There is a growing recognition that living well must go beyond economic and material plenty to encompass social and spiritual well-being. But what do we understand by these wider aspects of well-being? Community Well-being in Biocultural Landscapes provides an introduction to the concept of human well-being as it relates to international rural development and conservation policy and practice. It demonstrates that well-being is understood and managed in a variety of ways in different cultures but also across the geographical scales at which decision-making processes take place, from the local, to regional, national and international scales. This book shows how community well-being can be measured using indicators chosen by local people to reflect the worldviews of their culture. It provides a unifying approach that is flexible enough to be used by conservation and rural development workers.This book is important reading for the staff of international aid and conservation agencies, for students of international development and those exploring concepts of well-being.


The paper presents the Waiter Game, an online training tool, which has been developed to support the training activity of young learners in a hospitality professional school. The structure of the game as well as all the steps taken to develop its prototype is presented in detail. While many argue that simulations can be useful in the tourism and hospitality industry, not many applications for low level employees have been found, neither a consistent model to develop such applications. This paper is a first attempt in that direction.


Aspirin and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are widely used in combination to treat a wide spectrum of cardiac disorders. Theoretically, a rationale for interaction between these two agents exists in the possible counterbalancing prostaglandin inhibiting actions of aspirin and the vasodilatory prostaglandin promoting effects of ACE inhibitors. Animal and human studies suggest such an interaction, but most are plagued by small numbers or retrospective designs. Large-scale trials are in progress to address this issue. Until then, the key factor in deciding whether a patient with ischemic heart disease on ACE inhibitor therapy should be placed on aspirin therapy may largely depend on the severity of heart failure. The more severe the heart failure, the more likely an appreciable interaction between aspirin and ACE inhibitors will occur. Treatment with either low-dose aspirin or with alternative agents, such as warfarin or clopidogrel, may be the best therapeutic approach for patients with severe systolic heart failure.


In some circumstances, there may be no scientific model of the relationship between X and Y that can be specified in advance and indeed the objective of the investigation may be to provide a 'curve of best fit' for predictive purposes. In such an example, the fitting of successive polynomials may be the best approach. There are various strategies to decide on the polynomial of best fit depending on the objectives of the investigation.


Six out of 8 healthy first-degree relatives of a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) had very high serum levels of a common anti-DNA idiotype (16/6). In this family an additional sister developed SLE, and all members were heterozygous for C4 deficiency. Measurements of common autoantibody idiotypes may contribute to the understanding of the genetics of autoimmune diseases. They might be found useful in detecting healthy subjects prone to the development of an overt clinical state.


Salt stress affects the plant quality, which affects the productivity of plants and the quality of water storage. In a recent study, we conducted the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) analysis and RNA-Seq, bioinformatics study methods, and detection of the key genes with qRT-PCR. Our findings suggested that the optimum salt treatment conditions are 200 mM and 19d for the identification of salt tolerance in tomato. Based on the RNA-Seq, we found 17 amino acid metabolic and 17 carbohydrate metabolic pathways enriched in the biological metabolism during the response to salt stress in tomato. We found 7 amino acid metabolic and 6 carbohydrate metabolic pathways that were significantly enriched in the adaption to salt stress. Moreover, we screened 17 and 19 key genes in 7 amino acid metabolic and 6 carbohydrate metabolic pathways respectively. We chose some of the key genes for verifying by qRT-PCR. The results showed that the expression of these genes was the same as that of RNA-seq. We found that these significant pathways and vital genes occupy an important roles in a whole process of adaptation to salt stress. These results provide valuable information, improve the ability to resist pressure, and improve the quality of the plant.


Thirteen is the charm in anaphylaxis Immunoglobulin E (IgE) is a type of antibody associated with allergies and response to parasites such as worms. When high-affinity, allergen-specific IgE binds its target, it can cross-link receptors on mast cells that induce anaphylaxis. It remains unclear, however, how B cells are instructed to generate high-affinity IgE. Gowthaman et al. discovered a subset of T follicular helper cells (TFH13) that direct B cells to do just that. TFH13 cells are induced by allergens but not during parasite infection. Transgenic mice lacking these cells show impaired production of high-affinity, anaphylactic IgE. TFH13 cells, which are elevated in patients with food and aeroallergies, may be targeted in future antianaphylaxis therapies. Science, this issue p. eaaw6433 So-called TFH13 cells promote the production of high-affinity immunoglobulin E involved in allergic anaphylaxis. INTRODUCTION Cross-linking of high-affinity, allergen-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) on mast cells results in anaphylaxis, a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction. The cellular mechanisms that induce B cells to produce high-affinity IgE to allergens remain poorly understood and likely differ from those that generate low-affinity IgE. T follicular helper (TFH) cells are the primary T cell subset responsible for directing the affinity, longevity, and isotype of antibodies produced by B cells; they have recently been found to be responsible for IgE responses as well. Yet the nature of the TFH cells that induce high-affinity IgE in allergic disease remains unclear. RATIONALE TFH cells guide B cell isotype switching via cytokine production. Although interleukin-4 (IL-4) has long been recognized to guide IgE switching, IL-4 is also a canonical TFH cell cytokine, expressed even when IgE is not made. This suggests that although IL-4 is necessary for high-affinity IgE, it is not sufficient, and additional TFH cell–derived signals are required. We hypothesized that a distinct but rare TFH cell population regulates the production of high-affinity IgE. To test this hypothesis, we used a model of dedicator of cytokinesis 8 (DOCK8) deficiency, which causes a monogenic form of allergy associated with aberrant production of IgE. Comparison of the TFH populations present in this model with wild-type mice immunized to food and aeroallergens enabled us to identify the nature of the T cell that induces anaphylactic IgE antibody production by B cells. RESULTS Regardless of immunization conditions, mice with T cell–specific Dock8 deficiency made allergen-reactive and anaphylactic IgE. This was associated with the presence of an unusual IL-4– and IL-13–producing TFH cell population in lymph nodes, which we call TFH13 cells. TFH13 cells demonstrated a distinctive transcription factor profile, including expression of BCL6 and GATA3. TFH13 cells were also induced in wild-type mice but only during immune responses when high-affinity IgE was made, including during food or aeroallergen sensitization. These cells were absent during immune responses lacking high-affinity IgE, including those induced by bacterial products or helminth infection. Patients who were allergic to peanut or aeroallergens also had elevated circulating TFH13 cells. Single-cell RNA sequencing analysis confirmed that TFH13 cells were distinct from related T helper 2 (TH2) or IL-4–expressing TFH2 cells. TFH13 cells could also be distinguished from IL-13–expressing effector TH2 cells by their subanatomical location in the germinal center. Conditional ablation of TFH13 cells or isolated loss of IL-13 in TFH cells resulted in impaired high-affinity, anaphylactic IgE responses to allergens. IgE and IgG1 germinal center B cells, but not naïve B cells, expressed the receptor for IL-13, suggesting that IL-13 may promote sequential switching of affinity-matured IgG1+ to high-affinity IgE+ B cells. CONCLUSION Our work describes a subset of T cells necessary for inducing anaphylactic IgE production to allergens. TFH13 cells and the molecular pathways operative in this distinctive population represent targets that could be leveraged diagnostically and therapeutically for allergies. Furthermore, the identification of TFH13 cells and the immune context in which they are induced solves the long-standing question of how, under rare circumstances, anaphylaxis-inducing IgE is produced by high-affinity B cells. Model of TFH cell–driven antibody production. Distinct TFH cell subsets dictate the outcome of antibody responses. TFH1 cells elicited to type 1 immunizations (bacterial or viral infections) do not induce IgE but promote pathogen neutralizing IgGs via production of IL-21 and interferon-γ (IFN-γ), with limited IL-4 production. During the type 2 immune responses to helminth infection, IL-4– and IL-21–producing TFH2 cells are induced, resulting in production of IgG and low-affinity IgE antibodies but not anaphylaxis. The IgE+ B cells in this case are derived from direct switching from low-affinity IgM+ B cells. In contrast, TFH13 cells are induced during allergic conditions and are necessary for the generation of high-affinity IgE, which results in anaphylactic responses. The high-affinity IgE+ B cells in this case are derived from sequentially switched and activated IgG1+ B cells. Cross-linking of high-affinity immunoglobulin E (IgE) results in the life-threatening allergic reaction anaphylaxis. Yet the cellular mechanisms that induce B cells to produce IgE in response to allergens remain poorly understood. T follicular helper (TFH) cells direct the affinity and isotype of antibodies produced by B cells. Although TFH cell–derived interleukin-4 (IL-4) is necessary for IgE production, it is not sufficient. We report a rare population of IL-13–producing TFH cells present in mice and humans with IgE to allergens, but not when allergen-specific IgE was absent or only low-affinity. These "TFH13" cells have an unusual cytokine profile (IL-13hiIL-4hiIL-5hiIL-21lo) and coexpress the transcription factors BCL6 and GATA3. TFH13 cells are required for production of high- but not low-affinity IgE and subsequent allergen-induced anaphylaxis. Blocking TFH13 cells may represent an alternative therapeutic target to ameliorate anaphylaxis.


This paper presents a sequential linear programming approach for the determination of time-optimal controller for nonlinear systems. The sequential linear programming solution is used to update the control profile so as to satisfy the terminal conditions for an assumed maneuver time. A univariant minimization approach which brackets the optimal value of the maneuver time, such as the bisection algorithm is used in an outer loop to converge to the minimum time. The proposed technique is illustrated on two benchmark problems: the attitude control of a spacecraft and the minimum time control of a robot.


