Porphyrins are highly persistent in the environment and represent a helpful biogeochemical attribute to assess the spatial distribution of the effects of oil spills on ecosystems and their resilience. In areas prone to natural and human-originated oil spills, the measurement of VO– and nickel–porphyrins in marine–sediment samples can identify the effects of oil pollution across spatiotemporal scales. The goal is to explore whether or not these compounds can be useful indicators of the geospatial attributions of oil contamination in the surficial sediments. We hypothesize that the geospatial gradients of porphyrins in marine sediments from petroleum spills and seepage activities—related to traditional indices of oil pollution, such as heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons—can be identified in small sediment samples and concentrations. The objectives are two-fold: (1) extract and measure VO– and nickel–porphyrins from small marine sediment samples using high-pressure liquid chromatography, and (2) use cluster analysis and the canonical correlation analysis to identify the biogeochemical and geospatial attributions between VO–porphyrins and another index of oil pollution extracted and analyzed from sediments of the Campeche Shelf, in the Gulf of Mexico. High-pressure liquid chromatography with diode array detectors, two inverse phase columns and an isocratic separation method, was used to analyze the marine sediments. We identified 5.1 ng/g to 240.3 ng/g to VO–porphyrins concentrations with gradients toward areas identified as potential sources of oil pollution. Similar patterns were present for nickel–porphyrins, with values two orders of magnitude below those for the VO–porphyrins. The results represent a valuable opportunity to measure the biomarkers associated with oil pollution in small sediment samples. Furthermore, the results can find the potential drawbacks of benthic ecosystem resilience.


Ten patients underwent reconstruction of skull base defects between 1989 and 1992. In this series, the maximum size of the skull base defect was 6 x 5 cm. Three patients underwent bone grafts to reinforce the skull base. The postoperative course of seven patients without bone grafts was uneventful. There was no cerebrospinal fluid leakage, meningitis, extradural abscess, on brain herniation. On the other hand, two of the three patients with bone grafts developed extradural abseesses requiring the bone grafts to be removed. Although the number of patients in this series is not large, this study demonstrates that the use of bone grafts in reconstruction of skull base detects could be one of the factors in increasing the chances of infectious complications. We think that a bone graft is not necessary to reconstruct moderate-sized skull base defects.


OBJECTIVE
To determine whether different cell plating densities could influence the potential differentiation of immortalized human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC-TERT).

METHODS
Extensive characterization was performed for two independent cell lines derived from parental hMSC-TERT cell line based on different plating densities during expansion in culture: 1: 2 (hMSC-TERT2) and 1: 20 (hMSC-TERT20). Their adipocytic, osteogenic, neuronal differentiation potential in vitro and multidirectional differentiation potential in vivo were analyzed by immunohistochemistry for pathologic tissue markers.

RESULTS
hMSC-TERT2 formed cellular adipose foci and mineralized tuberculum after in vitro induction while hMSC-TERT20 showed adipocytes but no adipose foci or mineralized tuberculum. The positive rate of hMSC-TERT2 formed tissues on VIM, GFAP and LCA (89.17% ± 5.97%, 72.5% ± 10.11% and 76.67% ± 11.15%) under SCID murine skin were more than that of hMSC-TERT20 formed tissues (0.33% ± 0.65%, 9.58% ± 4.29% and 22.08% ± 6.95%).

CONCLUSION
The cell lines derived at high plating density may have more powerful differentiation potential in vitro and in vivo than those derived at low cell plating density.


This study investigated researchers perceptions of RDM at the MGGL to recommend measures to enhance managing, sharing, and reusing data. The study was underpinned by the DCC Curation lifecycle model and the CCMF which enabled the investigator to employ a descriptive research design to purposively capture data from a broad cross-section of 330 researchers. The data was analysed using SPSS to generate descriptive and inferential statistics that enabled the Investigator to answer the problem.Study findings demonstrate no explicit policies to guide each stage of data curation and capabilities. There were also inadequacies in the knowledge and skills capability, technological infrastructure and collaborative partnerships. Overall, RDM faced challenges in all the examined capabilities. These challenges limited managing, sharing, and reusing data.The study recommends establishing a CMU within the MGGL to oversee the implementation of RDM activities by assembling all the needed capabilities to support data curation activities and enable efficient managing, sharing and reusing research data


The present research investigates how psychological mechanisms and social network structures generate patterns of cultural change and diversity. The two psychological mechanisms studied here are cultural drift and indirect minority influence; the former is parameterized by an error rate ε) and the latter by a leniency threshold (λ). The patterns of cultural change are examined in terms of magnitude (small vs. large), speed (gradual vs. rapid), and frequency (frequent vs. rare). Diversity and polarization in a society are examined in terms of global cultural variation (inverse Simpson index) and local neighborhood difference (Hamming distance). Key findings are that in networks with high connectivity or local community structures (complete, scale-free, random, and modular networks) cultural drift can produce a rapid, large, and rare pattern of cultural change (punctuated equilibrium), whereas in lattice or small world networks, it produces a more gradual change pattern. Indirect minority influence robustly produces a gradual, small, and frequent pattern of cultural change (gradualism) across various network structures. When cultural change occurs in social networks that have a modular community structure, indirect minority influence generates a regime of cultural diversity whereas cultural drift generates a polarized regime. Finally, cultural drift and indirect minority influence generate distinct tipping points for social change in different network structures, but prediction of whether and when cultural change emerges is difficult at tipping points in both cases. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).


This study aims to improve the cognitive learning outcomes of the fifth grade students of SDN 01 Petanjungan, totaling 32 students using the school literacy method. The implementation of this classroom action research is carried out in 3 cycles, each cycle consisting of four stages, namely: planning, action, observation and reflection. Data collection was obtained from teacher and student observation sheets. To measure student learning outcomes, cognitive aspects are measured using a formative test. The results in the first cycle resulted in learning outcome data as follows: the cognitive aspect resulted in an average of 73.59 with 47% learning completeness. The results in cycle II produce learning outcome data as follows: cognitive aspects produce an average of 81.88 with 62.5% completeness of learning, while in cycle III produce an average of 83.90 with learning completeness of 84.37%. With an increase in learning outcomes in each cycle can be concluded that the school literacy method can improve the learning outcomes of Indonesian students in fifth grade SDN 01 Petanjungan.


The author uses a behavioral perspective to survey theory that may be useful in mediation. He notes the lack of diffusion of knowledge of theory among practitioners and argues that mediators should pay more explicit attention to theory. He presents a matrix comprising the behavioral factors of perception, emotion, cognition, communication, and intervention at the micro, meso, and macro levels of conflict and uses this matrix to organize and review some mediation theories. Several types of intervention theory are identified: integrated, generic, dialectical, developmental, and dialogical. The article closes by posing some outstanding theoretical issues and questioning whether current mediator training programs are adequate to bridge the gap between theory and practice.


Abstract Goal setting in psychological treatments may have favourable effects on patients' motivation and treatment outcomes. Therefore, it seems important to detect when patients do not perceive clear treatment goals. The current study presents a questionnaire measuring patients' perceived lack of goal clarity. The cross‐sectional study consisted of 742 adult outpatients with diverse mental disorders. Patients completed the perceived lack of goal clarity questionnaire, and additional items measuring goal setting and evaluation, therapeutic alliance, symptom levels, patients' dependency on their treatment, and their expected and needed number of future treatment sessions. Exploratory factor analysis and reliability analyses resulted in a unidimensional and reliable questionnaire (nine items, α = .85). Additional findings showed that 23% of the treatments lacked initial goal setting according to the patients. Also, perceived lack of goal clarity was lower when treatment goals were established explicitly at the start of treatment, were formulated together with the therapist, and were discussed regularly during treatment, and treatment progress was monitored regularly. Moreover, patients reporting their goals as unclear also reported a poorer quality of the therapeutic alliance, higher symptom levels, increased need for future sessions, but also lower levels of care dependency. These findings underscore the importance of perceived goal clarity in psychological treatments, although the relation with actual goal setting remains uncertain.


Many older adults, particularly persons living in senior residences and care homes, lead sedentary lifestyles, which reduces their life expectancy. Motion-based video games encourage physical activity and might be an opportunity for these adults to remain active and engaged; however, research efforts in the field have frequently focused on younger audiences and little is known about the requirements and benefits of motion-based games for elderly players. In this paper, we present an overview of motion-based video games and other interactive technologies for older adults. First, we summarize existing approaches towards the definition of motion-based video games – often referred to as exergames – and suggest a categorization of motion-based applications into active video games, exergames, and augmented sports. Second, we use this scheme to classify case studies addressing design efforts particularly directed towards older adults. Third, we analyze these case studies with a focus on potential target audiences, benefits, challenges in their deployment, and future design opportunities to investigate whether motion-based video games can be applied to encourage physical activity among older adults. In this context, special attention is paid to evaluation routines and their implications regarding the deployment of such games in the daily lives of older adults. The results show that many case studies examine isolated aspects of motion-based game design for older adults, and despite the broad range of issues in motion-based interaction for older adults covered by the sum of all research projects, there appears to be a disconnect between laboratory-based research and the deployment of motion-based video games in the daily lives of senior citizens. Our literature review suggests that despite research results suggesting various benefits of motion-based play for older adults, most work in the field of game design for senior citizens has focused on the implementation of accessible user interfaces, and that little is known about the long-term deployment of video games for this audience, which is a crucial step if these games are to be implemented in activity programs of senior residences, care homes, or in therapy.


