: Though there are so many educated and professional women in East Africa, their participation in senior leadership positions has been and continues to be below expectations. There is no doubt that women constitute a major portion of the working force in various sectors of the economy, hence the need for their mainstreaming in senior leadership. The East African Community is a creation of the five countries of Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi. Though the Community was created almost a decade ago, there are very few women in senior leadership positions. The purpose of the study was to identify and assess key challenges that women face in leadership within the East African Community. The study adopted a case study research design covering a stratified random sample of 30 respondents comprising both female and male staff within the Community based in Arusha, Tanzania. The study was purely qualitative in nature and data was collected through key informant interviews. The collected data was analyzed through content analysis through creation of appropriate themes as guided by the research objectives. The findings show that there is a big gender gap between men and professional staff in leadership positions at the Community, with majority women being in middle level positions categorized as general staff. It is evident that more men than women aspire or are given preference in senior leaders. Based on the study findings, there is need for affirmative action on developing women leadership within the Community. Community policy makers should focus on the women midlevel managers for development and growth into higher positions in leadership. Further, special opportunities should be created that can encourage them to accelerate their professional growth to the top. Lastly, as part of the affirmative action the Community should stress in its job advertisements for women to apply for professional leadership positions.


B[e] supergiants (B[e]SGs) are transitional objects in the post-main sequence evolution of massive stars. The small number of B[e]SGs known so far in the Galaxy and the Magellanic Clouds indicates that this evolutionary phase is short. Nevertheless, the strong aspherical mass loss occurring during this phase, which leads to the formation of rings or disk-like structures, and the similarity to possible progenitors of SN1987 A emphasize the importance of B[e]SGs for the dynamics of the interstellar medium as well as stellar and galactic chemical evolution. The number of objects and their mass-loss behavior at different metallicities are essential ingredients for accurate predictions from stellar and galactic evolution calculations. However, B[e]SGs are not easily identified, as they share many characteristics with luminous blue variables (LBVs) in their quiescent (hot) phase. We present medium-resolution near-infrared K-band spectra for four stars in M 31, which have been assigned a hot LBV (candidate) status. Applying diagnostics that were recently developed to distinguish B[e]SGs from hot LBVs, we classify two of the objects as bonafide LBVs; one of them currently in outburst. In addition, we firmly classify the two stars 2MASS J00441709+4119273 and 2MASS J00452257+4150346 as the first B[e]SGs in M 31 based on strong CO band emission detected in their spectra, and infrared colors typical for this class of stars.


The structure of a country's retail sector has an enormous influence on marketing strategy and marketing activities of firms. The Indian retail sector has arrived at a very critical stage. Stores in modern formats have emerged in the metropolitan cities but the bulk of the retail sales happen through traditional retail formats. The development of modern retailing is of great interest to marketing scholars, practitioners and policy makers. This paper analyses the developments in retailing in India. A literature survey of retailing in India and some newly industrialized countries is carried out. Factors stimulating modernization are discussed and some implications for managerial action and policy are derived.


Purpose Nasopharyngeal teratoma is a very rare neoplasm that develops on the oronasal cavity as an expanding and cavity-filling lesion. We present a rare case of nasopharyngeal teratoma associated with a cleft palate and bifid tongue in a patient with Pierre Robin syndrome. Methods A preterm male neonate of 33 weeks and 6 days was referred to our department. A protruding solid mass with approximately 7.0 × 4.0-cm size arising from the vomer and combined cleft palate and tongue covered with pinkish skin with lanugo were observed. In addition, there was a bandlike tissue connecting vomer and sublingual area, which divided and restricted the anterior portion of the tongue. Results An early surgical intervention was decided because of problems with airways and nutrition caused by the mass. The mass was completely removed from the vomer. The histologic examination of the mass was consistent with mature teratoma. After his first operation, he was finally diagnosed with the Pierre Robin syndrome. After 4 months, a tongue reduction was conducted for macroglossia, and after 9 months, remnant teratoma excision and a palate repair were conducted using 2-flap palatoplasty. Conclusions A nasopharyngeal teratoma is a rare case and induces a cleft palate and bifid tongue in a preterm infant, leading to severe airway and nutritional problems. A teratoma interferes with the fusion of embryonic tissues in the early developmental period, in particular, with the palatal fusion severely prevented if the teratoma is accompanied by a Pierre Robin syndrome such as in this case.


Abstract Field study on the biology of Crassicutis cichlasomae Manter, 1936 (Digenea: Homalometridae) was carried out in a small swamp in a limestone factory near Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico. Aquatic snails, Littorina (Littoridinopsis) angulifera, harbouring C. cichlasomae rediae, cercariae and metacercariae, served both as the first and second intermediate hosts. Feeding experiments confirmed the conspecificity of metacercariae from naturally infected snails with adults from naturally infected fish. Gravid C. cichlasomae worms were obtained from experimentally infected fish 19 days post exposure at 22–24°C. Examination of fish from the swamp in Mitza and other localities in the Yucatan Peninsula showed that the cichlids Cichlasoma urophthalmus and C. meeki were definitive hosts of C. cichlasomae. There was no pronounced preference of C. cichlasomae adults for the site of their location in the intestine of the definitive host; a slightly higher proportion (41%) of worms was only found in the anterior third of the gut. The time of miracidium development varied from 18.5 to 27.5 days; different temperature (20.1–35.7°C) or light/darkness regimes influenced only slightly the rate of embryonic development, with shorter development times at higher temperature (34.8–35.7°C) and constant darkness and/or light. With the exception of the sporocyst, all developmental stages are described and figured.


Polymer-based photovoltaics have the potential to contribute to boosting photovoltaic energy conversion overall. Besides allowing large-area inexpensive processing, polymeric materials have the added benefit of opening new market applications for photovoltaics due to their low-weight and interesting mechanical properties. The energy conversion efficiency values of polymer photovoltaics have reached new record values over the past years. It is however crucial that stability issues are addressed together with efficiency optimization. Understanding fundamental materials aspects is key in both areas.In the work presented in this thesis, the morphology of polymer:fullerene films and its influence on device performance was studied, as well as the effect of light exposure on the surface of fullerene films. Several polyfluorene copolymers were used for the morphology studies, where the effects of changing spin-coating solvent and of side chain engineering were investigated with dynamic secondary ion mass spectrometry (dSIMS) and near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy. Polymer-enriched surfaces were found in all blend films, even in the cases with homogeneous distributions in the bulk. Side chain engineering of the polymer led to gradual changes in the compositional variations perpendicular to the surface, and to slight variations in the photocurrent. The electronic structure of the fullerene derivative PCBM was studied in detail and the spectroscopic fingerprint of the materials was analysed by comparison with theoretically simulated spectra. Photo-stability studies done in air showed that the surface of fullerene films underwent severe damages at the molecular level, which is evident from changes in the valence band and X-ray absorption spectra. These changes were explained by transitions from sp2-type to sp3 hybridization of the carbon atoms in the cage that resulted in the destruction of the fullerene cage.


An environment is now a place that can offer services utilizing information and communication technology (ICT) in various scenes of daily life, and a wide range of operations and commercial transactions are becoming cloud-based. In this situation, biometric authentication is becoming widespread as a reliable and simple means of user authentication. Fujitsu started providing biometric authentication devices for PCs in 1999. Subsequently, we have worked on the development of biometric authentication technologies for notebook PCs and smartphones, pursuing convenience as well as security. This paper presents Fujitsu's activities related to biometric authentication technologies, centering on the successful integration of iris authentication in a smartphone for the first time in the world.


Personalized Medicine is a novel medical practice that uses an individual's genetic profile to guide decisions made regarding the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disease. Knowledge of a patient's genetic profile is crucial to support doctors in selecting the proper therapy and administer it using the correct dose or regimen. Personalized Medicine is a great opportunity to turn the "one size fits all" approach to diagnostics, therapy, and prevention, into an individualized approach. In this paper we analyze the most recent achievements and regulatory challenges in Personalized Medicine and the role that research infrastructures can play in advancing its development.


The process capability index has been introduced as an effective tool used in industries to aid in the assessment of process performance as well as to measure how much the product meets the costumer expectations. We are aware that classical process capability indices provide better results when the quality characteristic of the processes follows normal distribution. However, these classical indices may not provide accurate results for evaluating nonnormally distributed process which in turn may hinder the decision-making. In this article, we consider a new process capability index

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 which is based on cost function and is applicable both for normally and nonnormally distributed processes. In order to estimate the process capability index

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 when the process follows logistic-exponential distribution, we have used ten classical methods of estimation, and the performances of these classical estimates of the index

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 are compared in terms of their mean squared errors through a simulation study. Next, we construct five bootstrap confidence intervals of the process capability index

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 and compare them in terms of their average width and coverage probabilities. Finally, two data sets related to electronic industries are reanalyzed to show the applicabilities of the proposed methods.


Chloroflexus and cyanobacterial mats developing at 50–65°C in Nakanoyu and Nakabusa hot springs, Japan, were collected and cultivated phototrophically at 50 and 37°C. Chloroflexus organisms grew when incubated at 50°C, whereas the incubation at 37°C resulted in the enrichment of pinkto brown-colored cultures, from which different species of phototrophic purple nonsulfur (PPNS) bacteria were isolated. The majority of the isolates grew at temperatures of up to 45°C and optimally at around 40°C. The high frequencies of the occurrence of PPNS bacteria in hot spring microbial mats suggest that these environments offer a favorable ecological niche for these bacteria.


Eigen-mode coupling ellipses' tilt angles and axis ratios can be precisely measured with a Model-Independent Analysis (MIA) of the turn-by-turn Beam Position Monitor (BPM) data from resonance excitation of the betatron motion. For each BPM location one can measure 4 parameters from the two resonance excitation, which completely describe the linear coupling of the location. Results from application to PEP-II LER storage ring are presented.


