Background: Multiple myeloma (MM) is a clonal bone marrow (BM) disease characterized by the neoplastic transformation of differentiated B cells with the accumulation of malignant plasma cells in the BM compartment. In Egypt, its extrapolated prevalence is 17,630/76,117,421 with annual rate around 4,085/76,117,421. Chromosomal aberrations in MM are typically complex and represent a hallmark of the disease. The most frequent structural aberrations are 13q14 deletion detected in 33-50% of the cases and 14q32 IgH rearrangement detected in 60-70% of the cases with t (11;14) (q13;q32) being the most frequently detected 14q32 translocation seen in 15% of these patients. Aim: The aim was to detect both 13q14 deletion and 14q32 IgH rearrangement by interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (I-FISH) on 100 newly diagnosed Egyptian myeloma patients and their relation to the patients' outcome and prognosis. Subjects and Methods: Patients were subjected to a complete history, clinical examination, and laboratory. We have also tested the expression of 13q14 deletion by locus-specific identifier (LSI) D13S319 probe assay and 14q32 IgH rearrangement by IgH dual color FISH break-apart assay on BM aspirates collected from the patients at diagnosis (before starting therapy). Staging and follow-up of the patients were carried out to detect the outcome of the disease. Results: We found that 65% of the examined myeloma patients showed genetic aberrations (13q14 deletion, 14q32 IgH rearrangement or both) by I-FISH. Of which, 40% were positive only for 13q14 deletion, 20% were positive only for 14q32 IgH rearrangement and only 5% were positive for both aberrations. 13q14 deletion was associated with more patients being resistant to chemotherapy or dying indicating its poor impact on patients' prognosis, whereas 14q32 IgH rearrangement was associated with more patients in remission indicating its good impact on patients' prognosis. Comparing myeloma patients who went into remission to those who died or were resistant to chemotherapy after receiving treatment, revealed highly statistical significance in these patients (P ≤ 0.001) as regards to their serum calcium, albumin, B2 microglobulin, and BM clonal plasma cell levels with P values (0.0009, 0.0001, 0.0001 and 0.0001, respectively). Moreover, a statistical significance (P ≤ 0.05) was found in these patients as regards to their total protein and serum M-component with P values (0.0288 and 0.0182, respectively). Summary/Conclusion: 13q14 deletion detected by LSI D13S319 FISH probe in myeloma patients was seen in 40% of the studied cases and was associated with patients being resistant to chemotherapy or dying. Whereas, 14q32 IgH rearrangement detected by IgH dual color break-apart FISH assay in these patients was seen in 20% of the studied cases and was associated with patients in remission.


Background:
 Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease (cGVHD) is a common and potentially fatal complication after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Beyond corticosteroids, there are multiple potential treatment options, including ibrutinib and ruxolitinib (off-label). Both ibrutinib and ruxolitinib are associated with adverse events (AEs) that may limit adherence or lead to treatment discontinuation. This retrospective analysis of United States administrative claims data examined ibrutinib and ruxolitinib use in cGVHD patients, including persistence on treatment, cost of care, and healthcare resource utilization (HCRU).
 Methods:
 Adult (≥18 years old) patients were identified in IQVIA™ Health Plan Claims Data (1/2014-9/2019) by ≥1 diagnosis claim for cGVHD by ICD-9 (279.51) and ICD-10 (D89.811) codes. The ibrutinib and ruxolitinib cohorts required ≥1 prescription claim (with the first claim as a proxy for treatment initiation = index) for the drug of interest, and no claims for the other drug (i.e., ruxolitinib or ibrutinib) within 12 months post index. Control cohorts required ≥1 prescription or treatment claim (index) for calcineurin inhibitors, mTOR inhibitors, mycophenolate mofetil, imatinib, methotrexate, etanercept, rituximab, or extracorporeal photopheresis, and no ibrutinib or ruxolitinib claim within 12 months post index. Propensity score matching (PSM) analyses required medical and drug benefit continuous enrollment for ≥6 months prior to index and ≥12 months after. Treatment persistence was assessed by Kaplan-Meier methodology, with a 30-day permissible gap between treatments, and AEs reported within 30 days of discontinuation were reported. In addition to individual AEs, composite measures of infections and lung AEs were assembled from ICD diagnosis codes. PSM of the ibrutinib and ruxolitinib cohorts to controls used age, sex, baseline cost, region, comorbidities, and lung involvement. PSM ensured patients will share similar characteristics, and outcome comparisons between these matched cohorts will not be confounded by the covariates used in the matching process. Costs and HCRU were assessed in the 12-month post index period.
 Results:
 In discontinuation analyses, 117 ibrutinib and 266 ruxolitinib patients were identified. In the year after index, 58/117 (50%) of ibrutinib and 109/266 (41%) of ruxolitinib patients discontinued (Figure 1). Within 30 days of discontinuation, AEs reported in the ibrutinib cohort in ≥10% of patients included (in decreasing order) the infection composite AE (36%), the lung composite AE (34%), dyspnea (28%), kidney failure (24%), edema (16%), atrial fibrillation (12%), thrombocytopenia (12%), and neutropenia (10%). In the ruxolitinib cohort, AEs reported within 30 days of discontinuation and occurring in ≥10% of patients included (in decreasing order) the infection composite AE (45%), the lung composite AE (37%), dyspnea (34%), thrombocytopenia (31%), edema (27%), kidney failure (27%), hypokalemia (15%), neutropenia (14%), thrombosis (13%), and hemorrhage (11%). In analyses of PSM cohorts, 39 ibrutinib patients matched to 110 control patients, and 81 ruxolitinib patients matched to 187 control patients. Annualized costs for the ibrutinib (median $263,658) and ruxolitinib (median $223,564) cohorts were significantly greater than control cohorts (p<0.001). Costs excluding the treatment of interest were greater for ibrutinib (median $82,989 vs. $64,546; p=0.25) and ruxolitinib (median $66,824 vs. $48,673; p=0.033). Ibrutinib patients showed a greater hospitalization rate versus control patients (24/39, 62% vs. 49/110, 45%; p=0.093). Ruxolitinib patients showed increased mean healthcare visits versus control patients (65.6 vs. 52.6; p=0.034).
 Conclusions:
 In this analysis, ibrutinib and ruxolitinib discontinuation and AEs previously reported to be associated with either ibrutinib or ruxolitinib utilization occurred in a similar temporal window. Ibrutinib and ruxolitinib patients also demonstrated higher treatment costs and increased healthcare visits versus control cGVHD patients. Further research is required to better understand the cost of cGVHD treatment with these medications.
 Sponsorship: Kadmon Corporation, LLC

 Bachier: Sanofi: Speakers Bureau; AlloVir: Honoraria; CRISPR: Honoraria; Juno Therapeutics, a Bristol-Myers Squibb Company: Honoraria. Eiznhamer:Kadmon Corporation, LLC: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Milgroom:Trinity Life Sciences: Current Employment. Lenco:Trinity Life Sciences: Current Employment. Patel:Trinity Life Sciences: Current Employment. Skaar:Trinity Life Sciences: Current Employment.

 ruxolitinib for chronic graft versus host disease


The Internet of Things (IoT)-based intelligent surveillance systems in smart cities are a challenging issue as various devices capture the data. These devices, deployed close to the underlined phenomenon, such as cameras, are duplicated or redundant as accuracy is the main requirement of these systems. For this purpose, sensor nodes are deployed to provide 24/7 monitoring of a smart city, which minimizes the security risks and enables quick response in case of any disaster. However, due to a large number of devices, huge data are generated; thus, controlling traffic congestion in case of undesirable circumstances, for example, in case of accident or intention blockage of the road, is desperately needed. Numerous data aggregation mechanisms were reported in the literature to address this issue with smart city surveillance systems. However, these approaches were designed for either specific application environments or complex environments, making the implementation process hard. In this article, we have developed an Internet of Things-enabled optimal data aggregation approach, specifically designed for the intelligent surveillance systems in smart cities, to convert raw data values into the refined ones with minimum possible data loss ratio. Moreover, the proposed scheme bounds every server to perform or carry out the data refinement process to maintain the expected ratio of accuracy and precision. In this approach, ordinary devices are forced to capture and forward data in raw form, preferably without any or minimum possible processing. This reduces the load on ordinary devices in intelligent surveillance systems. Additionally, we have developed a novel approach to eliminate or reduce (if elimination is not possible) noisy data or outliers. It is implemented along with existing state-of-the-art techniques to verify the exceptional performance of the proposed data aggregation approach. These algorithms were compared using various performance evaluation metrics such as refinement ratio, data loss ratio, energy efficiency, and lifetime. The simulation results have verified that the proposed scheme's performance is better than the existing approaches.


INTRODUCTION
Surgical treatment of urethral strictures is a constantly evolving process. There are various treatment options like internal urethrotomy (IUT) and open surgery. A variety of techniques for urethral reconstruction are available (grafts, flaps, and excision-reanastomosis). Functional results of urethral reconstructive surgery are very satisfying and with low rate of complications.

AIM
We assessed the early open surgical reconstruction in comparison with the continuation with the endourological treatment - IUTs.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
The study included 129 patients with urethral strictures referred to our center. At that time point, they had received two unsuccessful IUTs and were divided into two groups - consecutive IUT and surgical repair, which included excision and reanastomosis or augmented urethroplasty. These patients were evaluated at 12 months using urethrography and uroflowmetry. Sexual function was evaluated using the international index of erectile function questionnaire 5-IIEF. Chi-squared test for statistical analysis was used.

RESULTS
Successful outcomes (urethrography presented equal caliber and Qmax was >15 ml/sec 12 months after the procedure) were achieved in 59 (88%) of the patients using reconstructive surgery versus 26 (41.9%) of the patients with consecutive IUT (p<0.001). Mild sexual dysfunction was reported by 12 (17.9%) patients from the group with open surgery and 7 (11.3%) from the group with continuous IUT (p=0.289).