Recent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance spectroscopic (MRS) techniques have focused the attention of the multiple sclerosis (MS) research community on reanalysis of classic pathological approaches that have suggested significant axonal injury in this demyelinating disease. There now is abundant evidence from animal work that substantial "innocent bystander" damage to axons can occur with central nervous system (CNS) inflammation. Given the close interactions between axons and glia, it is no surprise that glial damage leads to secondary axonal changes. MRI, MRS, and MRS imaging studies have emphasized that axonal loss or damage in MS can be both substantial and early. The dynamic observations that are allowed by these noninvasive measures of pathology have demonstrated direct correlations between these axonal changes and disability, making a compelling case for increased emphasis on finding treatments of MS that may limit damage to CNS axons or salvage injured axons.


We investigate the 2-point correlations in the quantum spectrum of the square billiard. This system is unusual in that the degeneracy of the energy levels increases in the semiclassical limit in such a way that the average level separation is not given by the inverse of the mean density of states. Hence, for example, the standard level spacings distribution does not tend to the Poissonian limit expected for integrable systems. We here calculate the leading-order asymptotic form of a degeneracy-weighted 2-point correlation function using a combination of probabilistic techniques and classical number theory. The result exhibits number-theoretical fluctuations about a mean which is a sum of two terms: one having the usual (constant) Poissonian form and the second representing a small correction which decays as the inverse of the correlation distance. This is confirmed by numerical computations. lShort Title: 2-point correlations for the square


This paper proposes a new fuzzy identification approach for the special class of nonlinear hybrid dynamic systems having switching characteristics. An online fuzzy identification methodology is formulated to recursively estimate an evolving Takagi-Sugeno (ETS) rule-base model for each dynamic mode of the nonlinear hybrid systems using a modified potential clustering scheme. A simple Recursive Least-Squares (RLS) algorithm is used to estimate the free parameters in the consequence part of the created fuzzy rules. Each system mode represents an independent dynamic model structure with relevant free parameters which is characterized via a set of corresponding fuzzy rules being generated under the potential influence of the recursive incoming input-output data. The generated ETS rule-base model of each observed dynamic mode is adaptively evolved by either adding new rules or updating existing rules and rule consequent parameters. The developed algorithm has been utilized to identify an ETS dynamic model for a practical pharmaceutical batch reactor to demonstrate its efficiency. The results illustrate the efficiency of the approach for identification of nonlinear hybrid dynamic systems.


Consider Becker's classic 1963 matching model, with unobserved fixed types and stochastic publicly observed output. If types are complementary, then matching is assortative in the known Bayesian posteriors (the 'reputations'). We discover a robust failure of Becker's result in the simplest dynamic two type version of this world. Assortative matching is generally neither efficient nor an equilibrium for high discount factors. In a labor theoretic rationale, we show that assortative matching fails around the highest (lowest) reputation agents for 'low-skill (high-skill) concealing' technologies. We then find that as the number of production outcomes grows, almost all technologies are of either form. Our theory implies the dynamic result that high-skill matches eventually break up. It also reveals that the induced information rents create discontinuities in the wage profile. This in turn produces life-cycle effects: young workers are paid less than their static marginal product, and old workers more.


Gram-positive cocci are important causes of both community-acquired and nosocomial infections (1, 34, 59, 78). Antimicrobial resistance is an increasing problem, especially in nosocomial isolates of group D streptococci and staphylococci. Gram-positive microorganisms become resistant to antimicrobial agents by the same mechanisms as other bacteria, either by mutation or by the acquisition of new DNA, most often by resistance plasmid (R plasmid) acquisition (8, 38). The evolution of resistance in these organisms seems to parallel that in gram-negative rods, with strain dissemination, transposition, and plasmid exchange interacting to result in the development of resistance (57). Plasmid transfer between bacteria is a mechanism for the rapid and widespread dissemination of resistance. Transfer of resistance to multiple antibiotics can take place between different bacterial species and genera and was first demonstrated among gram-negative bacilli. Such transfer of conjugative resistance plasmids has contributed to outbreaks of serious infections in several hospital settings (57). Until recently, little attention has been paid to the interspecific and intergeneric exchange ofgenetic information which occurs in gram-positive bacteria. This review will focus on the evolution of antimicrobial resistance in gram-positive cocci. Particular attention is given to the host range and mechanism of acquisition of extrachromosomal genes responsible for the exchange of genetic information in these pathogens.


Given the ever-increasing prevalence of technology in modern life, there is a corresponding increase in the likelihood of digital devices being pertinent to a criminal investigation or civil litigation. As a direct consequence, the number of investigations requiring digital forensic expertise is resulting in huge digital evidence backlogs being encountered by law enforcement agencies throughout the world. It can be anticipated that the number of cases requiring digital forensic analysis will greatly increase in the future. It is also likely that each case will require the analysis of an increasing number of devices including computers, smartphones, tablets, cloud-based services, Internet of Things devices, wearables, etc. The variety of new digital evidence sources pose new and challenging problems for the digital investigator from an identification, acquisition, storage and analysis perspective. This paper explores the current challenges contributing to the backlog in digital forensics from a technical standpoint and outlines a number of future research topics that could greatly contribute to a more efficient digital forensic process.


An elderly perplexed clinician who has lived through the molecular revolution briefly considers the potential of genetics in elucidating the causes of neurodegenerations and expresses certain reservations.


Tenebrionid beetles in the Negev Desert exhibit size-related habitat segregation, with larger species found in denser cover. Size-dependent predation by birds has been suggested as the mechanism behind this habitat segregation. Two predictions of this hypothesis were tested: (1) plant cover reduces the predation efficiency of birds upon large tenebrionids, and (2) birds prefer larger species. Both predictions were supported: plant cover reduced predation rate by the most common spring and summer predatory birds: white storks (Ciconia ciconia) and stone curlews (Burhinus oedicnemus), in cage experiments. Results from preference experiments suggest that tenebrionid species can be divided according to their profitability as prey. Large species are the most profitable, medium-sized species are less profitable but still acceptable and small species are unprofitable and therefore ignored.
Field observations demonstrated that the well-vegetated wadi habitats are dominated by large and small species whereas acceptable, medium-sized species are under-represented in this habitat. The results of the cage experiments indicate possible apparent competition between the large profitable and the medium acceptable tenebrionid species in the wadis. Aggregative response of predators in the profitable habitat is suggested as the mechanism leading to truncated distribution of prey species. Large profitable species are refuge-dependent, medium-sized acceptable species use enemy free space and small species are predator independent.


Background Every year thousands of infants need medical care for poisoning from products commonly found around the home. Whilst long term injury is rare, the distress caused and the impact on hospital services could be avoided by increased awareness. Because of their inquisitive nature, most accidental poisonings happen to children under-five, predominantly aged one to three. Description RoSPA set up a major pilot programme in 2013 to prevent child accidents in the home from cleaning products. Launched in six cities and delivered through at least 120 local partners, the programme provided risk assessment tools and materials, which equiped both professional and consumers with skills and knowledge to ensure they were able to recognise potential dangers. The scheme provided families with a free handy magnet pad featuring safety advice. Results professionals benefitted from receiving education, while 240,000 families received advice and resources. Media coverage reached over 4 million people via television, radio and newspapers. Social Media was also at the heart of this campaign. Evaluation included a survey of both practitioners and families with positive feedback in the awareness of dangers and behaviour change. Early indications show that in the cities targeted, there has been a drop in the number of children attending emergency departments due to poisoning. Conclusions The programme educated professionals and families on poisoning dangers in the home and has seen an initial reduction in hospital admissions in target areas. People were more receptive to educational resources that fit into their lifestyle and home. A majority of families also said they had taken action or shared safety messages after their encounter with the programme.


IN THE preface to his "Manual of Diseases of the Eye," Dr. Charles H. May stated that he would endeavor to give the fundamental facts of ophthalmology. 1 The phenomenal popularity of his manual as a foundation text is adequate testimony that he succeeded; therefore, it seems only appropriate that this lecture presented in his memory should concern the fundamental aspect of some ophthalmologic subject. I have chosen to discuss the sclera because, in comparison with accumulated knowledge of the cornea and other ocular tissues, there is an almost amazing paucity of basic information on the sclera and its disease processes. Even in the most advanced treatises on ophthalmology only a few pages are devoted to this clinically important subject. In the clinics and laboratories of the University of Oregon Medical School, we have been concerned for several years with various problems related to the sclera. Some concepts have necessarily


Cycling has long been part of the European way of life, and many European countries show bicycle ownership levels far in excess of motor vehicle ownership. This chapter summarises the existing data on bicycle ownership, use and safety in Europe and indicates the needs and problems seen by the Europeans themselves. It discusses safety issues for cycling in urban and rural areas, by night and by day, and differences between population groups. These data indicate the population and areas of most risk, for example young cyclists and urban intersections, respectively. Surveys of bicycle use and community attitudes are also summarised. Recommendations for planning and policy at national, regional and local levels were made in 1979 by the organisation for economic co-operation and development. These recommendations relate to traffic planning and engineering, education and public awareness programs, legislation and enforcement, and vehicle design. OECD also made recommendations on priority areas for further research. The recommendations are discussed in the context of European experience, and are related to the Australian situation where possible. For the record of the covering entry for the book, see TRIS no 452283. (TRRL)


The speech recognition technique has used in the various (cid:12)elds, with the progress of it and the needed functions are di(cid:11)erent for purposes. For example, speech dictators need to recognize whole sentences, but spoken dialogue systems need to recognize important words rather than whole sentences. In this paper, we propose a method of modifying language model for improving recognition correct rate of important words. This method multiplied probabilities of unigram and bigram of important words by constant weight and made important words to easy to be recognized. And we examine di(cid:11)erences of recognition result in changes of a set of important words. As a result, the correct rate of important words in-creased when we multiplied probabilities of important words by weight.