Background : Adherence to therapy is integral to successfully managing asthma, which requires comprehension of what, when, and how to use medication and diligence in following management plan. Asthma patients from ethnic minority groups have more morbidity and reported filling their prescriptions less often. Limited information is available in Canadian literature on ethnic differences in their perceptions of asthma management. We aimed to document patient perceived adherence to asthma therapy among targeted ethno-cultural groups. Methods : We evaluated perceived barriers to therapy adherence, including: cultural beliefs and practices, patient/care-provider communication, self-management knowledge, and medication costs. We conducted a cross sectional study and interviewed 85 Chinese or Punjabispeaking adult asthma patients. Results : Lack of sufficient instructions from physicians, language/communication barriers, lack of skills on how to use inhalers, and high medication costs and medication side effects were most reported barriers to proper self-management practices. Most participants lived with others in the same household and reported high social support from home caregivers. The influence of family on self-management practices was obvious. Conclusion: Better understanding of patient needs, provision of culturally and linguistically appropriate education, and inclusion of home caregivers into the management practices are necessary to improve asthma outcomes in Chinese and Punjabi communities.


Earthworms are an important component of soil fauna because of their fundamental impact on soil physical, chemical and biological properties. To evaluate the effects of earthworms on some soil chemical properties as well as plant growth indicators, an experiment was carried out in a completely randomized design in greenhouse conditions. The first factor involved the presence or absence of earthworms (Eisenia foetida), the second factor was different organic matter including control (no organic materials), pruning waste compost of apple and grape (PWC), wheat straw (WS), Herbal extracts waste (HE), pruning waste (PW) and the third factor was the presence or absence of corn plant for evaluating rhizosphere soil. At the end of growing period, some soil chemical properties including total nitrogen, organic carbon, ammonium, nitrate and plant growth indicators were measured. The results showed that application of organic matter and earthworm inoculation had significant effects on soil chemical properties. The pruning waste compost (PWC) treatment showed the largest impact on ammonium and nitrate content (1.7 and 3.3 times compared to control treatment, respectively). In pruning waste compost (PWC) treatment, organic carbon amount in rhizospheric soil increased from 0.9 at non-rhizosphere to 1.32 %. The presence of earthworm improved plant growth parameters including shoot and root dry weight by 34% and 30%, respectively, compared to earthworm absence condition. Soil ammonium and nitrate contents at earthworm presence increased 32% and 49%, respectively. Therefore, application of organic matter with earthworm inoculation had better results in comparison with no earthworm inoculation.


The functional residual capacity (FRC) was measured in cats by the nitrogen washout technique during positive-pressure ventilation. Frequencies of 60 and 100 b.p.m. were used with insufflation periods of 20% and 35% of the ventilatory cycle, without and with a positive end-expiratory pressure. The higher frequency combined with the shorter insufflation period gave FRC close to that obtained during spontaneous breathing. The lower frequency and the longer insufflation period always gave greater FRC values. A further increase in FRC of about 23-27% was obtained after application of a positive end-expiratory pressure of 0.5 kPa. Adequate ventilation was achieved with small intratracheal and intrapleural pressures at all settings used.


Dozens of drugs have been evaluated in recent decades for initial evidence of efficacy to aid smoking cessation (i.e. "early Phase 2" testing, according to U.S. FDA terminology), with the vast majority failing to show efficacy. Even small randomized clinical trials (RCTs), the most common early Phase 2 tests, are costly undertakings, made more unappealing by their high likelihood of failure. At the same time, another early Phase 2 approach, acute tests of drug effects on surrogate endpoints such as withdrawal or craving severity, are more practical but have little predictive clinical validity. Described here is an innovative procedure that optimally combines the validity of clinical trials with the practical advantages of surrogate endpoint studies to more efficiently determine whether or not a novel drug warrants continued clinical development. This CrEATE procedure, or Crossover Evaluation of Addiction Treatment Efficacy, does so by assessing short-term quit success in smokers highly motivated to quit when briefly treated with active drug versus placebo in a crossover design, so that quit efficacy from both conditions is compared within-participants. The program to develop and evaluate CrEATE demonstrates its sensitivity to efficacy from all three FDA-approved first line cessation medications (NRT, varenicline, bupropion), tested here as model drugs, as well as specificity in identifying lack of efficacy with a drug known to be ineffective for cessation (modafinil). CrEATE has subsequently been used to evaluate a few novel interventions, concluding they lack efficacy in increasing quit success. Future directions for the potential utility of CrEATE are provided. Implications: The ability of CrEATE to reach a Go/No Go decision more quickly and with far less cost lowers the risk of failure, meaning widespread use of the procedure should encourage the evaluation of more novel candidate drugs. With its greater efficiency, failed tests, unfortunately the most likely outcome in early Phase 2 studies, will cause less waste of resources. At the same time, CrEATE tests that indicate a novel treatment has efficacy will justify the substantial time and expense of moving forward to evaluate the drug in late Phase 2 RCTs.


Determination of graduation status is often faced by lecturers in every university. The facts show that many of the decisions still have a fairly high error rate in determining graduation status. This study aims to develop an analytical model in the process of determining student graduation using the Hybrid Decision Support System (DSS). The methods used in the analysis process are Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Technique for Others Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS). The performance of AHP can determine the value of the weight criteria and TOPSIS performs rankings to produce solutions in determining. The criteria indicators used to consist of Depth (C1), Material Breadth (C2), Answer Accuracy (C3), Fluency of Answers (C4), Scientific Attitude (C5), Logical Consistency of Content (C6), Authenticity (C7), Scientific Quality ( C8), Language (C9), and Writing (C10). The results of this study indicate that the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method provides a weighting value for each criterion with a fairly good accuracy rate of 85,86%. These results conclude that each criterion has a consistent level of relationship in determining student graduation. Based on the output of the TOPSIS analysis, the results presented can determine the student's graduation status correctly and accurately.


The recovery of vegetation in the burned area after forest fire was investigated in Mt. Sirubng, Jinju city, from 1994 to 2000. The floristic composition of a burned area was 37 kinds in 2000. The life from spectra of six sites showed H-D1-R5-e type. This type is similar to the life form which has been usually showed in most of burned areas. Total diversity index of six burned sites showed 2.135 (1996), 3.784 (1998), and 2.948 (2000). whereas, total diversity index of six unburned sites was 2.642 (1996), 2.516 (1998), and 2.723 (2000). Evenness index of six sites showed 1.816 (1996), 2.641 (1998), and 1.925 (2000). The dominant index of burned and unburned areas were 0.012 and 0.250 (1996), 0.031 and 0.261 (1998, and 0.110 and 0.275 (2000), respectively. The degree of succession in the unburned area gradually increased and the burned area was recovered to be similar to the unburned area after three years.


We consider solvable lattice models DL+2(1)(λ) associated with the Dynkin diagrams of the affine Lie algebras DL+2(1) and parametrized by the crossing parameter λ (0 < λ < 2π/3). The transfer matrix spectra for the strip widths ⩽ 10 are classified according to the irreducible representations of the symmetry groups under several boundary conditions. All L- and λ-dependences of scaling dimensions are embodied in the thermal scaling dimension XT = 2/{L2(1 - λ/π)}. The operator content of the model is the same as that of the Ashkin-Teller model with the same thermal scaling dimension. This generalizes the results of Pasquier (λ = 0) and of the magnetic hard square model (L = 3).


This article examines the causality among economic growth, export expansion and export composition in China since economic reform. The cointegration tests show that cointegrating vectors do not exist either between economic growth and export composition or between export expansion and export composition. Meanwhile, the null hypothesis that economic growth and export expansion are not cointegrated is rejected. The error correction model shows that there is a bi-directional causality between export expansion and economic growth. Meanwhile, there appears no causal relationship between export composition and the other variables.


The only knowledge of the molecular structure of European turkey coronaviruses (TCoVs) comes from France. These viruses have a quite distinct S gene from North American isolates. The aim of the study was to estimate the prevalence of TCoV strains in a Polish turkey farm during a twelve-year period, between 2008 and 2019, and to characterize their full-length S gene. Out of the 648 flocks tested, 65 (10.0%, 95% CI: 7.9–12.6) were positive for TCoV and 16 of them were molecularly characterized. Phylogenetic analysis showed that these strains belonged to two clusters, one formed by the early isolates identified at the beginning of the TCoV monitoring (from 2009 to 2010), and the other, which was formed by more recent strains from 2014 to 2019. Our analysis of the changes observed in the deduced amino acids of the S1 protein suggests the existence of three variable regions. Moreover, although the selection pressure analysis showed that the TCoV strains were evolving under negative selection, some sites of the S1 subunit were positively selected, and most of them were located within the proposed variable regions. Our sequence analysis also showed one TCoV strain had recombined with another one in the S1 gene. The presented investigation on the molecular feature of the S gene of TCoVs circulating in the turkey population in Poland contributes interesting data to the current state of knowledge.


Scheduling scientific workflow in a distributed computing resource is a challenging job. It involves heterogeneous resource allocation to concurrent tasks in order to achieve the desired scheduling goal. In this paper, we are presenting a multi-workflow Earliest Cycle Time algorithm, mECT. The objective of the algorithm is to reduce schedule length while ensuring no deadlock situation occurs due to dependency violation. The algorithm is suitable for multi workflow applications that deal with large data sets and run in a cyclic order. We have carried out extensive simulations to compare the proposed algorithm with well known existing algorithms. We have also tested our algorithm for a low resolution (N48) weather Unified Model (UM-10.2) in a simulated environment developed by the Met Office, United Kingdom. Results show that mECT performs better in terms of shorter makespan and lesser deadlocks.


