A growing body of empirical evidence has consistently demonstrated that much publically and privately funded research is reported in a way that makes it difficult for the findings to be included in evidence syntheses or used by researchers, clinicians, policy makers, and the public. Poorly reported studies thus represent a significant waste of scarce resources. Reporting guidelines are one strategy that has been increasingly used as a method to improve the completeness or usability of primary and secondary research across a broad range of disciplines including psychology. We present a synopsis of two studies investigating the impact of the Transparent Reporting of Evaluation with Nonrandomised Designs statement and factors that affect authors' and journal editors' use of it and other reporting guidelines. We also make recommendations for future guideline development or revisions based on our experiences, provide details of resources for psychologists, and make suggestions for future research and recommendations for improving the transparency of reporting of psychological research.


Nowadays, the cross-layer design approach is an important concept in mobile ad-hoc networks which is adopted to solve several open issues. It aims to overcome MANET performance problems by allowing protocols belonging to different layers to cooperate and share network status information while still maintaining separated layers. Indeed, the mechanisms on how to access the radio channel are extremely important in order to guarantee QoS and improve application performance. In this work, we present a cross layer routing protocol called CLAE which is based on the cooperation between the on-demand AODV routing protocol and the new IEEE 802.11e MAC protocol (EDCA). This proposal aims to find the best path according to application requirements in terms of delay, bandwidth, route stability, etc. Without loss of generality, this paper focuses only on determining the path with the lowest delay. Each node periodically estimates the average transmission delay for each class of service defined by 802.11e. This information is injected into routing requests and replies crossing each node. The sender is then able to select the best path which fits its delay requirement. Furthermore, in order to overcome transient network characteristics due to new communications set up and mobility, we develop a new buffer management scheme for the audio class of service that aims to discriminate audio packets according to their tolerated end-to-end transfer delay and their current experienced delay. The simulation results demonstrate that our proposal improves the performance of delay-sensitive applications while maintaining a good packet delivery ratio of other traffics


A theoretical relation for estimating the frequency response of diaphragm pore pressure transducers is derived by considering the interaction between the diaphragm, porous cap, air, and pore fluid inside the transducer. Using this relation, the frequency response of a pore pressure transducer under several centrifuge modeling environments is studied. The results indicate that the viscous drag imposed by the porous cap on the pore fluid can significantly reduce the sensitivity of the transducer to high frequency pore pressure fluctuation. This may impair the accuracy of dynamic pore pressure measurements in high-g centrifuge modeling of dynamic events if viscosity scaling is used.


Selenium (Se) is a trace element that plays a crucial role in metabolism; a lack of selenium reduces the body's resistance and immunity, as well as causes other physiological problems. In this study, we aim to identify favorable conditions for improving organic selenium production. The functional microbe Monascus purpureus, which is widely used in food production, was employed to optimize selenium-enriched culture conditions, and its growth mode and selenium-enriched features were investigated. Spectrophotometry, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), and HPLC (High-Performance Liquid Chromatography) were used to determine the effects of various doses of sodium selenite on the selenium content, growth, and metabolism of M. purpureus, as well as the conversion rate of organic selenium. The best culture parameters for selenium-rich M. purpureus included 7.5 mg/100 mL of selenium content in the culture medium, a pH value of 6.8, a culture temperature of 30 °C, and a rotation speed of 180 rpm. Under ideal circumstances, the mycelia had a maximum selenium concentration of approximately 239.17 mg/kg, with organic selenium accounting for 93.45%, monacoline K production reaching 70.264 mg/L, and a secondary utilization rate of external selenium of 22.99%. This study revealed a novel biological route—selenium-rich M. purpureus fermentation—for converting inorganic selenium into organic selenium.


Summary Statement Description of an original in vitro protocol for assessing combined bacteria and cell competitive adherence on the surface of biomaterials of medical interest Objectives Biomaterial-related infections are a major clinical problem. The pathogenesis of this syndrome has been described as a competitive adherence between bacteria and human cells in the so-called "race for the surface" theory. The aim of this study is to develop an in vitro protocol method that can be used to investigate this competence and its implications in the development of materials aimed to be used in orthopedic surgery. Methods An in vitro study was performed using as a substrate a surface of chemically polished Ti6Al4V (CP) alloy ELI grade, according to the standard ASTM F136-02. For bacterial adhesion studies we used S. aureus 15981 and S. epidermidis ATCC 35984 strains. Bacteria were inoculated in tryptic soy broth with 5% CO2. After overnight culture, bacteria were centrifuged for 10 min at 3500g at 22°C. Supernatant was discarded and the pellet was washed × 3 with sterile PBS. Bacteria were then suspended and diluted in PBS to obtain a 10 8 CFU/mL concentration. Serial 1:10 dilutions were then made in order to obtain different bacterial concentrations (10 7 , 10 6, 10 5 , 10 4 , 10 3 CFU/mL). Osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells at of 100.000 cells/mL were mixed (1:1, v/v) with the different bacterial dilutions in a total volume of 2 ml of α-MEM. A bacterial control (1 mL of 10 8 CFU/mL of bacteria + 1 mL of PBS), a cellular control (1 mL of 100.000 cells/mL + 1 mL of PBS) and a negative control (2 mL of PBS) were also included. A total of 9 CP specimens were covered with the different dilutions tested, and incubated for 6 h at 37°C to allow adhesion in a static model. After incubation, samples were washed three times with PBS, and fixed to the CP surface with MicroFIX spray during 1 minute. After that, they were washed again with sterile water, stained for 2 min with acridine orange, and rinsed with sterile water. Eight photographs were made for each sample at 40 × magnification to study the bacterial adhesion, and at 20X magnification to study the cellular adhesion, by using an ultraviolet microscope. Results and Discussion Bacterial adhesion was observed in the specimens inoculated with 10 8 , 10 7 , 10 6 CFU/mL, but not at lower dilutions. Cellular adhesion was observed for all samples. Differences in the cellular morphology were observed when the bacterial concentration decrease, probably because bacterial adhesion has a negative influence in the cellular adhesion to the surface. This protocol can be useful for the evaluation of the bacterial and cellular adherence process on modified biomaterials. Conclusion These results demonstrate that bacteria cannot colonise cell-covered material at a certain breakpoint.


Suppressor mutations in Saccharomyces cerevisiae that block Ca(2+)-induced death of csg2 mutant cells were investigated. These mutants, called scs mutants (suppressor of Ca2+ sensitivity), fall into seven complementation groups (scs1-scs7). All mutant strains in two of the complementation groups (scs1 and scs2) simultaneously acquire a requirement for 10 mM Ca2+, whereas wild type grow with only trace amounts of Ca2+. SCS1 was cloned by complementation of its Ca(2+)-requiring phenotype and found to be homologous to a family of pyridoxal phosphate enzymes that catalyze acyltransfer reactions. Secondary phenotypes of the scs1 mutants indicate that SCS1 is required for serine palmitoyltransferase activity which catalyzes the first committed step in sphingolipid biosynthesis (palmitoyl-CoA + serine-->3-ketosphinganine+CoASH+CO2). Other scs mutants as well as the csg2 null mutant have altered sphingolipid metabolism. The data suggest that sphingolipid metabolism in yeast is either regulated by Ca2+ and/or is required for Ca2+ homeostasis.


Solving very-large-scale optimization problems frequently require to decompose them in smaller subproblems, which are iteratively solved to produce useful information. One such approach is the Lagrangian relaxation (LR), a general technique that leads to many different decomposition schemes. The LR produces a lower bound of the objective function and useful information for heuristics aimed at constructing feasible primal solutions. In this paper, we compare the main LR strategies used so far for stochastic hydrothermal unit commitment problems, where uncertainty mainly concerns water availability in reservoirs and demand (weather conditions). The problem is customarily modeled as a two-stage mixed-integer optimization problem. We compare different decomposition strategies (unit and scenario schemes) in terms of quality of produced lower bound and running time. The schemes are assessed with various hydrothermal systems, considering different configuration of power plants, in terms of capacity and number of units.


In 2015, Rutgers became only the second accredited law school in the United States to select the open-source integrated library system, Koha. The merger of two unique catalogs at Rutgers Law School has presented unique challenges with respect to migration mapping, data recall for large records, and relevancy ranking, all of which affect search results and usability of the Online Public Access Catalog. System migrations always result in some data being lost or incorrectly transferred. The hope is to minimize just how much data is compromised while fixing errors that might not have come to light but for the migration.


Background In stable coronary artery disease, medications are used for 2 purposes: cardiovascular risk reduction and symptom improvement. In clinical trials and clinical practice, medication use is often not optimal. The ORBITA (Objective Randomised Blinded Investigation With Optimal Medical Therapy of Angioplasty in Stable Angina) trial was the first placebo‐controlled trial of percutaneous coronary intervention. A key component of the ORBITA trial design was the inclusion of a medical optimization phase, aimed at ensuring that all patients were treated with guideline‐directed truly optimal medical therapy. In this study, we report the medical therapy that was achieved. Methods and Results After enrollment into the ORBITA trial, all 200 patients entered a 6‐week period of intensive medical therapy optimization, with initiation and uptitration of risk reduction and antianginal therapy. At the prerandomization stage, the median number of antianginals established was 3 (interquartile range, 2–4). A total of 195 patients (97.5%) reached the prespecified target of ≥2 antianginals; 136 (68.0%) did not stop any antianginals because of adverse effects, and the median number of antianginals stopped for adverse effects per patient was 0 (interquartile range, 0–1). Amlodipine and bisoprolol were well tolerated (stopped for adverse effects in 4/175 [2.3%] and 9/167 [5.4%], respectively). Ranolazine and ivabradine were also well tolerated (stopped for adverse effects in 1/20 [5.0%] and 1/18 [5.6%], respectively). Isosorbide mononitrate and nicorandil were stopped for adverse effects in 36 of 172 (20.9%) and 32 of 141 (22.7%) of patients, respectively. Statins were well tolerated and taken by 191 of 200 (95.5%) patients. Conclusions In the 12‐week ORBITA trial period, medical therapy was successfully optimized and well tolerated, with few drug adverse effects leading to therapy cessation. Truly optimal medical therapy can be achieved in clinical trials, and translating this into longer‐term clinical practice should be a focus of future study. Registration URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT02062593.


