OBJECTIVE
Many neurosurgical approaches require incision of the temporal muscle (TM). Consequently, patients often report reduced opening of the mouth, facial asymmetry, numbness, and pain after lateral craniotomies. A systematic assessment of these postoperative subjective complaints is lacking in the literature. Therefore, in this study, the authors evaluate subjective complaints after pterional, frontolateral-extended pterional, or temporal craniotomy using a 6-item questionnaire. They examine the association of these subjective complaints with the extent of the mobilization of the TM.

METHODS
The questionnaire assessed complaints about limited opening of the mouth, pain in the mastication muscles, facial asymmetry, sensory deficits in the temporal region, weather sensitivity, and headache. Eligible patients with benign intracranial processes operated on using lateral cranial approaches between 2016 and 2019 were included. The questionnaire was answered before surgery (baseline) and 3 and 15 months after surgery. Surgeons documented the extent of TM incision.

RESULTS
Among the 55 patients in this study, all complaints apart from headache showed an increase at a statistically significant rate at 3 months postoperatively, that is, limited mouth opening (p < 0.0001), pain in the mastication muscles (p < 0.0001), an impression of asymmetry in the mastication muscles (p = 0.0002), sensory disturbances in the temporal region (p < 0.0001), and weather sensitivity (p < 0.001). Only pain in the mastication muscles showed a relevant decrease at 15 months postsurgery (p = 0.058). The extent of the mobilized TM was associated with pain in the mastication muscles at 3 months (p = 0.0193).

CONCLUSIONS
Subjective complaints in patients following lateral craniotomy can be detected. As the extent of the mobilized TM relevantly influenced pain in the mastication muscles, the authors conclude that one should sparsely mobilize the TM. Furthermore, a neurosurgeon should be aware and warn the patient of subjective postoperative complaints and inform the patient about their natural course.


Abstract : A collaborative system is a real-time computer-based environment for cooperative work. Computer systems have been available for some time to assist individuals with their work, but the use of computers by groups is underdeveloped. The thesis of this dissertation is that a collaborative system can be built in a principled way using network-connected workstations and that such a system can enhance group work. Previous systems to support group work have generally either avoided computers, as in teleconferencing, or have relied on long-haul networks to support asynchronous message-passing, as in computer conferencing. This dissertation focuses on real-time software tools to support groups working together in the same room. The Colab system and its tools explore the following properties of computer-based cooperation: the structure of the problem-solving process, the design of multi-user interfaces, social coordination, simultaneous activity, maintenance of consistent views of shared objects, and uses for digitally captured meetings. To better understand and evaluate computer-based collaborative tools and their uses, the Colab system and the Cognoter presentation tool were implemented and used for both real and posed idea organization tasks. To test the system design and its effect on structured problem-solving, many early Colab/Cognoter meetings were monitored and a series of preliminary experiments were performed. These early observations indicated that people can and do work more efficiently and in parallel if they are given tools that help them stay focused and that help manage the added complexity of multi-user interactions.


In connection with planned experiments devoted to investigation of semileptonic decays of beauty baryons Isgur-Wise function and observables of $\Lambda_b$ baryon (decay rates and distributions, leptonic spectra and asymmetry parameters) are calculated in the framework of diquark model with taking into account of infrared regime for heavy quark.


This work describes the development of micro-devices for high-throughput DNA sequencing applications. Basically, two research efforts will be discussed; (1) fabrication and characterization of micro-reactors to prepare Sanger chain terminated DNA sequencing fragments on a nanoliter scale and; (2) x-ray photolithography of PMMA substrates for the high aspect ratio preparation of electrophoresis devices. The micro-reactor consisted of a 5'-biotinylated catfish olfactory gene, which was amplified by PCR, and attached to the interior wall of an aminoalkylisilane derivatized fused- silica capillary tube via a streptavidin/biotin linkage. Coverage of the interior capillary wall with biotinylated DNA averaged 77 percent. Stability of the anchored template under pressure and electroosmotic rinsing was favorable, requiring approximately 150 h of continuous rinsing to reduce the coverage by only 50 percent. The capillary micro- reactor was placed inside an air thermocycler to control temperature during Sanger ddNTP chain extension and directly coupled to a capillary separation column filled with a LPA solution via low dead volume capillary interlocks. The complimentary DNA fragments generated in the reactor were heat denatured from the immobilized template and directly injected onto a gel-filled capillary using electropumping for size fractionation and detection using NIR-LIF analysis. The total amount of termination fragments in the 31 nL reactor volume was estimated to be 5.2 X 1013 moles and sequencing was shown to produce read lengths on the order to 400 bases. Work will also be described concerning the development of micro-electrophoresis devices in x-ray sensitive photoresists using LIGA techniques. An electrophoresis device with an integrated fluorescence detector was constructed for the high resolution separation of DNA oligonucleotides. The choice of substrate for the electrophoresis was PMMA, due to its intrinsic low electroosmotic flow. Using x-ray lithography in PMMA substrates, the aspect ratios associated with the micromachining was estimated to be > 10,000:1.


Nonadherence to medication is one of the great challenges facing any psychiatrist today. The main focus of this article is to illustrate the contributions of a relational psychoanalytic approach to dealing with the nonadherent psychiatric patient. Special emphasis is given to the importance of recognizing the therapist as an active subject and taking responsibility over the negative aspects of the therapist. A clinical vignette is presented, by which these points are illustrated and defined.


Controlling the neutral plane of a multilayer structure is crucial in designing a reliable flexible display, where the bending strain imposed on the individual layers that are positioned closer to the neutral plane can be significantly reduced. In this study, we explore the usage of polymer/graphene composites with different concentrations of graphene flakes to systematically vary the modulus in attempt to control the location of the neutral plane to the desirable position. Nanoindentation of the PMMA/graphene composite film on Si substrate revealed that increasing the graphene flake content led to the enhancement in hardness and modulus of the composite. The increased Young's modulus caused a shift in the neutral plane position towards the organic emissive layers by 2.2 mm that resulted in a reduction of bending strain in the organic light emitting diodes with a typical multilayer structure. Furthermore, gas permeability against O2 and water molecules showed that the gas transmission rate of PMMA/graphene composites decreased as the content of graphene flakes increased since the randomly mixed graphene in PMMA can efficiently hinder the O2 and water molecules from transporting through the thickness of the composite, thereby enhancing the barrier properties.


Various accessibility activities are improving blind access to the increasingly indispensable WWW. These approaches use various metrics to measure the Web's accessibility. "Ease of navigation" (navigability) is one of the crucial factors for blind usability, especially for complicated webpages used in portals and online shopping sites. However, it is difficult for automatic checking tools to evaluate the navigation capabilities even for a single webpage. Navigability issues for complete Web applications are still far beyond their capabilities.
 This study aims at obtaining quantitative results about the current accessibility status of real world Web applications, and analyzes real users' behavior on such websites. In Study 1, an automatic analysis method for webpage navigability is introduced, and then a broad survey using this method for 30 international online shopping sites is described. The next study (Study 2) focuses on a fine-grained analysis of real users' behavior on some of these online shopping sites. We modified a voice browser to record each user's actions and the information presented to that user. We conducted user testing on existing sites with this tool. We also developed an analysis and visualization method for the recorded information. The results showed us that users strongly depend on scanning navigation instead of logical navigation. A landmark-oriented navigation model was proposed based on the results. Finally, we discuss future possibilities for improving navigability, including proposals for voice browsers.


In this paper, we propose a new approach to the malfunction diagnosis problem for feedback systems based on the controller information. We define a fault as any loss of stability of the closed loop system, and a malfunction as a variation from the nominal situation that will develop into the fault, respectively. We supervise and evaluate the variation periodically, and avoid the occurrence of those faults in which gradual changes of plant dynamics result. First, in the supervision, the plant variation is obtained by using a plant model estimated by the closed loop identification scheme proposed by Dasgupta et. al. [14]. Second, the evaluation is achieved by comparing the stability margin of the initial feedback system with the plant variation after the occurrence of any malfunction from the view point of stability of the closed loop system. The gap metric, which is closely related to the stability, is used in order to compare the above two values, and the model variation is captured in terms of the gap metric. However, the exact plant model is unknown, so its upper bound is estimated by using the set membership identification [3, 12, 19, 20] in the Dasgupta's framework. This comparison makes it possible to quantify the reliability of the feedback system.


We investigate the electronic structure of strained quantum wells and the effects of -doping on the density of states, effective mass, and transition energies via an exact treatment of the Pikus - Bir Hamiltonian. As the carrier density of the -doped layer increases, both the conduction and valence subbands exhibit decreasing behaviour, while the density of states and the effective masses are little affected by -doping. In this case, since the valence subbands decrease more rapidly with doping concentration, the energies of the transitions from the first valence subband to the conduction states are found to increase.


Dendrite growth and volume expansion in lithium metal are the most important obstacles affecting the actual applications of lithium metal batteries. Herein, we design a robust flexible artificial solid electrolyte interphase layer based on a triblock copolymer polyurea film, which promotes uniform lithium deposition on the surface of the lithium metal electrode and has a high lithium-ion transference number. The high elasticity and close contact of polyurea compounds effectively suppress lithium dendrite growth and volume expansion in the Li anode, which are effectively confirmed by electrochemical characterization and optical microscopy observation. The symmetrical batteries with the PU-Li metal anode can achieve stable and reversible Li plating/stripping over 500 h at a current density of 5 mA cm-2. Matched with the high-mass-loaded S cathode and the commercial NCM523 cathode, this film significantly improves the cycle life of lithium metal batteries.


The low-input offset voltage is considered as an important aspect of the performance of an amplifier especially when signals are in the range of few hundreds micro volts. The aim of this paper is to describe a new CMOS current-feedback operational amplifier with an on-chip current-mode input offset voltage compensation. This voltage is due to the mismatch between transistors threshold voltages. In order to reduce the offset voltage, we vary the bias currents of the input buffer as a function of the detected error. Simulation results of the compensated CFOA, using 0.18 /spl mu/m CMOS process parameters, show a: 50% reduction of the input offset voltage, 71 dB open loop gain, 160 MHz bandwidth, and power consumption less than 1.5 mW from 1.8 V supply voltage.