The distribution of the types of hyperlipoproteinaemias revealed 2 peaks of frequency, i. e. in the types IIa and IIb corresponding 41% and in the types IV and V corresponding 55%. Weight indices and disturbed glucose tolerance are in the types III-V significantly higher than in the types IIa and IIb. The risk factor hypertension was registered in 34% in the investigation material. The highest prevalence rates for myocardial infarctions were in the patients of the types IIb and III, for PAD in the type III. The addition of hypertension and diabetes mellitus to hyperlipoproteinaemia reveals an exacerbation of the vascular risk. Changes of the fundus oculi, which correspond to the picture of a fundus hypertonicus cause to think of the presence of a hyperlipoproteinaemia in all patients with normotension.


A K-band (18-25 GHz) reflected-wave ruby maser (Moore and Clauss 1979) has been borrowed from the National Radio Astronomy Observatory for radio astronomy use on the NASA 64-m antenna of the Deep Space Network at the Tidbinbilla Tracking Station, near Canberra. The purpose of the installation is to provide additional sensitive spectral line, continuum, and VLBI capabilities in the southern hemisphere. Previous measurements at 22.3 GHz (λ = 13.5 mm) determined that the Tidbinbilla 64-m antenna has a peak aperture efficiency of ˜22%, a well-behaved beam shape and consistent pointing (Fourikis and Jauncey 1979). Before installing the maser on the antenna a cooled (circulator) switch was added to provide a beam-switching capability, and a spectral line receiver following the maser was incorporated. The system was assembled and tested at JPL in late 1980 and installed at Tidbinbilla early in 1981. We give here a brief description and present some of the first line observations made in February and March 1981. Extensive line and continuum observations are planned with the present system and a program is under way to determine the telescope pointing characteristics.


Ustilago maydis is a Basidiomycota fungus, in which very little is known about its mechanisms of cell survival and death. To date, only the role of metacaspase1, acetate, and hydrogen peroxide as inducers of cell death has been investigated. In the present work, we analyzed the lifespan of U. maydis compared with other species like Sporisorium reilianum, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Yarrowia lipolytica, and we observed that U.maydis has a minor lifespan. We probe the addition of low concentrations metformin and curcumin to the culture media, and we observed that both prolonged the lifespan of U. maydis, a result observed for the first time in a phytopathogen fungus. However, higher concentrations of curcumin were toxic for the cells, and interestingly induced the yeast-to-mycelium dimorphic transition. The positive effect of metformin and curcumin appears to be related to an inhibition of the mechanistic Target of Rapamycin (mTOR) pathway, increase expression of autophagy genes and reducing of reactive oxygen species. These data indicate that U. maydis may be a eukaryotic model organism to elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying apoptotic and necrosis pathways, and the lifespan increase caused by metformin and curcumin.


The purpose of this research was to study fracture initiation in a glaze-strengthened magnesia ceramic substance used as a core material for all-ceramic crowns. The fracture surfaces of modulus of rupture bars were studied to locate the fracture initiation point. These points were located at the center of hackles that are oriented parallel to the direction of the crack advance. The distance from the fracture initiation point to the surface of the test bars was measured. A direct relationship was found between the flexure strength and the depth of the fracture initiation point. This is consistent with the theory that residual compressive stresses at the glaze-body interface inhibit the spread of flaws and are responsible for the increases in strengths observed.


Lithium-ion current sources in a ball mill and comparing this energy with the binding energies of lithium ions with various metals of a cathode material for mechanochemical destruction. The binding energies of lithium ions in various lithium-containing compounds are shown. The calculation of the technological and design parameters of the ball mill to determine the magnitude of the energy of the collision of the grinding bodies and the grinded material. The graphic dependences are given, allowing to reveal the influence of the ratio of the diameter of the balls and their number on the process of mechanochemical destruction.


Helminth parasites have the potential to significantly affect the dynamics of their hosts. As a consequence, they can dramatically threaten the persistence of endangered species, such as rock partridge Alectoris graeca saxatilis, found in the Province of Trento (northern Italy).

The aim of this work was to understand the effect of helminth parasites on rock partridge fitness, and the subsequent potential effects on host population dynamics. In particular, we investigated the hypothesis that infections from Ascaridia compar induce rock partridge population cycles observed in Trentino. In order to support this hypothesis, we compared the predictions obtained from a host–parasite interaction model including variable parasite aggregation with multi-annual empirical data of A. compar infection in natural host populations. We estimated host demographic parameters using rock partridge census data from Trentino, and the parasitological parameters from a series of experimental infections in a captive rock partridge population. The host–parasite model predicted higher A. compar abundance in rock partridge populations exhibiting cyclic dynamics compared to non-cyclic ones. In addition, for cyclic host populations, the model predicted an increase in mean parasite burden with the length of cycle period. Model predictions were well-supported by field data: significant differences in parasite infection between cyclic and non-cyclic populations and among cyclic populations with different oscillation periods were observed.

On the basis of these results, we conclude that helminth parasites can not be ruled out as drivers of rock partridge population dynamics in Trentino and must be considered when planning conservation strategies of this threatened species.


There is an apparent tension in current accounts of the relationship between reason giving and self-knowledge. Philosophers like Richard Moran (2001) claim that deliberation and justification can give rise to first-person authority over the attitudes that subjects form or defend on the basis of what they take to be their best reasons. On the other hand, the psychological evidence on introspection effects and the literature on elusive reasons suggest that engaging in explicit deliberation or justification leads subjects to report attitudes that are not consistent with their previous attitudes or with their future behavior. On the basis of these findings, Tim Wilson (2002) argues that analyzing reasons compromises self-knowledge. I shall defend a realistic account of the effects of reason giving which is compatible with the empirical findings on introspection and also with the claim that deliberation and justification have epistemic benefits.


Denaturation is a first step for further treatment of DNA and is expected to be carried out rapidly on an integrated chip. A microheater is a promising device for the denaturation because of easiness for fabrication and operation. In the present study, we fabricated a microheater and thermometers on a coverslip and investigated response of temperature to application of voltage. In addition, our experiment and simulation proved local heating at an aimed area. Finally, we demonstrated denaturation of DNA in buffer solution, the result of which proved that the DNA around the heater denatured within 60 ms.


We suggest that the existence of many of the rock-carved trails at Racetrack Playa in Death Valley National Park is predominantly due to the effect of arbitrarily weak winds on rocks that are floated off the soft bed by small rafts of ice, as also occurs in arctic tidal beaches to form boulder barricades. These ice cakes need not have a particularly large surface area if the ice is adequately thick—the ice cakes allow the rocks to move by buoyantly reducing the reaction and friction forces at the bed, not by increasing the wind drag. The parameter space of ice thickness and extent versus rock size for flotation is calculated and found to be reasonable. We demonstrate the effect with a simple experiment.


Until now the biggest volume of microphones sold to be used in Hearing Aids were made in a squared shape. Going to a rectangular shape presents new challenges on how to acoustically model and optimize such a microphone. But the rectangular shape also allows you to make interesting combinations, which makes it possible to optimize the mechanical design of the hearing aid with two matched microphones, or even better to make a integrated module of matched microphones. Microphones for hearing aids were originally designed to be Omnidirectional and were optimized for that. At a certain point in history, the audio-logical advantages from using directionality became very apparent. And a matched pair was made based on two microphones. There were two apparent disadvantages: the microphones were not designed to be a matched pair, so the only way to get them matched was a selection process in the production, the other disadvantage being that both microphones drifted over time, making it very difficult to keep the directionality stable over time. Many smart algorithms were defined to solve this, but it would of course be very advantageous if the microphones itself could do this. An obvious choice would be to use MEMS microphones, which are very stable, and which have improved significantly over time in noise performance, but electret microphones are still better. In hearing aids the noise performance is of prime importance. By a clever construction you can actually optimize the performance in a module specially designed for directional performance in the smallest possible size. A more detailed analysis of the problem To make directional microphones using two omni microphones you use a block diagram as shown below :


Iphigenia brasiliensis is a bivalve mollusk exploited as a shellfish and subsistence resource on the Brazilian coast, mainly in the north and northeast regions. Genetic (allozyme electrophoresis revealed eight gene loci) and morphological variations (multivariate morphometry of valves used 13 linear measurements of traditional and 19 Fourier coefficients of geometric morphometry) were studied, considering the geographic (445 km of the southwest tropical Atlantic), environmental (mangroves and channels of communication with the sea of three estuaries in the state of Rio de Janeiro), and temporal dimensions (over two years). I. brasiliensis showed high levels of genetic variation (the average number of alleles per locus ranged from 2.8 to 3.4, and the average heterozygosity ranged from 0.441 to 0.675). Bayesian analysis of population partitioning showed that the highest LnP(D) value was achieved for K = 3. These results indicated mixed ancestry, possibly oscillations in the dispersion dynamics among the different sampling groups, and temporal oscillations in the population sizes due to the anthropogenic influence on the studied estuaries. The results of morphological variation, inferred by the PERMANOVA from the Fourier analysis, indicated that a similar influence might occur in valves (also, the discriminant analysis showed that different groups could be consistently identified). In this sense, the studied populations may be organized in a dynamic of metapopulations. Finally, these are the first data on morphological and genetic variation of the species in the latitudinal, environmental, and temporal dimensions studied simultaneously, thus providing relevant information for the exploration, management, and conservation of this commercially important species.


In this paper we discuss how the concept of ontology can be beneficial for the authoring support of Web-based educational systems (WBES). We take a semantic perspective on the knowledge representation within such systems and explore the interoperability between the various ontological structures for domain and instructional modeling and the modeling of the entire authoring process. This work is based on previous research on modeling of application-oriented aspects within two existing web-based systems SmartTrainer [10] and AIMS [2]. Authoring Task Ontology (ATO) is envisioned as main driving mechanism in providing knowledge to the authoring tools and in enabling them to guide, support, navigate and check the consistency and completeness of the authoring activities at all levels of complexity. It provides operational semantics to the authoring process, by means of specification of authoring activities, sub-activities, goals and stages. In the construction of ATO we consider specification of top-level authoring activities, low-level authoring functions, decomposition of the authoring process in sequence of phases and decomposition of the authoring process in main activity modules (related to the educational system components). Further we present design principle of the ontology-based framework for authoring support of WBES.


