Diastrophic dysplasia (DTD) is a rare syndrome which is characterized by disproportionate short stature, normal-sized skull, joint deformities, and hitch-hiker thumbs. Other typical findings are ulnar deviation of the fingers, gap between the first and second toes, clubfoot, and cystic swelling of the pinnae. DTD is inherited autosomal recessively. The diagnosis of DTD depends upon a combination of clinical and radiologic features. The diagnosis is confirmed by molecular genetic testing of DTDST (SLC26A2), the only gene known to be associated with DTD. We report here a 6-years and 3-months-old boy who was wrongly diagnosed for various diseases due to his limb shortening, disproportionate short stature, joint deformities, and limited movement.


In this paper, we present a novel method for medial axis approximation based on Constrained Centroidal Voronoi Diagram of discrete data (image, volume). The proposed approach is based on the shape boundary subsampling controled by a clustering approach which generates a Voronoi Diagram well suited for Medial Axis extraction. The resulting Voronoi Diagram is further filtered in order to capture the correct topology of the medial axis. The main contribution of this paper is the integration of both a curvature maps and a distance map for controlling the local variability of Voronoi cells densities. Examples of complex shape processing prove the effectiveness of the proposed approach.


Nonorthogonal approaches to electronic structure methods have recently received renewed attention, with the hope that new forms of nonorthogonal wavefunction Ansätze may circumvent the computational bottleneck of orthogonal-based methods. The basis in which nonorthogonal configuration interaction is performed defines the compactness of the wavefunction description and hence the efficiency of the method. Within a molecular orbital approach, nonorthogonal configuration interaction is defined by a "different orbitals for different configurations" picture, with different methods being defined by their choice of determinant basis functions. However, identification of a suitable determinant basis is complicated, in practice, by (i) exponential scaling of the determinant space from which a suitable basis must be extracted, (ii) possible linear dependencies in the determinant basis, and (iii) inconsistent behavior in the determinant basis, such as disappearing or coalescing solutions, as a result of external perturbations, such as geometry change. An approach that avoids the aforementioned issues is to allow for basis determinant optimization starting from an arbitrarily constructed initial determinant set. In this work, we derive the equations required for performing such an optimization, extending previous work by accounting for changes in the orthogonality level (defined as the dimension of the orbital overlap kernel between two determinants) as a result of orbital perturbations. The performance of the resulting wavefunction for studying avoided crossings and conical intersections where strong correlation plays an important role is examined.


Eicosanoids, especially prostaglandins and other arachidonic acid metabolites, play an important role in gestosis. Experimental and clinical evidence suggest prostacyclin deficiency, enhanced platelet reactivity and increased production of thromboxane A2 as possible reasons for gestosis. In addition, pathological interactions between cyclooxygenase-derived products and the renin-angiotensin- and kallikrein-kinin systems may exist and contribute to hypertension and reduced fetoplacental blood flow. Moreover, pregnancy-induced hypertension appears to be also related to lipoxygenase products and enhanced lipid peroxidation. In general, little is known about the regulation of arachidonic acid metabolism in gestosis. It is also unknown whether altered activities of mediators and hormones are cause or effect of pregnancy-induced hypertension. This is particularly relevant to the site of eicosanoid formation, i.e. platelets, the trophoblast or endothelial cells. At this time, it is not possible to give therapeutical recommendations, which are specifically designed to correct changes in eicosanoid production in gestosis. Antihypertensive therapy alone is insufficient, particularly with regard to the fetal situation. Preventive treatment with low-dose acetylsalicylic acid may have a protective effect against pregnancy-induced hypertension. Presently, more selective antagonists of thromboxane generation and/or action are being developed and might provide fresh insights both into the pathology of the disease and improved drug treatment.


ABSTRACT Background Kidney replacement therapy (KRT) conferred a high risk for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) related mortality early in the pandemic. We evaluate the presentation, treatment and outcomes of COVID-19 in patients on KRT over time during the pandemic. Methods This registry-based study involved 6080 dialysis and kidney transplant (KT) patients with COVID-19, representing roughly 10% of total Spanish KRT patients. Epidemiology, comorbidity, infection, vaccine status and treatment data were recorded, and predictors of hospital admission, intensive care unit (ICU) admission and mortality were evaluated. Results Vaccine introduction decreased the number of COVID-19 cases from 1747 to 280 per wave. Of 3856 (64%) COVID-19 KRT patients admitted to the hospital, 1481/3856 (38%) were admitted during the first of six waves. Independent predictors for admission included KT and the first wave. During follow-up, 1207 patients (21%) died, 500/1207 (41%) during the first wave. Among vaccinated patients, mortality was 19%, mostly affecting KT recipients. Overall, independent predictors for mortality were older age, disease severity (lymphopaenia, pneumonia) and ICU rejection. Among patient factors, older age, male sex, diabetes, KT and no angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) were independent predictors of death. In KT recipients, individual immunosuppressants were independent predictors of death. Over time, patient characteristics evolved and in later pandemic waves, COVID-19 was mainly diagnosed in vaccinated KT recipients; in the few unvaccinated dialysis patients, ICU admissions increased and mortality decreased (28% for the first wave and 16–22% thereafter). Conclusions The clinical presentation and outcomes of COVID-19 during the first wave no longer represent COVID-19 in KRT patients, as the pandemic has become centred around vaccinated KT recipients. Vaccines lowered the incidence of diagnosed COVID-19 and mortality. However, mortality remains high despite increased access to ICU care.


In this paper we present a multi-test platform to evaluate the barrier properties of encapsulation materials to be used to encapsulate electronic and implantable medical devices. This test platform leverages multiple material and process evaluation on one single substrate. Both cytotoxicity and cytoproliferation tests are possible, in combination with evaluation of barrier properties and aging monitoring structures. Process evaluation structures on conformality and maximum aspect ratios are included. The realization of the platform from concept to the fabrication process are given and the experimental details in accordance to ISO 10993 are described.


Breast Cancer has been extensively studied. However, there is limited knowledge about how psychological factors such as levels of self-compassion may be related to disease onset. This study examined whether higher levels of self-compassion may be associated with a delayed onset of cancer and its progression and lower hyper-arousal scores in Australian women with breast cancer, using retrospective recollections as part of the study design. Participants from Australian cancer support groups were invited to complete an online survey including demographic and cancer history information, a hyper-arousal scale and a self-compassion scale (self-report scales). After data screening 23 of the 31 responding participants were included in the study. Correlation and regression analyses were used to analyse the relationships. Higher levels of self-compassion were related to later onset of breast cancer and to lower hyper-arousal scores. The findings suggest that self-compassion may be a protective factor in relation to hyper-arousal and early onset and progression of disease. The implication, subject to more extended research, is that counsellors, therapists and physicians may reduce the personal and health costs of those with breast cancer by helping them become more aware of and better users of effective self-compassion strategies.


An increasing number of people and organizations have become aware of global warming and environmental deterioration and have become engaged in socially responsible activities to save the Earth. However, a comprehensive model that integrates the antecedents, mediators, and moderators of green adoption is yet to be developed. In this study, a comprehensive research model was developed that incorporates a stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) model, consumption value theory, and value–belief–norm theory. A quantitative approach was adopted to collect data from customers who had experience with green purchasing in Taiwan. The empirical findings reveal that the influence of green marketing activities on three mediators—consumers' environmental attitude, consumption values, and personal norms—is significant. These three mediators have a significant impact on consumers' innovative green adoption. Thus, a full meditation effect is found, suggesting that marketers should increase their focus on promoting innovative green adoption through environmental attitude, consumption values, and personal norms. The findings of this study may help academicians in conducting further theoretical validation and professionals in developing applicable marketing strategies to promote green adoption.


This activity aims to empower the community through the Posdaya Approach (Family Empowerment Post in the fields of economics, education, and health). Communities in Jatinegara Subdistrict are heterogenic communities, the environment around them shows a rapidly developing economy, they must be empowered and nurtured so that they have the ability to compete. The activities carried out provide knowledge on how they should be united in the Posdaya, 10 beginner Posdaya have been formed. Posdaya as a center of friendship and village level empowerment activities that are planned where Posdaya will be formed. Hold a meeting to invite the community to form Posdaya and arrange Posdaya Management. In order to design the initial activities of Posdaya in four areas, namely education, and skills, including religion, entrepreneurship and cooperatives, family planning and health, environment, and hygiene and nutritious gardens.


Merck?s recent withdrawal of the arthritis drug Vioxx from the market and the warning signs leading up to the crisis are emblematic of how organizational disasters often incubate over long periods of time.

The author asserts that organizational disasters can often be foreseen, but warning signs sometimes go unheeded for various reasons: Signals are not read properly because they seem consistent with organizational beliefs (as in the Enron collapse); signals are noticed but not acted upon (as in the failure of Barings Bank); or no one in an organization has the full range of information to see the situation as a whole (as in the recall of millions of Firestone ATX tires from drivers of Ford Explorers).

The author presents several strategies that organizations can employ to help guard against such negligence. Employees must be aware of how biases affect judgment in crucial situations, and tendencies toward groupthink and group polarization must be controlled. In addition, companies must cultivate an information culture that not only recognizes and responds to unexpected warnings but also helps companies recover. Most important, ongoing conversations about safety and risk, backed by the will to act, are crucial to mitigating trouble and to helping organizations more easily recover from difficult situations.


This paper describes a new method to implement ultra-low frequency analog filters for electrophysiological signal acquisitions. Unlike the traditional pseudo-resistor or trans conductor-capacitor architectures, the proposed continues time filters employed current steering integrators which help decrease the capacitor area and reducing the total harmonic distorting (THD) simultaneously. Three basic structures (high pass, notch and low pass filters) were designed by proposing this technique and were implemented by 0.18 μm CMOS technology. Measurement results showed that the-3 dB of the low pass and high pass filters were 220 Hz and 0.05 Hz and notch frequency center of notch filter 50 Hz. Besides, the three filters' THD were measured to be-76 dB, -76 dB and -80 dB which are the lowest values with the comparison with other state-of-the-arts.