Nevel synthetic DNA binding ligands containing N,4-disubstituted mono- and diphthalimide fragments and carrying positively charged groups at both ends of the molecules were characterized by various physiochemical methods. All the ligands were shown to have fluorescence maximum at about 460 nm for excitation at 340 nm. Interaction of these compounds with DNA and synthetic polydeoxyribonucleotides was studied using spectrophotometry, CD and fluorescence measurements. It was shown, that the ligand containing phthalimide fragment connected by flexible chain to dipyrrolcarboxamide fragment, binds to DNA narrow groove covering 5 base pairs. This type of complex formation was found to be followed by increasing of CD band at 280 nm and increasing in fluorescence intensity. If the ligand backbone contains only phthalimide fragments there is no binding in the DNA narrow groove. In this case the weakly fluorescent outside binding type complex is formed, which is characterized by the binding of one ligand molecule with two base pairs.


Polyelectrolyte chains confined by macroions bearing electrostatic charges of opposite sign can mediate an effective attraction between the macroions. This polyelectrolyte-mediated attraction is usually referred to as the bridging interaction. I review the theories of polyelectrolyte-mediated interactions based on analytic mean- field and variational approaches. I will describe the origin and the salient properties of this interaction in the context of planar and point macroions with special emphasis on the connection between the polymer chain conformations and the ensuing polymer mediated interactions. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 3539 -3556, 2004


In this investigation the hypothesis that the Northern Plains of Mars have been shaped by periglacial processes is assessed. A periglacial formation mechanism has been proposed for a variety of martian landforms. These were examined with a particular focus on clastic patterned ground.

Periglacial environments occur in cold climate regions of Earth due to the repeated freezing and thawing of water, they require the presence of liquid water to develop. Consequently, if martian landforms are periglacial then they would provide a useful geomorphic marker for locations where water has been liquid in the geologically recent past.

The main strand of this investigation consisted of a survey of high resolution images from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft. Locations with putative periglacial landforms were examined to test this and other formation hypotheses. This series of surveys was supported by two other research activities; two field campaigns were conducted to examine sorted patterned ground in Iceland. Air photographs, verified by in situ observations, were compared to the martian features studied in the main survey. A laboratory study was also conducted with the aim of testing whether periglacial processes were viable under the low temperature conditions found on the martian surface in the present day. This "proof of concept" study proved inconclusive, but is summarised for completeness.

It was found that the morphology and situation of these martian landforms was a reasonable fit for that which would be expected in a periglacial environment. Two alternative theories to explain the formation of martian clastic networks were rejected, as they did not appear to fit with the observed morphologies. It remains uncertain whether periglacial processes are viable on Mars, but they remain the best theory to explain the occurrence of clastic networks on the Northern Plains.


There are probably about 100 different types of skeletal dysplasia (osteochondrodystrophy), most of them genetic in origin and associated with growth retardation and short stature. Many, in addition, have premature degeneration ofjoints and childhood osteoarthritis.1 Localised structural bony defects are less common, but odontoid absence has been known to occur occasionally. Interest and alarm has also been expressed at the high incidence of atlantoaxial instability in Down's syndrome, variously reported


This paper describes a method for expressing and manipulating position and orientation uncertainty in sensor-based robotics. The goal is to formulate a computational framework where the effects of accumulating uncertainties, originating from internal and external sensors, are shown as uncertainties in tool frame positions and orientations. The described method is based on using covariance matrices of position and orientation parameters. The used orientation parameters are xyz Euler angles. There are three different forms of spatial uncertainty and uncertainty manipulation involves transformations between these forms. These transformations are done by using linearization around nominal relations. Paper presents the basic formulas for these transformations and also three calculation examples.


A study about the piezoresistive Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) cantilever for a chemical sensitive mass based sensor has been carried out to enhance sensor sensitivity. The sensitive region attracts the CO2 molecules there by introducing the stress concentration region (SCR). Three types of SCR geometry designs were first analysed using Intellisuite software to study the effect of stress and its distribution when varying mass is applied at the SCR. The results showed that the rectangular SCR design has the highest stress and showed a linear relation too when compared to the other types. Then, the length of rectangular SCR is varied to study the stress distribution along the cantilever. The piezoresistive element was then placed at various positions to obtain the highest stress resulting due to the deflection of the cantilever. The impact due the SCR was also analysed. The testing results of this piezoresistive MEMS cantilever with rectangular SCR had successfully enhanced sensitivity compared to the piezoresistive MEMS cantilever without SCR when varying mass is applied. Therefore this SCR approach appears to be suitable for enhancing the sensitivity of a mass-based piezoresistive MEMS cantilever sensor.


This paper presents a methodology for designing folded VLSI networks for implementing tensor-product forms. Using tensor-products leads to very efficient expressions for a large number of computations in digital signal processing and matrix arithmetic. The resulting networks can trade-off total time delay with I/O bandwidth and chip area. The main goal is to parametrize the VLSI architecture so that it can be implemented under various packaging constraints including the available number of I/O pins, available chip-area, and certain restrictions on maximum wire length. Our methods result in folded VLSI networks with optimal AT/sup 2/ trade-off for digital filtering and multidimensional transforms, where A is the total area of the VLSI circuit (or chip) and T is its total time delay.<<ETX>>


The purpose of this paper is to identify and discuss the problem of a skill gap in the training of allied health professionals. Allied health assistants are required to work under the supervision of allied health professionals. There is little evidence to suggest supervisory skills are routinely taught as part of the development of professional behavior. With increasing concern about a lack of supervisory skill, there is an opportunity for supervisory skills to be incorporated into the undergraduate curriculum. A combination of classroom and clinical experience is required to ensure this professional skill does not continue to be overlooked.


Benzene is a human carcinogen and an ubiquitous environmental pollutant. Identification of specific and sensitive biological markers is critical for the definition of exposure to low benzene level and the evaluation of the health risk posed by this exposure. This investigation compared urinary trans,trans-muconic acid (t,t-MA), S-phenylmercapturic acid, and benzene (U-benzene) as biomarkers to assess benzene exposure and evaluated the influence of smoking and the genetic polymorphisms CYP2E1 (RsaI and DraI) and NADPH quinone oxidoreductase-1 on these indices. Gas station attendants, urban policemen, bus drivers, and two groups of controls were studied (415 subjects). Median benzene exposure was 61, 22, 21, 9 and 6 μg/m3, respectively, with higher levels in workers than in controls. U-benzene, but not t,t-MA and S-phenylmercapturic acid, showed an exposure-related increase. All the biomarkers were strongly influenced by cigarette smoking, with values up to 8-fold higher in smokers compared with nonsmokers. Significant correlations of the biomarkers with each other and with urinary cotinine were found. A possible influence of genetic polymorphism of CYP2E1 (RsaI and/or DraI) on t,t-MA and U-benzene in subjects with a variant allele was found. Multiple linear regression analysis correlated the urinary markers with exposure, smoking status, and CYP2E1 (RsaI; R2 up to 0.55 for U-benzene). In conclusion, in the range of investigated benzene levels (<478 μg/m3 or <0.15 ppm), smoking may be regarded as the major source of benzene intake; among the study indices, U-benzene is the marker of choice for biomonitoring low-level occupational and environmental benzene exposure.


This work aims to study the testicular morphology and spermatogenesis of Gymnotus carapo to provide information on their reproductive biology which is useful in managing this species as a fishing resource. The testicles were isolated and fixed in 10% formalin; subsequently, they were processed for scanning electron microscopy with conventional histological technique. To analyze the cell proliferation of germline cells and Sertoli cells, immunodetection of the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) protein was performed. In G. carapo spermatogenesis, the spermatogenic line is organized into cysts. Spermatogonia A is characterized by more bigger and solitary cells. Spermatogonia B are smaller cells; their nucleus has a larger area concerning the cytoplasm and is grouped in tubules. Spermatocytes (I–II) are smaller than spermatogonia in the prophase of meiotic division. Spermatids are cells with dense, rounded nucleus. The sperm were found in the lumen of the tubule. By immunostaining PCNA, it was possible to observe the proliferative activity of germ line cells and Sertoli cells during the cyst reorganization phase. These results are the basis for future studies focusing on the analysis compared to females of the reproductive cycle of G. carapo.


On the one hand, in expansions it is relatively easier for workers to find jobs, so they rely less strongly on their social networks, which means that hiring through referrals should be less frequent in expansions. On the other hand, firms have difficulties to fill their open positions in expansions and rely more strongly on their social networks, which means that referral hiring may be dominating in expansions. Empirical analysis of the IAB Job Vancancy Survey data of the years from 2000 to 2013 and GSOEP data from 2000 to 2014 show that in the long run there is a positive correlation between the GDP and the proportion of workers hired through their social networks. In order to explain the effect of the productivity change on the search and matching strategies of firms and workers, this paper presents a search and matching model with several search channels. The firm chooses advertisement effort through formal search channels to maximize the asset value of an open vacancy. The workers choose their search itensity through formal channels to maximize the asset value of being unemployed. Calibration results of the model show that during expansions formal advertisement is not gainful for the firms because of competition. As a result, the firms advertise less, so the proportion of referral hiring should increase. While when the productivity increases, employment becomes more gainful, so the workers exert more effort in search through formal channels. As a result, the proportion of referral hiring should decrease. Both the estimation and the calibration results indicate that the firm-side effect dominates.