Elizabeth Taylor was one of the major film stars of the twentieth century, embodying all the glamour and allure of Hollywood stardom. Yet her achievements as an actress have often been overshadowed by her beauty and tumultuous life off-screen. To redress this imbalance, Susan Smith offers an illuminating study of Elizabeth Taylor's work in film, exploring her fascinating trajectory from child to adult star. Smith reveals the influence that Taylor's early work exerted over her later career and the ways in which her on-screen identity is profoundly rooted in her association with animals and nature. Smith carefully unpicks what made Taylor such a distinctive and dynamic onscreen performer – from the expressive use she made of her eyes to the dramatic significance of her voice – and considers the importance of certain professional collaborations that Taylor forged during her career, most notably her acting partnership with Montgomery Clift.


The possibility that the Galactic spheroid was assembled from isolated, chemically distinct proto-Galactic fragments is investigated using a Monte Carlo technique designed to simulate the chemical evolution of the Galaxy in hierarchical formation scenarios which involve no gas dissipation. By comparing the observed and simulated metallicity distributions of Galactic globular clusters and halo field stars, we estimate the level of fragmentation in the collapsing proto-Galaxy. Although the formation process is highly stochastic, the simulations frequently show good agreement with the observed metallicity distributions, provided the luminosity function of proto-Galactic fragments had the form dN ∝ Lα dL, where α ~ -2. While this steep slope is strongly at odds with the presently observed luminosity function of the Local Group, it is in close agreement with the predictions of semianalytic and numerical models of hierarchical galaxy formation. We discuss a number of possible explanations for this discrepancy. These simulations suggest that the Galactic halo and its globular cluster system were assembled via the accretion and disruption of ~103 metal-poor, proto-Galactic fragments by the dominant building block: a protobulge whose own metal-rich globular clusters system has been preferentially eroded by dynamical processes. This formation scenario may provide a simple explanation for the different shapes of the Galactic globular cluster and halo star metallicity distributions. Based on the similar properties of globular clusters belonging to spiral and giant elliptical galaxies, we argue that the same process (e.g., hierarchical growth involving little gas dissipation) is responsible for the formation of both giant elliptical galaxies and the bulge-halo components of spiral galaxies.


This article draws on 40 in-depth semi-structured interviews of three groups of people who restrict their consumption in various ways: voluntary simplifiers, religious environmentalists, and green home owners. I identify common patterns in the emergence of green lifestyles across all groups. Green practices are not isolated decisions or actions, but components in an ongoing project. As a result, green lifestyles are often experienced as both a work in progress and a provisionally coherent life narrative. Furthermore, I explore bricolage, the cobbling together of resources at hand by nonexperts, as a mechanism for lifestyle change and expand the concept to include environmental practices and themes. I adopt a pragmatist perspective to understand lifestyle change as a deliberate process undertaken in response to a problem left underaddressed by current policies and practices. This article also weighs in on the debate in the sociology of culture over how culture influences action.


OBJECTIVE
To analyze the clinical manifestation and neuroendoscopic techniques in treatment of suprasellar arachnoid cysts.

METHODS
Between October 2000 and June 2006, 42 patients (22 male and 20 female with a mean age of 10.4 years) with suprasellar arachnoid cysts were treated by endoscopy. All patients presented with hydrocephalus in CT and MRI scanning before operation. Endoscopic ventriculocystostomy was performed in 39 patients and cystocisternostomy was also performed in the other 3 patients. The mean duration of follow-up was 20.8 months.

RESULTS
There was no surgery-related death and only two patients (4.8%) had postoperative complications. 25 cases (59.5%) recovered completely and 14 cases (33.3%) improved clinically. Ventriculoperitoneal shunting was performed in 3 patients because of recurrent hydrocephalus. Postoperative CT or/and MRI showed cyst volume decreased in all cases. Cine-MR imaging was performed in 21 patients that confirmed CSF could flow through all fenestration sites and aqueduct fluently.

CONCLUSIONS
Endoscopic ventriculocystostomy (ventriculocystocisternostomy) is an effective and safe method in the treatment of suprasellar arachnoid cysts.


The design and fabrication of a high-temperature mixed-signal IC using silicon carbide CMOS technology is presented. The mixed-signal IC implements an intelligent gate driver circuit intended for high-power switching devices. Using temperature-insensitive comparator, several functions including over-voltage, under-voltage, short-load and open-load detection are provided, all of which are operational up to 300/spl deg/C. These ICs are ideally suited for harsh, high-temperature environments such as automotive and aircraft engines.


The preferred growth directions of Tb0.3Dy0.7Fe1.95 grown by a super-high temperature gradient zone melting directional solidification technique were examined over a large range of the crystal growth velocity (0.5-30 mm/min). The [110] preferred growth direction was found in most case, and the [112] orientation only existed with a certain solidification condition. The magnetostriction of the [110] oriented samples was poor and had no obvious "stress effect", which exists in [110] perfect crystals according to calculation. The difference of the magnetostriction between the actual and perfect [110] oriented crystal was discussed in detail. The poor magnetostriction of the [110] oriented samples was attributed to the special 109.5° angular with two (111) twin growth mechanism, which resulted in the [114] direction along axis in twins, and only the [110] along axis in master.


For this controlled trial, 463 patients were randomly assigned to two groups. The control group received cataract information leaflets and the study group received both leaflets and an educational video compact disc (VCD). Eighty percent of the subjects were more than 60 years old, and 86% were Chinese. Both groups showed significant knowledge acquisition and were marginally less fearful and nervous than before the study began. Between groups, however, there was no significant difference in knowledge and anxiety level. The subjects' preferences of information formats were: verbal (spoken) 54%, VCD 47%, and printed 36%.


Abstract Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of a practice nurse led strategy to improve the notification and treatment of partners of people with chlamydia infection. Design Randomised controlled trial. Setting 27 general practices in the Bristol and Birmingham areas. Participants 140 men and women with chlamydia (index cases) diagnosed by screening of a home collected urine sample or vulval swab specimen. Interventions Partner notification at the general practice immediately after diagnosis by trained practice nurses, with telephone follow up by a health adviser; or referral to a specialist health adviser at a genitourinary medicine clinic. Main outcome measures Primary outcome was the proportion of index cases with at least one treated sexual partner. Specified secondary outcomes included the number of sexual contacts elicited during a sexual history, positive test result for chlamydia six weeks after treatment, and the cost of each strategy in 2003 sterling prices. Results 65.3% (47/72) of participants receiving practice nurse led partner notification had at least one partner treated compared with 52.9% (39/68) of those referred to a genitourinary medicine clinic (risk difference 12.4%, 95% confidence interval −1.8% to 26.5%). Of 68 participants referred to the clinic, 21 (31%) did not attend. The costs per index case were £32.55 for the practice nurse led strategy and £32.62 for the specialist referral strategy. Conclusion Practice based partner notification by trained nurses with telephone follow up by health advisers is at least as effective as referral to a specialist health adviser at a genitourinary medicine clinic, and costs the same. Trial registration Clinical trials: NCT00112255.


The thermodynamic and kinetic behaviors of the pseudorotaxane formation between the C3v macrocyclic BODIPY trimers and unsymmetrical secondary ammonium guests are investigated. We find a remarkable substituent effect of the BODIPY trimer on the ring-face selectivity during the threading. The difference in the small substituents (H or CH3) in the macrocyclic host molecules significantly modulated the thermodynamic and kinetic selectivity of the threading direction of the unsymmetrical ammonium ions.


FNA biopsy as a diagnostic modality in breast lesions (palpable and nonpalpable) is a safe, rapid, cost-effective, and accurate method of diagnosis of breast pathology, which is beneficial to the patient, clinician, and cytopathologist. This diagnostic service has become an integral part in the workup of breast lesions in the practice of medicine today.


Women seeking shelter from intimate partner violence (IPV) are at greater risk of suicide ideation and attempts compared with women in the general population. A theoretically grounded understanding of suicide risk in shelter-seeking women is critical to improve assessment and management of suicide risk in this population. The interpersonal-psychological theory of suicide (IPTS) proposes that suicide ideation results from hopelessness about thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness. However, suicide ideation does not progress to death by suicide unless one has acquired the capability for suicide (i.e., pain tolerance and fearlessness about death) via repeated exposure to painful and fearsome events. The present study provides a preliminary test of the IPTS in a sample of 134 women seeking shelter from IPV. First, we examined factors theoretically related to suicide ideation, demonstrating that only at high levels of hopelessness was perceived burdensomeness associated with suicide ideation. The study also examined factors theoretically related to the acquired capability for suicide (ACS), indicating that physical partner violence perpetration was associated with ACS. These findings suggest that perceived burdensomeness, particularly in the context of increased hopelessness, is important in the assessment and treatment of suicide ideation. Furthermore, violence perpetration may indicate greater risk of the capability to die by suicide among women seeking shelter from IPV.


Sera from 147 volunteers were examined for vibriocidal antibody by the tube-dilution method before and after they ingested 10(3)-10(6) Vibrio cholerae organisms. Titers increased significantly after challenge in 97% of 110 persons who excreted V. cholerae. In 12% of the bacteriologically confirmed infections, the titer increased significantly only to the homologous (Inaba or Ogawa) serotype. Levels of vibriocidal antibody decreased substantially between one and six months after challenge, but they usually remained elevated over base-line values. Levels of antitoxin to V. cholerae were measured by IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), rabbit skin permeability tests, and adrenal cell techniques in 73 pairs of prechallenge and postchallenge sera. Results of the vibriocidal assay agreed most closely with those of the ELISA, the most sensitive antitoxin assay, in serologically detecting clinical and subclinical infections. Recent infection could be accurately serodiagnosed by levels of vibriocidal antibody and antitoxin (by IgG ELISA) in a convalescent-phase serum.