Openhole logging tools have been used without wireline in memory logging for 20 years, in an important and growing market. A new system in field trials in Canada and Russia in 2019 further expands the operating envelope overlap between wireline and logging-while-drilling by making step changes in communications, autonomy, performance, and reliability. The new approach advances the logging of horizontal and challenging wells, and permits operations in managed pressure drilling and foam drilled wells.
 The vast majority of openhole memory work is achieved with a hydro-mechanical system that indicates successful deployment but lacks two-way communication between the engineer at surface and the tools downhole. Pressure-pulse communications have been used for 10 years with a wide range of measurements including memory logging with wireline formation testers. The experience gained from operating these systems informed the development of a new system that uses drillpipe rotation to communicate to the tools, pressure pulses to reply for the uplink, and a more powerful downhole processor. These enhancements in autonomy and communication improve the outcome of logging jobs.
 The system incorporates a new rotation downlink method which employs data from an angular rate sensor to identify a series of commands sent by rotating the drillstring. Control software in the downhole tools executes the commands, and replies are transmitted uphole by pressure pulses. The toolstring is released from a safe 'garage' position inside the drillpipe and deployed into openhole, with the top of the toolstring retained by a no-go. The engineer is supplied with far more diagnostic information than previously, including the axial position of the tools, with context sensitive encoding to provide maximum troubleshooting information to the surface over a limited bandwidth channel. The pressure-pulse downlink remains in place as a secondary method. Other material improvements include high data sampling rate, debris tolerance and downhole recovery strategies. All of these advances improve the autonomy of the downhole memory equipment as well as the real-time communication and control from the surface.
 Autonomous memory logging toolstrings, with powerful downhole software and rotation downlink communications, are important components in improving the performance and reliability of these successful and innovative formation evaluation systems.


Pharmacologic management of acute pain should be tailored for each patient, including a review of treatment expectations and a plan for the time course of prescriptions. Acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are first-line treatment options for most patients with acute mild to moderate pain. Topical NSAIDs are recommended for non-low back, musculoskeletal injuries. Acetaminophen is well tolerated; however, lower doses should be used in patients with advanced hepatic disease, malnutrition, or severe alcohol use disorder. Nonselective NSAIDs are effective but should be used with caution in patients with a history of gastrointestinal bleeding, cardiovascular disease, or chronic renal disease. Selective cyclooxygenase-2 NSAIDs are a more expensive treatment alternative and are used to avoid the gastrointestinal adverse effects of nonselective NSAIDs. Adjunctive medications may be added as appropriate for specific conditions if the recommended dose and schedule of first-line agents are inadequate (e.g., muscle relaxants may be useful for acute low back pain). For severe or refractory acute pain, treatment can be briefly escalated with the use of medications that work on opioid and monoamine receptors (e.g., tramadol, tapentadol) or with the use of acetaminophen/opioid or NSAID/opioid combinations. The opioid epidemic has increased physician and community awareness of the harms of opioid medications; however, severe acute pain may necessitate short-term use of opioids with attention to minimizing risk, including in patients on medication-assisted therapy for opioid use disorder.


Do teachers trained in Reading Recovery (RR) modify their regular classroom teaching to use RR-type instructional practices and to teach students the strategies typically taught during RR tutoring sessions? Ten classrooms (three kindergartens, five grade one classrooms, and two grade two classrooms) were observed over the course of two school years. In all ten classrooms, teachers used instructional practices and teaching strategies typical of RR. The teachers also completed questionnaires about their integration of RR-type instruction into the whole classroom and the differences in their instruction before and after having undergone RR training. Further research should be done to understand how aspects of this beginning reading intervention program affects the achievement of students when teachers transfer RR strategies to the regular classroom.


Nursing is seen as being increasingly a research-based profession with a developing knowledge base that demands a continuing programme of education. This is necessary to enable the practitioner to function with the level of expertise and skill required in today's health care systems. There have been repeated calls for and developments in the establishment of a higher-education approach to nursing, with degree courses for the advanced practitioner. It is also argued that in terms of the European perspective there are many commonalities in nursing and health care in Europe, and although cultural and national differences are important there can be advantages to nurses from different countries studying together. An example of a course which offers this European approach to higher education for nurses is described.


A 2D fluid model was employed to simulate the influence of dielectric on the propagation of atmospheric pressure helium plasma jet based on coplanar dielectric barrier discharge (DBD). The spatio-temporal distributions of electron density, ionization rate, electrical field, spatial charge and the spatial structure were obtained for different dielectric tubes that limit the helium flow. The results show that the change of the relative permittivity of the dielectric tube where the plasma jet travels inside has no influence on the formation of DBD itself, but has great impact on the jet propagation. The velocity of the plasma jet changes drastically when the jet passes from a tube of higher permittivity to one of lower permittivity, resulting in an increase in jet length, ionization rate and electric field, as well as a change in the distribution of space charges and discharge states. The radius of the dielectric tube has a great influence on the ring-shaped or solid bullet structure. These results can well explain the behavior of the plasma jet from the dielectric tube into the ambient air and the hollow bullet in experiments.


Background In order to inform meningococcal disease prevention strategies, we analysed the epidemiology of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) in the province of Quebec, Canada, 10 years before and 10 years after the introduction of serogroup C conjugate vaccination. Methodology IMD cases reported to the provincial notifiable disease registry in 1991–2011 and isolates submitted for laboratory surveillance in 1997–2011 were analysed. Serogrouping, PCR testing and assignment of isolates to sequence types (ST) by using multilocus sequence typing (MLST) were performed. Results Yearly overall IMD incidence rates ranged from 2.2–2.3/100,000 in 1991–1992 to 0.49/100,000 in 1999–2000, increasing to 1.04/100,000 in 2011. Among the 945 IMD cases identified by laboratory surveillance in 1997–2011, 68%, 20%, 8%, and 3% were due to serogroups B, C, Y, and W135, respectively. Serogroup C IMD almost disappeared following the implementation of universal childhood immunization with monovalent C conjugate vaccines in 2002. Serogroup B has been responsible for 88% of all IMD cases and 61% of all IMD deaths over the last 3 years. The number and proportion of ST-269 clonal complex has been steadily increasing among the identified clonal complexes of serogroup B IMD since its first identification in 2003, representing 65% of serogroup B IMD in 2011. This clonal complex was first introduced in adolescent and young adults, then spread to other age groups. Conclusion Important changes in the epidemiology of IMD have been observed in Quebec during the last two decades. Serogroup C has been virtually eliminated. In recent years, most cases have been caused by the serogroup B ST-269 clonal complex. Although overall burden of IMD is low, the use of a vaccine with potential broad-spectrum coverage could further reduce the burden of disease. Acceptability, feasibility and cost-effectiveness studies coupled with ongoing clinical and molecular surveillance are necessary in guiding public policy decisions.


One of our objectives in coordinating this year's Group Support System (GSS) mini-track was to encourage a wide range of papers that touched on a variety of important issues. As in the past, we used a strong reviewing process all papers were sent to at least three, sometimes four, reviewers. Our reviewers included scholars, practitioners, and developers, social psychologists, computer scientists, and MIS'ers. Integrating reviews from such a diverse set of reviewers can prove challenging, yet produce a group of papers that can speak to many different interests and issues. This year, we have six papers. The authors of these papers can summarize their conclusions far more eloquently than we can, so rather than repeating their words, we will provide a brief overview of both sessions.


The adolescent, that strange and peculiar "thing," is scrutinized with a fine comb by a perceptive and sensitive physician. Most of us tend to describe this group by its negative qualities, such as the "hiatus between childhood and adulthood." This would indicate that we perceive this group with suspicion, discomfort, and trepidation. The volume is divided into three sections. The first section provides the reader with a microscopic description of the world of the adolescent. His search for his identity and his struggle to become himself is graphically portrayed by meaningful examples. Part II is a cursory assessment and description of individual therapy with this group. Part III emphasizes the residential treatment for disturbed adolescents. Holmes has an intuitive grasp in dealing with the problems of adolescence. This valuable work is devoid of all technical jargon, which is a feat in itself. The author is able to describe the nuances


Somatostatin analogs are an alternative medical treatment in patients with TSH-secreting pituitary adenoma. A 31-yr-old infertile woman with a TSH-secreting macroadenoma was treated with continuous sc infusion of 300 micrograms octreotide/day. After 3 months, euthyroid status was restored, and pituitary magnetic resonance imaging showed a reduction of the macroadenoma. Subsequently, the patient was found to be pregnant, and octreotide was stopped after 1 month of gestation. Serum TSH and free thyroid hormone concentrations returned to pretreatment values. At 6 months of pregnancy, a visual field examination was abnormal, and a magnetic resonance imaging scan showed an enlargement of the pituitary adenoma. Reinstitution of octreotide treatment was associated with normalization of TSH and free thyroid hormone concentrations, a rapid improvement of visual fields, and a new reduction in the size of pituitary macroadenoma. Octreotide treatment was continued until an elective cesarean section was performed at 8 months gestation. Despite the presence of immunoreactive octreotide in the umbilical cord, neonatal thyroid parameters were normal, and a physiological rise in TSH with the increase in thyroid hormone concentrations occurred in the neonate. In conclusion, 1) octreotide treatment is effective in controlling TSH-secreting macroadenoma during pregnancy; 2) despite the transplacental passage of immunoreactive octreotide, physiological changes in thyroid parameters occur in the neonate, and 3) exposure of the fetus to octreotide during the first month as well as the last trimester of gestation did not induce any malformation or affect fetal development.