CONCLUSIONS
Early open surgery seems a reasonable solution to the problem of urethral strictures as there are only a few complications from this surgery and the functional results are satisfactory. The success rate using open surgery was found to be significantly greater than that in the consecutive IUT group, whereas no differences in the complication rates regarding sexual function were observed.


This work argues that transnational corporations by their internal dynamics disturb the pace of development in Third World countries. There is little consensus on what should constitute a national economy despite the fact that the idea of economic nationalism has a long history. The concept that a geographic area should show a minimal degree of economic vitality as a condition for emergence into a nation state is largely foreign to political scientists and politicians. Similarly economists do not base their analyses on nations. The developed western countries between about 1950-80 to some extent became models of national economies. Their economic complexity strong interdependence between economic sectors and developed industrial infrastructures were seen as the necessary complements of national sovereignty. But the most important factor in economic growth and development capital by its very nature is not tied to any country. The dynamics of capital of transnational firms and more generally the movement of modern economy and society tend to destroy the sense of economic nationality. The deterritorialization of the economy is not limited to growth of transnational firms. Such arrangements as joint ventures licensing contracts and agreements to share production blur the lines between nation states. Deterritorialization affects culture and power relations as well as economics. The Third World as a conceptual entity is destined to come to an end not only because of the transnationalization of productive processes and financial circuits but because of internal cleavages. The factors originally believed to be common to Third World countries have not proven to be as enduring as once thought. The ideology of a unified Third World has crumbled in the face of internal conflicts the powerlessness of the Organization of African Unity the rise of Islamic fundamentalism and other forces. The great division between countries is not fundamentally into 3 but into 2: the developed and the underdeveloped. The impact of multinationals on development in the Third World is likely to include both increasing homogenization due to the weakening of state borders and increasing differentiation which is the traditional consequence of capital accumulation. The growth in importance of services and the development of the informal sector are 2 exceptions that may avoid the impact of transnational firms.


On scanning the literature since 1900 on the treatment of cancer of the cervix one finds that three periods are represented. During the first period the surgical treatment was emphasized and the reports consisted chiefly of descriptions of operations and surgical end-results. Then there was the period of controversy concerning the relative merits of surgery and radium. During the past ten years, in this country, and with few exceptions on the continent, most of the literature has dealt with radiation therapy, its technic and end-results. An analysis of these results would seem to indicate that, for the time being at least, radium and roentgen ray is the treatment of choice, not only from the standpoint of the rate of curability but also from the standpoint of palliation, morbidity and economy.


The dissertation is divided in two different parts, both related with gold(I) chemistry. In the first part, a new class of gold(I)-carbene complexes, the acyclic (amino)-(ylide)carbene (AAYCs) gold(I) chlorides, are presented together with a study of their reactivity. Their cyclic counterparts, (amino)-(ylide)carbenes, have been already reported as ligands to transition metals and present interesting properties, including an excellent σ-donor ability, keeping moderate π-acceptor attributes. Acyclic carbenes have significant stereoelectronic differences compared with cyclic scaffolds, together with the advantage of being easily accessible from the nucleophilic attack to certain metal-isonitrile complexes. Based on the synthesis of acyclic (diamino)carbene-gold(I) chlorides, we have developed a modular strategy for obtaining the AAYC-gold(I) chlorides through the nucleophilic attack of ylides to isonitrile-gold(I) chlorides. Moreover, the presence of additional functional groups on the carbenes side arm allowed their easy derivatisation, leading to the synthesis of heterobinuclear — bearing Rh(I) and Au(I) centres — and cationic AAYC-gold(I) complexes, together with an unprecedented Au(I)→Rh(III) and Au(I)→Ru(II) carbene transmetalation. In the second part of this thesis, TADDOL-based, α-cationic phosphonite ligands are developed and applied to the enantioselective synthesis of hexahelicene derivatives: helical, polyaromatic compounds with potential applications as ligands in asymmetric catalysis,liquid crystals with non-linear optical responses or molecular switches.The use of these novel class of cationic phosphonites as ancillary ligands allowed a highly regio- and enantioselective synthesis of substituted [6]-carbohelicenes through a sequential Au(I)-catalysed intramolecular hydroarylation of achiral diynes. Key for these results are the modular structure of the chiral, cationic phosphonites, and the enhanced reactivity that they impart to Au(I)-centres after coordination due to the presence of a positive charge adjacent to the phosphorus atom.


Abstract Computational approaches to the study of language emergence can help us understand how natural languages are shaped by cognitive and sociocultural factors. Previous work focused on tasks where agents refer to a single entity. In contrast, we study how agents predicate, that is, how they express that some relation holds between several entities. We introduce a setup where agents talk about a variable number of entities that can be partially observed by the listener. In the presence of a least-effort pressure, they tend to discuss only entities that are not observed by the listener. Thus we can obtain artificial phrases that denote a single entity, as well as artificial sentences that denote several entities. In natural languages, if we ignore the verb, phrases are usually concatenated, either in a specific order or by adding case markers to form sentences. Our setup allows us to quantify how much this holds in emergent languages using a metric we call concatenability. We also measure transitivity, which quantifies the importance of word order. We demonstrate the usefulness of this new setup and metrics for studying factors that influence argument structure. We compare agents having access to input representations structured into pre-segmented objects with properties, versus unstructured representations. Our results indicate that the awareness of object structure yields a more natural sentence organization.


The preferential attachment network with fitness is a dynamic random graph model. New vertices are introduced consecutively and a new vertex is attached to an old vertex with probability proportional to the degree of the old one multiplied by a random fitness. We concentrate on the typical behaviour of the graph by calculating the fitness distribution of a vertex chosen proportional to its degree. For a particular variant of the model, this analysis was first carried out by Borgs, Chayes, Daskalakis and Roch. However, we present a new method, which is robust in the sense that it does not depend on the exact specification of the attachment law. In particular, we show that a peculiar phenomenon, referred to as Bose–Einstein condensation, can be observed in a wide variety of models. Finally, we also compute the joint degree and fitness distribution of a uniformly chosen vertex.


A second nonstructural protein of the Aleutian disease parvovirus was predicted from nucleotide sequence analysis and a detailed transcription map. Western immunoblotting analysis showed that infected mink and ferrets show an antibody response to this predicted protein.


The explorations of brain functional connectivity network (FCN) using resting‐state functional magnetic resonance imaging can provide crucial insights into discriminative analysis of neuropsychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia (SZ). Pearson's correlation (PC) is widely used to construct a densely connected FCN which may overlook some complex interactions of paired regions of interest (ROIs) under confounding effect of other ROIs. Although the method of sparse representation takes into account this issue, it penalizes each edge equally, which often makes the FCN look like a random network. In this paper, we establish a new framework, called convolutional neural network with sparsity‐guided multiple functional connectivity, for SZ classification. The framework consists of two components. (1) The first component constructs a sparse FCN by integrating PC and weighted sparse representation (WSR). The FCN retains the intrinsic correlation between paired ROIs, and eliminates false connection simultaneously, resulting in sparse interactions among multiple ROIs with the confounding effect regressed out. (2) In the second component, we develop a functional connectivity convolution to learn discriminative features for SZ classification from multiple FCNs by mining the joint spatial mapping of FCNs. Finally, an occlusion strategy is employed to explore the contributive regions and connections, to derive the potential biomarkers in identifying associated aberrant connectivity of SZ. The experiments on SZ identification verify the rationality and advantages of our proposed method. This framework also can be used as a diagnostic tool for other neuropsychiatric disorders.


This work reported for the first time a facile template-free method to prepare polypeptide-based vesicles (peptosomes) through one-step complex self-assembly of carboxyl-terminated hyperbranched polyester and cationic poly-l-lysine (PLL). The preparation of such peptosomes, named complex peptosomes (CPs) here, is very simple just by mixing two kinds of polymer aqueous solutions together. The CP size can be readily controlled from nanosize to microsize through the adjustment of polymer concentration. The resulting nanosized CPs show unexpected size stability independent of a broad solution pH range, long-term storage stability, and almost no cytotoxicity and have demonstrated great potential to be used as the carriers in drug delivery.


BACKGROUND
Orthostatic hypotension (OH) is a disease prevalent among middle-aged men and the elderly. The association between arterial stiffness and OH is unclear. This study evaluates whether arterial stiffness is correlated with OH and tests the usefulness of brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), an arterial stiffness marker, with regard to identifying OH.

PATIENTS AND METHODS
A sample of 1,010 participants was recruited from the general population (64.8 ± 7.7 years; 426 men) who attended health check-ups. BaPWV and the radial augmentation index (rAI) were both assessed as the arterial stiffness markers, and OH was determined using blood pressure (BP) measured in the supine position, as well as 30 seconds and 2 minutes after standing.

RESULTS
The prevalence of OH in this population was 4.9 %. Compared with the non-OH group, both baPWV (20.5 ± 4.5 vs 17.3 ± 3.7, p < 0.001) and rAI (88.1 ± 10.8 vs 84.2 ± 10.7, p < 0.05) were significantly higher in the OH group. In the multiple logistic regression analysis, baPWV (OR, 1.3; 95 % CI, 1.106-1.528; p < 0.05) remained associated with OH. Moreover, the degree of orthostatic BP reduction was related to arterial stiffness. In addition, increases in arterial stiffness predicted decreases in the degree of heart rate (HR) elevation. Finally, a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that baPWV was useful in discriminating OH (AUC, 0.721; p < 0.001), with the cut-off value of 18.58 m/s (sensitivity, 0.714; specificity, 0.686).