【Arleigh Burke(DDG-51) and Sejong warship are AEGIS destroyer of US Navy and Korea Navy. These are designed to make more than 30knots by applying a COGAG(COmbined Gas turbine And Gas turbine) system. However, the gas turbine(LM2500) in this system has a low SFC (Specific Fuel Consumption) when the warship operated low speed. So, many kinds of companies are researching the HED(Hybrid Electric Drive) system to improve this problem. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the HED system and simulate by Sejong warship data. Serveral methods were used for that purpose. More specifically, the equipment modeling are employed for regression analysis by LabVIEW. As a result, it was found that the warship installed HED system could cut their fuel bills by as much as about 80,000,000won per year.】


This paper describes the morphosyntactic patterns of technical terms in Basque and presents an architecture for a term-extracting tool. As Basque is a highly inflected agglutinative language, partof-speech information is not enough to define term patterns. The use of morphological and syntactic information is essential to reduce considerably the number of structures. For example, a noun, an adverbial, a postpositive adjectival, the nominal form of a verb and even a determiner in the genitive case may work as a prepositive adjective; however, they all share the same syntactic function. Therefore, for the term-extracting tool to perform properly, the texts must be morphosyntactically analysed and disambiguated. Then a shallow syntactic parser will identify the previously described patterns.


Intercalation doping has been theoretically and experimentally studied on chemical vapor deposition synthesized few-layer graphene. Density functional theory calculations identified FeCl3 as a good dopant to reduce the sheet resistance of few-layer graphene. A simple vapor transfer method is employed to dope graphene. The successful doping is confirmed by the Raman spectra as well as the electrical measurements. After doping, graphene shows p-type conducting behavior and its conductance is significantly enhanced compared with that of undoped graphene. Three-layer graphene exhibited a sheet resistance of 40 Ω/□, while four-layer doped graphene has even smaller sheet resistance of 20 Ω/□, with transmittance ≥90% for both cases, which provide the best combination of sheet resistance and transmittance among all previously reported transparent conductors.


Marek's disease virus (MDV) is an oncogenic alphaherpesvirus that causes immunosuppression, T-cell lymphomas, and neuropathic disease in infected chickens. To protect chickens from MDV infection, an avirulent live vaccine of turkey herpesvirus (HVT) has been successfully used for chickens worldwide. Similar to MDV for natural infection in both chickens and turkeys, HVT also infects lung in the early stage of infection and then lymphocytes from lymphoid organs. Virus replication requires cell-to-cell contact for spreading and semi-productive lytic replication in T and B cells. Then, cell-free infectious virions matured in the feather follicle epithelium (FFE) are released and spread through the feather from infected turkeys or chickens. To understand the lifecycle of HVT in inoculated chickens via the subcutaneous route, we investigate the replication kinetics and tissue organ tropism of HVT in chickens by a subcutaneous inoculation which is a major route of MDV vaccination. We show that the progeny virus matured in lymphocytes from the thymus, spleen, and lung as early as 2 days post-infection (dpi) and bursa of Fabricius at 4 dpi, whereas viral maturation in the FFE was observed at 6 dpi. Furthermore, semi-quantitative reverse transcription-PCR experiments to measure viral mRNA expression levels revealed that the higher expression levels of the late genes were associated with viral maturation in the FFE. These data that tropism and replication kinetics of HVT could be similar to those of MDV through the intake pathway of natural infection from respiratory tracts.


Solvent exchange is considered an effective method that changes the physicochemical properties of starch, especially the absorption. Ethanol concentration is one of the important influencing factors to form porous pores from the surface to inside starch granules. In this study, the effect of ethanol concentration on technical properties of starch treated by solvents were investigated. The ratio of ethanol/water was prepared at 1/9, 3/7, 5/5, 7/3 and 10/0 (w/w), respectively. Corn starch was treated by solvent at 8% concentration. Morphology, oil and water holding capacity, solubility, swelling power, viscosity, and transmittance were studied to elucidate the effect of the ethanol concentration on the morphological and technical properties of corn starch treated by solvent. As a result, starch treated by solvent with different concentrations tended to form wrinkles and pore from the surface to the inside of the starch granules during ethanol immersion. Therefore, the oil and water holding capacity, solubility, swelling and viscosity of the solvent-treated starch samples increase as the concentration of ethanol increases. Otherwise, the transmittance of starch glues tends to decrease when the ethanol concentration increases.


One problem in mariculture is mortality caused by diseases. An experiment to evaluate the effectiveness of polyvalent bacterial vaccine combined with anti GSDIV vaccine was conducted in the Institute for Mariculture Research and Development, Gondol, Bali. Polyvalent bacterial vaccine was combined of three inactivated pathogens, i.e. Vibrio harveyi, V. alginolyticus, and Photobacterium leioghnathi. Polyvalent bacterial vaccine administered through bathing method whereas GSDIV vaccine given through intra-peritoneal injection on tiger grouper. The fish was reared for three months in concrete tanks equipped with filter and aeration systems. The fish were fed with dry pellet twice a day. The results showed that titer antibody and survival rate of vaccinated fish were higher than unvaccinated one. The highest titer antibody was obtained on fish vaccinated with GSDIV vaccine (128) followed by fish vaccinated with polyvalent bacterial vaccine (32-64) and combination of polyvalent bacterial vaccine with GSDIV vaccine (32-64), respectively. Relative Percentage Survival (RPS) of vaccinated fish following challenge with live bacteria and virus were ranged from 65-84%. It is suggested that vaccines effective to enhance immune protection of tiger grouper fish against bacterial and viral infections.


This dissertation situates Sarah Kane's dramatic work beyond its In-Yer-Face debut productions (U.K.; circa 1995 -2000) and within the larger spectrum of western drama in an effort to introduce a new dramatic vocabulary with which to critically engage with non-traditional dramatic texts. I argue for the establishment of a theatric alliance, which I define as the joining of a text (Kane's in this case) with a contributing narrative for production in an effort to achieve a specific social, political, or theatrical goal. I posit that Kane's carefully constructed dramaturgy includes a conscious invitation, via textual and narrative gaps, to the theatre artist(s), to participate in this alliance. This collaboration results in a critical alliance with Kane's texts that ultimately re-inspires them as relevant, current, and active pieces of theatre, thereby gaining admission into a myriad of vastly different social and political climates. I discuss the implications of previous contributing narratives that have forged an alliance with Kane's texts including: disabled-led theatre, state-controlled art, mental-illness, and suicide. I extend Wolfgang Iser's literary theory of the implied reader to include an implied reader/performer as well as an implied audience. By engaging with the critical theories of Iser, Claude Levi-Strauss, Jacques Derrida, Mikhail Bakhtin, Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari, and Victor Turner, I argue that the malleability and ingenuity of Kane's texts allows her work to transcend the limits of the media criticism endured during the mid- to late 1990s and be included among the most poignant and astutely engaging theatre in modern drama


Social sciences have been in crisis for a long time, partly by being the captive of the Newtonian paradigm, and partly through the effects of this paradigm on practice. This crisis was recognized in the past by the Russian psychologist and philosopher Lev Vygotsky, and continues to this day. The educational crisis is just one instance. It is hard to imagine how to escape this crisis, and a real shift of paradigm is needed. In this article, such a shift toward the paradigm of complexity is advocated. The shift implies a reframing of complexity and a new kind of thinking in complexity. The new paradigm implies the development of a causally generative complexity theory of change and development. Ultimately, the fundamental challenge is to harness the complexity of complex, generative learning in the communities of learners in learning organizations.


AIM
To clone and sequence the cagA gene fragment of Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) with coccoid form.

METHODS
H pylori strain NCTC11637 were transformed to coccoid form by exposure to antibiotics in subinhibitory concentrations. The coccoid H pylori was collected. cagA gene of the coccoid H pylori strain was amplified by PCR. After purified, the target fragment was cloned into plasmid pMD-18T. The recombinant plasmid pMD-18T-cagA was transformed into E.coli JM109. Positive clones were screened and identified by PCR and digestion with restriction endonucleases. The sequence of inserted fragment was then analysed.

RESULTS
cagA gene of 3,444 bp was obtained from the coccoid H pylori genome DNA. The recombinant plasmid pMD-18T-cagA was constructed, then it was digested by BamH I+Sac I, and the product of digestion was identical with the predicted one. Sequence analysis showed that the homology of coccoid and the reported original sequence H pylori was 99.7%.

CONCLUSION
The recombinant plasmid containing cagA gene from coccoid H pylori has been constructed successfully. The coccoid H pylori contain completed cagA gene, which may be related to pathogenicity of them.


Repeated exposure of rats to pulsed, circularly polarized microwaves (2,450-MHz, 2-microseconds pulses at 500 pps, power density 1 mW/cm2, at an averaged, whole-body SAR of 0.6 W/kg) induced biphasic changes in the concentration of muscarinic cholinergic receptors in the central nervous system. An increase in receptor concentration occurred in the hippocampus of rats subjected to ten 45-min sessions of microwave exposure, whereas a decrease in concentration was observed in the frontal cortex and hippocampus of rats exposed to ten 20-min sessions. These findings, which confirm earlier work in the authors' laboratory, were extended to include pretreatment of rats with the narcotic antagonist naltrexone (1 mg/kg, IP) before each session of exposure. The drug treatment blocked the microwave-induced changes in cholinergic receptors in the brain. These data further support the authors' hypothesis that endogenous opioids play a role in the effects of microwaves on central cholinergic systems.


We propose an effective and useful numerical simulation scheme for the investigation of the ultra-fast laser pulses in tenuous plasmas. The accuracy of the method is tested by numerical examples. We check some special examples to investigate the laser envelope evolving and modulation in plasmas. Asymmetric two-peak modulation structure is found and its underlying physics is analyzed. The advantages and shortages of the method are also discussed.