Abstract Waterways sediments is an example of a valuable material that can be recycled. In this study, Design Chain Network of recycling waterways sediments is presented to determine a logistic strategy for real world recycling company in France, and to analyse the influence of integration of environmental taxes on supply chain design decisions. We propose a strategic model for supply chain design with consideration of CO2 emission taxes, multi-modality and the different logistics costs. We show how these features are formulated in a mixed integer programming (MIP) model, thus capturing the role of the environmental taxes and the transportation modes in the strategic design of a supply chain. The models are solved by commercial software Cplex 10.1 and the computational results are compared. The study is followed by the analyses of the results.


A series of K3Gd1−x−y(PO4)2:xCe3+, yTb3+ phosphors are synthesized by the solid-sate reaction method. X-ray diffraction and photoluminescence spectra are utilized to characterize the structures and luminescence properties of the as-synthesized phosphors. Co-doping of Ce3+ enhances the emission intensity of Tb3+ greatly through an efficient energy transfer process from Ce3+ to Tb3+. The energy transfer is confirmed by photoluminescence spectra and decay time curves analysis. The efficiency and mechanism of energy transfer are investigated carefully. Moreover, due to the non-concentration quenching property of K3Tb(PO4)2, the photoluminescence spectra of K3Tb1−x(PO4)2:xCe3+ are studied and the results show that when x = 0.11 the strongest Tb3+ green emission can be realized.


Diets high in fat and fructose (HFFD) disrupt glucose metabolism. The aim of this study was to determine if HFFD impairs hepatic glucose effectiveness (i.e., the ability of glucose per se to stimulate net hepatic glucose uptake [NHGU] and/or to suppress glucose production [Ra]). In overnight fasted dogs fed either a chow diet or HFFD for 1 month, somatostatin, 3-3H-glucose, and basal hepatic portal vein infusions of insulin and glucagon were given. After a basal sampling period, these infusions continued for 4h while glucose was infused to create a 3-fold rise in plasma glucose. Since hepatic glucose uptake is also stimulated by a negative arterial to portal vein glucose gradient, such as occurs with glucose ingestion, glucose was either all infused into a peripheral vein (Chow-PeG, n=6; HFFD-PeG, n=6), or a portion was also given into the portal vein (4 mg/kg/min; Chow-PoG, n=5; HFFD-PoG, n=5). There were no differences in plasma insulin, glucagon, arterial glucose, or hepatic glucose load between groups. In response to hyperglycemia, the liver switched from making (basal period) to storing (last h) glucose in the chow fed groups (1.1±0.1 to -2.0±0.5* mg/kg/min in Chow-PeG, and 1.3±0.1 to -3.0±0.9* in Chow-PoG; a negative rate indicates uptake). Conversely, HFFD markedly reduced liver glucose effectiveness. In fact, with HFFD the liver did not take up glucose in response to hyperglycemia whether the portal signal was absent (1.4±0.1 to 1.0±0.3 in HFFD-PeG) or present (1.6±0.3 to 0.0±0.3* in HFFD-PoG). Thus, in the Chow vs. HFFD groups, the impact of hyperglycemia on overall net hepatic glucose balance was 3.1±0.5 vs. 0.4±0.4* (13% of normal) in the absence of portal glucose delivery and 4.3±0.9 vs. 1.6±0.5* (37% of normal) in its presence. Hyperglycemia suppressed Ra by 75±12 vs. 22±6%* (last h) in Chow vs. HFFD-PeG, respectively, and by 81±14 vs. 34±7%* in Chow vs. HFFD-PoG. In summary, HFFD induced a severe impairment in hepatic glucose effectiveness but did not affect the liver's response to the portal glucose signal. (*P Disclosure D.S. Edgerton: None. G. Kraft: None. B. Farmer: None. M. Scott: None. M.S. Smith: None. A.D. Cherrington: Advisory Panel; Self; Biocon, Fractyl Laboratories, Inc., Metavention, Sekkei Bio, Sensulin, LLC., vTv Therapeutics, Zafgen, Inc. Consultant; Self; Thetis Pharmaceuticals LLC. Research Support; Self; Diasome Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Other Relationship; Self; Abvance Therapeutics, Novo Nordisk Inc. Funding National Institutes of Health (R01DK18243)


Witnessing is infused in ethical and legal discourses that operate within the matrix of knowledge, responsibility, and action. Through an analysis of the non-governmental organization WITNESS, this article shows how this matrix has been at the heart of the development of professionalized human rights video activism that emphasizes goal-driven, tactical and audience-oriented approaches to witness documentation. By professionalizing video activism, human rights organizations like WITNESS configure the act of bearing witness as a form of social activism that differs from longstanding modes of activist involvement. Using the term strategic witnessing to describe this development, this article suggests a conceptual framework through which we can think about evolving forms of media witnessing in the contemporary media moment.


The installation of a Distributed Generation (DG) in a distribution system often changes the direction and magnitude of current for normal and faulted conditions. The changes may affect the existing protection system hence it may not work as intended to after the installation. Since DG capacity is often small, it will not be economical to invest in the changing/replacement of the protection system. For that reason, this paper proposes a methodology to find maximum capacities of DGs that can be installed without cause failures to the existing protection operation and its coordination. A case study of a distribution network in West Sumatera is present to illustrate the methodology. The results show that the more downstream of buses from the grid, the less DG capacity that can be installed.


Since the end of the Cold War New Zealand has participated in numerous international interventions, both within the Asia-Pacific region and further afield. As a small state with limited resources and influence what have been the primary motivating factors that have influenced New Zealand's decisions to intervene? Can the decisions to intervene be best explained by realism, liberalism, constructivism, or a combination of these theories? This essay will assess the motivating factors for New Zealand's involvement in international interventions by analysing four case studies where New Zealand participated in an intervention – Bosnia, East Timor, Afghanistan, and the Solomon Islands. This essay will also assess whether the motivating factors for intervening within New Zealand's geographic region differ from those outside its region, and whether there is a difference in approach taken by the two main political parties in New Zealand – Labour and National. The essay concludes that while there were elements of realism and constructivism in the decisions to intervene, liberalism provides that best explanation for the decision to intervene in three of the four case studies. The fourth case study, the Solomon Islands, is best explained by the realist factors of regional security and upholding New Zealand's relationship with Australia. The essay finds that while the motivations for intervening in three of the four case studies were similar, the motivations for intervening within the Asia-Pacific region were slightly more realist. The motivations to intervene were similar regardless if National or Labour were in government.


We demonstrate a non-invasive diagnostic method of quantitative infrared (IR) imaging, applied here to a series cascade of microring resonators fabricated in silicon-on-insulator. The IR images contain information on the otherwise inaccessible individual through-ports and the resonators themselves, providing coupling, loss and intensity-enhancement parameters for the individual rings.


This collectively written work – 29 contributions – is designed for students, teachers and researchers interested in conducting qualitative studies in the area of health. It is multidisciplinary, and contributors include French-speaking academics working for the most part in the social sciences and public health, physicians, educational science professors and specialists of communication. The material is also accessible to non-specialists wishing to understand and possibly conduct qualitative surveys, and it is enriched with interdisciplinary dialogue and field study experiences. The book skilfully instructs readers in how to carry out surveys or studies with rigour and forethought. It opens with a reminder of the fundamental methodological principles of the social sciences (Part I) and proceeds to show how they may be applied in part to studies on health subjects (Part II). The first chapters take up the ethicsrelated issues of research into medical questions and present interview and observation methods as well as how to use documents, including internet material (e-health studies). Part III presents examples of qualitative studies on health that illustrate the specific issues involved in conducting research into medical and public health subjects as well as working within theoretical frameworks such as phenomenology or applying particular methods such as focus groups and mixed methods. The notion of "qualitative research" adopted here is quite broad and defined in opposition, as it were, to research based on health databases. The last chapter suggests that in this intensely multidisciplinary field, the qual/quant opposition is methodologically and epistemologically inoperative. However, distinct disciplines and approaches – which researchers are not always fully familiar with – do come into play, and interactions between them are necessary. The authors put forward three recommendations for "good" practice of qualitative health studies, practice in which researchers can work effectively together: 1) grounding the research in a theoretical framework that researchers are familiar with and know how to apply; 2) making a point of interacting with other disciplines – this constitutes a research objective in itself; 3) acquiring a better understanding of the approaches and strengths of other disciplines so as to facilitate multidisciplinary dialogue and publications. One major contribution of this work is its well-argued plea for rigorous practice of social science methods. In the field of health it is particularly important for researchers to master methodologies (methods and their theoretical frameworks) because of the ineluctable confrontation between qualitative research approaches and the framework of biomedical thinking. For example, the importance of the notion of representativeness in that framework may lead those researchers to doubt the scientificity or robustness of the social sciences. Having solid knowledge of social science methodologies and epistemological foundations will prevent this and enable researchers doing qualitative studies to assert themselves as Book reviews


At STIAS, the 'Health in Transition' theme includes a programme to address the epidemic rise in the incidence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, obesity, coronary heart disease and stroke in Africa. The aim is to advance awareness, research capacity and knowledge translation of science related to the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) as a means of preventing NCDs in future generations. Application of DOHaD science is a promising avenue for prevention, as this field is identifying how health and nutrition from conception through the first 1 000 days of life can dramatically impact a developing individual's future life course, and specifically predicate whether or not they are programmed in infancy to develop NCDs in later life. Prevention of NCDs is an essential strategy as, if unchecked, the burden of caring for a growing and ageing population with these diseases threatens to consume entire health budgets, as well as negatively impact the quality of life of millions. Africa in particular needs specific, focussed endeavors to realize the maximal preventive potential of DOHaD science, and a means of generating governmental and public awareness about the links between health in infancy and disease in adult life. This volume summarizes the expertise and experience of a leading group of international scientists led by Abdallah Daar brought together at STIAS as part of the 'Health in Transition' programme.