CONCLUSIONS
Arterial stiffness determined via baPWV, rather than rAI, was significantly correlated with the attenuation of the orthostatic hemodynamic response and the resultant OH. The impaired baroreceptor sensitivity might be the mechanism. In addition, baPWV appears to be a relatively sensitive and reliable indicator of OH in routine clinical practice.


Spectrally resolved active thermography by flash pulse excitation was performed in four sub-bands of a mid-wave infrared camera using spectral filtering and in the full long-wave band of a second infrared camera. On zirconia thermal barrier coatings on steel and PVC blocks, spectrally dependent decay rates of the thermal contrast were found. The observed behaviour can be explained by the infrared spectra of the specimens.


Background Melanomas are highly aggressive in nature and are known for metastasis and death. Melanocytes that give rise to melanomas are neural crest progenitor-cells. Our research is primarily concerned with Uveal Melanoma (UM) and Cutaneous Melanoma (CM). Although they both share same melanocytic origin, but the biology of their respective is different. Aim The aim of our study is to recognize the common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between UM and CM. Methodology The gene expression profile was downloaded from the GEO and analyzed by GEO2R for identification of DEGs. By applying DAVID, GO and KEGG, pathway enrichment analysis was performed. PPI of these DEGs was analyzed using STRING and visualized through Cytoscape and MCODE. Further, we utilized HPA and GEPIA to obtain Kaplan-Meier Graph for survival analysis in order to assess the prognostic value of hub genes. Results We examined the UM and CM datasets and discovered three common upregulated and eight common downregulated DEGs for both the melanomas based on computational analysis. HMGCS1 and ELOVL5 were shown to be enriched in a variety of altered molecular pathways and pathways in cancer. Overexpression of HMGCS1 and ELOVL5 were linked to poor prognosis in CM. Conclusion On computational evaluation, we found that HMGCS1 and ELOVL5 were upregulated in both of these melanomas. Enrichment analysis showed that these genes are involved in cancer metabolism pathway and associated with poor prognosis in CM. However, the molecular study of these genes in UM is limited. Therefore, a better understanding of the cancer metabolism pathways should be carried to pave the way for clinical benefits.


INTERNATIONAL GENETICS CONGRESS MEETINGBEIJING-- Some 2000 scientists gathered here from 10 to 15 August for the Eighteenth International Congress of Genetics, which was sponsored by the International Genetics Federation. Among the topics discussed were a new gene that may provide insights into stem cell division and recent progress in understanding plant development.


Abstract Applying social psychological theories of social exchange and gender socialization perspectives, we assess gender differences in the effects of receiving and giving social support on self-esteem and mastery (i.e., self-concept) for respondents in the United States. We also explore whether imbalances in support exchanges are beneficial or detrimental to self-concept for women (mean age = 72) and men (mean age = 73). We examine this topic using data from Mended Hearts volunteers. Methodologically, we investigate the gender patterns of self-esteem, mastery, and social support by examining common summary statistics (i.e., means, standard deviations, Cohen's d) as well as locations and scales which attempt to account for skewness. We also compare results from bivariate correlations with regression analyses to ascertain if and when results converge. First, the means/standard deviations and locations/scales reveal different gendered patterns in self-concept and social support. Second, among women, we find a large positive effect of giving instrumental support on self-esteem in the regression analysis; on the other hand, the zero-order correlation reveals a weaker effect. For men, giving emotional support has a large positive effect on self-concept in both the bivariate and regression analysis. Third, reciprocity in instrumental support is generally beneficial for self-concept, but effects are larger for women. Fourth, imbalances in emotional support are associated with higher self-concept for women. Given the disjuncture between 1) summary statistics that do and do not take into account the skewness of the study measures and 2) correlations versus regression coefficients, our study suggests a need to critically address how methodological decisions (e.g., addressing skewness) affect results reported in social psychological studies and the conclusions drawn from them.


Characterization of the phenolic compounds of wines from Muscat of Bornova, a native aromatic white grape variety (Vitis vinifera ) grown in the Aegean region of Turkey and the influence of terroir (Menderes, Halilbeyli and Kemaliye sub- regions) on these compounds were investigated. From Muscat of Bornova growing sub regions, Menderes/Izmir has a typical Mediterranean climate at around 90 m altitude which is located Eagean cost area with a fertile sandy-loamy soil; Halilbeyli/Izmir sub-region is located in inner Izmir, close to Manisa with 115 m altitude with same soil structure of Menderes. Kemaliye/Manisa has a transition climate between Mediterranean and continental climate at about 245 m altitude. Its soil is pale with a distinct amount of lime (∼30%) and sandy-loamy, as well. High performance liquid chromatography-diode array dedector (HPLC-DAD) and mass spectrometry (MS) were used for the phenolic compounds analysis. Four flavanols, eight phenolic acids and a flavonol were identified and quantified. It was observed that the total phenolic content in the Halilbeyli sub-region was the highest, fol- lowed by the Menderes and Kemaliye sub-regions. Procyanidin B4 was the most abundant flavanol and quercetin-3-O-glucoside was the only flavonol identified in all regions' wines. Sensory analysis was also used to investigate the influences of terroir. Statistically significant (0.05) regional differences were observed. Based upon sensory analysis, the wine obtained from Halilbeyli was darker in color, and had more astringency and bitterness than the others, and was the least popular wine. Kemaliye and Menderes were both preferred due to their better coloring, flavour, less astringency and bitterness attributes.


Isolated sarcoidosis of the hypothalamic-pituitary system is a very rare form of neurosarcoidosis. A high index of suspicion is required for diagnosis and the choice of therapy embodies another challenge due to lack of standardized protocols. Glucocorticoids are the mainstay of initial treatment, whereas the second and third-line therapy include immunomodulators and cytotoxic drugs, in addition to monoclonal antibodies. This report presents an unusual case of panhypopituitarism in a 32-year-old previously healthy male patient due to isolated hypothalamo-pituitary sarcoidosis confirmed histologically, refractory to pulse-dose glucocorticoids and then successfully treated by methotrexate. Based on our report, in patients requiring additional therapy usage of the methotrexate as the second line agent should be considered, however the time frame and the dosing schedule of methotrexate are still unknown and deserve further investigation.


North of Boston is Frost?s second volume of poetry that remarks Frost career as a poet. It has been widely praised by both American and English critics. However, they also give their critics and comments; and many try to observe deeper into the poems in it. W. G. O?Donnell, one of the critics, said that North of Boston reveals the theme of alienation, of man?s isolation from his fellow man. This is quite a surprise for North of Boston that has the power to bring individuals together, contains the theme of alienation. Using literary approach and library research the writer finds that "Mending Wall", "Home Burial", "The Black Cottage", and "A Servant to Servants", which are the major poems in North of Boston, reveal the theme of alienation. The theme of alienation appears from the diction and setting that Frost used in his poems. In addition, two types of alienation, which are social alienation and self-alienation, are found in the four poems.


This study explored the impact of the Tomatis Method of sound stimulation on student interpreters at a merged higher education institution in South Africa. Interpreters were randomly allocated to a pre-post, experimental (n=9) and non-intervention control group (n=9) (age range =19–36; ethnicity = 17 white, 1 coloured). The experimental group received sound stimulation via the Tomatis Method. Interpreting performance, personality functioning, attention/concentration and mood states were assessed. Non-parametric, statistical analysis indicated significantly enhanced interpreting technique and psychological well-being in the experimental group. Openness to feelings was enhanced in the control group but attention, concentration and memory was reduced. Replication and extension of educational interpreting across multicultural tertiary contexts and the impact of Tomatis stimulation in improving performance necessitate further study.


Phone-based mobile money is becoming the dominant paradigm for financial services in the developing world. For example, mPesa has a cash flow of over thirty billion USD, equivalent to nearly half of Kenya's GDP. Inside of these markets, competitors have appeared who leverage ThinSIMS, small SIM-card add-ons, to provide alternative mobile money implementations. However, the security implications of ThinSIMs are not well understood. To resolve this, we explore the security of phone-based mobile money systems against attacks via the SIM interface, the 3GPP-defined interface between a SIM card and a phone. Using a ThinSIM to intercept and initiate communication over the SIM interface, we demonstrate that a malicious ThinSIM can steal a user's mPesa credentials and initiate transactions without the user's consent or knowledge. We also demonstrate a similar ThinSIM-based attack against USSD-based mobile money systems that allows for similar transactions without the user's knowledge or participation. Lastly, we propose and implement modifications to both STK and USSD-based mobile money systems to limit the impact of our discovered ThinSIM-based attacks.


It is necessary to hold the school safety manual because recently, the safety-related accidents occur frequently in schools. Accidents can occur inside of schools as well as out of schools, and they can be classified with human accidents, traffic accidents, fire accidents, and explosion accidents. Safety-related accidents occurring in the school are dangerous because nobody can predict them. Illegally infringing violence, targeting unspecified and a lot of people, informs the parents and persons concerned to education of danger. School safety manual, never precedented before, describes epoch-making educational methods for students' safety. It describes safety security such as refuging ways at an emergency, the way to recognize danger for elevated safety based on prevention education, the use and practice of checklist for related facilities, and the implements and facilities for school personnels and students. So, the school safety manual is an important guidance for safety education at the level of prevention from various accidents which occur inside the school as well as out of the school. It presents a variety of prompt response after an accident. At the same time, it checks facilities and dangerous factors in schools and facilities for safety, and analyzes special factors based on them. So it will present the status of safety management of existing facilities and implements, the installment of new facilities and implements, and the way to secure safety for use.


We present a comprehensive characterization and study of various wire bond interconnect configurations for microwave integrated circuit packaging. Wire bond interconnects with two different bond types (ball-crescent and wedge), two different loop types (tight and loose) and various lengths are fabricated and experimentally characterized. We show the performance comparison of these configurations and develop an electromagnetic and a simple lumped-element equivalent circuit model.