Although the increase in plasma corticosteroid binding globulin (CBG) capacity during late gestation in the fetal sheep is dependent on an intact fetal pituitary, the possible role of thyroid hormones is unknown. In rats, thyroid hormones control the postnatal increase in CBG. In the present study we investigated the effect of thyroidectomy and T3 treatment on CBG capacity in both the fetal and newborn lamb. Fifteen fetal lambs were thyroidectomized in utero at 119-121 days gestation and then infused with either vehicle or T3 (8-50 micrograms/h) for 8 days. Thyroidectomy alone did not prevent the expected increase in CBG capacity. T3 treatment of thyroidectomized fetuses caused a dose-dependent reduction in CBG capacity (maximum decrease = 31% of control). By contrast, plasma concentrations of total protein, albumin, and beta-globulins were unaltered. T3 treatment reduced plasma total corticoid concentrations, but the unbound level was unchanged. Administration of T3 (maximum dose 8 micrograms/h) to one intact fetus did not affect CBG capacity. Eleven newborn lambs were thyroidectomized between 2 and 8 days of age and infused with either vehicle or T3 (25 micrograms/h) for 8 days. Thyroidectomy alone did not prevent the normal decrease in CBG capacity after birth. T3 administration to the thyroidectomized lambs resulted in even lower plasma CBG capacity. We conclude that the prenatal increase in CBG capacity of the fetal sheep is not regulated by thyroid hormones, and that pharmacological concentrations of T3 decrease plasma CBG capacity and secondarily plasma corticoids. These findings indicate that CBG in the fetal sheep is apparently controlled by a different hormone(s) than in other species which have been studied.


Inverse problems are essential to imaging applications. In this letter, we propose a model-based deep learning network, named FISTA-Net, by combining the merits of interpretability and generality of the model-based Fast Iterative Shrinkage/Thresholding Algorithm (FISTA) and strong regularization and tuning-free advantages of the data-driven neural network. By unfolding the FISTA into a deep network, the architecture of FISTA-Net consists of multiple gradient descent, proximal mapping, and momentum modules in cascade. Different from FISTA, the gradient matrix in FISTA-Net can be updated during iteration and a proximal operator network is developed for nonlinear thresholding which can be learned through end-to-end training. Key parameters of FISTA-Net including the gradient step size, thresholding value and momentum scalar are tuning-free and learned from training data rather than hand-crafted. We further impose positive and monotonous constraints on these parameters to ensure they converge properly. The experimental results, evaluated both visually and quantitatively, show that the FISTA-Net can optimize parameters for different imaging tasks, i.e. Electromagnetic Tomography (EMT) and X-ray Computational Tomography (X-ray CT). It outperforms the state-of-the-art model-based and deep learning methods and exhibits good generalization ability over other competitive learning-based approaches under different noise levels.


High concentrations of tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) and placental type plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-2) have previously been found in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) of adults and children. In the present study, intra-individual comparisons were made of the concentrations of t-PA, urokinase type plasminogen activator (u-PA), PAI-1, and PAI-2 in GCF from the same sites before and after periodontal treatment in eight healthy male volunteers aged 35-46 yr. The gingival state was assessed by exudate measurement, bleeding on standardized probing, and the gingival index of Löe & Silness 3 days before the start of the trial and on the day after completing a 21-day preventive program consisting of instruction and professional cleaning once a week. Eight sites per subject were selected for enzyme analyses, all showing improvement in gingival state during the period. Sampling of GCF at the start and at the end of the trial was done with small disks of Millipore-filter. t-PA and PAI-2 were analyzed with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays with low method errors. The mean concentrations of t-PA were 0.73 mg/l before treatment and 0.49 mg/l after treatment. The mean concentrations of u-PA were 84.4 micrograms/l before treatment and 101.6 micrograms/l after treatment. PAI-1 was found in three subjects at the detection level. The mean PAI-2 concentrations were 2.19 mg/l before and 1.13 mg/l after treatment. The mean molar ratio PAs/PAI-2 was 0.47 before and 0.48 after treatment. This insignificant change implies a maintained proteolytic balance and indicates that PAI-2 is an important inhibitor of tissue proteolysis.


The Brazilian semiarid region has less water available than its demand, which can affect the development of activities in the urban, industrial and agricultural sectors. In addition, in this region, about 80% of the sanitary sewage is released into the environment without treatment, causing immense negative environmental impacts, mainly due to the degradation of water quality. The city of Campina Grande-PB is considered the "city of innovation", however, until now the collected sewage is treated by a system composed of stabilization ponds, widely used in the Brazilian Semiarid, but the effluent of this type of ponds is not suitable for urban and industrial reuse. This work studied an alternative sewage treatment system for sanitary sewage in the city of Campina grande-PB, aiming to produce water suitable for non-potable urban reuse. The sewage treatment system removed almost 100% of the indicators on faecal contamination and about 90% of the COD. When compared to the parameters of current legislation, the effluent is suitable for urban reuse, and can be used for washing cars, squares, street markets, sidewalks, patios, floors; discharge of toilet; construction; landscaping; garden irrigation; and others. This type of initiative can decrease the use of better quality water resources, increasing water availability for the region's development.


We present an updated direct measurement of the parity-violating coupling of the Z{sup 0} to strange quarks, A{sub s}, derived from the full SLD data sample of approximately 550,000 hadronic decays of Z{sup 0} bosons produced with a polarized electron beam and recorded by the SLD experiment at SLAC between 1993 and 1998. Z{sup 0} {r_arrow} s{bar s} events are tagged by the presence in each event hemisphere of a high-momentum K{sup {+-}}, K{sub s} or {Lambda}{sup 0}/{bar {Lambda}}{sup 0} identified using the Cherenkov Ring Imaging Detector and/or a mass tag. The CCD vertex detector is used to suppress the background from heavy-flavor events. The strangeness of the tagged particle is used to sign the event thrust axis in the direction of the initial s quark. The coupling A{sub s} is obtained directly from a measurement of the left-right-forward-backward production asymmetry in polar angle of the tagged s quark. The background from u{bar u} and d{bar d} events is measured from the data, as is the analyzing power of the method for s{bar s} events. We measure: A{sub s} = 0.85 {+-} 0.06(stat.) {+-} 0.07(syst.)(preliminary).


The Covid-19 pandemic has made various changes in every aspect of life, one of which is education. This study aims to find various obstacles and describe the role of people parents when accompanying or giving direction to their children in learning at home. Use the method in this research is the description method. Furthermore, the data collection techniques used. The techniques used are interview, observation, listening, and note-taking techniques. The results of this study show various obstacles for parents in online learning including, internet signals that sometimes difficult, expensive qoutas, parents are less able to guide and fully understand the material, so it can't be maximal in teaching children, there is no cellphone, so it is necessary to ask questions directly to his friends. The participation of parents is very supportive of the succcess of the achievment child. Always motive and provide innovations in guiding chilren, so that children do not bored and even stressed in learning, there must be good coordination between parents and teachers. Evaluation is needed in order to improved student achievement result
Keywords: Obstachles, The role of Parents Covid-19 Pandemic


Abstract This study describes a set of recommendations to improve the precision of shear and punching shear capacity predictions for one-way slabs under concentrated loads, regardless of the governing failure mechanism, using the ABNT NBR 6118:2014 code provisions. For this purpose, a database of 143 test results was developed, including one-way slabs with different support conditions and loading layouts and that failed by different shear failure mechanisms: one-way shear, punching shear or a mixed mode. The key parameters influencing the load capacity and failure mechanism of these slabs were considered for the proposed recommendations: load position and slab width. Adjustments to the effective shear width definition and shear resisting control perimeter were described. Arching action for loads close to the support was also considered in both one-way shear and punching shear predictions. Considering the whole database and without separation by the failure mechanism, the ratio between tested and predicted resistances with the one-way shear expressions shows an average value of 1.22 and a coefficient of variation of 18.3%. The respective ratio between tested and predicted resistances with the punching shear expressions reached an average ratio of 1.23 with a coefficient of variation of 21.3%. Therefore, the proposed recommendations allow for reaching enhanced levels of precision in assessing the shear and punching shear capacity of one-way slabs under concentrated loads, regardless of the governing failure mechanism of the slabs.


In "A Gulf So Deeply Cut" Susan Schweik looks at war poems written by American women between 1941 and 1945 and, on a larger scale, examines the workings of gender in the politics of war. The "gulf" Schweik writes of is the gulf between the sexes, between homefront and frontline, between the male soldier, traditionally understood to have experienced too much, and the women left behind, assumed to have experienced nothing at all. Calling into question "experience of war" as an ideological construct, Schweik traces its limits to masculinity and considers its implications for writers and reades of both sexes. She closely reads the poems of Louise Bogan, Marianne Moore, H. D. Elizabeth Bishop, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Gwendolyn Brooks, Muriel Rukeyser, Toyo Suvemoto, and Mitsuve Yamada, as well as the work of male poets such as Ezra Pound, Wallace Stevens, Wilfred Owen, and Randall Jarrell. Schweik draws upon an unusually wide variety of sources - not only published books of poetry but also manuscripts, letters, anthologies, government-sponsored propaganda, private journals and notebooks, material from the Black and Yiddish presses, and work published in the internment camps by Japanese Americans. She reads the poems in relation to the social practices of war-making and of gender-making, showing how they both reproduce and contest dominant perceptions of war and gender. "A Gulf So Deeply Cut" should prove invaluable as an analysis of the ideology of 20th century Anglo/American war poetry and as a mulitcultural history of modern American women's poetry.