IATEFL is the International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language (www.iatefl.org). This report outlines research papers which have appeared in recent IATEFL publications. Four publications are discussed in turn. Three of these were published by the IATEFL Research Special Interest Group (SIG), while the fourth was published by the Young Learners SIG. The range of research reported here reflects the international nature of IATEFL's activities and its commitment to supporting and promoting research within the association. The publications reviewed are available for purchase from IATEFL.


Abstract The collateral sensitivity effect is among the most promising strategies for overcoming multidrug resistance in cancer. In this work, 28 cucurbitane-type triterpenoids (1–28), previously isolated from the African medicinal plant Momordica balsamina and its derivatives, were evaluated for their collateral sensitivity effect on three different human cancer entities, gastric (EPG85-257), pancreatic (EPP85-181), and colon (HT-29), each with two different multidrug-resistant variants. One was selected for its resistance to daunorubicin (EPG85-257RDB, EPP85-181RDB, HT-29RDB) and the other was selected for its resistance to mitoxantrone (EPG85-257RNOV, EPP85-181RNOV, HT-29RNOV). On gastric cell lines, the best results were obtained for compounds 3 and 10, which exhibited a collateral sensitivity effect together with high antiproliferative activity. In turn, on colon cancer cell lines, the best multidrug resistance-selective antiproliferative effects were observed for derivatives 11, 13, and 15, which showed collateral sensitivity effects against both resistant variants. Compounds 11 and 3 were also the most selective against the multidrug resistance pancreatic cells lines. Some compounds, such 6, 10, 11 and 15, were previously found to be strong P-glycoprotein modulators, thus highlighting their potential as promising leads for overcoming multidrug resistance in cancer cells.


We introduce a framework for Bayesian experimental design (BED) with implicit models, where the data-generating distribution is intractable but sampling from it is still possible. In order to find optimal experimental designs for such models, our approach maximises mutual information lower bounds that are parametrised by neural networks. By training a neural network on sampled data, we simultaneously update network parameters and designs using stochastic gradient-ascent. The framework enables experimental design with a variety of prominent lower bounds and can be applied to a wide range of scientific tasks, such as parameter estimation, model discrimination and improving future predictions. Using a set of intractable toy models, we provide a comprehensive empirical comparison of prominent lower bounds applied to the aforementioned tasks. We further validate our framework on a challenging system of stochastic differential equations from epidemiology. MSC2020 subject classifications: Primary 62K05; secondary 62L05.


Ironing is a part of the group of metal forming processes, the process of reducing the thickness of the wall of a cup-shaped product. External load required to process metal forming, can cause residual stress. Residual stress can be beneficial or detrimental depending on the function of the product, the magnitude, and direction of the residual stress. Residual stress can act as an additional load on a given load. Residual stress can affect product quality, namely: dimensional accuracy, surface roughness, and mechanical properties. The speed of the ironing process is strongly influenced by the mechanical properties of the cup material, Thickness Reduction Ratio (TRR), and press tool design. The ironing process has a limited TRR value and if it is exceeded it results in product damage. Various studies on ironing were carried out to obtain an optimal process. In this research, stress analysis was carried out using the ANSYS software modeling simulation to obtain the occurring residual stress during the ironing process. The analysis was carried out by varying the TRR from 20 % to 30 %, the die angle from 25° to 30°, and the coefficient of friction from 0.05 to 0.15. Furthermore, processing and analysis of the stress analysis data are carried out to obtain the most dominant variables affecting the residual stress and the variable value that produces the lowest residual stress. Stress analysis was carried out on AA1100 aluminum cups with an outer diameter of 37 mm, a height of 20 mm, and a wall thickness of 2 mm. The results show that TRR and coefficient of friction are the most dominant variables affecting residual stress, while die angle has no significant effect. The lowest residual stress occurs at TRR 30 % and coefficient of friction 0.15


Detection of neutral biogenic sulfides plays a crucial role in food safety. A new heterobimetallic Re(I)-Pt(II) donor-acceptor complex--[Re(biq)(CO)3(CN)]-[Pt(DMSO)(Cl)2] (1, biq = 2,2'-biquinoline)--was synthesized and characterized. The X-ray crystallographic and photophysical data for 1 are reported in this study. Complex 1 indicated the luminescent chemodosimetric selectivity for dimethyl sulfide, which persisted even in the presence of a variety of interfering vapors, with a detection limit as low as 0.96 ppm. The binding constant (log K) of 1 toward dimethyl sulfide was 3.63 ± 0.03. The analyte selectivity of the complexes was found to be dependent on the ligand coordinated to the Re(I) center. Real samples (beef, chicken, and pork) were monitored real-time for gaseous dimethyl sulfide. Complex 1 shows a linear spectrofluorimetric response with increasing storage time of the meats at 30 °C.


Authors have presented long-term results of microsurgical treatment of female infertility. Operations of the abdominal ostium were successful in 28% (home taken baby), what is similar to the results presented in the literature. Poor outcome of the other types of the microsurgical operations was analysed. Comparison of the microsurgery with the different methods of the assisted medical procreation was performed (e.g. IVF-ET and GIFT), showing the advantages of the latest.


Embedded applications use more and more sophisticated computations. These computations can integrate composition of elementary functions and can easily be approximated by polynomials. Indeed, polynomial approximation methods allow to find a trade-off between accuracy and computation time. Software implementation of polynomial approximation in fixed-point processors is considered in this paper. To obtain a moderate approximation error, segmentation of the interval I on which the function is computed is necessary. This paper proposes a new method to compute the values of a function on I using non-uniform segmentation and polynomial approximation. Non-uniform segmentation allows one to minimize the number of segments created and is modeled by a tree-structure. The specifications of the segmentation set the balance between memory space requirement and computation time. Besides, compared to table-based methods or the CORDIC algorithm, our approach significantly reduces, the memory size and the function evaluation time respectively.


The importance of understanding how and why stars acquire differential rotation manifests itself in many ways. The convergence of helioseismology results of the space-based Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) and terrestrial Global Oscillation Network Group (GONG) has provided hydrodynamicists with a unique oppportunity: the internal rotation velocity of a turbulent, spinning fluid is now known with great accuracy. In this multi-disciplinary meeting, observers, numericists, and theorists will be brought together for intense discussion and the generation of new ideas.


The PI3K pathway may be a potential mechanism to overcome cisplatin resistance. We conducted a phase Ib trial of alpelisib and cisplatin for patients with solid tumor malignancies with planned dose expansion in HPV-associated tumors. The primary objective was to determine the MTD and recommended phase II dose. Two different weekly doses of cisplatin (30 and 35 mg/m2) were evaluated with escalating doses of alpelisib, administered daily during a 21-day treatment cycle. Twenty-three patients were enrolled: 91% received >3 prior regimens with median of 4 (range 1–10), and 78% progressed on prior platinum. The MTD was alpelisib 250 mg daily with weekly cisplatin 30 mg/m2. There were 3 DLTs: all grade 4 hyperglycemia. Frequent treatment-related adverse events of any grade included fatigue (52%), diarrhea (39%), nausea (38%), hyperglycemia (30%), anemia (22%), and nephropathy (17%). Hyperglycemia was linked to baseline hemoglobin A1C, but not body mass index. Twelve patients discontinued treatment for toxicity (n = 9 during cycle 1) and 11 discontinued for progression. Of 14 evaluable patients who received at least one treatment cycle, 4 (29%) patients demonstrated partial response, and 7 had stable disease for a disease control rate of 79%. The median PFS measured 4.3 months (95% CI, 1.6–4.5). No difference in PFS was observed between PIK3CA-mutated and wild-type tumors. While the combination of alpelisib and cisplatin demonstrated preliminary evidence of activity despite platinum resistance, toxicities hindered prolonged treatment. Prospective studies are planned using carboplatin and alpelisib to improve toxicity and tolerability. Significance: The PI3K inhibitor alpelisib has limited activity alone, but there is interest in combinations in platinum-resistant tumors. In this phase Ib study of alpelisib with cisplatin, the objective response rate measured 29% but adverse events limited dose intensity. These promising results provide rationale for studying combinations with better tolerated platinum agents.


In order to articulate a view of chemical carcinogenesis that scientists generally hold in common today and to draw upon this understanding to compose guiding principles that can be used as a bases for the efforts of the regulatory agencies to establish guidelines for assessing carcinogenic risk to meet the specific requirements of the legislative acts they are charged to implement, the Office of Science and Technology Policy, Executive Office, the White House drew on the expertise of a number of regulatory agencies to elucidate present scientific views in critical areas of the major disciplines important to the process of risk assessment. The document is composed of two major sections, Principles and the State-of-the-Science. The latter consists of subsections on the mechanisms of carcinogenesis, short-term and long-term testing, and epidemiology, which are important components in the risk assessment step of hazard identification. These subsections are followed by one on exposure assessment, and a final section which includes analyses of dose-response (hazard) assessment and risk characterization. The principles are derived from considerations in each of the subsections. Because of present gaps in understanding, the principles contain judgmental (science policy) decisions on major unresolved issues as well as statements of what is generally accepted as fact. These judgments are basically assumptions which are responsible for much of the uncertainty in the process of risk assessment. There was an attempt to clearly distinguish policy and fact. The subsections of the State-of-the-Science portion provide the underlying support to the principles articulated, and to read the "Principles" section without a full appreciation of the State-of-the-Science section is to invite oversimplification and misinterpretation. Finally, suggestions are made for future research efforts which will improve the process of risk assessment.