Bounded rational behaviour is commonly observed in experimental games and in real life situations. Neuroeconomics can help to understand the mental processing underlying bounded rationality and out-of-equilibrium behaviour. Here we report results from recent studies on the neural basis of limited steps of reasoning in a competitive setting —the beauty contest game. We use functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to study the neural correlates of human mental processes in strategic games. We apply a cognitive hierarchy model to classify subject's choices in the experimental game according to the degree of strategic reasoning so that we can identify the neural substrates of different levels of strategizing. We found a correlation between levels of strategic reasoning and activity in a neural network related to mentalizing, i.e. the ability to think about other's thoughts and mental states. Moreover, brain data showed how complex cognitive processes subserve the higher level of reasoning about others. We describe how a cognitive hierarchy model fits both behavioural and brain data.


Social StoriesTM have gained wide acceptance as an intervention for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) yet extant research provides only circumscribed empirical evidence in support of their efficacy. While it is claimed that Social Stories may be appropriate to children with significant levels of intellectual disability and basic language skills, limited research has been conducted with this group. This pilot study employed an ABC design using a Social Story intervention to target looking at a book during group reading time. The participant was a child with autistic disorder who had intellectual disability and limited language skills. The intervention was unsuccessful, highlighting the need to further investigate the role that both language skills and intellectual ability play in moderating response to the intervention.


Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) has been the object of intensive research by MR scientists and radiologists in recent years. This book, edited by three leading authorities in MRA development and applications, provides a background in the fundamentals of the technique and brings together early clinical experience, advancing MRA toward routing clinical use. The first section of the book is devoted to principles of MRA (physics, flow phenomena, artifacts, etc.). An excellent chapter on diffusion/perfusion imaging is included in this section. A seemingly misplaced chapter on development of MRA is present at the end of this section. The second major section of the book is devoted to clinical applications of MRA, principally neurovascular. A few chapters at the end of the book deal with body MRA, including an "atlas" of vascular anatomy of the body. Each chapter includes an extensive and current reference list. The detail presented on physical principles is probably excessive for the majority of neurologists and neurosurgeons. Very basic concepts are, however, easily extracted. Of greater interest to the neuroscience physician is the clinical applications section. Illustrative examples are numerous and there is abundant conventional angiographic correlation. The images are current and of excellent quality. Clinical applications and their current role are discussed, with a weighting in favour of MRA over other imaging techniques. Some of the imaging protocols discussed might prove impractical within the time constraints of a busy magnet. Overall, this volume is an excellent resource for physicians who are involved with MRA on a day-to-day basis. It will appeal mainly to MR radiologists, however, neuroscience physicians with an interest in cerebrovascular disease would certainly profit from review of selected chapters. Robert J. Sevick Calgary, Alberta


In reaction to a particularly scathing review of his Practice in Christianity, Kierkegaard postulated what he called a 'preacher-machine.' As we will see, the preacher-machine is only one type of character-machine, for, in Practice in Christianity, there are five other such machines. Starting up these character-machines will allow for an analysis of the repulsion of the God-man, Christ himself. This repulsion is important because Kierkegaard claims that it is the condition for the emergence of faith. After discussing repulsion, Kierkegaard will locate a singular mistake of Christendom, which will allow him to offer his remedy to this problem. In doing so, I will claim, Kierkegaard makes a particularly forceful claim about the true status of Christianity. We begin by attempting an articulation of a definition of monstrosity before setting the scene of these six machines.


MaxEnt, a commonly used approach of species distribution modelling, is widely used to predict plant invasion at the large spatial scale based on occurrence records and environmental variables. However, the number of occurrence records, number of environmental variables, and spatial scales have a large potential to affect the ability of MaxEnt to predict invasive plant distributions. In this study, we used the area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operator characteristics as an indicator of MaxEnt performance, and evaluated the effects of the number of occurrence records, number of environmental variables, and spatial scales on MaxEnt distribution modelling of invasive plants based on 1015 cases of invasive plants. Next, we suggested improvements for model performance. We found significant relationships between the AUC and the above-mentioned modelling parameters. Furthermore, we determined the relevant threshold values for the available MaxEnt models (i.e. AUC >0.7). We suggested using an appropriate number of occurrence records and environmental variables (e.g. >5) and covered cell sizes of 5.0 arc-min to model the distributions of invasive plants on the global scale. Our study provides practical references using MaxEnt to prevent and control plant invasion under global changes and contributes to the exploration of species distribution modelling mechanisms.


Our aim in this paper is to present a new type of the modular space. This space contains the classical modular space. There are some mappings that do not have contractive condition in the usual modular space but become contraction in this new space.


ABSTRACT Using a poststructuralist model, this article explores the lecture given by Ferenczi and published under the title "Confusion of Tongues between Adults and the Child—(The Language of Tenderness and Passion)." By initially focusing on the closed structure of the text, the author identifies two types of confusion of tongues that are closely interlinked: the confusion between adults and the child, and that between the analyst and the analysand. By then placing the manuscript within the corpus of Ferenczi, he connects it to the latter's multilingualism and pleads in favour of autobiographical determinants for psychoanalytic conceptualizations. This positioning of the text in its historical framework also enables it to be situated in the context of the metapsychological confusion of tongues between Freud and Ferenczi, and to delimit the influence of Ferenczi's ideas in psychoanalytic posterity.


Few reports have described avulsions of the medial or lateral heads, as well as bilateral avulsion of the origins of the gastrocnemius muscle in dogs and cats. The objective of this study was to describe the first report of avulsion of the origins of the lateral and medial gastrocnemius muscle in a cat (Felis catus), as well as the surgical reinsertion technique. A mixed breed queen at 10 years of age presented claudication of the right hind limb with plantigrade stance. Bilateral avulsion of the heads of the gastrocnemius muscle was diagnosed based on findings from clinical a examination. The reinsertion technique was performed with monofilament nylon thread in a modified Kessler suture anchored in a hole created in the distal metaphyseal portion of the femur, obtaining satisfactory recovery after a period of additional external immobilization followed by physical therapy.


This is an unusual, interesting and, across a broad spectrum of interests, useful book because it does actually look at real solutions to practical control engineering problems. This is contra-distinction to the normal control engineering text developing theory illustrated by some very contrived and comparatively simple problems. The declared common structure of each chapter is: treatment of a well-defined and motivated industrial control problem; outline of the control theory involved; discussion of alternative ways to deal with it; basic laboratory set-up to reproduce the scenario (sometimes just by simulation); experiments suggested to grasp the basic concepts of the problem; literature results obtained from the proposed set-up which may be useful as a guideline for local replications, and final comments and conclusions followed by an introductory bibliography. It can be said generally that the authors have made very reasonable attempts to conform to this pattern. This is surprising in view of the number of authors involved, some 29 in all. The downside to this is that, unsurprisingly, the narrative is a little uneven in places. There are some 17 chapters in all, each approaching a given topic e.g. Process Model Identification and Software Design for Real-time Systems. The treatment is not particularly mathematical, certainly well within the scope of anyone with even a moderate knowledge gained from an applied science course. The book will be particularly useful to those academics looking for project ideas at final-year and MSc level, but will also be useful for practitioners deciding whether to invest time in learning some new techniques - plenty of results from experiments are shown. The reference lists tend to be short but, happily, include some real classics such as the Ziegler-Nichols paper from 1943. For a control text book it is easy to read and appreciate what the problem under discussion is all about. This is hardly a definitive work but it is generally a very useful contribution to the literature. For other than the control mathematicians this is a text well-worth examining seriously.


An increasing amount of cities are invested in developing innovative policies to make the food system more sustainable. This article investigates whether combinations of governance practices can explain why some of these cities develop highly innovative food policies across multiple dimensions of the food system – such as health and waste – while others are only limited in their innovativeness. Therefore, we apply fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis to identify combinations of necessary and sufficient governance conditions to explain food system innovativeness across 26 European cities participating in the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact. Results show that the absence of specific practices, such as mapping local food initiatives, food-related government integration, developing integrated food strategies and monitoring and evaluation, prevents cities from being more innovative.


At the beginning of the 2010s, several Arab countries seemed about to follow the model of Turkey, with an electoral victory of Islamist parties in a context of democratization. A decade later, Turkish akp has turned authoritarian, and the Moroccan and Tunisian Islamist parties have lost both access to governmental office and a large part of their electoral appeal. In this context, lessons can be learned from the early failed democratic experience in Algeria (1989–1992), and from the evolution of its Islamist movements since then.
From these four case studies, the contributors of this issue investigate the notions of moderation and inclusion, and their interrelations. Their articles build on the current trends within literature by taking into account the variety of Islamist movements, and their incorporation within different national trajectories. These articles contribute to the academic discussion by bringing new facts and ideas regarding this topic of inclusion-moderation.


The equilibrium unfolding-refolding process of the elastase-alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor complex, induced by guanidinium chloride, was followed by spectroscopic methods. A reversible transition with a midpoint at 2.04 +/- 0.04 M guanidinium chloride was observed by fluorescence. This transition was attributed to elastase on the basis of circular dichroism and uv absorption difference data obtained for the covalent complex and for the free proteins. The conformational stability of elastase in the complex was analyzed considering the approximation of a two-state transition. The free energy of denaturation delta GH2O was 4.2 kcal.mol-1 for complexed elastase compared to 10.5 kcal.mol-1 for the free enzyme. Such a decrease in the stability of elastase suggests that, after forming the covalent complex with the inhibitor, the enzyme undergoes not only the expected local modifications of the active site, but also an extensive structural reorganization.