The platform industry is currently on the rise, and with so many platforms, acquiring users and getting them to engage can be challenging. To address this, many platforms are relying on crowdfunding, network effects and incentives, including monetary incentives. But what techniques are platforms using to monetarily incentivize their crowd? Although the study of platform dynamics has been on the rise, including research on crowdsourcing, network effects and incentivization, there is no present research being done on the methods being implemented by platforms to use monetary incentives on their crowd. This paper uses an inductive empirical method based on grounded theory, with data gathered from 15 different platforms that are known to be using a monetary incentivization method, to analyze and categorize the different strategies used by platforms and their marketing objectives. This paper presents useful information to assist managers to make the right decisions regarding monetary incentives and for fostering the potential of their crowd.


A position and orientation measurement apparatus for measuring the position and orientation of a target object includes a first search unit which searches a geometric model for a lost model region corresponding to a lost image region in a range image, a determination unit which determines whether or not a point on a geometric model corresponding to a pixel on the range image of the target object falls within the lost model region, a correction unit which corrects combinations of pixels on the range image and corresponding points which are determined to fall within the lost model region, and a calculation unit which calculates the position and orientation of the target object based on the corrected combinations of the pixels on the range image and points on the geometric model.


With an eye toward the broad range of operational dynamic environments required for manned spacecraft, the research in this work presents a novel shock and vibration isolation system incorporating semi-active magnetorheological fluid (MRF) energy absorbers for crew protection. MRFs are suspensions of magnetizable particles in a carrier fluid that exhibit a magnetic field-controllable apparent viscosity and change from a liquid to a solid along a continuous profile. By incorporating MRFs in energy absorbing devices, the effective damping of a crew seat system can be automatically tuned to account for different occupant weights or g levels. This allows the system to attenuate whole body vibration across a wider frequency range than passive dampers, which are only designed for a single operating condition. However, like passive energy absorbers, being fluid-based means that the MR energy absorbers are inherently fail-safe, and unlike alternative active energy absorbing devices they maintain a baseline damping ability even in the event of a power system failure. Additionally, when combined with a simple closed-loop feedback control system, the MR energy absorber can instantaneously generate the optimal load-stroke profile for an applied impact shock load, dissipating the maximum amount of energy between the vehicle and the crew seat, minimizing injury to the occupant. Weight and size constraints have made the application of MR energy absorbers to aerospace vehicles challenging, but by utilizing a hybrid mode of operation the specific energy absorption density (or the amount of energy absorbed per MRF volume) can be increased significantly. This research details the development of such a device, and highlights the potential application to acceleration, vibration, and impact attenuation systems designed to mitigate the dynamic flight event effects on crew members.


The stability of four hemoglobins (Hb) in dimer forms (low concentration) were investigated by the kinetics of denaturation. The rate constants of denaturation were obtained by variation of 280 nm absorption versus time in 10 mM Tris-HCl, 10 mM EDTA, pH 8.0 at 45 degrees C in the absence and presence of 0.5 M ethanol, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), formamide, and glycerol. The results show the trend of rate constants in different co-solvents in the following order: chicken hemolysate < human hemolysate and chicken Hb D < chicken Hb A. The buried surface area was calculated for Hb samples in the absence of co-solvents. Accordingly, the trend points out that: chicken Hb D > chicken Hb A > human Hb A. These results suggest that both chicken hemolysate and chicken Hb D are relatively more stable than human and chicken Hb A, respectively. However, the denaturation rate constants of Hb in different co-solvents have designated the following order: ethanol > DMSO > formamide > glycerol. As a matter of fact, this phenomenon is an indication of an increase in the denaturation capacity (DC) and hydrophobicity, and a decrease in the surface tension of the solution in the preceding co-solvents.


Objectives
Measurement properties of key constructs used in tobacco retailer audit studies are infrequently examined. We used diagnostic testing metrics to assess the predictive validity of product advertising and availability.

Methods
In 2017, we documented tobacco product advertising and availability in a sample of New York City and New Jersey retailers (N = 987). We calculated positive predictive values (PPV, ie, probability of availability given advertising is present) and sensitivity scores (ie, probability of advertising given product is available) for cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, and electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS).

Results
Advertising presence was an imprecise indicator of availability for ENDS (PPV: 82.3%) and smokeless tobacco (PPV: 88.2%), particularly in non-chain convenience stores. Cigars were least likely to be advertised, if available (sensitivity: 27.8%), compared to other product types (sensitivity range: 43.8% - 57.9%).

Conclusions
The suboptimal predictive validity of advertising for certain products suggests that this measure does not necessarily reflect product accessibility in communities. Moreover, differences in sensitivity scores suggest that some product classes rely on strategies other than physical ads to recruit and retain consumers. A better understanding of these constructs and their influence on behavior can help inform more effective retail-based regulatory approaches.


Grapes grown in a particular geographic region often produce wines with consistent characteristics, suggesting there are site-specific factors driving recurrent fermentation outcomes. However, our understanding of the relationship between site-specific factors, microbial metabolism, and wine fermentation outcomes are not well understood. Here, we used differences in Saccharomyces cerevisiae gene expression as a biosensor for differences among Pinot noir fermentations from 15 vineyard sites. We profiled time series gene expression patterns of primary fermentations, but fermentations proceeded at different rates, making analyzes of these data with conventional differential expression tools difficult. This led us to develop a novel approach that combines diffusion mapping with continuous differential expression analysis. Using this method, we identified vineyard specific deviations in gene expression, including changes in gene expression correlated with the activity of the non-Saccharomyces yeast Hanseniaspora uvarum, as well as with initial nitrogen concentrations in grape musts. These results highlight novel relationships between site-specific variables and Saccharomyces cerevisiae gene expression that are linked to repeated wine fermentation outcomes. In addition, we demonstrate that our analysis approach can extract biologically relevant gene expression patterns in other contexts (e.g., hypoxic response of Saccharomyces cerevisiae), indicating that this approach offers a general method for investigating asynchronous time series gene expression data. Importance While it is generally accepted that foods, in particular wine, possess sensory characteristics associated with or derived from their place of origin, we lack knowledge of the biotic and abiotic factors central to this phenomenon. We have used Saccharomyces cerevisiae gene expression as a biosensor to capture differences in fermentations of Pinot noir grapes from 15 vineyards across two vintages. We find that gene expression by non-Saccharomyces yeasts and initial nitrogen content in the grape must correlates with differences in gene expression among fermentations from these vintages. These findings highlight important relationships between site-specific variables and gene expression that can be used to understand, or possibly modify, wine fermentation outcomes. Our work also provides a novel analysis method for investigating asynchronous gene expression data sets that is able to reveal both global shifts and subtle differences in gene expression due to varied cell – environment interactions.


There were studied the peculiarities of growth processes, the formation of the leaf apparatus, its mesostructure and photosynthetic activity, as well as the biological productivity of the Bobcat hybrid tomato plants under the influence of synthetic analogues of growth promoting hormones — 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (1-NAA), gibberellic acid (GA3), 6-benzylaminopurine (6-BAP), and retardants — chloromequate chloride (ССС-750), tebuconazole (EW-250), ethephon (2chloroethylphosphonic acid, 2-CEPA), which differ in the action mechanism. It was revealed that growth promotors increased, and retardants reduced the tomato plants height. It was established that 1-NAA, GA3, and CCC-750 increased the leaf number on the plant, while under 2-CEPA treatment, the index was less than the control, and under the EW-250 action it remained practically unchanged. All growth regulators, except 2-CEPA, increased the leaf blades number, the fresh weight, and leaf area. All growth promotors increased the whole plant dry weight, while the retardants EW-250 and CCC-750 did not affect this index, and 2-CEPA significantly reduced it. All retardants and 6-BAP significantly increased the total chlorophyll content in tomato leaves, while under the action of GA3 this index decreased. The retardants EW-250 and CCC-750, and the growth promotor 6-BAP contributed to the thickening of the tomato leaf chlorenchyma, and the ethylene producer 2-CEPA reduced it. Under the influence of all growth regulators, except 2-CEPA, the volume of columnar parenchyma cells increased. It was established that at the stage of fruit formation onset, all growth regulators, except 1-NAA, increased the rate of CO2 assimilation, photorespiration, dark respiration and transpiration. All growth regulators, except 2-CEPA, contributed to the increase in tomatoes yield, while the use of the growth promotor 6-BAP and the retardant EW-250 proved to be the most effective.