Light sheet microscopy is a powerful approach to construct three-dimensional images of large specimens with minimal photo-damage and photo-bleaching. To date, the specimens are usually mounted in agents such as agarose, potentially restricting the development of live samples, and also highly mobile specimens need to be anaesthetized before imaging. To overcome these problems, here we demonstrate an integrated light sheet microscope which solely uses optical forces to trap and hold the sample using a counter-propagating laser beam geometry. Specifically, tobacco plant cells and living Spirobranchus lamarcki larvae were successfully trapped and sectional images acquired. This novel approach has the potential to significantly expand the range of applications for light sheet imaging.


ABSTRACT Discrete time models are used in Ecology for describing the dynamics of an age-structured population. They can be introduced from a deterministic or from a stochastic viewpoint. We analyze a stochastic model for the case in which the dynamics of the population is described by means of a projection matrix. In this statistical model, fertility rates and survival rates are unknown parameters which are estimated by using a Bayesian approach and also data cloning, which is a simulation-based method especially useful with complex hierarchical models. Both methodologies are applied to real data from the population of Steller sea lions located in the Alaska coast since 1978–2004. The estimates obtained from these methods show a good behavior when they are compared to the nonmissing actual values.


The quantity and duration of production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is tightly controlled due to its potential to cause serious harm. For example, TNF release in response to overwhelming bacterial infection has been implicated as the first step in potentially lethal septic shock. Prostaglandins and leukotrienes are thought to play opposing roles in regulating TNF production by monocytes and macrophages. We investigated the effects of 5 drugs on the production of TNF by cells of the murine macrophage line RAW264 after stimulation with bacterial lipopolysaccharide endotoxin (LPS). These drugs were of the following 3 classes: cyclooxygenase inhibitors indomethacin (indo) and ibuprofen (ibu); 5-lipoxygenase inhibitors VZ 65 and AA-861; and methylxanthine pentoxyfilline (PTX). While indo and ibu treatment resulted in increased TNF production, PTX, VZ 65, and AA-861 significantly inhibited TNF production, whether administered simultaneously with LPS or 30 min after LPS treatment. VZ 65 and AA-861 also inhibited prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production, coupled with an absence of any rise in intracellular cAMP. Leukotriene B4 (LTB4) levels peaked at 15 min and approached background level at 30 min after LPS treatment. Taken together, these data suggest that VZ 65 and AA-861 may inhibit TNF production through mechanism(s) independent of LTB4 production. VZ 65, AA-861, and PTX all diminished the rate of TNF mRNA transcription, yet VZ 65 and AA-861 appeared to enhance message stability. We conclude that while PTX reduced TNF protein levels by inhibiting TNF mRNA transcription, both VZ 65 and AA-861 exerted opposing effects on TNF transcription and increased mRNA stability.


IGF-IR (Insulin-like growth factor receptor 1) is a tetrameric glycoprotein composed of two alpha and two beta subunits. The alpha subunit localizes extra-cellularly for ligand binding, whereas the beta subunit consists of transmembrane chains and a cytoplasmic tyrosine kinase domain for enzymatic activity. IGF-IR ligands, IGF-I and IGF-II, are mitogens and survival factors for many cancer cells. Binding of ligands to the IGF-IR initiates a cascade of events leading to activation of signal transduction pathways, mainly MAPK and PI-3K pathways, to stimulate proliferation/mitogenesis, to induce neoplastic transformation, to inhibit apoptosis, and to promote angiogenesis and metastasis. It has been shown that the presence of IGF-IR was required for transformation induced by many oncogenes and over-expression or constitutive activation of IGF-IR gave rise to transformed phenotypes. Significantly, over-expression of IGF-IR was observed in multiple human cancers including carcinomas of breast, lung, colon, and prostate. Patients with IGF-IR positive cancers had a worse prognosis in some cases. Furthermore, down-regulation or functional inactivation of IGF-IR sensitized tumor cells to apoptosis and reversed tumor cell phenotype. Thus, IGF-IR appears to be a promising cancer target. Indeed, a variety of approaches aimed at targeting IGF-IR have been utilized to prove the concept, or are being developed for potential anticancer therapies. These include targeting functional IGF-IR on cell surface, targeting ligand/receptor interaction, targeting receptor expression and functions, and targeting receptor kinase activity. Cancer patients could eventually benefit from the development of these specific IGF-IR antagonists.


The trailing edge region of a finite flat plate in laminar, incompressible flow is examined for the limit of high Reynolds numbers. It is shown that the trailing edge region is an elliptic region of O(R−¾) and therefore a correct mathematical description must be based upon the full Navier–Stokes equations. The 'method of series truncation' is used to reduce the full Navier–Stokes equations, written in parabolic co-ordinates, to an infinite set of non-linear, coupled, ordinary differential equations. Two sets of asymptotic boundary conditions, called simplified and exact boundary conditions, are determined by matching the Navier–Stokes region downstream with Goldstein's near wake solution. By numerical integration the solutions for the first and second truncations are obtained for both sets of asymptotic boundary conditions. The results confirm that the size of the trailing edge region is of O(R−¾).


This paper reviews the suspended and surficial sediment fractions and their interactions with manmade organic compounds. The objective of this review is to isolate and describe those contaminant and sediment properties that contribute to the persistence of organic compounds in surface-water systems. Most persistent, nonionic organic contaminants, such as the chlorinated insecticides and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), are characterized by low water solubilities and high octanolwater partition coefficients. Consequently, sorptive interactions are the primary transformation processes that control their environmental behavior. For nonionic organic compounds, sorption is primarily attributed to the partitioning of an organic contaminant between a water phase and an organic phase. Partitioning processes play a central role in the uptake and release of contaminants by sediment organic matter and in the bioconcentration of contaminants by aquatic organisms. Chemically isolated sediment fractions show that organic matter is the primary determinant of the sorptive capacity exhibited by sediment. Humic substances, as dissolved organic matter, contribute a number of functions to the processes cycling organic contaminants. They alter the rate of transformation of contaminants, enhance apparent water solubility, and increase the carrying capacity of the water column beyond the solubility limits of the contaminant. As a component of sediment particles, humic substances, through sorptive interactions, serve as vectors for the hydrodynamic transport of organic contaminants. The capabilities of the humic substances stem in part from their polyfunctional chemical composition and also from their ability to exist in solution as dissolved species, flocculated aggregates, surface coatings, and colloidal organomineral and organometal complexes. The transport properties of manmade organic compounds have been investigated by field studies and laboratory experiments that examine the sorption of contaminants by different sediment size fractions. Field studies indicate that organic contaminants tend to sorb more to fine-grained sediment, and this correlates significantly with sediment organic matter content. Laboratory experiments have extended the field studies to a wider spectrum of natural particulates and anthropogenic compounds. Quantitation of isotherm results allows the comparison of different sediment sorbents as well as the estimation of field partition coefficients from laboratory-measured sediment and contaminant properties. Detailed analyses made on the basis of particle-size classes show that all sediment fractions need to be considered in evaluating the fate and distribution of manmade organic compounds. This conclusion is based on observations from field studies and on the variety of natural organic sorbents that demonstrate sorptive capabilities in laboratory isotherm experiments.


Fault Tolerant Environment is a complete programming environment for the reliable execution of distributed application programs. Fault Tolerant Distributed Environment encompasses all aspects of modern faulttolerant distributed computing. The built-in usertransparent error detection mechanism covers processor node crashes and hardware transient failures. The mechanism also integrates user-assisted error checks into the system failure model. The nucleus non-blocking checkpointing mechanism combined with a novel low overhead roll forward recovery scheme delivers an efficient, low-overload backup and recovery mechanism for distributed processes. Fault Tolerant Distributed Environment also provides a means of remote automatic process allocation on distributed system nodes. In case of recovery is not possible, we can use new microrebooting approach to store the system to stable state.


The region between helices D and E (D-E region) of the D1 protein of photosystem II (PSII) is exposed at the stromal side of the photosynthetic membrane, contains the secondary plastoquinone (QB) binding niche, and is involved in processes at the reducing side of PSII. The role of the D-E region was studied in 27 site-directed mutants generated in the psbAII gene of the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. The photochemical performance of the modified PSII reaction centers was assessed with respect to photoautotrophic growth, oxygen evolution, fluorescence induction, and herbicide inhibition. A few mutations, located at positions presumably involved in essential interactions in the QB binding niche, greatly interfered with PSII performance. On the other hand, mutations in the presumptive loop region between helices D and de resulted in relatively minor effects, indicating a flexible region not critical for photochemical function. Indeed, although more than 80% of the D-E region is phylogenetically invariant, the bulk of the mutations affected the measured parameters only moderately. The significance of the conserved residues appears to be in subtle interactions that optimize the thermodynamic balance between some of the redox components of PSII, as indicated by mild changes in the steady state fluorescence. Many mutations modified tolerances to PSII herbicides. The dispersion of these mutations throughout the D-E region indicates the complex nature of the interactions, direct and indirect, affecting herbicide binding in the QB niche. Mutation of codons Ser221 and Ser222 to Leu221 and Ala222 revealed a new location coordinating the herbicide diuron in the D1 protein.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


BACKGROUND
To indicate the simplicity and the feasibility of this new diagnostic technique for infertility investigation. Ferti-test is a technique which combines dye-test and pelvic post coital test, using inexpensive surgical material. Ferti-test allows to perform laparoscopy only in very necessary cases, without loosing diagnostic quality.

METHODS
Up to September 2001, 30 patients aged from 24 to 46 years, with infertile problems were enrolled. All the patients, in a preovulatory period, underwent dye-test combined with pPCT. Before the operation, all the patients were investigated for endocrinological assessment; an evaluation of sperm liquid in all the partners and a PCT have been carried out. All these data were organized in a specific diagram, which allowed to recognize the normality or the specific class of pathology of infertile couple.

