In this study, the Jacobi wavelet collocation method is studied to derive a
 solution of the time-fractional Fisher?s equation in Caputo sense. Jacobi
 wavelets can be considered as a generalization of the wavelets since the
 Gegenbauer, and thus also Chebyshev and Legendre polynomials are a special
 type of the Jacobi polynomials. So, more accurate and fast convergence
 solutions can be possible for some kind of problems thanks to Jacobi
 wavelets. After applying the proposed method to the considered equation and
 discretizing the equation at the collocation points, an algebraic equation
 system is derived and solving the equation system is quite sim?ple rather
 than solving a non-linear PDE. The obtained values of our method are checked
 against the other numerical and analytic solution of considered equation in
 the literature and the results are visualized by using graphics and tables
 so as to reveal whether the method is effectiveness or not. The obtained
 results evince that the wavelet method is quite proper because of its simple
 algorithm, high accuracy and less CPU time for solving the considered
 equation.


Isobavachalcone (ISO) exhibits good anti-inflammatory activity. We evaluated the renoprotective effects of ISO against diabetic nephropathy (DN). Diabetic rats established by the single injection of streptozotocin (STZ) were orally treated with ISO. The levels of serum creatinine (Scr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and 24 hr urinary protein were measured. In this study, ISO effectively ameliorated renal damage by reducing BUN, Scr, and 24 hr urinary protein and also improved kidney pathological appearances. ISO prevented STZ-caused apoptosis in the glomerular tissue in vivo and blocked the high glucose (HG)-induced growth inhibitory effect in human renal glomerular endothelial cells in vitro. Moreover, ISO reduced pro-inflammatory mediator production and blocked the NF-κB pathway in the damaged renal tissues and HG-treated HRGEC cells. Taken together, the results of this study indicate that ISO consumption might have significant beneficial effects on the DN and this action might be correlated with the modulation of the NF-κB pathway. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: ISO is an active compound from the dried ripe fruit of Psoralea corylifolia L. seed, which is traditionally served as a food ingredient in Asia. In this investigation, we observed the beneficial effects of ISO on a murine model with DN. Further research revealed that the protective action of ISO might be connected with its weak hypoglycaemic and notable anti-inflammatory effects. Our research data suggest that ISO-enriched food might be a good choice for people suffering from DN.


This article describes Janet's concept of psychological trauma and the formation of rigid thought complexes (fixed ideas). This concept forms the basis for Janet's functional nosology of the neuroses, and is related to his dynamic psychology of conduct or action. It can be viewed as an early self-regulation model, because it contains a stratified bio-, socio-, and psycho-genetic hierarchy of behavioral "tendencies" that produce a more or less adaptive act by means of two hypothesized intervening variables: psychological force and psychological tension. Fixed ideas are viewed within this framework as an outcome of deficient processes of adaptation to psychological trauma. The article closes by pointing out affinities between Janet's psychological concept and modern cognitive and behavioral therapies.


In Low-Power and Lossy Networks (LLNs), memory constraints on routers
may limit them to maintaining, at most, a few routes. In some
configurations, it is necessary to use these memory-constrained
routers to deliver datagrams to nodes within the LLN. The Routing
Protocol for Low-Power and Lossy Networks (RPL) can be used in some
deployments to store most, if not all, routes on one (e.g., the
Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG) root) or a few routers and forward the
IPv6 datagram using a source routing technique to avoid large routing
tables on memory-constrained routers. This document specifies a new
IPv6 Routing header type for delivering datagrams within a RPL routing
domain. [STANDARDS-TRACK]


Development of preprogrammable conductive nanowires is a requisite for the future fabrication of nanoscale electronics based on molecular assembly. Here, we report the synthesis of conductive metal nanowires from nucleoprotein filaments, complexes of single- or double-stranded DNA and RecA protein. A genetically engineered RecA derivative possessing a reactive and surface accessible cysteine residue was reacted with functionalized gold particles, resulting in nucleoprotein filaments with gold particles attached. The template-based gold particles were enlarged by chemical deposition to form uniformly metallized nanowires. The programming information can be encoded in DNA sequences so that an intricate electrical circuit can be constructed through self-assembly of each component. As the RecA filament has higher degree of stiffness than double-stranded DNA, it provides a robust scaffold that allows us to fabricate more reliable and well-organized electrical circuitry at the nanoscale. Furthermore, the function of homologous pairing provides sequence-specific junction formation as well as sequence-specific patterning metallization.


Linear Friction Welding (LFW) has tremendous potential for joining components from similar and dissimilar materials, avoiding material melting and introducing minimal distortion and only moderate levels of residual stress. However, the significant amount of attendant shear introduces preferred crystal orientations that have not yet been well studied. The "one-shot" approach to the interpretation of multi-element energy-dispersive X-ray powder diffraction data allows preferred orientation analysis without any sample preparation (cutting or polishing) or sample rotation. The key step for texture analysis by X-ray powder diffraction is the derivation of the orientation distribution function (ODF) from experimental data. Matlab toolbox "MTEX" provides a powerful function "calcODF" based on the harmonics method for this purpose. In the study reported in this paper, energy dispersive X-ray diffraction patterns were collected using the "horseshoe" multi-element energy-dispersive Ge detector installed on the JEEP beamline at Diamond Light Source. A single exposure was used for each gauge volume of interest, and a line was scanned across an Aluminum 2024 alloy LFW sample. The patterns were converted into raw pole figures through single peak fitting and equal area projection. The ODF calculation was performed based on these pole figures using Matlab toolbox "MTEX". As a result, full pole figures obtained after ODF calculation were obtained. These are presented and discussed. The results show that the thermal-mechanical processes that occur during the LFW process lead to significant modification of the orientation distribution, but cause only moderate changes in the texture index.


: This study was carried out to determine whether high insemination concentrations (HIC) could improve fertilization and pregnancy rates in patients who had either previously demonstrated poor fertilization rates in vitro using standard protocols (Group 1) or in whom a reduced chance of fertilization was indicated at semen assessment prior to in-vitro fertilization (IVF) (Groups 2 and 3). Forty nine patients were recruited for the study. Standard IVF was carried out in 1 ml volumes using 10(5) spermatozoa/ml. HIC treatment involved co-culture of spermatozoa and oocytes in microdroplets with insemination concentrations increased 10-50 fold higher than standard IVF. Fertilization and pregnancy rates were compared between standard IVF and HIC in individual patients either in consecutive cycles (Group 1) or using sibling oocytes in the same cycle (Group 2). Group 3 patients were treated with HIC for their first treatment cycle. HIC significantly improved the fertilization rate compared with standard IVF for Groups 1 (59.7 +/- 10.7 versus 19.6 +/- 5.4% respectively) and 2 (54.9 +/- 8.5 versus 34.0 +/- 8.5% respectively). HIC increased the pregnancy rate from 0% with standard IVF to 20% per embryo transfer in Group 1 patients. A single pregnancy derived from the transfer of HIC and IVF embryos occurred in Group 2. The fertilization rate (47.2 +/- 7.6%) and pregnancy rate (31.3% per embryo transfer) for Group 3 patients was higher than predicted. There was no increase in the rate of polyploidy with HIC. Provided there are sufficient numbers of motile spermatozoa, HIC may be offered as an initial form of treatment, thus permitting referral of only the poorest responders for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).


In this research, hydrothermal-calcination route was applied to synthesize In2O3 nanoparticles for gas sensor application. Hydrothermal synthesis with duration of 5 h at 180°C resulted in In(OH)3 nanorods. Then, in the calcination step, considering controlled rate of heating and temperature, In2O3 nanoparticles with rough surfaces were obtained. In the next step, these nanoparticles were deposited by low frequency AC electrophoretic deposition between the interdigitated electrodes to fabricate gas sensor. Deposition in the frequency of 10 kHz resulted in the chained nanoparticles in the interelectrode space. At the end, gas sensitivity measurements were conducted at 150°C–300°C and revealed that fabricated sensor had fast response and recovery times to NO2 gas.


. Adefovir dipivoxil is an ester prodrug of the nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor adefovir (PMEA), the prototype compound of the acyclic nucleoside phosphonates. It has better oral bioavailability than the parent compound. . Adefovir dipivoxil 120mg once daily significantly reduced viral load compared with placebo when added to standard antiretroviral therapy in a 6-month, double-blind study in patients with HIV infection. Viral suppression was maintained during an additional 6-month nonblind extension phase. . The drug was most effective in patients with baseline isolates containing the M184V lamivudine resistance mutation according to data from a virological substudy of a large placebo-controlled trial. . Adefovir dipivoxil 60mg was as effective as 120mg (both once daily) after 20 weeks' treatment in a randomised double-blind study in antiretroviral-experienced (protease inhibitor-naive) patients. . Viral suppression was generally maintained in patients who developed new reverse transcriptase mutations during adefovir dipivoxil monotherapy or combination therapy for up to 12 months. No clear pattern of particular clinical resistance mutations has emerged. . GI disturbances, hepatic effects and delayed renal abnormalities are the principal adverse events seen with adefovir dipivoxil. Reductions in serum free carnitine levels may occur and coadministration of L-carnitine is recommended.