Two members of the herbaceous climbing plant family Basehlaceae have been reported in Colombia (1, 2). One these species, Boussingaultia baselloides H. B. K. (known as in-suhine)


We analytically characterize the effects of ownership and competition in the health care industry on quality provision, market coverage and optimal co-payment policy. A private monopoly selects a lower quality than a public supplier, and the socially optimal co-payment rate with a private monopoly exceeds that with a public monopoly. We establish that the optimal co-payment policy is invariant to the introduction of private competition. Thus, market coverage is invariant to the introduction of competition, whereas all consumers with a higher willingness to pay for quality are better off with competition.


The development of bimetals, or metallic composites, has in recent years been given increased attention. The motivation behind the development of bimetals is that, by combining two dissimilar metals it is possible to obtain an optimal combination of desired properties, while at the same time minimizing the restrictive properties of the metals involved. Aluminium and magnesium both have excellent material properties, but they also have the possibility of expanding their field of application by being combined as a bimetal. However, it is yet to be established a suitable manufacture method that can produce bulk metallic composites with fully integrated and void-free interfaces between the two materials. This thesis proposes screw extrusion as a possible solution for mass production of Al-AZ31 bimetallic composites. In the approach to evaluate this proposition, extrusion profiles with different Al-AZ31 compositions will be produced, and characterized.


Introduction: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a malignant form of bone marrow cancer commonly diagnosed in older adults. The age-adjusted incidence of AML in the USA is 4.3 per 100,000, with a median age of 68 years at diagnosis. Once diagnosed, treatment options include intensive chemotherapy to induce remission followed by post-remission therapies, including stem cell transplantation, repeated rounds of intensive chemotherapy to achieve durable disease control, or supportive care. Prognosis following relapse is poor with a median survival of 8-10 months. While previous studies have shown that much of this time following relapse is spent in an inpatient or outpatient setting, few studies have looked at the frequency and costs of this healthcare utilization. This study examined annual healthcare resource utilization and associated costs incurred in patients diagnosed with relapsed AML.
 Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted in the Premier Healthcare Database, a nationally representative, all-payer hospital administrative database containing more than 1 billion inpatient and hospital-based outpatient encounters. Using International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) codes for AML in relapse, the study identified adult patients during the period from January 1, 2016 to March 31, 2019. The date of the first encounter with a relapse diagnosis served as the index date. Patients were followed from index date to inpatient death, one year post-relapse, or end of study period (September 30, 2019). Unadjusted descriptive analyses were performed to describe patient demographics, hospital characteristics, and comorbid conditions, as well as outcomes of interest, including outpatient treatment days, inpatient and intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, and associated costs.
 Results: A total of 2,290 patients were identified for inclusion in the study. Mean age was 61.2 years (median 65.0 years) and 46.9% were female. Healthcare coverage was Medicare (51.2%), commercial insurance (29.1%), Medicaid (13.8%), or other (5.9%). Mean Charlson Comorbidity Index was 4.02 (SD 2.66) and common comorbidities were diabetes (31.0%), congestive heart failure (19.5%), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (19.0%). Patients' length of follow-up varied: < 90 days (49.4%), ≥ 180 days (32.8%), and ≥ 360 days (16.8%).
 During the 1-year follow-up period, patients were seen in the outpatient hospital treatment setting for a median of 7.0 (IQR 2-19) days. In addition to outpatient treatment, patients incurred a total of 1,798 inpatient hospitalizations (median 2.0 per patient, IQR 1-3), with a median length of stay (LOS) of 10.0 (IQR 6-19) days. Among hospitalized patients, 554 (30.8%) included an ICU admission with a median LOS of 3.0 (IQR 1-5) days per admission.
 Median cost per day for outpatient treatment was $1,039 (IQR $487-2,305) and patients incurred a median cost of $6,569 (IQR $1,872-23,542) in this setting. For hospitalizations, median cost of an inpatient stay was $21,592 (IQR $9,852-45,000). Cost of an ICU admission during a hospital stay was $13,348 (IQR $6,115-28,266). Hospital treatment costs incurred by this cohort of patients in the year following relapse totaled $169 million, of which 82% ($139 million) was attributable to the inpatient setting.
 Conclusions: After a relapse of AML, patients are commonly admitted to the hospital, oftentimes to the ICU, and incur substantial costs associated with treatment. These results suggest that cost savings could be realized with therapies that would forestall relapse and improve survival in patients with AML.

 Tabah: Bristol Myers Squibb: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Knoth:Bristol Myers Squibb: Current Employment. Huggar:FibroGen: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company; Bristol Myers Squibb: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company; Karyopharm Therapeutics: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Copher:Bristol Myers Squibb: Current Employment. Cao:Bristol Myers Squibb: Research Funding; Precision Xtract: Current Employment. Lipkin:Premier Inc.: Current Employment; Bristol Myers Squibb: Other: Premier Inc. received funding from BMS to conduct this research. Leblanc:UpToDate: Patents & Royalties: Royalties; Agios, AbbVie, and Bristol Myers Squibb/Celgene: Speakers Bureau; American Cancer Society, BMS, Duke University, NINR/NIH, Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Seattle Genetics: Research Funding; AbbVie, Agios, Amgen, AstraZeneca, CareVive, BMS/Celgene, Daiichi-Sankyo, Flatiron, Helsinn, Heron, Otsuka, Medtronic, Pfizer, Seattle Genetics, Welvie: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; AstraZeneca: Research Funding.


Thymic tumors. Thymic epithelial tumors are rare malignancies, that may be aggressive and difficult to treat, with variable prognosis. The histopathological classification distinguishes two major tumor types: thymomas and thymic carcinomas. Autoimmune manifestations are observed in nearly one third of patients at diagnosis; myasthenia gravis is the most common, followed by pure red cell aplasia and hypogammaglobulinemia. Assessing the resectability of the tumor represents the first stage of the therapeutic strategy, as complete resection is the most significant prognostic factor on patient survival. For unresectable thymic tumors, treatment is then based on induction chemotherapy followed by surgical resection or radiotherapy. Following a call of the French National Cancer Institute, a network of expert centers for the management of thymic malignancies started in in 2012: RYTHMIC.


This study examines the perceptions and engagement tendencies of 788 university students, as well as their relationship with psychological distress, with respect to an on-campus ecological wetland. The students' awareness, understanding, perceived importance, satisfaction level, and engagement tendency towards the ecological wetland were evaluated using a structured questionnaire. The psychological symptoms were assessed using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem and depression, anxiety, and stress scales, and the predictors of psychological distress were determined. The majority of the students were actively engaged (62.3%), aware (88.3%), and satisfied (51.0%) with the ecological wetland. Gender, age, educational attainment, engagement, perceived importance, and satisfaction level towards the ecological wetland were the predictors of psychological distress. The results outlined the environmental and mental restorative values of the ecological wetland in mediating psychological distress among the university students. These findings shed light on the necessity of preserving the sustainability and integrity of the on-campus ecological wetland. Longitudinal investigations to explore the restorative values of built environments and psychological wellbeing among high-risk populations are warranted.


One of the major operators of Bacterial Foraging Optimization Algorithm (BFOA) is the reproduction phenomenon of virtual bacteria each of which models one trial solution of the optimization problem. During reproduction, the least healthier bacteria (with a lower accumulated value of the objective function in one chemotactic lifetime) die and the other healthier bacteria each split into two, which then starts exploring the search place from the same location. Thus the population size is maintained constant in BFOA. In this paper we try to model the reproduction dynamics and then analyzed the stability of the reproductive system very near to equilibrium. We also find the relative positions of two bacteria for which a stable reproduction event can take place in a one dimensional fitness landscape.


The need for pressure ulcer risk assessment has been acknowledged in adult nursing for many years. However, in paediatrics there is a misconception that children do not develop pressure ulcers (Mills, 1998). This misconception has been challenged in recent years with a growing awareness that children have specific risk factors that predispose their skin to pressure damage (Willock et al, 2000; Mills, 1998; Waterlow, 1998, 1997; Jones, 1997; Pickersgill, 1997; Zollo et al, 1996; Bedi, 1993).


Five-year survival cumulative results have been used to assess the efficacy of treatment for locally extended carcinoma of the urinary bladder using different methods: radiation + resection of bladder + chemotherapy; radiation + cystectomy with ureterosigmoanastomosis+chemotherapy; radiation + cystectomy with ureterocutaneostomy + chemotherapy; chemoradiation treatment. In the group of patients with tumors T2(m)NoxMo, the best cumulative results for survival (65 and 70%) were obtained in cases of organ-saving surgery. In tumor T3a, bNox(+, -)Mo group, the best results for survival (31.3%) were registered in patients who had undergone cystectomy. Five-year survival level was not attained in patients with tumors T4a, bNox, IMo, which makes the case for chemoradiation treatment application.


This paper reports on a case study that explores women's access to land, especially among peasant households with a bilateral kinship system in a Sundanese community in an upland village of West Java. Based on values of equity in gender, locally called sanak, the parents treat their sons and daughters equally as children and tend to allocate their land based on the customary law. This law supports gender equality in land ownership, which falls into three categories applicable both for paddy field (sawah) and dry land (pasir). The three categories of land ownership are (a) land solely owned by the husband, (b) land solely owned by the wife, and (c) land with joint ownership (locally called gono-gini). Of the total ha of the land belonging to households studied, about is in gono-gini, while the percentage owned solely by the husband is and solely by the wife is . Of the households owning land, about of them obtained the land either through inheritance, grant or by purchasing after their marriage. The facts show that the owners of the household's land are predominantly women, reaching compared to only owned by men. The gender equality in land ownership is also evident in the inheritance system that passes through both male and female lines. Based on cases (households), the total land obtained from the mother is ha ( ), while that obtained from the father is ha ( ) and that from both parents is ha ( ). Both women and men, including widows/widowers, have control over their land, not only over their inherited/granted/purchased land, but also over to other land that is used in sharecropping, rented and mortgaged. This phenomenon has been recognized by the community and by the external authority at the village level as documented in the Letter C.