The aim of this study was to isolate and select lipase producing bacteria from effluent waste of paint industry. Five lipase producing Gram negative bacterial isolates showed promising extracellular lipase activity. Molecular identification on the basis of 16S rDNA identified bacterial isolates as Aeromonas sp. Sh 2 (KT186103.1), Aeromonas sp. Sh 8 (KT229540.1), Aeromonas sp. Sh 12 (KT427918.1), Pseudomonas sp. Sh 13 (KT251204.1), Pseudomonas sp. Sh 17 (KT251205.1). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that all the three Aeromonas spp. and two Pseudomonas spp. are highly divergent within each group. Effect of various physio-chemical parameters showed that pH 7.0 and temperature 37°C were favourable for lipase production in all five isolates. Glucose in combination with peptone enhanced the lipase activity from 1359 to 2347 Umg in Aeromonas sp. Sh 2. Combination of glucose with yeast extract improved the lipase activity of Aeromonas sp. Sh 8 from 1641 to 2674 Umg, whereas glucose with casein hydrolysate increased the lipase activity of Aeromonas sp. Sh 12 from 1568 to 1983 Umg. Pseudomonas sp. Sh 13 and Pseudomonas sp. Sh 17 did not show enhanced lipase activity in presence of different carbon or nitrogen sources. These bacterial isolates could be exploited to treat oil and paint based industrial effluents and contribute to reduce environmental hazards.


Based on independent research, interviews with programme participants, corporate customers, and the business schools themselves, and the report-card rankings of "Business Week", this guide surveys the current state of executive education, assesses programmes for executives by subject and functional area, and profiles the best of them. Reports, charts and tables provide basic information on entrance requirements, costs, and curricula. Rankings show which programmess yield best results in terms of specific jobs or long-term career development.


ABSTRACT We study the effects of municipal mergers on voter turnout in a difference-in-differences framework, using data from a wave of municipal mergers in Finland in 2009. Analysing two pre-merger elections and three post-merger elections, spanning a total of 17 years, we find that municipal mergers decrease voter turnout by 4 percentage points in the long run in the relatively small municipalities compared to similar small municipalities that did not merge. As the average turnout rate prior to merging in this group was around 69%, this is a substantial effect. We also find that virtually nothing happens to turnout in the municipalities that were relatively large within their merger. Furthermore, mergers are associated with a decrease in voters' political efficacy and turnout decreases more in those municipalities that experience larger decreases in efficacy.


BACKGROUND
Clinical vestibular technology is rapidly evolving to improve objective assessments of vestibular function. Understanding the reliability and expected score ranges of emerging clinical vestibular tools is important to gauge how these tools should be used as clinical endpoints.

OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to evaluate inter-rater and test-retest reliability intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) of four vestibular tools and to determine expected ranges of scores through smallest real difference (SRD) measures.

METHODS
Sixty healthy graduate students completed two 1-hour sessions, at most a week apart, consisting of two video head-impulse tests (vHIT), computerized dynamic visual acuity (cDVA) tests, and a smartphone-assisted bucket test (SA-SVV). Thirty students were tested by different testers at each session (inter-rater) and 30 by the same tester (test-retest). ICCs and SRDs were calculated for both conditions.

RESULTS
Most measures fell within the moderate ICC range (0.50-0.75). ICCs were higher for cDVA in the inter-rater subgroup and higher for vHITs in the test-retest subgroup.

CONCLUSIONS
Measures from the four tools evaluated were moderately reliable. There may be a tester effect on reliabilities, specifically vHITs. Further research should repeat these analyses in a patient population and explore methodological differences between vHIT systems.


Quantum hadrodynamics (QHD) is a framework for describing the nuclear many-body problem as a relativistic system of baryons and mesons. Motivation is given for the utility of such an approach and for the importance of basing it on a local, Lorentz-invariant lagrangian density. Calculations of nuclear matter and finite nuclei in both renormalizable and nonrenormalizable, effective QHD models are discussed. Connections are made between the effective and renormalizable models, as well as between relativistic mean-field theory and more sophisticated treatments. Recent work in QHD involving nuclear structure, electroweak interactions in nuclei, relativistic transport theory, nuclear matter under extreme conditions, and the evaluation of loop diagrams is reviewed.


The social and environmental performances of big enterprises are increasingly coming under regulatory regimes that aim to reassert social control over them to improve their social obligations. In practice, corporate social responsibility (CSR) has its limitations for long term sustainability. Thus, the corporate accountability movement has proposed a variety of regulatory movements that include obligations as opposed to responsibility. This volume provides insights into these dimensions of the interface between corporate players and questions of sustainability. The volume will be useful to teachers and graduate and post-graduate students of environmental sciences and management, environment activists, NGOs, multilateral organizations, funding organizations, policymakers, and trans-nationals especially of the developing world, as well as general readers.


Abstract Discussions on the privatization of safety and security are often marred by the irrationality of the arguments advanced against privatization. It is argued here that a rational approach to the issue leads to the conclusion that the further development of safety and security depends upon privatization. Given that safety and security is inextricably linked to technology and organization, the issue of safety and security is best viewed from an interdisciplinary context. An analysis of those disciplines that together with the law are relevant to safety and security—in particular technology and business administration—shows the importance of increasing rationality and the application of empirical sciences.


Problematic use of alcohol configures an element of interest in the context of preventive interventions aimed to ensuring the performance of any work in safety conditions. To contrast the acute alcohol abuse in the workplace the existing legislation provides alcoholimeters controls and prohibition of recruitment and administration of alcohol. Recent legislation (D.Lgs. 81/08) establishes health surveillance for alcohol dependence and appears still incomplete and difficult to apply. Clinical diagnostic tools available to the physician for alcohol dependence identification are well-defined and recently improved thanks to new laboratory markers with high sensitivity and specificity (CDT) and self-administered questionnaires. In this contest we are awaiting for legislative action to specify conditions and procedures for inspections in the workplace in order to face the problem of alcohol dependence without excessive bureaucracy and with more attention to preventive aspects.


The article describes the experience of methodological support for teachers in a rural school in the Kaliningrad region on the basis of federal and regional projects - Schools for Effective Growth, support for rural schools by Moscow schools, the School for Effective Management, the Center for Digital and Humanitarian Education "Growth Point". The definition of methodological work is given, approaches to the concept of different scientists are considered, the main features of the methodological support of rural schools are listed. A methodological support program is proposed on the example of one of the rural schools of the Kaliningrad region, which includes the goal, objectives, principles, content, planned results. It is proposed to include five areas in the program content - organizational, informational, personnel, scientific-methodological, legal support. According to the results of the study, it is concluded that the effectiveness of the methodological support program in a rural school can be achieved through the following indicators: one hundred percent passing the state final certification by ninth graders for two years, an increase in the number of teachers who passed certification, receiving stimulating payments by young teachers, achievements in the competition of young teachers at the regional level.


World literature's natural home is comparative literature, a discipline born from and shaped by, as Vilashini Cooppan elegantly puts it, "scholarly engagements with the categories of migration, exile, diaspora, and globalization" (15). However, world literature has frequently been framed as a problem for the discipline, in large part because of its dependence on the ever-vexing and still mistrusted specter of translation. In light of the long-standing anxiety toward both world literature and translation, I propose here that comparatists do ourselves a terrible disservice if we do not urgently take up the questions raised by this disciplinary tension. Translation – in all of its attendant struggles with ethics, aesthetics, appropriation, authority – is not the problem, but, rather, should be understood as a key critical lens for comparative and world literature.


In this paper, we investigate through simulation a proposed multi-functional optical interface incorporating an arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) that multiplexes multiple wavelength-interleaved dense-wavelength-division-multiplexed (DWDM) optical RF channels while simultaneously reducing intermodulation distortion (IMD) in fiber-radio systems incorporating optical single sideband with carrier (OSSB+C) modulation. The proposed optical interface is also able to simultaneously support multiple baseband transmission in an integrated wireless/wired heterogeneous access environment. We derive an analytical model and present a detailed analysis of the proposed interface to establish the viability of its operation and quantify performance limitations. Our results show that the proposed scheme is not dependent on the inherent characteristics of the optical carrier and a maximum IMD suppression of >9 dB can be achieved. The proposed interface was also investigated via simulation for a larger number of DWDM channels to establish the viability and subsequently quantify the overall performance of a heterogeneous millimeter-wave fiber-radio system with other wired-access infrastructure.


PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES
A patient-centered care (PCC) paradigm undergirds modern dental education. PCC is particularly relevant in the management of patient dental fear. The aims of this study were three-fold: (a) to examine the preliminary psychometric properties of an author-designed survey administered to explore dental fear knowledge and perceptions, (b) to assess how 4th-year dental students regard dental fear, (c) and to investigate the relationship between students' knowledge and perceptions of dental fear and their clinical behavior.

METHODS
In 2022, 4th-year dental students (N = 453) participated in a cross-sectional study. Participants completed a 16-item survey that assessed (a) knowledge and perceptions about dental fear, (b) common biases in patient fear assessment, and (c) patient management behaviors when fear is encountered. Exploratory factor analysis, descriptive statistics, and logistic regressions were run to address the study's aims.

RESULTS
Exploratory factor analysis revealed three factors, with the two strongest factors pertaining to beliefs about the importance of dental fear (α = 0.87) and self-efficacy in managing fear (α = 0.74). Participants indicated that it is important to assess for dental fear and rated their self-efficacy in ability managing it as high. Ratings on both factors slightly increased the odds of engaging in routine patient screening for dental fear. Students also displayed assessment biases commonly seen among practicing dentists.

CONCLUSION(S)
Results indicate educational gaps within the current behavioral-science training for dental students. Changes to improve advanced dental students' appreciation of their patients' dental fear are warranted.