Sir: We read with interest the article by Blume et al. on whether men with asymptomatic non-specific urethritis (NSU) should be identified and treated. Their findings suggest that the low level of chlamydia and other sexually transmitted infections in partners of asymptomatic men with pathogen-negative NSU does not support the routine use of microscopy to identify these patients. A survey was carried out among genitourinary clinics in the Eastern region regarding the management of asymptomatic NSU. Out of 12 clinics that took part in the survey, eight clinics stated that they would perform microscopy in asymptomatic men. Only four clinics stated that they would not perform microscopy in asymptomatic men. Three out of 12 clinics had facilities for dual testing for chlamydia and gonorrhoea on urine samples in men; two of these three clinics continue to perform urethral smears. All clinics except one stated that they would perform genital examination in asymptomatic men. The clinic that does not perform genital examination in asymptomatic men has the facility for dual testing for chlamydia and gonorrhoea on urine samples. The 2007 – National Guideline on the Management of Non-Gonococcal Urethritis does not recommend urethral smear in asymptomatic men. The UK National Screening and Testing Guidelines for Sexually Transmitted Infections also do not recommend microscopy in asymptomatic men to diagnose NSU. This survey showed that the majority of clinics in the region are not complying with these guidelines. Most of the clinics in the region have not had access to dual testing to chlamydia and gonorrhoea using nucleic acid amplification tests on urine in men and they need to do gonococcal urethral culture for screening for gonorrhoea. All clinics except one perform genital examination in asymptomatic men. However, it is unclear whether genital examination in asymptomatic men is indicated when both chlamydia and gonorrhoea screening tests are carried out on urine. This survey highlights the need for a wider audit on the management of non-gonococcal urethritis to determine whether clinical practice is in line with the National Guidelines for the management of non-gonococcal urethritis. We welcome the National Audit Group's plan to audit asymptomatic screening in 2009.


The kinetic properties of the human α1 homomeric glycine receptor were investigated. Receptors were expressed in HEK 293 cells, and glycine was applied to outside‐out membrane patches with sub‐millisecond solution exchange. The activation time course of the glycine response was used to investigate receptor stoichiometry. The unbinding of three strychnine molecules and the cooperative binding of two glycine molecules were required to activate the channel. The effects of phosphorylation on glycine receptor kinetics were investigated by pretreating cells with phosphorylators or with phosphatases. Phosphorylation accelerated desensitisation, but slowed deactivation and recovery from desensitisation. A chemical‐kinetic model was developed that reproduced the experimental observations. The model suggests that only three binding sites on the glycine channel are functional, while the remaining two binding sites are 'silent', possibly due to strong negative cooperativity.


In this study, a photocatalyst with a distorted skeleton and synthesized by grafting triamterene onto graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3 N4 ) frameworks was prepared. The pteridine ring of the triamterene-based nitrogen-enriched organic structure functions as a trapped electron site owing to its inductive effect. The benzene ring in triamterene plays an important role in the even dispersion of electrons by a conjugative effect. Redistribution of the intramolecular electronic potential is caused by a synergistic effect between the pteridine and benzene rings of triamterene and promotes separation and migration of the photoinduced charge carriers. After coupling with triamterene, the π electrons of g-C3 N4 are relocated; that is, the intrinsic electronic and band structures of g-C3 N4 are effectively modulated. The modified polymeric photocatalyst shows a high photocatalytic H2 evolution rate of 157.5 μmol h-1 , a value that is 4.3 times higher than the H2 evolution rate of pristine g-C3 N4 (36.8 μmol h-1 ), with an apparent quantum efficiency of 9.7 % at λ=450 nm. The incorporation of triamterene into the g-C3 N4 frameworks significantly expands its π-delocalized system by redistribution of the electronic potential, expands the visible-light absorption range, and effectively promotes the separation and migration of photoinduced charge carriers. This strategy may provide a reference for promoting charge separation of g-C3 N4 through redistribution of the electronic potential and for synthesizing novel carbon nitride based semiconductors for efficient solar energy conversion into hydrogen.


In the August 2009 issue of Autophagy, I indicated that we were launching a new category of article, Protocols. At that time, I noted that we would ultimately be placing these articles on a new site online. Well, that time has finally arrived (see www.landesbioscience.com/journals/autophagy/protocols/ for links to these papers). Therefore, it seems appropriate for me to briefly distinguish among three types of community-oriented papers, Protocol, Toolbox and Resource.


Capacity building through training, research, and exchange of information are the three priority areas of South to South cooperation in population that are closely linked together. Capacity building cannot be done without sharing of information on both technical and operational experiences. This article discusses four ways of exchanging information, wherein two of these ways are technical and the other two is through advocacy. It is noted that there is a clear need to document, analyze, and disseminate information on success stories of countries where family planning and reproductive health and population programs have been successful. This is the first area of information gathering and information exchange. The second is gathering and dissemination of information on what capacity exists within individual countries for training, research and exchange of information, and then to share this with other countries. This area is very important in the field of South to South cooperation. The remaining methods relate to the broad area of advocacy. One area is for the purpose of strengthening the information base that is available in a country with a view to promote, maintain, and strengthen policy commitment or political commitment at various levels. Specific modalities of information exchange are discussed in detail.


The authors describe the design and implementation of the MONARCH system, which is a network programming support based on an object-oriented paradigm. As a popular programming aid for network applications, the RPC (remote procedure call) already exists. The programming style with RPC is procedure-oriented so that the abstraction level between the client and server programming is insufficient. Therefore, for further abstraction of the relationship between a server and client programs, an RPC mechanism is proposed based on an object-oriented paradigm. A network object model called active object, and a mechanism called ROI (remote object invocation) are introduced for interacting with it. The MONARCH Language, which is a new object-oriented language, was designed to support programming based on the ROI mechanism. The object model and the language design are discussed.<<ETX>>


We report a 53-year-old man with metastases of alveolar soft-part sarcoma originated from the mediastinum. He was hospitalized due to lower extremities' paralysis. Computed tomography scan findings revealed multiple nodules of bilateral lungs, swollen mediastinal lymph nodes, and osteolysis of thoracic vertebrae. We performed spinal decompression and biopsy from vertebra. And, we finally diagnosed this case as metastases of mediastinal alveolar soft-part sarcoma which was removed 10 years ago. Alveolar soft-part sarcoma is rare tumor accounted for 0.5%–1.0% of soft tissue sarcoma that often occurs primarily in the lower extremities and trunk. It is difficult to distinguish between alveolar soft-part sarcoma and paraganglioma, renal cell carcinoma and granular cell tumor morphologically. Periodic acid–Schiff stain and immunohistochemical staining of ASPL-TFE3 are useful in making a definitive diagnosis of alveolar soft-part sarcoma. This case is a rare case of alveolar soft-part sarcoma originated in the mediastinum with local recurrence and distant metastases 10 years after the initial surgery.


Theoretical models that treat optical lattice vibrations in heterostructures by viewing the lattice-matched crystalline media as isotropic homogeneous continua separated by smooth planar interfaces, offer conceptual simplicity and are, without doubt, computationally advantageous when calculations involving electron-phonon interactions are carried out. The two (apparently conflicting) continuum models, namely the hydrodynamic (HD) and the electromagnetic (EM) models, are discussed, their calculational frameworks in the context of semiconductor heterostructures examined and some of their predictions displayed. A statement of the HD model in terms of a polariton subset plus an LO subset is given, and this permits a transparent comparison with the EM model to be made. It is then shown that the EM model is a non-dispersive, non-retarded and subsequently mishandled version of the polariton subset of the HD model and it completely disallows proper considerations of longitudinal optical modes. The sources of the current controversies concerning HD versus EM boundary conditions-confined mode identification, existence of localized alloy interface LO modes and interface FK modes, Frohlich-type coupling e Phi together with the e Phi versus-(e/m*c)AT.p couplings to electrons-are all pointed out and discussed. A close agreement between some very recent predictions of the two models concerning interface mode contributions to energy relaxation is explained and this helps to clarify the nature of the conflict regarding other contributions. Further evidence in support of the HD model from recent theoretical and experimental results is pointed out.


Capabilities provide an efficient and secure mechanism for fine-grained resource management and protection. However, as the modern hardware architectures continue to evolve with large numbers of non-coherent and heterogeneous cores, we focus on the following research question: can capability systems scale to modern hardware architectures? In this work, we present a scalable capability system to drive future systems with many non-coherent heterogeneous cores. More specifically, we have designed a distributed capability system based on a HW/SW co-designed capability system. We analyzed the pitfalls of distributed capability operations running concurrently and built the protocols in accordance with the insights. We have incorporated these distributed capability management protocols in a new microkernel-based OS called SEMPEROS. Our OS operates the system by means of multiple microkernels, which employ distributed capabilities to provide an efficient and secure mechanism for fine-grained access to system resources. In the evaluation we investigated the scalability of our algorithms and run applications (Nginx, LevelDB, SQLite, PostMark, etc.), which are heavily dependent on the OS services of SEMPEROS. The results indicate that there is no inherent scalability limitation for capability systems. Our evaluation shows that we achieve a parallel efficiency of 70% to 78% when examining a system with 576 cores executing 512 application instances while using 11% of the system's cores for OS services.


The aim of this work was to investigate the effects of supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) processing on the release profiles of progesterone (PGN) and Gelucire 44/14 dispersion systems. A fractional factorial design was conducted for optimization of the particles from gas-saturated suspension (PGSS) method and formulation parameters and evaluating the effects of three independent responses: PGSS process yield, in vitro dissolution extent after 20 min (E20) and t1/2 for prepared PGN dispersion systems. The experimental domain included seven factors measured at two levels to determine which factors represent the greatest amount of variation, hence the most influence on the resulting PGN dispersion systems. Variables tested were temperature (A) and pressure (B) of the supercritical fluid, sample loading (C), SC-CO2 processing time (D), sonication (E), drug-to-excipient ratio (F) and orifice diameter into the expansion chamber (G). The analysis of variance showed that the factors tested had significant effects on the responses (p value <0.05). It was found that the optimum values of the PGSS process are higher pressure (186 bar), higher temperature (60°C), a longer processing time (30 min) and lower PGN-to-excipient ratio of 1:10. The corresponding processing yield was 94.7%, extent of PGN dissolution after 20 min was 85.6% and the t1/2 was 17.7 min. The results suggest that Gelucire 44/14-based dispersion systems might represent a promising formulation for delivery of PGN. The preparation of PGN-loaded Gelucire 44/14 dispersion systems from a PGSS method can be optimized by factorial design experimentation.