— This paper represents the quality of the gravel used in road construction has a profound positive impact on road service life. The potential use of calcium chloride as a dust control agent and material for stabilizing the base of unpaved roads has been researched. However, the quality of the gravel may be impacted if calcium chloride is introduced as a dust suppressant into it. The main aim of this research is to examine the increase in strength of soil specimens treated with calcium chloride and to evaluate how different proportions of calcium chloride as a dust suppressant and base stabilizer affect the California Bearing Ratio value of the soil samples. Mixtures of natural gravel and gravel with varying amounts of calcium chloride were analyzed for their Atterberg limits, grading, maximum dry density, CBR properties, and optimum moisture content. The changes in the characteristics of the gravel -calcium chloride mixtures were analyzed. It was found that the particle size distribution and Atterberg limits remained largely unchanged. However, the optimum moisture content (OMC) decreased from 9.2% to 7.6%, 7.4%, and 7.2% with calcium chloride added at percentages of2 percent, 3 percent, and4 percent per volume of dry soil, respectively. Observation of the mixture revealed an increase in the maximum dry density (MDD) as the ratios of calcium chloride were altered. The maximum dry density significantly increased from 2.15 Mg/m3to 2.31 Mg/m3, 2.35Mg/m3, and 2.36Mg/m3, respectively. Along with this, the California Bearing Ratio (CBR) demonstrated an improvement of 25% to 29%, 32%, and 36% at 95% compaction with an increase in the ratios of calcium chloride. The increase in dry density can be explained by the improved bonding between particles and the reduction of air voids. This increase in dry density, in turn, positively influences the California Bearing Ratio by transforming soil structure from a dispersed state to a flocculated state. It can be inferred from the results that calcium chloride has the potential to function as a stabilizer for unpaved roads. The findings of this study are expected to reduced life cycle costs for unpaved roads, provide insights for the best approach to materials analysis for unpaved roads, and contribute to environmental benefits by minimizingdust emissions into the atmosphere and reducing the release of chemicals into nature.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the association of personal accomplishment (PA) with the other subscales, assess its association with well-being outcomes, and evaluate drivers of PA by resident level.

BACKGROUND
Most studies investigating physician burnout focus on the emotional exhaustion (EE) and depersonalization (DP) subscales, neglecting PA. Therefore, the role of PA is not well understood.

METHODS
General surgery residents were surveyed following the 2019 American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination regarding their learning environment. Pearson correlations of PA with EE and DP were assessed. Multivariable logistic regression models assessed the association of PA with attrition, job satisfaction, and suicidality and identified factors associated with PA by postgraduate year.

RESULTS
Residents from 301 programs were surveyed (85.6% response rate, N=6,956). Overall, 89.4% reported high PA, which varied by PGY-level (PGY1: 91.0%, PGY2/3: 87.7%, PGY4/5: 90.2%; p=0.02). PA was not significantly correlated with EE (r=-0.01) or DP (r=-0.08). After adjusting for EE and DP, PA was associated with attrition (OR 0.60, 95%CI 0.46-0.78) and job satisfaction (OR 3.04, 95%CI 2.45-3.76) but not suicidality (OR 0.72, 95%CI 0.48-1.09). While the only factor significantly associated with PA for interns was resident cooperation, time in operating room and clinical autonomy were significantly associated with PA for PGY2/3. For PGY4/5s, PA was associated with time for patient care, resident cooperation, and mentorship.

CONCLUSION
PA is a distinct metric of resident well-being, associated with job satisfaction and attrition. Drivers of PA differ by PGY level and may be targets for intervention to promote resident wellness and engagement.


Abstract The aim of this study was comparing measuring tools for detecting physical comfortness with variation of garment pressure. The measuring tools for detecting physical comfortness were EEG and survey questionnaire. Two low-pressure compressionwears and a commercial compressionwear (girdle) were tested. Results showed that the questionnaire survey well detected suffocation or motion comfortness. But it did not discrete the appropriate tightness of the compressionwears. The results of EEG analysis show that the absolute power of α-wave value was elevated with the low-pressure compressionwears. It also showed lower stress value. The high-pressure compressionwear presented decreased absolute power of α-wave value. It showed higher stress value. These results implicate that EEG can appropriatly indicate the change of physical comfortness of compressionwear. The appropriate tightness of compressionwear can be measured with EEG analysis rather than survey questionnaire.Keywords: compressionwear(컴프레션웨어), garment pressure(의복압), comfortness(쾌적감), EEG(뇌파)


CuInS2 quantum dots encapsulated in ZnS shells have emerged as less-toxic alternatives to cadmium-based nanoparticles. A well-established synthesis route for hydrophobic CIS/ZnS core/shell QDs has been developed using dodecanethiol as a ligand, solvent and source of sulfur, although the transfer of these nanoparticles into the aqueous phase still proves to be non-trivial. In this study we demonstrate that coating CIS/ZnS with an amphipol, poly(maleic anhydride-alt-1-tetradecene), 3-(dimethylamino)-1-propylamine derivative is an effective method to disperse CIS/ZnS QDs in the aqueous environment. The polymer-coated QDs display good colloidal stability over a wide pH range and low sensitivity to the presence of various metal salts, except Cu2+ for which some sensitivity is observed. Cytotoxic effects were tested in HaCat cells and compared to thioglycolic acid modified CdTe/ZnS QDs. Neither CdTe nor CIS QDs decreased viability until above 10 μg mL−1 in a WST-1 assay. By also assessing the toxicity of the PMAL-d polymer it is clear that remaining toxicity of the CIS/ZnS QDs is predominately due to the polymer coating rather than the QD core. Interestingly, MTT assays seem to artificially exaggerate cytotoxicity of the QDs, which we ascribe to the QDs interfering with the MTT or formazan crystals.


The Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) is the basis for many image compression technologies. In this paper, we propose an efficient VLSI architecture to compute lifting-based 2-D 3-level DWT coefficients concurrently. In comparison with other 2-D DWT architectures, the advantages of the proposed one have higher hardware utilization, less storage size, and regular data flow.


A two locus model is constructed for selection of a gene closely linked to the S locus in pin-thrum plants or to the sex determining part of the Y chromosome. Using this model, conditions for stability at the equilibrium point which is predicted by one-locus theory when there is heterozygotic superiority are derived. If the recombination value is small, it is found that this equilibrium point is unstable and that the gene frequencies go to a new stable equilibrium point at which the population has a higher average fitness. A few simple cases of selection and the implication of these to the theory of the evolution of the Y chromosome are discussed.


In order to extract class association rules more effectively when dealing with large attributes set, Genetic Network Programming (GNP) based class association rule mining with Attributes Importance has been proposed in this paper. The main difference between the proposed method and the conventional GNP-based class association rule mining is that Attributes Importance is introduced to affect the attributes selection and genetic operations during the GNP evolution process. The comparison has been carried out by applying the proposed method and the conventional GNP-based class association rule mining to the rules extraction with regard to the interested products on the Internet shop for different customers. The simulation results shows that the efficiency of rules extraction is improved greatly by adopting the proposed method.


We consider a non relativistic charged particle in a 1-dimensional infinite square potential well. This quantum system is subjected to a control, which is a uniform (in space) time depending electric field. It is represented by a complex probability amplitude solution of a Schrodinger equation on a 1-dimensional bounded domain, with Dirichlet boundary conditions. We prove the almost global approximate stabilization of the eigenstates by explicit feedback laws.


The crystallographic structure and magnetic properties of La(Fe11.4Al1.6)C0.02 are studied by magnetic measurement and powder neutron diffraction with temperature and applied magnetic field. Rietveld refinement shows that La(Fe11.4Al1.6)C0.02 crystallizes into the cubic NaZn13-type with two different Fe sites: FeI (8b) and FeII (96i), and that Al atoms preferentially occupy the FeII site. A ferromagnetic state can be induced at a medial temperature of 39 K-139 K by an external magnetic field of 0.7 T, and a large lattice is correspondingly found at 100 K and 0.7 T. In all other conditions, La(Fe11.4Al1.6)C0.02 has no net magnetization in the paramagnetic (T > TN = 182 K) or antiferromagnetic states, and thus keeps its small lattice. Analysis of the Fe—Fe bond length indicates that the ferromagnetic state prefers longer Fe—Fe distances.


In this research, modification of pinhole apparatus is made as required by specification of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM D4647 – 93), which works on the basis that distilled water is passed horizontally under the influence of flow of hydraulic amount (50 mm) through a small hole diameter (1 mm) in the soil sample. The nature of the solution, which passes through the sample under the primary head (50 mm) gives index through which a principle to distinguish between dispersive and non-dispersive clays, where the flow of clay diffuses dark and increasingly hole diameter that operate in the sample quickly resulting in an increase in the flow rate. The apparatus has been modified to take into consideration any angle with the horizon (from zero up to 90) and thus can represent cases of flow closer to reality, as the standard apparatus is applicable to prove horizontally, i.e., it is assumed inevitably flow horizontal (horizontal flow) and direction perpendicular to the layers of the soil. Since the primary application to pinhole is in the earth dams, the flow of water through the earth dam rarely is horizontal. So the current development represents more accurately practice. In addition, the modification included a method to prepare the sample in the compaction model in a manner similar to standard compaction test when the moisture content and dry density are required. This required the use of a pipe pushed in the compaction mold to extract the pinhole test sample. The model is cut to the desired length and then admitted into the cylinder of the pinhole accurately, and this way assures getting a sample with the required properties of density and water content accurately and easily while ensuring homogeneity of the soil instead of the previous method. As well as water tank has been developed through mobile sitting on a metal platform to achieve different mobile hydraulic heads provided by the test specification.


The COBIT - Control Objectives for Information and related Technology corresponds to a structure that embraces all the activities related to the "informatics" for the Information Technology (IT) governance, while the ITIL - Information Technology Infrastructure Library helps in the definition of the processes associated to the IT services which complements the initiative of businesses processes. In general, the ITIL is centered on the best practices in order to ensure the delivery and support of the IT services. These two frameworks (or guidelines) are widely recognized by their complementarity for the IT governance. In this context, after the applicability of the certification of quality services (in particular the ISO 9001 standard) in a Portuguese Private School of the basic and secondary levels, this work was centered in the study, implementation and use of ITIL and COBIT frameworks with the purpose of management and control the IT and in this way, ensure the IT and Information Systems (IS) governance in the institution. The implementation of these frameworks in the institution made possible the management and control of the IT and IS, bringing advantages in terms of performance and efficiency of the quality of the services, as well as a more efficient monitoring in the control of the technological infrastructure, namely through the reduction of 23% in the number of time spent on the accomplishment of tasks; in the reduction of 25% in the number of incidents that were solved and closed by the several information technology services, as well as in the reduction of 10% in the number of reopened incidents.