The objective of this article is to provide an Islamic perspective on the psychology of learning. This is a theoretical study based on reviews of secondary sources on Islamic and conventional psychology. It analyzes four
conventional theories namely classical conditioning theory, operant conditioning theory, observational learning theory, and insight learning theory. It is argued that the fundamental elements of these theories go against the Islamic belief system, but certain other elements conform to Islamic beliefs. Referring to ibn Sina and al-Ghazali"s treatment of many aspects of these theories and reflecting on the practices of the Companions during the time of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), the article argues that the fundamental difference
between the conventional theories of psychology of learning and the Islamic theory of psychology of learning is the factor of human soul. In conventional theories, the soul as a factor is completely discounted, while in Islamic theory it is considered to be central.


In this article, a novel passive vector-sum amplitude-variable phase shifter with integrated reconfigurable filtering function is proposed for the first time. It is constructed using conventional trisection filtering topology, with all the couplings between adjacent resonators being implemented with controllable mixed electric–magnetic couplings. This not only achieves a reconfigurable filtering response but also forms an intrinsic <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$I/Q$ </tex-math></inline-formula> signal generator inside the filter, which can be directly utilized to achieve continuous phase control based on the vector-sum mechanism. In such a manner, an integrated filtering phase shifter (FPS) without the need for an extra <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$I/Q$ </tex-math></inline-formula> generation network and individual filtering device is obtained. By properly choosing the coupling types and coupling strengths between adjacent resonators, a continuous phase control from 0° to 360°, covering the full four quadrants, is successfully realized. Closed-form equations associating the circuit parameters and insertion phase at center frequency are deduced, providing a quantitative theoretical guideline for determining the parameters of the FPS. Subsequently, a novel tuning mechanism for independent <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$Q$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-factor and resonant frequency control of the resonator is proposed and applied in the circuit to further exploit the amplitude control ability of the phase shifter. Measured results show that the proposed amplitude-variable FPS is capable of achieving a continuous phase control range of 360° and an amplitude control range of 10 dB within a center frequency tuning range of 0.75–0.95 GHz. The measured root-mean-square (rms) amplitude error and the rms phase error are less than 2.58 dB and 8.45°, respectively.


Purpose

To evaluate retinal sensitivity of macular region between acute and recurrent central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) using microperimetry.

Methods

A retrospective observational study. Twenty-five eyes of 25 subjects who were diagnosed as either acute or recurrent CSC without any previous treatment were included in this study. All subjects underwent complete ophthalmological examinations including the central retinal thickness (CRT) using spectral domain OCT and the retinal sensitivity assessments of macular region by microperimeter MP-3. The mean global macular sensitivity (GMS) from 64 loci in the 20° central macular area and local macular sensitivity (LMS) from test locations in affected region of SRD were analysed.

Results

Twelve eyes of 12 subjects with acute CSC (Group A) and 13 eyes of 13 subjects with recurrent CSC (Group R) were enrolled. The clinical parameters, including age, duration, mean LogMAR best-corrected visual acuity and CRT, were not statistically significant (p>0.05) between Group A and Group R. There were significant differences in GMS and LMS between the two groups. Compared with group A (24.9±1.6dB), the mean GMS of group R was significantly (p<0.05) lower (23.0±2.0dB). In addition, the mean LMS of group R (19.9±2.3dB) was also significantly lower (p<0.05) compared with group A (21.8±2.1dB).

Conclusion

Eyes with recurrent CSC often show worse retinal function in focal affected macular areas than acute disease. Macular microperimetry analysis may deepen our understanding of CSC natural history and influence decision-making in clinical practice.


Background The tumor suppressor p53 is a central hub in molecular signaling pathways that control the integrity of the human genome. The p53 protein functions as a transcription factor and increases the expression of many cellular genes which contribute to activation of cell cycle arrest, apoptosis and DNA repair. MDM2 is another important p53 target gene, and the MDM2 protein is capable of binding directly to p53 and directing it for degradation through the ubiquitin-dependent proteolytic pathway. Inhibition of MDM2 stabilizes p53 and MDM2 inhibitors are being explored clinically as therapies. Stabilization alone may not be enough to increase the activity of p53, and posttranslational modification of p53 by phosphorylation has been proposed to be an important contributory mechanism by which p53 becomes functionally active. Therefore maintaining the phosphorylated status of p53 in tumor cells may help to enhance its growth inhibitory and pro-apoptotic role. Wild type p53 – induced phosphatase (Wip1) is a serine – threonine phosphatase which dephosphorylates central players in the DNA damage response, including p53 and may be an additional target to enhance p53-dependent treatments. Therefore this work was focused on the effect of MDM2 (RG7388) and Wip1 (GSK2830371) inhibitors on MX-1 and MCF breast carcinoma cell lines. These two cell lines were recorded to have wild type TP53 status as well as high expression of Wip1. Trial design RG7388 and GSK2830371 were tested for growth inhibition on MX-1 and MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines using the sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay. The results were further confirmed and mechanism explored by western blotting using extracted protein from drug treated cell lines. Contradictory evidence regarding the TP53 mutation status of the MX-1 cell line was clarified by direct sequencing of MX-1 DNA. Results The MCF-7 cells responded to both RG7388 and GSK2830371 with GI50 value of 0.034 µM and 2.92 µM respectively. The MX-1 cells did not respond to either drug. The results of western blotting showed there was no expression of p53 in the MX-1 cell line. Failure to respond to RG7388and also no expression of p53 in western blotting made us suspicious about the TP53 status of the MX-1 cells. The direct sequencing results confirmed that there was a 5bp deletion in exon 4 of the TP53 gene of the MX-1 cells. The c.154_158delCAATG mutation creates a stop codon at the 54th aminoacid position and results in a truncated p53 protein (p.Gln52Valfs*3). Conclusion RG7388 and GSK2838371 showed cytotoxic effects on MCF-7 cells, whereas both RG7388 and GSK2838371 had no effect on the MX-1 cell line due to the truncated p53 and loss of p53 function. In conclusion, the potency of both drugs depends on the TP53 mutation status and they are likely to be mediated via p53-dependent growth inhibition and apoptosis. Further studies are needed to evaluate the combination effect of both drugs on TP53 wild type cell lines. Citation Format: Manoharan V, Lunec J, Esfandiari A, Mahdi A, Wu C-E, Zanjirband M, Karunanayake EH, Tennekoon KH, De Silva S. Cytotoxic potential of the RG7388 MDM2-p53 binding antagonist and the GSK2830371 WIP1 inhibitor on MX-1 and MCF-7 human breast cancer cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2016 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2016 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P3-07-21.


Recently ICT is very important and fast growing. Therefore, a lot of educational aid
which are related to computer technology becoming very popular among teacher and
student. For example is education software. But the problems are most of the software
are important fi"om oversea, especially for pre-school students. In addition, the
Ministry of Education only provides the software for KBSM and KBSR. Therefore,
developer take this opportimities to develop the software as an alternative for learning
software industry in Malaysia, which use Bahasa Melayu as an interaction language.
This project focused on pre-school student aged 5-6 years old. The topic selected re
about animal. This software consists of interactive 3D animation. This approach is
used to attract the student attention, indirectly. It can increase the skill of computer
application of early stage. SDLC was chosen as the method of development because it
is more structure and easy to understand. All the development process can be
monitored clearly. In order to increase understand level of the student, this software
was completed with exercises that support each subtopic. This software also included
with kraoke session to attract the students in this learning process.


The general framework of management information system for construction projects has been established according to EPC contractor's project management. In the framework which is composed of structure framework and model framework, business models are used to drive system structure, making the system integrated and logical. The framework can be used to promote the application of EPC project management information system.


The contribution of fathers and family dynamics to the deleterious effects of mothers' depressive symptoms on children's behavioral adjustment has been evaluated in this study. Using longitudinal data spanning from toddlerhood to grade school (N = 1,311), this study examined whether negative emotional states in both parents related to mothers' cumulative depressive symptoms during the early years of children were associated with children's later internalizing and externalizing problems in grade school. A random intercept cross-lagged panel model was used to segregate between- and within-individual effects. The results demonstrated that, independent of fathers' depressive symptoms, high levels of maternal cumulative depressive symptoms were positively associated with negative emotional states in both parents over time, which then independently mediated the longitudinal associations between mothers' depressive symptoms and children's subsequent behavioral maladjustment, particularly internalizing problems, at the between-individual trait level. The findings highlight the interdependence of family members from a longitudinal perspective and support the unique contributions of both parents' negative emotional states to better understand children's behavioral adjustment in the context of maternal depressive symptoms. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).


Posttranslational protein modifications by mono- or polyubiquitination are involved in diverse cellular signaling pathways and tightly regulated to ensure proper function of cellular processes. Three types of enzymes, namely ubiquitin-activating enzymes (E1), ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes (E2), and ubiquitin-protein ligases (E3), contribute to ubiquitination. Combinations of E2 and E3 enzymes determine ∼ the fate of their substrates via ubiquitination. The seven lysine residues of ubiquitin, Lys6, Lys11, Lys27, Lys29, Lys33, Lys48, and Lys63, can serve as attachment sites for other ubiquitin molecules. Lys48 (K48)-linked polyubiquitination facilitates recognition of the conjugated protein by proteasome molecules and subsequent proteolytic degradation of the target protein. By contrast, Lys63 (K63)-linked polyubiquitination appears to be involved in polyubiquitin signaling in critical cellular processes, such as DNA repair, regulation of the I-kappaB kinase/NF-kappaB cascade, or T cell receptor signaling, but not protein degradation. In this review, we describe the properties of ubiquitin modification enzymes and the structural interplay among these proteins.