An 'option-pricing' model is employed to analyse when a firm should expand its production capabilities abroad. In a framework where the firm's profit are determined by some average of the attractiveness of the home and foreign countries, and attractiveness in each country follow differentiated Brownian motions, this paper derives an optimal trigger value for FDI.


Abstract Contemporary scientific research and practical experience in the field of investment and construction projects management prove advisability of planning management processes, including key directions such as scope, time and cost management throughout the lifecycle of a real estate asset. Under conditions of construction industry integration into digital environment and active search for innovative and high-tech ways of development, an urgent issue is to select effective digital methods and tools that correspond to each phase of real estate asset lifecycle and ensure interests of each participant of investment and construction project. The aim of the article is to investigate the digital methods of real estate asset lifecycle management. Through methods of analysis and systematization, the authors of the article have identified that internationally known software producers as well as the scientific community and some representatives of construction industry acknowledge the effectiveness of the currently relevant information modelling technologies (BIM); however, full implementation of BIM technologies in Russia is mainly restrained by low interest from most participants of investment and construction projects. Therefore, by applying methods of comparative analysis and statistical assessments, reported effects of BIM implementation, according to the international experience, have been compared with actual results received by Russian companies, which actively use information modelling technologies. In addition, systematization of modern digital methods and tools for real estate assets management in correspondence with aims of each phase of their lifecycle has been carried out within the framework of the research. As a result, factors for encouragement of BIM implementation based on the principles of public-private partnership have been formulated and, in conclusion, respective stimulation measures proposed.


Even moderately small molecules like 2,2':5',2"-terthiophene exhibit quite rich vibrational spectra. Detection and assignment of vibronic transitions of such a single adsorbed molecule in inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy (IETS) using scanning tunneling microscopy are notoriously hampered by noise and the low efficiency of inelastic channels of typically well below 1%. We demonstrate by a thorough statistical analysis that detection of almost all predicted transitions can be determined experimentally within the energy range 0-120 meV with an estimated detection limit for the efficiency of inelastic channels of ∼0.15%. The maximum accuracy of our transition energies is 2 meV and thus smaller than the thermal broadening at 5 K. On short time scales up to some hours, that accuracy appears to be limited by tunneling current noise. The present analysis confirms earlier results which showed that IETS obeys propensity rules rather than selection rules as observed for optical transitions. Furthermore, the previous indications that anharmonic components in the interaction potentials are important for calculating properties of molecular vibrations were corroborated.


Art and in particular visual arts are an integral part of cultures, giving expression to thoughts, feelings, desires and values. Throughout natural evolution they survived in the human conscience, contributing to develop a wide sense of well-being; and as a remedy to partially compensate unhappiness, such as illness and suffering. In modern times, art therapy has arisen from these fundamental premises and establishes the intervention based on the therapeutic value the intrinsic creative art process may confer to the person in crisis. Numerous benefits from art therapy have been documented in cancer, such as the expression of emotions, specially giving voice to feelings hard to express. It increases relaxation and communication, contributes to reduce pain, allows bearing of stressing experiences, promotes self-control feelings and increases self-esteem. It helps develop a greater understanding about the personal situation, contributing to adaptation and the finding of meaning to what is being lived. In other words, it promotes post-traumatic growth. A literature review of the main art therapy studies at different stages of the oncological disease trajectory is provided. The benefits of art therapy are thoroughly discussed from a palliative care perspective, as well as benefits in bereavement and healthcare personnel burnout prevention. Artwork created by patients is presented to illustrate the therapeutic value in the clinical field of cancer.


The paper considers independent reinforcement learning (IRL) for multi-agent decision-making process in the paradigm of federated learning (FL). We show that FL can clearly improve the policy performance of IRL in terms of training efficiency and stability. However, since the policy parameters are trained locally and aggregated iteratively through a central server in FL, frequent information exchange incurs a large amount of communication overheads. To reach a good balance between improving the model's convergence performance and reducing the required communication and computation over-heads, this paper proposes a system utility function and develops a consensus-based optimization scheme on top of the periodic averaging method, which introduces the consensus algorithm into FL for the exchange of a model's local gradients. This paper also provides novel convergence guarantees for the developed method, and demonstrates its superior effectiveness and efficiency in improving the system utility value through theoretical analyses and numerical simulation results.


The diffusion coefficients for ground-state (2S12/) copper atoms in He, Ne and Ar and those for metastable (2D32/) copper atoms in Ne and Ar were determined experimentally. By producing copper vapour in a low-power hollow cathode discharge, measurements were performed near room temperature. The diffusion coefficients for Cu(2D32/) were approximately equal to the corresponding quantities for Cu(2S12/).


Organizations involving multiple agents require adaptation mechanisms to guarantee robustness, especially in critical domains. A template is presented for analysis and design of organizations with adaptation by dynamic role reallocation. This adaptive organization model can be used both for qualitative and quantitative domains, shown in two application cases made to evaluate the applicability of the model.


Symmetrically coupled systems of N self-exciting Faraday disk homopolar dynamos have been proposed by Hide [1997] as a testbed for both the analytical and numerical study of the dynamics of coupled dynamo systems. There arises a natural hierarchy of systems, consisting of a series of N single disk dynamos, each in series with a motor [Hide et al., 1996]. Synchronization in the dynamics of these systems is investigated. The transition from the special case of strict amplitude and linear phase locking to the case of more general synchronization is examined. The particular case of two magnetically coupled homopolar dynamos with dissimilar characteristics is considered; the behavior of this N = 2 case is governed by six-coupled nonlinear ordinary differential equations which contain a total of thirteen dimensionless parameters. It is proved that for sufficiently small perturbations, the states of each of the two component dynamos are locked together. Numerical results suggest that this locking extends to finite perturbations, the state of one system being a linear function of the state of the other. As the size of the perturbation increases, this strict phase locking is lost, yet the complicated chaotic trajectories of each dynamo appear to remain strictly synchronized. This paper is therefore the result of a previous study of coupled dynamos [Moroz et al., 1998] in which no more than five of the parameters were assumed to be independent.


Original Research Article It has been thousands of years that tooth decay is a health problem among human beings (Chu, 2000). The disease is like our common daily influenza. The aim of this paper is to use the heated topic big data analysis and its related statistical mathematics to predict the possible behavior behind kindergarten children tooth-care response — a predictive medicine for the prevention. Moreover, the paper also develops a thought experiment from the Bayes' Decision tree. The aim is to determine some suitable strategies in the case of kindergarten tooth-caries — for regenerative medicine. In the research, I have found that Butterfly Effect can form a predictive philosophy. I rationale it with Bayes Theory and map each outcome with the corresponding Domino effects (Heinrich Theorem). While in the middle part, I insert random variables respectively as the connection. This event forms a completely new theory which can catch the chaos and dominos of the Butterfly Effects (philosophy) or the so-called Lorenz system. I propose the name should be the (HKLam's) Net-Seizing Theory. When my theory is expressed in terms of linear transformation, random matrix and regression, one may use it in the prediction model (for the posterior distribution) of human behaviour etc. If we construct a reversed Bayesian tree with all necessary posterior predicted distributions (models), we may get the wanted forecasting prior (distribution) model and is recursive formalism or the Bayes filter. We may establish the corresponding regression tree etc. Furthermore, with the Savage theory, one can apply the machine learning technique to generate the necessary policy for handling the social problem which is just like the child's tooth care shown in this research paper — there is a need to subsidy our kindergarten as early as possible for the result of best social return.


The relationship between childhood maltreatment and maladaptive outcomes, such as increased rates of psychopathology, is well-documented in the literature. Specifically, research has indicated that higher rates of social anxiety are observed in maltreatment victims in comparison to the general population. These rates also appear to differ according to gender, with higher prevalence rates being observed among females. However, although the relationship between childhood maltreatment and social anxiety has been substantiated, little is known about the mechanisms that contribute to its development and perpetuation over time. A developing body of literature has suggested that coping styles (i.e., task-oriented, emotion-oriented, avoidance) may influence the relationship between maltreatment and subsequent outcomes, and additional research has indicated that endorsement of particular coping styles may also differ by gender. Given this, the present study sought to examine the moderating effects of both coping styles and gender on the relationship between childhood maltreatment severity and social anxiety. Gender differences in coping style were also explored. Participants included 213 undergraduate students at a medium-sized, northeastern university. Participants completed a packet of self-report questionnaires and were provided with extra credit for their participation. Childhood maltreatment severity, social anxiety, and each of the three coping styles was scored continuously. Moderator analyses were conducted utilizing hierarchical multiple regression, and gender differences in coping style were examined through a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). In contrast to the proposed hypotheses, neither coping style nor gender moderated the relationship between maltreatment severity and social anxiety. Additionally, no gender differences in coping style were observed. The present results suggest that the relationship between childhood maltreatment severity and social anxiety is vastly complex and necessitates additional research. Implications, limitations, and future directions for research are discussed in light of these results.


