Social dysfunction is a common and disabling outcome of childhood traumatic brain injury (TBI); however, the mechanisms that link early brain injury to impaired social behavior are unclear. This longitudinal prospective study involved 129 children, including 86 children with TBI (53 mild, 33 moderate-severe TBI) and 43 age-matched typically developing control (TDC) children. Children with TBI were recruited via consecutive admissions to the emergency department of the Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne Australia. At 6 months post-injury, all participants were assessed on measures of intellectual functioning, and parents provided ratings of children's self-regulation skills using gold standard measures of everyday executive function. At 12-month follow up, parents rated children's social adjustment using standardized measures of social skills, communication, and behavior. As expected, children with moderate-severe TBI were rated by parents as having greater self-regulation problems, worse social skills, and poorer communication than the mild TBI and TDC groups. In mediation models, greater self-regulation problems at 6 months post-injury were predictive of poorer social skills and worse overall social adjustment at 12-month follow-up. Moreover, self-regulation skills mediated the effect of moderate-severe TBI, but not mild TBI, on social skills and overall social adjustment. Our findings show that, while impaired social adjustment is common at 12 months following moderate-severe child TBI, the impact of TBI on these outcomes is likely mediated by its effect on self-regulation skills. Evidence for robust prospective associations between self-regulation deficits and later social adjustment difficulties have implications for early identification of children at high risk for chronic social problems.


The debugging for mobile software has been became supported easily and strongly by diversified technology such as performance analysis, tracing, and memory debugging. However, testers who want to find and locate knotty defects between the various components of embedded software feel that just using debugging tools is not enough. Although, using testing tools can achieve the target, but not all the testing tools can be deployed on the real device. So in this paper, we describe a new user-friendly Hook-based testing approach for embedded software. Besides introducing the concept of Hook-based testing, we show how to use AOP to implement components testing on the target easily. Meanwhile, we will provide the testing result by process tracing, and memory checking. Finally we compare with famous debugging tools to prove our approach much better.


Abstract Context. Documenting cause-specific mortality and deriving survival estimates for a population are both vital to understanding potential restrictions to population growth. Survival varies among populations of the same species and depends on several factors, including climatic events, density-dependent and density-independent factors, observed predator composition and whether recreational hunting occurs. Therefore, understanding factors affecting adult survival and estimating survival rates at biologically important times will help refine management of these populations. Aims. We aimed to assess cause-specific mortality, estimate survival rates, and determine at what part of the winter (January to April) most mortalities occurred for female white-tailed deer located in the Northern Great Plains region of the USA. Methods. We captured 165 adult female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) located in western North Dakota and north-western South Dakota, USA, during the winters of 2014 and 2015. We fitted individuals with Very High Frequency (VHF) radio-collars and located them 1–3 times per week to monitor survival. We investigated all mortalities to establish proximate cause of death. Key Results. Survival was lowest during our Hunt time period (S = 0.93), although hunter harvest was not the leading cause of mortality. Predation was the greatest source of mortality, particularly during our Post-hunt time period. Additionally, almost 90% of mortalities occurring during the Post-hunt time period happened during late winter before spring green up. Conclusions and Implications. Predation was the main source of mortality for adult females in our study, with coyotes (Canis latrans) being the sole predator capable of depredation in our study area. Predation by coyotes may indicate that potential factors, including winter severity and nutritional restrictions, have decreased female body condition, making individuals more susceptible to predation. Although we report relatively high survival, managers should consider the possibility that coyotes may impact adult populations, particularly in regions where other large-sized predators occur, or in regions where coyotes are newly established. Managers should also acknowledge that overwinter density estimates may need to be adjusted during severe winters to account for mortalities that occur after population surveys are conducted.


Heritage managers and spatial planners have traditionally developed conservation-oriented (that is, defensive) strategies to protect archaeological-historical values in rural landscapes. However, despite increasing government policy conservation efforts, rural landscapes face continuous encroachment. In the Netherlands, an interdisciplinary research programme entitled 'Protecting and Developing the Archaeological-Historical Landscape' has explored an alternative approach that focuses on non-destructive change with the help of the concept of landscape biography. This paper presents an overview of the underlying philosophy and the lessons learned from two specific cases. The maintenance-by-way-of-development concept can help resolve the apparent paradox between landscape heritage preservation and development. The development strategy combines storytelling and scientific analysis in order to assist in the building of territorial identity. However, the fact that the policy concept and the underlying premises have not yet been subjected to stringent testing undermines the credibility of claims of wider applicability.


With the possibility to accelerate even very heavy ions to high velocities a new period has been opened in atomic structure investigations; Spectroscopic studies of heavy few-electron ions are feasible nowadays for instance for H- and He-like ions up to atomic numbers of about Z = 40 and for F- and Ne-like ions for practically all Z numbers (Z = 90), respectively. An overview on the available data and current experiments is given. The three different main experimental approaches are compared: the approach using the recoil ion light source, the beam foil excitation method and the acceleration stripping deceleration procedure in combination with a final electron capture. An outlook on further developments and future experiments is given.


In this paper we study a quantum field theoretical approach, where a quantum probe is used to investigate the properties of generic non-flat FRLW space time. The fluctuations related to a massless conformal coupled scalar field defined on a space-time with horizon is identified with a probe and the procedure to measure the local temperature is presented.


The law of decay of turbulence has been discussed by several authors by making various assumptions. Recently, Batchelor' made a summarizing discussion of some of these assumptions and their consequences. The present author has made a different assumption, which seems to be suggested by Kolmogoroff's concept of turbulence at high Reynolds numbers, and yet has not been covered by Batchelor's discussion. The result seems also to be in reasonably good agreement with all experimental data available. This result was originally obtained by a discussion of the spectrum, but a derivation using the correlation function itself is presented here. According to Kolmogoroff, the double and triple correlation functions f(r) and h(r) for a distance r apart should be of the forms


Two authentication schemes (ASs) have been proposed in the Electronic Industry Association/Telecommunications Industry Association's (EIA/TIA) Telecommunications Systems Bulletins (TSBs) 51 for incorporation in the cellular industry Interim Standard IS 41 Revision C. In the first scheme, which we refer to as the WS scheme, a unique secret key [also known as shared secret data (SSD)] is shared only between the authentication center (AC) and handset. In the second scheme, referred to as the S scheme, the SSD is also shared with the visited system. The performance of the two schemes can be compared by using the expected number of call originations/terminations between two consecutive registrations or call-to-mobility ratio (CMR). Based on the message flow (accesses to databases), it is apparent that the S scheme outperforms the WS schemes if the CMR ratio is large. The CMRs of users will likely span a wide range and, even for the same user, will perhaps vary from time to time. It is therefore desirable to switch between the ASs based on the users' CMR to reduce the signaling network traffic. We propose two adaptive algorithms to determine how and when to switch between the ASs for a given user. Our performance study indicates that as the CMR of a user changes, the adaptive algorithms automatically select the best AS in real time.


Advantaged with our organically flexible body and internal circulatory system, we humans could stay balanced even in rapid and difficult movements and under extreme conditions in vibrating and rugged environment. However, stability of locomotion has become a challenge for humanoids that are constructed with rigid body parts connected by joints. The awareness of this contrast could shed light on how to ease the task of balancing the locomotion of humanoids by making use of body fluids inside their bodies. With the help of some simple schematics, this short article would offer a brief conceptual (metaphysical) discussion on the benefit of introducing body fluids to the construction of humanoids.


In its July 12, 2010, decision in Clayworth v. Pfizer, Inc., the California Supreme Court rejected the « pass-on » defense for claims brought under California's antitrust law, the Cartwright Act.…


The impact of global societal trends regarding product reliability provides society with great benefits and yet comes with the consequence of increased organizational vulnerability. The goal of this research was to examine these issues and develop the means for organizations to mitigate the potential negative effects of disturbances from within and external to the organization for the purpose of sustaining organizational resilience. As a result of this research the Highly Reliable Resilient Organization (HRRO) methodology was developed to provide a consistent and customizable methodology to assess organizational vulnerability. The purpose of this methodology is to determine current and potential levels of vulnerability and to select and prioritize vulnerability elimination and mitigation initiatives and projects using pre-established monetary and non-monetary factors. Moreover, the HRRO methodology provides the means to identify, define, and assess the prerequisite criteria of an organization that enable it to be resilient. These prerequisite criteria are the foundation for the organization's core function; its culture, its ability to manage risk, and its governing processes, i.e. its ability to be resilient, or at the very least available to fulfill monetary and non-monetary goals and enjoy a better chance for sustained viability. The HRRO methodology is a generalizable analytic-deliberative process that was validated by stakeholders, nine well known organizational models, a prioritization methodology that has been in use for several years, independent case studies, and an independent and widely used location risk quality benchmarking algorithm. To foster sustained use, the HRRO methodology strikes a balance between complexity and simplicity, i.e. the model is sufficiently comprehensive to reflect reality and sufficiently simple to be manageable. The methodology used in this dissertation is based upon transformative-reflective design processes. The first step in this process was, in this case, the creation of a construct that was analyzed, validated and adapted during subsequent steps.


In order to know how to efficiently allocate resources in health care we need a measure of its outcome, health. There is an ongoing debate on how the values of different health states are best measured. The dominating approach is to elicit utilities from decisions made by the public, in an experimental setting. In order to elicit valid utilities a theory of how decisions are made is needed. Traditionally the expected utility theory has been used but recently the prospect theory has been shown much interest. In this thesis a method is developed to test which one of these two theories is most suitable to use in the domain of health. The general idea behind the method is that each respondent constructs her own scale for rating health states. The method is also applied in a small scale experiment. It is concluded that the method seems applicable. Furthermore, the experiment indicates that probability weighting is plausible while the other features of the prospect theory are not clearly supported. The thesis ends with a brief discussion about how the method could be used in future surveys.