The current paper proposes 3D mesh watermarking using projection onto convex sets. As such, a 3D mesh is iteratively projected onto two constraint convex sets until the convergence condition is satisfied. The sets consist of a robustness set and invisibility set designed to embed the watermark. The watermark can be extracted without the original mesh using the decision values and index that the watermark was embedded with. Experimental results verify that the watermarked mesh is both robust to mesh simplification, cropping, affine transformations, and vertex randomization and invisible.


Background: Oral cavity cancers (OCC) account for a significant proportion of head and neck malignancies and pose a significant disease burden given the poor quality of life outcomes and high mortality rates. We evaluated the treatment outcomes of OCC treated at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital (SCGH), Western Australia (WA).
 Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted at one of the largest tertiary hospitals in the state. The hospital-based cancer registry was used as a primary source of data, including cases presented between January 2012 and December 2016. Review of medical records was performed for those patients with missing data. The study was approved by the Institutional Safety Board (ISB) in accordance with the hospital regulations (SCGH). Results: One hundred and one patients with primary diagnosed OCC received treatment during the period. The majority of patients were male, and most were treated primarily with surgery. Twenty-six patients (25.7%) developed recurrence during follow-up, with a median time to recurrence of 10.5 months. Of the patient with recurrence, 73% (19/26) died because of their recurrence. A total of 38 patients died during follow-up (37.6%), with a 3-year overall survival of 66.3% (95% CI, 55.2–75.2%), and a 3-year disease-specific survival (DSS) of 83.2% (95% CI, 72.2–90.1%).
 Conclusions: OCC continues to be a therapeutic challenge for the head and neck surgeon. Given the relatively asymptomatic nature of early disease, OCC diagnosed at a late stage is not uncommon, therefore positive lymph-nodes are important when evaluating survival. This study examines up-to-date treatment outcomes for OCC in WA and highlights the variation in mortality rates observed globally.


A very rare complication after cesarean section is reported. A spontaneous perforation of the small intestine caused an acute abdomen. Ileus, peritonitis and septic shock are the most important signs of this life threatening complication. In this matter a very good cooperation between the different disciplines is of importance. An early relaparotomy is essential in the management.


We report a unique red light-emitting Eu-doped borosilicate glass to convert color for warm white light-emitting diodes. This glass can be excited from 394 nm-peaked near ultraviolet light, 466 nm-peaked blue light, to 534 nm-peaked green light to emit the desired red light with an excellent transmission in the wavelength range of 400–700 nm which makes this glass suitable for color conversion without a great cost of luminous power loss. In particular, when assembling this glass for commercial white light-emitting diodes, the tested results show that the color rendering index is improved to 84 with a loss of luminous power by 12 percent at average, making this variety of glass promising for inorganic "remote-phosphor" color conversion.


In this paper, a novel ultra-wide-band antenna backed by a suspended ground for an enhancement of bandwidth and a frequency selective surface (FSS) reflector for the enhancement of gain is proposed in order to meet the specific coverage requirements for broadband applications. The impedance bandwidth of the proposed antenna is 13.4 GHz (1.8–15.2 GHz). To enhance the gain of the antenna, a FSS reflector is employed below the suggested ultra wide-band antenna. A novel FSS, which consists of 5 × 5 array of elements, located at a distance of 1.01 λ (36.14 mm) below the proposed antenna. There is 4–5 dBi improvement in antenna gain after application of the FSS. In order to observe the signal correlation of the proposed antenna, the time domain analysis using similar antennas in face-to-face and side-to-side scenarios has been performed using the EM simulation tool CST-STUDIO. The simulated results of the proposed antenna exhibit good agreement with the experimental results of the prototype model antenna.


Objective: To assess the diagnostic value of ultrasonography for the median nerve, the state of life style activities and the pain degree of upper extremities in paraplegics with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Method: Eighteen wheelchair ambulators with spinal cord injury who had neurological level below T2 were studied. Patients with peripheral or central neuropathies were excluded. Patients were assigned to either the electrodiagnostic CTS (group CTS, 7) or electrodiagnostically negative (group non- CTS, 11), and healthy volunteers (15) were classified as control group. The cross sectional area of the median nerve (MN-CSA) at carpal pisiform level was ultrasonographically measured. The degree of painful restriction to execute ADL by hands (TR-ADL), the pain grade (visual analog scale, VAS) of upper extremities and revised version of Korean spinal cord independence measure (KSCIM-R) for functional level were measured and analyzed. Results: Nine hands (14.3%) of 7 patients out of 34 hands had CTS in electrodiagnostic study. There were significant difference among groups in TR-ADL hours (CTS group; 5.0 vs non-CTS group; 10.2, p<0.05), VAS (4.1 vs 2.0, respectively, p<0.05), and no statistical difference in KSCIM-R (68.4 vs 52.1, p>0.05), MN-CSA (12.3 mm2 vs 7.9 mm2 vs control group; 8.0 mm2, p<0.05). Using the ROC curve, the cut-off value of MN-CSA produced 8.5 mm2 providing a diagnostic sensitivity of 77.8% and specificity of 59.6%. Conclusion: The ultrasonographic measurement of the median nerve may be a useful non-invasive screening test for the diagnosis of CTS in paraplegic patients with wrist pain. (J Korean Acad Rehab Med 2008; 32: 216-221)


Production of nicotinic acid from Saccharomyces cerevisiae in exponential growth on glucose was found to be growth associated, and in the stationary and decline phase was found to be death associated. A kinetic model was developed to describe the kinetics of growth of S. cerevisiae and the production of nicotinic acid.


This paper argues that a shift is occurring in the labor market structure leading to an increase in the use of social networks based on the criteria that were originally the locus of labor market segmentation in low income jobs: race, sex and ethnicity, but also age, disability and sexual orientation. It thus calls into question the presumption of the earlier literature on labor market segmentation that as one moved up the wage hierarchy, jobs were increasingly allocated through formal institutional structures on the basis of objective credentials, and that the adverse labor market outcomes of minority groups in low wage jobs were connected to excessive reliance upon social networks in the labor market.


A small portion of lesions are refractory to coronary angioplasty even when very high pressures are used. This leads to a failed angioplasty and emergent bypass surgery. We successfully attempted the technique of hugging balloons or two polyethelene terephthalate (PET) balloons inflated simultaneously side by side which successfully dilated a lesion which would not dilate using standard techniques. This technique successfully dilated the lesion as the geometry of two balloons inflated side by side is different from one balloon. Two balloons inflated side by side consists of two outer semi-circles and a central trapezoidal square area. This altered geometric configuration may be important in successfully dilating a lesion refractory to standard dilating techniques. Higher pressures can be attained with smaller balloons as the burst pressure is higher in smaller balloons compared to larger balloons.


ABSTRACT Very few studies have been devoted to understanding the digital terrain model (DTM) creation for Amazon forests. DTM has a special and important role when airborne laser scanning is used to estimate vegetation biomass. We examined the influence of pulse density, spatial resolution, filter algorithms, vegetation density and slope on the DTM quality. Three Amazonian forested areas were surveyed with airborne laser scanning, and each original point cloud was reduced targeting to 20, 15, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, 1, 0.75, 0.5 and 0.25 pulses per square meter based on a random resampling process. The DTM from resampled clouds was compared with the reference DTM produced from the original LiDAR data by calculating the deviation pixel by pixel and summarizing it through the root mean square error (RMSE). The DTM from resampled clouds were also evaluated considering the level of agreement with the reference DTM. Our study showed a clear trade-off between the return density and the horizontal resolution. Higher forest canopy density demanded higher return density or lower DTM resolution.


In this research we develop generalized diffusion indexes for the Mexican state and sectorial economic activity. These indexes summarize the dynamics of the local cycles in a way that they are consistent with the aggregate economic activity. The proposed index includes three dimensions of the local dynamic activity: i) the variation of local cycles (positive or negative), ii) the magnitude of these variations and iii) the weight of local components (states and/or sectors) on the aggregate economic activity. The main contribution of these indexes is that they admit sub-aggregations of regions and/or sectors that are more precise and informative than their counterparts. We show two applications. In the first one, we develop the generalized diffusion index for the Mexican economy using state economic coincident indexes. In the second one, we create a diffusion index of the state and sectorial economic activity using the State Quarterly Indicator of Economic Activity (ITAEE by its Spanish acronym) produced by INEGI.


We assess the effect of the European School Fruit Scheme (SFS) on children's fruit and vegetable (FV) intake frequencies and choice behaviour. We collect consumption data in a quasi-experiment and estimate the SFS's treatment effect via double-difference models. Results indicate that the SFS raised children's intake frequency of FV by 30- 50 %. Results further suggest a decreasing effect of the SFS on the probability of choosing apples over cookies in actual choice situations for certain subgroups. These findings call for increased attention to heterogeneous behaviour and the importance of personal and socio-economic mediators both in research and policy design.


CMOS latch-up parameters are experimentally studied in the context of deep submicron technology optimization. Holding voltage and triggering current values are measured for both various design rules (N+/P+ distance, structure width) and various process conditions (epitaxial thickness, substrate resistivity, well dose). It is demonstrated that with diffused well, latch-up free behavior can be obtained down to 2 μm N+/P+ distance. This immunity to latch-up is ensured either by a holding voltage greater than power supply voltage or by triggering currents high enough.