Viral epiglottitis (supraglottitis) is a rare entity but its presentation can mimic that of bacterial epiglottis. Regardless of the causative agent, supraglottitis is a serious disease mostly affecting children and rarely seen in adults. Early suspicion and proper evaluation are mandatory to prevent a life-threatening crisis. In both children and adults the infectious aetiology in supraglottitis is predominantly bacterial while viruses are rare, especially in adults. We describe a case of supraglottitis in an adult in which the symptoms were insidious and blood indices su,, -wested a bacterial aetilology. However, laryngoscopic examination revealed an ulcer over the left aryepiglottic fold and serology was positive for Herpes simpler virus (HSV) IgM. Because supraglottitis due to HSV is a rare entity with few reported cases in the literature, this case is presented to highlight the viral involvement in this disease and its management. 0 The British Infection Society


Ultraspiracle protein/retinoid X receptor (USP/RXR) is a nuclear receptor and transcription factor which is an essential component of a heterodimeric receptor complex with the ecdysone receptor (EcR). In insects this complex binds ecdysteroids and plays an important role in the regulation of growth, development, metamorphosis and reproduction. In some holometabolous insects, including Lepidoptera and Diptera, USP/RXR is thought to have experienced several important shifts in function. These include the acquisition of novel ligand-binding properties and an expanded dimerization interface with EcR. In light of these recent hypotheses, we implemented codon-based likelihood methods to investigate if the proposed shifts in function are reflected in changes in site-specific evolutionary rates across functional and structural motifs in insect USP/RXR sequences, and if there is any evidence for positive selection at functionally important sites. Our results reveal evidence of positive selection acting on sites within the loop connecting helices H1 and H3, the ligand-binding pocket, and the dimer interface in the holometabolous lineage leading to the Lepidoptera/Diptera/Trichoptera. Similar analyses conducted using EcR sequences did not indicate positive selection. However, analyses allowing for variation across sites demonstrated elevated non-synonymous/synonymous rate ratios (d N/d S), suggesting relaxed constraint, within the dimerization interface of both USP/RXR and EcR as well as within the coactivator binding groove and helix H12 of USP/RXR. Since the above methods are based on the assumption that d S is constant among sites, we also used more recent models which relax this assumption and obtained results consistent with traditional random-sites models. Overall our findings support the evolution of novel function in USP/RXR of more derived holometabolous insects, and are consistent with shifts in structure and function which may have increased USP/RXR reliance on EcR for cofactor recruitment. Moreover, these findings raise important questions regarding hypotheses which suggest the independent activation of USP/RXR by its own ligand.


Recent research has shown wide class gaps in parental investments of money. Although scholars have suggested similar important gaps by race and ethnicity, these have not been as clearly documented, and some suggest that they may be the result of economic differences or family characteristics. Using 16 years of the Consumer Expenditure Survey, the author shows the predicted levels of parental investments for white, Black, and Hispanic families under four conditions: the unadjusted levels, controlling for family characteristics, controlling for family income, and controlling for both family characteristics and income. The visualization shows large gaps between children in white families compared with Black and Hispanic families. Both sociodemographic and economic factors play a substantial role in these differences, and the racial and ethnic gaps in parental investments of money are nearly eliminated when both are accounted for.


A new retrovirus was recently discovered in cats affected with an immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The virus shows morphological and biological similarities with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which causes AIDS in human individuals. As the T-lymphocyte is the primary target of the virus, it is termed Feline T-Lymphotropic Lentivirus (FTLV). FTLV is not antigenically related to HIV. Transmission of the virus from animals to human subjects has not been recorded. Cats infected with this virus showed lymphadenopathy, leukopenia, anorexia, chronic stomatitis/gingivitis and other opportunistic forms of infection. Neurological symptoms were also observed. Research is focused on diagnosis, treatment and prevention. Results obtained may contribute to research on AIDS in human subjects.


BACKGROUND
Genomewide association studies have led to an enormous boost in the identification of susceptibility genes for cardiovascular diseases. This review aims to summarize the most important findings of recent years.

CONTENT
We have carefully reviewed the current literature (PubMed search terms: "genome wide association studies," "genetic polymorphism," "genetic risk factors," "association study" in connection with the respective diseases, "risk score," "transcriptome").

SUMMARY
Multiple novel genetic loci for such important cardiovascular diseases as myocardial infarction, hypertension, heart failure, stroke, and hyperlipidemia have been identified. Given that many novel genetic risk factors lie within hitherto-unsuspected genes or influence gene expression, these findings have inspired discoveries of biological function. Despite these successes, however, only a fraction of the heritability for most cardiovascular diseases has been explained thus far. Forthcoming techniques such as whole-genome sequencing will be important to close the gap of missing heritability.


Nowaday the natural ventilation rate decreases because the apartment housing is being air-tight. Therefore, Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) and indoor environment grow worse. Especially, Formaldehyde (HCHO), Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) which is emitted from the building materials and coating material etc. occur Sick House Syndrome that cause negative impact on resident's respiratory system and body. Therefore in construction field, it will be a important issues that development of a ventilation system with high effectiveness which can exhaust the contaminant out of the building quickly. In this research we evaluated 'wall attachable duct-less Heat Recovery Ventilation (HRV) system with air cleaning function'. We executed a synthetic evaluation about indoor air environment under various operating condition installing the system in real scale apartment house that is built in Anyang city. HRV system with air cleaning function showed good performance by removing HCHO, VOCs with less ventilation energy.


ZigBee, a unique communication standard designed for low-rate wireless personal area networks, has extremely low complexity, cost, and power consumption for wireless connectivity in inexpensive, portable, and mobile devices. The IEEE 802.15.4 protocol is a promising standard for WSN applications because it pays particular attention to energy efficiency and communication overheads. ZigBee uses Ad-Hoc On-demand Distance Vector (AODV) and Tree Routing (TR) as a routing protocol. In TR protocol, the packets follow the tree topology for forwarding the data to the sink node even if the sink node is located near to the source node. In this paper a survey on different tree routing mechanisms used by ZigBee wireless networks are presented.


P aradigms and models have their usefulness in theologi cal reflection. But they also tend to iron out potentially useful differences and nuances in theological positions while attempting to classify them according to prefabricated frame works. I think that the prevailing tendency to classify all reflec tion in the field of interreligious dialogue as exclusive, inclusive, or pluralist leads to a misunderstanding of Asian reflection. I would like to offer a simple presentation of an emerging consen sus with regard to interreligious dialogue among Catholic theo logians in Asia. After indicating the experiential, ecclesial, and reflective contexts of such a consensus, I shall explore some questions that arise in any discussion of dialogue.


To determine the accuracy of antenatal renal pelvis measurement as a screening tool for renal anomalies we reviewed the antenatal ultrasounds performed at our institution over 1 year. Renal pelvis dilation was found in 3.8% of pregnancies followed by our obstetrics department. In nine (17.6%) infants renal anomalies were detected after birth, the remaining cases remained unchanged or resolved over a 1-year postnatal follow-up. In our series dilations of less than 10 mm in utero resolved in the first months after birth while dilations greater than 15 mm were all associated with malformations of the genitourinary tract. The choice of the most appropriate follow-up for dilations between 10 and 15 mm remains an issue because these dilations can herald renal anomalies.


Classical conditioning has traditionally been referred to as a 'dumb form of learning'; however, psychological activity can be redefined in terms of the conditioned reflex by considering other more complex forms of conditioning, i.e., configural or semantic conditioning. In this paper it is argued that conditioning may underpin both human perception and consciousness and previous experiments involving perceptual conditioning are outlined. Recent experiments which involve a new paradigm of ideational conditioning have shown that cognitions can play a part in conditioning processes. It is shown here that ideational conditioning demonstrates unequivocally that thoughts alone are adequate stimuli for acquisition of behavioural responses and that these experiments may help to bridge the cognitive-behaviourist divide.


In Tunisia under Ben Ali (1987–2011), marked human rights rhetoric coincided with intense repression. This points to a more general puzzle: what happens when authoritarian regimes uphold their repressive power maintenance agendas while simultaneously trying to avoid negative international consequences?
This article argues that authoritarian decision-makers attempt to evade negative consequences from international audiences by applying cushioning strategies in the form of obfuscation, rhetorical justification and/or procedural justification. In that way, they adapt their repressive tactics and manipulate the visibility and perception of their repressive behavior. Ben Ali's main strategy was to obfuscate, i.e. to deny and cover repression.
However, as international audiences are far from applying the same yardstick to all human rights violations, ruling elites often repress targets differently depending on whether audiences have links and sympathy. Again, this becomes apparent in the Tunisian case study, from which hypotheses are generated for future research.


Known theories of evolution and natural selection do not correspond to the actual diversity of ways of nature development. This is due to the limitations of simplified thinking associated with the structure of the man's brain. From here is a limited number of directions of evolution and selection. Author proposes the new representation of the binary plural ways of evolution with a balancing branching development, which fit into known forms of natural selection and evolution. Evolution has binary plural directions; natural animate organisms have greater adaptability, smaller adaptability, or bad adaptability. Therefore, in the finest progressive living organism, in progressive population, there are oft many signs of retrogression. Does the natural selection adapts each living form slowly and perfectly, as believed Ch. Darwin? Does the world of nature is perfect, as believed K. Timirjasev? No, the world of nature is binary plural world, perfect and far from perfect, with many intermediate forms, and natural selection is diverse in its results.


The paper presents comparative data used in the 20th – the 21st centuries of approaches to an evaluation of the severity of the bodily harm in terms of the "duration of health disorders", which are indicative of the presence of differences in the approaches to the application of such a criterion and in the content of the forensic medical services in the countries that in the past were in a single subordination.


Currently, Pervasive Computing has focused on the development of programmable and interactive environments, which are intended to help the user in daily activities. The health system of the future envisages the use of Pervasive Computing as a way of optimizing and automating clinical activities. Under such perspective, the present study has tried to adapt a middleware for pervasive environment management to support and manage the accomplishment of clinical tasks (pervasive applications that help physicians perform their activities), fulfilling some requirements of activities-oriented computing, and creating a tool that will help physicians in their daily tasks.


