seoul having a first child younger than 36 months of age. The survey was analyzed using SPSS 12.0. The main results were as follows; First, it was indicated that fathers had a more conventional senses of values relating to childcare and satisfaction in a relationship with the spouse than did mothers. Second, a mother's parenting stress rises according to the level of mother's satisfaction in the relationship with the her spouse. Third, a mother's parenting stress rises by mother's satisfaction in relationship with the spouse lower than father's satisfaction in relationship with the spouse.


Every day, all around the world, millions of people request postural and/or motor rehabilitation. The rehabilitation process, also known as Tertiary Prevention, intends to be a sort of therapy to restore functionality and self-sufficiency of the patient, and regards not only millions of patients daily, but involves also a huge number of professionals in medical staffs, i.e. specialists, nurses, physiotherapists and therapists, social workers, psychologists, physiatrists. The care is given in hospitals, clinics, geriatric facilities, and with territorial home care. For the large number of patients as well as the medical staff and facilities necessary to support the appropriate postural and motor training, the monetary costs of rehabilitation is so large, it is difficult to estimate. So, every effort towards a simplification of the rehabilitation route is desirable and welcome, and this chapter covers this aspect.


The biochemical characteristics of concentrated and rinsed out erythrocytes in time function have been analysed. It has been concluded that five days after conservation and during the same day of preparing there was no evidence of significant differences between complete blood erythrocytes and concentrated and rinsed out erythrocytes. In course of preparing concentrated erythrocytes the number of leucocytes declined rapidly, but not completely. By triple rinsing of erythrocytes the number of leucocytes is somewhat less than in the samples of concentrated erythrocytes, but some leucocytes are left.


Our aim was to determine the number of chlamydial infections detected by Cobas Amplicor CT/NG multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing of genital and first-voided urine (FVU) specimens compared with routine culture. Two hundred and eighty-six female and 276 male patients attending the Genito-Urinary Medicine (GUM) Unit at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary were included in the study. Case notes were analysed retrospectively to determine how many infected patients would not have been treated had diagnosis relied on routine culture. Polymerase chain reaction on FVU from women had a sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value of 91%, 100%, 100% and 99.1%: corresponding values for genital PCR and culture were 96%, 100%, 100%, 99.6% and 65%, 100%, 100%, 96.7% respectively. PCR on FVU from men had a sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value of 96%, 99.1%, 92.6% and 99.5%: corresponding values for genital PCR and culture were 89%, 99.5%, 95.8%, 98.6% and 48%, 100%, 100%, 94.3% respectively. In both men and women genital PCR and urine PCR were significantly more sensitive than culture. PCR almost doubled the number of patients detected by culture (49 vs 27). Of the 22 cases detected only by PCR 8 would not have received treatment on the basis of clinic treatment policy.


Fairness in advertising is a topic of particular concern motivated by theoretical and empirical observations in both the computer science and economics literature. We examine the problem of fairness in advertising for general purpose platforms that service advertisers from many different categories. First, we propose inter-category and intra-category fairness desiderata that take inspiration from individual fairness and envy-freeness. Second, we investigate the "platform utility" (a proxy for the quality of the allocation) achievable by mechanisms satisfying these desiderata. More specifically, we compare the utility of fair mechanisms against the unfair optimal, and we show by construction that our fairness desiderata are compatible with utility. That is, we construct a family of fair mechanisms with high utility that perform close to optimally within a class of fair mechanisms. Our mechanisms also enjoy nice implementation properties including metric-obliviousness, which allows the platform to produce fair allocations without needing to know the specifics of the fairness requirements.


In the United States (US), the shift in the treatment paradigm following the introduction of second generation direct-acting antiviral (DAA) agents for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has favorably transformed the landscape of end-stage liver disease (ESLD) with a rapid decline in HCV-related liver transplantation; HCV had been the leading indication for liver transplantation for the last two decades (1). While the rate of liver transplantation in patients with HCV infection has plummeted in the US following the widespread application of DAA-based regimens in the pre-transplant setting, the rise in alcohol use disorder and obesity has catapulted alcoholic liver disease (ALD) to become the leading indication for liver transplantation in the US in 2016 followed closely by nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a progressive subset of nonalcoholic liver disease (NAFLD) (1). Despite the decline in HCV-related liver transplantation in the US, the total number of liver transplants per year are on an upward trajectory as a result of marked increase in ESLD associated with ALD and NASH—an ominous trend.