The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) [7] presents the criteria that the Coastal State has to follow in order to establish the outer limits of its continental shelf. The Commission of the Limits of the Continental Shelf published the document CLCS/1 on May 13, 2009, which describes the guidelines that the Coastal State must adopt and follow for the construction of their continental shelf outer limits. The criterion of 1% sediment was applied on some part of the Brazilian continental margin to determine the outer limits of the continental shelf. The development of the methodology took into account a base composed of multichannel seismic reflection and refraction seismic data. Multi-channel reflection seismic data accounted for the largest contribution to the database. This work has the purpose to present an approach evaluation of the horizontal uncertainties associated with points of 1% sediment thickness obtained from the conversion of thickness of sediment measured in two-way travel time reflection (mili-seconds) recorded in the seismic multichannel reflection section into thickness measured in depth (meter). The results indicate that the points of 1% sediment thickness used in the Southern part of the Brazilian Southern Continental Margin (BCSM) are entitled with the guidelines of the CLCS / 11.


Rigid hydroxyapatite (HAp)-alginate beads were prepared as drug delivery carriers for an anti-cancer drug, paclitaxel (Taxol). Paclitaxel was loaded into the HAp microparticle in process of a spray-drying technique. The HAp-alginate beads including paclitaxel were obtained by a droplet method into barium solution as ionic cross-linkage and dehydration. Cross-sectional analyses indicated the homogeneity of HAp microparticles and barium ions inside the bead. The ratio of alginate to HAp in the beads dominated both mechanical and swelling properties. Drug-release experiment demonstrated the sustained release of paclitaxel from the beads cross-linked with barium ion for 7 days.


Taking a cue from nature, self-assembly of molecular building blocks to form larger-scale functional elements is an attractive, "bottoms-up" approach for fabricating nanometer-size devices. DNA is a promising construction material for growing well-defined nanostructures. DNA oligonucleotides have unique and predictable recognition capabilities and materials of different properties (e.g., proteins) can be readily synthesized from this template. Furthermore, nucleic acids can be processed with exquisite precision by enzymes such as nucleases and polymerases.


We have developed a method for distinguishing fragments of DNA that contain single-base mismatches from their perfectly paired homologues. Single-stranded regions within a duplex fragment are accessible to 1-cyclohexyl-3-(2-[4-(4-methyl)morpholinyl]ethyl)carbodiimide, which reacts with unpaired guanidylate and thymidylate residues in DNA. Intact linear duplex DNA molecules do not react with carbodiimide, whereas DNA molecules containing single-base mismatches react quantitatively. After carbodiimide reaction, the DNA molecules are electrophoresed in high-percentage polyacrylamide gels so that modified and unmodified fragments can be resolved. Application of this technique should make it possible to locate and purify DNA fragments that exhibit sequence differences from those that do not; these might be used to signal phenotypic variation as well as to diagnose inherited disease.


One of the many problems facing the nursing profession today is the lack of preparedness of its leaders. Nursing educators, collaborating with nursing service, can teach baccalaureate students leadership skills and to develop leadership styles. Experiential real-world management tasks selected by faculty and head nurses can serve as learning opportunities. Students can learn leadership ability and change style. Utilizing t-test, the before and after course mean scores on the standardized Leadership Ability Evaluation instrument were statistically analyzed. Significant differences and style changes were identified. Students in the total class became more effective leaders as did the students in both the traditional and experiential groups. Traditional students (lecture only) became less autocratic-submissive and more democratic. The experiential group significantly became less autocratic-aggressive, less laissez-faire and more democratic.


Abstract We have sequenced the complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of the leafhopper Idioscopus clypealis in Idiocerinae, the mitochondrial genome sequences to be 15,393 bp with an A + T content of 78.3%. The mitogenome includes 13 protein-coding genes, two ribosomal RNA genes, 22 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, and one non-coding [A + T]-rich region. These genes are in the same order as in the Idioscopus nitidulus. All protein-coding genes have ATN as the start codon, TAA and single T as the stop codon. The phylogenetic tree confirms that I. clypealis and I. nitidulus are clustered into a clade, and provides the relationships between the Megophthalminae, Deltocephalinae, Idiocerinae, Cicadellinae, and Typhloeybinae.


Progressive Neural Network Learning is a class of algorithms that incrementally construct the network's topology and optimize its parameters based on the training data. While this approach exempts the users from the manual task of designing and validating multiple network topologies, it often requires an enormous number of computations. In this paper, we propose to speed up this process by exploiting subsets of training data at each incremental training step. Three different sampling strategies for selecting the training samples according to different criteria are proposed and evaluated. We also propose to perform online hyperparameter selection during the network progression, which further reduces the overall training time. Experimental results in object, scene and face recognition problems demonstrate that the proposed approach speeds up the optimization procedure considerably while operating on par with the baseline approach exploiting the entire training set throughout the training process.


Many scientific datasets are compositional in nature. Important examples include species abundances in ecology, rock compositions in geology, topic compositions in large-scale text corpora, and sequencing count data in molecular biology. Here, we provide a causal view on compositional data in an instrumental variable setting where the composition acts as the cause. Throughout, we pay particular attention to the interpretation of compositional causes from the viewpoint of interventions and crisply articulate potential pitfalls for practitioners. Focusing on modern highdimensional microbiome sequencing data as a timely illustrative use case, our analysis first reveals that popular one-dimensional information-theoretic summary statistics, such as diversity and richness, may be insufficient for drawing causal conclusions from ecological data. Instead, we advocate for multivariate alternatives using statistical data transformations and regression techniques that take the special structure of the compositional sample space into account. In a comparative analysis on synthetic and semi-synthetic data we show the advantages and limitations of our proposal. We posit that our framework may provide a useful starting point for cause-effect estimation in the context of compositional data.


The synthesis of novel metal-free and magnesium porphyrazines, peripherally substituted with dithia-dioxa (S2O2) and tetrathia (S4) 14-membered macrocycles were performed by cyclotetramerization of (6Z)-1,3,4,9,10,12-hexahydro-2,5,8,11-benzo-dioxadithiacyclotetradecine-6,7-dicarbodinitrile (3) or (6Z)-1,3,4,9,10,12-hexahydro 2,5,8,11-benzotetrathiacyclotetradecine-6,7-dicarbodinitrile (5). The metal-free porphyrazines have been obtained by known route. The structure of compounds were characterized by elemental analysis and 1H, 13C NMR, IR, UV-vis, and MS spectral data. The solvent extraction properties of the synthesized compounds towards some metal cations, such as Ag(I), Hg(II), Cu(II), Mn(II), Cr(III), Ni(II), Pb(II), and Zn(II) have been investigated. The effect of Cu2+, Mn2+, Ni2+, Pb2+, Sr2+, Al3+, Zn2+, Ba2+, Cd2+, Co2+, Hg2+, and Ag+ ions on the absorption spectra of the compounds were investigated by means of spectrophotometric method. Magnesium porphyrazine with S2O2 (6) interacted within Hg2+ ion specifically of all the tested metal ions.


In an oral calcium-loading test performed on 10 infants with vitamin-D deficiency rickets and low fasting calcium levels, a comparison of results before and after therapy showed that vitamin D raised the serum calcium level at each stage of the test and altered the response so that a more rapid and substantial rise and fall in serum calcium occurred. The effects of vitamin D therapy on newborn infants with hypocalcaemic hyperphosphataemic tetany in another study suggests that these infants should be treated in this way to make them more responsive to oral calcium therapy.


anid attacks of powerlessness associated with halluciniations of the patienit's mother or brothers kneeling beside himn, sometimes giving him calm and kindly advice. R. G. G. [18] A cavernous angioma of the mesencephalon (Di un caso di angioma cavernoso del mesencefalo).-C. DEMEL. IR Cervello, 1929, viii, 1. IN the case of a man of 51 who died of lobar pneumonia, a cavernous angioma of the superior corpora quadrigemina was an accidental finding at alutopsy. A description of the histological character of the tunmour is followed by a discussion of a number of analogous cases from the literature. In view of thl site of the lesion it is regrettable that Ino clinical examniniationi of the nervolus system appears to have been made. S. A. K. W. [19] On the pathogenesis of ophthalmoplegic migraine.HOLGER EHLERS. Acta Psychiat. et Neurol., 1928, iii, 219. THE association of migraine with recurrent paralysis of the oculomuotor nerve was first described by Gubler in 1860; the name 'migraine ophtalmnoplegique' was suggested 30 years later by Charcot. In aII excellent review of this svndrome, Ehlers emphasizes the long duration of the history and the iultimate permanence of the condition in many instances. Opinions are divided as to the lesion in respect of the third nerve ; the strict unilaterality of the sigiis and the absence of involvement of other cranial nerves stuggest the peripheral portion of the oculomotorius as the probable location. The close anatomlical associationi of the third nerve with the posterior cerebral artery withinTarini's fossa (the fossa interpeduncularis) leads Ehlers to the following coinception of ophthalmoplegic migraine. Local vasomotor disturbance is the probable pathogenic agent in migraine the posterior cerebral artery is the vessel supplying that part of the cerebrum to which the teichopsia and the hemianopia are referable. It is probable therefore that an intermittent vascular change in the posterior cerebral artery is responsible. Dilatation of this artery will press upon the adjacent third nerve and so interfere with its fllnction (cf. cases of oculomotor palsy due to pressure of aneurysms of the posterior cerebral artery). The author admits that his hypothesis is not applicable to those rare cases of ophthalmoplegic imigraine in w-hich some oc flar nerve other than the third is implicated. M. C. [20] Wilson's disease (Sulla malattia del Wilson).-L. DE Lisi. Riv. pat. nerv. e ment., 1929, xxxiv, 1. THIs is a superb communication of somne 162 pages, based on a personal cease of a typical kind, and beautifully illustrated. Since the appearance of Halls nmonograph there has been nothing to compare with it for its wide conspecttis of the general problemns arising out of the subject an(l for its critical discussion 60


Cardiogenesis is interdependent with blood flow within the embryonic system. Recently, a number of studies have begun to elucidate the effects of hemodynamic forces acting upon and within cells as the cardiovascular system begins to develop. Changes in flow are picked up by mechanosensors in endocardial cells exposed to wall shear stress (the tangential force exerted by blood flow) and by myocardial and mesenchymal cells exposed to cyclic strain (deformation). Mechanosensors stimulate a variety of mechanotransduction pathways which elicit functional cellular responses in order to coordinate the structural development of the heart and cardiovascular system. The looping stages of heart development are critical to normal cardiac morphogenesis and have previously been shown to be extremely sensitive to experimental perturbations in flow, with transient exposure to altered flow dynamics causing severe late stage cardiac defects in animal models. This paper seeks to expand on past research and to begin establishing a detailed baseline for normal hemodynamic conditions in the chick outflow tract during these critical looping stages. Specifically, we will use 4-D (3-D over time) optical coherence tomography to create in vivo geometries for computational fluid dynamics simulations of the cardiac cycle, enabling us to study in great detail 4-D velocity patterns and heterogeneous wall shear stress distributions on the outflow tract endocardium. This information will be useful in determining the normal variation of hemodynamic patterns as well as in mapping hemodynamics to developmental processes such as morphological changes and signaling events during and after the looping stages examined here.