Background: Augmentation therapy involves the addition of a second drug, such as mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, and nutritional supplements, to a primary antidepressant treatment. Studies on adding folic acid to a preexisting antidepressive regimen as a form of augmentation therapy have had different and even controversial results. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the effects that adding folic acid to a pharmaceutical diet with citalopram has on the treatment of depression. Methods: This double-blind randomized clinical trial was conducted in Kashan, Iran on 90 patients who suffered from depression. Patients were allocated to study groups using random permuted blocks. One group (n = 45) received a dosage of 20 mg citalopram in combination with 2.5 mg folic acid on a daily basis, and the other group (n = 45) received the same daily dose of citalopram with a placebo for eight weeks. To measure the severity of each patient's depression, the Beck depression inventory II (BDI-II) questionnaire was used prior to starting the antidepressant therapy and was repeated four, six, and eight weeks after beginning the treatment. A reduction from the original BDI-II scores that was greater than 50% was considered to be a response to treatment. Results: The average depression scores before treatment were 30.11 ± 10.41 in the intervention group and 31.24 ± 10.26 in the control group (P = 0.6). At the end of the study, the depression scores in the intervention and the control groups were 13.31 ± 6.57 and 19.11 ± 8.59, respectively (P < 0.001). A reduction in the average depression scores of the intervention group was statistically significant after six and eight weeks (P = 0.01 and P = 0.001, respectively). At the end of the study, the frequency of response to treatment was 73.3% in the intervention group and 40.0% in the control group (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Folic acid, when used as a complementary therapy, can improve a patient's response to antidepressants used for the treatment of major depression.


Our investigations show that electrochemical corrosion of copper is faster than electrochemical corrosion of aluminium at temperatures below 100°C. Literature data analysis shows that the Al atoms diffuse faster than the Cu atoms at temperatures higher than 475°C, Al-rich intermetallic compounds (IMCs) are formed faster in the Cu-Al system, and the Kirkendall plane shifts towards the Al side. Electrochemical corrosion occurs due to electric current and diffusion. An electronic device working time, for example, depends on the initial copper cover thickness on the aluminium wire, connected to the electronic device, temperature, and volume and dislocation pipe diffusion coefficients, so copper, iron, and aluminium electrochemical corrosion rates are investigated experimentally at room temperature and at temperature 100°C. Intrinsic diffusivities ratios of copper and aluminium at different temperatures and diffusion activation energies in the Cu-Al system are calculated by the proposed methods here using literature experimental data. Dislocation pipe and volume diffusion activation energies of pure iron are calculated separately by earlier proposed methods using literature experimental data. Aluminium dissolved into NaCl solution as the Al3+ ions at room temperature and at temperature 100°C, iron dissolved into NaCl solution as the Fe2+ (not Fe3+) ions at room temperature and at temperature 100°C, copper dissolved into NaCl solution as the Cu+ ions at room temperature, and as the Cu+ and the Cu2+ ions at temperature 100°C. It is found experimentally that copper corrosion is higher than aluminium corrosion, and the ratio of electrochemical corrosion rates, kCu/kAl > 1, decreases with temperature increasing, although iron electrochemical corrosion rate does not depend on temperature below 100°C. It is obvious because the melting point of iron is higher than the melting point of copper or aluminium. It is calculated that copper electrochemical corrosion rate is approximately equal to aluminium electrochemical corrosion at a temperature of about 300°C, so the copper can dissolve into NaCl solution mostly as the Cu2+ ions at a temperature of about 300°C. The ratio of intrinsic diffusivities, DCu/DAl < 1, increases with temperature increasing, and intrinsic diffusivity of aluminium could be approximately equal to intrinsic diffusivity of copper at a temperature of about 460°C.


We analyze the structure of heavy multitrace BPS operators in N = 1 superconformal quiver gauge theories that arise on the worldvolume of D3-branes on an affine toric cone. We exhibit a geometric procedure for counting heavy mesonic operators with given U(1) charges. We show that for any fixed linear combination of the U(1) charges, the entropy is maximized when the charges are in certain ratios. This selects preferred directions in the charge space that can be determined with the help of a piece of string. We show that almost all heavy mesonic operators of fixed U(1) charges share a universal structure. This universality reflects the properties of the dual extremal black holes whose microstates they create. We also interpret our results in terms of typical configurations of dual giant gravitons in AdS space. ∗email@example.com, firstname.lastname@example.com, email@example.com, firstname.lastname@example.com, firstname.lastname@example.com


This special collection focuses on action control and its two postulated core processes, namely feature binding and retrieval. Action control is an important topic as humans interact with their environment by means of goal-directed behavior, i.e. by means of actions. Cognitive processes were developed and shaped to enhance preparation, execution, and regulation of action. Therefore, it is the current consensus that cognition serves action. To date, research on human action control is comprised mainly of an abundance of paradigm-specific results and models. To gain a better understanding of action control, an integrative framework was proposed (the BRAC framework – for Binding and Retrieval in Action Control, Frings et al., 2020) that can explain a wide range of findings across different experimental paradigms by assuming two core processes as key functions in action control: feature binding and feature retrieval. In this special collection, 20 articles present and discuss different types of sequential paradigms in terms of this integrative account. This editorial explains the major assumptions of the BRAC framework and provides an integrative overview of the articles that are included in this special collection.


Exemplified by a synthesis of di-O-methylcitromycin, a method is described for the synthesis of derivatives of pyrano[3,2-c][1]benzopyran from the appropriate derivatives of chroman-4-one and 3-acetylchroman-4-one.


This work documents flow characterization and cavitation inception of a co-rotating vortex pair shed from a single fin with a rounded tip at zero angle of attack. The fin was outfitted with a removable tip fabricated using a rapid prototype method. The co-rotating vortices result from surface discontinuities on the removable tip, near a hard wax fairing used to cover the tip attachment bolt. The vortices are shed at different locations along the chord. Flow visualization by oil paint and developed cavitation, and SPIV of the near-wake, indicate that a strong vortex is shed at the trailing edge, while a weaker vortex is shed at 82% chord. Horizontal wandering of the vortices is uncorrelated. Vertical wandering of the vortices is characterized by opposing oscillations about their mutual center. Acoustic cavitation inception in the water tunnel environment is discerned at an index 13% greater than visual detection of cavitation, and occurs within one chord of the trailing edge. The influence of the co-rotating vortex system on cavitation inception must be determined from comparison with measurements of a solitary vortex generated by analogous geometry.


Resection of the entire ulnar head (Darrach operation) and the hemiresection interposition arthroplasty are common methods of treating the arthritic distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ). Biomechnical investigation about both of these procedures is lacking. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the dynamic effects of both the hemiresection interposition arthroplasty and the Darrach procedure on radioulnar convergence and dorsal–palmar displacement and to compare their biomechanical behaviours. With a dynamic computer-controlled testing device, cadaveric forearm rotation was performed with simultaneous loading of relevant muscles. Torque along the forearm axis was generated by simulated muscle action through pneumoactuators attached to relevant tendons while the wrist was constrained to prescribed ranges of motion. The instability of the radius relative to the ulna was evaluated using displacement data of digitized landmarks in an ulnar coordinate system. Seven fresh-frozen cadaver upper extremities were used. The Darrach resection created an extreme instability of the forearm with movement of the radius ulnarly. Anteroposterior translations in each loading condition could also be detected, but the magnitude of displacement was small and less predictable. The results of the hemiresection interposition arthroplasty demonstrated significantly less instability compared with the Darrach results.


A C60-centered dendritic adduct with 12 symmetrically attached pyrene species was synthesized and found to have relatively simple fluorescence emission kinetics, in particular, the mono-exponential decay of the significant pyrene excimer emission.


Creating a decision-making environment that promotes sustainable food choices is a priority for both the individual and society. This study aimed at encouraging plant-based menu choices by re-ordering the menu according to the carbon footprint values. The project was conducted in a grab-and-go eatery at a large United States public university, where students could order their meals choosing among different menu options that were customizable with various ingredients. The order of menu ingredients was changed twice: for five weeks, from the most to the least impactful in terms of carbon footprint; subsequently, for another five weeks the order was reversed. At both times, all sales data were recorded. A total of 279,219 and 288,527 items were selected, respectively, during the first and the second intervention. A significant association was found between menu re-ordering and customers' choices for almost all food categories considered. Overall, despite beef choices not changing, results showed that students were more likely to choose low-carbon options when these were placed at the beginning, emphasizing that food selections were impacted by ingredient placement on the menu list. These findings highlight the need for a multi-level strategy focused on raising students' awareness of the environmental impact of animal-based foods, particularly beef.


NLP models struggle with generalization due to sampling and annotator bias. This paper focuses on a different kind of bias that has received very little attention: guideline bias, i.e., the bias introduced by how our annotator guidelines are formulated. We examine two recently introduced dialogue datasets, CCPE-M and Taskmaster-1, both collected by trained assistants in a Wizard-of-Oz set-up. For CCPE-M, we show how a simple lexical bias for the word like in the guidelines biases the data collection. This bias, in effect, leads to poor performance on data without this bias: a preference elicitation architecture based on BERT suffers a 5.3% absolute drop in performance, when like is replaced with a synonymous phrase, and a 13.2% drop in performance when evaluated on out-of-sample data. For Taskmaster-1, we show how the order in which instructions are resented, biases the data collection.


The combination of IB and SRP represents a number of novel implementation problems. Unlike PCI and other contemporary bus technologies, IB is an interconnect technology simultaneously accessible by multiple systems. SRP provides a standardized SCSI encapsulation and communication protocol that's independent of the actual storage interconnect technology (for example, SRP should be that same for all IB implementations whether the storage is attached through FC, SCSI or IP). SRP on IB provides an unprecedented level of commonality.