Metallic implants and devices are widely used in the orthopedic and orthodontic clinical areas. However, several problems regarding their adhesion with the living tissues and inflammatory responses due to the release of metallic ions to the medium have been reported. The modification of the metallic surfaces and the use of biocompatible protective coatings are two approaches to solve such issues. In this study, in order to improve the adhesion properties and to increase the corrosion resistance of metallic Ti substrates we have obtained a hybrid structure based on TiO2 nanotubular arrays and PDMS-TEOS films. TiO2 nanotubes have been prepared with two different diameters by means of electrochemical anodization. PDMS-TEOS films have been prepared by the sol–gel method. The morphological and the elemental analysis of the structures have been investigated by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and polarization curves have been performed during immersion of the samples in Kokubo's simulated body fluid (SBF) at 37 °C to study the effect of structure layers and tube diameter on the protective properties. The obtained results show that the modification of the surface structure of TiO2 and the application of PDMS-TEOS film is a promising strategy for the development of implant materials.


This research paper aims to see to what extent a project of revitalization of playgrounds contributes to improving coexistence, conflict resolution, and the participation of boys and girls in sport and physical activities. The paper also aims to know the level of motivation and interest the project could have for the students. For this, after initial assessment, a project of revitalization of recreations was designed, and after a few days of training, it was implemented for a month in a primary school in Spain, with 179 students (98 boys and 81 girls) from 1 to 6 grades; it was carried out in the school playground during a 30-minute recess period. The project consisted of two phases of training; the first one explained different games through training days; the second phase featured free recreation and independent work. The project opted for a mixed methodology of collecting information; this methodology included an information questionnaire and participant observation. The study concludes by highlighting the students' high interest and motivation, the increasing participation, both boys and girls in physical and sports activities, and the reduction of conflicts between students of the center.


Disenfranchised grief is defined as an experience when people incur a loss that is not or cannot be openly acknowledged, socially sanctioned, or publically mourned (Doka 2002). For people living in Appalachia who may already be disenfranchised by prejudice, ridicule, stigmatization, and socio-economic factors, society and some faith communities often force disenfranchised grievers to deal with the death of a loved one in a vacuum of solitude and silence, thus exacerbating their pain. This forced silence is especially true when the disenfranchised grief is the result of a stigmatized death, namely suicide or AIDS-related. Yet, in spite of this harsh treatment, disenfranchised grievers in general are not willing to abandon their religious beliefs and practices, and are finding meaningful ways to voice and assimilate these losses into their lives. This research demonstrates not only how and why religious coping (identified by the Brief Religious Coping Scale, Pargament 1997a) plays a significant role in disenfranchised grief, but also will enable mental-health, clergy, and other healthcare professionals to be part of the healing process among the people of Appalachia.


Microwave-assisted hydrothermal synthesis was used to grow LiMnPO4 micro- and nanocrystals from acetate precursors. By appropriate adjustment of the precursor concentration and the pH-value of the reactant, the product composition and purity along with the crystal size can be manipulated, resulting in particle-dimensions from around 10 μm down to a few 100 nm. Prisms and plates with hexagonal basal faces as well as cuboid and rod-like particles were produced. The effects on the crystal morphology as well as on the materials texture and agglomeration tendency are discussed and a comprehensive agglomeration phase diagram is constructed.


In this paper, a pipelined analog-to-digital converter (ADC) which employs a modified time-shifted correlated double sampling (CDS) technique is proposed. The conventional time-shifted CDS technique can significantly reduce the errors due to the finite gain of the operational amplifier (op-amp) without compromising the conversion speed. However, it needs a high-linearity op-amp to realize the front-end sample-and-hold (SHA) such that the sampled signal without being distorted too much. In order to relax the high-linearity requirement of the op-amp, a new type of SHA circuit is presented


Operation of helicon discharges at magnetic fields B0 below 100 G is of interest for plasma etching and deposition reactors if high ion flux can be maintained with reduced field requirements. The theory of coupled helicon and Trivelpiece - Gould modes is summarized for uniform B0. Initial results from two experiments are reported. The first has a single 5 cm diameter tube with B0=0-100G injecting plasma into a field-free region. The second contains a two-dimensional array of seven such tubes covering a large area. Densities and density profiles are measured for various fields, RF powers and gas pressures. The highest density generally occurs at zero field. Because of the non-uniformity in B0, direct comparison with theory cannot yet be made.


In contrast to the long-held belief that only amphiphilic molecules can form stable Langmuir monolayers, we show here that even nonvolatile hydrophobic oils can be reversibly spread into liquid-condensed Langmuir films, if the material is in or close to liquid-crystal phase in the bulk. The stability origin of the hydrophobic Langmuir monolayers is entropic, rather than energetic as in the stabilization of common amphiphilic monolayers, primarily driven by the interaction between the polar head and water. This extraordinary spreading mechanism may have impact on the nature of colloidal and biomembrane stabilities.


This article considers the relationship between stringent and arbitrary censorship policies and "religious freedom," something "guaranteed" with significant qualifications by the Meiji Constitution, in pre-World War II Japan. In particular, this article explores the role of censorship in shaping the contours of acceptable religious practice by focusing on a regional Christian news monthly, the "Gunma Christian World Monthly." Edited by Kashiwagi Gien, a rural Congregational minister, this monthly introduced a diverse range of ideas from socialism to critiques of militarism and imperialism. Kashiwagi's espousal of these ideas also made him the focus of local censors. By focusing on two occasions when Kashiwagi's spirited critiques of the state attracted the attention of local authorities, this article examines the complex and contingent process by which the state and its regional agents used legal means to manage the contours of acceptable belief in pre-World War II Japan. The relationship between Kashiwagi and the local police and prosecutors who attempted to manage and regulate "acceptable" content and, by extension, acceptable religious opinion, offers an important and hitherto unexamined site to consider the question of how religious freedom was interpreted by the state, local officials, and religionists.


The authors present a new method of recognizing different human facial gestures through their neural activities and muscle movements, which can be used in machine-interfacing applications. Human–machine interface (HMI) technology utilizes human neural activities as input controllers for the machine. Recently, much work has been done on the specific application of facial electromyography (EMG)-based HMI, which have used limited and fixed numbers of facial gestures. In this work, a multipurpose interface is suggested that can support 2–11 control commands that can be applied to various HMI systems. The significance of this work is finding the most accurate facial gestures for any application with a maximum of eleven control commands. Eleven facial gesture EMGs are recorded from ten volunteers. Detected EMGs are passed through a band-pass filter and root mean square features are extracted. Various combinations of gestures with a different number of gestures in each group are made from the existing facial gestures. Finally, all combinations are trained and classified by a Fuzzy c-means classifier. In conclusion, combinations with the highest recognition accuracy in each group are chosen. An average accuracy >90% of chosen combinations proved their ability to be used as command controllers.


The objectives of this research were to examine the effectiveness of Health Behavioral Modification based on the Client Center Program (HBMCCP) and to study behavioral change in relation to self – efficacy, self- regulation, self-care behaviors and body weight. The sample was 59 undergraduate students, who were selected by cluster random sampling. 29 participated in the HBMCCP for 8 weeks, and were followed up 4 weeks after the program, and 30 students in the control group. Data was collected 3 times, before, immediately after and 4 weeks after the program, by 6 scale – questionnaires which had high reliability of Cronbach's alpha-coefficient between .81 to .94. The stratified variables were psycho-social variables, being a positive attitude towards health behavior and social support. Data were analyzed by MANOVA and ANCOVA. Results showed that 1) Obese students in the experimental group with HBMCCP had self – efficacy, self- regulation and self-care behavior at immediately after and 4 weeks later program significantly higher scores than before the program (p<0.000). For body weights at immediately after program were significantly lower scores than before the program (p=0.02), 2) Obese students in the program had self – efficacy, self- regulation and self-care behavior scores at immediately after and 4 weeks after the program significantly higher than obese students in the control group (p=0.009) and significantly lower body weights than obese students in the control group (p=0.026), and 3) No three - way interaction among positive attitude towards health behavior, social support and the program was found, although there was a two-way interaction between positive attitude towards health behavior and the program (p=0.001) and effect size=0.272.


This paper presents a Model Predictive Control (MPC) approach for longitudinal and lateral control of autonomous vehicles with a real-time local path planning algorithm. A heuristic graph search method (A* algorithm) combined with piecewise Bezier curve generation is implemented for obstacle avoidance in autonomous driving applications. Constant time headway control is implemented for a longitudinal motion to track lead vehicles and maintain a constant time gap. MPC is used to control the steering angle and the tractive force of the autonomous vehicle. Furthermore, a new method of developing Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) algorithms and vehicle controllers using Model-In-the-Loop (MIL) testing is explored with the use of PreScan®. With PreScan®, various traffic scenarios are modeled and the sensor data are simulated by using physics-based sensor models, which are fed to the controller for data processing and motion planning. Obstacle detection and collision avoidance are demonstrated using the presented MPC controller.