Introduction: Obesity, hypertension and diabetes are the most powerful predictor of cardiovascular diseases in children as well as adults. These factors are interlinked to one another and form a vicious cycle. In Nepal obesity in children is not a priority search for a researcher owing to the overwhelming presence of undernutrition. The main aim of the study was to explore the cardiovascular risk factors among overweight and obese school children of the selected schools
Methods: We performed a cross-sectional descriptive study in a semi urban area private school in Lalitpur district, Nepal in 310 students of age group 14-16 years of 10th grade. The distribution of obesity by BMI and WC category was searched for. Capillary fasting glucose level was measured by glucometer and food habit and physical activities were inquired through structured questionnaire. Height and weight were measured by simple measuring tape and bathroom scale weighing machine. Blood pressure was measured by aneroid sphygmomanometer using standard technique. All the data were compared to the standards of south Indian study of children percentile chart.
Results: Obesity and overweight were found in 18.7 percent children. Pre-hypertension was found in 8.6 percent. Physical inactivity in terms of > 2 hours of TV watching, mobile and video game playing was found in 31.46 percent of obese children which was statistically significant (P<.001). However, there were no children found to be prediabetic.
Conclusions: There is increasing obesity among school going children in semi urban cluster of Kathmandu valley. The physical inactivity in the form of watching TV or playing video games/mobiles is associated with development of obesity. Hypertension is prevalent among obese children.


The plethora of theories in the field of UX can be highly relevant to practice. This paper discusses the successful use of seven theories in the evaluation of TAPT, an experience-oriented design method. Four models of experience and one discussion of working practice and UX were used for direct evaluation; two other theories drove the methodology of TAPT's evaluation.


[Pope John Paul II in Apostolos suos has decreed that doctrinal statements to be issued by episcopal conferences either must have been approved unanimously, or, if approved by a two-thirds majority, must have received the recognitio of the Holy See. The author argues that these requirements are consistent with Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger's opinion that the teaching authority of bishops belongs only to individual bishops, and to the entire college with the pope.]


Soft magnetic amorphous Co-based materials prepared by rapid quenching method in the form of thin ribbon are well-known due to their excellent soft magnetic properties as high permeability, low coercivity, and low magnetic losses in kHz range. The amorphous Co–Fe–B–Si material Vitrovac® 6155 U55 produced by Vacuumschmelze GmbH & Co. KG belongs to this class of materials and was investigated in as-delivered state. The aim of this work was to study DC magnetization process by various experimental methods. We have measured magnetization curve by fluxmeter based hysteresis graph and hysteresis loops by three different fluxmeter based hysteresis graphs, exhibiting significant differences. The first and the second hysteresis graph perform the hysteresis loops measurement by the point-by-point method, either with commutative or with summing steps. The third one is AC hysteresis graph working at very low frequencies down to 7 mHz, performing the continuous method. The explanation of this result is based on the structural after effect influencing the domain wall displacement. We assumed that the domain structure consists of very small number of domain walls responsible for magnetization process, which was confirmed by the visualization of static domain structure by a computer-controlled setup based on the Kerr effect.


Author(s): Maltz, Mia Rose | Advisor(s): Treseder, Kathleen K | Abstract: Ecosystem degradation may reduce biodiversity, including plants and fungi. Although restoration ecologists rarely specify fungal restoration as a desired outcome, restoration methods may either promote or inhibit fungi. Direct fungal restoration may provide benefits to ecosystems and support restoration efforts, but little is known about how either degradation or restoration affect fungi. We investigated how fungi respond to habitat fragmentation in coastal sage scrub (CSS) ecosystems. Using molecular and fluorimetric techniques, we found that leaf-litter fungal activity declined in smaller fragments with less diverse vegetation. We manipulated plant litter diversity using litter bags and found less mass remaining in litter bags containing more diverse litter. Moreover, these litter bags harbored greater numbers of fungal taxa. Our findings suggest that plant diversity controls decomposer fungal diversity and function in fragmented ecosystems. Fragmented landscapes are particularly vulnerable to plant invasions. Both invasive plants and invasive removal methods may harm native plants and fungi. Within invaded CSS ecosystems, we compared invasive plant removal methods, monitored plant communities, and extracted soil fungi. While both herbicide and mowing reduced invasive cover, neither method promoted native plant recovery. Herbicide however had the added benefit of facilitating fungal recovery. Mycorrhizal fungal recovery may support restoration outcomes by providing benefits to plants. However, it is unclear whether directly manipulating mycorrhizal fungi via inoculation has consistent effects across ecosystems or long-term effects on colonization, and whether types of inocula differ in their effectiveness. We synthesized data from restoration studies across ecosystems to examine the effects of inoculation on mycorrhizal establishment and plant growth under field conditions. We found that inoculation consistently increased mycorrhizal abundance across ecosystem types and improved growth and establishment of plants long-term. Both fungi from reference ecosystems and species-specific inoculum improved mycorrhizal associations with plants more than did commercial fungi. Landscape degradation inhibits certain groups of fungi that either cycle nutrients or support plants. Depending on the method used, restoration may either not have any effect on fungi or may promote fungal recovery. We conclude that incorporating fungi into restoration efforts may better facilitate the establishment of both belowground and aboveground components of ecosystems.


The administration and regulation of hazardous wastes and materials in the state of California has for many years been overseen by a number of regulatory agencies that have jurisdiction to undertake or compel cleanup. The jurisdiction and authority of each of these agencies differ, as do their philosophical underpinnings, in terms of protection of human health and the environment versus protection of groundwater resources. In 1993, Senate Bill 1082 was enacted to require the Secretary for Environmental Protection, by January 1, 1996, to adopt implementing regulations and implement a unified hazardous materials management regulatory program to consolidate the administration of specific statutory requirements for the regulation of hazardous wastes and minerals. All aspects of the unified program related to the adoption and interpretation of statewide standards and requirements will be the responsibility under existing law. For example, for underground storage tanks, that agency shall be the state Water Resources Control Board. The Department of Toxic Substances Control shall have the sole responsibility for the determination of whether a waste is hazardous or nonhazardous. Those aspects of the unified program related to the application of statewide standards to particular facilities, including the grant of authorizations, the issuance of permits, the reviewmore » of reports and plans, and the enforcement of those standards and requirements against particular facilities, will be the responsibility of the certified unified program agency.« less


The structure of NARMAX models is described. No new algorithm for structure selection is proposed, but rather the paper investigates how different model structures are produced by a large class of nonlinearities in the system which generates the data. The concept of term clusters is used to understand how different types of terms are required to model nonlinear systems. A term cluster generating mechanism is suggested, this can be used not only to understand how certain types of terms appear in NARMAX models but also, in the case of prior knowledge, such a mechanism can serve as an aid to select the structure of nonlinear models. The results are quite general and can be applied to polynomial, rational and extended-set NARMAX representations.


Abstract. Structured surfaces are used to reduce reflection and enhance light-trapping in silicon solar cells. In this simulation study, we investigated the relationship between the refractive index of front-side coupling structures on top of planar wafer-based crystalline silicon solar cells and the light-trapping performance of the structures. A crossed diffraction grating with a period of 1  μm and random pyramid structures with varying refractive indices were considered. Simulations were carried out both at the cell level and at the complete module stack level. It is shown that the single pass light path enhancement factor (LPEF) only provides a rough estimate of the light-trapping properties. The light-trapping behavior can only be reliably assessed in the complete system level and these results deviate from the estimated single pass LPEF. It can also be shown that the refractive index of the structure strongly influences the light-trapping behavior.


Surgical treatment of a right atrial myxoma with a right-to-left shunt and coronary artery disease was successfully performed in a 61-year-old man. The interatrial shunt occurred through a patent foramen ovale and was the result of a high central venous pressure due to tricuspid stenosis and regurgitation. Instead of right heart catheterization and cardioangiography, we chose an intraoperative blood-gas study to diagnose the intracardiac shunt. Preoperative polycythemia and hypoxemia were improved after removal of the tumor and closure of the patent foramen ovale.


The association of the received signals with exact targets is the most basic and the vital problem in the multitarget applications. In the literature, this problem is known as data association. In the multitarget case, after the association of the received signal with the correct targets, these associated signals can be used in many applications such as target localization and target tracking. The errors in data association are caused to increase the error in the following steps which use the wrong associated signals. In this paper, a new initial data association method is proposed for the frequency-only systems in multitarget case. In general, the time, frequency and phase information of the received signal are used for data association. If the time resolution of the used signals is not good or enough (such as in unmodulated continuous wave (CW) signals), in this case instead of time information, using the frequency information is better.