The year 2009 witnessed the rise of China as one of the major players in World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute settlement since it alone accounted for half of the fourteen new WTO disputes initiated in that year. This paper examines China's growing involvement in major WTO dispute settlement activities and concludes that China's participation has been a gradually evolving process. This article explains that China's defensive and offensive positions are generally balanced and argues that China seems to approach WTO disputes on a case-by-case basis rather than by applying any preset litigation avoidance strategy. When faced with negative rulings, China has so far been quite restrained in its reactions and has generally maintained a good record of compliance, but China's future behaviour in this regard may not always be as consistently positive. As to overall performance, this paper demonstrates that China's record has been typical of the bigger WTO Members. Finally, it would be unfair to assess this record only with reference to the global ranking of China's trade volumes and economic size while ignoring China's short period of WTO membership and lack of historical experience in international dispute settlement proceedings.


Fast, localised motion detection is crucial for an efficient attention mechanism. We show that modelling a network capable of such motion detection can be performed using spiking neural networks simulated on many-core neuromorphic hard-ware. Moreover, highly sensitive neurons arise from the presented network architecture through unsupervised self-organisation. We use a synaptic rewiring rule which has been shown to enable the formation and refinement of neural topographic maps. Our extension allows newly formed synapses to be initialised with a delay drawn from a uniform distribution. Repeated exposure to moving bars enables neurons to be sensitised to a preferred direction of movement. Incorporating heterogeneous delays results in more sensitive neural responses. A readout mechanism involving a neuron for each learnt motion is sufficient to establish the input stimulus class.


High temperature gas turbines require ceramic abradable coatings for sealing to ensure high efficiency. In this study, a novel method is proposed to deposit porous ceramic coatings through deposition of ceramic spray powder particles in the semi-molten state. The commercially available alumina (Al2O3) powders were spheroidized and screened to a particle size range from 40 to 50 µm for spray deposition. Flame spraying was employed for coating deposition. During deposition, the substrate surface was kept at 500°C. The effect of melting degree of spray particles on coating microstructure was investigated by changing the flame power and spray distance. The porosity of flame-sprayed Al2O3 coatings was estimated by image analysis on coating cross-sectional microstructures. The results showed that porous Al2O3 coatings were successfully prepared with a porosity range up to 59% by flame spray. Moreover, spray parameters such as acetylene flow rate and spray distance have significant influences on the particle melting state, thus the microstructure and the porosity of the coating. With the decrease of acetylene flow rate and spray distance, the porosity of coatings increased due to the decrease of the melting degree of the sprayed particles. At a spray distance of 20 mm, when the acetylene flow rate was reduced from 400 to 200 L/h, the porosity increased from 37% to 59%. The results clearly demonstrated the feasibility to prepare porous abradable coatings of high porosity through surface-melted spray particles.


uPA and PAI-1 are the first novel tumor biological prognostic factors in breast cancer for which the prognostic impact has been validated at the highest level of evidence and hence all evaluation criteria for transfer into clinical practice have been fullfilled. Breast cancer patients with high uPA and/or PAI-1 levels in their primary tumor tissue have a significantly lower chance for cure than patients with low levels of both uPA and PAI-1. Our research that was honored with the Schmidt-Matthiesen-Award 2002 shows for the first time that uPA and PAI-1 are not only prognostic factors but also have a predictive impact with regard to response to adjuvant chemotherapy. Patients with high uPA/PAI-1 derive a significantly greater benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy than patients with low uPA/PAI-1. Benefit from adjuvant endocrine therapy is independent of uPA/PAI-1 status. The resulting question about the optimal chemotherapy for patients with high uPA/PAI-1 is currently being addressed in Germany by the NNBC-3 trial in node-negative breast cancer (AGO, EORTC-RBG) as well as the ADEBAR trial in patients with 4 or more involved axillary lymph nodes. Moreover, our results suggest the use of novel therapeutic agents interfering with the uPA system together with conventional chemotherapy in patients with high uPA/PAI-1 already in early stage disease.


The anesthetic effect of certain steroids in vertebrate systems is well documented, but it is not known if these compounds can cause anesthesia in simpler organisms. To answer this question, ether, short-chain alkanols, and pregnanolone were tested for their ability to induce anesthesia in 20 aquatic species from 7 phyla. Organisms were placed in water containing clinical concentrations of anesthetic. Loss of righting reflex and escape response were used as indicators of anesthesia. All organisms tested responded to ether and short-chain alkanols, but pregnanolone affected only organisms belonging to the phylum Chordata. It is probable that pregnanolone exerts its effect on the gamma amino butyric acid (GABA) receptor, and many invertebrates do possess GABA receptors. These results suggest that a steroid anesthetic binding site appeared early in chordate evolution on a previously existing GABA receptor. Further, this experiment appears to exclude lipid bilayer sites for steroid anesthetic action.


PurposeThe purpose of the present study was to explore the correlation between diffusion parameters assessed by biexponential analysis and the tissue perfusion measured by arterial spin labeling (ASL) imaging in renal allografts. Material and MethodsSeventeen recipients of renal allograft (11 men and 6 women; mean [SD] age, 53.6 [14.1] years) were included in this study. For diffusion-weighted imaging, a paracoronal echo-planar imaging sequence was acquired with 16 b values (range, b = 0−750 s/mm2) and 6 averages at 1.5 T. For the quantitative assessment of transplanted kidney perfusion, a flow-sensitive alternating inversion recovery true fast imaging with steady precession-ASL technique was applied. No respiratory gating was used. For quantitative analysis, region of interest measurements were performed on parameter maps. The Spearman correlation coefficients were calculated to determine the association between mean serum creatinine levels, estimated glomerular filtration rate, the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of pure diffusion, the ADC of pseudodiffusion, the monoexponential ADC, the fraction of pseudodiffusion, and the tissue perfusion ASL values. ResultsIn the renal cortex, the fraction of pseudodiffusion was 17.4% ± 4.0%, the apparent diffusion coefficient of pure diffusion was 160.7 ± 15.0 × 10−5 mm2/s, the monoexponential ADC was 193.2 ± 16.7 × 10−5 mm2/s, and the ADC of pseudodiffusion was 1421.0 ± 237.7 × 10−5 mm2/s. Mean cortical perfusion of renal allografts, as assessed with ASL imaging, was 247.2 ± 75.0 mL/100 g/min. There was a significant correlation between ASL perfusion and the fraction of pseudodiffusion (r = 0.68; P < 0.005) but not with the other diffusion coefficients. Both ASL perfusion and the fraction of pseudodiffusion exhibited a significant correlation with serum creatinine levels (r = 0.51 and r= 0.53, respectively; P < 0.05) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (r = 0.63 and r = 0.54, respectively; P < 0.05). ConclusionsThis is the first study that shows a significant correlation between renal allograft perfusion, as assessed with ASL perfusion measurements, and the fraction of pseudodiffusion derived from biexponential diffusion-weighted imaging measurements.


This paper introduces a novel, generic active learning method for one-class classification. Active learning methods play an important role to reduce the efforts of manual labeling in the field of machine learning. Although many active learning approaches have been proposed during the last years, most of them are restricted on binary or multi-class problems. One-class classifiers use samples from only one class, the so-called target class, during training and hence require special active learning strategies. The few strategies proposed for one-class classification either suffer from their limitation on specific one-class classifiers or their performance depends on particular assumptions about datasets like imbalance. Our proposed method bases on using two one-class classifiers, one for the desired target class and one for the so-called outlier class. It allows to invent new query strategies, to use binary query strategies and to define simple stopping criteria. Based on the new method, two query strategies are proposed. The provided experiments compare the proposed approach with known strategies on various datasets and show improved results in almost all situations.


Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum (CLso) is an economically important plant-pathogen of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) crops in the United States, Mexico, Central America, and New Zealand. Currently, there are no reports of resistance to CLso in tomato cultivars. Identification and development of CLso-resistant cultivars may offer the most efficient way to manage this tomato disease. Resistance of 46 tomato landraces collected in different regions of Mexico, representing a wide range of genetic variability from this country was evaluated. Two assays were done in consecutively years to assess the resistance to CLso under greenhouse conditions. Plants from both tests were inoculated with CLso through 20 Bactericera cockerelli insects per plant. In the first trial, landraces FC22 and FC44 showed a significantly higher proportion of resistant plants, less symptoms severity, and longer incubation time, followed by landraces FC40 and FC33 compared with the rest of the 42 landraces and 2 susceptible cultivars 60 days post inoculation (dpi). In the second assay, only landraces FC22 and FC44 had again significantly higher proportion of resistant plants, less symptoms severity, relative lower CLso titers, and longer incubation time in comparison with landraces FC40 and FC33 and the two susceptible cultivars 60 dpi, corroborating their resistance to CLso. Presence of CLso DNA in all resistant plants from both assays discards scape plants and indicates that the methodology used was adequate to discriminate between resistant and susceptible plants. These results confirm that landraces FC22 and FC44 are promising resistant sources for the development of CLso-resistant cultivars of tomato. Author summary The bacterium "Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum" (CLso) is an important plant-pathogen of tomato crops in the United States, Mexico, Central America, and New Zealand. Tomato growers are lacking of cultivars with resistance to this pathogen and the development of resistant cultivars of this crop would make a sustainable business for these growers and healthy tomato consumption for humans. Tomato landraces from countries that are center of domestication of cultivated crops like Mexico, are potentially sources of resistance to plant-pathogens. Therefore, two tests were done looking for resistance sources to this pathogen and we found two tomato landraces (FC22 and FC44) showing high level of resistance to CLso because they had significantly higher resistant plants, less symptoms severity, lower CLso DNA concentration, and delay of the first symptoms in the inoculated plants in comparison with the two commercial cultivars and 44 tomato landraces collected from Mexico 60 days post infection. These landraces are promising resistant sources for the development of CLso-resistant cultivars of tomato.