A multichannel theory, based upon the R-matrix method for electron-atom collisions, is employed in the present work to evaluate the continuous free-free absorption coefficient for the negative ion of lithium. The calculation is performed over a wide range of radiation wavelengths λ = 9113–151 890 A and temperatures T = 1400–10 080 (K). Significant differences are found to occur when the present results are compared with a previous theoretical evaluation.


BACKGROUND
Study the survival rate of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and control group to treat cardiogenic shock and the complication and safety of the ECMO.

METHODS
We collected patients with cardiogenic shock in the ICU of six hospitals from March 2013 to November 2014. There were 29 cases in the ECMO treatment group and 28 cases in the control group. The survival rate between ECMO treatment group and control group for 30 days and the occurrence rate of complication in the ECMO treatment group were compared.

RESULTS
For the 29 patients in the ECMO group, 11 patients survived (with a survival rate of 37.9%) for 30 days, and 18 patients died (with a mortality rate of 62.1%). For the 28 patients in the control group, three patients survived (with a survival rate of 10.7%) and 25 patients died (with a mortality rate of 89.3%). Fifteen patients succeeded in separating from the ECMO machine within 14 days in the ECMO group. There were 11 patients that survived and left the hospital, with the time of 272.91±397.98 hours on ECMO, and 14 patients could not separate from the machine and died. For complications in the ECMO group, 11 patients had hemorrhaging (37.93%), 5 patients with neurological complications (17.21%), 1 patient with pneumothorax (3.44%), 8 patients with renal failure (27.59%), 12 patients with heart complication (41.38%), 9 patients with infection (31.03%), 7 patients with hyperbilirubinemia (24.14%). Twenty nine patients on the ECMO all used ventilator for support, among which, 17 patients adopted intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) simultaneously, 8 patients with continuous hemofiltration due to renal failure (27.59%), for the death patients in ECMO group, 12 patients died from cardiogenic shock (48%), 3 patients with brain death (12%), 2 patients with septic shock (8%), and one patient with multiple organ failure (4%).

CONCLUSIONS
The ECMO treatment can decrease the mortality rate with a low occurrence rate of complication, effective to rescue cardiogenic shock.


Here we propose a complete system for robust detection and recognition of the current speed sign restrictions from a moving road vehicle. This approach includes the detection and recognition of both numerical limit and national limit (cancellation) signs with the addition of automatic vehicle turn detection. The system utilizes both RANSAC-based colour-shape detection of speed limit signs and neural network based recognition whilst turn analysis relies on an optic flow based method. As primary detection is based on a robust colour and shape detection methodology this results in a real-time algorithm that is invariant to variable road conditions. The integration of both limit, cancellation and vehicle turn detection within the bounds of real-time system performance represents an advance on prior work within this field.


BACKGROUND
This is an updated version of the Cochrane Review first published in 2014, and last updated in 2018. For nearly 30% of people with epilepsy, seizures are not controlled by current treatments. Stiripentol is an antiepileptic drug (AED) that was developed in France and was approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in 2007 for the treatment of Dravet syndrome as an adjunctive therapy with valproate and clobazam.

OBJECTIVES
To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of stiripentol as add-on treatment for people with drug-resistant focal epilepsy who are taking AEDs.

SEARCH METHODS
For the latest update, we searched the following databases on 27 February 2020: Cochrane Register of Studies (CRS Web); and MEDLINE (Ovid, 1946 to 26 February 2020). CRS Web includes randomised or quasi-randomised controlled trials from the Specialized Registers of Cochrane Review Groups including Epilepsy, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), PubMed, Embase, ClinicalTrials.gov, and the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP). We contacted Biocodex (the manufacturer of stiripentol) and epilepsy experts to identify published, unpublished and ongoing trials.

SELECTION CRITERIA
Randomised, controlled, add-on trials of stiripentol in people with drug-resistant focal epilepsy.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
Review authors independently selected trials for inclusion and extracted data. We investigated outcomes including 50% or greater reduction in seizure frequency, seizure freedom, adverse effects, treatment withdrawal and changes in quality of life.

MAIN RESULTS
On the basis of our selection criteria, we included no new studies in the present review update. We included only one study from the earlier review (32 children with focal epilepsy). This study adopted a responder-enriched design and found no clear evidence of a reduction in seizure frequency (≥ 50% seizure reduction) (risk ratio (RR) 1.51, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.81 to 2.82; low-certainty evidence) or evidence of seizure freedom (RR 1.18, 95% CI 0.31 to 4.43; low-certainty evidence) when add-on stiripentol was compared with placebo. Stiripentol led to a greater risk of adverse effects considered as a whole (RR 2.65, 95% CI 1.08 to 6.47; low-certainty evidence). When we considered specific adverse events, confidence intervals were very wide and showed the possibility of substantial increases and small reductions in risks of neurological adverse effects (RR 2.65, 95% CI 0.88 to 8.01; low-certainty evidence) and gastrointestinal adverse effects (RR 11.56, 95% CI 0.71 to 189.36; low-certainty evidence). Researchers noted no clear reduction in the risk of study withdrawal (RR 0.66, 95% CI 0.30 to 1.47; low-certainty evidence), which was high in both groups (35.0% in add-on placebo and 53.3% in stiripentol group; low-certainty evidence). The external validity of this study was limited because only responders to stiripentol (i.e. patients experiencing a ≥ 50% decrease in seizure frequency compared with baseline) were included in the randomised, add-on, placebo-controlled, double-blind phase. Furthermore, carry-over and withdrawal effects probably influenced outcomes related to seizure frequency. Very limited information derived from the only included study shows that adverse effects considered as a whole seemed to occur significantly more often with add-on stiripentol than with add-on placebo.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
We have found no new studies since the last version of this review was published. Hence, we have made no changes to the conclusions of this update as presented in the initial review. We can draw no conclusions to support the use of stiripentol as add-on treatment for drug-resistant focal epilepsy. Additional large, randomised, well-conducted trials are needed.


The photoelectron energy spectra (PESs) excited by monochromatic femtosecond x-ray pulses in the presence of a femtosecond laser are investigated. A PES is composed of a set of separate peaks, showing interesting comb-like structures. These structures result from the quantum interferences between photoelectron wave packets generated at different times. The width and the localization of each peak as well as the number of peaks are determined by all the laser and x-ray parameters. Most of peak heights of the PES are higher than the classical predictions.


Productive transcriptional elongation of many cellular and viral mRNAs requires transcriptional factors to extract pTEFb from the 7SK snRNP by modulating the association between the HEXIM protein and the 7SK snRNA. Here we report the structure of the HEXIM arginine rich motif in complex with the apical stemloop-1 of 7SK (7SK-SL1apical) and detail how the HIV transcriptional regulator Tat from various subtypes overcome the structural constraints required to displace HEXIM. While the majority of interactions between 7SK and HEXIM and Tat are similar, critical differences exist that guide function. First, the conformational plasticity of 7SK enables the formation of three different base pair configurations at a critical remodeling site, which allows for the modulation required for HEXIM binding and its subsequent displacement by Tat. Furthermore, the specific sequence variations observed in various Tat subtypes all converge on remodeling 7SK at this region. Second, we show that HEXIM primes its own displacement by causing specific local destabilization upon binding — a feature that is then exploited by Tat to bind 7SK more efficiently. Overall, our study details the molecular environment presented by HEXIM and uncovers a destabilization-driven displacement strategy that increases the conformational sampling of 7SK-snRNP, which may allow diverse transcriptional factors to competitively regulate pTEFb.


Reversible pH-responsive dimer or trimer origami structures are assembled by bridging origami frames with pH-responsive units. The cyclic pH-stimulated separation and reassembly of dimer origami structures is demonstrated using i-motif or Hoogsteen-type (C-G·C+ or T-A·T) interactions. The duplex-bridged dimer T1-T2 is separated by the pH-induced formation of an i-motif structure (pH = 4.5), and the dimer is reassembled at pH = 7.0. The duplex-bridged dimer, T3-T4, is separated at pH = 4.5 through the formation of C-G·C+ triplex structures and is reassembled to the dimer at pH = 7.0. Similarly, the T-A·T triplex-bridged dimer, T5-T6, is separated at pH = 9.5 and is reassembled at neutral pH. Finally, a trimer, T3-T7-T6, that includes C-G·C+ and T-A·T pH-responsive bridges reveals pH-programmed cleavage to selectively yield the dimers T3-T7 or T7-T6, which reassemble to the trimer at pH = 7.0. A linear three-frame origami structure bridged by duplexes including caged i-motif units undergoes pH-stimulated isomerization to a bent structure (pH = 4.5) through the formation of i-motif complex and bridging T-A·T triplex units.


This study aims to identify the level of emotional intelligence in the Jordanian banking sector, and determine the role of emotional intelligence in improving the effectiveness of teamwork. For the purpose of achieving the study objectives a questionnaire was developed to measure study variables. The population of the study are directors, heads of departments and service providers who work in the Jordanian banking sector. The study found that the level of emotional intelligence of the workers in the banking sector is high. The highest dimension of the practiced by workers was the use of emotions then managing of emotions, and finally, perception and understand of emotions. The results also showed that the degree of effectiveness of teamwork in the banking sector is high. The most effectiveness of teamwork factors was style of leadership, then team confidence and finally team cohesion. The study showed also the dimensions of emotional intelligence (perception and understanding of emotions, managing of emotions) affect significantly both of the team leadership style and team cohesion. In addition it was all the emotional intelligence dimensions (perception and understanding of emotions, managing of emotions, the use of emotions) affect significantly the team confidence.