The temperature-dependent electronic structure of 1T-TaS2 near the Fermi level, determined by means of angle-resolved photoemission with high-energy resolution of 35 meV, exhibits a distinct energy gap associated with a metal-semiconductor transition at 180 K on cooling, whereas on warming up the retransformation occurs in the electronic structure at 280 K. The complex phase transformation behaviour including the resistivity can be consistently explained between 400 K and 120 K. For the metal-semiconductor transition Mott-Hubbard localization of the d conduction electrons driven by critical interlayer coupling seems most likely.


The development of new composite materials, often anisotropic in nature, requires intricate approaches to characterize these materials and to detect internal defects. The Ultrasonic Polar Scan (UPS) is able to achieve both goals. During an UPS experiment, a material spot is insonified at several angles Psi(theta,phi), after which the reflected or transmitted signal is recorded. While excellent results have been obtained using an in-house developed 5-axis scanner, UPS measurements with the current set-up are too lengthy and cumbersome for in-situ industrial application. Therefore, we propose to replace the complex mechanical steering of the transducers by a hemispherical phased array consisting of small PZT elements. This allows to create a compact and portable setup without compromising the current data quality. By successively activating a specific set of elements of the array and choosing appropriate inter-element time delays, the beam can be electronically steered from any angle to a fixed position on the targeted sample. Consequently, UPS reflection measurements can be performed at this position from a wide range of angles in a timeframe of seconds. Additionally, by using apodization windows, it is possible to efficiently reduce the intensity of unwanted side lobes and to create a phase profile which closely resembles that of a bounded plane wave, leading to an easier interpretation of the recorded data. The appropriate time delays and apodization parameters can be found though a multi-objective inverse problem in which both the phase profile and the side lobe reduction are optimized. This approach enables the creation of an effective beam profile to be used during UPS experiments for the characterization and inspection of composite materials. Our simulation approach is a crucial step towards a next-generation UPS device for industrial applications and in-field measurements.


The METAVIR group, including 10 pathologists with a specialization in liver pathology, has been formed in order to discuss on problems related to chronic viral hepatitis C. Cooperative studies have been planed. At first, observer variation in the assessment of features of chronic viral hepatitis C has been performed. This study has led to the proposal of a coded form for pathological features in liver biopsy of chronic viral hepatitis C. This form will be used to study a large number of biopsies from patients included in clinical trials. In the next future, the prevalence of every of these elementary features will be assessed, as well as correlations between clinical, biological and pathological data.


Cluster computing has been attracting more and more attention from both the industrial and the academic world for its enormous computing power and scalability. Beowulf type cluster, for example, is a typical High Performance Computing (HPC) cluster system. Availability, as a key attribute of the system, needs to be considered at the system design stage and monitored at mission time. Moreover, system monitoring is a must to help identify the defects and ensure the system's availability requirement. In this paper, novel solutions which provide availability modeling, model evaluation, and data analysis as a single framework have been investigated. Three key components in the investigation are availability modeling, model evaluation, and data analysis. The general availability concepts and modeling techniques are briefly reviewed. The system's availability model is divided into submodels based upon their functionalities. Furthermore, an object oriented Markov model specification to facilitate availability modeling and runtime configuration has been developed. Numerical solutions for Markov models are examined, especially on the uniformization method. The paper also presents a monitoring and data analysis framework, which is responsible for failure analysis and availability reconfiguration. ACM Classification: D.2.11, D.2.12, D.2.13


The phenylacetic acid (PhAc) degradation pathway becomes an interesting model for the catabolism of aromatic compounds. To determine the molecular basis for this environmentally important process, we did a phylogenic analysis based on the PhAc CoA ligase gene. It suggests that the PhAc CoA ligase genes are distributing widely and subject to frequent lateral gene transfer within and across bacterial phylum.


BS development platform PanBSP is a BS software development platform exclusively designed for conglomerate business management. Adopting J2EE standard structure, JSON and XML interactive data packet format, with intensified stability, dependability and usability, PanBSP has a very strong capability of system development for conglomerate corporate business. Business integration platform PanBIS is used for connecting with disparate systems with standard structure of ESB and XML data packet format.


A new stable quadratic minimization method on a half-space is presented. In case of normally solvable operators this method outperforms approximate solutions having the same optimal order accuracy as earlier methods for unconstrained problems.


The Chemical Basis of Carcinogenic Activity by G M Badger PhD DSC American Lecture Series No. 490 pp xiii+72 $5 Springfield, Ill.: Charles C Thomas 1962 This monograph in the series of American Lectures in Living Chemistry concisely reviews the major facts known about chemical carcinogens. Dr Badger is Professor of Organic Chemistry in the University of Adelaide, Australia. He has succeeded in writing a short informative and readable summary of the chemical nature of cancer-producing compounds. The various groups of carcinogens are introduced by an account of their discovery and their distribution in the environment. Their chemical structure and its relation to carcinogenic activity is enunciated clearly so as to be appreciated by the nonspecialist. Most detail is devoted to the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, the aromatic amines and the aminoazo compounds. Their metabolism and mode of action are discussed, including the twostage mechanism of initiation and promotion. A brief survey is added of carcinogenic metals, the senecio alkaloids, alkylating agents, urethanes and plastic polymers. The book is strongly recommended and gives the clinician not only an up-to-date survey of the experimental work in the field but, in addition, insight into the potential human hazards of carcinogenic chemicals in the atmosphere, in industry and in food-stuffs.


This article describes an UWB radar antenna planar near field (PNF) measurement system under construction. Unlike the conventional antenna or RCS time domain test system, the UWB radar signal instead of the carrier free short time pulse was used to excite the antenna, which can satisfy the need to measure SAR and other UWB radar antennas measurement. In order to validate the data analysis program, we use the FDTD analysis software to calculate the electrical field of MtimesN points in a fictitious plane at different times just like the actual PNF sampling in the time domain (TD). The calculated results can be considered the actual oscilloscope's sampling output signal. Through time-frequency domain transform and FD near to far field transform, we get the almost same radiation pattern comparing to the FD measurement and simulation results


Campaigns by environmental non-governmental organisations (ENGOs) can have far reaching consequences in determining the policies of governments and corporations. This paper examines campaigns targeting forestry companies to determine what makes a successful campaign. Over forty ENGOs completed a questionnaire defining what they perceive to constitute a successful campaign. The responses were analysed using Analytical Hierarchy Process. The results showed that campaigns by ENGOs have two main targets: changes in laws and the target group implementing the campaign's recommendation(s). Achieving these targets, for most, constitute a successful campaign. Subsequently, representatives of seven ENGOs were questioned to attain their perspectives of the results in comparison to campaigns they are conducting against forest enterprises. They supported the results of the questionnaire, but also felt that there are various other factors that need to be considered (e.g. the campaign's timeframe and the possibility of having hidden targets) that increase the issue's complexity.


Purpose Ex vivo imaging is a preferable method to study the biophysical mechanism of white matter orientation-dependent signal phase evolution. Yet, how formalin fixation, commonly used for tissue preservation, affects the phase measurement is not fully known. We, therefore, study the impacts of formalin fixation on magnetic susceptibility, microstructural compartmentalisation and chemical exchange measurement on human brain tissue. Methods A formalin-fixed, post-mortem human brain specimen was scanned with multiple orientations with respect to the main magnetic field direction for robust bulk magnetic susceptibility measurement with conventional quantitative susceptibility imaging models. Homogeneous white matter tissues were subsequently excised from the whole-brain specimen and scanned in multiple rotations on an MRI scanner to measure the anisotropic magnetic susceptibility and microstructure-related contributions in the signal phase. Electron microscopy was used to validate the MRI findings. Results The bulk isotropic magnetic susceptibility of ex vivo whole-brain imaging is comparable to in vivo imaging, with noticeable enhanced non-susceptibility contributions. The excised specimen experiment reveals that anisotropic magnetic susceptibility and compartmentalisation phase effect were considerably reduced in formalin-fixed white matter tissue. Conclusions Despite formalin-fixed white matter tissue has comparable bulk isotropic magnetic susceptibility to those measured via in vivo imaging, its orientation-dependent components in the signal phase related to the tissue microstructure is substantially weaker, making it less favourable in white matter microstructure studies using phase imaging.