The correlation between O- and X-mode reflectometer signals is studied with a one- and two-dimensional reflectometer model in order to explore its feasibilities as a q-profile diagnostic. It was found that two-dimensional effects and finite fluctuation levels both decrease the O-X correlation. At very low fluctuation levels, which are usually present in the plasma core, there is a good possibility of determining the local magnetic field strength and use that as a constraint for the equilibrium reconstruction.


Poxviruses and Alphaviruses constitute two promising viral vectors that have been used extensively as expression systems, or as vehicles for vaccine purposes. Poxviruses, like vaccinia virus (VV) are well-established vaccine vectors having large insertion capacity, excellent stability, and ease of administration. In turn, replicons derived from Alphaviruses like Semliki Forest virus (SFV) are potent protein expression and immunization vectors but stocks are difficult to produce and maintain. In an attempt to demonstrate the use of a Poxvirus as a means for the delivery of small vaccine vectors, we have constructed and characterized VV/SFV hybrid vectors. A SFV replicon cDNA was inserted in the VV genome and placed under the control of a VV early promoter. The replicon, transcribed from the VV genome as an early transcript, was functional, and thus capable of initiating its own replication and transcription. Further, we constructed a VV recombinant additionally expressing the SFV structural proteins under the control of a vaccinia synthetic early/late promoter. Infection with this recombinant produced concurrent transcription of the replicon and expression of SFV structural proteins, and led to the generation of replicon-containing SFV particles that were released to the medium and were able to infect additional cells. This combined VV/SFV system in a single virus allows the use of VV as a SFV delivery vehicle in vivo. The combination of two vectors, and the possibility of generating in vivo single-cycle, replicon containing alphavirus particles, may open new strategies in vaccine development or in the design of oncolytic viruses.


Maturity onset diabetes of the young (MODY) is a rare cause of diabetes. Most clinical information required to diagnose MODY is difficult to extract from Electronic Health Records (EHR) due to the lack of specific billing code and diagnoses found only in clinical notes. Natural language processing (NLP) can be used to extract information from clinical text and assign labels. In this study, we designed NLP algorithms to scan clinical notes, characterize structured information, and confirmed classification with chart review to develop a reusable process to identify MODY patients in EHR.A de-identified version of the EHR from a large academic medical center was used. We built NLP algorithms to identify notes that mention MODY or MODY 14 genes. We further characterized the relevant mention with context labels), then reviewed charts to confirm MODY cases. We implemented published electronic phenotype algorithms for type 1 diabetes (T1D) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) to identify alternative diagnoses and characterize overlap. Finally, we extracted structured clinical features related to diabetes including frequency of billing codes, outpatient diabetes prescriptions, and laboratory values (A1C, c-peptide, antibody).The total number of notes identified with NLP was 6240 belonging to 959 unique subjects. The notes including negation, affirmation, possible, and family FH were 799, 3407, 1408, and 372 and subjects were 122, 354, and 181, respectively. The MODY count confirmed with review was 354.In MODY cohort, 66% of MODY subjects had T1D codes, 59% had T2D codes, 45% had both T1D and T2D codes, and 20% had no diabetes codes. The number of subjects identified using published algorithms that overlapped the MODY cohort was 26 subjects for T2D and 6 subjects for T1D. On average, MODY subjects had more T1D codes compared to T2D diabetes (59.8 vs. 35.3). The mean A1C of MODY subjects was 7.7 which was lower than for algorithm defined T1D, 8.2. They received lower insulin treatment compared to non-insulin treatment, on average. Disclosure L. Sulieman: None. A. Ramirez: None.


To assess i) whether there is an independent association between HIV-prevalence and settlement types (urban formal, urban informal, rural formal, rural informal), and, ii) whether this changes over time, in South Africa. We draw on four (2002; 2005; 2008; 2012) cross-sectional South African household surveys. Data is analysed by sex (male/female), and for women by age categories (15–49; and 15–24; 25–49) at all-time points, for men in 2012 data is analysed by age categories (15–24; 25–49). By settlement type and sex/age combinations, we descriptively assess the association between socio-demographic and HIV-risk factors; HIV-prevalence; and trends in HIV-prevalence by time. Relative risk ratios assess unadjusted and adjusted risk for HIV-prevalence by settlement type. All estimates are weighted, and account for survey design. In all survey years, and combinations of sex/age categorisations, HIV-prevalence is highest in urban informal settlements. For men (15–49) an increasing HIV-prevalence over time in rural informal settlements was seen (p = 0.001). For women (15–49) HIV-prevalence increases over time for urban informal, rural informal, rural formal, and women (15–24) decreases in urban formal and urban informal, and women (25–49) increases urban informal and rural informal settlements. In analyses adjusting for potential socio-demographic and risk factors, compared to urban formal settlements, urban informal settlements had consistently higher relative risk of HIV for women, in all age categorisations, for instance in 2012 this was RR1.89 (1.50, 2.40) for all women (15–49), for 15–24 (RR1.79, 1.17–2.73), and women 25–49 (RR1.91, 1.47–2.48). For men, in the overall age categorization, urban informal settlements had a higher relative risk for HIV in all years. In 2012, when this was disaggregated by age, for men 15–24 rural informal (IRR2.69, 1.28–5.67), and rural formal (RR3.59, 1.49–8.64), and for men 25–49 it was urban informal settlements with the highest (RR1.68, 1.11–2.54). In 2012, rural informal settlements also had higher adjusted relative risk for HIV-prevalence for men (15–49) and women (15–49; 15–24; 25–49). In South Africa, HIV-prevalence is patterned geographically, with urban informal settlements having a particularly high burden. Geographical targeting of responses is critical for the HIV-response.


PURPOSE The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the fitting accuracy of single crowns made from a novel presintered Co-Cr alloy prepared with a computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technique, as compared with crowns manufactured by other digital and the conventional casting technique. Additionally, the influence of oxide layer on the fitting accuracy of specimens was tested. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 40 test specimens made from Co-Cr alloy were investigated according to the fitting accuracy using a replica technique. Four different methods processing different materials were used for the manufacture of the crown copings (milling of presintered (Ceramill Sintron-group_cer_sin) or rigid alloy (Tizian NEM-group_ti_nem), selective laser melting (Ceramill NPL-group_cer_npl), and casting (Girobond NB-group_gir_nb)). The specimens were adapted to a resin model and the outer surfaces were airborne-particle abraded with aluminum oxide. After the veneering process, the fitting accuracy (absolute marginal discrepancy and internal gap) was evaluated by the replica technique in 2 steps, before removing the oxide layer from the intaglio surface of the crowns, and after removing the layer with aluminum oxide airborne-particle abrasion. Statistical analysis was performed by multifactorial analysis of variance (ANOVA) (α=.05). RESULTS Mean absolute marginal discrepancy ranged between 20 µm (group_cer_npl for specimens of Ceramill NPL) and 43 µm (group_cer_sin for crowns of Ceramill Sintron) with the oxide layer and between 19 µm and 28 µm without the oxide layer. The internal gap varied between 33 µm (group_ti_nem for test samples of Tizian NEM) and 75 µm (group_gir_nb for the base material Girobond NB) with the oxide layer and between 30 µm and 76 µm without the oxide layer. The absolute marginal discrepancy and the internal gap were significantly influenced by the fabrication method used (P<.05). CONCLUSION Different manufacturing techniques had a significant influence on the fitting accuracy of single crowns made from Co-Cr alloys. However, all tested crowns showed a clinically acceptable absolute marginal discrepancy and internal gap with and without oxide layer and could be recommended under clinical considerations. Especially, the new system Ceramill Sintron showed acceptable values of fitting accuracy so it can be suggested in routine clinical work.


ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized by flame spray pyrolysis (FSP) using zinc naphthenate as a precursor dissolved in toluene/acetonitrile (80/20 vol%). The particle properties were analyzed by XRD, BET, and HR-TEM. The sensing films were produced by mixing the particles into an organic paste composed of terpineol and ethyl cellulose as the vehicle binder and were fabricated by doctor-blade technique with various thicknesses (5, 10, 15 mum). The morphology of the sensing films was analyzed by SEM analysis. The gas sensing characteristics to ethanol (25-250 ppm) were evaluated as a function of film thickness at 400degC in dry air. The relationship between thickness and ethanol sensing characteristics of ZnO thick film on Al2O3 substrate interdigitated with An electrodes were investigated. The effects of film thickness, as well as the cracking phenomenon, though, many cracks were observed for thicker sensing films. Cracks increased with increasing film thickness because large grains or crack gaps caused the decreasing in the surface area, connectivity of films and deteriorating film properties of the electronic materials. The sensing characteristics with various thicknesses were compared, showing the tendency of the sensitivity to ethanol decreased with increasing a film thickness and a response time. The relationship between gas sensing properties and film thickness was discussed on the basis of diffusively and reactivity of the gases inside the oxide films. The sensing film of 5 mum thick showed the highest sensitivity and the fastest response time (within seconds).


Tardive dyskinesia (TD) is an iatrogenic syndrome caused by long-term treatment with neuroleptics and is characterized by abnormal involuntary movements in the orofacial region, lingual dyskinesia and in some cases dyskinesia also in the extremities, head and trunk. In the present study we found 20% TD in chronic-neuroleptic-treated patients with a significantly greater prevalence in females (27% of the total population), and a higher frequency in older patients. In males, patients who received electroconvulsive therapy had a significantly lower prevalence of TD. 23 patients had seizures; 7 of these suffered from TD, all of them female.