Based on the construction and talent cultivation of the finance discipline in industry characteristic universities, this article discusses the subject setting, professional course structure, and the model for cultivating college students' employability to illustrate how universities with prominent industry characteristics carry out the construction of the finance discipline. It indicates that the full use of laboratories to support the construction of characteristic disciplines is the foundation, and emphasizes the internal logical connection between various courses as a clue analysis, From the simple quantity construction to the improvement of curriculum quality, from the construction of a single core curriculum to the construction of a multi curriculum system, from the internal logical extension of the core curriculum to the internal logical connection of related courses, sort out the connection, mutual support and strengthening between the Temporal logic and content order of related courses, optimize and integrate the curriculum system by using the internal logical connection of the curriculum group, In order to promote the transformation of teaching concepts and teaching methods, achieve the goal of high-quality construction of course groups, and propose corresponding future development ideas based on this.


The concept 'Afrofuturism' was a subversive offspring of an enthusiastic celebration of the Internet's imagined potentiality in the 1990s in white tech-circles. It has since become a multifaceted and complex gathering of artistic expressions, political interventions and imaginative speculation in diasporic culture. In this article, it is especially explored as a temporal disruption of the official archives of history that organize and represent temporality in an ordered and rigid fashion for the benefit of the imperial powers that have historically subjugated the African Diaspora with consequences for the past and the future. The temporal revisionist practices akin to afrofuturistic epistemology are investigated through two figural prisms: The Data Thief from John Akomfrah's film The Last Angel of History and jazz legend Sun Ra. These figures represent different yet overlapping examples of temporal rebellion against official history by upsetting historical linearity and creating futuristic paths of unknown virtuality. The temporal field that the Data Thief and Sun Ra open for exploratory enquiry is further explored through Walter Benjamin's meditations on weak messianism and Jacques Derrida's musings on the archive and spectrology.


The main contribution of this paper is a unified picture of technical asset management-related activities in utilities, with their relationships, shown on a map. The explicit relationships represent those aspects that particularly support the asset management process. This brings into focus the importance of supporting information technology (IT) and standards. In general, our map represents some of the many facets of asset management, and our hope is that it can contribute to the demystification of asset management, usually referred to as everything and nothing in particular. The paper also provides a number of references which helped to identify some pieces of the asset management puzzle.


SUMMARY: Antisera to the penicillinases of Bacillus subtilis strains 749 and 6346 were prepared, and the neutralization of enzymie activity by homologous and heterologous antisera was studied. Antisera to 749 penicillinase had, as expected, greater neutralizing power against 749 penicillinase than against 6346 penicillinase. A 6346 antiserum, however, neutralized the heterologous enzyme more effectively than the homologous enzyme, and was also more effective in precipitating heterologous than homologous enzymic activity. The penicillinases of B. subtilis, unlike those of B. cereus, could not be adsorbed on glass, but could be partially purified by calcium phosphate gel-adsorption. There was no cross-reaction, as measured by enzyme neutralization, between the penicillinases of B. subtilis and that of B. cereus 569. Materials other than penicillinase in the enzyme preparations used did not interfere with the neutralization reactions between B. subtilis penicillinases and their antisera. The basal penicillinase produced by B. subtilis 749 had the same neutralization curve, with a homologous antiserum, as did the induced enzyme.