This study aims to examine how message strategy influences consumer behavioral engagement in social media. To this end, the study develops a comprehensive typology of branded content in social media and tests for its effect on consumer behavioral engagement.,A sample of brand posts derived from the official Facebook pages of top corporate brands was double-coded using an elaborate coding instrument. Message strategy was operationalized using three main message strategies (i.e. informational, transformational and interactional) and their paired combinations. Consumer behavioral engagement was operationalized using consumer actions of liking and sharing brand posts. Proposed relationships were tested with MANCOVA and univariate ANOVAs.,Results indicate that the transformational message strategy is the most powerful driver of consumer behavioral engagement, while no significant difference is observed between the informational and the interactional message strategies. Further, complementing the informational and interactional message strategies with the transformational message strategy markedly enhances their effectiveness.,Useful managerial guidance to develop effective message strategies is offered. In particular, the importance of transformational messages, both as a standalone and a complementary message strategy, is underscored. By mastering and deploying transformational messages more frequently in their social media communication, marketers could improve their effectiveness.,Drawing on a theory-driven typology, this study sheds light on how message strategy shapes consumer behavioral engagement in a social media context. Importantly, the study documents pioneering empirical evidence regarding the effect of combined message strategies on consumer behavioral engagement.


OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study is to use fractal analysis to characterize diffusely fibrotic, focally fibrotic, and healthy myocardium in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on the basis of previously published magnetization transfer (MT) contrast images. MATERIALS AND METHODS. The MT ratio values of patients with ESRD (n = 34) and healthy control subjects (n = 19) were used to construct anatomically faithful 3D left ventricular reconstructions. Established MT ratio threshold values were used to define healthy, diffusely enhanced, focally enhanced, and total enhanced tissue domains. The fractal dimension (FD) for reach domain was calculated using a 3D box-counting algorithm. RESULTS. Patients with ESRD showed a higher FD across all fibrotic domains compared with control subjects, in whom diffusely and focally enhanced myocardium showed largely planar distributions (mean [± SD] FD, 2.12 ± 0.02 and 1.92 ± 0.09, respectively), whereas the combined domain was fractal in 3D (mean FD, 2.41 ± 0.04). The FD and volume of fibrotic tissue were logarithmically correlated in the population with ESRD. Fractal analysis of MT-weighted cardiac MRI data revealed that the geometric characteristics of cardiac scar in patients with ESRD transition from fractal in 2D to planar in 2D to fractal in 3D as scar volume increases. CONCLUSION. Fatal arrhythmias in individuals with ESRD are increasingly attributed to cardiac fibrosis. Histologic analysis reveals that fibrosis progresses via a fractal expansion pattern. The method presented in this study can be applied to characterize the irregular space-filling morphometry of any pathologic substrate identified by contrast enhancement across noninvasive imaging modalities.


Direct-conversion radio transceivers can offer reprogrammable and low-cost hardware solutions for full-duplex (FD) cognitive radio (CR) devices. However, they are susceptible to radio frequency (RF) impairments, such as in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) imbalance (IQI), which can significantly constrain the spectrum sensing capabilities. This paper is devoted to quantify and evaluate the effects of IQI in the context of spectrum sensing in FD CR systems, in which self-interference suppression (SIS) techniques are employed. Specifically, closed form expressions are derived for the false alarm and detection probabilities, under three different scenarios: imperfect SIS with joint transmitter (TX) and receiver (RX) IQI, imperfect SIS and ideal TX/RX RF front-end, and perfect SIS and ideal TX/RX RF front-end. The derived analytical results are validated through extensive simulations, which reveal that IQI has a detrimental impact on the spectrum sensing performance of the FD CR transceiver, which brings significant losses in the spectrum utilization.


Key derivation from the physical layer features of the communication channels is a promising approach which can help the key management and security enhancement in communication networks. In this paper, we consider a key generation technique that quantizes the received signal phase to obtain the secret keys. We then study the effect of a jamming attack on this system. The jammer is an active attacker that tries to make a disturbance in the key derivation procedure and changes the phase of the received signal by transmitting an adversary signal. We evaluate the effect of jamming on the security performance of the system and show the ways to improve this performance. Our numerical results show that more phase quantization regions limit the probability of successful attacks.


Food allergen declarations on packaged products lack coherent regulation, standardisation and therefore manifest in a variety of terminology. This unfortunately leads to a magnitude of preventable allergy-related outbreaks and emergencies, as consumers rely on allergen declaration for selfmanagement. Together with dieticians, we therefore developed a purchase-related barcode scanning mHealth application that utilises a standardised taxonomy of food allergens for the display of userfriendly digital food allergen labels. The application design allowed for an in-the-wild randomised controlled trial, randomly attributing users to two treatment groups that either received icon-based or text-based digital food allergen labels. 74 users met the eligibility criteria for our study. The findings suggest that users in both groups use the application similarly frequently, but users perceive iconbased allergen labels more recommendable and more useful than text-based labels. Especially, users with low fluency in the local language (German), and frequent travellers, both segments prone to food allergy related emergencies, prefer the icon-based label, indicating that standardised, icon-based digital food allergen declarations can complement current text-based declarations. Especially users who are travelling internationally or are non-fluent in their local language can benefit from languageagnostic icon-based digital food allergen labels.


The present study investigated the effects of the inclusion of three oilseed by-products (soybean, copra and palm kernel meals) on some physical characteristics of pelletized feeds as well as on voluntary feed intake and faecal matter production by the Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus. The dietary inclusion of soybean meal resulted in a significantly higher feed bulk density relative to the fishmeal control diet. The inclusions of copra and palm kernel meals, however, resulted in lower feed bulk densities. Sinking rates, water stabilities and nutrient retention efficiencies of feed pellets were directly related to feed bulk densities. The soybean meal diet had the fastest sinking velocities, greatest water stability and highest nutrient retention rates. The dietary inclusion of soybean meal, however, significantly impaired feed intake compared to the other three diets. Mean daily feed intakes of the control, palm kernel meal and copra meal diets corresponded to 28.88, 27.01 and 28.31 g during the experimental period and varied ile Tilapia significantly from the mean daily intake of the soybean meal diet which corresponded to 20.01 g. Faecal matter production (g dry mass kg−1 ingested feed) was significantly higher in the tilapia groups fed the copra and palm kernel meals. The results obtained from this study show that 30% inclusions of unrefined forms of copra and palm kernel meal in Nile tilapia diets is possible, without adversely affecting feed intake or pellet nutrient losses prior to ingestion. ublis © 2015 The Authors. P


Academic infrastructural support system is the foundation on which distance learning is anchored in an educational and learning environment. It is a component used by staff and student in presentation of academic materials for an enhanced learning experience. It consists of web content management systems, which ensure effectiveness in academic delivery. The use of academic support system aids learners in knowledge discovery, development of intellect and character which promotes academic and personal excellence. However, the University of Lagos Distance Learning Institute uses limited ICT in teaching and learning process with limitation on Internet connectivity, computers and poor power supply, which hampers effective knowledge acquisition in distance learning. In this study, correlation survey was adopted and observed to determine effectiveness of Academic Infrastructural Support System on ICT use. The study population consist representative students from eight departments, randomly selected with 3% using multistage sampling to represent the sample size of 255 respondents. The result indicates promotion of self-development skills ranks high in mean value. The study concludes that academic infrastructural support system on ICT use has tremendous impact on distance learning in University of Lagos, Nigeria. Keywords: Academic Infrastructural Support System, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Correlation Study.


Background: Growing demands upon orthopaedic services in the United Kingdom have resulted in increasing waiting times for orthopaedic consultations. The increasing pressure of new government targets has led to role delegation within the NHS. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a limited resource that requires judicious and validated use. We evaluated the use of MRI in the assessment of patients presenting with back pain to a service managed by an Physiotherapy Extended Scope Practitioner (ESP) working in a secondary care referral centre, against the standard as practiced by orthopaedic surgeons in a separate secondary care referral centre without a dedicated operative spinal service. Methodology: A retrospective review of 130 lumbar MRI scans requested by an ESP service was compared with a retrospective review of 145 lumbar MRI scans requested by orthopaedic surgeons. In both cases cross-site tertiary referral was required if surgery was to be considered. Presenting symptoms and signs, abnormalities detected on the MRI scans and subsequent management were recorded with rate of listing for operative management used as a measure of appropriate MRI usage. Simple descriptive analysis was undertaken. Results: 82% and 91% respectively of orthopaedic and ESP referrals for MRI had either neurological signs or symptoms. However, a higher rate of neurological signs was reported by ESP 70% versus 42%). Despite reported differences in patient presentation the abnormal scan rate was comparable (ESP 91%, orthopaedics 92%). The tertiary referral rate was also comparable (ESP 47%, orthopaedics 37%). Of the patients referred to the tertiary referral centres the percentage listed for operative intervention was 68% and 72% respectively for ESP and orthopaedic surgeons. In terms of the number of patients investigated by MRI scan 32% and 26% of patients from the ESP and Orthopaedic centres respectively were listed for surgery. Discussion: This study shows that physiotherapy ESP use of MRI in the investigation of patients presenting with back pain is comparable to orthopaedic surgeons in a centre without a dedicated spinal service. With adequate training and knowledge of red/ yellow flag signs applicable to assessment of spinal problems we support the role of physiotherapy ESPs in the assessment of patients with spine related problems.


Introduction: We evaluated potential factors influencing CGM uptake and sustained use to better understand the worsening disparities in CGM use among American youth with type 1 diabetes.
 Methods: This is a retrospective chart review of youth with type 1 diabetes less than 21 years old seen at a tertiary care center from 1/1/2021 to 11/5/2021. Most recent clinic note and prescriptions were used to determine CGM use (active, attrition, never) and whether CGM was accessed through pharmacy or durable medical equipment. Binary logistic regression was used to assess effects of age, sex, race/ethnicity, insulin regimen, health insurance, and CGM supplier on CGM uptake and sustained use. χ2 was used to assess the impact of language in Latinx youth.
 Results: Chart review identified 13youth (female 48.1%, NHW 43.7%, NHB 32.7%, Latinx 10.5%, publicly insured 52.1%) . Table 1 shows predictor variables associated with CGM use. NHW youth were more likely to have ever used CGM while CGM attrition was more common in NHB youth. Ever and active CGM use were less common in publicly insured youth and more common in pump users. CGM use was more common in Latinx English speakers than Spanish speakers (75.4% vs. 56.6%, p=0.03) .
 Conclusions: In an era of rapidly advancing technologies, efforts to support equity in diabetes technology use in publicly insured, minority, non-English speaking youth with type 1 diabetes may help to address disparities in health outcomes.