Conductive charging of plug-in and battery electric vehicles (PEV's) is now well established and becoming more pervasive in the market. Conductive charger regulation of vehicle regenerative energy storage system (RESS), or battery pack charge rate is controlled by the dedicated on-board-charger (OBC) in coordination with the vehicles battery management system (BMS). Wireless Power Transfer (WPT) charging of PEV's is a relatively new and emerging technology that will not benefit from standardization work until 2014 or later. As such, various approaches are currently underway to manage the power flow from the grid-tied high frequency power inverter to the vehicle RESS. WPT regulation approaches can be secondary side only, primary side only or a combination of both. In this paper Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) envisions a system that is fast charge compatible and that minimizes the vehicle on board complexity by placing the burden of power regulation on the grid side converter. This paper summarizes the ORNL approach and experimental lessons learned at the National Transportation Research Center WPT laboratory1.


The Granger causality test is essential for detecting lead–lag relationships between time series. Traditionally, one uses a linear version of the test, essentially based on a linear time series regression, itself being based on autocorrelations and cross-correlations of the series. In the present paper, we employ a local Gaussian approach in an empirical investigation of lead–lag and causality relations. The study is carried out for monthly recorded financial indices for ten countries in Europe, North America, Asia and Australia. The local Gaussian approach makes it possible to examine lead–lag relations locally and separately in the tails and in the center of the return distributions of the series. It is shown that this results in a new and much more detailed picture of these relationships. Typically, the dependence is much stronger in the tails than in the center of the return distributions. It is shown that the ensuing nonlinear Granger causality tests may detect causality where traditional linear tests fail.


Alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) is a tridecapeptide found mainly in the brain, pituitary, and circulation. It inhibits most forms of inflammation by a mechanism that is not known. As most types of inflammation require activation of NF-kappa B, we investigated the effect of alpha-MSH on the activation of this transcription factor by a wide variety of inflammatory stimuli. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay showed that alpha-MSH completely abolished TNF-mediated NF-kappa B activation in a dose- and time-dependent manner. It also suppressed NF-kappa B activation induced by LPS, okadaic acid, and ceramide. The effect was specific, as the activation of the transcription factor activating protein-1 by TNF was unaffected. Western blot analysis revealed that TNF-dependent degradation of the inhibitory subunit of NF-kappa B, I kappa B alpha, and nuclear translocation of the p65 subunit of NF-kappa B were also inhibited. This correlated with suppression of NF-kappa B-dependent reporter gene expression induced by TNF. The inhibitory effect of alpha-MSH appeared to be mediated through generation of cAMP, as inhibitors of adenylate cyclase and of protein kinase A reversed its inhibitory effect. Similarly, addition of membrane-permeable dibutyryl cAMP, like alpha-MSH, suppressed TNF-induced NF-kappa B activation. Overall, our results suggest that alpha-MSH suppresses NF-kappa B activated by various inflammatory agents and that this mechanism probably contributes to its anti-inflammatory effects.


A novel method of surgical treatment of exudative otitis media with YAG-Nd laser for shunting of the tympanic cavity has been introduced in therapy of 75 patients. Long-term outcomes of the above treatment characterize it as effective and safe in exudative otitis media.


Solarization caused by aging of the borosilicate glass filters used for xenon arc lamps has a very large effect on the short wavelength ultraviolet radiation emitted by the lamps, even with strict control of irradiance. If irradiance is precisely controlled at a constant mid UV wavelength, filter aging causes significant reductions in short wavelength UV and increases in long wavelength UV and visible light intensities. If irradiance is controlled in a broad band which includes long wavelength UV, filter aging will cause changes in short wavelength UV, even when the broad band irradiance is kept constant. Differences in short wavelength UV transmission between different lots of the same type of filter can cause very large changes in short wavelength UV emission of the lamp when aged filters are replaced. The differences in UV transmission between different lots of glass persist even after aging. Changes in the spectral power distribution of the xenon lamp caused by filter aging can have a significant effect on the rate of polymer or product degradation and may be a major cause of the variability in results between different devices running identical test cycles. Changes in xenon lamp spectral irradiance caused by aging of the xenon burner are much smaller than the changes caused by filter aging. Xenon burners used in high irradiance cycles may show larger losses of short wavelength UV emmissions than burners used in cycles controlled to produce lower irradiance.


We propose a new method for indexing large image databases. The method incorporates neural network learning algorithms and pattern recognition techniques to construct an image pattern dictionary. Image retrieval is then formulated as a process of dictionary search to compute the best matching codeword, which in turn indexes into the database items. Experimental results are presented.


This study aims to influence attitudes, education and social environment on entrepreneurial intentions. The population in this study was class XII students of SMK PL Accounting & Finance Institution 1 and XII Office Automation & Governance 1 taken from the number of students of SMK PL Tarcisius 1 Semarang in the 2019/2020 academic year totaling 170 people and saturated samples were taken. Data were collected by questionnaire. Data were analyzed by descriptive analysis and multiple linear regression analysis. The results showed that (1) attitudes, education, and social environment had a simultaneous effect on entrepreneurial intentions, (2) attitudes had a positive effect on entrepreneurial intentions, (3) education had a positive effect on entrepreneurial intentions, and (4) the social environment had a positive effect on entrepreneurial intention


Contents Foreword * Preface * Individual Rights and the Human Good in Hospice* Issues of Access in a Diverse Society * Will Assisted Suicide Kill Hospice? * Ethical Issues in Pain Management * Focus on the Nurse: Ethical Dilemmas with Highly Symptomatic Patients Dying at Home * Legal Requirements for Confidentiality in Hospice Care * The Role of the Physician in Hospice * The Role of Ethics Committees in Hospice Programs * Growth in Caring and Professional Ethics in Hospice * Hospice Organizations' Role in Health Care Improvement * Hospice and Managed Care * The Future of Hospice in a Reformed American Health Care System: What Are the Real Questions? * Reference Notes Included


BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE
Quality control is of special importance in head and neck oncology since the quality of medical care constitutes a vital parameter for the diseased patient. In contrast to other medical specialties, no quality assurance program for head and neck cancer patients has yet been established in Germany. Therefore, a survey was conducted to assess the quality assurance instruments that are in use today in otorhinolaryngology-head and neck (ORL-HNS) centers.

PATIENTS AND METHODS
In a nationwide survey, questionnaires were sent out to 146 German ORL-HNS departments (the return rate was 75%).

RESULTS
56% of all departments apply dedicated quality assurance processes, and 38% have appointed a formal quality assurance officer. Interdisciplinary oncological conferences are held in the vast majority of all departments with the participation of radiation oncologists in 86 (78%), medical oncologists in 84 (76%), diagnostic radiologists in 82 (74%), and pathologists in 73 (66%). Morbidity-mortality conferences are held in seven departments (6%). A standardized follow-up of oncological patients is carried out in 95 units (86%), and 53 departments use computer-assisted data bases to organize their follow-up data (48%). A wide variety of documentation systems is in use throughout the country: 78 units (71%) offer formal follow-up to their oncological patients.

CONCLUSIONS
This survey documents a wide-spread interest in quality assurance procedures. Many individual efforts are being undertaken. However, no uniform quality assurance or auditing system is currently in use in Germany nor is a commonly accepted data base available. The ability to offer oncological follow-up within the national social security system is generally considered indispensable for the maintenance of high-quality oncological care in ORL-HNS departments.


We implemented a space-time equalizer using two sets of single-constrained sample matrix inversion array processors and a maximum-likelihood sequence estimator by using digital signal processors and field-programmable gate arrays. One of the array processors constrains the direct path, sends the one-symbol-delayed path component to the array output, and suppresses the paths with longer delays. The other array processor constrains the one-symbol-delayed path, sends the direct path component to the array output, and also suppresses the paths with longer delays. The desired paths, thus, extracted, whose signal-to-interference-plus-noise-ratios are improved in both path-diversity branches, are then combined by using a branch-metric-combining Viterbi equalizer. We implemented a receiver equipped with this equalizer and evaluated its bit-error rate performance by using a channel emulator. Experimental results indicate that the space-time equalizer provides both space diversity gains and path diversity gains while suppressing signals on paths with long delays.


Spade methods to visually evaluate soil structural quality (Sq) are simple, quick, cheap and can be used by farmers, gardeners, consultants and the scientific community. However, European and Brazilian users of one such method, viz. visual evaluation of soil structure (VESS) which is a development of the Peerlkamp test, have been concerned about its subjectivity. The method of soil slice break‐up and operator influence on scores have been questioned. Thus, our aim was to make soil scoring by the VESS technique more objective and thus to revise the scoring guide. We compared scoring with normal breaking up of the soil slice by hand with scoring after breaking up the slice by dropping (drop shatter) to make the soil break‐up more operator independent. After slice break‐up, aggregates were split by hand and their internal porosity was evaluated to develop the use of visible porosity as an aid to scoring. This proved inconclusive on its own, so a method of reducing larger aggregates to 1.5–2.0 cm core fragments and describing their shape and porosity was developed to score soil Sq. Breaking up a spadeful of soil by hand or by dropping resulted in the same Sq score. The method of reducing aggregates and evaluation of their shape improved VESS, particularly in the middle range of soil quality and the revised chart is shown. VESS was sensitive to changes in Sq in layers within the profile and its use for diagnosing Sq in different layers allows targeted soil improvement by tillage.