Recently, White light emitting diodes (WLEDs) have been studied because of many advantages such as lower energy consumption, fast response, high brightness. Glass frit has been interested in LED packages due to their superior properties such as long-term stability and permeability. To maximize the LED light emission characteristic, the glass frit was required a low firing temperature and high refractive index. We selected the bismuth-based glass due to their low melting and high refractive index. This study was investigated characteristics of glass according to the influence of the glass within Bi2O3 content and this glass characteristic change was studied the effects on the optical properties of LED package structure. The properties changes of the glass frit affect the optical property of the mixed paste. With higher contents of Bi203 glass composition, the transmittance and emission intensity of the mixed paste was increased. These results suggest that the difference in refractive index between the phosphor and glass frit is minimized, the loss of light is minimized.


Aspirin is the cornerstone of treatment in patients with coronary artery disease. However, several studies investigating the in vitro response of platelets to the administration of aspirin showed this response to be variable, with some patients exhibiting non-responsiveness or resistance. Aspirin resistance may be categorised as either 'laboratory' or 'clinical'. Laboratory aspirin resistance is defined as the failure of aspirin to inhibit the production of thromboxane A(2) (TxA(2)) by platelets or to inhibit platelet activation that depends on TxA(2) production. Clinical aspirin resistance is defined as the failure to prevent the occurrence of atherothrombotic ischaemic episodes in patients to whom it is administered. So far, there is no generally accepted method for the ex vivo evaluation of platelet activation or for assessing the degree of platelet activation following aspirin administration and data concerning the clinical impact of aspirin resistance are conflicting. For these reasons it is not possible to suggest specific guidelines for the treatment of patients who show high levels of platelet activation or a low level of platelet inhibition after treatment with aspirin. The aim of this review is to present data from laboratory and clinical studies that are related to resistance to aspirin, and to discuss the possible causes, the clinical significance, and the ways of managing such resistance at a clinical level.


A year-long survey of survey of diurnal frog calling behavior was conducted at the Red River Research and Education Park in Shreveport (Caddo Parish), Louisiana to investigate the prevalence of daytime breeding choruses in the species present at the park. We determined that 60% (9/15) of species known from the area participated in daytime breeding choruses. Four of these were new species reports for the behavior. One species was identified entirely based on a daytime chorus from outside the normal breeding season. Although we believe daytime chorusing is widespread in frogs, several species did not diurnally chorus during our study. Diurnal calling may be an important indicator of the peak breeding season for a species and it may also be a useful tool at times when night surveys are impossible.


Abstract Background: Although traditional liposuction still remains the most required body sculpting procedure, laser lipolysis systems are becoming increasingly popular. The feasibility and efficacy of a new 1540-nm diode laser for suction-assisted laser lipolysis were evaluated. Methods: Two hundred-thirty patients underwent a new 1540-nm diode laser lipolysis. Outcomes were determined by case notes, clinical review of side effects, and a questionnaire through which patient satisfaction was assessed. Macroscopic and histologic effects on subcutaneous fat and collagen deposition were evaluated. Moreover thermal effects were studied through thermography. Results: The treated regions were abdomen in 56 cases, thighs in 54, trochanteric area in 27, flanks in 17, neck in 14, arms in 12, breast in 11, hips in 7, knees in 3; 29 cases were revisions of previous lipoplasties. No adverse effect as scarring, infection, burns, hypopigmentation, bruising, or swelling was observed. The required effects of laser lipolysis such as contour reshaping and skin tightening were achieved in almost all patients with high levels of satisfaction after treatment. Conclusion: Our investigation highlighted the safety and efficacy of the new 1540-nm diode laser assisted liposuction device for removal of small volumes of fat deposits associated with concurrent subdermal tissue contraction, tolerance and quick recovery time.


This article examines current uses of social media for communication by enterprises, political organisations and non-profit organisations (NPOs) and identifies likely future trends. Based on a quantitative online survey among 860 communication professionals in Germany and a follow-up qualitative Delphi study with 32 identified experts from the organisational communication profession and academia, it explores the status quo and aims to identify future directions. While organisations show more advanced structures for social media communication compared to earlier research findings, the empirical data also identifies many shortcomings. The potentials of social media communication are not fully exploited due to missing prerequisites including governance structures, rules and resources. Looking into the future, the Delphi panel suggests that dedicated budgets, social media guidelines and other structural aspects will increase in the near future. However, many organisations will find specific ways to deal with the issue and common strategies are rare. At the same time, according to the qualitative findings, social media evaluation and cooperation across the boundaries of departments and organisational functions are likely to stay underdeveloped.


Fusarium culmorum, a fungal pathogen of small grain cereals, produces 4-deoxynivalenol and its acetylated derivatives that may cause toxicoses on humans or animals consuming contaminated food or feed. Natural and natural-like compounds belonging to phenol and hydroxylated biphenyl structural classes were tested in vitro to determine their activity on vegetative growth and trichothecene biosynthesis by F. culmorum. Most of the compounds tested at 1.5 or 1.0 mM reduced 3-acetyl-4-deoxynivalenol production by over 70% compared to the control, without affecting fungal growth significantly. Furthermore, several compounds retained their ability to inhibit toxin in vitro production at the lowest concentrations of 0.5 and 0.25 mM. Magnolol 27 showed fungicidal activity even at 0.1 mM. No linear correlation was observed between antioxidant properties of the compounds and their ability to inhibit fungal growth and mycotoxigenic capacity. A guaiacyl unit in the structure may play a key role in trichothecene inhibition.


The authors discuss the life histories of some petroleum and petrochemical workers in Bahia, Brazil. They selected workers with different professional status and with different relation to the labor movement and reconstructed their family, professional and residential trajectories. The analysis is focused on three main questions: (i) how personal trajectories evolve in contexts of intense social mobility ; (ii) which are the different ways of entering the industrial world ; and (iii) which of their personal dispositions can explain their choice of an individual or a collective project as they organize their life trajectories.


SIR. Carotenaemia can result from excess dietary carotene ingestion, hyperlipidaemia. or an inhorn error of metabolism, and further investigation is essential to distinguish between these three causes. We report a case of metabolic carotenaemia in a 23-year-old trainee nurse from Trinidad, who presented with an 18-month history of yellow palms and soles. Her mother was said to have a similar abnormality, but had never seen a dermatologist. A full dietary assessment revealed that she consumed few citrus fruits or vegetables, and had no history of any eating disorder. Examination revealed diffuse carotenoderma. with yellow pigmentation of her palms, soles and knuckles. The serum carotene was elevated at 2629/ig/1 (normal < 2000). Serum vitamin A. lipids. thyroid function and liver function tests were all normal. She was treated with Aquadrate®. a keratolytic emollient cream, and there was some reduction in the degree of yellow pigmentation. Three types of carotenaemia have been described:' (i) dietary, elevated /i-carotene and vitamin A levels: (ii) in association with hyperlipidaemia. elevated /Hipoprotein levels; (iii) metabolic, elevated /!J-carotene and low/normal vitamin A. Dietary factors are the commonest cause of carotenaemia. particularly in individuals with eating disorders such as food faddists, vegans, and patients with anorexia nervosa," A full dietary history by a qualified dietitian can provide an accurate assessment of dietary carotene levels. Rich sources of carotene include root vegetables (such as swedes and carrots), citrus fruits, papaya, and a palm oil used as a cooking agent in West Africa.' During the Second World War. a public programme of food rationing was introduced, and the consumption of root vegetables, particularly carrots and swedes, which were both inexpensive and nutritious, was promoted.' Subsequently, there was an epidemic of carotenoderma. In the 1970s, a group of Japanese infants developed similar signs after being fed a diet rich in tangerines (average intake 2 -4 / day for 4 weeks),^ However, although an excessive dietary intake of carotenoids is the commonest cause of carotenaemia. estimation of serum /3-carotene. vitamin A. lipids. and thyroid function should always be performed. In order to exclude an alternative cause.


WorldView 2 (WV2), launched in September 2009, is a satellite with hyperspatial resolution (∼0.5–2 m) capability for Earth surface observation. It has eight spectral bands with enhanced signal-to-noise ratio to cover the visible-to-near-infrared (V–NIR) domain, thus providing a great potential for remote sensing of coastal ecosystem, in particular, the aquatic environments with shallow bottoms (e.g., coral reefs and seagrass beds). Traditionally, it requires ∼15 spectral bands in the V–NIR domain for reliable analytical retrieval of bottom properties (e.g., bathymetry) from remotely observed radiance spectrum. Data from WV2, however, have eight bands, and the width of each band is quite wide (∼50 nm or more). Thus, the spectral configuration of WV2 is far from optimal for spectral remote sensing of various complex shallow environments, and it is important and necessary to know how such a band setting affects the reliability of remote-sensing retrievals. Here, we applied a hyperspectral optimization scheme [hyperspectral optimization processing exemplar (HOPE)] to a simulated shallow-bottom data set (sandy bottom) and compared retrievals from both hyperspectral and WV2 spectral settings. Retrieved results suggest that, for bottom contribution making up 40% or more of the measured signal, the depths derived from both hyperspectral and WV2 settings are generally consistent for waters shallower than 5 m. However, depths derived with WV2 setting have greater uncertainty and, in general, are shallower than those derived from the hyperspectral setting, particularly for waters deeper than 10 m. Options to produce higher confident properties from such band settings are discussed.