In this article, the impact of different B 4 C synthesis methods on the amount of residual carbon and the final morphology of the prepared ceramic particles was investigated. The main materials for the synthesis of B 4 C were glucose and boric acid, and the effects of adding tartaric acid and performing mechanical activation were studied. For this purpose, two methods of carbon dissolution and boron carbide oxidation were used to determine the amount of residual carbon in the ceramic products. The results of the investigations on the sample synthesized in optimal conditions showed that if additives and mechanical activation are not used, about 7 wt% of carbon will remain in the synthesized powder. The amount of carbon decreased to 5.7 wt% with mechanical activation, but the best result was obtained with the addition of tartaric acid, in which the amount of impurity dropped to 3.3 wt%. Finally, the size and morphology of B 4 C particles and carbon impurities were observed and compared using a scanning electron microscope. © 2023 The Authors. Published by Synsint Research Group.


INTRODUCTION The rate of relapse in smokers attempting to quit is generally high. In order to maximize the chances of success, it is of interest to better understand the dynamic of lapse and relapse during smoking cessation. We hypothesized that specific behavioral patterns in tobacco consumption could predict the probability of quitting success and could open the possibility for a more targeted approach. The aim of the current study was to characterize clusters of quitting trajectories among participants involved in a smoking cessation program. METHODS In a retrospective real-world cohort study, data from 843 consecutive participants between March 2012 and December 2014 were collected. Data consisted of baseline information on demographics, smoking history and dependence level, as well as longitudinal data about tobacco consumption. The correlations among time series were characterized using principal coordinates analysis. Clusters were identified using k-means clustering and the average profile associated with each cluster was computed. The association between the participant's baseline characteristics and clusters of tobacco consumption was assessed. RESULTS Four distinct clusters of transition phenotypes were identified based on tobacco consumption during the cessation phase: the long-term quitters (30%), the persistent smokers/reducers (44%), the short-term returners (16%) and the repeated try and failers (10%). Significant between-cluster differences were found in terms of baseline characteristics and smoking behavior during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS Meaningful clusters of quitting trajectories could be identified. Such specific behavioral patterns were useful for the application of personalized assistance needed to achieve successful and long-term cessation.


On December 6, 2013, in Sachs v. Republic of Austria, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, sitting en banc, held that a foreign state-owned common carrier carries on commercial activity in the United States when it sells rail passes through a United States ticket agent. In so holding, the court expanded the scope of jurisdiction over foreign state-owned entities to include claims arising from transactions with common law agents of foreign states. This Comment argues that the Ninth Circuit correctly applied principles of agency law to foreign state-owned common carriers acting through domestic ticket agents, and that, on review, the U.S. Supreme Court should hold the same. Further, this Comment urges Congress to articulate a uniform standard to avoid inconsistencies between the common law in various states.


Social responses to alerts are critical but understudied A key goal of earthquake early warning (EEW) systems is to alert populations who may be affected by a particular level of ground shaking so that they can take action to reduce impacts of that shaking, such as injuries, damages to physical infrastructure, or emotional distress. Most EEW systems work by rapidly determining the location and size of an earthquake, estimating shaking levels, and then distributing an alert to potentially affected populations. But EEW systems are limited by how rapidly the size of an earthquake can be determined as well as the details of the earthquake rupture process, the path of the seismic waves, and the alert distribution mechanism. And we are just beginning to understand how people respond to earthquake alerts, often relying on anecdotes. Determining the appropriate shaking intensities for public warnings requires understanding the range of individual and societal responses to earthquake alerts. The decision on when to issue earthquake alerts must balance the technical capabilities and potential outcomes, both desired and undesired, when choosing a ground-motion alerting threshold. Only when benefits outweigh the risks and users are prepared for alerts should they be used to warn the public about the possibility of earthquake shaking.


To encourage compatibility of national and global precise positioning of GPS surveys in Great Britain, Ordnance Survey is providing access at no cost to the new National GPS Network, via a website first available in June 2000. By requiring the use of this infrastructure to provide ETRS89 control station coordinates at a stated level of precision, survey clients can be assured that any commissioned survey will be precisely consistent with any other, even if the two are widely spaced in location and time. All such surveys will also be precisely consistent with the Ordnance Survey large-scale base mapping, using the precise National Grid Transformation and National Geoid Model. This is now the Ordnance Survey recommended 'standard method' of creating new National Grid coordinate datasets, eventually to replace completely the traditional national control networks of triangulation stations and height bench marks.


This paper describes the design and implementation of a computer controlled active load for characterization of the steady-state and the dynamic behaviours of polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell systems. The active load converter is based on a linear regulator topology. The non-switching converter is ideal for steady-state measurements. The control of the converter is implemented in Simulink and dSpace and uses a PI feedback loop. The active load is designed for characterization of a fuel cell system, and therefore an electric circuit model for fuel cells is introduced. The circuit model contains a highly non-linear voltage source describing the activation polarization and the concentration polarization, two resistors for the ohmic polarization and the membranes double layer capacitor for the dynamic behaviour. The circuit model parameters are obtained from the measured data. Test results show good similarity with the fuel cell theory and confirm that the fuel cell circuit model can be used for modelling commercially available fuel cell systems, and uncontrolled fuel cell stacks.


In this paper, we shall deal with a linear control system 2 defined on a Lie group G with Lie algebra L(G). We prove that, if G is a compact connected Lie group, then the vector fields associated to dynamic of 2 are conservative, and that if G is also non-Abelian then, by using Poincare Theorem, 2 is transitive if and only if it is controllable.


Reversible membrane targeting of proteins is one of the key regulators of cellular interaction networks, for example, for signaling and polarization. So-called "membrane switches" are thus highly attractive targets for the design of minimal cells but have so far been tricky to reconstitute in vitro. Here, we introduce cell-free prenylated protein synthesis (CFpPS), which enables the synthesis and membrane targeting of proteins in a single reaction mix including the prenylation machinery. CFpPS can confer membrane affinity to any protein via addition of a 4-peptide motif to its C-terminus and offers robust production of prenylated proteins not only in their soluble forms but also in the direct vicinity of biomimetic membranes. Thus, CFpPS enabled us to reconstitute the prenylated polarity hub Cdc42 and its regulatory protein in vitro, implementing a key membrane switch. We propose CFpPS to be a versatile and effective platform for engineering complex features, such as polarity induction, in synthetic cells.


Background: Clobazam (CLB) is approved as adjunctive treatment for seizures associated with Lennox–Gastaut syndrome in patients aged 2 years and older. It is converted to an active metabolite N-desmethylclobazam (NCLB) by CYP3A4, which is then broken down to an inactive metabolite by CYP2C19. This study characterizes the impact of CYP3A4 and CYP2C19 drug interactions on CLB and NCLB serum concentrations (Cp) and concentration/dose (Cp/D) ratios in pediatric patients with epilepsy. Methods: This was a retrospective chart review including patients older than 1 month, who received CLB between April 2012 and March 2017. Extracted data included patient demographics, CLB daily dose, CLB and NCLB Cp, calculated CLB and NCLB Cp/Cp and Cp/D ratios, and all concomitant drugs. Results: The study included 995 CLB concentration sets from 302 patients (median age 7.6 years and range 0.2–40.1 years). Pharmacokinetic variability was extensive, as seen by widespread ranges of CLB and NCLB Cp, NCLB/CLB Cp ratio, and 3 Cp/D ratios (CLB, NCLB, and CLB + NCLB). Comedications, described as CYP3A4 inducers and/or CYP2C19 inhibitors (carbamazepine, eslicarbazepine, felbamate, (fos)phenytoin, oxcarbazepine, pentobarbital, phenobarbital, rufinamide, and topiramate), generally increased NCLB/CLB Cp ratio (267%–400%), NCLB Cp/D ratio (167%–202%), and CLB + NCLB Cp/D ratio (142%–185%) and decreased CLB Cp/D ratio (47%–76%) compared with a group of concentration sets in patients receiving only neutral comedications (P < 0.025 for all comparisons). Older age was associated with higher Cp/D ratios (mg/kg), indicative of decreased clearance. Conclusions: Pharmacokinetic variability of CLB in pediatric patients is extensive, and it is influenced by drug–drug interactions and age. Therapeutic drug monitoring of CLB and active metabolite NCLB with calculation of various Cp/Cp and Cp/D ratios can provide useful insight into CLB pharmacokinetics and help differentiate between causes of variability.


We present results of a joint Chandra/XMM-Newton analysis of the early-type galaxies NGC 4649 and NGC 5846 aimed at investigating differences between mass profiles derived from X-ray data and those from optical data, to probe the state of the hot interstellar medium (ISM) in these galaxies. If the hot ISM is at a given radius in hydrostatic equilibrium (HE), the X-ray data can be used to measure the total enclosed mass of the galaxy. Differences from optically derived mass distributions therefore yield information about departures from HE in the hot halos. The X-ray mass profiles in different angular sectors of NGC 4649 are generally smooth with no significant azimuthal asymmetries within 12 kpc. Extrapolation of these profiles beyond this scale yields results consistent with the optical estimate. However, in the central region ( kpc) the X-ray data underpredict the enclosed mass, when compared with the optical mass profiles. Consistent with previous results, we estimate a nonthermal pressure component accounting for 30% of the gas pressure, likely linked to nuclear activity. In NGC 5846 the X-ray mass profiles show significant azimuthal asymmetries, especially in the NE direction. Comparison with optical mass profiles in this direction suggests significant departures from HE, consistent with bulk gas compression and decompression due to sloshing on ∼15 kpc scales; this effect disappears in the NW direction, where the emission is smooth and extended. In this sector we find consistent X-ray and optical mass profiles, suggesting that the hot halo is not responding to strong nongravitational forces.


Blind source separation (BSS) attempts to recover unknown independent sources from a given set of observed mixtures. Algorithm based on natural gradient is one of the main methods in BSS. An analysis has been done on the problem that the old algorithm goes to diverging under over-determined mode. A new improved algorithm based on orthogonal projected natural gradient is studied in the paper. The simulated result using crosstalk error proves the capability to perform the BSS under over-determined mode and the better convergence stability of the new algorithm. It is also effective with a dynamically changing source number.