Resin composites are widely used in dentistry, and are polymerized in situ using a blue-light activated, free-radical polymerization mechanism. Blue light (400-500nm) is used to activate camphoroquinone (CQ), which decomposes to form free radicals that are stabilized by dimethyl-p-toludine (DMPT). CQ and DMPT are applied near tooth pulpal tissues and are irradiated during restorative procedures, suggesting that pulpal cells are exposed to free radicals. Because glutathione is a major component of the cellular redox management system, we tested the hypothesis that blue light irradiation would shift cellular glutathione redox balance of cells exposed to CQ and DMPT. We also measured NFkappaB activation, a redox-sensitive transcription factor that regulates inflammatory responses and glutathione synthetic enzyme levels. THP1 human monocytes were exposed to sublethal levels of CQ (0.4 mM) or DMPT (1.0 mM), with or without blue light exposure (25 J/cm(2)) from a quartz-tungsten-halogen source. The ratio of reduced to oxidized glutathione was measured using as assay based on 5,5'-dithio-bis(2-nitrobenszoic acid). NFkappaB transactivation was measured by transfection of an NFkappaB-containing plasmid linked to a luciferase reporter. Our results showed that blue light, CQ, or DMPT alone had no significant effect on cellular glutathione redox balance, but that the combination of these agents induced a marked oxidative bias, and reduced total glutathione levels up to 50%. On the other hand, light, CQ, and DMPT alone or in combination suppressed NFkappaB transactivation by >70%. Our results suggest that CQ and DMPT pose risks to pulpal tissues with or without blue light irradiation, and that multiple, interacting mechanisms shape the response to these agents.


This thesis is divided in two parts. The first presents an overview of known results in statistical mechanics of disordered systems and its approach to random combinatorial optimization problems. The second part is a discussion of two original results.
The first result concerns DPLL heuristics for random k-XORSAT, which is equivalent to the diluted Ising p-spin model. It is well known that DPLL is unable to find the ground states in the clustered phase of the problem, i.e. that it leads to contradictions with probability 1. However, no solid argument supports this is general. A class of heuristics, which includes the well known UC and GUC, is introduced and studied. It is shown that any heuristic in this class must fail if the clause to variable ratio is larger than some constant, which depends on the heuristic but is always smaller than the clustering threshold.
The second result concerns the properties of random k-SAT at large clause to variable ratios. In this regime, it is well known that the uniform distribution of random instances is dominated by unsatisfiable instances. A general technique (based on the Replica method) to restrict the distribution to satisfiable instances with uniform weight is introduced, and is used to characterize their solutions. It is found that in the limit of large clause to variable ratios, the uniform distribution of satisfiable random k-SAT formulas is asymptotically equal to the much studied Planted distribution.
Both results are already published and available as arXiv:0709.0367 and arXiv:cs/0609101 . A more detailed and self-contained derivation is presented here.


Th is paper is based on a case study of an entrepreneurial start-up fi rm design- ing its growth and exit strategy. Th e paper discusses the wealth creation challenge a company faces once it has successfully opened shop. Specifi cally, the paper describes an entrepreneur's analysis of advantages and disadvantages of diff erent growth models: organic, franchise, ac- quisition; it also discusses how to prioritize growth opportunities. Additionally, the paper analyses the application of fi nancial modelling and valuation methods to entrepreneurial businesses. Finally, the authors explore issues and options the entrepreneur could consider when designing an exit strategy.


We chose Cr and Ta metals as new absorbing materials for extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) reflection masks. The transmittances of EUV light for these metals were calculated to be nearly equal to those for W metal at the wavelength of 13.5 nm. Reflection masks were successfully fabricated from Ta metal films by dry-etching and from Cr metal films by the lift-off technique. The mask contrast was measured using an EUV reflectometer system with a synchrotron radiation source. For the Cr absorber mask, measured peak reflectivities at the reflecting and the absorbing part of the processed patterns were 59% and 4.9%, respectively, and the contrast was about 12. The peak reflectivities at the reflecting and absorbing parts of the processed patterns for the Ta absorber mask were 50% and 0.48%, respectively, and the contrast was about 105. The masks, prepared about one year before the reflectivity measurements and stored in air, exhibited no significant degradation of reflectivity or surface quality. However, a 4% reduction in reflectivity was observed after two years' storage in air, even though the top layer of the Mo/Si multilayer for the masks was Si, which has been reported to prevent oxidation.


As miniaturized solutions, mid-infrared (MIR) waveguide sensors are promising for label-free compositional detection of mixtures leveraging plentiful absorption fingerprints. However, the quantitative analysis of liquid mixtures is still challenging using MIR waveguide sensors, as the absorption spectrum overlaps for multiple organic components accompanied by strong water absorption background. Here, we present an artificial-intelligence-enhanced metamaterial waveguide sensing platform (AIMWSP) for aqueous mixture analysis in the MIR. With the sensitivity-improved metamaterial waveguide and assistance of machine learning, the MIR absorption spectra of a ternary mixture in water can be successfully distinguished and decomposed to single-component spectra for predicting concentration. A classification accuracy of 98.88% for 64 mixing ratios and 92.86% for four concentrations below the limit of detection (972 ppm, based on 3σ) with steps of 300 ppm are realized. Besides, the mixture concentration prediction with root-mean-squared error varying from 0.107 vol % to 1.436 vol % is also achieved. Our work indicates the potential of further extending this sensing platform to MIR spectrometer-on-chip aiming for the data analytics of multiple organic components in aqueous environments.


Background Lumbar disc herniation (LDH) is a common disease in clinical practice. The symptoms recur and are aggravated by time; severe pain and long-term movement disorder cause physiological and psychological problems that affect the quality of life of patients. Therefore, relieving the pain symptoms and promoting functional recovery are the primary goals that have gained increased attention. Objective To assess the efficacy of CT-guided transforaminal epidural steroid injection (TFESI) combined with pulsed radio frequency (PRF) on spinal nerve root for the treatment of LDH. Study design Retrospective comparative study. Setting Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University. Methods A total of 135 patients with LDH were selected from the Department of Pain Management in the Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University between January 2014 and December 2016. All patients were divided into three groups according to the order of entry (n=45): TFESI (group A); PRF on spinal nerve root (group B); and TFESI combined with PRF on spinal nerve root (group C). The visual analog scale (VAS), Oswestry disability index (ODI), and global perceived effect (GPE) before treatment and at different time points after treatment were observed, and patients' satisfaction was assessed. Results At every point of observation, the VAS and ODI decreased significantly as compared to that before treatment in all groups (P<0.05). The VAS and ODI in group A at 3 and 6 months after treatment were significantly higher than that in the other two groups (P<0.05). At day 1, day 14, and 1 month after treatment, the VAS and ODI in group C were significantly lower than that in group B (P<0.05). The GPE in group C was high in the early days, while that at day 14 and 1 month after treatment was significantly higher than that in the other two groups (P<0.05); no significant difference was observed in GPE at 3 and 6 months after treatment between groups B and C (P>0.05). Conclusion TFESI combined with PRF for the treatment of LDH could effectively and rapidly relieve lumbago and radicular pain and achieve long-term remission. Although the method is widely applicable, the precise selection of patients is imperative.


Spleens from BALB/c mice transplanted with mammary tumors display a significant increase in the percentage of lymphocytes bearing complement receptors (CRL) while the percentage of cells bearing surface immunoglobulins (SIg) remains unchanged in comparison with that in spleens from normal animals. Upon separation on nylon columns, the increase in CRL in the spleens from tumor‐bearing mice was limited to the non‐adherent cell population. Simultaneous marker analysis disclosed that these CRL lacked detectable SIg. Indirect immunofluorescence indicated that these cells possessed theta antigen. Absence of SIg and the presence of theta antigen coupled with the restricted occurrence of these cells in the nylon‐non‐adherent population which responded to PHA and Con A but not to LPS indicate that these cells may constitute a subset of T cells. The paucity of this subpopulation of spleen lymphocytes in normal spleen suggests that their emergence is related to tumor growth.


As Nigeria aspires for technological growth, positive changes need be made by placing proper educational values towards Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education. Some problems faced by STEM include lack of qualified teachers, curriculum, the misconception that STEM
education is reserved for the less intelligent in the society, amongst others. Need thus arises, to develop alternative strategies to alleviate such problems. Bridging ICT and constructivism will exponentially change educational processes of both teachers and students to succeed as well as present new forms of learning environment. It will also unveil the power shift in educational structures; equip students to become knowledge producers rather than consumers. Thus, an ICT-Constructivist rich class will help teachers enfranchise, emancipate students academically with a framework that measures quality of engaged student's learning. This paper aims to reveal links between effective use of ICT and the long
neglected theory of constructivism in the area of STEM education.

Keywords: Constructivism, Rationale, informatics, productivity, meida literacy, lifelong.


A theory for the nonlinear energy response of a system subjected to a heat bath is developed for the case in which the temperature of the heat bath is modulated sinusoidally. The theory is applied to a nonequilibrium system described by the free energy landscape picture. The following are shown (1) The ac specific heat is represented by the superposition of the Debye relaxations with different relaxation times, which correspond to eigenvalues of the transition rate matrix for the jump motion among basins in the landscape. (2) The 2nd-order energy response consists of two terms; oscillating and nonoscillating terms. The 2nd-order ac specific heat is defined for the first time from the oscillating term. (3) In the high-frequency limit, the 2nd-order ac specific heat and the nonoscillating term of the 2nd-order energy response are proportional to the 2nd temperature derivative of the transition rate. To show the validity of the formalism, a two-basin system is analyzed, where the barrier between two basins d...