A systematic experimental investigation is conducted to evaluate the effect of geometric features on crush behavior. From a carbon/epoxy square tube, individual test segments are machined in order to isolate corner radii and flat sections of varying sizes, for a total of five different test geometries. Laminate thickness, material system, manufacturing process, and test methodology are kept constant throughout the study. For the material system and lay-up considered in this study, fiber tensile fracture and tearing at the corners is responsible for the vast percentage of the energy absorbed, while frond formation and splaying of the flat segments is responsible for a much lower percentage. An analytical expression is derived that accounts for the combined behavior of corner elements and flat segments in the crush behavior of more complex test articles, such as tubes. Explicit dynamic Finite Element Analyses using LSDYNA's progressive failure MAT54 material model are performed for each of the specimens tested. It is found that the SOFT crash front parameter, a key numerical parameter used to facilitate controlled collapse failure over unstable crushing, is not a constant for the material but it needs to change with each shape tested in order to yield successful simulations. Furthermore, a striking relationship is found between the SOFT parameter and the degree of stability of the section.


Abstract Machado, M, Pereira, R, and Willardson, JM. Short intervals between sets and individuality of muscle damage response. J Strength Cond Res 26(11): 2946–2952, 2012—This study examined creatine kinase (CK) activity after resistance exercise sessions in subjects classified as high (HiR), medium (MeR), or low responders (LoR). Two resistance exercise sessions were performed that each involved 4 sets of the biceps curl at 85% of a 1 repetition maximum (1RM) and either 1- or 3-minute rest intervals between sets. High responders and MeR demonstrated significantly greater CK activity after the 1-minute session vs. the 3-minute session. Therefore, the HiR and MeR subjects exhibited less tolerance to resting 1 minute between sets, whereas the CK activity was not significantly different between rest intervals for the LoR subjects. The application of these findings indicates the need to vary the length of the rest interval between sets with the understanding that individuals exhibit varying recuperative abilities and some might be less tolerant of shorter rest intervals between sets.


Thinking about nature and the environment - some contributions from Social Representations Theory . This paper presents two studies, conducted in Portugal within the framework of Social Representations Theory (SRT), and aiming at analyzing how the Portuguese think and talk about environment and nature. A general overview of the field of environmental beliefs and attitudes is first presented, and some of SRT ideas that may help advance this field of studies are advanced. A questionnaire study that aimed at identifying the social representations of the environment present in Portugal is then summarized, and, departing from some of the question it points to, a second study is afterwards presented. It resulted from a series of focus groups, in which four discourses were identified whose main features are summarized. Finally, the value that SRT may add to this field of studies is discussed, in terms of a more consistent theoretical integration.


The authors describe a unique retraction device adapted for anterior odontoid screw placement. A rigidly fixed tubular retractor system obviates the need for dissecting the longus colli muscles as well as for excessive retraction of the trachea, esophagus, and recurrent laryngeal nerve. The proper trajectory for screw placement can be determined by fine manipulation of the retractor as determined by biplanar fluoroscopy. The retractor is then rigidly fixed in position. The tubular corridor permits the odontoid screw to be placed in the usual fashion.


Macrophage-derived TNF alpha is a critical mediator of inflammation and destruction in diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease. These studies were undertaken to develop an effective adenovirus-based strategy to specifically suppress TNF alpha in primary human macrophages. A variety of promoters and LTRs were evaluated for effective expression in the macrophage cell line RAW 264.7. The CMV promoter and the Visna LTR were the most strongly expressed and were therefore used to drive the expression of TNF alpha antisense fragments. In transient transfection assays, the antisense fragment terminating at the 3' end of the first exon (216 bp) was superior to the others (70 and 750 bp), when expressed under the control of either the CMV promoter or the Visna LTR. Adenoviral vectors expressing the 216 bp TNF alpha antisense fragment, controlled by the CMV promoter or the Visna LTR, were both effective at suppressing LPS-induced TNF alpha secretion by primary human macrophages. However, the Visna LTR was more effective not only at suppressing LPS-induced TNF alpha secretion, but also IL-6, which is highly sensitive to TNF alpha secretion. These results demonstrate that effective, specific, suppression of TNF alpha in macrophages is possible, employing a directed antisense approach and a promoter system that is highly efficient in human macrophages.


Sir .—We read with interest the article "Parental Estimate of Child's Developmental Level in a High-Risk Population" by Coplan in theJournal(1982:136;101-104). Some of the limitations of this study, as Coplan admits, are the racial and socioeconomic homogeneity of the study populations, the fact that all the parents were educated, and, hence, the difficulty of generalizing these findings to other populations. In this context, we consider it worthwhile to present some of the findings of our previous unpublished study, which was strikingly similar in design. 1 Consecutive patients aged up to 15 years (mean age, 8.6 years) who came to our psychiatric hospital—based mental retardation clinic for the first time were studied. Children who had had developmental assessments earlier, elsewhere, were excluded. One or both parents, who accompanied the child, were asked the question, "In your opinion, how old would a normal child be who would have the same


The charts of 184 patients with clinically significant hyperprolactinaemia who presented to a teaching hospital between 1978-1995 were reviewed, 158 (86%) females and 26 (14%) males. Hyperprolactinaemia was due to a microadenoma or was idiopathic in 36.4%, drug induced in 16%, associated with a macroadenoma in 12%, due to epilepsy in 7%, with other causes each contributing 5% or less. The presenting symptoms were amenorrhoea in 64%, galactorrhoea in 40.5%, infertility in 15%, visual field defect in 9%, with impotence in 30% and, gynaecomastia in 8% of men. One hundred and one patients were treated with bromocriptine (80%), surgery (35.4%) and radiotherapy (10.7%). Twenty-five percent of patients developed side-effects of bromocriptine for which cabergoline, a new long-lasting dopaminergic agonist, was successfully substituted. Presenting features responded to drug treatment in 70-80% of patients.


We report on a case of a patient with lung adenocarcinoma and peripheral intrapulmonary lymph node (IPLN) metastasis who was misdiagnosed as having intrapulmonary metastasis. A subpleural nodular shadow visualized by radiography was diagnosed as an intrapulmonary metastasis originating from primary lung cancer. Preoperative evaluation indicated that this case was a clinical T4N1 lung adenocarcinoma with metastasis in the same lobe. However, postoperative evaluation showed that it was a peripheral IPLN metastasis, and this was actually a case of pathologic T2N1 adenocarcinoma. It may have been possible to treat this case non-surgically with the possibility of radical cure. This case suggests that a nodule is present in the same lobe with lung cancer, and it must be borne in mind that IPLN metastasis may be misdiagnosed as intrapulmonary metastasis.


BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
Vitamin B12 (B12) is essential for well-being and healthy life, since it plays a critical role in DNA synthesis, hematopoiesis and neurologic function. B12 deficiency remains one of the most common nutrition deficiencies in the world and is associated with increasing risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, mental health problem, osteoporosis, and defect-birth outcomes. The main objective of this study is to determine the impact of B12 levels on quality of life (QOL) among healthy university students.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
This cross-sectional study involved 359 healthy university students (age 18-30 years) of both genders. Their QOL was as vitamin B12 level was measured using the IMx system (Abbott laboratories IMX, USA).

RESULTS
No correlation was detected between B12 levels and the two major QOL subscales: the Physical Component Summary (PCS) and Mental Component Summary (MCS). Additionally, none of the other eight subscale of the SF-36 was significantly correlated with b12 levels.

CONCLUSION
We conclude that no correlation exists between B12 levels and QOL scores among young adult healthy populations. Further investigations are required to confirm the impact of B12 status on QOL among healthy populations.


A common feature of recent unificationbased grammar formalisms is that they give the user the ability to define his own structures. However, this possibility is mostly limited and does not include nonmonotonic operations. In this paper we show how nonmonotonic operations can also be user-defined by applying default logic (Reiter, 1980) and generalizing previous results on nonmonotonic sorts (Young and Rounds, 1993).


The shape of the grooves of a diffraction grating can be designed to take advantage of total internal reflection. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the total internal reflection (TIR) grating numerically for the bulk optic case. The results indicate that the efficiency of the retrodiffracted order is enhanced by as much as 11 dB when the TIR grating design is used in place of a blazed grating with no facet metallization.


Background: The bivalve Aulacomya ater (cholga), is one of the most consumed mollusks by the population. However, there is evidence of fecal water contamination caused by causes that affect the sea, increasing the probability of contamination by the Cryptosporidium parvum, which generates cryptosporidiosis in people. Aim: To determine the presence of C. parvum in cholga extracted from the Bio Bio Region (Chile). Methods: Fifty-five cholgas were selected from a cultivation center and a natural extraction bank. These samples were processed in the laboratory and the presence of acid-alcohol resistant elements was evaluated. Positive samples were analyzed by direct immunofluorescence with anti-C. parvum antibody. Results: 16.4% of the total samples were affected by the oocysts of C.parvum. Conclusions: For the first time we described C. parvum in A. ater from the Chilean coast, being this mollusk a possible vehicle for transmission of cryptosporidiosis to the population and their predatory animals. Furthermore, the presence of C. parvum reflects fecal water contamination on the evaluated coasts. We are currently monitoring other extraction areas for this mollusk.


Dot immunoassay has been proposed as a simple and fast method for detection of various analytes. However, this qualitative method has a narrow working range and is limited to multiplex detection. To overcome these drawbacks, we suggest a highly specific, quantitative, and multiplex dot immunoassay using plasmonic gap-enhanced Raman tags (GERTs) and a nitrocellulose membrane as a substrate. The assay principle is based on reading surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectra from analyte drops on the membrane strip after incubation with GERTs conjugated to biospecific probes. Three types of GERTs were synthesised by embedding nitrobenzenethiol (NBT), naphthalenethiol (NT), and acetamidothiophenol (AcTP) Raman molecules inside Au core/shell nanoparticles. For proof-of-concept experiments, the NBT, NT, and AcTP GERTS were further functionalized with rabbit anti-rat, anti-human, and anti-chicken antibodies, respectively. For all three corresponding antigens, the detected Raman signals linearly depended on the analyte amount within the range from 10 to 300 ng. The multiplex capability of the assay is illustrated by simultaneous one-step determination of rat, human, and chicken IgGs with a mixture of functionalized GERTs by recording Raman maps for whole membrane to avoid the point-to-point repeatability problem. Thus, GERTs are promising SERS nanotags for advanced versions of immunoassays instead of common plasmonic SERS labels with Raman reporters excited by the external near field.