RESULTS
The purpose of this study is to remark the simplicity and the feasibility of this new diagnostic method. In our study, no patients who underwent dye-test and pelvic PCT had any complications. Only 7 patients with negative dye-test and pelvic PCT underwent diagnostic laparoscopy.

CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study indicate that Ferti-test is an effective and reliable technique for the first level evaluation in infertile couples. Ferti-test is well tolerated and requires minimal cost. With Ferti-test it is possible to screen the patients who actually need laparoscopy and to reduce risks and costs.


Over the last decades, it has become increasingly clear that tumors are characterized by inter-individual heterogeneity, which can account as one of the prominent reasons for treatment failure. To address this problem, personalized precision medicine approaches need to be applied such as comprehensive genomic profiling to identify actionable driver mutations in individual tumors. Unfortunately, genomics alone is not sufficient in tumors that are driven by mutated but otherwise undruggable targets and a typically low mutational burden. This is a characteristic of many pediatric malignancies including rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), the most common childhood soft-tissue sarcoma. Hence, we aim to develop an in vitro drug-profiling platform to identify and prioritize treatment strategies for RMS patients. To this end, we generated a panel of patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) including some diagnostic and relapse samples. We then screened 18 different culture conditions to identify suitable parameters to establish in vitro primary cultures of PDX tumors. Interestingly, addition of fetal calf serum to cell culture media has a detrimental effect on viability of most primary RMS cell cultures (PRCCs). In contrast, defined serum-free conditions allow to grow primary cultures for several passages that closely preserve the clonal composition and phenotypic characteristics of the parental tumor, as assessed by genomic and copy number analysis. Pharmacologic profiles of PRCCs using a targeted drug library of more than 200 compounds revealed patient-specific vulnerabilities, among them an unexpected sensitivity to AKT inhibitors in some fusion-positive RMS. Interestingly, hierarchical clustering of drug sensitivities clustered PAX3-FOXO1 fusion-positive tumors together and separated them from fusion-negative RMS. Moreover, a screen to establish effective drug combinations in a highly resistant high-risk relapse sample using standard chemotherapeutics (doxorubicin, etoposide, vincristine) together with our targeted compound library revealed the BH3-only mimetic ABT-263 as the top-scoring drug capable of resensitizing recurrent PRCCs to first-line treatment. Resensitizing with ABT-263 was not a patient-specific vulnerability as it was observed in several additional PRCCs. Mechanistically, genetic loss-of-function validation experiments revealed that this occurs via blockade of the BCL-XL-MCL-1 axis and is dependent on upregulation of the BH3-only protein NOXA. Taken together, our study provides an in vitro tool kit to prioritize actionable drug targets or combinatorial options for RMS patients for whom conventional therapies are failing. Citation Format: Beat W. Schaefer, Gabriele Manzella, Michaela Roemmele, Luduo Zhang, Joelle Tchinda, Felix Niggli, Marco Wachtel. Development of an in vitro drug-profiling platform for functional guidance of treatment decisions and identification of vulnerabilities in chemoresistant relapsed rhabdomyosarcoma tumors [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Pediatric Cancer Research: From Basic Science to the Clinic; 2017 Dec 3-6; Atlanta, Georgia. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(19 Suppl):Abstract nr B01.


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Instant answers for every conceivable information systems question related to communications technologies, artificial intelligence, databases, online information services, financial and accounting software, financial modeling and "what-if" analysis, computer conferencing, executive information systems, decision support systems, computerized security systems, management information systems, company intranet systems, computer networking, manufacturing information systems, interactive financial planning systems, and marketing information systems.


In education sector the direct estimates of worker productivity are available for the majority of the workforce. In recent years, educational economists examine productivity returns to work experience among teachers using predicted contributions to increase student test scores as a proxy for productivity. Teacher productivity in the labor economy is measured using the education production function model. An education production function is an application of the economic concept of a production function to the field of education. It relates various inputs affecting a student's learning (schools, families, peers, neighborhoods, etc.) to measured outputs including subsequent labor market success, college attendance, graduation rates, and, most frequently, standardized test scores. This study was aimed to determine the effect of wages, level of education and training toward honorary teachers' productivity in Palembang. The data used in this study were primary data in the form of questionnaires which were asked directly to the respondents with a total number of 310 respondents from 28 private vocational schools in Palembang. Survey was used as the data collection method with proportional random sampling withdrawal. Data analysis method used in this study was multiple regression with OLS method. The results of this study indicated that wages, education and training affect the productivity of private vocational school teachers in Palembang. The coefficient of determination for the variable of wages, education and training was 65%. It showed that wages, education, and training had 65% effects on productivity and the remaining 35% was influenced by other variables. As the research results show, the productivity was very important in measuring the success of an employee. It can be seen by paying attention to the level of wages, education and training participated by teachers in a school institution, especially in Palembang.


We describe the changes of FDG uptake in different inflammatory lesions on multiple time point FDG PET/CT. FDG uptake in granulomatous lesions was more intense and focal, with higher intensity on delayed images. In contrast, FDG uptake in chronic arthritic joint inflammation was diffuse and mild, without significant change over time, while FDG uptake in nonarthritic joints was at near-background level with decreased activity on delayed images. The retention index was significantly higher in patients with granulomatous lesions than that in other groups. Our finding indicates differential FDG uptake and clearance in active granulomas versus chronic inflammation.


We report here a rare case of perforating bullet wound of the neck and abdomen. No injury of the neck's internal organs was found. The patient required surgical debridement of the enterance and exit of the wound only.


Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is the commonest cause of recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) in children in both more developed and developing parts of the world. It is defined by the Rome III criteria for functional gastrointestinal disorders. It is characterized by abdominal pain that is improved by defecation and whose onset is associated with a change in stool form and or frequency and is not explained by structural or biochemical abnormalities. It is estimated that 10%-15% of older children and adolescents suffer from IBS. IBS can be considered to be a brain-gut disorder possibly due to complex interaction between environmental and hereditary factors. The diagnosis of IBS is made based on the Rome III criteria together with ruling out organic causes of RAP in children such as inflammatory bowel disease and celiac disease. Once the diagnosis of IBS is made, it is important to explain to the parents (and children) that there is no serious underlying disease. This reassurance may be effective treatment in a large number of cases. Lifestyle modifications, stress management, dietary interventions and probiotics may be beneficial in some cases. Although there is limited evidence for efficacy of pharmacological therapies such as antispasmodics and antidiarrheals; these have a role in severe cases. Biopsychosocial therapies have shown encouraging results in initial trials but are beset by limited availability. Further research is necessary to understand the pathophysiology and provide specific focused therapies.


In this paper, the hybrid electromagnetic model is applied to calculate lightning-induced voltages over a lossy ground. Results provided by this model are compared with experimental data obtained from a reduced-scale model and with results simulated by the numerical electromagnetics code. Good agreement is achieved in all cases.


Effects of sodium load on the development of hypertension, plasma renin activity (PRA) and kininogen were studied in rats with renal artery constriction and untouched contralateral kidney. After the operation or sham-operation, 0.9% NaCl or water were given as drinking fluid. A marked hypertension (systolic pressure greater than 150 mmHg) developed in all operated rats on saline, but only in 2/3 of operated rats on water. In none of the sham-operated controls did systolic pressure exceed 150 mmHg during 7 postoperative weeks. Within the operated group on water, hypertensive rats had significantly higher PRA values than normotensive animals (P less than 0.05). Salt load slightly suppressed the PRA in sham-operated rats but not in animals with constriction renal artery, compared to sham-operated controls on water. The operated rats on salt excess had higher plasma kininogen levels than the operated normotensive rats on water (P less than 0.05), but there were no other significant differences in kininogen values between different study groups, regardless of whether blood pressure was increased or not. The results indicate that in this form of hypertension, the high blood pressure can be maintained without any increase in PRA if animals are subjected to a sodium load which sensitizes vascular beds to angiotensin. The increase in plasma kininogen, suggesting suppression of kallikrein-kinin system, is unlikely associated with the increase of blood pressure.


Pro-vitamin A(beta-carotene) and the predominant forms of vitamin A in human skin (retinol and dehydroretinol) were analyzed in hydrolyzed specimens from 4 cadavers and 22 healthy subjects. Beta-carotene was identified in extracts of epidermis by its specific absorption spectrum. Vitamin A was determined by high-pressure liquid chromatography. The concentrations were related to the wet weight or protein content of the sample. The analysis of different skin compartments showed that the concentrations of the 3 constituents were usually related as follows: carotene greater than retinol greater than dehydroretinol. The concentrations were always higher in the epidermis than in the upper dermis. Skin surface lipids contained carotene and retinol but not in amounts sufficient to contribute to the higher epidermal values. Analysis of epidermal autopsies from 5 different skin areas (back, breast, arm, leg and foot) and of epidermal biopsies from the back of the healthy subjects showed that the interindividual differences were larger for carotene and dehydroretinol than for retinol, whereas the intraindividual variations were larger for retinol. The mean (+/- SD) concentrations of carotene, retinol and dehydroretinol in back skin epidermis of healthy subjects were 13 +/- 5, 1.7 +/- 0.4 and 0.4 +/- 0.2 microgram/g protein, respectively. No significant variations with age and sex were found.