Complicated control and management functionality is required in CSCW supporting environment which supports multiple collaborations running simultaneously. Synchronous interaction with multimedia real time group communications is another key issue in high performance CSCW supporting environment. This paper presents a new model of CSCW supporting environment. The model separates the management and control aspects of collaborations and resources, and uses the OSI Manager/Agent model to enhance the management functionality. In addition, multi party multimedia communications related issues such as call/connection control, multimedia real time transmission and resource management are considered in the model. This paper also describes the design and implementation of a CSCW supporting environment prototype system on ATM network and Unix operating system platform.


The article is devoted to understanding the prospects of changing the social and political activity of elderly people in the process of mastering computer technology. The analysis of suggested Government resolutions and state programs showed that they are aimed at the active involvement of this age group in the Internet space (for example, the project "e-Government", etc.). The author notes that the social status of elderly people is associated with previous experience and depends on such factors as: level of education, marital status, income, territory of residence, occupied place in the socio-professional structure before retirement, previous status and prestige of profession. In Russia, every year there are more and more elderly Internet users: for them there are numerous courses of computer literacy, championships in computer all-around, etc. Using the Internet they have a clearly expressed request, determined by the actual daily interest. In older age, there is such a phenomenon as retro socialization, which manifests itself as the development of computer technology in an attempt to use their life experience and combine it with new skills. The author emphasizes the importance of the ability to carry out planned actions in the Internet space independently for this age group of users. Confident use of computer technology gives older people a sense of independence. The author notes that the development of computer technology by elderly people leads to increased social activity. In this paper, she analyzes the interviews of aged users posted on the website "Internet and elderly people", highlightes the following opportunities for the use of computer technology by elderly people: selfrealization of interests; enhanced communication capabilities, maintaining social relations; search for the necessary information; limiter (time, real contacts, reliability of facts). The author emphasizes that the political activity of the older generation remains poorly studied despite the fact that this age group is an active part of the electorate. The researcher concludes that the political activity of elderly people may increase with the use of computer technology. Specific age characteristics, the ability to express "political through personal" can be realized through the interest in solving the problems of life of local communities, the desire to unite, solidarity.


This study aimed to describe the relevance of economic thought Abul A'la Al-Maududi with the development of Shariah banking in Indonesia. From the results of research conducted with the use of economics and banking approach is found that the concepts and ideas of Islamic economics offered by al-Maududi empirically proven true. This is because the banks that operate based on the principles of Shari'ah proven to run well and can generate revenue as it should. Shariah banking even shown to have several advantages, among others have resilience to the crisis and can create socio-economic conditions better than conventional banking. In addition, the risk of loss and bankruptcy in Islamic banking will be smaller than the same risk in conventional banking.


Objective: To investigate the effect of antenatal corticosteroid prophylaxis on neonatal respiratory morbidity between 34 and 37 weeks of gestation. Methods: This retrospective study evaluated the neonatal respiratory complications of 683 low risk singleton pregnancies delivered at 34-37 weeks of gestation in a tertiary care center between Jan 2012 and Sept 2015. Group-I (n=294) comprised data of woman who did not receive betamethasone and Group-II(n=396) comprised those who received betamethasone after 34 weeks of gestation for cases at risk of preterm birth. Primary outcome was neonatal respiratory morbidity (NRM). NRM was defined as any respiratory disease that required medical support including supplemental oxygen, nasal continuous positive airway pressure, endotracheal intubation, or exogenous surfactant, with more than 25% oxygen for > 10 minute to maintain neonate oxygen saturation >90% Demographic characteristics, mode of delivery, fetal birth weight and neonatal respiratory complications was compared between the two groups. Results: There was no statistically significant difference for neonatal respiratory morbidity development rate between patients who received betamethasone or those who did not receive it. The incidence of neonatal respiratory morbidity was similar (15.3% in the control group and 14.9% in the intervention group; p=0.88). Conclusion: We found no improvement with betamethasone administration empirically in late preterm birth as regards prevention of Neonatal Respiratory Morbidity(NRM).


Chyluria is the passage of milky urine due to a lymphourinary fistula. It is secondary to lymphatic stasis caused by obstruction of the lymphatic flow. It is caused by the parasite Wuchereria bancrofti in more than 95% of cases in tropical countries. Chyluria occurs in 2% of filarial-infested patients. When an abnormal connection between intestinal lacteals and the urinary tract develops, chyluria appears. The diagnostic approach is aimed to define the site of lymphourinary fistula. It is a benign disease that can be controlled by medical treatment and dietary restrictions. A small number of patients require surgical intervention. The 45-year-old thin built woman was suffering from chyluria, flank pain in the abdomen, weakness and loss of weight for the last 10 years. The serum test for circulating adult filarial antigen was positive in moderately high titer. Antifilarial treatment was advised. The symptoms improved for three months and again relapsed.


In a prospective study to identify psychological factors affecting survival in cancer patients receiving radiation therapy, 101 consecutive patients were evaluated for anxiety, depression, and perception of the seriousness of the condition. In 3 years, the survivors were compared to the nonsurvivors. The survivors had significantly higher mean trait anxiety (p less than 0.05) than the nonsurvivors. State anxiety and depression scores also tended to be higher in the survivors (p less than 0.01). Self-assessment of the seriousness of their disease did not differentiate the two groups. The nonsurvivors had significantly more pain (p less than 0.05). Within the nonsurvivor group, survival time was negatively correlated with state anxiety (p less than 0.01), trait anxiety (p less than 0.02), and depression (p less than 0.01). In the nonsurvivors, women rated their condition to be significantly more serious than men (p less than 0.01). Female nonsurvivors tended to rate their condition to be more serious than female survivors (p less than 0.1), while male nonsurvivors rated their condition to be significantly less serious than male survivors (p less than 0.01). Only among female nonsurvivors did the seriousness rating correlate significantly with anxiety (p less than 0.01). The sex differences confirm our previous finding that men may tend to cope with cancer with more massive denial than women. We hypothesize that patients with higher anxiety and depression in the nonsurvivor group had a massive defensive failure, while those who had high anxiety levels in the survivor group had been more realistic about their disease.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


Sulfated glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), or synthetic mimetics thereof, are not favorably viewed as orally bioavailable drugs owing to their high number of anionic sulfate groups. Devising an approach for oral delivery of such highly sulfated molecules would be very useful. This work presents the concept that conjugating cholesterol to synthetic sulfated GAG mimetics enables oral delivery. A focused library of sulfated GAG mimetics was synthesized and found to inhibit the growth of a colorectal cancer cell line under spheroid conditions with a wide range of potencies ( 0.8 to 46 μM). Specific analogues containing cholesterol, either alone or in combination with clinical utilized drugs, exhibited pronounced in vivo anticancer potential with intraperitoneal as well as oral administration, as assessed by ex vivo tertiary and quaternary spheroid growth, cancer stem cell (CSC) markers, and/or self-renewal factors. Overall, cholesterol derivatization of highly sulfated GAG mimetics affords an excellent approach for engineering oral activity.


Closed-form solutions for the velocity and temperature profiles have been obtained for a particu- late visco-elastic fluid between two oscillatory walls in the presence of transverse magnetic field. The flow is made possible by the continous actions of the oscillatory walls and the time dependent pressure gradient. Parametric analysis involving some parameters embedded in the system have been carried out to elucidate some interesting features in the system. The shear stress and the Nusselt numbers at the wall have also been obtained and demonstrated graphically.


Abstract Fluocinolone acetonide (FAc) intravitreal implant (Iluvien®) is a corticosteroid implant indicated for the treatment of diabetic macular oedema (DMO) in patients who have previously received conventional treatment without good response, non–infectious posterior uveitis, and as an off-label treatment of the macular oedema secondary to retinal vein occlusion. FAc is a non-biodegradable 0.19 mg intravitreal implant which is designed to release FAc over 3 years at a rate of approximately 0.2 mcg per day. The aim of this review is to describe the special pharmacological properties of Iluvien and display the outcomes of the most important clinical trials and real-world studies regarding its efficacy and safety for the management of the above retinal disorders.


This thesis concentrates on the intersections of three fields: ethics, narrative and film. The objective is to describe the ways in which narrative structure is implicated in ethical understanding and, in particular, how cinematic narratives and our interaction with them offer valuable resources for ethical life. Extending existing work on moral philosophy and literature to consider cinema, and phenomenological analyses of film to include ethics, I will argue that furthering theoretical understanding of spectatorial engagement with film sheds light on the practices and processes involved in developing ethical insight. An examination of the complex dynamics of cinematic spectatorship reveals the ethical significance of the embodied, perceptual, imaginative, emotional, and cerebral dimensions of practices of narrative engagement.

The ideas and arguments throughout the thesis arise from and evolve through close attention to specific films, springing from a conception of ethics that emphasises the complexity and contextuality of human interrelatedness. The first chapter offers an overview of the ways in which ethical understanding has been sought in both the content and form of narrative texts. I argue that narrative is a discursive form rich with unique possibilities for furthering ethical insight, and that ethical understanding and the practice of ethical deliberation inescapably involve narration. The second chapter looks specifically at narrative film, suggesting that a phenomenological understanding of the inherently evaluative nature of perception can draw out the ethical implications of both the experience of film spectatorship and the attitude taken by films themselves to the subject matter they embrace. Within this approach to film, spectatorship is understood as an embodied, perceptual experience of intersubjective engagement: a dialogue with the film. Chapter Three concentrates on the ways in which narrative (and the configuring acts involved in narration and narrative interpretation) is central to personal and ethical identity, such that we cannot 'relate' to others or be 'accountable' for our actions without understanding our lives as narratives.