The author considers how knowledge-based tools can support scientific computing, with a focus on the support of code generation. Scientific computing traditionally is carried out by mathematical modelers who write their own Fortran programs. As faster machines and new architectures make more complex problems computationally feasible, programming becomes more cost effective. Scientific computing comprises a variety of activities including model formulation, coding, and interpretation. The SINAPSE program synthesis system illustrates the use of knowledge-based techniques in model solution. SINAPSE is designed to be part of a problem-solving environment for forward modeling that includes several additional scientific programming activities. SINAPSE generates code by applying refinements and optimizing transformations, first producing an algorithm description and then an array-based, high-level language program before generating target code. SINAPSE generates implementations targeted toward a specified architecture.<<ETX>>


When materials' characteristic dimensions are reduced to the nanoscale regime, their mechanical properties will vary significantly to that of their bulk counterparts. Recently low-dimensional materials, including one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials, have attracted the widespread attention of academia and industry because of their unique (e.g., thermal, optical, electrical, catalytic) properties. These outstanding properties give them a wide variety of functional applications; however, reliable devices and practical applications call for high structural reliability and mechanical robustness of these nanoscale building blocks. Therefore, there is a need to investigate and characterize the nanomechanical properties and deformation mechanisms of low-dimensional materials but this remains highly challenging. In this Focus article, we summarize the recent progress made in the nanomechanical studies on some representative 1D/2D crystalline nanomaterials, with a special emphasis on experimental research. Furthermore, the unconventional mechanical properties, such as the significantly enhanced elasticity, of these low-dimensional crystals can lead to unprecedented physical and chemical property changes, which may fundamentally change the way such materials conduct electricity/heat, transmit/emit light, and their involvement in chemical reactions. Therefore, the nanomechanical approach can be also used to tailor the materials' functional properties and performance, by so-called strain engineering, which can open up new avenues to explore how devices can be designed and fabricated with even more dramatic changes in low-dimensional crystalline materials for information processing, communications, biomedical, and energy applications.


Dilated cardiomyopathy and ascites in broiler chickens are frequently associated with rapid growth and pulmonary hypertension, but can be associated with some avian leukosis virus (ALV) infections. The novel subgroup J of ALV has a high cardiac tropism, but dilated cardiomyopathy has not been reported previously. We report a dilated cardiomyopathy incidence of 11.1% in broiler chickens congenitally infected with ALV subgroup J (ALV-J). Gross lesions included severe body weight suppression, cardiomegaly with biventricular dilation, right ventricular hypertrophy, visceral congestion, and ascites. Cardiac myocytes and Purkinje fibers contained 2- to 10-μm intracytoplasmic magenta inclusions that contained ALV-J-specific nucleic acid. Ultrastructurally, inclusions contained ribosomes and immature virions and were associated with myofibril disruption and disarray. Peracute centrilobular hepatic necrosis was present in most cases. ALV-J-associated cardiomyopathy may involve a direct viral effect on cardiac myocytes and Purkinje fibers.


This paper presents a functional-space decomposition approach to enhance the capability of symbolic simulation. In our symbolic simulator, the control part and datapath of a circuit is separated, and their simulated results are recorded in different domains. A 2-tuple list structure is used to separate the results in the control and datapath domains. Then, the functional sub-space in the control domain can further be decomposed in order to achieve the optimal OBDD size and run time. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our decomposition approach based on symbolic simulation of arithmetic circuit units.


Amenity migration studies have been predominantly conducted in the global North. Furthermore, few have addressed issues directly associated with community development in the global South. In this study, we intend to fill this gap by examining the ways international amenity migrants and local rural residents interact with each other and engage in community development efforts. Findings from research in Costa Rica suggest that the relationships between members of both groups are mainly superficial, with no signs of the establishment of strong bonds between groups. Additionally, findings indicate that limited integrated efforts between the two types of residents exist, and local community development is primarily led by rural local residents. Suggestions are offered as to why members of both groups fail to establish joint community development efforts, and recommendations for improvements are provided.


Objective : The objective of this paper is to explore the role of climate for creativity in mediating relationships between talent management and organizational performance. Research, Design & Methods : A model relating talent management, organizational performance and climate for creativity was tested using structural equation modelling Based and data from 326 large organizations in Poland. It allowed the verification of two formulated hypotheses. Findings: Research results reveal that talent management is a three-dimensional construct (dimensions are: strategic, structural and ideological) while climate for creativity and organizational performance are both unidimensional constructs. Results indicate that climate for creativity mediates the relationships between the dimensions of talent management and organizational performance. Implications & Recommendations: Research findings suggest that in order to enable organizations to achieve high performance through talent management it should focus on creating an appropriate climate supporting individual creativity of its employees. Contribution & Value Added: The originality of this work lies in studying unexplored relationships between talent management policies and organizational performance with the mediating role of climate for creativity. It is the first attempt to assess these relationships on the basis of empirical data in Poland.       Â


The democratic legitimation imperative of the modern state has been conceptualised as the barrier that stops the environmental state from developing into a green or eco-state – and thus as the glass ceiling to a socio-ecological transformation of capitalist consumer democracies. Here, I suggest that this state-theoretical explanation of the glass ceiling needs to be supplemented by an analysis of why democratic norms and procedures, which had once been regarded as essential for any socio-ecological transformation, suddenly appear as one of its main obstacles. I conceptualise the new eco-political dysfunctionality of democracy as one dimension of a more encompassing legitimation crisis of democracywhich, in turn, has triggered a profound transformation of democracy. Ultimately, exactly this transformation constitutes the glass ceiling to the socio-ecological restructuring of capitalist consumer societies. It changes democracy into a tool for the politics of unsustainability, in which the legitimation-dependent state is a key actor.


Memes are the cultural equivalent of genes that spread across human culture by means of imitation. What makes a meme and what distinguishes it from other forms of information, however, is still poorly understood. Our analysis of memes in the scientific literature reveals that they are governed by a surprisingly simple relationship between frequency of occurrence and the degree to which they propagate along the citation graph. We propose a simple formalization of this pattern and validate it with data from close to 50 million publication records from the Web of Science, PubMed Central, and the American Physical Society. Evaluations relying on human annotators, citation network randomizations, and comparisons with several alternative approaches confirm that our formula is accurate and effective, without a dependence on linguistic or ontological knowledge and without the application of arbitrary thresholds or filters.


Abstract. The article presents an analysis of the production and trade structure in three Baltic countries. Both exports and imports were emphasized, pointing out the importance of regional shifts and specialization patterns. The research was performed using the input–output model to determine the relative importance of respective production changes over time and the key differences among the Baltic countries. The paper also analyses the backward and forward inter-industry linkages of manufacturing and service industries. The results have indicated that during the period under analysis the share of sectors creating a lower value added has decreased, and a deeper economic integration was observed in the majority of industrial sectors of the Baltic countries with manifesting stronger forward linkages. Key words: inter-industry linkages, economic structure, the Baltic countries


For most of the year, the size-frequency distribution of trap-caught southern rock lobster, Jasus edwardsii, reflected size-specific catchability rather than the size-frequency distribution of the population in a scientific reserve in Tasmania, Australia. The size-frequency distributions of the population on the ground and of lobsters captured in traps were similar only during a few months, typically during moulting and mating. Small males and females were usually under-represented in traps. Catchability generally increased with size, but varied with sex and season. During moulting and mating, size-specific catchability and relative selectivity of larger animals were similar to or lower than for smaller animals. The relative pattern of catchability throughout the year was similar for most size classes within each sex. Negative associations between small and large lobsters in traps were stronger in winter than in summer, indicating strong behavioural interactions. These interactions could explain the lower catchability of smaller lobsters. Relative selectivity estimates using tag-recapture and size-specific catchability data provided generally similar results.


Experiments performed on the 8 MA Saturn Accelerator to investigate the effects of interwire gap spacing on long implosion time aluminum Z-pinches have resulted in the observation of a regime of optimal wire number. The experimental series utilized 40 mm diameter arrays and varied the wire number from 32 wires to 282 wires, corresponding to interwire gaps of 3.9 mm to 0.4 mm, with all other parameters held fixed. Additional shots with 32 mm diameter loads performed corresponded to interwire gaps of 0.91 mm to 0.36 mm. Aluminum K-shell yields of> 60 kJ were consistently measured, and the pulsewidths and risetimes of the x-ray pulses showed trends of long, slow rising pulses for interwire gaps> 3 mm and short, fast rising pulses for interwire gaps greater than 0.7 mm, but less than 3 mm, results consistent with theory. For the smallest interwire gaps studied (< 0.7 mm), the trend again appeared to be towards longer, slower rising x-ray pulses. These results suggest a regime of wire number in which Z-pinch performance is optimized. The study of Z-pinches has been a rich field the last several years with the advent of high current pulsed power generators such as Saturn [1] and Z [2]. Moreover, advances in the theoretical understanding of Z-pinch physics and in computational modeling capabilities have led to the application of Z-pinches to many problems, including astrophysics measurements, radiation effects material studies, and inertial confinement fusion. [3-5]


The outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Wuhan city, China in December 2019 and thereafter its spillover across the world has created a global pandemic and public health crisis. Researchers across the world are involved in finding the origin and evolution of SARS-CoV-2, its transmission route, molecular mechanism of interaction between SARS-CoV-2 and host cells, and the cause of pathogenicity etc. In this paper, we shed light on the origin, evolution and adaptation of SARS-CoV-2 into human systems. Our phylogenetic/evolutionary analysis supported that bat-CoV-RaTG13 is the closest relative of human SARS-CoV-2, outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 took place via inter-intra species mode of transmission, and host-specific adaptation occurred in SARS-CoV-2. Furthermore, genome recombination analysis found that Sarbecoviruses, the subgenus containing SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2, undergo frequent recombination. Multiple sequence alignment (MSA) of spike proteins revealed the insertion of four amino acid residues "PRRA" (Proline-Arginine-Arginine-Alanine) into the SARS-CoV-2 human strains. Structural modeling of spike protein of bat-CoV-RaTG13 also shows a high number of mutations at one of the receptor binding domains (RBD). Overall, this study finds that the probable origin of SARS-CoV-2 is the results of intra-species recombination events between bat coronaviruses belonging to Sarbecovirus subgenus and the insertion of amino acid residues "PRRA" and mutations in the RBD in spike protein are probably responsible for the adaptation of SARS-CoV-2 into human systems. Thus, our findings add strength to the existing knowledge on the origin and adaptation of SARS-CoV-2, and can be useful for understanding the molecular mechanisms of interaction between SARS-CoV-2 and host cells which is crucial for vaccine design and predicting future pandemics.