The occurrence of life-threatening infections, including cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection, in recipients of allogeneic bone marrow transplants is related to the severe and prolonged immunodeficiency that is present after transplantation. Studies performed in our laboratory of the recovery of CMV-specific T cell responses after bone marrow transplantation have demonstrated that CMV disease occurs exclusively in those patients with no reconstitution of CD8+ CMV-specific T cell responses. Methods of isolating class I major histocompatibility complex-restricted CD8+ CMV-specific T cell clones from healthy CMV-seropositive individuals with protective immunity have been developed. The majority of cytotoxic T cell clones isolated from several individuals recognize structural proteins of the virion that are presented by infected cells without requiring the expression of the viral gene. These results suggest this immunodominant response may be essential for maintaining the virus in a latent state in healthy CMV-seropositive individuals. Clinical trials have been initiated at our institution to investigate the potential for selective reconstitution of CMV-specific immunity in bone marrow transplant recipients by the adoptive transfer of CMV-specific T cell clones generated from the respective bone marrow donor.


BCG-elicited macrophages from C3H/HeJ and A/J mice secrete H2O2 comparably to BCG-elicited macrophages from control C3H/FeJ mice in response to the pharmacologic stimulant phorbol myristate acetate. By contrast, BCG-elicited macrophages from C3H/HeJ and A/J mice could not effect tumor cytotoxicity, whereas macrophages from the control C3H/FeJ mice could. When BCG-activated macrophages from C57BL/6J mice were held in culture overnight, their ability to secrete H2O2 in response to the pharmacologic trigger declined 40 to 60%; the presence of endotoxin in the overnight cultures did not alter competence for secretion of H2O2. By contrast, the cultured macrophages lost all of their cytolytic competence, but this competence could be fully maintained by the presence of endotoxin in the cultures. In three distinct circumstances, competence for secretion of H2O23 thus did not correlate with competence for completion of tumor cytotoxicity. The data imply that competence for release of H2O2 is not sufficient for completion of tumor cytotoxicity.


In this study, older African American, Latina, and Caucasian women from varying socioeconomic backgrounds participated in eight focus groups that examined their perceptions of elder maltreatment and three ethical dilemmas within adult protective service work: mandatory reporting, involuntary protective services, and criminalization of elder maltreatment. Participants espoused a broad and inclusive view of elder maltreatment. In responding to illustrative case scenarios, participants strongly favored protection over freedom by supporting mandatory reporting and involuntary protective services. Criminalization of elder maltreatment also was supported. This article presents results of each scenario and broad themes across the study, with attention paid to areas of consistency and difference across ethnicity and socioeconomic categories.


Most of the ASEAN countries are developing countries which still rely on the economy of natural resources. The process of economic transformation has become a necessity to make changes towards industrialized countries. The transformation is conducted so that the economy is able to compete in the global market. The purpose of writing this paper was to convey the trees of thoughts and ideas of the importance of economic integration in addressing society's income distribution inequality in the ASEAN countries. According to the estimated Gini index, ASEAN countries actually fell into the category of economic inequality. This means that the inequality happened too extreme and there was a positive movement towards equitable distribution of economic opportunities for the population. Therefore an inclusive development-oriented growth inclusive long-term was needed. Inclusive development aimed at reducing the number of poor population and unemployment in order to be able to take advantage of the market to base prosper. Inclusive development required improvement in the field of human resources, government bureaucracy, institutional economics, infrastructure improvements, strict law enforcement, satisfy basic needs certainty, and mastery of the science, technology, and political stability. This paper concluded that the economy of ASEAN countries had not yet fully managed so well that the inclusive development process should give priority to a strong and stable economy facing global competition. The difference in their respective interests was not yet guarantying the formation of the economic integration of the ASEAN countries that were less competitive. Therefore, there was a need for an agreement based on the principle of mutual needs, mutual raising, and mutual benefit. This paper also suggested ASEAN countries to fix the detailing things in order that investments grew rapidly in their respective countries. Investment and exports of industrial products were the two factors that elementary in order for resilience and economic integration could be formed quickly and productively


IDegLira-HIGH trial was a non-inferiority, prospective, randomized clinical trial, comparing the efficacy and safety of insulin degludec/liraglutide combination (IDegLira) and a regimen of multiple daily injections (MDI) with basal-bolus insulin (BB) in adults (>18-80 years of age) , with type 2 diabetes (T2D) , and very high HbA1c (>9%-15%) , previously treated with basal insulin or multiple oral agents. Primary endpoint was change in HbA1c from baseline to week 26. Secondary endpoints included incidence of hypoglycemia, changes on weight and glycemic variability (% coefficient of variation [%CV]) . Treatment with IDegLira and BB insulin resulted in similar improvement in glycemic control: 7.7±1.7% and 7.7±1.5%, (p=0.76) , with a reduction from baseline of -3.2±2.3% and -3.0±1.8%, (p=0.39) at 26-weeks. IDegLira resulted in lower rates of hypoglycemia <70 mg/dl (22% vs. 36%, p=0.05) , similar glycemic variability (CGM %CV 30.4±9.1% vs. 33.2±7.3%, p=0.08) , and greater weight loss (-3.7±4.1 kg vs. +8.4±5.4 kg, p<0.01) compared to BB. IDegLira was associated with higher rates of nausea (Table 1) . Conclusions: In patients with T2D and very high HbA1c (≥9%-15%) , a regimen of daily IDegLira injection is non-inferior to MDI with BB insulin on HbA1c reduction and was associated with weight loss and less hypoglycemia.

 R.J.Galindo: Advisory Panel; Sanofi, WW International, Inc., Research Support; Dexcom, Inc., Eli Lilly and Company, Novo Nordisk. G.E.Umpierrez: Research Support; AstraZeneca, Dexcom, Inc., Novo Nordisk. B.Moazzami: None. M.F.Scioscia: None. P.Vellanki: n/a. G.M.Davis: Consultant; Medscape, Research Support; Insulet Corporation. F.J.Pasquel: Consultant; AI Health LLC, Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH, Dexcom, Inc., Research Support; Dexcom, Inc., Insulet Corporation, Merck & Co., Inc. M.Fayfman: None. A.L.Migdal: None. J.Saling: None.

 Investigator-initiated study to Emory University (PI. Dr. Rodolfo J. Galindo) from Novo Nordisk.


In the study of early gastric cancer in relation to gastric ulcer, I have previously reported2 what appear to me to be segregated masses of gastric mucosa cut off from the surface by necrosis and subsequent formation of scar-tissue, and yet containing living epithelial cells apparently capable of functionating. Some doubt might well exist as to whether these were not misinterpretations of oblique sections. I long ago satisfied myself that this was not true by following throughout such isolated portions of tubules in serial sections. Of several such specimens I made photographs and of others drawings with the camera lucida covering the entire series. Last summer Mr. James A. Wynn reconstructed from the drawings of one such series a model, the photograph of which is herewith shown (fig. 1). This reconstruction was made from drawings of sections through the edge of a large chronic gastric ulcer in one small area, on the opposite side of which there was unmistakable evidence of beginning cancer. The tubules bore the same relation to the normal surface of the mucosa that they here bear to the surface of the upper side of the case surrounding the model. It will be observed that a number of them have been completely reconstructed and that they do not communicate with the surface. Some of the smaller ones contain atrophic epithelium. The larger ones are very much larger than the ends of other gastric tubules from a nearby normal region reconstructed on the same scale, and shown in the photograph. The epithelium of the dilated tubules was much swollen. Some of the tubules were cystic and filled with mucus. Since the segregated glandular masses contained epithelium capable of functionating and still connected with their nerve and blood supplies, their possible relationship in cases of gastric ulcer to the pain occurring during digestion is suggested. Food in the stomach may cause the same sort of pain in these areas as is present in the parotid gland when a patient with mumps eats sour foods.


This article proposes, a reading of Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey (1818) as a case study for discussing infectious literature, storytelling as therapy and the interconnectedness of Gothic methodologies and medical humanities. Northanger Abbey was written in a period when women's reading habits was a contested topic, so I will provide a quick historical overview of the period and the problematic Gothic novel, which Northanger Abbey satirizes. Where previous research has focused on Catherine Morland, the protagonist and 'misreader' in this Gothic satire, this article will focus on Austen's feminized hero, Henry Tilney, and read him in the role of a mesmeric healer. His goal is to cure Catherine of her obsession with Gothic novels, in order for her to fulfil the feminine ideal of the time. The mesmeric method is to produce a crisis in the patient, however, I will show how Henry's plan fails and he inadvertently produces a crisis in himself, and forces him to realize the extent of his own 'reading illness'. He is 'infected' by the masculine literary canon, which in his mind entails literary superiority over Catherine and his sister Eleanor.
Storytelling as therapy is a term that connects literature and trauma into a method of organizing experience. My analysis will focus on a selection of dialogue between the main characters and Henry's monologues, to highlight where Austen's hero is compelled to take narrative control as a way to control his own trauma; his troubled relationship with his father and the death of his mother.


The South African fauna of Micropezidae is reviewed and five species are recorded from the eastern provinces: Micropeza corrigiolata (Linnaeus, 1767), Cephalosphen conifrons (Bigot, 1886), Erythromyiella rufa (Hennig, 1935) and Mimegralla tessmanni (Enderlein, 1922), all from KwaZulu-Natal, and Mimegralla fuelleborni (Enderlein, 1922) from Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape. A sixth species, Aristobatina principalis (Frey, 1929), currently recorded from Malawi, Zimbabwe and Mozambique, may also occur in Northern Province, and is provisionally included in an illustrated key to the South African species of Micropezidae. Each species is diagnosed, and the male terminalia and sternite 5 are illustrated where pertinent. Micropeza corrigiolata, a holarctic species and presumed introduction from Europe, is newly recorded from the Afrotropical Region; this is also the first record of Micropeza Meigen, 1803 and the Micropezinae in the Afrotropics. The endemic south-east African genus Aristobatina Verbeke, 1951, is briefly reviewed, and a key to the two species provided. Cephalosphen conifrons is redescriptionbed and sexual dimorphism of the wing apex is noted; this silvicolous species is commonly collected from trunks of Albizia adianthifolia in coastal KwaZulu-Natal. Behavioural observations of three species are recorded, particularly the ichneumonid-like posturing and movement of the pale fore tarsi in the species of Mimegralla Rondani, 1850. Paired, convex structures are strikingly present in the pleural membrane below abdominal tergite 2 in both Mimegralla species; this structure is illustrated and its possible glandular function discussed. Lectotypes are designated for the following nominal species: Tanypoda rufithorax Enderlein, 1922 (a Tanzanian species of Aristobatina), Taeniaptera conifrons Bigot, 1886, Tanypoda fuelleborni Enderlein, 1922, and Hybobata tessmanni Enderlein, 1922.