Background

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a prevalent complication of pregnancy, this condition affects maternal and child well-being and functioning. Results from a meta-analysis showed an incidence of 13% PPD cases in the first 12 weeks after labor. Primary care is the first gate and continuing point of care for patients. Despite the controversy of screening and early identification in primary care settings, many PPD cases remain undetected. Given the uncertainty about this issue, screening instruments must be effective in identifying the cases. This systematic review and meta-analyses aim to identify the most suitable postpartum depression screening instrument for use in primary care.
Methods

PubMed, ScienceDirect, and ProQuest databases were used to search using relevant keywords or MeSH, with limitation of publication from January 1st, 2010 through December 31st, 2020. We will include screening studies on postpartum women using validated screening tools followed by validated structured or semi-structured interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) as the reference standard in the primary care setting. Study designs included in the review are cross-sectional and randomized controlled trial without no screening arm on the diagnostic study. We will use a liberal accelerated method on the title and abstract review stage, then perform full-text article reviews on selected studies. Methodological quality will be assessed independently by two authors according to QUADAS-2 (Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2). Extraction of the study data will be undertaken by one reviewer and checked by a second reviewer. Disagreements will be resolved by consensus and including a third investigator as necessary. The test characteristics will be extracted into 2x2 tables for all included studies. Study-specific estimates of sensitivity and specificity with 95% confidence intervals will be displayed in forest plots.
Discussion

The proposed systematic review and meta-analyses will allow us to obtain the most suitable postpartum depression screening instrument for use in primary care.
Systematic review registration:
 PROSPERO CRD42020216067


This paper aims to describe how a global strategy can link with local ownership by building on knowledge and experience already present in different educational environments at the university. This has been the case at Aalborg University in the process of selecting Virtual Learning Environments. It is concluded that it is possible to prepare for a link between global strategy and local ownership by facilitating a process that involves local experts from different parts of the university.


The self-interest motive is singularly powerful according to many of the most influential theories of human behavior and the layperson alike. In the present article the author examines the role the assumption of self-interest plays in its own confirmation. It is proposed that a norm exists in Western cultures that specifies self-interest both is and ought to be a powerful determinant of behavior. This norm influences people's actions and opinions as well as the accounts they give for their actions and opinions. In particular, it leads people to act and speak as though they care more about their material self-interest than they do. Consequences of misinterpreting the "fact" of self-interest are discussed.


OBJECTIVE
To describe the cutaneous trunci muscle (CTM) reflex in dogs.

STUDY DESIGN
Prospective descriptive study.

ANIMALS
Normal dogs (n = 155) and 10 dogs with thoracolumbar myelopathies.

METHODS
The CTM reflex caudal border was assessed from the ilial crests moving cranially until a CTM contraction was elicited. The lateral borders were evaluated at 4 levels and the distance from the midline to the lateral border was expressed asa percentage of the trunk hemicircumference. The caudal border was assessed in 10 dogs with myelopathies by 4 different observers and by 1 observer on 3 occasions;the inter- and intraobserver kappa coefficient was calculated.

RESULTS
The CTM reflex was elicited in all dogs. Its caudal border was at L5 or L6 in 153 dogs and at L1 and L3 in 2 dogs. The lateral field of the reflex occupied>50%of the hemicircumference of the trunk at each level tested. The mean difference in measurement of the reflex caudal border was 0.55 cm between observers and 0.28 cm for the same observer. The inter- and intraobserver kappa coefficient was 0.67 and 0.87, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS
The CTM reflex is elicited caudal to L5 in most normal dogs, and the lateral sensory field extends to 50% or more of the circumference of the trunk.Inter- and intraobserver differences in assessment of the caudal border are low.


Notwithstanding an impressive $\sim 27\%$ share of the total energy budget of our Universe, dark matter (DM) has by far remained elusive for any direct observations. Given its ubiquity, there is a genuine expectation that astrophysical black holes (BHs) surrounded by DM should leave imprints on the gravitational waves germinating from BH mergers. Theoretical models of DM offer a landscape of possibilities. Of these, perfect fluid dark matter (PDFM) is a novel candidate model which has been of considerable interest recently. In this Letter, employing the well-known \textit{quantum optical} approach, we investigate the possibility of catching DM signatures via acceleration radiation emitted by a detector (e.g. an atom) falling freely within a PFDM-surrounded Schwarzschild BH. The setup comprises a Casimir-type apparatus where the detector interacts with the field and excites thereby in a typical Unruh manner. We observe that our DM candidate, though offering contributions to the spacetime geometry on a classical footing, could however leave its potential quantum imprints in the radiation flux. Specifically, one notes that compared to a pure Schwarzschild BH, PFDM can markedly reduce particle emission as long as its density remains below a critical value, and vice versa. This novel study, bringing DM into Casimir physics, may possibly provide insights into the future table-top experiments in analogue gravity paradigm.


Biodiesel has great potential to be applied in a variety of combustion engines, such as boiler. The excess air control in the combustion process plays an important role to produce an ideal combustion performance. The changes in the physical properties of the fuel due to the use of palm biodiesel or its blends affect the amount of required air to the combustion chamber. This study was conducted in a package type fire tube boiler with a design pressure of 3 bars and heat capacity of 60,000 kCal/hour. Palm biodiesel blends were set as boiler fuel with composition of 10%, 20%, 30% and 50% in diesel oil. Fan damper scale is part of the burner system that in charge to regulate the air flow into the combustion chamber. The fan damper scale was set in the range of 4.0-4.9. For higher blends of biodiesel, the fan damper was optimum in lower scale (4.0 or less). More biodiesel in blends, less combustion air was needed to enter. Hence, the excess air of palm biodiesel combustion in fire tube boiler was in range of 57-66%.


The Journal of the National Cancer Institute (JNCI), with its broad coverage of bench research, epidemiologic studies, and clinical trials, has a long history of publishing practice-changing studies in cancer prevention and public health. These include studies of tobacco cessation, chemoprevention, and nutrition. The landmark Breast Cancer Prevention Trial (BCPT)-the first large trial to prove efficacy of a preventive medication for a major malignancy-was published in the Journal, as were key ancillary papers to the BCPT. Even when JNCI was not the publication venue for the main trial outcomes, conceptual and design discussions leading to the trial as well as critical follow-up analyses based on trial data from the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial (PCPT) and the Selenium and Vitamin E Chemoprevention Trial (SELECT) were published in the Journal. The Journal has also published important evidence on very charged topics, such as the purported link between abortion and breast cancer risk. In summary, JNCI has been at the forefront of numerous major publications related to cancer prevention.


Introduction: Cardiovascular disease accounts for almost half of all deaths in individuals with chronic kidney disease stage 5 despite advances in both dialysis treatment and cardiology. A combination of lipid-lowering and anti-inflammatory effects along with avoidance of hypercalcemia should be taken into account when choosing phosphorus binders for maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients. Methods: We examined the association of sevelamer versus calcium-based phosphorus binders with lipid profile, inflammatory markers including C-reactive protein (CRP), and mineral metabolism in MHD patients who participated in the Nutritional and Inflammatory Evaluation of Dialysis Patients (NIED) study from October 2001 to July 2005. Results: Of the 787 MHD patients in the NIED study, 697 were on either sevelamer, a calcium-based binder, or both and eligible for this study. We compared the groups based on taking sevelamer monotherapy (n = 283) or calcium binder monotherapy (n = 266) for serum phosphate control. There were no differences between the groups on dialysis vintage. There were significant differences in age, serum calcium and phosphorus levels, as well as intact parathyroid hormone levels. Using a logistic regression models, the sevelamer group had a higher odds of serum CRP <10 mg/l [odds ratio (OR): 1.06, 95% CI: 1.02–1.11] and LDL cholesterol <70 mg/dl (OR: 1.33, 95% CI: 1.19–1.47) when compared to the calcium binder group independent of age, vintage, body mass index, statin use or other variables. Conclusion: The improvements in multiple surrogate markers of inflammation and lipids in the NIED study make sevelamer a promising therapy for treatment in MHD patients with high risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality.


A novel ternary complex of Cu(pcpa)2(aben)2 (pcpa=p-chlorophenoxyacetic acid anion,aben=2-amino benzothiazole) was synthesized by the reaction of copper acetate,2-amino benzothiazole and p-chlorophenoxyacetic acid.Elemental analysis,IR,UV and X-ray single-crystal diffraction were carried out to determine the composition and crystal structure.The crystal crystalli-zes in the monoclinic system,space group C2/c with a=25.795(4),b=7.384(3),c =17.741(6),β=107.47(2)°,C30H24Cl2CuN4O6S2,Mr=735.09,V=3223.2(18) 3,Z=4,Dc=1.515 Mg/m3,λ(MoKα)=0.71073 ,μ=1.022 mm-1,F(000)=1500,the final R=0.0464 and wR=0.1244.A total of 3218 unique reflections were collected,of which 2228 with I > 2σ(I) were observed.The Cu(II) atom is four-coordinated with two carboxylate oxygen atoms of the two pcpa ligands and two nitrogen atoms in thiazole rings of two aben ligands.The analysis of crystal structure shows intermolecular and intramolecular hydrogen bonds between amino-nitrogen atoms of the two aben ligands and carboxylate oxygen atoms of the two pcpa ligands.The antimicrobial properties of the title complex and its two free ligands were tested against representative bacterial and fungal strains.Results show that the antibacterial activity of the complex is less than or equal to that of 2-amino benzothiazole,but for yeasts and moulds,it exhibits excellent inhibitory effect better than that of its two free ligands.


Copper slags are usually considered a waste and characterized only by the final copper content. Large and increasing quantities are being produced and disposed of by stockpiling near the metallurgical plants. This paper stresses the importance of physico-chemical characterization when considering uses for slags and the possibility of recovering the valuable metals still remaining in this phase. The purpose of this work is to support and encourage a change in the classical perception of slag from a 'waste' to a 'resource'; promote the development of new technologies for treatment to recover residual values and encourage a search for new uses; with the ultimate objective of eliminating slag stockpiles thereby diminishing the environmental impact of smelting operations. Some of the results of experimental laboratory work done by the authors and examples of commercial applications will be shown. A promising future for valorization and utilization of slags is expected and will provide an example when considering the use of all the other large quantities of wastes generated by the mining industry.