The remainder of the thesis explores the ethical dimensions of different levels of attentive engagement with film texts. Chapters Four and Five look at the ways in which narrative film elicits the emotional and imaginative involvement of its spectators, considering how these faculties are involved in ethical deliberation. The final chapter describes a practice of ethically attentive engagement conducive to a sensitive and responsive, reflective understanding of self and others, claiming that engagement with cinematic narratives offers a model for ethical attention and concluding by suggesting how narrative engagement can potentially transfigure ethical experience.


A simple method is described for the determination of morphine in biological fluids (plasma and urine) by high-performance liquid chromatography with coulometric detection. The detector consists of three porous electrodes which are arranged in a way to give maximum selectivity and sensitivity. Quantitation of morphine is performed using naloxone as the internal standard. Sample preparation involves an extraction procedure from plasma and urine. The limit of quantification of the method is 1 ng/mL plasma. The methodology was applied to measure blood levels in rats after subcutaneous administration of a slow-release morphine pellet.


Abstract Laminar helically-symmetric gravity-driven thin-film flow down a helically-wound channel of rectangular cross-section is considered. We extend the work of Stokes et al. (Phys. Fluids, vol. 25 (8), 2013, 083103) and Lee et al. (Phys. Fluids, vol. 26 (4), 2014, 043302) to channels with arbitrary curvature and torsion or, equivalently, arbitrary curvature and slope. We use a non-orthogonal coordinate system and, remarkably, find an exact steady-state solution. We find that the free-surface shape and flow have a complicated dependence on the curvature, slope and flux down the channel. Moderate to large channel slope has a significant effect on the flow in the region of the channel near the inside wall, particularly when the curvature of the channel is large. This work has application to flow in static spiral particle separators used in mineral processing.


The Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) represents the emerging European standard for next generation cellular systems that transmit data as well as voice on a global basis. The UMTS goals involve the integration of evolved versions of today's second generation digital cellular systems, together with new terrestrial and satellite components. They also address a fusion of the mobile and fixed networks with a much greater role for intelligent network services. The integration scenarios take little account of the proliferation of IP based networks, and some system redesign is necessary to correct for this. To build on the strengths of GSM, the core UMTS network will evolve from the existing GSM service. UMTS support for data will probably be based on GPRS developed for GSM. Speeds available will vary from approximately 100 Kbps for a pre UMTS, GSM based system up to 2 Mbps for new UMTS radio access networks. Future mobile broadband systems may extend this up to 155 Mbps in restricted environments. The ETSI timetable for introducing these new systems shows the first equipment going into service in 2002, with full availability of third generation UMTS services by 2005.


Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes in twin pregnancy outcomes between 2007 and 2016 in a Korean population. Methods The data for this nationwide population-based study was obtained from the national birth registry of the Korean National Statistical Office and the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service of Korea. Women with twin pregnancies who gave birth between 2007 and 2016 were included. Results From 2007 to 2016, the rate of twin pregnancies increased (1.37% vs. 1.91%, respectively, P<0.0001). The risk of preterm birth (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.77; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.66–1.89) also increased; however, the risk of twin growth discordance (aOR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.82–0.99) decreased. The risks of cesarean section (aOR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.03–1.29), gestational diabetes mellitus (aOR, 2.10; 95% CI, 1.83–2.39), and postpartum hemorrhage (aOR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.14–1.41) all increased from 2007 to 2016. Conclusion Twin pregnancy outcomes have changed significantly in Korea over a recent 10-year period.


The Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS-II) helps pilots avoid midair collisions using vertical escape maneuvers generated by an on-board processor. TCAS-II interrogates the altitude reporting transponders on other nearby aircraft, tracks their location, decides which pose a threat, selects a resolution maneuver against each threat, coordinates with the threat aircraft if possible, and displays the maneuvers to the pilot. To operate compatibly in the highly structured airspace, TCAS-II must minimize unwanted alarms when no true danger exists. A description of the algorithm is presented. Studies of real-world data leading to the selected tradeoffs between maximum protection and lowest alert rate are described. Many features have evolved which minimize the disruptive effects of a resolution advisory, but which provide a high level of protection within the fundamental constraints of the system.


OBJECTIVE
Describe clinical characteristics and management of dental esophageal foreign body.

PATIENT AND METHODS
Observation of a denture wedged in the esophagus in a 55 year man and literature review of cases reported in the literature.

RESULTS
Enclosing risk factors for esophageal foreign body of dental origin are the altered consciousness, old persons, and local factors. The diagnosis is suspected with chest radiography and confirm by endoscopy. The therapeutic management with extraction of the foreign body is endoscopic and / or surgery. Complications a e related to time taken and can be sometimes serious.

CONCLUSION
The diagnosis of esophageal dental foreign body should be considered in any dysphagia in predisposing persons. The diagnosis may require endoscopy. Prevention go through information of actors in specialized institutes.


Endoscopic procedures, either diagnostic or therapeutic are stressful and sometimes painful to the patient, regardless of the endoscopist's skill and the diameter of the scope used. In recent years, an ongoing number of gastroenterologists are considering conscious sedation to be an integral component of the endoscopic examination, since it reduces patient's anxiety and discomfort and improves patient's tolerance and acceptance of the procedure. Sedation and analgesia also minimize the risk of physical injury during the procedure and provide the endoscopist with an ideal environment for a thorough examination. On the other hand they delay patient's recovery and discharge, increase the cost of the procedure, and increase the risk of cardiopulmonary complications, which -although infrequent- are the most common type of complications seen during endoscopy. Despite the fact that gastrointestinal endoscopy is generally consider as a safe procedure, a number of severe complications which occur are sedation-related and, according to the literature, sedation-related mortality is high compared to perioperative mortality
due to general anaesthesia.


The viscosity of the hyaline (granule-free) cytoplasm of the immature egg of Spisula (Lamellibranchia) was determined by use of the Einstein equation for Brownian movement. The value obtained was 4.3 centipoises. Thus this protoplasm has a viscosity similar to that of a concentrated protein solution. The viscosity of the entire cytoplasm, granules and all, is much higher. This is due to the great concentration of granular material. Study of the movement of the large germinal vesicle through the cytoplasm under the influence of different centrifugal forces indicates that the viscosity of the entire cytoplasm, granules and all, does not decrease as the shearing force increases. Hence, apparently, the entire cytoplasm behaves like a true Newtonian fluid--at any rate there is no evidence of thixotropy. The idea that protoplasm is typically a gel is not in accord with the evidence presented here. Additional evidence for the fluidity of protoplasm is provided by earlier information about the osmotic behaviour of cells, the formation of ice crystals in protoplasm, the rapid dispersion of aqueous solutions injected into cells, the outflow of protoplasm from cells broken in calcium-free media, and by magnetic studies.


Background: End-stage ankle arthritis has long been managed surgically with open ankle arthrodesis (OAA). Since the first published report in 1983, arthroscopic ankle arthrodesis (AAA) has been thought to be associated with improved patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and fewer complications. The purpose of the present study was to compare the long-term PROMs, major complications, and reoperations for these 2 approaches at up to 15 years of follow-up. Methods: This longitudinal cohort study included patients at our institution who underwent primary ankle arthrodesis for the treatment of end-stage arthritis. Demographic data and preoperative COFAS (Canadian Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society) ankle arthritis type were collected for all patients. PROMs were completed preoperatively, at 6 months, and annually thereafter to 5 years. PROMs were compared at all time points with use of a mixed-effects regression model that adjusted for preoperative variables and scores. Major complications and reoperations at the site of the ankle arthrodesis were also compared. Results: Of 1,294 patients who were screened for inclusion, 351 who had undergone ankle arthrodesis between 2003 and 2019 were eligible for the study. Of those, 223 had undergone AAA and 128 had undergone OAA. The 2 groups were similar preoperatively with respect to demographics, but COFAS Type-4 arthritis was relatively more common in the OAA group and Type-1 arthritis was relatively more common in the AAA group. In addition, the Ankle Osteoarthritis Scale (AOS) score and Ankle Arthritis Score (AAS) were better in the AAA group. In the mixed-effects model analysis, the differences in postoperative outcome scores between the groups were not significant. The risk of revision due to malunion or nonunion was similar in both groups (6% in the AAA group, compared with 4% in the OAA group). Deep infection and wound complications did not occur in the arthroscopic group but occurred in 4% of the patients in the OAA group. Conclusions: After adjustment for baseline patient characteristics, there were no differences in PROMs between the 2 techniques. Ankle arthrodeses done arthroscopically had a similar revision rate but lower infection rate compared with those done with the open technique. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.


Introduction: Alcohol, one of the most commonly consumed beverages across the world is manufactured both industrially as well as locally in Nepal. The proportions of locally brewed alcoholic beverages are higher due to geographical variation as well as presence of a population with varied cultural background. Even though the industrially manufactured alcoholic beverages are quantified, the home brewed beverages usually are produced and consumed without quantification. These alcoholic beverages consist of various components such as ethanol, methanol, iso-propanol, iso-butanol and others, each component having different pharmacological properties.
Objectives: To determine the alcoholic concentration (ethanol, methanol, iso-propanol and iso-butanol) of four different varieties of home brewed alcoholic beverages in Jumla district, Nepal.
Methods: Probability random sampling method was used for sample collection and sampling. The samples were taken to Zest laboratory, Bhaktapur. The laboratory then analysed all four samples to determine the concentration of different alcohols using Gas Chromatography. Unknown concentrations of different alcohol in the sample were measured by injecting standard sample with known concentration.
Results: The concentration of alcoholic components in four different home brewed alcoholic beverage samples weredetermined using gas chromatographywith ethanol concentrations being 14.209%v/v, 16.323%v/v, 11.473%v/v and 49.217%v/v. Contamination was not detected in any of the samples except for one sample which contaminated iso-butanol (0.063% v/v).
Conclusion: Various alcoholic components are present in home brewed alcoholic beverages at varied concentration levels and quantification of these beverages is highly essential in order to prevent health hazards associated with these components.