Recently, inkjet printing technology has become crucial in many industrial fabrication fields mainly due to its advantages of noncontact and fast pattern generation. In this paper, we investigate an electrostatic field induced inkjet printing system, which is based on an electrohydrodynamic process, for drop-on-demand jetting. In order to locate the optimal jetting conditions, we tested jetting performance for various bias voltages and pulse signals. To investigate the characteristics of drop-on-demand operation and micropatterning, we used conductive silver ink and examined the drops and lines patterned on a substrate.


This paper presents the theoretical foundations of decision rule selection for dynamic multicriteria decision-making problems. Specifically, we will propose solution methods for the optimal control of complex systems governed by ordinary differential equations with vector-valued criteria. For this class of system we will define an extension of the Multiple Reference Points method, termed the Reference Multifunction approach. This preference structure is derived from time-varying reference values in the criteria space. They can be interpreted as evolving targets, criteria-space constraints, or varying regions of avoidance for admissible criteria-space trajectories. All the above define a time-dependent multifunction allowing us to find compromise controls by distance minimization to its selectors, in an adaptive way. The above approach can be applied in a multicriteria model predictive control framework.


PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The authors proposed a CT method to measure the humeral head subluxation in sagittal plane. They used this method to analysed the sagittal position of the humeral head, in primary gleno humeral osteoarthritis without humeral head elevation.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
The control group was composed of 50 shoulder computed tomography in small rotator cuff tear confined to the supraspinatus muscle (Bernageau stade I on the arthrography). We evalued computer tomographic findings in 104 cases of primary gleno humeral osteoarthritis without humeral head elevation. The results were expressed in rate of subluxation.

RESULTS
This method can be used to measure sagittal subluxation of the humeral head in scapulo humeral pathology. In 35 per cent of cases, gleno humeral osteoarthritis without humeral head elevation, the posterior subluxation (rate of subluxation > 55 per cent) can explain the arthritic evolution. If total shoulder arthroplasty is performed, persistent posterior subluxation may result in premature posterior wear of the glenoïd component, or, in premature loosening of the glenoïd component.

CONCLUSION
The method used for sagittal subluxation of the humeral head measurement is precise. This study, emphasizes the pronostic interest and the therapeutic consequences of this measurement in gleno humeral osteoarthritis without humeral head elevation.


The principles of bioethics have been identified as important requirements for training basic medical doctors. Till now, various modalities have been used for teaching bioethics, such as lectures, followed by a small case-based discussion, case vignettes or debates among students. For effective teaching-learning of bioethics, it is necessary to integrate theory and practice rather than merely teach theoretical constructs without helping the students translate those constructs into practice. Classroom teaching can focus on the theoretical knowledge of professional relationships, patient-doctor relationships, issues at the beginning and end of life, reproductive technologies, etc. However, a better learning environment can be created through an experiencebased approach to complement lectures and facilitate successful teaching. Engaging students in reflective dialogue with their peers would allow them to refine their ideas with respect to learning ethics. It can help in the development both of the cognitive and affective domains of the teaching of bioethics. Real-life narratives by the interns, when used as case or situation analysis models for a particular ethical issue, can enhance other students' insight and give them a moral boost. Doing this can change the classroom atmosphere, enhance motivation, improve the students' aptitude and improve their attitude towards learning bioethics. Involving the students in this manner can prove to be a sustainable way of achieving the goal of deep reflective learning of bioethics and can serve as a new technique for maintaining the interest of students as well as teachers.


We present a Darboux transformation for Tzitzeica equation associated with 3×3 matrix spectral problem. The explicit solution of Tzitzeica equation is obtained.


The aim of this study was to determine the long-term effects of acute normobaric hypoxia in the perinatal period on the development of a hippocampal formation in rats. The experiments performed have shown that the exposure to hypoxia on postnatal day 2 resulted in a significant damage to the hippocampal field structure. Differential field sensitivity to the damaging factor was also detected. At postnatal day 20, the cell death was found in all the fields and the thinning of pyramidal neuron layers was observed. The neuronal death was mostly expressed in CA4 and CA3 fields. At postnatal day 30, the neuronal death remained significant in CA4 field, while it was reduced in CA3 field and was not found in CA1 field, however, in fascia dentata the death of neurons of the granular layers was increased. Along with it, the dimensions of the pyramidal neuron cell bodies were reduced in all the hippocampal fields. Also, in all the hippocampal fields, the activation of astrocytic reaction was found, which was more expressed in CA4 field, where gliosis was found to remain until prepuberal age (day 30).


We have identified a series of novel insulin receptor partial agonists (IRPAs) with a potential to mitigate the risk of hypoglycemia associated with the use of insulin as an antidiabetic treatment. These molecules were designed as dimers of native insulin connected via chemical linkers of variable lengths with optional capping groups at the N-terminals of insulin chains. Depending on the structure, the maximal activation level (%Max) varied in the range of ∼20-70% of native insulin, and EC50 values remained in sub-nM range. Studies in minipig and dog demonstrated that IRPAs had sufficient efficacy to normalize plasma glucose levels in diabetes, while providing reduction of hypoglycemia risk. IRPAs had a prolonged duration of action, potentially making them suitable for once-daily dosing. Two lead compounds with %Max values of 30 and 40% relative to native insulin were selected for follow up studies in the clinic.


To review previous study of archery, most-researchers focused their study on stability of archer. Dillman (1982) had even studied the stability of the centre of gravity. The results were that between elite archer and general archer there were no statistically significant differences in the amplitude of movement of the CG, and found the good results response were not small, but the middle level. Martin (1985) researched the vibration of the centre of gravity and the bow further. He also found that the amplitude vibration of the CG and the bow all couldn't distinguish the elite archer and the general archer. As we know, the trajectory of the arrow was controlled by the upper extremity chain, so it was necessary to investigate how the upper extremity influences the results. HF-I1 type Selespot System (made in QinHua University China) was applied to measure the 3D displacement of the selected point of upper extremity during the period of aiming. Nineteen athletes of National Archery Team (10 female, 9 male) participated in the measurement. According to the condition of competition, each person shot continuously 36 arrows. The distance was 50 meters. All good and bad results were processed statistically respectively. It was found that the movement of the interested point of upper extremity in horizontal plane statistically significant difference(p< 0.01) between good results and bad results during one second before release, but there was no statistically significant difference in the Z direction. The good results of female and male arrow group both showed that the arm of supporting bow and the arm of pulling bow had relatively larger amplitude of the movement, faster speed and acted on the bow smoothly, but the shoulder had small amplitude, in other words, shoulder had high stability. We present the basic principle of aiming technique of upper extremity. It is required that the archer at first aim somewhere near the target centre regularly, and then, faster, smoothly, precisely approach the centre and release the arrow when pulling the bow is proceeding.


The influence of regulatory peptide type of AFP on the course of experimental ulcers was investigated. It has been shown that activation of apoptosis by AFP enhance local necrotic inflammatory reaction, on the one hand, and enables the development of adhesions with the other.


SUMMARY: Many aliphatic organic acids, when sprayed on the leaves of bean plants, decreased the numbers of local lesions produced following inoculation with a tobacco necrosis virus. Citric and succinic acids were effective only when applied before or during the period of virus establishment. The inhibitory effect of these acids could be annulled by certain metal nitrates.


A new simplified model of fuzzy neural network is presented based on the functional equivalence relation between radial basis function (RBF) network and fuzzy inference system. The proposed network model has a lower number of the centre values of the network and is especially suitable for multivariable systems. An adaptive constructing method and some learning algorithms of the simplified model are proposed. The simulation results of a function mapping show that the simplified model of the fuzzy neural network has a satisfactory approximation ability to a nonlinear multivariable function.


Trends in nutritional status were studied in children born in 1993 in the city of Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. During that year, all infants born in the city were identified, and a sub-sample of 1,273 children was visited twice at home for anthropometric examinations at an average age of 12 and 54 months, respectively. Approximately 10% of all children were lost to follow up from birth to 4 years. The prevalence of nutritional deficit decreased, while that of overweight increased between ages 1 and 4 years. The prevalence of nutritional deficit showed an inverse association with birth weight, while overweight showed a direct relationship. About 50% of the children with height/age deficit at 12 months remained in this same condition at 4 years old, while a third of overweight children remained in this condition during the same period. On the other hand, some 10% of non-overweight children became overweight between 1 and 4 years of age. The nutritional transition observed in Pelotas requires a paradigm shift in health services, which are still concentrated on detecting and treating malnutrition rather than obesity.