Objective: Some studies have recently focused on the association between TNF-α polymorphisms and cervical cancer; however, results have been inconsistent. In order to drive a more precise estimation, the present systematic review and meta-analysis is performed to investigate the relationship of the TNF-α rs1800629 and s1799724 polymorphisms with cervical cancer risk. Methods: An electronic search was conducted on PubMed, Web of Science, and Google scholar databases, for papers that describe the association between TNF-α polymorphisms and cervical cancer risk. Results: A number of 24 case-control studies in 22 publications were identified according to the inclusion criteria. The results showed that rs1800629 polymorphism was significantly associated with the increased cervical cancer risk under four genetic models (A vs. G: OR = 1.277, 95% CI: 1.104-1.477, p = 0.001; AA vs. GG: OR = 1.333, 95% CI: 1.062-1.674, p = 0.013; AG vs. GG: OR = 1.307, 95% CI: 1.064-1.605, p = 0.011; and AA+AG vs. GG: OR = 1.324, 95% CI: 1.104-1.587, p = 0.002). In stratified analysis, there was a significant association between rs1800629 polymorphism and cervical cancer risk in the subgroup of Caucasians and African, but not in Asians. However, no statistically significant association was observed between the s1799724 and cervical cancer risk under all genetic models. Furthermore, stratification by ethnicity indicated no association between the s1799724 and cervical cancer risk. Conclusion: the present meta-analysis suggests that the rs1800629 polymorphism of the TNF-α gene was significantly associated with cervical cancer risk, but not s1799724.


The standard of care for fluid resuscitation of trauma/hemorrhagic shock (T/HS) is the infusion of blood. However, in many instances, blood product transfusion may not be feasible. Consequently, crystalloid solutions may be utilized as temporizing cost-effective resuscitation fluids. In this study, we explored an alternative therapeutic strategy of enteral protease inhibition adjunctive to intravenous Lactated Ringer's (LR) reperfusion after T/HS. Male Wistar rats underwent midline laparotomy (trauma) and an enteral catheter was inserted orally and positioned post-pyloric for the infusion of vehicle (Golytely®) with or without the serine protease inhibitor gabexate mesilate (GM) (n=8/group). Hemorrhagic shock was induced by blood removal to reduce the mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) to 35-40 mmHg for 90 minutes, before resuscitation with LR. Animals treated with enteral GM required significantly less crystalloid volume to achieve hemodynamic stability and displayed improvements in both blood pressure and autonomic function (via increased baroreflex sensitivity to vasopressors, heightened vascular sympathetic modulation, elevated levels of circulating catecholamines, and increased α1-adrenergic receptor density) compared to untreated (control) shocked animals. Resistance arteries isolated from healthy donor animals and perfused with plasma from untreated T/HS animals revealed impaired vascular response to the α1 adrenergic agonist phenylephrine and decreased reactivity to sodium nitroprusside that was preserved in the GM-treated group. These findings suggest that blockade of serine proteases within the intestinal lumen in non-blood resuscitated experimental T/HS preserves and enhances peripheral sympathetic modulation, improving hemodynamics. Enteral infusion of gabexate mesilate may be a new and promising approach to the management of trauma/hemorrhagic shock.


Discusses the historical and contemporary context of the crisis and reforms in the Cuban cigar sector. Author focuses on developments in the period 1992-94 when Cuba sank to, and pulled out of, the depths of the post-1989 crisis. This was when competition from the post-1992 boom of cigars made with Havana seed leaf grown outside Cuba became fierce. She concludes by considering scholarly interpretations of the 1990s agrarian reforms and emphasizes the need to foreground the interplay between external and internal factors.


We carry out three-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations of the supernova remnants (SNRs) produced inside molecular clouds (MCs) near their surface using the HLL code (Harten et al. 1983). We explore the dynamical evolution and the X-ray morphology of SNRs after breaking through the MC surface for ranges of the explosion depths below the surface and the density ratios of the clouds to the intercloud media (ICM). We find that if an SNR breaks out through an MC surface in its Sedov stage, the outermost dense shell of the remnant is divided into several layers. The divided layers are subject to the Rayleigh-Taylor instability and fragmented. On the other hand, if an SNR breaks through an MC after the remnant enters the snowplow phase, the radiative shell is not divided to layers. We also compare the predictions of previous analytic solutions for the expansion of SNRs in stratified media with our onedimensional simulations. Moreover, we produce synthetic X-ray surface brightness in order to research the center-bright X-ray morphology shown in thermal composite SNRs. In the late stages, a breakout SNR shows the center-bright X-ray morphology inside an MC in our results. We apply our model to the observational results of the X-ray morphology of the thermal composite SNR 3C 391.


A guide with practical examples that gives you hands-on knowledge in creating learning environments for Mobile devices using Moodle, while also empowering you to create your own effective mlearning course designs. "Moodle for Mobile Learning" is primarily aimed at Moodle course practitioners - teachers, tutors, instructors, and learning and development professionals. It does not require you to have an in-depth knowledge about any mobile technologies. It is for anyone who has the desire to deliver great courses that allow their learners to interact using the devices in their pockets.


Traditional agricultural land use systems in the humid tropics of the Southwest Pacific are, as elsewhere, affected by globalization processes. This paper analyzes the directions of change in the land use system of Bellona, a small outer island in the Solomon Islands. We focus on the human–environmental interaction that shapes land use patterns and practices in the context of theoretical lines of thought concerning intensification of agricultural systems in the tropics. Aerial photography from 1966 and satellite imagery from 2006 in conjunction with studies from the 1960s and a contemporary household survey reveal only minor changes in the agricultural system. Land use and land cover dynamics are related to agricultural strategies, demographic factors, institutional actors as well as biophysical drivers or constraints. Local agricultural production still contributes significantly to local subsistence but imported food has also become a major food source. Hence, land use has become partially disconnected from the local population pressure and therefore remains relatively stable while the larger livelihood portfolio has undergone significant diversification. At present, the agricultural system is a supplement to a range of strategies supporting the increasing number of people on the island. This explains why land use patterns continue relatively unchanged while livelihood and food supply strategies have changed.


The electron kinetic model for investigating the transport and ionization rate coefficients of argon glow discharge dusty plasma is developed from the Boltzmann equation. Both of the electron–neutral and electron–dust collisions are considered as collision terms in the kinetic equation. The kinetic equation is simplified by employing the local approximation and nonlocal approach under the same discharge conditions, and the corresponding simplified kinetic equations are known as local and nonlocal kinetic equations respectively. Then the electron energy distribution function (EEDF) is obtained by numerically solving the local and nonlocal kinetic equations and the dust charging equations simultaneously. Based on the obtained EEDFs, the effective electron temperature, electron mobility, electron diffusion coefficient and ionization rate coefficient are calculated for different discharge conditions. It is shown that the EEDFs calculated from the local kinetic model clearly differ from the nonlocal EEDFs and both the local and nonlocal EEDFs are also clearly different with Maxwellian distributions. The appearance of dust particles results in an obvious decrease of high energy electrons and increase of low energy electrons when axial electric field is low. With the increase of axial electric field, the influence of dust particles on the EEDFs becomes smaller. The electron mobility and diffusion coefficients calculated on the basis of local and nonlocal EEDFs do not differ greatly to the dust-free ones. While, when dust density nd = 106 cm−3, the electron mobility increases obviously compared with the dust-free results at low axial electric field and decreases with the increasing axial electric field until they are close to the dust-free ones. Meanwhile, electron diffusion coefficients for dusty case become smaller and decrease with the increasing axial electric field. The ionization rate coefficients decrease when dust particles are introduced and they approach the dust-free results gradually with the increasing axial electric field.


SUMMARY This study evaluates nutritional value and use of babassu mesocarp supplementation in the feeding of broilers. Initially, the chemical composition was determined in order to characterize the ingredient. Then two tests were conducted: the first, to determine the energy values and the second, the optimal supplementation level in the diet. The metabolism trial was conducted using 20 Leghorn cockerels divided into two treatments with five replicates of two birds each. The experiment lasted ten days, five adaptation days and five days for stool collection. Subsequently, 500 one-day-old broiler chicks were used in the growth trial. The design was completely randomized, with four treatments and five replications. Treatments consisted of four levels of babassu mesocarp supplementation: 0, 3, 6 and 9%. The growth trial lasted 21 days and the responses to feed intake, weight gain and feed conversion were evaluated. Based on natural matter, the babassu mesocarp has 87.5%, 3.29%, 1.1%, 2.7%, 75.1% and 3,618 kcal/kg for the variables dry matter, crude protein, ash, crude fiber, starch and gross energy, respectively. The corrected apparent metabolizable energy determined was 2,671 kcal/kg, based on the natural matter. The babassu mesocarp due to its low crude protein content and high starch level can be classified as an energy ingredient. The babassu mesocarp supplemented in the feed of broilers adversely affected the performance of broilers during the initial stages of growth.


In this research, Fe3O4@SiO2@KCC-1@MPTMS@CuII as a new cockscomb flower-like mesoporous nanocomposite was prepared and characterized by various techniques including Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), SEM-based energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), thermogravimetric analysis/differential thermal analysis (TGA/DTA), vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM), UV-Vis spectroscopy, and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) and Barrett–Joyner–Halenda (BJH) analyses. The as-prepared Fe3O4@SiO2@KCC-1@MPTMS@CuII mesoporous nanocomposite exhibited satisfactory catalytic activity in the reduction and reductive acetylation of nitroarenes in a water medium and solvent-free one-pot synthesis of some coumarin compounds including 3,3'-(arylmethylene)bis(4-hydroxy-2H-chromen-2-ones) (namely, bis-coumarins) (3a–n) and 2-amino-4-aryl-7,7-dimethyl-5-oxo-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-4H-chromene-3-carbonitriles (6a–n) along with acceptable turnover numbers (TONs) and turnover frequencies (TOFs). Furthermore, the mentioned CuII-containing mesoporous nanocatalyst was conveniently recovered by a magnet from reaction environments and reused for at least seven cycles without any significant loss in activity, which confirms its good stability.