An approach for a unified end-to-end control scheme is introduced on the basis of a three level inter-gap analysis at the TSAP (transfer service access point) in the ISO/OSI (open systems interconnection) transport layer. The authors provide a real-time analysis and control mechanism for connection-oriented transport service (COTS) and connectionless transport service (CLTS) on the basis of a unified independent reference model at the transport endpoint in the TSAP. The statistics were estimated from the states and transitions of the transport endpoints. Based on the proposed concept, more sophisticated end-to-end performance analysis, control, and management can be done in real-time for existing packet networks and future fast packet networks (e.g., asynchronous transfer mode networks) based on the ISO/OSI and CCITT/ISDN.<<ETX>>


Water is life and its provision is vital not only for purposes of sustaining life but also
for convenience, health, sanitation and economic well being. The United Nations
estimates that over one billion people living in developing countries lack access to
safe water, with a substantialp roportion of thesel iving in Africa. As a consequenceo f
urbanisation and rapid growth of cities, urban water utilities in developing countries
face an enormous challenge in meeting the water requirements of urban dwellers. The
challenge is even greater when the prevailing poverty, high levels of debt and
declining funding (in form of official developmenta ssistance)a re taken into account.
In particular, Sub-Saharan Africa is facing low levels of water services and water
supply coverage.
Under thesec ircumstancesa, key objective for water utilities in Sub-SaharanA frica is
to provide services to the growing urban population, including the poor, in a
financially sustainable manner. To achieve this objective, utility managers need
innovative methods of financing and managing urban water services. A systematic
approach consisting of market segmentation, service and price differentiation is
proposed as a suitable method of managing urban water services in Sub-Saharan
Africa. This approach is the subject under investigation in the research, which is
reported in this thesis.
Using primarily the case study research methodology but also incorporating surveys,
interviews and f6cus group discussions within the case study, research was carried out
to investigate the use of a systematic approach consisting of segmentation, service and
price differentiation for managing urban water services in the context of Sub-Saharan
Africa. The detailed field research was carried out in Kenya and South Africa, and
two case studies were prepared.
Among the key findings was that this approach offers a framework for water utilities
to structure their service delivery with appropriate pricing and serve more customers
(including people living in informal settlements) at affordable cost, while achieving
financial sustainability. The finding leads to the conclusion that segmentation, service
and price differentiation is a suitable methodology that utilities can use to improve
urban water servicesi n Sub-SaharanA frica.


Ubiquitously expressed Cbl-interacting protein of 85 kD (CIN85) is a multifunctional adapter molecule supposed to regulate numerous cellular processes that are critical for housekeeping as well as cell type–specific functions. However, limited information exists about the in vivo roles of CIN85, because only conditional mouse mutants with cell type–specific ablation of distinct CIN85 isoforms in brain and B lymphocytes have been generated so far. No information is available about the roles of CIN85 in humans. Here, we report on primary antibody deficiency in patients harboring a germline deletion within the CIN85 gene on the X chromosome. In the absence of CIN85, all immune cell compartments developed normally, but B lymphocytes showed intrinsic defects in distinct effector pathways of the B cell antigen receptor, most notably NF-&kgr;B activation and up-regulation of CD86 expression on the cell surface. These results reveal nonredundant functions of CIN85 for humoral immune responses.


Mapping Hydra development cell by cell Hydra continually renews all cells in its body using three stem cell populations. This feature of Hydra allowed Siebert et al. to identify the transcriptional signatures of stem cells, progenitors, and terminally differentiated cells using single-cell RNA sequencing of adult Hydra (see the Perspective by Reddien). From these data, they built differentiation trajectories for all cell lineages, identified gene modules expressed along these trajectories, and identified putative regulators of genes within these modules. In addition, they identified candidate markers for elusive cell populations (such as multipotent stem cells and germline stem cells) and built a molecular map of the nervous system. Science, this issue p. eaav9314; see also p. 314 Single-cell sequencing of Hydra, a small freshwater cnidarian, uncovers gene expression underlying ongoing tissue homeostasis. INTRODUCTION The cnidarian polyp Hydra undergoes continual self-renewal and is capable of whole-body regeneration from a small piece of tissue. The stem cell populations, morphological cell types, and lineage relationships of Hydra are well characterized, but the molecular definition of its cell states has remained elusive. Capturing the molecular diversity of Hydra cells and the transcriptional programs underlying homeostatic development would greatly advance the utility of this organism for tackling questions in developmental and regenerative biology as well as neurobiology, and would help to elucidate ancestral mechanisms by means of comparative approaches. RATIONALE Recent advances in single-cell RNA sequencing permit identification of the complete molecular diversity of cell states in an animal. This includes capturing the transcriptomes of cells in the process of differentiation. Ordering such cells into differentiation trajectories can uncover the genetic cascades that accompany cell fate specification. Here, we applied these approaches to Hydra to uncover the molecular cell complement, characterize the nervous system, and capture cell differentiation in the homeostatic adult. RESULTS We generated ~25,000 single-cell transcriptomes from Hydra using Drop-seq, clustered the cells, and annotated cell states. These data identified candidate molecular markers for elusive cell populations such as multipotent interstitial stem cells and germline stem cells. We then constructed differentiation trajectories for cells from each of the three cell lineages found in Hydra using the software URD. This revealed the dynamics of gene expression that occur during cell specification and differentiation in the adult Hydra, including the spatial and temporal expression of transcription factors and gene modules. To identify potential cell state regulators, we used ATAC-seq to reveal regulatory regions of coexpressed genes, identified enriched transcription factor binding motifs within these regulatory regions, and matched these motifs to coexpressed candidate transcriptional regulators. Our trajectory reconstruction also identified similarities between the neurogenesis and gland cell differentiation pathways that suggest a shared or similar progenitor state. We propose a model in which interstitial stem cells give rise to a bipotential progenitor in the ectodermal layer, which crosses the extracellular matrix to supply the endodermal layer with neurons and gland cells. Additionally, trajectory reconstructions of individual cell types (including gland cells and epithelial cells of the ectoderm and endoderm) uncovered gene expression changes that occur as they are translocated along the body column; these results suggest candidate genes and pathways involved in spatial patterning along the oral-aboral axis. Finally, we profiled neurons and neuronal progenitors that were enriched using fluorescence-activated cell sorting and used the data to build a molecular map of the nervous system. We found 12 distinct neuronal subtypes and determined their location using differential gene expression analysis, in situ hybridization, and transgenic approaches. Access to neuronal transcriptional signatures, including the first molecular markers specific to endodermal neurons, creates opportunities for precise manipulations of the nervous system. CONCLUSION We provide a molecular map of Hydra cell states, including differentiation trajectories for each lineage, identification of candidate regulators of cell states, and a spatial/molecular map of the nervous system. This resource identifies numerous candidates for functional testing, and we therefore anticipate that it will accelerate the discovery of developmental mechanisms in this highly regenerative animal. Hydra has diverse cell specification pathways that can be captured in one life stage by a relatively small number of sequenced single cells, which paves the way to study organism-wide changes at a single-cell level in response to perturbations. Uncovering Hydra transcriptional cell states and cell differentiation trajectories. Single-cell RNA sequencing of homeostatic Hydra reveals a molecular map of Hydra cell states. We built differentiation trajectories, identified cell state–specific gene modules, and combined single-cell data with ATAC-seq to uncover putative regulators of cell states. PHOTO: STEFAN SIEBERT/JULIANO LAB The adult Hydra polyp continually renews all of its cells using three separate stem cell populations, but the genetic pathways enabling this homeostatic tissue maintenance are not well understood. We sequenced 24,985 Hydra single-cell transcriptomes and identified the molecular signatures of a broad spectrum of cell states, from stem cells to terminally differentiated cells. We constructed differentiation trajectories for each cell lineage and identified gene modules and putative regulators expressed along these trajectories, thus creating a comprehensive molecular map of all developmental lineages in the adult animal. In addition, we built a gene expression map of the Hydra nervous system. Our work constitutes a resource for addressing questions regarding the evolution of metazoan developmental processes and nervous system function.


In a recent publication in the "International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care" (7), Kildemoes and Kristiansen claim to address "Cost-effectiveness of interventions to reduce the thrombolytic delay for acute myocardial infarction." Their study is based on a "Master of Public Health Assessment" thesis published by Kildemoes in the year 2001 (6). Three years ago, the author was informed that several of her assumptions were incorrect. In this letter, we will address six of the erroneous assumptions made by Kildemoes and Kristiansen. §1. Kildemoes and Kristiansen assume that 0 percent of patients are treated within 1 hour of symptom onset if a strategy of prehospital diagnosis with the use of telemedicine is implemented. Kildemoes and Kristiansen claim that the short transport distances make prehospital thrombolysis impossible in Denmark. Furthermore, Kildemoes assumes in her thesis that "due to short distances to hospital in Denmark, the prehospital diagnostic procedure with the use of telemedicine will not be completed in the majority of patients until arrival at the hospital." These assumptions are in clear contrast to previous international and Danish findings. Data from studies in the Netherlands indicate that implementation of a prehospital strategy of diagnosis and thrombolysis results in a 1-hour reduction in treatment delay, and results in 25% of patients being treated within 1 hour of symptom onset (8;9). Notably, the transport time to hospital in the study region was comparable to Danish findings (15;16). Furthermore, previous Danish findings report that, even in urban areas, the majority of patients can be diagnosed before hospital admission with the use of telemedicine (15). §2. When estimating the benefit of a reduction in treatment delay before initiation of thrombolysis, Kildemoes and Kristiansen used a curve by Boersma and colleges. This curve describes an inverse relationship between treatment delay and the number of extra lives saved per 1,000 treated with thrombolysis instead of placebo (3). However, the Boersma curve was based on the assumption that thrombolysis is initiated promptly after admission or randomization in a study. More likely, 45–60 minutes elapse from admission to initiation of thrombolysis in regions not covered by a prehospital diagnostic strategy (18). Thus, a right-shifted Boersma-curve may be more appropriate to describe the relationship between mortality and time to initiation of thrombolysis (14). In addition, the trials giving rise to the Boersma curve were not designed to evaluate the benefit of thrombolysis according to different treatment delays. The trials were designed to estimate the benefit of thrombolysis compared with placebo. The only trials comparing the beneficial effect of thrombolysis according to different treatment delays are the trials comparing prehospital thrombolysis with in-hospital thrombolysis. Meta-analyses including these trials report that a reduction in treatment delay from 2.7 hours to 1.7 hours, achieved by initiating thrombolysis before hospital admission rather than at the hospital, results in 15–22 extra lives saved per 1,000 treated (3;11;17). Similar results are obtained by a modified Boersma curve (14). In Denmark, the median treatment delay among patients diagnosed and treated with reperfusion therapy after hospital admission is close to 2.7 hours (12). If 75 percent (n = 3,000) of the latter patients can be diagnosed and treated before hospital admission, then 45– 66 extra lives could be saved per year in Denmark, that is, seven to nine times the number expected by Kildemoes and Kristiansen. §3. In their study, Kildemoes and Kristiansen do not specify in detail the cost of a prehospital diagnostic strategy with the use of telemedicine. However, detailed information is available in her original thesis. To establish a prehospital diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) with the use of telemedicine, it is necessary that ambulances have the equipment for electrocardiogram (ECG) acquisition and transmission. For a physician at the hospital to evaluate the ECGs, the transmitted ECGs must be received at a hospitalbased "receiving station." The first major miscalculation in the thesis by Kildemoes was to introduce 500 extra receiving stations in the model, that is, one receiving station for each ambulance, equal to an extra cost of 34,400,000 DKK. In fact, five receiving stations are sufficient to cover the country of Denmark. In her thesis, Kildemoes stated that all ambulance staff was to receive additional training in acquiring and transmitting ECGs. The extra cost was estimated at 62,447,400