Objectives To explore female early school leaver's experience of sexual activity and sex education, and to assess the feasibility and potential impact of a peer-led sex education intervention. Methods Forty five young female early school leavers and ten peer educators participated in the study. The ten peer educators, early school leavers who were teenage mothers, were trained to deliver the peer-led education intervention. Both quantitative (self-completed questionnaire) and qualitative (focus groups) research methods were used to evaluate the intervention. Results The average age of participants was 17.5 years. The average age at leaving school was 15 years. Many participants were smokers and took alcohol on a regular basis. Over three quarters of the young women were sexually active. Although most used contraception in the past, over 30% had not the last time they had sex. While participants' knowledge around sexual issues showed some improvement following the pilot intervention, there was little change in attitudes to sexual behaviour. Conclusions This feasibility study was very well received by both peer educators and participants. To assess the effectiveness of the intervention we recommend that a larger randomised control trial be conducted.


A multimodule hybrid converter mainly designed for use in high-temperature superconducting magnetic energy storage systems (HT-SMES) is investigated in this paper. The converter consists of a four-module current-source converter and one module of voltage-source converter to reach the high power rating and low harmonics requirement of the HT-SMES. Circuit topology, control method, and simulation results are given.


PURPOSE
To investigate the resistance to degradation of resin modified glass-ionomer cement (RMGIC) and adhesive/composite restorations in sound and simulated caries-affected dentin of primary teeth subjected to carious challenge using a pH-cycling model and load-cycling, by means of a microtensile test.

METHODS
Occlusal cavities were prepared in 60 sound exfoliated primary second molars. Half the specimens were submitted to pH-cycling to induce simulated caries lesion. The teeth were randomly restored with one of the two materials: (1) a RMGIC (Vitremer) and (2) a total-etch adhesive system (Adper Single Bond 2) followed by resin composite (Filtek Z100). After storage in distilled water at 37 degrees C for 24 hours, control group specimens were subjected to test procedures while the specimens in the experimental groups were subjected to two different aging methods: load-cycling (50,000 cycles, 90N, 3Hz) or carious challenge (pH-cycling: alternately 8 hours in demineralizing and 16 hours in remineralizing solutions, for 10 days). Teeth were sectioned into 1 mm2 beams and tested to failure under tension. ANOVA and multiple-comparisons tests were used (P<0.05).

RESULTS
Vitremer bond strength was not altered by the condition of dentin. Conversely, Adper Single Bond 2 showed significantly lower bond strength values when bonded to simulated caries-affected dentin. Load-cycling did not influence bond strength for any of the tested materials, while carious challenge resulted in a significant decrease in microtensile bond strengths of Adper Single Bond 2, but not of Vitremer restorations.


There are a number of medications which can serve as catalysts for drug-induced immune thrombocytopenia (DIPT). A minimum of six different mechanisms have been put forward as the means by which drug-induced antibodies can encourage platelet destruction, thus emphasising the complexity of the pathogenesis of DITP. Acyclovir, has been widely used because of its highly potent prohibitive properties for infections caused by HSV and VZV. The common adverse effects of this drug are well known, the severe adverse reactions are mostly related to high dose intravenous administrations. The immune thrombocytopenia induced by acyclovir is unusual. The authors present a rare clinical case of acyclovir-induced immune thrombocytopenia in a 72-year-old female patient with typical herpes zoster treated with acyclovir. The clinical and laboratory findings, taken together with the transitory relationship between acycolvir and the start of thrombocytopenia, combined with the elimination of the other know sources of thrombocytopenia, allowed us to reach the diagnosis of acyclovir-induced immune thrombocytopenia. An international database search was employed to complete an extensive review of the current literature. Contemporary information on acyclovir-induced immune thrombocytopenia was collected by the analysis of present day review articles and accessible case reports. The authors found five published cases of acyclovir-induced immune thrombocytopenia. Analyzing these articles it was concluded that immune thrombocytopenia induced by acyclovir is rare, and an unusual side effect, with good prognosis. Prompt diagnosis is vital to appropriate management, therefore clinicians need to be cognisant of this rare potential adverse reaction.


Effects of the overhang of a specimen on the magnetic field in a single sheet tester (SST) are investigated. Three kinds of vertical yoke type SST are examined. It has been shown that the accuracy of the magnetic field strength measured by an H coil is influenced by the overhang, when the SST is of the single-yoke type one in which the H coil is set on the opposite side of the yoke, and the high grade specimen is used. On the contrary, the accuracy is not influenced by the overhang, when the two H coil method is used.


Success of antibacterial therapy depends on many factors, among which the level reached at the site of infection is important. Drug concentration in tissues and body fluids can be related to the mode of administration. The aim of the present work was to study the levels of cephotaxime (CFX) in bile, after intravenous administration of 1 g by bolus, drip infusion and bolus plus drip infusion. The drug was detected by a microbiological method. The results indicate that passage of CFX from blood into bile is a carrier-mediated process, and bolus, in the case of CFX, is the best mode of administration.


Machine learning systems have been extensively used as auxiliary tools in domains that require critical decision-making, such as healthcare and criminal justice. The explainability of decisions is crucial for users to develop trust on these systems. In recent years, the globally-consistent rule-based summary-explanation and its max-support (MS) problem have been proposed, which can provide explanations for particular decisions along with useful statistics of the dataset. However, globally-consistent summary-explanations with limited complexity typically have small supports, if there are any. In this paper, we propose a relaxed version of summary-explanation, i.e., the $q$-consistent summary-explanation, which aims to achieve greater support at the cost of slightly lower consistency. The challenge is that the max-support problem of $q$-consistent summary-explanation (MSqC) is much more complex than the original MS problem, resulting in over-extended solution time using standard branch-and-bound solvers. To improve the solution time efficiency, this paper proposes the weighted column sampling~(WCS) method based on solving smaller problems by sampling variables according to their simplified increase support (SIS) values. Experiments verify that solving MSqC with the proposed SIS-based WCS method is not only more scalable in efficiency, but also yields solutions with greater support and better global extrapolation effectiveness.


Compaction negatively affects a number of soil properties, e.g., resistance to root penetration and water and nutrient availability to plants, restricting the photosynthetic rate, shoot growth and consequently, the yield. When soil compaction becomes limiting to crop development, mitigation measures must be adopted. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the residual effect of mechanical soil plowing and chiseling, by a seeder with soil breakers (disks and disks plus short ripper) as mitigation practice of the soil compaction under no-tillage (NT), on soil penetration resistance and soybean yield. In 2001, a study was conducted in Coxilha, in northern Rio Grande do Sul, on an Oxisol, in an area with a sequence of NT management. In this field, every year a treatment of mechanical soil decompression was applied, consisting of plowing and chiseling the soil under NT, before sowing the summer crop, reassuming the NT management after this intervention. The experimental design consisted of randomized blocks in a split-plot design with three replications. The treatments consisted of a combination of 13 systems of soil management in the main plots and two seed drill devices in the subplots. Thus, the management systems were evaluated by the control, represented by the uninterrupted maintenance of NT for 16 years, six NT management periods (7.5, 6.5, 5.5, 4.5, 3.5, and 2.5 years) after one intervention with mechanical disc plow + disc harrow (A) and the same six NT management periods after one mechanical intervention with chiseling (E). The levels in the subplots consisted of the action of a no-till seeder equipped with double discs reaching a depth of 7 cm and a seeder equipped with double disks + short ripper reaching a depth of 13 cm. Results indicated that the mitigating effect on compaction and on the improvement of soil structure of the mechanical intervention in soil under consolidated NT consisting of soil chiseling or plowing is short-lived, with a residual effect of up to two and a half years for penetration resistance. The use of a no-till seeder drill equipped with short ripper + disc seeder has potential for mitigation of soil compaction, by reducing mechanical penetration resistance in the 7-15 cm layer. Nevertheless, the residual effect of mechanical intervention for soil decompaction and the adoption of different devices for fertilizer application in the plant furrow were not effective in altering the soybean yield in the 2008/2009 growing season.


Clock skew is becoming increasingly difficult to control due to variations. Link based non-tree clock distribution is a cost-effective technique for reducing clock skew variations. However, previous works based on this technique were limited to unbuffered clock networks and neglected spatial correlations in the experimental validation. In this work, we overcome these shortcomings and make the link based non-tree approach feasible for realistic designs. The short circuit risk and multi-driver delay issues in buffered non-tree clock networks are investigated. Our approach is validated with SPICE based Monte Carlo simulations, considering spatial correlations among variations. The experimental results show that our approach can reduce the maximal skew by 47%, improve the skew yield from 15% to 73% on average with a decrease on the total wire and buffer capacitance.


OBJECTIVE
To examine the Exit, Loyalty, Voice, and Neglect (ELVN) reactions of full-time salaried physicians to the decline of their employing hospital, and to explore factors possibly associated with the choice of reactions.

DATA SOURCE
The study analyzes data collected in a larger survey of work attitudes of 703 hospital physicians, constituting a representative national sample of (every tenth) salaried hospital physicians in Israel.

DATA COLLECTION
Data were collected through a self-administered mail questionnaire with return envelopes attached.

STUDY DESIGN
A survey design was used. Survey questionnaires included composite measures of the ELVN reaction as well as of the main predictors of reaction choice: job satisfaction, hospital commitment, job investment, alternatives, tenure, and managerial and senior positions.

PRINCIPAL FINDINGS
The reactions of salaried physicians to hospital decline include the whole range of ELVN reactions. The choice of each reaction was found associated with a different set of disposition, situation, and position predictors.

CONCLUSIONS
The ELVN typology is relevant for examining physicians' reactions to hospital decline, which appear to extend beyond the simple stay/leave dichotomy commonly used. The reactions of Exit, Loyalty, Voice, and Neglect are different in nature, and appear to reflect the different sets of circumstances that salaried physicians may face. Implications of these results for coping with hospital decline, hospital-physician relationships, and integration strategies are discussed.