Background: Endomyocardial fibrosis (EMF), an obliterative cardiomyopathy of uncertain etiology, is the most common restrictive cardiomyopathy worldwide with no specific treatment and usually associated with poor prognosis due to late presentation. First described in the literature in 1946 among Africans, the prevalence seem to be decreasing, but without much change in its management in the region due to late presentation and inadequate surgical responsiveness. Earlier literature described EMF as a disease of the rain forest, only restricted to dwellers in the coastal regions. Despite the growing body of knowledge on this condition, there is not enough corresponding advancement in therapeutic interventions for the sufferers in Nigeria. Materials and Methods: Between May 2010 and July 2011, we reviewed cases of endomyocardial fibrosis presenting to the cardiology unit of Jos University Teaching Hospital, Plateau State Nigeria. The institutional board of the hospital approved the review, and consent was obtained from the patients/guardians. Effort was made to withhold identity of the patients in accordance with established protocol. Result: The first case was an 18-year-old female student with features of chronic heart failure who has earlier been misdiagnosed as having rheumatic valvular heart disease, but had biventricular EMF. Case 2 was a 33-year-old man who presented with breathlessness and hemoptysis and was erroneously on treatment for tuberculosis. Echocardiography revealed right ventricular EMF. The final case was a 27-year-old farmer with cough, progressive shortness of breath and abdominal swelling. Holter monitoring revealed ventricular and atrial arrhythmias, and echocardiography showed pericardial effusion with features of right ventricular EMF. He had bouts of arrhythmia with collapse, and finally died suddenly. Conclusion: There have been little advances in management of EMF seven decades after it was discovered, and despite being one of the major causes of heart failure in the tropics, awareness and response to management in these areas have lagged behind.


Placenta plays a very important role in the growth and development of
fetus.

To know the correlation between placental weight and perinatal outcome in term antenatal
women.

Present prospective case-control study was conducted in the rural tertiary center of
Northern India over one year (January-December 2018) on 1,118 term (≥37-≤42 weeks) antenatal
women with singleton pregnancy fulfilling inclusion criteria with 559 women with high-risk pregnancy
as cases and 559 low-risk pregnant women as controls. Placental weight, birth weight was
measured immediately after delivery and compared between the two groups along with gestation,
parity, fetal gender, and neonatal outcome. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS 22 version.

Mean placental weight [481.98±67.83 gm vs. 499.47±59.59 gm (p=.000)] and birth weight
[2.68±0.53 Kg vs. 2.88±0.4 Kg (p=.000)] was significantly lower in high risk as compared to lowrisk
participants, whereas placental birth weight ratio was higher in high-risk cases [18.35±2.37 vs.
17.41±1.38 (p=.000)] respectively. Placental weight was positively correlated with birth weight and
placental weight and birth weight increased with increasing gestation in both cases and controls.
Male neonates had higher placental weight [492.74±68.24 gm vs. 488±58.8 gm (p=0.224)] and birth
weight [2.81±0.5 Kg vs. 2.74±0.45 Kg (p=0.033)] as compared to females. Neonatal Intensive Care
Unit admission was significantly associated with low placental and birth weight (p=.000).

There is a significant correlation between placental weight, birth weight and neonatal
outcome, hence placental weight can be used as an indirect indicator of intrauterine fetal growth.


【Purpose : The Purpose of this study was to pain release and power grip in wrist affect of needle TENS(utilized of TENS in electrotherapy with oriental needle) and ultrasound therapy and taping with carpal tunnel syndrome patients. Methods : To study divided of each groups. each groups were apply to ultrasound therapy for 5 mintus, Taping was attached from wrist joint to elbow joint medial epicondly after maximum extension. needle TENS application was following of median nerve in wrist. Result : 1. The pain was released on needle TENS, ultrasound and taping groups of all(p】


On 17 July 1998 remains identified as those of Tsar Nicholas II and his family were reburied in St. Petersburg. The internment followed the decision taken by the Russian Governmental Commission responsible for the study of the remains, which heavily relied on mitochondrial DNA analysis conducted on one or two bones from each of the nine skeletons found in the original gravesite near the city of Ekaterinburg in the Urals region. The investigation should be regarded as inconclusive because crucially important historical information was not taken into account either in formulating alternative scenarios or when calculating the corresponding odds and match probabilities. Among these factors were attempts to hide evidence and to develop false clues about the murders, and the fact that the grave which contained the remains was not intact and some skulls and other bones may have been added to the grave, possibly even those of relatives of the alleged persons. For these reasons, the conclusions drawn from analyses should only have applied to the specific bones that were analysed and not to the disinterred skeletons. Further, the mitochondrial DNA analyses only provide information on the maternal lineages of those allegedly in the grave, and not for specific persons. Other shortcomings also occurred in the DNA studies, in particular the application of US and UK, and not Russian, population data in the analysis.


Health officials predicted tuberculosis would be completely eradicated in the U.S. by the year 2010. They were wrong. Here's how to gear up the lab for its return.


To easily evaluate the performance of the numerical dispersion of the FDTD method, a simple and efficient manner to theoretically determine the special direction that has the maximum phase-velocity for arbitrarily shaped two-dimensional (2-D) and three-dimensional (3-D) Yee's cells is proposed. It is found that the wave propagating along the special direction obeys the following physical rule: the time that the wave takes to traverse the spatial step sizes along each of the main axes of the cell is identical. It is demonstrated that this special direction is closely related to the aspect ratio(s) of the cells, rather than the diagonals of the cells. Moreover, the mathematical expressions for the maximum phase-velocity of the 2-D and 3-D cells with arbitrary aspect ratios are derived for the first time.


Op NEWCOMBE was the UK contribution to the UN Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) between 2019 and 2023. The UK deployed a Role 1 capability, a small surgical capability (Ground Manoeuvre Surgical Group) and Task Force Headquarters medical subject matter experts for a population at risk of ~300. Over subsequent deployments the Medical Group concept developed with the aim to optimise capability and resource, combining into one sub-Unit.Combined operation established a clear chain of command, provided learning opportunities, and enhanced the provision of care available, whilst generating resilience. The Role 1 was able to operate at an increased capacity: >1000 patient consultations over 6 months, mass vaccinations and disease outbreak management. Duplication of assurance, governance and pre-deployment training was reduced. Patients benefited from in Theatre access to imaging, laboratory tests and consultant specialist advice, with early identification of replacement force generation requirements. The combined approach allowed rapid reaction to emergencies or periods of increased medical workload. During three of the five rotations, significant UK and international incidents were managed throughout the patient care pathway utilising the entirety of the Medical Group.Future deployment models should consider this force enabling approach in the planning, force generation and deployment phases for new Operations. Early identification and adoption of a Medical Group composition ensures pre-deployment risks can be identified and mitigated early, team cohesion can be generated, duplication of training and governance can be prevented whilst optimising the provision of deployed care.


A technique is described which can be used to estimate magnetotelluric impedances using magnetic source fields having predetermined polarization characteristics. The technique involves digital filtering of the timeseries data, followed by estimates of the amplitudes and phases of single cycles, utilizing a simple "maximum/ minimum" approach. The resulting impedance estimates are at least as consistent as estimates obtained using the more usual fast Fourier transform and bandwidth averaging technique. When magnetic source field amplitudes are subdivided into groups on the basis of their polarization directions, diagonal elements of the impedance tensors determined from individual groups show an upward bias. We interpret this as due to instability in solutions for the impedances which occurs when magnetic source fields are highly polarized. In addition, one of the tensor elements shows a consistent upward bias when the magnetic field is polarized predominantly in the east-west direction. Since we observe this latter effect at three separate sites, we suggest that it may be due to either a noise source which is polarized in the east-west direction, or to the assumption of vertical incidence not holding for horizontal magnetic source fields which are polarized in the east-west sense.


Introduction: Haemophilia A(HA) is a complex bleeding disorder resultant from mutations in the Factor VIII protein. Factor VIII is encoded by the F8 gene, and mutations within exon14 contribute to the aetiology of HA in a subset of patients (˜14%), resulting in an incorrectly spliced mRNA transcript and subsequent mutant protein. The Factor VIII B‐domain is mostly encoded by exon14, however, there exists a small degree of functional redundancy in the B‐domain which may be potential targets for nucleic acid‐based therapies. This study aims to target non‐canonical splicing sequences in the F8 exon14 sequences using antisense‐oligonucleotides (AON) incorporating mixer chemistry to induce a truncated but functional Factor VIII transcript.

Materials and Method: Splice inducing sequences can be difficult to predict, we targeted predicted spliceosome elements in the F8 exon14 in HuH7 cells using mixmer chemistries. Following 24 h transfection, total RNA was extracted, converted into cDNA and PCR‐assessed using primers spanning exon13&14 and exon 14&15 boundaries. Positive PCR products were sequenced for identity. Factor VIII protein was analysed by immunoblotting with anti‐factor VIII antibodies.

Results: The entire F8 Exon14 can be deleted by targeting the canonical donor and acceptor splice sites. Human splicing finder 3.1 predicted several sequences for mixmer AON targeting the 3‐prime end of the F8 Exon14 sequence. Different mixmer AON could induce novel F8 pre‐mRNA splicing in HuH7 hepatocarcinoma cells. A wild‐type product (3.5Kb) was present in all treatments, and excision events were observed in mixmer AON‐ #7‐17. Three main F8 products were confirmed by Sanger sequencing. All three contained novel splice inducing sites (U1‐ and U12‐like sequences) and the truncated F8 exon14 transcript is in‐frame with F8‐exon15. All novel transcripts retained the furin‐cleavage site.

Conclusion: Gene skipping of mutated regions of the Factor VIII B‐domain at the pre‐mRNA stage is a potential novel treatment strategy for Haemophilia A. This study successfully excised exon14 of the F8 gene to generate a complete B domain deletion, as well as several partially deleted B‐domain Factor VIII transcripts by inducing spliceosome binding in exonic sequences with mixmer antisense‐oligonucleotides.