The red snow algae species found in snow at Resolute, Canadian Arctic, is a unicellular Chlamydomonas nivalis. Investigations by SEM-EDX, TEM, FT-IR, GC and GC-MS suggest that clay aerosols may provide nutrients for these unique systems. The clays provide P, S, K, Si, Ca, and Mg. Soot is also present and halite is very common. This salt probably plays a significant role in lowering the freezing temperature. The red snow algae is coated by a sticky thin film composed of both organic membrane material and inorganics consisting of mica and smectite. Green algae rich in Ca are involved in active photosynthesis while red algae are in a resting stage. Protamine, stearic acid, and decanoic acid were found at Ca-rich green cells while carminic acid and nopalcol BR-13 were found at Ca-poor red cells. The cell wall of red algae is composed of protein with cellulose. The major fatty acides in cells are all of even-carbon species with maximum concentrations of palmitic acid, stearic acid, and behenic acid, suggesting normal chemistry of algae species without C22. High concentration of n-alkanes with n-C24 is a characteristic component in this red snow algae, suggesting the presence of hydrocarbons that could be derived from the Arctic cold desert and/or organic debris of wind-transported bacteria. It is likely that such organic and inorganic matter provide the nutrient sources for the red snow algae in ice.


Background: Up to now there is insufficient evidence for IMT as an adjunct to PR in patients with COPD. Method : From November 2011 until January 2012 in our clinic 198 COPD patients underwent a 3-week inpatient PR, including 90 with COPD III-IV. Of these patients the control group (CG, n=38) received standard PR, consisting among other things of physical training, education, breathing therapy and psychosocial support. The intervention group (IG, n=52) underwent an additional IMT with at least 19 sessions. Primary outcome was PImax. Statistics are based on data that resulted in complete data samples at baseline (t0) and end of PR(t1). Results: (mean±SD)

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In the IG PImax increased by 27%, in the CG only by 11%. There was a significant intergroup difference (p<0.0021). The improvements in 6MWD, MRC, FEV1 and CAT tended to be better in the IG, but these differences didn't reach statistical significance. Discussion: Considering all COPD patients (IG + CG) the PR program resulted in significant improvement in CAT, 6MWD and MRC score among others. The IG tended to reach greater improvements in these parameters than the CG, especially in PI max. Conclusion: IMT appears to be a promising additional therapeutic module to PR.


Out of various jobs care givers and physicians are the most stressful jobs specially dentistry. Root canal treatment is one main tasks of a dentist. In this study, we collected data related to difficulty degree of root canal treatment among general dentists in Ahvaz. Methodology: this study is an analytic epidemiologic study performed on 150 dentists available in dentistry offices in Ahvaz. Collecting data was carried out via questionnaire. Data were analyzed by SPSS software 22th version. In inferential level we used single-sample t test and independent t test. Results: dentists commented that difficulty degree of working on maxillary molars is average and on mandible molars is pretty average while working on other cases is not much. Out of different ages and occupational records, general dentists evaluated difficulty degree of working of root canal treatment as lower than average. Conclusion: difficulty degree of root canal treatment was estimated as low by Ahvaz's dentists. They believed that by getting older and have higher experience difficulty degree is reduced.


Energy consumption in commercial buildings is tremendous, resulting in significant monetary cost and waste of natural resources. Designing a low-cost system that serves the goal of saving energy while not forcing people to compromise their personal comfort is important for future smart commercial buildings. Proactive energy saving actions by automatic controller from users in the buildings are the key to achieving this goal. In this paper, we present an energy saving system, which leverages users through social
gaming. By incentivizing energy saving actions from end users with a sensing-based feedback control system, the system reduces installation needs and improves understanding of the user's preferences.


This work evaluates the response of DFIG-based wind turbine under voltage dips caused by transformer energizing. The transformer energizing is part of the normal operation of the power system and it can cause even-harmonic distortion, which could impact the operation of the power converters on the wind turbine. Previous works only considered voltage dips caused by electrical faults, then other causes should be understood to guarantee sufficient fault-right through of wind power installations. In order to address this study, voltage dips measurements with distinct magnitude, harmonic distortion and voltage unbalance are applied to a DFIG model. The impacts on the rotor current, on the DC-link voltage, and on the DFIG active power are analyzed.


BACKGROUND
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are widely used, having numerous indications. However, despite their therapeutic role, they are associated with serious cardiovascular (CV) adverse events. Objectives-Methods: This review comprising recent observational studies and metaanalyses over the past few years aims at updating the assessment of CV adverse events, namely stroke, myocardial infarction (MI), CV death, atrial fibrillation (AF), serious bleeding and heart failure related to the use of 4 of the most widely prescribed NSAIDs: ibuprofen, naproxen, diclofenac and mefenamic acid.

RESULTS
The best safety profile related to MI was found for naproxen, while the worst safety profile, with excessively increased risk for stroke, MI and major bleeding, was for diclofenac. Naproxen showed higher risk for major bleeding than ibuprofen and the risk for stroke was slightly higher than ibuprofen. Regarding heart failure, ibuprofen presented the highest risk while the highest risk for AF was attributed to the current use of diclofenac. There are few data related to mefenamic acid, which showed a strong association with increased risk for stroke and a moderately increased risk for MI.

CONCLUSION
Further research is needed in order to devise new guidelines for safer use of NSAIDs.


Alcohol advertising during sporting broadcasts, as well as the sponsorship of sporting events by the alcohol industry, is common practice in Australia, as in many other countries. The strength of the association between alcohol and sports prompts consideration of the potential for children who watch televised sport to be exposed to a considerable amount of alcohol advertising, and to learn to associate alcohol with sport and sporting success. This paper reviews the current alcohol advertising regulations in Australia, particularly in reference to the protection of children. It then details a pair of studies designed to examine the extent and nature of alcohol advertising during sporting telecasts, and the potential effects on young people. The first, a frequency and content analysis of advertising during two popular Australian sports final series, found that alcohol advertising (particularly during a sporting competition with alcohol company sponsors) is extensive and contains both features known to be appealing to children and messages which could be interpreted as associating alcohol consumption with social and sporting success. The second, a qualitative study with grade 5 and 6 primary school students, found that young people have a high awareness of the alcohol sponsors and alcohol brands advertised during these sporting telecasts, and associate these products with sport and with positive personal characteristics and outcomes.

Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Abstract Computational models are often employed in systems biology to study the dynamic behaviours of complex systems. With the rise in the number of computational models, finding ways to improve the reusability of these models and their ability to reproduce virtual experiments becomes critical. Correct and effective model annotation in community-supported and standardised formats is necessary for this improvement. Here, we present recent efforts toward a common framework for annotated, accessible, reproducible and interoperable computational models in biology, and discuss key challenges of the field.


A common concern expressed by land managers and biologists is that they do not know enough about the strengths and weaknesses of different fi eld and remote-sensing methods for rangeland assessment and monitoring. Many are uncertain about which method or combination of methods are most useful for collecting rangeland data to meet their specifi c monitoring or assessment objectives, or they rely on methods that they have used previously without evaluating whether or not they provide the most appropriate information for their specifi c objective. Rapid technological developments, limited experience with only a few methods, or the scattered nature of detailed information pertaining to different methods (especially fi eld versus remote-sensing methods) are just some of the reasons for this discomfort. The Rangeland Assessment and Monitoring Methods Guide (Methods Guide for short; available at http://www.rangelandmethods.org) was developed to address these needs and as a resource to synthesize and interpret information on a wide diversity of techniques for collecting data on the condition and trend of rangeland resources. The Methods Guide is a Web-based resource that provides researchers and managers with information necessary to make informed decisions about which fi eld and remotesensing method or combination of methods could be most useful and cost-effective for their individual needs. Originally developed by The Nature Conservancy's Idaho Chapter Landscape Toolbox projecti and Oregon Chapter Sagebrush Cooperative,ii the Methods Guide is now being maintained and further developed by the USDA Agricultural Research Service's Jornada Experimental Range. The Methods Guide project benefi ted from the advice and contributions of over 20 rangeland scientists and managers in both the design and content-creation phases of the project. The Methods Guide consists of two parts (Fig. 1) described in greater detail in the following sections. First, it offers a discovery tool that provides information on fi eld and remote-sensing methods relevant to user-defi ned management questions or objectives. The second part is a wiki devoted to describing rangeland applications of each of the methods. The Methods Guide is intended to be the users' fi rst step in selecting assessment and monitoring protocols by providing information on strengths, limitations, and rangeland applications. This information helps focus further inquiry on a more limited range of techniques.