The design and development status of a linear-induction-motor propulsion system intended for use on high-speed ground vehicles is described. In this system, 3-phase, 60-Hz, 8250-V wayside power is converted by a solid-state power conditioning unit to a variable-voltage variable-frequency output suitable for use by linear-induction motors that provide up to 66 600-N (15 000-lb) propulsive thrust to the vehicle at 480 km/h (300 mi/h). The system provides continuously variable thrust during forward- and reverse-thrust modes, and such special features as automatic start-up, regenerative braking, and automatic failure/malfunction detection and shutdown. The system incorporates high-voltage water-cooled components for high specific thrust (more than 5 N/kgf, or 0.5 lbf thrust/lbf weight).


AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of rituximab combined with cyclophosphamide, yincristine, doxorubicin, and prednisone (CHOP) in treating the initially diagnosed diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBL). METHODS: From Apr. 2002 to Feb. 2003, 52 patients were enrolled in this study. Chemotherapy was conducted with cyclophosphamide 600mg•m^(-2), vincristine 1.4mg•m^(-2), doorubicin 25mg•m^(-2) on d 1 and prednisone 60mg•m^(-1) for successive 5d (standard CHOP). There were 6 courses, 3 wk each. Rituximab 375mg•m^(-2) was infused once a week, 2 d before the first course of chemotherapy (successive infusion) for 4 times on standard dose or for 6 times on extended dose. Or rituximab was infused once every 3 wk, 2 d before each CHOP (separated infusion) for 4 times on the schedule of standard dose or for 6 times on the extended dose. RESULTS: The complete response (CR) rate (60%) and total effective (100%) were achieved in 50 patients who were evaluated for efficacy, respectively. And among 34 patients in Ann Arbor stage Ⅲ and Ⅳ, 15 patients were completely relieved. The complete effective rate was 44%. Fifty patients were followed-up for (8±s 5) wk, 2-30 wk and estimated progress free survival (PFS) rate of 16 wk was 87 %. Standard and extend regimen were not different in effect, as well as the separated or concentrated infusion of rituximab (P>0.05). The regimen could be well tolerated, and the major adverse reactions were infusion-related response (32%) and hematological toxicities (20%). CONCLUSION: Rituximab in combined with CHOP can be successfully applied to the therapy of initially diagnosed diffuse large B cell lymphoma, with high CR rate and mild adverse reactions.


Abstract The variability of satellite retrieved precipitation and freshwater flux from the 'Hamburg Ocean Atmosphere Parameters and Fluxes from Satellite Data' (HOAPS) is assessed with special emphasis on the 'North Atlantic Oscillation' (NAO). To cover also land areas, a novel combination of the satellite derived precipitation climatology with the rain gauge based 'Full Data Reanalysis Product Version 4', of the 'Global Precipitation Climatology Centre' (GPCC) is used. This yields unique high-resolution, quasi-global precipitation fields compiled from two independent data sources. Over the ocean, the response of the freshwater balance and the related parameters to the NAO is investigated for the first time by using a purely satellite based data set. A strong dependence of precipitation patterns to the state of the NAO is found. On synoptic scale this is in accordance with earlier findings by other satellite based and reanalysis products. Furthermore, the consistency of the combined HOAPS-3/GPCC data set allows also detailed regional analyses of precipitation patterns. The response of HOAPS-3 freshwater flux to the NAO is dominated by precipitation at mid and high latitudes, while for the subtropical regions the feedback of the evaporation is stronger.


The presente study describes the testicular structure, spermatogenesis and maturation phases in the Devario aequipinnatus, a species with great potential for use as a biological model for animal experimentation. The testes in D. aequipinnatus were classified as tubular anastomosing with unrestricted spermatogonial distribution. Were observed four phases of testicular maturation based on the changes of the testicular germinal epithelium associated with the stages of germ cells present: Early Maturation, Mid Maturation, Late Maturation and Regression. Due to the phylogenetic proximity, testicular morphology D aequipinnatus is similar to other Cyprinideos, example, zebrafish (Danio rerio), which corroborates the hypothesis that the use of D aequipinnatus as a biological model for animal experimentation.


PURPOSE
Treatment planning systems (TPS) may not accurately model superficial dose distributions of range shifted proton pencil beam scanning (PBS) treatments. Numerous patient-specific QA tests performed on superficially treated PBS plans have shown a consistent overestimate of dose by the TPS. This study quantifies variations between TPS planned dose and measured dose as a function of range shifter air gap and treatment depths up to 5 cm.

METHODS
PBS treatment plans were created in the TPS to uniformly irradiate a volume of solid water. One plan was created for each range shifter position analyzed, and all plans utilized identical dose optimization parameters. Each optimized plan was analyzed in the TPS to determine the planned dose at varying depths. A PBS proton therapy system with a 3.5 cm lucite range shifter delivered the treatment plans, and a parallel plate chamber embedded in RW3 solid water measured dose at shallow depths for each air gap. Differences between measured and planned doses were plotted and analyzed.

RESULTS
The data show that the TPS more accurately models superficial dose as the air gap between the range shifter and patient surface decreases. Air gaps less than 10 cm have an average dose difference of only 1.6%, whereas air gaps between 10 and 20 cm differ by 3.0% and gaps greater than 20 cm differ by 4.4%.

CONCLUSION
This study has shown that the TPS is unable to accurately model superficial dose with a large range shifter air gap. Dose differences greater than 3% will likely cause QA failure, as many institutions analyze patient QA with a 3%/3mm gamma analysis. For superficial PBS therapy, range shifter positions should be chosen to keep the air gap less then 10 cm when patient setup and gantry geometry allow.


X-ray-induced acoustic computed tomography (XACT) is a unique hybrid imaging modality that combines high X-ray absorption contrast with high ultrasonic resolution. X-ray radiography and computerized tomography (CT) are currently the gold standards for 2-D and 3-D imaging of skeletal tissues though there are important properties of bone, such as elasticity and speed of sound (SOS), that these techniques cannot measure. Ultrasound is capable of measuring such properties though current clinical ultrasound scanners cannot be used to image the interior morphology of bones because they fail to address the complicated physics involved for exact image reconstruction; bone is heterogeneous and composed of layers of both cortical and trabecular bone, which violates assumptions in conventional ultrasound imaging of uniform SOS. XACT, in conjunction with the time-reversal algorithm, is capable of generating precise reconstructions, and by combining elements of both X-ray and ultrasound imaging, XACT is potentially capable of obtaining more information than any single of these techniques at low radiation dose. This article highlights X-ray-induced acoustic detection through linear scanning of an ultrasound transducer and the time-reversal algorithm to produce the first-ever XACT image of a bone sample. The results of this study should prove to enhance the potential of XACT imaging in the evaluation of bone diseases for future clinical use.


Hurricane Harvey devastated the Texas coast in late August. Widespread flooding in the Houston area wiped out thousands of homes and businesses, including countless medical facilities and practices. Although the short-term health concerns may be apparent, longer-term effects associated with stress and environmental issues can be harder to spot.


A new medium access control protocol for broadcast LANs, which is capable of achieving a high performance under bursty traffic conditions, is introduced. According to the proposed protocol, the network stations are separated into groups. All the groups are granted permission to transmit in a round-robin fashion. The main objective of the grouping algorithm is to have exactly one ready station in each group. In this way, idle slots and collisions are minimized and a nearly optimal throughput-delay performance is achieved. The grouping of stations is dynamically modified at each time slot according to the network feedback information. Due to the dynamic nature of the grouping algorithm, the protocol is capable of being adapted to the sharp changes of the stations' traffic.


Readers of this journal will have seen themed sections on partnerships, governance and citizenship (volume 5, issue 2) and 'consumerism in social policy (volume 2, issue 1) and might be asking exactly why a further one that combines these elements is now necessary. Having considered similar topics separately in these pages, why is it now necessary to look at them together?


The influence of supranormal muscle glycogen levels on glycogen breakdown in contracting muscle was investigated. Rats either rested or swam for 3 h and subsequently had their isolated hindquarters perfused after 21 h with access to food. Muscle glycogen concentrations were measured before and after 15 min of intermittent electrical muscle stimulation. Before stimulation, glycogen was higher in rats that swam on the preceding day (supercompensated rats) compared with controls. During muscle contractions, glycogen breakdown in fast-twitch red and white fibers was larger in supercompensated hindquarters than in controls, and glycogenolysis correlated significantly with precontraction glycogen concentrations. In slow-twitch fibers, electrical stimulation did not elicit glycogenolysis in either group. Glucose uptake and lactate release were decreased and increased, respectively, in supercompensated hindquarters compared with controls. O2 uptake, release of tyrosine and glycerol, and tension development were similar in the two groups. In conclusion, during muscle contractions, increased muscle glycogen levels lead to increased breakdown of glycogen and release of lactate and decreased uptake of glucose by mechanisms exerted within the muscle cells. Intramuscular lipolysis and net protein breakdown are unaffected. There seems to be no close linkage between needs and mobilization of fuel within the working muscle.