Seed isoflavone content is influenced by environment and genotype, but seed fractions such as hypocotyls and cotyledons display highly contrasted isoflavone contents and compositions. Moreover, the Isoflavone content of hypocotyls appears less influenced by environment than that of cotyledons. The purpose of this study was to better understand isoflavone distribution between the two parts of the embryo during seed maturation. The accumulation kinetics of individual and total isoflavones in hypocotyls and cotyledons were recorded in three growth conditions (two years in greenhouse, and one year in the field) in four soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] cultivars having contrasted isoflavone contents and compositions in their seed fractions, from 20 days after flowering (DAF, R5 stage) to seed maturity (R8 stage). As soon as 20 DAF, early isoflavone accumulation was observed in hypocotyls, whereas the isoflavone accumulation the in cotyledons began at R6 stage, after hypocotyl content had reached a plateau. Depending on the growth conditions, a continuous accumulation up to maturity was observed in cotyledons, resulting in a fourfold increase of the total isoflavone content. But whatever the growth conditions, isoflavone accumulation in hypocotyls was unchanged, suggesting that hypocotyl isoflavone content could mainly be under genotypic control. This study clearly shows that isoflavone synthesis and accumulation result from highly differenti ated pathways in hypocotyls and cotyledons.


Favoured by a real geographical, socio-economical and financial potential, the human settlements system from Braşov county has supported significant transformations as all the regions of Romania. The towns and cities from this space, especially Braşov, Codlea, Făgăraş, Predeal, Victoria etc, have strongly developed from the industrial point of view before 1990. In spite of the machinebuilding, chemical and forest industry predomination the urban landscape of these towns and cities was characterized by the standardized industrial platforms. The cross to the market economy from the planned one, typically for the communist period brings with itself many mutations in the urban evolution. An important role viewing these changes has been represented and it is representing in our days by the Romanian and foreign investments in the real estate field. This paper wants to analyze some aspects concerning the urban settlements evolution in the post-communist period considering at the same time the importance of the industrial field transition to the market economy through the lens of the real estate investments. The real estate market from Braşov, its reality, the transactions and the prices that confer itself individuality and stability, has an important role in the positively evolution of the towns at the beginning of the new millennium. This kind of investments can be regarded as new solutions and models for contemporary trends of development in the market economy field. The Braşov county towns landscape reflects the investments and the real estate business impact in the frame of economical evolution from this part of country.


This study investigates the prolonged effects of physiological responses induced by acute stress on risk-taking in decision-making. Participants were divided into a Stress group (N = 14) and a Control group (N = 12). The Trier Social Stress Test was administered as an acute stressor, and reading was administered as a control task; thereafter, participants performed a decision-making task in which they needed to choose a sure option or a gamble option in Gain and Loss frame trials 2 h after (non-) exposure to the stressor. Increased cortisol, adrenaline, heart rate (HR), and subjective stress levels validated acute stress manipulation. Stressed participants made fewer risky choices only in the Gain domain, whereas no effect of stress was shown in the Loss domain. Deceleration of HR reflecting attention was greater for Gains compared with Losses only in the Stress group. Risk avoidance was determined by increased levels of cortisol caused by acute stress. These results suggest that processes regarding glucocorticoid might be involved in the prolonged effects of acute stress on the evaluation of risks and the monitoring of outcomes in decision-making.


Pregnancy in the rudimentary horn of the uterus is a rare form of ectopic pregnancy; most of the cases were being diagnosed at laparotomy for haemorrhagic shock due to rupture when the patient presents in the second trimester. Pre- rupture diagnosis is possible in the early pregnancy in suspicious cases. Pregnancy in the rudimentary horn has a poor maternal and foetal outcome and 90% of them present with intraperitoneal haemorrhage in the second trimester due to rupture of the horn. We report a case of ruptured rudimentary horn pregnancy at 16weeks, in shock with severe anaemia. Excision of the rudimentary horn with right salpingectomy was done.


Solar grade silicon (SoG-Si) is the core material of solar cells. The removal of boron (B) has always been a challenge in the preparation of high purity Si. Slag refining has always been considered as one of the effective methods to remove B, but the design of refined slag has been limited by the cognition of the relationship between slag structure and impurity removal, and can only rely on the apparent basicity and oxygen potential adjustment of slag based on a large number of conditional experiments. In order to clarify the B removal mechanism of slag refining from Si, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and Raman vibrational spectroscopy were used to investigate in detail the behavior and state of B and aluminum (Al) in the SiO2–CaO–Al2O3–B2O3 slag. The role of the degree of B–Si cross linking on the B activity in slag was highlighted by comparing the partition ratio (LB) between slag and Si. Q2 structural unit of slag is an important site for capturing B. BO4 (1B, 3Si) species is the main form of connection between B and silicate networks, which determines the activity of B in the slag. The addition of Al2O3 into SiO2–CaO slag can change the relative fraction of Q2 and BO4 (1B, 3Si). Increasing Al2O3 content from 0 to about 20 wt% can lead to the overall increase of Q2 population, and a tendency to decrease first and then increase of BO4 (1B, 3Si) fraction under both basicity conditions (0.6 and 1.1). When Al2O3 content is less than 10 ± 1 wt%, the decrease of BO4 (1B, 3Si) population plays a major role in deteriorating the connectivity between B and aluminosilicate network, which leads to a higher activity of B. When the Al2O3 content is greater than 10 ± 1 wt%, B is incorporated into the silicate network more easily due to the formation of more Q2 and BO4 (1B, 3Si), which contributes to a rapid decline in activity of B in slag.


Understanding Contemporary American Science Fiction: The Age of Maturity, 1970-2000 explores the major trends and developments during three decades that witnessed science fiction's most dramatic progression from subliterary escapist entertainment to a more sophisticated literature of ideas. Darren Harris-Fain suggests that to understand American science fiction fully, it is essential to realize that the current field with all its variety results from the proceeding decades of writings. In addition, he contends that although much science fiction of merit was written in America prior to 1970, the latter decades of the twentieth century witnessed a dramatic improvement in quality, even as the field fragmented into a variety of subgenres and as writers sought to transcend earlier critical dismissals. Harris-Fain discusses significant and representative works, most of which mainstream literary scholars and critics ignore, as he charts the historical and literary development of contemporary American science fiction. He identifies influences and events central to the genre's growth, including the internal divisions along both literary and political lines experienced during the Vietnam era; the influence of the feminist movement and other contemporary concerns; the increasing contributions of female, African American, and gay and lesbian writers; and the emergence of such significant trends as hard science fiction, cyberpunk, alternate history, and shared-world stories. Harris-Fain also considers literary science fiction's relationship to the mass media, the effects the popularity of fantasy has on the field, and academia's continued misprizing of the genre.


A combination of measurements from Autosub, an autonomous underwater vehicle, and ship‐based instruments are used to describe the oceanographic conditions beneath Fimbul Ice Shelf, Antarctica. The data show an intricate oceanographic regime that is suggestive of variability at seasonal or longer time scales. Results from a numerical model of the flow beneath the ice shelf lend support to a strong seasonal variability, and data from instruments moored beneath the ice shelf show substantial temporal variations. The Autosub data indicate temperatures within the cavity somewhat lower than our model results would suggest; thus, our modeled melt rates (average of 0.85 m yr−1) might be overestimates, although they are substantially lower than from previously published model studies (4.9 and 1.9 m yr−1). The contribution of ice shelf melt in the freshwater balance of the waters upstream of the climatically important Filchner‐Ronne Ice Shelf needs to be reassessed.


Gesauldi, Louis J. The Italian/American Experience: A Collection of Writings. Lanham: University Press of America, 2012. xii + 93 pages. Paper, $25.00. In The Italian/American Experience: A Collection of Writings, sociologist Louis J. Gesualdi presents a collection of writings to correct the inaccurate and negative popular beliefs regarding the Italian American experience. He particularly examines the stereotypes of Italian Americans from Southern Italy by offering counterarguments for research findings that historically have been used to explain differences of success between Italians and Italian Americans from Northern Italy and Southern Italy. In a book of less than 100 pages, Gesualdi argues very persuasively that past research has failed to understand the lives of southern Italians and Italian Americans, resulting in misconceptions regarding the achievements of Italian Americans in comparison with other white ethnic groups. He also seeks to "provide useful information on Italian American heritage" (p. xi). It is apparent from the introduction that Gesualdi's objective is to offer a more positive portrait of Italian Americans. He argues that the southern region of Italy has been misunderstood, particularly the ideas regarding whether or not the southern region was dependent on the more economically advanced northern region of Italy. The first part of the book includes critiques of past research studies and books. Gesualdi questions the methodology and results of previous studies, offering research findings that present a more positive view of Southern Italy and Italian Americans. The book is powerful in that it confronts findings regarding the role of culture in explaining differences among ethnic groups, but, because the emphasis is on proving that any negative findings regarding Italian Americans are incorrect and any data with favorable portrayals of Italian Americans are correct, it loses some of its explanatory power. Gesualdi begins with a short history of economic and social relations between Southern Italy and Northern Italy, arguing that the former was not dependent on the latter, but was instead instrumental in the northern region's success. He then presents critiques of the most notable scholars and theories of Italian American studies, most notably the cultural trait approach to explaining social behavior. He examines popularly held beliefs regarding Italian Americans and crime, and he praises the research of the historian Giovanni Schiavo, known as a founder of Italian American studies, whose work portrays positive findings regarding the Italian American experience. The strength of this book, and one of the reasons I believe the book would be valuable to social scientists who study race and ethnicity, particularly scholars of Whiteness studies, is that Gesualdi's pride and passion for all things Italian disproves the beliefs that white ethnic groups do not think of themselves in terms of their ethnicity. Sociologist Mary Waters' notion of optional ethnicities or symbolic ethnicity argues that for whites, unlike for people of color, ethnicity does not have psychological or social costs, meaning that ethnicity does not impact the lives of whites or how white ethnics view themselves as Americans. …


A general problem of multilevel scalar quantization of hidden Markov models is considered. An algorithm for the optimal selection of the quantization levels is proposed and its asymptotic behavior is analyzed theoretically and through simulations. The proposed algorithm is based on stochastic approximation and Monte Carlo gradient estimation.