 J. Grundman: Research Support; American Diabetes Association. M. Castro: None. A.E. Hoover: None. M. Monaghan: Employee; National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Research Support; American Diabetes Association. R. Streisand: None. A.G. Perkins: None. J.K. Reilly: None. A.M. Richardson: None. B. Goggin: None. B.E. Marks: Advisory Panel; JDRF. Research Support; Dexcom, Inc., Tandem Diabetes Care, Inc.

 American Diabetes Association (7-21-PDFHD-09)


• Summary: This article explores the knowledge of community-based social workers in the context of an action research project aimed at exploring the practitioners' own descriptions of their knowledge and expertise on the theme of spatial marginalization. • Findings: The knowledge of social workers seemed to be based on service users' experiences and case examples, on value and moral constructions, and it was created from experience, by doing and in action. It was local and contextual, in some sense silent but shared through a discussion process. It was not based on empirically based scientific research understood in the traditional sense; rather, social workers resorted to practical knowledge in its various forms. • Applications: The sharing of individuals' social work knowledge, both 'knowing that' and 'knowing how', with other social workers and reflecting together on the knowledge and tradition that social workers carry serves to define, study and promote the transferability of common and shared knowledge.


Polish picturebook applicationsThe subject of the article is Polish picturebook applications for children. The purpose of the study was to investigate the most important features of digital picturebooks for children, the characteristics of individual examples and the specifics of the Polish picturebook app market. Moreover, this article hightlights the characteristic of the Polish picturebook apps market and assessment criteria of the digital picturebook. The main part is the analysis of the collected source material, taking into account previously grouped assessment criteria. The last part contains conclusions and perspectives for further research which should focus on the analysis of the nature of reading in the digital environment. Also, there is a need to disseminate information about the existence of a digital picturebook and its educational value.


ObjectiveTo determine the accuracy of the WatchBP Office ABI monitor for blood pressure measurement developed by the Microlife Company. MethodsThe device accuracy was tested in 85 subjects with a mean age of 54±19 years. Their systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP/DBP) at entry was 141±30/86±19 mmHg, and upper arm circumference was 28±5 cm. Initially, the data from 33 participants were examined according to the 2002 version of the European Society of Hypertension (ESH) protocol. An additional 52 subjects were then enrolled to fulfill the requirements of the British Hypertension Society (BHS) protocol. In all participants, sequential same arm measurements were performed by two trained observers. ResultsThe device passed all three phases of the ESH protocol for SBP and DBP. For the BHS protocol the device was graded A for both SBP and DBP. The A/A grade was achieved in the low blood pressure category (<130/80 mmHg), the B/A grade in the medium category (130–160/80-100 mmHg) and the A/A grade in the high category (>160/100 mmHg). Mean blood pressure difference between device and observers in the first 33 subjects was −0.9±5.5 mmHg for SBP and −2.2±4.5 mmHg for DBP and in the 85 participants it was −1.2±6.5 mmHg and −2.3±5.1, respectively. ConclusionThese data show that the Microlife WatchBP Office ABI monitor satisfied the recommended ESH accuracy levels and achieved A/A grade of the BHS protocol across a wide range of BP.


Rab proteins constitute the largest family of small GTPases, which play pivotal roles in intracellular membrane trafficking in all eukaryotes. A number of Rab genes have been identified in eukaryotes; however, very little information about these genes has been reported in insects. In the current study, for the first time we identified and characterized 27 Rab family genes from Locusta migratoria. Phylogenetic analysis and comparison of domain architecture indicated that Rab family genes are highly conserved among insect species. Tissue‐dependent expression profiles indicated that expression of Rab genes was highest in the ovary, except for LmRab3, which was most highly expressed in hemolymph. The biological function of each Rab gene was investigated using RNA interference (RNAi). Double‐stranded RNA targeting each Rab gene was injected into the hemocoel of nymphs and revealed that suppression of two Rab genes (LmRab5 and LmRab11A) caused 100% mortality. In addition, nymphs injected with dsLmRab5 exhibited severe phenotypic defects in the gastric caeca and midgut, while dsLmRab11A arrested the molting process. We then applied the RNAi of RNAi technique to test if silencing either of these two genes would affect the suppression of the lethal giant larvae (LmLgl) reporter gene and found that suppression of LmRab5 diminished the RNAi efficiency of LmLgl, whereas suppression of LmRab11A enhanced RNAi efficiency of LmLgl. These results indicate that Rab genes contribute differently to RNAi efficiency in different tissues. Our study provides a foundation for further functional investigations of Rab genes and their contributions to RNAi efficiency in L. migratoria.


PURPOSE
To test prior published observations that patients with brown irides were more susceptible to the oculocardiac reflex.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS
466 adults and children underwent surgery on an extraocular muscle under general anesthesia without anticholinergic blockade. The first rectus muscle isolated was given a predetermined specific force pull during electrocardiograph monitoring. Iris color was retrieved from the deliberate clinical charting.

RESULTS
The occurrence of the oculocardiac reflex did not correlate with age, but did profoundly for the inferior rectus and least for the lateral rectus. Iris color did not influence the incidence of occurrence of moderate or severe oculocardiac reflex.

CONCLUSION
The prediction of oculocardiac reflex propensity remains elusive.


Prediction models based on different concepts have been proposed in recent years. The accuracy rates resulting from linear models such as exponential smoothing, linear regression (LR) and autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) are not high as they are poor in handling the nonlinear relationships among the data. Neural network models are considered to be better in handling such nonlinear relationships. Healthcare time series data such as Morbidity of Tuberculosis (MTB) consist of complex linear and nonlinear patterns and it may be difficult to obtain high prediction accuracy rates using only linear or neural network models. Hybrid models which combine both linear and neural network models can be used to obtain high prediction accuracy rates. In this paper, we propose an adaptive hybrid algorithm to achieve the best results for time series prediction in healthcare. We also make a comparison of the proposed model with other known models based on accuracy rates.


This study provides an examination of Indonesian corporate social and environmental disclosure in the Positive Accounting Theory (PAT) perspective. This study identified three key hypotheses such as management compensation hypothesis (bonus plan hypothesis), the debt hypothesis (debt/equity hypothesis), and the political cost hypothesis. The population of this study is about 1857companies (for five year period), yielded in a sample of 911 usable companies listed in Indonesia Stock Exchange. The social and environmental disclosure level is measured using combination of Clarson'Environmental Index (2007) and Sutantoputra' social index (2009). The regression analysis shows that corporate social and environmental in Indonesia is associated with: ROA, firm' size, and firm's earning management. Thus, the result support the bonus plan hypothesis and political cost hypothesis, conversely debt/equity hypothesis can not be support.


Stacie Pettyjohn is a Ph.D. candidate in the department of politics at the University of Virginia, and is currently working on her dissertation entitled "Talking with Terrorists: American Policy toward the ANC, PLO, Sinn Fein, and Hamas." Her dissertation examines United States policy toward nationalist terrorist organizations, and identifies when the U.S. will begin a public dialogue with a terrorist organization. She also explains the conditions under which a policy of engagement can help to transform nationalist terrorist organizations into legitimate political parties, and when it will encourage further violence.


This study considers the problem of controlling the patient blood gases with the objective of maintaining these blood gases in their physiological ranges during a stable extracorporeal circulation process. It focuses on regulating the arterial partial pressure of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Two distinct control design schemes are considered. The first scheme is based on ℋ2 performance and the second scheme is derived from an ℋ∞ criteria. By incorporating a general dynamic output-feedback controller, LMI-based characterisation of the controller design are established. Using typical case studies, simulation experiments are performed and the ensuing results are analysed and compared.


A focused small library of carbamates and alcohols was prepared employing stereospecific Kumada-ring opening reactions of tetrahydropyrans. The core framework of the library members is acyclic and incorporates 1,3-substituents, to provide a conformational bias in avoiding syn-pentane interactions. A new compound with micromolar activity against MOLT-4, CCRF-CEM, and HL-60(TB) leukemia cell lines was identified from this series.


Methods for categorizing certain subjects, based on belief structures, are an important aspect of modern society. In a related paper, we present a method for combining belief, attributable to diverse knowledge sources, in order to obtain a measure of group membership. The scope of group identity is much greater than digital security and affects other societal endeavors. In this paper, we are going to propose methods for propagating belief through a complex network of belief assessments. The methods are known as compatibility relations. The related paper is "Identity Analytics and Belief Structures," published in an earlier issue of the Journal of Business & Economics Research.