Rice is among the emerging crops in Uganda that play an important role both as a food and a cash crop. It ranks fourth among the cereal crops in area cultivated, occupying a total of 80 thousand hectares of land with an estimated annual output of 120,000 metric tonnes. The study analyses sources of technical and allocative inefficiency and estimates the magnitude of profit losses and suggests policy interventions. A stochastic profit function and inefficiency function are estimated using cross-sectional data from a sample of 253 households from three districts of Eastern and Northern Uganda. The results show that rice farmers are not operating on the profit frontier. The main causes of inefficiency are firm-specific which include low education and limited access to extension services. These two factors have hampered the attainment of reasonable technical and allocative efficiency. From these results, it is clear that improvement in profit efficiency would require focused programmes to increase access to education and extension services.


A fiber reinforced soil behaves as a composite material in which fibers of relatively high tensile strength are embedded in a matrix of soil. Shear stresses in the soil mobilize tensile resistance in the fibers, which in turn imparts greater strength to the soil. In this paper a study on the influence of synthetic fibrous materials in improving the dynamic strength characteristics of a fine sandy soil is reported. The study is aimed at converting fibrous carpet waste into a value-added product for soil reinforcement. A series of stress controlled cyclic triaxial tests were carried out on fine sand specimens reinforced with randomly distributed carpet strips. The dynamic deformation properties of the reinforced sand are defined in terms of shear modulus and damping ratio. The effects of parameters such as fiber content and aspect ratio, number of cyclic loading and the level of confining pressure on the aforesaid parameters were investigated. The results clearly indicate the increase of damping ratio of reinforced samples in different confining pressure. The increase is more pronounced in higher fiber contents and aspect ratios.


Closed-form expressions of transfer function responses are used in this paper towards model-reduction of nth order discrete-time systems. The contribution of each eigenvalue to the output for a unit step input is evaluated, thus defining the dominant eigenvalues. The reduced-order model is set up retaining the most contributing eigenvalues, maintaining the same DC gain as the original system, but leaving other numerator coefficients to be determined. Then a cost function is formed measuring the discrete pulse response deviation between the original and the reduced-order model. The cost function is subsequently minimized, rendering new numerator coefficients for the reduced model. The resulting reduced-order model is easily computed, maintains stability for an originally stable system, and renders time responses practically identical to the original system.


Osteolytic bone disease is the most debilitating manifestation of myeloma. However, myeloma-induced effects on the bone-active cells in the bone marrow are more than just a manifestation of disease--the myeloma derives essential support from the changed balance between bone-forming and -resorbing cells. This observation has lead to the notion that effective control of myeloma bone disease by reducing osteoclast activity and restoring osteoblast activity will contribute to long-term control of myeloma progression. Unlike osteolysis associated with other tumors that metastasize to bone, myeloma-associated lytic lesions are unique in that they do not repair even after many years in complete remission, reflecting a total loss of osteoblastic activity in areas of myeloma foci, apparently induced by the myeloma. Advances in imaging technology including positron emission tomography-computed tomography scanning allows accurate detection of lytic lesions and the monitoring of treatment effects. Effective antimyeloma therapy combined with anti-osteoclast drugs can halt the progression of osteolysis; in severe cases with vertebral compression fractures, effective physical support in the form of vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty is required for control of function, pain, and stature. Fractures of the long bones are usually treated by intramedullary rod placement. New approaches to enhance osteoblast activity while controlling osteoclast activity currently under investigation may prove effective in controlling lytic bone disease and myeloma progression.


PURPOSE OF REVIEW
The purpose of this review is to provide an update on the latest neurorehabilitation literature for motor recovery in stroke and traumatic brain injury to assist clinical decision making and assessing future research directions.

RECENT FINDINGS
The emerging approach to motor restoration is now multimodal. It engages the traditional multidisciplinary rehabilitation team, but incorporates highly structured activity-based therapies, pharmacology, brain stimulation and robotics. Clinical trial data support selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and amantadine to assist motor recovery poststroke and traumatic brain injury, respectively. Similarly, there is continued support for intensity as a key factor in activity-based therapies, across skilled and nonskilled interventions. Aerobic training appears to have multiple benefits; increasing the capacity to meet the demands of hemiparetic gait improves endurance for activities of daily living while promoting cognition and mood. At this time, the primary benefit of robotic therapy lies in the delivery of highly intense and repetitive motor practice. Both transcranial direct current and magnetic stimulation therapies are in early stages, but have promise in motor and language restoration.

SUMMARY
Advancements in neurorehabilitation have shifted treatment away from nonspecific activity regimens and amphetamines. As the body of knowledge grows, evidence-based practice using interventions targeted at specific subgroups becomes progressively more feasible.


A divide-and-conquer cryptanalysis can often be mounted against some keystream generators composed of several (possibly nonlinear) independent devices combined by a Boolean function. In particular, any parity-check relation derived from the periods of some constituent sequences usually leads to a distinguishing attack whose complexity is determined by the bias of the relation. However, estimating this bias is a difficult problem since the piling-up lemma cannot be used. Here, we give two exact expressions for this bias. Most notably, these expressions lead to a new algorithm for computing the bias of a parity-check relation, and they also provide some simple formulas for this bias in some particular cases which are commonly used in cryptography, namely resilient functions and plateaued functions. We also show how to build parity-check relations with the highest possible bias in some particularly relevant cases.


ABSTRACT We report the first full-length infectious clone of strain JX/CHA/97 of rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV). The transcripts from the full-length cDNA clones were infectious when they were directly injected into rabbits. The sequence of the virus recovered from the rabbits was identical to that of the injected RNA transcripts. The cDNA clone was engineered to contain one silent nucleotide change to create an EcoRV site (A to T at nucleotide 2908). The genetic marker was retained in the recovered progeny virus. The transfection of RNA transcripts into RK-13 cells resulted in the synthesis of viral antigens, indicating that the cDNA clones were replication competent. This stable infectious molecular clone should be an important tool for developing a better understanding of the molecular biology and pathogenesis of RHDV.


This study presents a new approach to discrete-time robust non-linear state estimation based on the use of sum quadratic constraints. The approach involves a class of state estimators that include copies on the system non-linearities in the state estimator. The non-linearities being considered are those that satisfy a certain generalised monotonicity condition. The linear part of the state estimator is synthesised using minimax LQG control theory which is closely related to H∞ control theory and this leads to a non-linear state estimator that gives an upper bound on an estimation error cost functional.


The purpose of this research is to explore the possible relationship between the successful implementation of knowledge management technology and specific organizational culture orientations. Data used to test hypothesis derived for this research were obtained from 227 responders from the Organizational Culture Profile (OCP) survey instruments and 67 responders from the Knowledge Management Technology Profile (KMTP) survey instruments representing 26 separate organizations. The OCP provides a profile of an organization's culture orientation while the KMTP provides a profile of the organization's degree of the KM technology implementation success. The results of this research suggests that employees of organization which are more successful in implementing KM technology have identified organizational culture that embodies a healthy mixture of both production-oriented and people-oriented attributes indicative of the [9,9] culture orientation.


This paper presents a 3D videoconferencing system that is 2D backwards compatible. The system offers an inmersive experience to users with 3D displays at their disposal, but does not require the users to employ dedicated hardware at the sender side. Backwards compatibility is achieved by transmitting 3D content in the user data fields of the video streams, which older teleconference terminals ignore. Other highlights of the system include the use of a conventional inexpensive camera at the sender side, low bandwidth overhead and low CPU usage. The system proposed is a necessary step towards more complex systems that will tackle the 3D videoconferencing problem as a whole. Our focus is to make it possible to reuse existing capture devices to create 3D content that will be consumed by users with specialized hardware. As 3D videoconferencing technology evolves, more professional stereoscopic cameras will follow as a natural consequence.


Sustainability reporting is becoming more and more widespread among companies aiming at disclosing their contribution to sustainable development and gaining legitimacy from stakeholders. This is more significant for firms operating in a public services' context and mainly when supplying a fundamental public resource, like water utilities. While the literature on sustainability reporting in the water sector is scant, there is an increasing need to study the usefulness and quality of its sustainability disclosures to adequately inform the stakeholders about the activities of water utilities to protect this fundamental resource and general sustainable development. This article presents a novel assessment framework based on a scoring technique and an empirical analysis on the sustainability reports of Italian water utilities carried out through it. The results highlight a low level of disclosure on the sustainability indicators suggested by the main sustainability reporting guidelines (Global Reporting Initiative, (GRI), and Sustainability Accounting Standard Board, (SASB)); most companies tend to disclose only qualitative information and fail to inform about some material aspects of water management, such as water recycled, network resilience, water sources, and effluent quality. These findings indicate that sustainability reporting is mainly considered as a communication tool, rather than a performance measurement and an accountability tool, but also suggest the need for a new and international industry-specific sustainability reporting standard.