In this paper, we have looked for enhancements of the O/N2 ratio in data measured by the Dynamics Explorer 2 (DE 2) satellite in the middle latitudes of the winter hemisphere, based on a prediction that was made by the National Center for Atmospheric Research thermosphere/tonosphere general circulation model (NCAR-TIGCM) that such increases occur. The NCAR-TIGCM predicts that these enhancements should be seen throughout the low latitude region and in many middle latitude locations, but that the enhancements in O/N2 are particularly strong in the middle-latitude, evening-to-midnight sector of the winter hemisphere. When this prediction was used to look for these effects in DE 2 NACS (neutral atmosphere composition spectrometer) data, large enhancements in the O/N 2 ratio (-50 to 90%) were seen. These enhancements were observed during the main phase of a storm that occurred on November 24, 1982, and were seen in the same region of the winter hemisphere predicted by the NCAR-TIGCM. They are partially the result of the depletion of N 2 and, as electron loss is dependent on dissociative recombination at F 2 altitudes, they have implications for electron densities in this area. Parcel trajectories, which have been followed through the NCAR-TIGCM history file for this event, show that large O/N2 enhancements occur in this limited region in the winter hemisphere for two reasons. First, these parcels of air are decelerated by the antisunward edge of the ion convection pattern; individual parcels converge and subsidence occurs. Thus molecular-nitrogen-poor air is brought from higher to lower heights. Because neutral parcels that are found a little poleward of the equatorial edge of the eveningside convection pattern are swept inward toward the center of the auroral oval, the enhancements occur only in a very limited range of latitudes. Second, nitrogen-poor air is transported from regions close to the magnetic pole in the winter hemisphere. During geomagnetic storms, enhanced meridional winds are driven by the increased pressure-gradient force that is associated with intensified Joule heating in the auroral oval. These pressure-driven winds decrease rapidly on the dayside beyond the auroral oval where the parcels originate, limiting the region into which the parcels can be transported. Thus these two processes drive values of O/N2 in a limited region of the winter hemisphere, and reinforce only in the evening sector, causing large changes in this region.


The present work-in-progress paper describes the development of novel user interface concepts that allow human operators to collaborate with self-driving heavy vehicles in a mining context. Concept development was performed within a user-centered design process containing three main steps. First, a study was performed to identify interaction points between heavy vehicle drivers and other human operators in mines. Second, potential interaction technologies were investigated. Finally, suggestions for interaction models were designed and implemented in 3D animated movies. The concepts were designed to support human operators performing loading tasks together with self-driving vehicles and utilize voice interaction and an augmented reality head-up-display to facilitate the interaction. In addition to the mining context, similar concepts were developed to support forklift drivers performing loading tasks in logistic centers. In the next step of this project, the suggested interaction models will be evaluated with mine workers and forklift drivers.


In this paper, the primary components of a PEM fuel cell for automotive propulsion using methane as a fuel are analyzed. Basic chemical engineering principles are utilized to assess the role of thermodynamics, heat transport, and reaction kinetics. The amount of methane required is calculated as function of hydrogen produced as well as the power produced. The heat duty for thermal control of the system is analyzed.Copyright © 2004 by ASME


The tremendous increase in migrations and diasporas of human groups in the last decades are not only bringing along challenging issues for society, especially related to the economic and political management of multiculturalism and culturally effective health care, but they are also creating dramatic changes in traditional knowledge, believes and practices (KBP) related to (medicinal) plant use. The contributors to this volume - all internationally recognized scholars in the field of ethnobiology, transcultural pharmacy, and medical anthropology - analyze these dynamics of traditional knowledge in especially 22 selected case studies. Andrea Pieroni is a Lecturer in Pharmacognosy, Herbal / Traditional Medicines and Ethnopharmacy at the School of Pharmacy at the University of Bradford, UK. He holds a Ph.D. in Pharmacy from the University of Bonn. His recent research concerns transcultural health and pharmacy, traditional medicines and ethnobotany. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the new Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine and the coordinator of the first collaborative ethnobotanical research project funded by the EU Commission (RUBIA). Ina Vandebroek is a post-doctoral research associate at the Institute of Economic Botany, New York Botanical Garden, USA. She holds a Ph.D. in neurospychopharmacology from the University of Ghent, Belgium, and has conducted research into the ethnobotany and ethnomedicine of traditional healers in the Bolivian Andes and Amazon. The project she is currently working on at the New York Botanical Gardens is funded by the National Institutes of Health and involves the dynamics of medicinal plant knowledge and use by Dominican immigrants in New York City.