One of the strategies to cope with the competition in tourism industry in Indonesia is to implement a better professional certification system in order to have qualified human resources, especially in the era of ASEAN liberalism. The implication of Herzberg's theory is that values of certification, professionalism, job satisfaction, and service quality are strongly related with the context of this research. Several studies have found inconsistency in the relationship amongst variables and they need to be tested from different perspectives. This research investigated the relationship amongst values of certification, professionalism, job satisfaction and quality service in the tourism industry, and tested professionalism and job satisfaction as mediators. This research attempted to describe problems and solutions for a better implementation of certification specifically, and improve professionalism for quality tourist destinations in Indonesia. This study employed a Sequential Explanatory Design, an analysis based on quantitative method utilizing Structural Equation Modeling and a qualitative method using descriptive approach based on interviews. Using proportionate stratified random sampling, quantitative data were collected from 360 certified professionals. Qualitative data were collected from 16 selected informants. The findings of the relationship amongst variables provided different results whereby the supported hypotheses included the relationships of job satisfaction and service quality, and value of certification and professionalism. The unsupported hypotheses included the relationships of values of certification and job satisfaction, professionalism and job satisfaction, values of certification and service quality, and professionalism and service quality. In this research, professionalism and job satisfaction cannot function as mediators. The most common problems related to the implementation of certification include lack of motivational factors, lack of harmonization amongst stakeholders especially the industry, improper certification scheme and lack of enforcement of regulations and rules. This research contributes to the development of Herzberg's theory and the model conceptualization in the study of values of certification, professionalism, job satisfaction and service quality specifically for the tourism industry. Findings of this study are practical contributions for tourism stakeholders as they provide guidance for professionals, governments, tourist industry, professional associations and professional certification boards. In addition, the government needs to control the certification system and uphold regulations related to certification. Professionals are expected to improve their services in order to strengthen the quality of human resources. The industry needs to evaluate its role in providing significant values to professionals, and professional associations can strengthen their roles especially in improving standardized practices and competency standards in the tourism industry. Lastly, professional certification boards should be aware of these findings because there are directly related to the process of certification.


We use individual level data from eight waves of the China Health and Nutrition Survey during 1991–2011 to investigate age profiles of health expenditure for rural and urban residents in the People's Republic of China (PRC). Employing a two-part model, we find that health expenditure of rural residents is averagely 33% lower than that of urban residents and age–expenditure profile is much steeper in urban areas than in rural areas. However, there is no evidence that the health status of the rural elderly is better than that of the urban elderly. The findings imply that health spending of the rural elderly may increase more during the process of rural–urban integration. In addition, we find a significant difference in age–expenditure profiles across time. Compared with expenditure during 1991–2000, the estimated age-expenditure profile becomes steeper during 2004–2011 in both urban and rural areas.


Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging [3] (MRI) is a technique to create a three-dimensional image of a fetus [4]. Doctors often use MRIs to image a fetuses after an ultrasound [5] has detected an, or has been inconclusive about an, abnormality. In 1983 researchers in Scotland first used MRI to visualize a fetus [4]. MRIs showed a greater level of fetal detail than ultrasound [5] images, and researchers recognized the relevance of this technique as a means to gather information about fetal development and growth. Researchers later used the technology to take measurements of the uterus [6], placenta [7], amniotic fluid, and fetus [4] during the first trimester [8] of pregnancy [9]. MRI provided doctors with a non-invasive method to diagnose and treat fetal abnormalities and maternal conditions such as pre-eclampsia.


Understanding how acculturation and gender affect Hispanics' sexual behavior is needed to prevent infection with the human immunodeficiency virus. We examined differences in and correlates of condom use among 398 Hispanics and 540 non-Hispanic Whites in San Francisco who were part of a random probability sample of unmarried adults. Hispanic women reported fewer sexual partners than all other groups. Condom use was low in all groups, but Spanish-speaking Hispanic women reported lower condom use than White women. Hispanics, generally, had poorer attitudes toward condoms and were less likely than non-Hispanic Whites to believe they could avoid acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Hispanics need targeted prevention interventions.


&NA; The present study evaluated the properties of nails, frequency of ingrown nails in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM), risk factors for developing ingrown nails, and effect of diabetic polyneuropathy and vasculopathy on the development and outcome of ingrown nails. Our 6‐month epidemiologic prospective study included 300 patients with type 2 DM attending a DM outpatient clinic for routine examinations. The general characteristics and foot changes of the study population were investigated. Diabetic polyneuropathy and vasculopathy were evaluated using a biothesiometer, monofilament tests, and arterial Doppler ultrasonography. The frequency of ingrown nails was 13.6%. Multivariate analysis with logistic regression showed that body mass index (odds ratio [OR] 1.077, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.007 to 1.15; p = .03), previous trauma (OR 2.828, 95% CI 1.017 to 7,867, p = .042), a weak dorsalis pedis pulse (OR 2.72, 95% CI 1.17 to 6.30, p = .02), trimming type (OR 2.3, 95 CI 1.06 to 4.98), p = .35), onychogryphosis (OR 9.036, 95% CI 2.34 to 34.87, p = .001), and subungual hyperkeratosis (OR 4.3, 95% CI 1.99 to 9.3, p = .001) were predictive variables for ingrown nails in our population. The incidence of onychomycosis was significantly greater in patients with ingrown nails (p = .032) than in patients without ingrown nails. The nail curvature ratio was greater in the patients with ingrown nails than in the group with normal nails. Arterial Doppler ultrasound examinations showed peripheral arterial disease in 19 patients (46.9%) with ingrown nails. The prevalence of ingrown nails was greater in the patients with DM than in the healthy population. Our results indicate that nail type, nail morphology, and diabetic vasculopathy affect the formation and evolution of ingrown nails. &NA; Level of Clinical Evidence: 3


In May 2010, City of Coquitlam Council approved, in principle, a proposed cross-town bicycle route for implementation as part of its strategic goals of strengthening neighbourhoods and enhancing the sustainability of city services and infrastructure. The cross-town bicycle route (CTBR) is 17 km long and connects northeast Coquitlam to a multitude of destinations through southwest Coquitlam. Approximately 60 percent of the route is located on existing bicycle routes, with the remainder located on designated future routes or on low-volume local street. However, six sections were identified, primarily where the route has to cross major Arterials roads that required more analyses to address safety and improve the quality of the cyclists' experience. Challenges included: transitioning between multi-use paths and on-street facilities; having bike paths safely cross multi-lane arterials and on-ramps; providing guidance and facilities when an on-street route makes a 90 degree turn; reducing conflicts where multi-use paths cross intersections, particularly channelized right turn lanes; placement of bollards on multi-use paths. Insufficient guidance on some of these issues was provided in current standards, and practices were inconsistent even along the bike route itself. A Functional Plan was prepared to recommend bike facilities, pavement marking and signage plans, cost estimates and a technical brief summarizing the findings, with associated drawings. The plan was well received by cycling advocates and will be used to identify short term improvements, long-term improvements, modifications to standards and needed dedications with redevelopment. For the covering abstract of this conference see ITRD record number 201310RT334E.


Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission can be mitigated through a combination of preventive and proactive measures. In this review, we first highlight modes of SARS-CoV-2 transmission, quantitatively assess individual mitigation measures, and conclude with a qualitative comparison. We detail how the efficacy of specific face masks must be balanced with their availability, while for comparison, social distancing and good hygiene practices may not be as directly effective as respirators but are widely accessible methods not subject to limited supplies. Controlling environmental setting, testing, and contact tracing are highly effective mitigation practices, but typically require collective action versus the individual activity of the former strategies. Our qualitative comparative assessment of preventative mitigation factors (i.e., face mask usage, social distancing, hygiene, and choice of environment setting) and proactive mitigation measures (i.e., testing, and contact tracing) serves to inform communities on the effectiveness and feasibility of these strategies.


Bowling Green, Ky., Feb. 9, 1907. To the Editor: —As secretary of the Warren County Medical Society I am instructed to ask you about the preparations made by the Dios Chemical Company: Neurosine, Dioviburnia, etc. A very nice young physician, who is well-known here, is traveling for the house, and, when he was in Bowling Green, stated to our physicians that he was instructed that all of their preparations had been approved by the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry. As I do not find any of these preparations on the list furnished by the Council, I ask you for information on the subject, as our society has resolved to use only pharmaceuticals which have been approved by the Council. [Answer. —None of the Dios Chemical Company's preparations has been approved by the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry. About a year ago this firm sent out a circular to the effect


Formation of the scutes and dermis of the embryonic shell of the turtle Emydura macquarii was studied using light and electron microscopy. Shell morphogenesis begins at embryonic stage 15 and the shape of the shell is mostly completed by embryonic stage 19. The carapace anlagen arises as a thickening of the skin in the dorsal part of the mid-trunk region between the anterior and posterior limbs. This thickening extends ventro-laterally to form ridges at the margins of the carapace. Each ridge forms as a thick epidermal placode over a condensation of mesenchymal cells. The epidermis behind the advancing margins of the carapace is cuboidal or columnar but does not form placodes. The margins of the carapace expand rapidly in all directions. The plastron anlagen is derived from epidermal cells localised in the latero-ventral regions between the fore- and hind-limbs. Plastron placodes are present laterally, while the mid-ventral and central epidermis remains cuboidal or columnar but does not form placodes at embryonic stage 16. The plastron thickening rapidly moves from a latero-ventral position to a flat ventral position between embryonic stages 16 and 19. Dermal–epidermal anchoring complexes occur throughout placodes of both the carapace and plastron, but are rare in non-placode areas. The accumulation of a dense mesenchyme beneath the shell epidermis forms a dermal cushion that surrounds the body cavity. The superficial dermis close to the epidermis is made of mesenchymal fibroblasts at embryonic stage 19, although the inner-most areas contain bipolar fibroblasts and extracellular fibrils. Scutes with serrations at their borders form as invaginations of the epidermis into the dermis in the mid-dorsal areas of the embryo at embryonic stages 18–19. Dermal–epidermal anchoring complexes are located around the infoldings that form the scutes of the hinge region. The epidermis of the shell has 2–3 suprabasal cells at embryonic stages 19–22, and lacks keratinisation before embryonic stage 22 when it has 4–6 suprabasal layers with 2–3 external layers made of flat cells. The dermis thickens and has numerous collagen fibrils after embryonic stage 19. The formation of dermal bones begins at embryonic stage 18–19 in the plastron. Only small areas of the carapace near to the bridge have begun to form dermal bone at embryonic stage 19. Calcification begins at embryonic stage 19, but is still incomplete at embryonic stages 24–25.