Using interview-based 'insider case study' research, this paper outlines why the University of Salford has adopted a Learning Technologies Strategy and examines the factors which are likely to lead to its successful implementation. External reasons for the adoption focused on the need to: respond to 'increased Higher Education (HE) competition', meet student expectations of learning technology use, provide more flexibility and access to the curriculum, address the possible determining effect of technology and establish a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) presence in this 'particular area of the HE landscape'. Internal drivers centred on the need to: continue a 'bottom– up' e-learning pilot project initiative, particularly given that a VLE is a 'complex tool' which requires effective strategic implementation, and promote the idea that learning technology will play an important role in determining the type of HE institution that the University of Salford wishes to become. Likely success factors highlighted the need to: create 'time and space' for innovation, maintain effective communication and consultation at all levels of the organization, emphasize the operational aspects of the strategy, establish a variety of staff development processes and recognize the negotiatory processes involved in understanding the term 'web presence' in local teaching cultures. Fundamentally, the paper argues that policy makers should acknowledge the correct 'cultural configuration' of HE institutions when seeking to manage and achieve organizational change. Thus, it is not just a question of establishing 'success factors' per se but also whether they are contextualized appropriately within a 'correct' characterization of the organizational culture. DOI: 10.1080/0968776042000216228


The effect of exposed to mefenacet in short term on the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and ATPase of Sphingobacterium multivorum Y1 capable of degrading mefenacet was studied. The results showed that mefenacet induced obviously SOD activity in S. multivorum Y1, especially to those in exponential phase, and also greatly stimulated CAT activity. The stimulation process of CAT activity was similar to that of SOD activity at different growth phases in S. multivorum Y1 by mefenacet. The level of ATPase activity increased after application of mefenacet, but there existed no good correlation with the growth phase of bacteria. It was feasible definitely to use antioxidant enzyme combined with ATPase as a biomarker for pollution stress of these chemicals in soil environment.


Purpose of review This overview discusses several important developments in testicular germ cell tumors in the last year. Recent findings Genomic studies are examining gene expression as possible markers for disease relapse and chemotherapy resistance. Optimal treatment strategies for early-stage nonseminomatous tumors continue to evolve, and advanced disease states continue to be challenging entities in terms of optimizing therapy and outcome. Long-term survivorship issues are also being evaluated in this patient population. Summary Significant challenges remain for treatment of certain categories of testicular germ cell tumors. Treatment and surveillance paradigms continue to be defined and refined as research in these areas continues.


The patient was 38-year-old male. His chief complaint was persistent cough. He had been diagnosed at an another clinic as tuberculosis by positive sputum culture. Laboratory findings at the first examination were as follows: ESR was 10 mm/1 hr and CRP was 0.920 mg/dl and other data were within normal limits. Chest X-ray showed infiltrative shadow in the left lower lobe. Bronchoscopic findings before treatment were as follows: there were ulcers on bilateral vocal cords, small white nodules with reddness in trachea and red nodules and white coated ulcers in left main bronchus. He was treated with combination chemotherapy (INH, RFP, EB) and the steroid inhalation was added 1 month later after the initiation of chemotherapy. Bronchoscopic findings at 2 months after starting chemotherapy were as follows: lesions of vocal cords and trachea were improved and lesion of left main bronchus was scarred without stenosis. Bronchial stenosis as sequelae of endobronchial tuberculosis deteriorates the patients' quality of life. Therefore it is important to diagnose endobronchial tuberculosis early and to start treat with chemotherapy as soon as possible, and the follow up by bronchoscopy should be done during treatment.


Acceleration in redundancy resolution has been achieved by model-based learning. Parameterized joint motions generated by pseudoinverse of parameterized motion primitives in operational space are taken as learning examples. The method of successive approximations (SA) as a function approximator generalizes given examples resulting in a parameterized model, termed redundancy resolution skill. The SA method results in an analytical solution of joint motions. This particular property enables extension of the universality of skills to tasks never experienced by learning. Moreover, a proper addressing of skills output results in paths completely different from learned ones. In practice, this means that a segment as a motion primitive suffices in acquiring skill in the learning domain. The example emphasises this property of SA-based redundancy resolution. Highly compressed skill, acquired on segments only, is applied in RR along two test-trajectories-an 'H'-character and a rosette. The gained acceleration of RR recommends this procedure for online redundant robot control and easy robot programming.


Why do religious politics thrive in some societies but not others? This paper explores the institutional foundations of this process in Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim democracy. We show that a major Islamic institution, the waqf, fostered the entrenchment of political Islam at a critical historical juncture. In the early 1960s, rural elites transferred large amounts of land into waqf —a type of inalienable charitable trust—to avoid expropriation by the government as part of a major land reform effort. Although the land reform was later undone, the waqf properties remained. We show that greater intensity of the planned reform led to more prevalent waqf land and Islamic institutions endowed as such, including religious schools, which are strongholds of the Islamist movement. We identify lasting effects of the reform on electoral support for Islamist parties, preferences for religious candidates, and the adoption of Islamic legal regulations (sharia). Overall, the land reform contributed to the resilience and eventual rise of political Islam by helping to spread religious institutions, thereby solidifying the alliance between local elites and Islamist groups. These findings shed new light on how religious institutions may shape politics in modern democracies. JEL Classifications: D72, D74, P16, P26, Z12


The problems of Philippine foreign trade include those of the nation's trade as a whole as well as those specific to its different exports. These problems have been the result not only of natural endowment but also of economic history, especially in the first half of this century. A brief sketch of this history might, therefore, be useful.


In Array signal processing field, the problem of finding the direction of signal sources at the receiving antenna is one of the most important and challenging tasks in many of the applications such as radar, wireless communications, sonar, radio astronomy and navigation. Direction of Arrival (DOA) estimation can be achieved by the antenna array at the receiver side. The resolution of a DOA estimation algorithm depends on the antenna array structures and these algorithms also have the capability to identify the number of signal sources and their directions (multiple signal sources). This paper presents the simulation and performance comparison of all the low and high-resolution DOA estimation algorithms namely Beamforming, Capon/MVDR, MUSIC, Improved-MUSIC, Root-MUSIC and ESPRIT. These algorithms are simulated and investigated using Uniform Linear Array (ULA) in presence of White noise and interference noise. The simulation results shown in this paper investigates that the performance of any DOA estimation algorithm depends on features such as number of array elements, number of signal sources, correlation between the signal sources, Signal-to-noise ratio, array element spacing, number of snapshots and the angle separation between adjacent signal sources.


This paper presents a new analysis support system for analyzing non-dominated solutions (NDSs) derived by evolutionary multi-criterion optimization (EMO). The main features of the proposed system are to use association rule analysis and to perform a multi-granularity analysis based on a hierarchical tree of NDSs. The proposed system applies association rule analysis to the whole NDSs and derives association rules related to NDSs. And a hierarchical tree is created through our original association rule grouping that guarantees to keep at least one common features. Each node of a hierarchical tree corresponds to one group consisting of association rules and is fixed in position according to inclusion relations between nodes. Since each node has some kinds of common features, the designer can analyze each node with previous knowledge of these common features. To investigate the characteristics and effectiveness of the proposed system, the proposed system is applied to the concept design problem of hybrid rocket engine (HRE) which has two objectives and six variable parameters. HRE separately stores two different types of thrust propellant unlike in the case of usual other rockets and the concept design problem of HRE has been provided by JAXA. The results of this application provided possible to analyze the trends and specifics contained in NDSs in an organized way unlike analysis approaches targeted at the whole NDSs.


A parallel glass-plate rotary shearing device has been constructed. This device allows direct observation of the crystallization of polymeric melts being subjected to a constant rate of shear under controlled temperature conditions. Polarized light microscopy and small-angle light-scattering techniques were employed to study the kinetics and morphology of poly(ethylene oxide) melts as they crystallized under various combinations of supercooling and shear rate. The techniques of epimicroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and wide-angle x-ray diffraction were used to study the already crystallized material. Crystalline aggregates developing from sheared melts showed a sheaf-like lamellar morphology. The long axes of the sheaf-like structures oriented perpendicular to the flow direction when crystallized under shear. This behavior can be explained in terms of hydrodynamic theory.


Third generation (3G) mobile networks are due to become reality in the next few years as governments world-wide start to auction or 'release' new spectrum to new and existing cellular operators. A major differentiation of 3G over second generation networks is the provision of multiple-data-rate services, higher spectrum efficiency and greater flexibility of the air interface. This paper addresses FDD W-CDMA planning and capacity estimation issues. As well as addressing the planning steps, link budgets and simplistic uplink capacity estimation the paper goes into more detail on simulation methods and considerations. Finally an example W-CDMA network, based on realistic site locations in central London, is provided. Capacity estimations are given with some indications of network stability and operating points.