A new fracture criterion was proposed. The physical explanation of the criterion is that crack will propagate when the minimum strain energy density in iso hoop stress curve reach a critical strength of the material considered. The resulting curve of critical fracture of mixed mode cracks shows that the present fracture is efficient and more accurate than the previous criteria.


The concept of sufficiency – reducing energy uses beyond technical efficiency – is far-reaching and requires a reflection on human needs, energy services, urban structures, social norms, and the role of policies to support the shift towards lower-energy societies. In recent years, a growing body of literature has been published on energy sufficiency in various disciplines. However, there has been limited exchanges and cooperation among researchers so far, hindering the visibility and impact of this research. This paper presents an assessment of where sufficiency research stands, especially in the perspective of policy-making. It is the first overview paper issued in the context of the newly-founded ENOUGH network – International network for sufficiency research & policy, established in 2017. In the first part, we provide a condensed literature review on energy sufficiency, based on dozens of recent references collected through the network. Through four main themes (the nature of sufficiency, the challenges of modelling it, the barriers to its diffusion, and the approaches to foster it), we summarise the key issues and approaches. We then present what the scholars themselves see as the priorities for future research, promising sufficiency policy options, and key barriers that research should help overcome. We collected their views through a questionnaire completed by more than 40 knowledgeable authors and experts from various disciplines. We finally build on the previous parts to draw some recommendations on how sufficiency research could increase its impact, notably in relation to policy-making.


Multimode Tonpilz transducers operate at longitudinal and flexural vibration modes simultaneously. Consequently, they have wider bandwidths than conventional single-mode transducers. Generally, the performance of Tonpilz transducers is analyzed using the finite element method (FEM), whereas the equivalent circuit method (ECM) has proven to be a fast and efficient alternative to the FEM. However, the ECM for analyzing the acoustic characteristics of multimode Tonpilz transducers has not yet been developed. To address this issue, an equivalent circuit for the multimode Tonpilz transducer is developed herein. The proposed ECM encompasses the flexural characteristics of the Tonpilz head mass, which is impossible with conventional equivalent circuits. Furthermore, a prototype of the multimode Tonpilz transducer was fabricated to verify the validity of the developed ECM. Additionally, the accuracy and compliance of the ECM were confirmed by comparing the measured performance of the transducer with that from the equivalent circuit analysis.


The Barnett shale basin, the largest onshore gas field in the state of Texas, mainly produces natural gas. The basin's oil and gas productions have dramatically increased over the past two decades with the enhancement via shale fracturing (fracking) technology. However, recent studies suggest that air emissions from shale fracking have significantly contributed to the growing air pollution problem in North Texas. In this study, air emissions from the Barnett shale basin during the production phase of the oil and gas activities (once the product is collected from the wells) are quantified. Oil and gas production data were acquired from the Texas Railroad Commission for the baseline years of 2010 through 2013. Methodology from prior studies on shale basins approved by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality was employed in this study and the emission inventories from the production phase sources were quantified. Accordingly, the counties with the most gas operations in the basin, Tarrant, Johnson, Denton and Wise, were found to be the highest emitters of air pollutants. Tarrant County was responsible for the highest emitted NOx (42,566 tons) and CO (17,698 tons) in the basin, while Montague County released the maximum VOC emissions (87,601 tons) during the study period. Amongst the concerned emitted pollutants, VOC was the largest emitted pollutant during the study period (417,804 tons), followed by NOx (126,691 tons) and CO (47,884 tons). Significant Sources of air emissions include: storage tanks, wellhead compressor engines, and pneumatic devices. Storage tanks and pneumatic devices contributed to about 62% and 28% of the total VOC emissions, respectively. Whereas, wellhead compressor engines are primarily responsible for about 97% of the total NOx emissions. Finally, in Tarrant, Wise and Denton counties, the emissions increased during the study period due to increase in the oil and gas production, while Johnson County's emission contribution declined throughout the study period.


To the Editor: Myiasis is an infestation of human tissue by the larval stage of flies of the order Diptera. There are 3 clinical manifestations of myiasis: localized furuncular myiasis typically caused by Dermatobia hominis, Cordylobia anthropophaga, Wohlfahrtia vigil, and Cuterebra spp.; creeping dermal myiasis caused by Gasterophilus spp. and Hypoderma spp.; and wound and body cavity myiasis caused by Cochliomyia hominivorax, Chrysomya bezziana, and Wohlfahrtia magnifica (1). The Tumbu fly (C. anthropophaga) and the human botfly (D. hominis) are the most common vectors for myiasis in Africa and the tropical Western Hemisphere, respectively (2). The genus Cordylobia also contains 2 less common species (C. ruandae and C. rodhaini) (3). Infection with C. rodhaini (Lund's fly) is less common.

A review of the literature showed only 7 reports of C. rodhani myiasis in travelers from countries such as Australia (3), Italy (4), Canada (5), France (6), and Israel (7). All travelers were infested after travel to eastern and western regions of central Africa. In humans, the skin lesion starts as a painful red papule that gradually enlarges and develops into a furuncle. Typically, the center of the lesion has an opening, through which the larva breaths and discharges its waste products. Cutaneous myiasis is usually an uncomplicated and self-limiting disease. The flies have adapted to tropical environments, and spread to areas in which this disease is not endemic is unlikely.

In the emergency department, cellulitis or furuncular lesions are common with a broad differential diagnosis. With the introduction of bedside ultrasonography in the emergency department, ultrasonographic evaluation of soft tissue infections is more accurate than clinical examination in detecting abscesses (8,9). Ultrasonographic examination of soft tissue infections enables more accurate localization of an associated abscess and the potential to more specifically identify etiology such as a foreign body (10). We report a rare case of cutaneous myiasis caused by C. rodhaini larvae in a traveler returning from tropical Africa.

The patient was a 26-year-old woman who came to the emergency department at Toronto East General Hospital with a 10-day history of a painful red lesion on her left upper arm. She had first assumed it to be an insect bite, but during the preceding few days the swelling had greatly increased. She had no constitutional symptoms other than a persisting mild cough for which she had taken a 5-day course of amoxicillin ≈2 weeks before coming to the hospital. Her medical history was noncontributory. She reported that 7 days earlier she had returned from a 1-month trip to Ethiopia. During her stay in Ethiopia, she had been primarily in rural areas but did not report contact with sick persons. Her vital signs were normal.

Physical examination showed a 2.5-cm2 erythematous area on the lateral aspect of the upper arm (Figure, panel A). There was a 1-mm central punctum and local tenderness. Discharge, streaking, or proximal adenopathy were not present. Other results of the examination were noncontributory. Results of a complete blood count and liver function tests were within reference ranges. Results of a chest radiographic were normal.

Figure

A) Lateral aspect of the upper arm of a 26-year-old woman showing cutaneous myiasis and an erythematous lesion 2.5 cm in diameter, Canada. B) Cordylobia rodhaini larva (length ≈1 cm) isolated from the erythematous lesion. Scale bar = 10 mm. C) ...

Bedside ultrasonography was performed to assess possible abscess. During ultrasonography, the patient reported a biting sensation and increased pain in the area of the lesion. Ultrasonographic images of the lesion showed an area of spontaneous movement just below the skin, suggestive of cutaneous myiasis (Video).

Video

Ultrasonographic image of a lesion on the upper arm of a 26-year-old woman who returned to Canada from Ethiopia, showing an area of spontaneous movement just below the skin, suggestive of cutaneous myiasis.

Treatment for myiasis can be conservative or surgical. Surgical treatment consists of mechanical removal of the larva. After consultation with infectious disease specialists, we covered the lesion with standard lubricating jelly and Op Site Flexfix transparent adhesive (Smith and Nephew, St. Laurent, Quebec, Canada) to obtain a seal. Approximately 45 minutes later, a 1-cm, white–yellow larvae emerged from the area and was removed intact with the dressing (Figure, panel B). C. rodhaini was identified by its characteristic posterior spiracles and the pattern of the larvae (Figure, panel C). Another occlusive dressing was applied before patient discharge. At follow-up 4 days later, the lesion was no longer symptomatic and the patient refused further treatment.

Physicians should consider myiasis in patients who have a furuncular lesion after returning from tropical countries. Bedside ultrasonography rapidly confirmed the diagnosis of myiasis, enabling immediate and appropriate treatment. Travelers should be aware of this potential infestation with the less common Lund's fly and not only avoid direct contact with clothes left outside but also avoid direct contact with infested material (5).


Legal issues encroach into almost every aspect of modern day education in Ireland.
 Education and the Law has been completely updated since the last edition published in 2012. It examines in detail recent key legislation including the Education (Admissions to School) Act 2018 and the Data Protection Act 2018. It has also been restructured for ease of use and reference.
 An essential title, it examines the legal issues surrounding teaching and education, such as the employment of teachers, school discipline, bullying, freedom of information, and the State's responsibility for educating children with special educational needs.
 Membership of the European Union has also resulted in many changes arising from the principles of free movement, non-discrimination and the common vocational training policy. These developments, as well as the key legislation (including the Education Act 1998, the Education (Welfare) Act 2000, the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 and the Disability Act 2005) are examined in detail.
 Education and the Law also takes an historical look at the legal aspects of the education system in Ireland, and it traces the distinctive development of the Irish education system but it also looks at the future direction of education in Ireland and at the likely impact of equality law, human rights law and membership of the enlarged European Community on Ireland's largely denominational education system.
 Elizabeth-Ann Kirwan contributed to this edition. Elizabeth-Ann is a practising barrister. She is a member of the Bar of Ireland and holds a Barrister-at-Law Degree from the Honorable Society of the King's Inns. She is an experienced educator: a qualified teacher, with a wide teaching experience at school, third level, and continuing professional education. She is also experienced in industrial relations matters, advising and representing employees and employers in employment and professional statutory procedures.