Thirty-five Holstein cows were utilized in a completely randomized design to evaluate the efficacy of 2 doses of an aluminosilicate clay at reducing aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) transfer into milk. Cows were stratified by parity, stage of lactation, and milk production. Cows were assigned to 1 of 5 dietary treatments for 13 days (n = 7): (1) control (CON), basal diet; (2) clay control (4C), CON plus 4 oz clay; (3) aflatoxin (AF) control (AF-CON), CON plus 113 ppb AF; (4) AF-CON diet with 4 oz clay (4C+AF); or (5) AF-CON diet with 8 oz clay (8C+AF). Data  were  analyzed  using  the  GLM  procedure  of  SAS,  and  significance was declared when P ≤ 0.05. Milk yield was greatest in 4C+AF and 8C+AF cows and least in CON. Milk AFM1concentration averaged < 0.01, N/D (< 0.04 ppb), 1.64, 1.26, and 0.90 ppb for CON, 4C, AF-CON, 4C+AF, and 8C+AF diets, respectively. A dose response was observed for AFM1 transfer with a 21.88 and 40.63% reduction in cows consuming 4C+AF and 8C+AF diets, respectively. Feeding aluminosilicate clay to AF challenged Holstein cows resulted in a dose response reduction in AFM1 secretion and improved milk production.


1. A pilot survey was designed to provide information on the mechanical conditions and fuel consumptions of vaporizing oil tractors, on their operation in the field and on the technique required to obtain such data. 2. Two areas were chosen offering a contrast in soil and farming types. A sampling frame was prepared for each area in which the farms were grouped according to the number of tractors.


Circassians in Israel – whose population is estimated at 4,000 people – are divided between the two villages of Kfar Kama (Lower Galilee, district of Tiberias) and Rihanya (Lebanese border, district of Safed).This population is a unique example of a non-Arab (but Caucasian) Muslim group which claims an active Israeli citizenship and who, contrary to such a situation might imply, retains traditional cultural elements very meaningful while enjoying an indisputable civic integration.Israelis but not Jews, Muslims but not Arabs, how Circassians of Israel could find their right place facing the two identitary entities competing, without leaving much space vacant, the legitimacy of a presence and whose stories, disasters and pains confront and compete rather than admit and understand each other? "Traitors" and "Muslims in the service of Zionism" for some, "second-class citizens" for others, categorizations at work provoke excluding mechanisms for Circassians. The concepts of nationality or religious affiliation, yet commonly applied in the Israeli-Palestinian space, are not efficient enough to define this "minority within the minority", unable to recognize itself within any of the two dominant groups but which also seeks to distinguish from the "third way" embodied by Druzes.  Circassians of Israel, at the edge of all these borders, eventually built its own ones, although fragile, between nostalgia for a lost Caucasus and identitary reconfigurations.


In the nanoscale domain, the MOSFETs are prone to various physical effects due to their shorter channel region known as short-channel effects (SCE). The researchers have proposed an advanced structure of MOSFET known as the ultrathinbody silicon-on-insulator (UTBSOI) to overcome the limitations of SCEs. The UTBSOI is a type of double-gate (DG) MOSFET having superior controllability of gates over the shorter channel region. Nowadays, the UTBSOI MOSFETs can be adopted in the circuit simulators through the use of a device model named BSIM-IMG. The BSIM-IMG has made it possible for the circuit designers to simulate any UTBSOI based analog blocks like operational amplifiers (opamp). The performance parameters of an opamp are very much sensitive to any perturbation in size (W/L) of the constituent MOSFETs, that may cause a drastic change in the output. In this paper, the sensitivity analysis procedure has been proposed for the CMOS and UTBSOI based two-stage opamps as the function of perturbation in W/L. In addition to this, an algorithm has also been presented to do the same. From the simulation results, it is observed that the sensitivity of the UTBSOI based opamp (UTBSOI-opamp) is larger than that of CMOS based opamp (CMOS-opamp).


The development of digital substation provides new opportunity for integrated protection. However, the realization of integrated protection is constrained by serial communication between process level and bay level. Based on developed digital integrated protection and control system platform, the result of a physical simulation test concerning communication system reveals the problem of communication instability and packet loss. In this paper, the impact of GPS exerted on stability of integrated protection is tested and analyzed. Without GPS time setting of Merging Unit(MU) in different bay, the integrated protection system will lose data in one minute after running. With GPS, the communication is stable and reliable, but the time interval between two packets in a cycle is quite long. Since sampling of MU in different bay is synchronized by GPS, the availability of integrated protection system is directly affected by communication of integrated protection in digital substation.


This study examined police officers' perceptions of self, occupational role and their relation to perceived stress and posttraumatic stress symptomology. Self-report measures for the study variables were completed by 101 police officers. Hypotheses predicted that perception of self and role would be associated with perception of stress and that perception of the stress would mediate PTSD symptomology. Neuroticism, job quality and general job satisfaction were the main predictors of stress. Stress levels mediated between 1) job quality and the symptoms of anxious arousal and impaired self-reference; 2) general job satisfaction and the symptoms of defensive avoidance and dissociation; and 3) neuroticism and the symptom of defensive avoidance. This implies that police officers' job quality, their feelings of general job satisfaction, and low levels of neuroticism are important in alleviating stress and subsequent psychological sequela.


This research aimed to know about price, celebrity endorser, trust and psychology either partially or simultaneously influences Online shop purchase decision in Instagram (a study case at the students of economics and business faculty of Malikussaleh University Lhokseumawe) and to know the most dominant factor that influences Online shop purchase decision. The research result indicated that price, celebrity endorser, trust, and psychology simultaneously and significantly influenced online purchase decision in Instagram.. Other result indicated  price, trust, and psychology partially influenced Online purchase decision. Celebrity endorser did not influence online purchase decision in Instagram. The most dominant variable that influenced online purchase decision was price. Keywords:    Price, Celebrity Endorser, Trust, Psychology.


The accumulation of heat-stable salts (HSS) deteriorate the performance of gas treatment amine units. In this work, different commercially available electrode materials such as copper, stainless steel, aluminum foil, platinized coated titanium, and nickel foam were tested in a batch mode for the electro-sorption of HSS from industrial lean methyl-diethanolamine (MDEA) solutions. Initially, salt removal was examined by using copper electrodes in two different configurations: inside and outside the designed cell; attributing direct and indirect contact with the lean amine, respectively. The results revealed that indirect electrochemical cell configuration has a zero impact on HSS removal, and hence, all the electrodes were structured inside a cell having direct contact with the MDEA solution. Remarkably, the applied voltage has a significant impact on the removal efficiency of the HSS. Among the tested materials, nickel foam (Ni) and platinized (Pt) coated titanium (Ti) electrodes were the most efficient in the removal of HSS with 6.5% and 9.6% removal at a voltage of 0.8V and 1.2V, respectively. The electrochemical characteristics including areal capacitance and cyclic voltammetry for nickel and Pt coated Ti electrode were also reported. The magnetic forces showed no impact on the removal efficiency of the HSS in the batch mode of operation.


Dr. WHITFIELD said that whatever diagnosis was arrived at in these two cases, the size of the network in the two patients was about the same as that which was usually termed pigmentation ab igne. If so, it was difficult to understand on what grounds the two authors mentioned (Perutz and Kaiser) stated that pigmentation ab igne was capillary, whereas the other form affected vessels with muscular coats. If that were so the networks would be of different sizes, which was not the case.


We develop a theory describing the operation of an opto-mechanical oscillator as a phonon laser using a set of coupled equations that is analogous to the standard set of laser rate equations. We show that laser-like parameters that characterize gain, stored energy, threshold, efficiency, oscillation frequency linewidth, and saturation power can be introduced for an opto-mechanical oscillator driven by photo-thermal or radiation pressure forces. We then apply the theoretical model to the experimental results for photo-thermally driven oscillations in a Si waveguide opto-mechanical resonator and show good agreement between the theory and experiments. We also consider the microscopic mechanism that transforms the energy of incoherent thermal phonons into coherent oscillations of a single phonon mode and show remarkable parallels with the three-wave parametric interactions in optics and also with opto- electronic oscillators used in microwave photonics.


The patient was a 45-year-old woman who had had a tumor resection for thymic carcinoid and subsequent mediastinal irradiation (50 Gy) 3 years before the onset of angina pectoris during exercise. Coronary angiography (CAG) revealed an isolated ostial stenosis of the left main coronary trunk (LMT). Angiography also showed an occluded right internal thoracic artery (ITA) at its origin. The patient underwent patch angioplasty of the LMT orifice using a piece of the saphenous vein graft (SVG). One month after the operation, CAG revealed a success of operation with an enlarged LMT orifice and she was discharged. However, 3 months after the operation, angina pectoris recurred and a repeated CAG showed a 90% stenosis of the LMT at the place 1 cm distal to the orifice. Emergency CABG (the left ITA to the LAD and the SVG to the LCX) was accomplished with disappearance of angina. Post-CABG angiography revealed patent left ITA and SVG in association with complete obstruction of the LMT. One year after the second operation, she was free from symptoms. This case as well as other reports concerning radiation-induced coronary stenosis suggest that patch angioplasty for this specific lesions may have a high incidence of stenosis recurrence. Coronary bypass grafting that can be performed at the place away from the active proliferative lesion may be a better selection.


The growers for Stephen's Produce grew and marketed beets, Beta vulgarisL., ssp. vulgarisfrom 2007 to 2011 to help supply local green markets with a weekend supply of "garden fresh" produce. Planting schedules, growing and harvesting methods, yields, and sales figures will be discussed. Both 'Detroit Dark Red' and 'Red Ace Hybrid' were grown in 2007–2009. Since 2009–2010 only 'Red Ace Hybrid' has been grown. In 2010–2011, 31 weekly plantings were made beginning on 23 Aug. and ending 9 Mar. Beet seeds were direct seeded and thinned to one plant per hill. Beets were pulled, washed, bunched, and sold on 27 weekends from 6 Nov. to 8 May. An average of 12 bunches were sold each week at an average price of $2.22 per bunch or $26.51 per week for a total of $716.