Introduction: Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway activation in breast cancer (BC) is associated with tumor growth and resistance to anticancer therapies, including paclitaxel (PAC). Combined treatment with the pan-Class I PI3K inhibitor buparlisib (BKM120) + PAC has shown signs of activity in a Phase Ib study in advanced solid tumors, and may delay chemoresistance and progression on PAC therapy in BC. Study design: BELLE-4 (NCT01572727) is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, adaptive, Phase II/III seamless study of buparlisib + PAC in women with HER2- locally advanced or metastatic BC with no prior systemic chemotherapy for advanced BC (ABC). Patients were randomized (1:1) to receive buparlisib (100 mg/day) or placebo with PAC (80 mg/m2/week). Randomization was stratified by PI3K pathway status (activated vs non-activated) and hormone receptor status. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS; locally assessed per RECIST v1.1) in the full and PI3K pathway-activated populations. Secondary endpoints included overall survival, overall response rate (ORR), clinical benefit rate, and safety (CTCAE v4.03). An adaptive interim analysis was planned at the end of Phase II after ≥125 PFS events had occurred. Decision rules based on predefined thresholds of PFS predictive probabilities of success in the full and PI3K pathway-activated populations were used to decide whether the study would enter Phase III (in the full population or restricted to the PI3K pathway-activated population), or be stopped for futility. Results: As of June 7, 2014, 338 women were randomized to receive buparlisib + PAC (n = 168) or placebo + PAC (n = 170). In total, 125 (37%) patients had PI3K pathway-activated tumors, and 248 (73%) tumors were hormone receptor-positive. At data cut-off, 112 (67%) vs 93 (55%) patients (buparlisib vs placebo arm) had discontinued treatment, most commonly for disease progression (30% vs 35%) and adverse events (AEs; 22% vs 8%). Median duration of study treatment exposure was 3.4 months (range: 0.2-16.2) vs 4.6 months (range: 0.2-20.1). The most frequent AEs (≥35% of patients) were diarrhea (55% vs 34%), alopecia (49% vs 52%), nausea (45% vs 27%), hyperglycemia (45% vs 11%), rash (40% vs 24%), fatigue (37% vs 34%), and neutropenia (35% vs 30%). Grade 3/4 AEs occurred in 79% vs 52% of patients. At the interim analysis (based on 131 PFS events), the study met the futility criteria in the full and PI3K pathway-activated populations as per the predefined decision rules. Primary efficacy results (buparlisib vs placebo arm) are as follows: In the full population, hazard ratio (HR) was 1.18 (95% CI: 0.82-1.68) with median PFS 8.0 vs 9.2 months. In the PI3K pathway-activated population, HR was 1.17 (95% CI: 0.63-2.17) with median PFS 9.1 vs 9.2 months. In the PI3K pathway non-activated population, HR was 1.18 (95% CI: 0.76-1.83) with median PFS 7.3 vs 9.2 months. ORR in the full population was 23% vs 27%, with similar trends in the PI3K pathway-activated and non-activated populations. Conclusions: At the interim analysis, the predefined futility criteria were met and Phase III was not initiated. No PFS benefit was conferred by addition of buparlisib to PAC in either the full or PI3K pathway-activated populations, possibly due to limited treatment exposure; the PI3K pathway may not drive PAC resistance in untreated HER2- ABC. Citation Format: Miguel Martin, Arlene Chan, Luc Dirix, Joyce O9Shaughnessy, Roberto Hegg, Alexey Manikhas, Mikhail Shtivelband, Petr Krivorotko, Norberto Batista Lopez, Mario Campone, Manuel Ruiz Borrego, Qamar J. Khan, J. Thaddeus Beck, Manuel Ramos Vasquez, Patrick Urban, Pantelia Roussou, Emmanuelle Di Tomaso, Cristian Massacesi, Suzette Delaloge. BELLE-4: A Phase II study of buparlisib and paclitaxel in women with HER2- advanced breast cancer, with or without PI3K pathway activation. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference: Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2015 Nov 5-9; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2015;14(12 Suppl 2):Abstract nr A166.


Deep learning (DL) systems are increasingly applied to safety-critical domains such as autonomous driving cars. It is of significant importance to ensure the reliability and robustness of DL systems. Existing testing methodologies always fail to include rare inputs in the testing dataset and exhibit low neuron coverage. In this paper, we propose DLFuzz, the first differential fuzzing testing framework to guide DL systems exposing incorrect behaviors. DLFuzz keeps minutely mutating the input to maximize the neuron coverage and the prediction difference between the original input and the mutated input, without manual labeling effort or cross-referencing oracles from other DL systems with the same functionality. We present empirical evaluations on two well-known datasets to demonstrate its efficiency. Compared with DeepXplore, the state-of-the-art DL whitebox testing framework, DLFuzz does not require extra efforts to find similar functional DL systems for cross-referencing check, but could generate 338.59% more adversarial inputs with 89.82% smaller perturbations, averagely obtain 2.86% higher neuron coverage, and save 20.11% time consumption.


The interaction of cytochrome P-450 of rat liver microsomes with six amines have been investigated in Tris-HCL buffer pH 7.4 within the temperature range of 20--37 degrees C by the differential spectrophotometry method. Dissociation constants for the amine-cytochrome-P-450 complexes have been determined. The interaction of type I substrate, 1,2,7-trimethyl-decahydroquinolone-4, is characterized by the value of Ks(I)=4.14 exp (--6250/RT) mole/1. A value of Ks(II)=10(-8) exp (+6500/RT) mole/1 has been obtained for type II substrate, monomethylaniline. Association of 1,2,7-trimethyldecahydroquinolone-4 to cytochrome P-450 decreases with temperature, where as with monomethylaniline the reverse tendency is observed. Thermodynamic parameters delta H, delta F and delta S characterising the interaction of amines with cytochrome P-450 are evaluated.


The article is devoted to the 75 anniversary of the department "Technology of constructional materials" of UMech. Stages of foundation, formation and current indicators of work of the department are presented in the article.


AIMS
The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of characteristics of nurses' relationship quality with their manager on engagement and trust, onto in-role or discretionary behaviours and intent to quit.

BACKGROUND
Nurses having a good relationship with their manager are seen as important, yet the mechanisms of how such relationships are beneficial, or which aspects of the relationship are important, is less clear. Two possible mechanisms are through the nurse being more engaged in work, or through building their trust in their employer. In turn, engagement and trust may impact in-role and discretionary behaviours as well as staff retention.

DESIGN
Cross-sectional.

METHOD
An online survey in 2013 of 459 nurses across Australia.

RESULTS
Structural analyses indicated that the affect dimension of relationship quality was negatively related to engagement, whereas contribution and respect were positively related to engagement. The affect and respect aspects were positively related to trust. Engagement positively related to discretionary and in-role behaviours. Engagement and trust were negatively related to quit intention, as was the loyalty dimension of the nurses' relationship with their supervisor. However, perceptions of variability in their team's relationship quality with their leader was negatively related to trust and positively related to intent to quit.

CONCLUSIONS
Nurse managers with a nuanced understanding of social exchange at work are likely to maintain more engaged, well-performing and stable nursing teams. In particular, a willingness by the supervisor to come to their nurses' defence and having a consistent standard of relationship quality across their nurses is likely to improve nurse retention.


Objective: To study the incidence of MCI and dementia and their relationship to OH and subclinical OH with orthostatic (orthostatic intolerance). Study design and setting: This study used a prospective general population cohort design and was based on data from the Swedish Good Aging in Skåne study (GÅS-SNAC), they were studied 6 years after baseline of the present study, with the same study protocol at baseline and at follow-up. The study sample comprised 1,480 randomly invited subjects aged 60 to 93 years, and had a participation rate of 82% at follow-up. OH test included assessment of blood pressure and symptoms of OH. Results: The 6-year incidence of MCI was 8%, increasing from 12.1 to 40.5 per 1,000 person-years for men and 6.9 to 16.9 per 1,000 person-years for women aged 60 to  80 years. The corresponding 6-year incidence of dementia was 8%. Orthostatic intolerance during uprising was related to risk for MCI at follow-up (odds ratio [OR] = 1.84 [1.20–2.80][95% CI]), adjusted for age and education independently of blood pressure during testing. After stratification for hypertension (HT), the corresponding age-adjusted OR for MCI in the non-HT group was 1.71 (1.10–2.31) and 1.76 (1.11–2.13) in the HT group. Among controls, the proportion of those with OH was 16%; those with MCI 24%; and those with dementia 31% (age-adjusted OR 1.93 [1.19–3.14]). Conclusion: Not only OH, but also symptoms of OH, seem to be a risk factor for cognitive decline and should be considered in the management of blood pressure among the elderly


Central penetrating excisional wounds were made in the corneas of 12 rabbits and 10 trout. The scar tissue and the surrounding cornea were compared using a new method for assessing inorganic elements in the cornea: the scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive analysis of x-ray (EDAX). Semiquantitative determination of inorganic elements within the range of atomic numbers 9–93 in the periodic system was performed, comparing the relative concentration of those elements in the scar tissue to the surrounding cornea. Results showed that calcium was the only element higher in the healing wound than in the surrounding cornea.


Next-generation power devices using wide bandgap semiconductors, such as SiC, are expected to operate at higher temperatures than conventional Si power devices, and their operating temperatures are expected to exceed 250 °C. We developed a novel high-temperature resistant interconnection technology for die-bonding of SiC power devices using Ni nanoparticles and Al microparticles composite paste. The bond strength of the Al-metallized Si chip to Ni-plated direct bonded copper substrate was evaluated using shear tests. The initial shear strength of samples from pressureless sintering at 350 °C for 15 min in the air exceeded 30 MPa. Furthermore, no significant degradation was observed in a high-temperature storage test at 250 °C for 1000 h.


The relationship between high dietary iron intake, mutations of the HFE gene, and iron status, and their effects on human health are reviewed. Prolonged high dietary intakes of iron are unlikely to result in iron overload in the general population. Homozygotes for the C282Y mutation of the HFE gene have elevated body iron levels. Heterozygotes have normal iron stores but some may be at increased risk for cardiovascular disease. There is no convincing evidence that elevated iron status increases the risk of coronary heart disease or type 2 diabetes, but high iron intakes may increase the risk of colorectal cancer. The dietary levels of iron associated with health risks in different HFE genotypes must be determined.


This article reports on the first phase of a research project in which we looked for the voices of young children, aged 5 to 6, in school. What do children experience in school? What do they see as the meaning of school? What is their motivation? Children have the right to be listened to. The question is which settings, under which circumstances, are appropriate to hear the voice of young children, taking into account that the perspective of young children and the way in which they express their views is multiple and changeable? Children can't be excluded from context; they are determined by it and influence the context as well. In our research project we studied literature looking for the essentials of the concept of voice and attribution of meaning by young children, and for indications to describe indicators of these concepts. We started our research project by testing settings and methods of collecting data, mostly based on the grounded theory approach, to see if we could connect our findings with the formulated indicators of the concept of voice and attribution of meaning by young children.