Many multiobjective evolutionary algorithms rely on the nondominated sorting procedure to determine the relative quality of individuals with respect to the population. In this paper, we propose a new method to decrease the cost of this procedure. Our approach is to determine the nondominated individuals at the start of the evolutionary algorithm run and to update this knowledge as the population changes. In order to do this efficiently, we propose a special data structure called the M-front, to hold the nondominated part of the population. The M-front uses the geometric and algebraic properties of the Pareto dominance relation to convert orthogonal range queries into interval queries using a mechanism based on the nearest neighbor search. These interval queries are answered using dynamically sorted linked lists. Experimental results show that our method can perform significantly faster than the state-of-the-art Jensen-Fortin's algorithm, especially in many-objective scenarios. A significant advantage of our approach is that, if we change a single individual in the population we still know which individuals are dominated and which are not.


Background: The combination therapy beclomethasone dipropionate/formoterol (BDP/FOR; Fostair® 100/6) is increasingly used in UK asthma patients previously receiving fluticasone propionate/salmeterol (FP/SAL; Seretide®). Methods: Retrospective real-life study using Optimum Patient Care and Clinical Practice Research Databases. Patients changing FP/SAL therapy to BDP/FOR at ≤ same dose were compared with patients who remained on same dose of FP/SAL. Patients aged 18-80, with an asthma diagnosis and ≥2 prescriptions for FP/SAL in year prior to change, matched FP/SAL:BDP/FOR 3:1 (n=1146:382) on demographic and disease characteristics. Outcomes: severe exacerbations (ATS/ERS defined); asthma control (no severe exacerbations, lower respiratory infection + antibiotics, or out-patient attendance); asthma control including short acting β-agonist (SABA) use; odds of higher SABA use. Non-inferiority reached if proportion of patients recording 0 exacerbations is ≤0.10 lower for BDP/FOR compared with FP/SAL. Results: Adjusted difference in proportions of pts recording 0 exacerbations (95% CI) is 0.01 (-0.03, 0.04). Odds and rate ratios for outcomes shown in figure. Average ICS dose in outcome year (median [IQR]): 411.0 (246.6, 575.4) for FP/SAL and 295.9 (230.2, 394.5) for BDP/FOR. Conclusions: BDP/FOR prescribed at a lower dose is non-inferior in exacerbation prevention compared with FP/SAL in matched real-life asthma patients.


This paper introduces a simple algorithm for non-prehensile object transportation by a pushing robot on a flat surface. We assume that the global position and orientation of the robot and objects are known. The system computes a dipole field around the object and moves the robot along the field. This simple algorithm resolves many subtle issues in implementing reliable pushing behaviors, such as collision avoidance, error recovery, and multi-robot coordination. We verify the effectiveness of the algorithm via several experiments with varying robot and object form factors. Although object delivery by pushing and motion control by a vector field are not new, the proposed algorithm offers easier implementation with fewer parameter adjustments because of its mode-less definition and scale-invariant formulation.


We draw upon multiple theories of corporate governance to examine the effects of competition and regulation on firm-level corporate governance quality. We find that
regulation enhances firm-level corporate governance and within-country convergence. Competition has a negative effect on corporate governance. The interactive effect of regulation and competition is negative on firm-level corporate governance. Furthermore, competition reduces within-country convergence.

Internal, i.e., firm-level governance choices are significantly influenced by external (country-level) choices. This suggests that governance choices are likely to converge across countries while simultaneously diverging within countries. For example, while firms in the
top governance score cluster of each country will be different from lower-scoring clusters of firms in the same country, the similarity of the competition-regulation environment in which they operate means that these firms are likely to be very similar to firms in the top
governance clusters of other countries.

Our paper makes two significant contributions. First, it provides an integrative view of corporate governance that incorporates factors contributing to the variation in corporate governance across countries. Second, we contribute to the debate on within- and crosscountry
convergence of corporate governance. While some researchers pontificate on the eventual convergence of global corporate governance practices, others have their own doubts. The latter viewpoint is reinforced by studies on temporal convergence in corporate governance which reveal significant cross-country variation due to path-dependence in the evolution of corporate governance practices. We provide an economic argument, namely that competition detracts from within-country convergence in corporate governance.


"Ubiquitous health care system" is already transforming into concrete commercialization stage. Especially, Korea, which has the most powerful IT foundation in the world, has competitiveness and can rapidly grow in this area. SMARTCARE project is a clinical trial for diabetic patients and it analyzes the effect of `SMARTCARE-diabetes management system'. We expect this system to be superior to conventional diabetes care systems based on office visits for controlling blood glucose and achieving glucose stability.


Evaluating organizational performance  of small businesses has frequently  been a neglected managerial function.   When evaluation efforts have been undertaken, they have ranged from  simple  internal  reviews  to co1nplex  and  often  costly  audits conducted  by independent parties.  However, most individuals working in a small business rarely take the time or make the effort to undertake a comprehensive review of their business activities.  To begin the process of answering  the important question  of how well a small  business is performing,  a straightforward approach that is easy to prepare and interpret on a regular basis is required. Realizing that most individuals involved with small businesses are pressed for  time, an  easy-to-use  evaluation  instrument  designed  to focus  attention  on strategic performance indicators (SPIs) has been developed. These SPIs focus attention on the primary functional areas of a business: management, marketing, and finance.  Each question has been designed to help the reviewer think about the importance of strategic performance indicators to the overall success of the business.


Abstract : Postoperative pain can effect almost every organ function and may adversely influence postoperative morbidity and mortality. This study's purpose was to compare one institutions postoperative epidural opioid/local anesthetic protocol, currently fentanyl with bupivacaine or ropivacaine and compare it to the previously used morphine. Pain control efficacy and incidence of side effects were compared using a retrospective chart audit. The sample was obtained from the inpatient records of a 155-bed medical center A description of patients' age, gender, surgical procedure, opioid/local anesthetic, side effects, treatments, and occurrence of breakthrough pain were recorded using a tool adapted by Bell for a similar study and data were analyzed using the SPSS program. Data analysis revealed that differences between groups were statistically insignificant regarding age, gender, and surgery type. Occurrence of breakthrough pain and side effects were similar for fentanyl/local anesthetic and morphine. No significant respiratory depression was reported in either group. Nausea and vomiting incidence between groups was similar and seemed related to type of surgery, with a higher incidence in abdominal procedures. Pruritis and urinary retention was equal in both groups. Under-reporting and incomplete documentation, as well as the management of breakthrough pain were found to be problematic. Prospective research, ongoing education of staff and patients, and further development of the anesthesia directed pain management program at this facility is recommended.


The paper describes an experimental multiview video production, processing and delivery chain developed at Poznan University of Technology for research on free-viewpoint television. The multiview-video acquisition system consists of HD camera units with wireless synchronization, wireless control, video storage and power supply units. Therefore no cabling is needed in the system, which is important for shooting real-world events. The system is mostly used for nearly circular setup of cameras but the locations of cameras are arbitrary, and the procedures for system calibration and multiview video correction are consid-ered. The paper deals also with adoption for circular camera arrangement of the techniques implemented in Depth Estimation Reference Software and View Synthesis Reference Software.


The determination of well and reservoir parameters is paramount during exploration, appraisal of new reservoirs, and equally important during the development and production phases of a field. The interpretation of pressure transient-test data is one of the tools to obtain such parameters under dynamic conditions. Often this data is substantially influenced by non-reservoir factors such as gauge drift, adjacent noise due to natural or operational reasons, insufficient gauge resolution and dominant tidal effects. Any of these non-reservoir factors can significantly lead to a misleading interpretation of the formation. Rigorous vigilance against such occurrences is particularly important in designing deep transient well tests. The paper quantifies these effects.
 Obtaining strong, unequivocal reservoir responses in the pressure data are imperative in extracting the reservoir and well characteristics. Individual and convoluted effects of noise, drift, resolution, periodic tides have been looked into quantitatively to demonstrate the situations when the reservoir signal is too weak to make any meaningful characterization. Reservoir models have been utilized to develop quantitative criteria to describe the dominance and subsidence of the effects of noise, resolution, drift and periodic tides under different operating conditions. These criteria should guide test design so that the subsequent test can produce meaningful data.
 Depending on the amount of disruption caused in the measurements, there are situations when the test objective may not be achieved at all. Failure to create dominant reservoir responses results from insufficient signal-to-noise ratio due to the rate of production and the pressure drawdown. It is a function of formation, fluid properties or mechanical environment. A minimum rate of production for creating the required magnitude of signal-to-noise ratio must be achieved to interpret correctly the reservoir response. The paper provides guidelines to determine the minimum rate and drawdown needed to obtain the presence of deep heterogeneities or boundaries with a reasonable level of certainty. If a test is run with a rate lower than the minimum value, for example, the data will be biased by other hardware or natural factors, unrelated to the reservoir response. Examples are also presented with artifacts of non-reservoir effects to show how misleading characteristics of the reservoir and the well can be deduced with such distorted data.
 This study establishes cause-effect relationships due to certain non-reservoir factors so that engineers can select their hardware, choose the methods and timings to mitigate the associated undesirable effects. Such a practical guide to select the most suitable transient test will rightfully fill in its place in the literature. The methodology applies equally to wireline testing operations, deep transient testing, drill-stem testing and production testing.