We discuss some large effects of dynamical fermions. One is a cutoff effect, others concern the contribution of multi-pion states to correlation functions and are expected to survive the continuum limit. We then turn to the preparation for simulations at small lattice spacings which we are planning down to around a=0.04fm in order to understand the size of O(a^2)-effects of the standard O(a)-improved theory. The dependence of the lattice spacing on the bare coupling is determined through the Schr"odinger functional renormalized coupling.


Recently, automatic parking assist systems are commercially available in some cars. In order to improve the reliability and the accuracy of parking control, pose uncertainty of a vehicle and some experimental issues should be solved. In this paper, following three schemes are proposed. (1) Odometry calibration scheme for the Car-Like Mobile Robot.(CLMR) (2) Accurate localization using Extended Kalman Filter(EKF) based redundant odometry fusion. (3) Trajectory tracking controller to compensate the tracking error of the CLMR. The proposed schemes are experimentally verified using a miniature Car-Like Mobile Robot. This paper shows that odometry accuracy and trajectory tracking performance can be dramatically improved by using the proposed schemes.


The perovskite Lanthanum Strontium Cobalt Ferrite (LSCF) is investigated as the cathode material used in intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells (IT-SOFCs). In the present study, La0.6-xDyxSr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3-δ(x= 0, 0.3, 0.6) was synthesized through co precipitation method. The obtained precipitate was calcined at500, 700,900and 1000°С. Phase characterization of synthesized LSCF and LDySCF powder before and after heat treatment at 700°Сwas carried out by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. XRD patterns revealed that the perovskite phase was obtained at 700 °С in all calcined samples. Chemical bond study to investigate synthesis process was done using the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy technique. Thermalanalysis of DTA and TG has been utilized to investigate how the calcination temperature affects the peroveskite phase formation. According to the STA results, the perovskite phase formation started at 551°Сafterwarditcompleted at 700°С.The density values of synthesized powders were 6.10, 6.11 and 6.37g.cm-3for the undoped and doped samples calcined at 700°С. Powder morphology was studied by Field emission scanning electron microscopy. (FE-SEM) micrographs showed the spherical shaped particles with the average particle size of 24-131nm.


This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the Third International Symposium on Quantum Interaction, QI 2009, held in Saarbrucken, Germany, in March 2009.
The 21 revised full papers presented together with the 3 position papers were carefully reviewed and selected from numerous submissions. The papers show the cross-disciplinary nature of quantum interaction covering topics such as computation, cognition, decision theory, information retrieval, information systems, social interaction, computational linguistics and finance.


BACKGROUND Most hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) are hypervascular, with characteristic features of hepatic arterial supply to the tumor. The factors involved in tumor angiogenesis include angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1), angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). AIM To investigate the profiles of plasma levels of angiogenesis markers in patients with HCC and evaluate their roles in predicting overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). METHODS Plasma samples from 240 prospectively enrolled HCC patients in the very early to advanced stages were used to measure the levels of Ang-1, Ang-2, and VEGF. Their associations with clinical characteristics, OS, and PFS were analyzed. RESULTS The median plasma levels of Ang-1, Ang-2, and VEGF were 3216 pg/mL, 1684 pg/mL, and 26.5 pg/mL, respectively. The plasma level of Ang-2 showed a significant increase from early stage [Barcelona clinic liver cancer (BCLC) A] to intermediate (BCLC B) and advanced stage HCC (BCLC C/D), whereas Ang-1, VEGF, and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels in the plasma did not show any such changes. Multivariable analysis, propensity score-matched analysis, and time-dependent receiver operating curve analysis revealed that Ang-2 levels had the highest predictive power for OS and PFS. Neither Ang-1 nor VEGF was significantly associated with OS or PFS. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio was an independent factor for OS and PFS. CONCLUSION The plasma levels of Ang-2 correlated with liver function, tumor stage, and tumor invasiveness, showing better performance in predicting OS and PFS than AFP, Ang-1, or VEGF.


In this paper we derive quantitative conditions under which a compactly supported drift term depending on the direction of propagation blocks a traveling wave solution or lets it pass almost unchanged. We give explicit conditions on the drift term for blocking as well as almost unchanged propagation in one spacial dimension.


This essay presents Arkansas's alternative to Medicaid expansion as a case study motivating John McDonough's assessment of the recommendations states may want to make to the Department of Health and Human Services regarding the implementation of statewide Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act-alternative waivers scheduled to begin in 2017. Arkansas's private option uses federal funds to purchase marketplace silver-level qualified health plans for low-income, low-risk participants, while "medically frail" adults are covered through Medicaid. By improving the size and risk profile of Arkansas's health insurance marketplace, the private option will also encourage entry of and competition among private carriers. If it succeeds in keeping insurance premiums below the level they would otherwise be in the marketplace, Arkansas's private option could reduce subsidy costs for the federal government. Under the broadened scope of section 1332 waivers, states will be able to capture such savings and use them to support innovation across both Medicaid-funded and Treasury-subsidized programs and populations.


Background Prescribing, dispensing and associated errors may cause serious consequences for patients, occasionally fatal. Reporting errors has significant educational benefits and is a part of risk management. We have found few examples of educational tools being used to increase reporting rates. It was also felt that the present rate of error reporting is inaccurate. Purpose To increase the reporting rate of errors by the introduction of educational tools and to improve standards in prescribing. Material and methods Reporting data were collected over an initial 10 week period to create a baseline. There were three areas of reporting: internal pharmacy, pharmacy reporting on departments and departmental reports on the pharmacy. Three educational tools were then introduced: o project explanation (all areas); o prescription writing standards (physicians only); o anonymous reporting forms (all areas). Data were re-collected after a second 10 week period. Results Internal pharmacy reporting increased by almost 300%, mainly in two areas, 'cytotoxics' and 'others'; the latter identified as mainly the incorrect use of equipment. Pharmacy reports on departments increased by 100% plus. The number of reports was also high. Departmental reports on the pharmacy increased by 30%. The majority were identified as basic administrative errors. The number of reports was low. Script errors increased by 140% from the first to the second period, but the total prescription numbers dispensed during the two periods did not significantly change. Conclusion There has been a significant improvement in error reporting rates. All educational tools have contributed; anonymity and an increased awareness being considered as major contributors. The acceptance of the explanatory and education tools by some departmental staff was found to be difficult, and this may in part explain their low rate of reporting. A review of practice initiatives and improving the different methods of communication between departments are under way in order to improve standards and increase patient benefit. The increase in prescription errors may be due to three possibilities: (1) an increase in reporting; (2) an increase in errors; or (3) a combination of the two. Further investigation is required to explain the possibility of a decrease in prescribing standards. No conflict of interest.


This correlational research design investigated self concepts and interpersonal relationships among non-teaching staff of the University of Abuja, Nigeria. The population for the study consisted of non teaching staff of the University which comprises one thousand five hundred (1500) according to Registry Department, Establishment Division (2017). Stratified random sampling procedure was used to draw a sample size of one hundred and fifty (150) respondents across eight (8) departments/units-staff school, security unit, Bursary, Registry, Student Affairs, Institute of Education (IOE), medical centre and works and services. Two research questions and three hypotheses were formulated to guide the conduct of the study. Two Instruments were adapted to generate data for the study-workers' opinion inventory (WOI) and workers' self concepts scale (WSCS). The results revealed that there were no significant differences in self concepts and interpersonal relationship among the non-teaching staff of the University of Abuja. A significant relationship was however found between self-concepts and interpersonal relationships among the staff of the university with correlation coefficient at 0.01 level. The authors recommended among other measures that career counsellors should be appointed and saddled with the responsibility of boosting workers' self-concepts and interpersonal relationships at work place through appropriate tests and non-tests techniques.


An organocatalytic and highly diastereo- and enantioselective reaction of 3-aminooxindoles with 2-enoylpyridines for the synthesis of chiral spiro[pyrrolidin-3,2'-oxindole] derivatives has been achieved. With the cinchonidine-based thiourea catalyst, the asymmetric Michael/cyclization reaction sequence of 3-aminooxindoles with 2-enoylpyridines followed by the dehydration and deprotection with concentrated hydrochloric acid provided a wide range of chiral 3',4'-dihydrospiro[indoline-3,2'-pyrrol]-2-ones, bearing two adjacent tri- and tetrasubstituted stereocenters, in moderate to good yields with overall excellent stereoselectivities. The synthetic application of this methodology was presented by the scale-up experiment and transformation of product 5a into the spiro-oxindole-based pyrrolidine 6. Furthermore, a plausible transition state for this cascade reaction sequence was also proposed. And this work will provide a new way to access chiral spiro[pyrrolidin-3,2'-oxindole] derivatives.


BACKGROUND:Bilateral ilioinguinal nerve block may be useful to control postoperative pain in gynecologic surgery, especially hysterectomy. METHODS:In a prospective, randomized, double-blind study, we compared the combination of ropivacaine and clonidine (block group) versus saline (control group). The main objective of this study was to compare the total dose of morphine required during the first two postoperative days. All patients received antiemetic prophylaxis and multimodal IV analgesia. RESULTS:Seventy patients were randomized. The total morphine consumption during the first two postoperative days was decreased by 51% in the block group compared with the control group (21 ± 9 mg vs 41 ± 24 mg, P < 0.0001). This difference was not only due to morphine titration, but remained significant over the following 2 days. The course of the visual analog scale was equivalent between the two groups. No difference was observed in the side effects of morphine. CONCLUSION:The use of bilateral ilioinguinal nerve block for postoperative analgesia after hysterectomy decreased morphine consumption by one-half during the first two postoperative days without differences in side effects from morphine between groups.