Abstract : We are a nation at war. Our military is engaged in a fight against groups and individuals who follow an ideology that has as its fundamental tenets a hostility toward our people, our beliefs, and our values. Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, and representatives from across our government who are engaged in this bitter fight will emerge with perspectives shaped by their experiences in combat against extremists who use terror as their primary weapon to achieve their objectives. And we are also at war in cyberspace -- a relatively new domain that, like air and space, crosses military, civilian, economic, and especially information aspects of our national interests. We have already witnessed and experienced hostile incursions in cyberspace. Nothing demonstrates the contested nature of cyberspace more than how its capabilities were used to support physical attacks on our governmental and financial infrastructures on 9/11. Encrypted communications and cellular phones were used for the first attacks on the World Trade Center buildings in 1993. Aided by computer-based flight simulators, hijackers trained, planned, and funded a more successful attack. The attacks against the World Trade Center in New York had, as a secondary objective, the catastrophic degradation of the financial information upon which a large segment of the United States' economy depends.


The advanced stage of Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterised by complex movement disturbances including freezing. Because freezing is resistant to drug therapy, there has recently been renewed interest in non-pharmacological treatment programmes. In this study the effect of rotational stimulation on freezing was investigated. Eight patients with idiopathic PD and freezing participated in the study. Switching from foot-lifting to 'stand up and walk' provoked freezing in all the tested patients. The mean OPMSP (Onset of Premotor Silence Period) in the EMG of the m. tibialis anterior during the 'foot-lifting' sessions preceding freezing was 124 msec. This value, together with a striking repetition of the EMG discharges in the m. tibialis anterior following the request to 'stand up and walk', was related to the inducement of freezing, as a decrease of 42 msec in the OPMSP (t = 2.61; p < or = 0.01) after rotational stimulation abolished freezing and the concomitant EMG disturbances. Rotational stimulation also reduced freezing frequency during daily life. Freezing periods fell to below 50% of the pre-treatment level the day following rotation (t = 5.58; p < or = 0.001). The OPMSP predicted the short and long-term effects of rotational exercises (R = 0.74; p < or = 0.03). The rather long-lasting effect of the stimulation suggests a possible modulation of neurochemical transmission. Further studies are required to shed more light on the point of action and to elucidate which neurotransmitter might be involved.


This paper presents a review framework of research related to inter-departmental integration, with a focus toward research into the IS-business relationship. While much of the literature reviewed lies outside the Information Systems realm, it is proposed here that related research in other business disciplines has much to contribute to the current interest in the integration between the Information Systems function, and line management in organizations. The main contribution of this manuscript lies in the identification of an appropriate theoretical base that can be employed in the study of this relationship.


Abstract Football is a contact sport with a significant risk of injury. Although proprioception is well studied in rehabilitation, little is known about the association between proprioception and the occurrence of sport injuries. The purpose of this study was to look into the association between ankle and knee proprioception and lower extremity injuries in young football players. Seventy-three football players from the highest U-21 league in Iran volunteered to participate in this study. Before the start of the 2017–2018 competitive season, joint position sense was measured at 30°, 60° and 90° knee flexion and at 10° and 15° ankle dorsiflexion, and inversion using the Biodex Isokinetic pro 4 system. The teams' medical staff recorded football-related lower extremity injuries. We used mixed effects Cox regression models to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% CIs, acknowledging the clustered data structure. Twenty-two players (30.1%) suffered one or more lower extremity injuries during the season. None of the proprioception measures examined was significantly associated with the risk of lower extremity injuries. Based on these results of our sample, joint position sense does not seem to be associated with lower extremity injuries in young male football players.


This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-CommercialLicense(http://creativecommons .org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Received 5 August 2014; Revised 28 August 2014 Accepted (Publication) 22 August 2014(30 August 2014) *Corresponding Author; Youn-Chul Choi