Fifty-four coal clast samples in the siliciclastic rocks (e.g., sandstone and conglomerate) were collected from cores of two-deep research wells (K20H and K20K) drilled at the Kozlu coalfield in Zonguldak Basin, and for the first time, they were evaluated using mineralogy by XRD and SEM-EDX and random vitrinite reflectance (%Rr) measurements in order to find out their origin and timing. Petrographic observations on polish surfaces show that the coal clasts are either entirely xylitic/vitrinitic particle or coals including a broader range of macerals. The detected minerals in the samples are mostly derived from the parental coal seams and, to lesser extent, precipitated from penetrated pore-water in the cleats/fractures of clasts. The %Rr values of coal clasts in Carboniferous sediments are generally relatively higher than measured in the coal seams due to weak oxidation during transportation. Furthermore, similar mineralogical and maceral compositions between coal clasts and coal seams imply that these clasts were mainly eroded during the peatification and/or early coalification of parental seams and display similar coalification patterns. The close %Rr value of a coal clast sample in the Early Aptian Zonguldak Formation and Carboniferous coal seams could suggest that this coal clast sample is presumably derived from the coal seams eroded during Early Aptian.


Objective To understand knowledge and attitude for HIV/AIDS high risk behaviors and awareness of self-precaution among the mobile population.Method Using self-designed questionnaires to investigate knowledge and attitude for AIDS among construction workers,hotel and restaurant attendants,workers employed in haircut and cosmetic services,businessmen,vendors and students.Result The level of knowledge about AIDS was generally low among the mobile population,particularly cunong construction worders. As high as 90.4% of the mobile population surveyed were opposed to non-marital sex behavior,but there were significant differences among the various groups of population;the highest rate of opposition(94.9%)was among the students,while the lowest rate (75.4%) was among the construction workers.Of the married subjects only 29.6% had high risk behaviors,and the rate of unprotected sexual intercourse was 65.4%,and was as high as 83.1% among construction workers.In general, the mobile population had higher demands for AIDS related knowledge,and 94.6% of them thought such knowledge necessary.As to the sex related knowledge,most of the subjects wanted to know about the prevention of venereal diseases and AIDS,safe sex behavior,sex physiology and others.Conclusion The rate of awareness of AIDS is low and risky sex behaviors are common among the mobile population,and AIDS health education is urgently needed for them,particularly for construction workers.


This Article is about how the world reestablishes international tax order.The Article focuses on the OECD's work on profit reallocation and asks whether this multilateral effort can be successful in stabilizing the international tax system. The analysis centers on the current leading concepts for reallocating profit among jurisdictions under what is known as "Pillar One" of the OECD work programme. To analyze whether any Pillar One concept can be turned into a stable multilateral regime, it is necessary to specify certain elements of what a proposal to reallocate profits might entail. Accordingly, this Article sets out two strawman proposals. One strawman uses a "market intangibles" concept that explicitly separates routine and residual returns. The other strawman may reach a similar result, but does not explicitly attempt to separate routine and residual returns. Instead, in current OECD parlance, it might be described as a "distribution-based" approach. The Article asks whether either of the two strawmen could be agreed upon and stabilized multilaterally given the tools of modern international tax diplomacy. I conclude that the current procedural and institutional architecture for cementing international tax relations among states is inadequate to stabilize either of the strawmen.Nevertheless, with certain changes, reestablishing order may be possible. Moreover, I conclude that there are six key structural decisions that impact the ability to stabilize the international tax architecture of any Pillar One approach and that these decisions are likely to be implicitly made in the course of choosing a political direction for Pillar One work in 2019. The choices made with regard to these decisions determine whether or not it will be possible to stabilize Pillar One. Even if good resolutions are reached along these six dimensions, there are only a couple of paths to stabilize the system. One path would involve using every tool in the current OECD arsenal in new and more expansive ways, and then substantially depoliticizing international tax matters and removing G20 involvement, such that logics of appropriateness developed among tax administrators isolated from political pressures and acting through transnational networks could lend stability to a new set of rules and principles. Even then, only a few Pillar One compromises could be stabilized this way. The alternative path, which could stabilize a broader range of proposals, requires formalizing the new regime in international law through a true multilateral treaty.


Nervous System Actions and Interactions: Concepts in Neurophysiology approaches the nervous system from a functional, rather than structural, point of view. While all of the central topics of functional neuroscience are covered, these topics are organized from a neurophysiological perspective yielding chapters on subjects such as information storage and effector actions. Each chapter is organized around general concepts that then are further developed in the text. The authors attempt to establish a dialogue with the reader by means of proposed experiments and open ended questions that are designed to both reinforce and question the text. This volume is intended to be a book of ideas for the novice or seasoned researcher in neuroscience.


At the moment, there are a huge number of risk factors for the development of a tumor process in the ovaries. One of the fundamental niches that allow us to suspect the presence of an imbalance in the body, and the presence of neoplasms is laboratory diagnostics. The purpose of our work was to evaluate changes in laboratory blood tests as a predictor of the development of oncological tumor process in the ovaries in patients of reproductive age (18-40 years). The collection and processing of laboratory data of 168 outpatient and inpatient medical histories of patients of reproductive age, operated on the basis of the Department of oncogynecology of the sbuz SOKOD for tumors and ovarian tumours from 2012 to 2015. Statistical analysis was performed using the statistical package SPSS21, license number 20130626-3 (An IBM Company; USA) and Microsoft Excel (Microsoft; USA). To achieve this goal, the patients were divided into groups according to the who morphological classification of 2013. A study of clinical blood analysis and biochemical blood analysis at the preoperative and early postoperative stages of treatment was conducted. The CA-125 titer was evaluated in two stages: as a qualitative and quantitative indicator. A study was also conducted for the presence of a genetic mutation in the BRCA 1 and 2 genes by taking a blood sample. In conclusion, we can conclude that on the basis of laboratory data it is impossible to conduct a differential diagnosis between tumors and tumor-like formations of the ovaries. When evaluating changes in General clinical blood tests, no significant changes were detected. Our work in a group of patients of reproductive age revealed the absence of mutations in the BRCA 1 and 2 genes. There was a significant increase in the tumor marker of the CA-125 titer (p = 0.015) in a group of patients with tumors and ovarian tumours aged 18–40 years.


Designers incorporate values in the design process that raise risks for vulnerable groups. Persuasion in user interfaces can quickly turn into manipulation and become potentially harmful for those groups in the realm of intellectual disabilities, class, or health, requiring proactive responsibility approaches in design. Here we introduce the Capability Sensitive Design Approach and explain how it can be used proactively to inform designers' decisions when it comes to evaluating justice in their designs preventing the risk of manipulation.


BACKGROUND/AIMS
Immunological abnormalities are frequently observed in alcoholics with severe liver disease and are typically in association with immune abnormalities. Concomitantly, serum levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) are frequently very low in these patients. Because IGF-1 is known to modulate both nutrition and immune status, the present study was undertaken to evaluate an in vivo rat model of alcoholism and malnutrition, the possibility of a therapeutic application for IGF-1.

METHODS
Controlled injury was induced by 14 days of calorie restriction and alcohol feeding that resulted in a 9% loss of body mass. Changes were compared with normal unrestricted control rats that gained 28% above their pretreatment body mass during the same period. Immunological impairment was assessed using thymus and spleen mass, cellularity and spleen T-lymphocyte function. Recovery was evaluated after 28 days of treatment using various combinations of: (1) high calorie intake, (2) cessation from alcohol feeding, and (3) IGF-1.

RESULTS
The thymus was most severely affected, losing 52.3% of its mass and 55.7% of its cellularity. The spleen was diminished, losing 31.2% of its mass and 41.9% of its cellularity. All of the spleen T-lymphocyte subsets were diminished, with CD5 affected the least (37.1 %) and CD8 affected the most severely (51.7%). During recovery, only the group treated with high calorie intake, no alcohol intake, and IGF-1 (group 8) had complete restoration of all immunological parameters, including a recovery of T-lymphocyte function. Continuous consumption of alcohol, even in the presence of high calories and IGF-1, produced an incomplete recovery.

CONCLUSIONS
Cessation of alcohol coupled with high calorie nutrition and IGF-1 treatment produced an accelerated improvement in host immunity. These animal studies suggest that IGF-1 is efficacious for this condition and supports the need for additional clinical studies.


Summary: Saccharomyces cerevisiae grew at the same rate aerobically in a glucose/salts medium as anaerobically in a defined medium supplemented with ergosterol and either oleic, linoleic or α-linolenic acid. However, exponential growth extended for a longer time in aerobic cultures. Irrespective of the nature of the fatty acid provided, phosphatidylcholine from anaerobically grown organisms harvested from early mid-exponential phase cultures contained a higher proportion of residues chemically identical with that provided in the medium compared with the phospholipid from organisms harvested at later stages of batch growth. The fatty-acyl composition of phosphatidylethanolamine and of a fraction containing phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylserine showed similar changes to those found in phosphatidylcholine. Similar trends were also detected in the fatty-acyl composition of triacylglycerols from organisms grown anaerobically in the presence of different fatty acids and harvested at different stages of growth. However, at all stages of growth there was a higher percentage incorporation of the exogenously provided acid into triacylglycerols. The fatty-acyl composition of individual classes of phospholipid and of triacylglycerols from aerobically grown organisms remained remarkably constant throughout growth in batch culture. There were, however, characteristic differences in the fatty-acyl composition of different classes of lipid.


Objective: Impairment of perinatal nutrition in survivors of the Siege of Leningrad during Second World War could promote to development of cardiometabolic disorders in the adult life. Besides, early life famine can determine future lifestyle. The aim of our study was to assess the cardiovascular, socioeconomic (including nutrition) factors of survivors of the Siege of Leningrad comparing with control group. Design and method: 309 survivors of Leningrad Siege and 54 participants of control group were examined. Controls of the same age were born in other regions of the Soviet Union (Russia), but not in Leningrad, and after war were constantly living in Leningrad (St. Petersburg). All participants were interviewed by special questionnaire regarding lifestyle, socioeconomic risk factors, cardiovascular disease, comorbidities and medication. An average frequency of fruit and vegetable consumption (portions per week), fish (days a week) were calculated. We also estimated kind of fat used for cooking. Blood pressure was measured twice on right arm in the sitting position after 5 minute of rest. Anthropometry were performed according to standard procedures. Fasting serum lipids and plasma glucose were measured on Hitachi-902. Informed consent was obtained from all participants. Results: The groups were matched by age, body mass index and waist circumference. There were no significant differences in the level of glucose, lipid profile, prevalence of hypertension and diabetes type 2. Survivors have significantly higher income compared to the control group (16710 ± 896 vs 13140 ± 800 rubles, p = 0,06). Survivors spend significantly more money to buy food: 78 survivors (31.2%) vs 6 (13.3%) of controls, p = 0,009, were spending more than 2/3 of income on food. The frequency of food consumption in these two groups did not differ (table 1). Figure. No caption available. Conclusions: No significant differences in the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and nutritional habits were revealed between controls and survivors. Possibly, survivors represent selection of subjects who keep alive due to moderation in eating in spite of special psychological pattern after starvation – to make food as a priority.


This unit describes basic techniques in human mesenchymal stem cell (hMSC) cultures. It includes protocols for the differentiation of hMSCs into osteogenic and adipogenic lineages, genetic perturbations, and phenotypic analyses. hMSCs can be differentiated with dexamethasone and β-glycerophosphate into mineralizing osteoblasts within 2 to 3 weeks, or with dexamethasone, indomethacin, and 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine into lipid vesicle-containing adipocytes within 1 to 2 weeks. Phenotypic changes during those highly dynamic differentiation processes can be detected by biochemical and histological assays and gene expression analyses of differentiation markers. In addition, this unit describes an electroporation method that allows the transient genetic perturbation of hMSCs.


In eusocial species, many individuals forego their personal reproduction to aid the reproduction of their mother or other relatives. Kin selection can favor such behavior for any positive degree of relatedness to the individuals being helped, provided the helper gives them a sufficiently large fitness gain compared to the fitness cost of giving up its own reproduction. Yet, little attention has been given to the question of how helpers can aid relatives more than they can aid themselves, particularly in species lacking morphologically specialized castes. One answer to this question is explored here. When a potential helper is born into a colony that has immature young, its help may quickly bring those young to the age of independence. If it left to reproduce alone, it would have to bring its own offspring all the way to independence. The consequences of early mortality therefore differ: solitary reproducers that die early will fail to bring any young to independence, while helpers that die at the same age may have made substantial contributions. Published data from four polistine wasps show that high adult mortality rates and long periods of offspring dependence combine to provide a large selective advantage for worker behavior.


The increasing importance of vitamin A deficiency in even its mild subclinical form underlines the need for a mass screening test. Clinical, biochemical and cytological methods of assessing vitamin A deficiency in a public health setting have been described and widely used. The cytological method shows promise because it enables early detection of vitamin A deficiency. However interpretation is problematic since histopathological changes are gradual with the progressive disappearance of goblet cells and appearance of enlarged epithelial cells. The reliability and validity of the impression cytology with transfer (ICT) test were assessed in order to produce a meaningful standard for this cytological method. The ICT test was performed in Senegal on 1451 children, in the course of two surveys conducted in 1989 and 1990 in rural areas. Reliability, estimated by Cohen's kappa test for evaluating intra-reader variability, and sensitivity were highest for the abnormal-normal classification (kappa = 0.91; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.89-0.93; and sensitivity = 74%; 95% CI 66-82%). The ICT method is a cheap, noninvasive and easy test to perform in the field. This method is also reproducible and fairly sensitive according to the abnormal-normal classification. As illustrated by our proposed 50% cutoff of abnormal cytology calculated in relation to 5% of serum retinol values below 0.35 mumol/L criterion, ICT only requires a small sample for the assessment of the overall health of a community in contrast to xerophthalmia and blood vitamin A deficiency tests.


Objective: Despite a systematic scoring system has been developed to assess the severity and to stratify the mortality risk of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia (VAP), few clinical studies had published in validating this scoring system. We intend to study the incidence of VAP in a local Chinese cohort and to validate the VAP-PIRO (Predisposition, Insult, Response, Organ Dysfunction) score. Design: A prospective, observational cohort study. Setting: A 20-bed mixed medical-surgical adult Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a regional referral centre serving 650,000 populations. Patients and participants: 269 consecutive patients who had been intubated and mechanically ventilated for more than 24 hours during an 8-month study period. Interventions: None. Measurements and results: VAP was diagnosed by National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) PNU1 criteria. Clinical characteristics, medical resource use and outcome of the cohort were studied. The VAPPIRO score of each VAP case was calculated. The medical resource use and mortality in each PIRO risk group were compared. Of 269 patients admitted to ICU during the study period there were 59 VAP cases. The VAP incidence was 47.81 per 1,000 ventilator days. VAPPIRO score was unable to stratify medical resource use and mortality in our cohort.


In this paper, we explore the emergence of an alliance between Australia and Canada, an alliance that helped to derail climate change negotiations at two international meetings in 2013. We hypothesise that carbon-based industries create policy ties to national governments in order to forestall regulation, using negotiators to create a global policy corral (Barley, 2010). We use three events in 2009 that increased risks to carbon-based industries as a natural experiment: the change in the US presidency, the onset of the Great Recession and the sudden rise in Chinese investment in photovoltaics. Using panel data, we create a model for the impact of social, political and environmental factors and for the changing influence of industries. We find that the correlation between national carbon assets and climate policy increases in these two countries after 2009, suggesting that corporate interests were able to incorporate these governments into new international policy corrals.


Background : Bilateral internal thoracic artery (BITA) grafting is associated with improved long-term survival and graft patency compared to single internal thoracic artery (SITA) graft and saphenous vein graft in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). However, BITA grafting may adversely affect early in hospital mortality and morbidity due to deep sternal wound infection. Hence, we carried out this study to evaluate early outcomes of BITA grafting in different configuration in our hospital and to assess safety and applicability of BITA grafting as a routine procedure. Methods : A retrospective cross sectional study was conducted in September 2014 where all 134 patients using bilateral ITA for coronary artery bypass (CABG) at United Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh from January 2009 to September 2014 were included. BITA grafting were used in either in-situ or Y-graft technique. We reviewed and evaluated patients' characteristics and short-term outcomes. The short-term outcomes included in hospital mortality and major morbidities. Results : Out of 134 patients, 129 (96%) patients were male. The mean age was 48.73 ± 8.42 yrs ranging from 28 to 72 yrs. Hypertension and smoking were the most common cardiac risk factors. There was no mortality in both BITA in-situ and BITA Y-graft groups. Most common postoperative complications were fever (26%), and arrhythmia (7.5%). Only one female patient (0.7) had sternal wound complication. Elderly, obesity and COPD were not observed to be associated with sternal wound complication. Conclusion : Short-term outcomes of BITA grafting for CABG is excellent with no significant difference between BITA in-situ and BITA Y-graft groups. Bangladesh Heart Journal 2016; 31(1) : 3-9


Observatio
ns by the space mission Cassini
have revealed the formation of complex organic molecules in Titan
's
ionosphere.
To better understand this
complex chemistry, several experiments were conducted to reproduce analogs of Titan
's
aerosols in laboratories, named 'tholins'.
These tholins appear
to be polymeric and nitrogenous molecules
.
Aerosols stay many years in Titan
's
upper atmosphere, a dusty
plasma where molecules are continuously bombarded by charged
molecules. Consequently, they are likely to evolve during their stay.
Here we
address this question by experimental simulation: we
analyze the effect of harsh plasma environment on tholins alread
y formed.
o separate the processes of formation and evolution,
aerosols samples used are first formed with the
experiment PAMPRE at LATMOS
[
T Gautier
Icarus
2016
].
T
hen tholins are
prepared in
the
shape of thin pellets and positi
oned at the
center of a plasma reactor, where they are exposed during several hours
in a DC N
2
-
H
2
glow discharge, partially representative of
Titan's ionosphere. Methane is purposefully removed from this second phase to prevent the formation of new aerosol
s.
Morphological changes.
Pellets become rougher during the exposure. Surface structure is observed through a Scanning
Electron Microscope before and after an exposure of four hours. It shows that plasma sputteri
ng attacks the surface and removes some
material.
Chemical modifications.
We perform in situ infrared transmission spectroscopy during the exposure. Characteristic absorption
bands of tholins are distorted, witnessing changes in the samples chemical struc
ture. Especially, we suspect C
-
H bond environment to
be complexed. Nitrile functions are also modified.


REEXPLORATION of the common bile duct often is a frustrating procedure and not infrequently is associated with serious complications. This is a report of 20 re-explorations of a total of 413 bile duct explorations performed in St. Luke's Hospital from 1953 through 1963. These cases have been reviewed to evaluate the reasons for reexploration and to determine if such operations could have been prevented. At the time of the first operation each of the 20 patients had a common duct exploration with T-tube drainage. Stones were found in the gallbladder in every patient; also, 18 had stones in the common duct. In no instance was there obvious evidence of a malignant tumor. First Operation. —In this group of 20 patients, 16 had cholangiograms performed in the operating room. The final roentgenogram in 15 was thought by the surgeon to show no filling defect or point of obstruction in the biliary