This report summarises the results of the discussions of a working group on model transformation of the Dagstuhl Seminar on Language Engineering for Model-Driven Software Development. The main contribution is a taxonomy of model transformation. This taxonomy can be used to help developers in deciding which model transformation approach is best suited to deal with a particular problem.


Abstract:  This work presents the use of a discrete wavelet transform to determine the natural frequencies, damping ratios, and mode shapes of a structure from its free vibration or earthquake response data. The wavelet transform with orthonormal wavelets is applied to the measured acceleration responses of a structural system, and to reconstruct the discrete equations of motion in various wavelet subspaces. The accuracy of this procedure is numerically confirmed; the effects of mother wavelet functions and noise on the ability to accurately estimate the dynamic characteristics are also investigated. The feasibility of the present procedure to elucidate real structures is demonstrated through processing the measured responses of steel frames in shaking table tests and the free vibration responses of a five‐span arch bridge with a total length of 440 m.


The essays in this volume, with the exception of Gary Ferngren's, derive from ancestral versions originally presented at a symposium, 'Conflicts with Newborns: Saving Lives, Scarce Resources, and Euthanasia: held May 10-12,1984, at the Mercer University School of Medicine, Macon, Georgia. We wish to express our gratitude to the Georgia Endowment for the Humanities for a generous grant for the symposium and to Mercer University and the Medical Center of Central Georgia for additional financial support. The vit: ws expressed in this volume do not necessarily represent those of the Georgia Endowment for the Humani ties, Mercer University, or the Medical Center of Central Georgia. We have endeavored to bring together a group of individuals with contrast ing viewpoints to display some of the range of approaches to a major problem in public policy: medical decisions regarding the treatment of defective newborns. So many persons contributed to the symposium that acknowledg ment of each would be impossible. Although unnamed, we express our sincere appreciation to each. Three individuals, however, must be recognized: R. Kirby Godsey, President, Mercer University; William P. Bristol, Dean, Mercer University School of Medicine; and Kenneth C. Henderson, Medical Director and Director of Medical Education, Medical Center of Central Georgia. Without their support, the symposium could not have succeeded and this volume would not have been possible. We wish also to express our gratitude to S. G. M."


In the tradition of its phenomenally successful companion volume, "Bread, Baking Bread" offers a practical guide to baking and over 100 easy-to-follow bread recipes for every taste and occasion. In chapters on American and European country breads, picnic breads, dinner rolls, waffles, brioches, holiday breads, and bruschette, this generously illustrated collection explores the full range of delicious bread possibilities. Detailed information on adapting recipes to the time-saving bread machine, a thorough explanation of basic bread-making techniques, over 50 innovative recipes for cheeses and spreads, and a complete glossary of newly available whole grains round out this comprehensive volume. Illustrated with beautiful full-color photographs," Baking Bread" is an authoritative, inviting guide to the most satisfying of culinary crafts.


High quality sensor data stream is crucial to wireless sensor networks applications. However raw data streams in wireless sensor networks tend to be not reliable. Therefore, improving sensor data quality is an important issue for all kinds of wireless sensor networks applications. In this paper, we proposed an integrated framework, MuMoCo, which is based on such a fact: the factors leading to outlier or data missing such as events, insufficient power, or malicious nodes have similar influence on each modality of data created by a node at the same time. Not considering the correlation among different modalities of data may probably lead to a contradictory: different conclusions of data verification according to different modalities of data. Taking advantage of multiple modalities cooperation of sensor data to avoid such contradictory and improve data quality, the MuMoCo framework includes data source quality assessment, data authenticity verification and recovery, and data conversion with quality assurance. Using the MuMoCo framework, we can obtain following benefits: more efficient filtering of data source based on data source quality assessment; more accurate data authenti-city verification and data recover; and more comprehensive utilization of sensor data.


Ethical leadership is an important determinant of job performance and organizational outcomes. Earlier studies have examined the direct effect of ethical leadership on the organizational outcome and job performance without incorporating mediating variables. Moreover, past studies have only incorporated one or two mediating variables. We have developed a new model based on social learning theory that contains six direct relationships and three indirect relationships because of this gap. The study specifically examines the effect of ethical leadership on job performance, self-efficacy, and workplace climate. We also examined the effect of workplace climate on job performance and safety compliance. Also, we investigated the mediating effect of self-efficacy and workplace climate on job performance and safety compliance while focussing on SMEs in Karachi. SMEs are generally less structured than large firms and vulnerable to unethical leadership practices. Based on quota sampling, we have collected a sample of 500. The Smart PLS software was used for estimating the measurement and structural models. Ethical leadership promotes job performance, self-efficacy, and work climate. Self-efficacy and work climate are significant precursors of job performance. Work climate promotes safety compliance. Self-efficacy and work climate have mediating effects on job performance. And work climate affect safety compliance.


Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) has led to a global pandemic infecting 224 million people and has caused 4.6 million deaths. Nearly 80 Artificial Intelligence (AI) articles have been published on COVID-19 diagnosis. The first systematic review on the Deep Learning (DL)-based paradigm for COVID-19 diagnosis was recently published by Suri et al. [IEEE J Biomed Health Inform. 2021]. The above study used AtheroPoint's "AP(ai)Bias 1.0"using 10 AI attributes in the DL framework. The proposed study uses "AP(ai)Bias 2.0"as part of the three quantitative paradigms for Risk-of-Bias quantification by using the best 40 dedicated Hybrid DL (HDL) studies and utilizing 39 AI attributes. In the first method, the radial-bias map (RBM) was computed for each AI study, followed by the computation of bias value. In the second method, the regional-bias area (RBA) was computed by the area difference between the best and the worst AI performing attributes. In the third method, ranking-bias score (RBS) was computed, where AI-based cumulative scores were computed for all the 40 studies. These studies were ranked, and the cutoff was determined, categorizing the HDL studies into three bins: low, moderate, and high. Using the Venn diagram, these three quantitative methods were benchmarked against the two qualitative non-randomized-based AI trial methods (ROBINS-I and PROBAST). Using the analytically derived moderate-high and low-moderate cutoff of 2.9 and 3.6, respectively, we observed 40%, 27.5%, 17.5%, 10%, and 20% of studies were low-biased for RBM, RBA, RBS, ROBINS-I, and PROBAST, respectively. We present an eight-point recommendation for AP(ai)Bias 2.0 minimization. IEEE


Glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) is a glycolipid added to the C-terminus of a large variety of proteins in eukaryotes, thereby anchoring these proteins to the cell surface. More than 150 different human proteins are modified with GPI, and GPI-anchored proteins (GPI-APs) play critical roles in embryogenesis, neurogenesis, immunity, and fertilization. GPI-APs are biosynthesized in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and transported to the plasma membrane via the Golgi apparatus. During transport, GPI-APs undergo structural remodeling that is important for the efficient folding and sorting of GPI-APs. Asparagine-linked glycan-dependent folding and deacylation by PGAP1 work together to ensure that correctly folded GPI-APs are transported from the ER to the Golgi. Remodeling of the GPI lipid moiety is critical for the association of GPI-APs with lipid rafts. On the cell surface, certain GPI-APs are cleaved by GPI cleavage enzymes and released from the membrane, a key event in processes such as spermatogenesis and neurogenesis. In this review, we discuss the enzymes involved in GPI-AP biosynthesis and the fate of GPI-APs in mammalian cells, with a focus on the assembly, folding, degradation, and cleavage of GPI-APs.


Introduction: Dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors (DPP-4 inhibitors) are incretin-based oral antidiabetic drugs. Previous studies have shown an association between increased plasma activity of DPP-4 and chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors may be associated with preventing the development of chronic HCV infection. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the use of DPP-4 inhibitors is associated with a decreased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) and chronic HCV infection. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we enrolled patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic HCV infection from the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) in Taiwan. The patients were divided into two groups (DPP-4 inhibitor cohort and non-DPP-4 inhibitor cohort) according to whether or not they received DPP-4 inhibitor treatment. Results: Multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analysis showed a significantly lower risk of HCC in the patients who took DPP-4 inhibitors compared to those who did not. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis demonstrated a significantly higher HCC-free rate in the DPP-4 inhibitor cohort than in the non-DPP-4 inhibitor cohort. Conclusion: The use of DPP-4 inhibitors was associated with a lower risk of HCC in patients with type 2 DM and chronic HCV infection.


186 Background: Prostate cancer is the most common cancer for men in the US, yet the burden of this disease falls disproportionately on African Americans (AAs). The disparity's etiology is complex. Surgery and radiotherapy offer similar survival but historically have different rates of performance with younger and white men more likely to undergo surgery and AAs more likely to experience underuse. This study aims to examine treatment decision-making (TDM) processes for AA men from patient and physician perspectives.

METHODS
At 1 academic and 1 municipal urban hospital, pathology records and a tumor registry from 2007-2012 were used to identify 359 AA and 282 white men with locally advanced prostate cancer, a Gleason score of 7-10, and receipt of definitive treatment. 15/17 treating physicians of participating patients were interviewed. Underuse overall was 4%, AA had higher rate of underuse compared to whites (6% vs. 1% respectively, p = 0.0002). 14 patients with longer times between diagnosis and treatment were recruited for 4 focus groups & 2 interviews lasting 60-90 minutes eliciting perspectives on themes related to TDM. Transcripts were coded and analyzed using a grounded theory approach.

RESULTS
Preliminary analysis of patient interviews suggests that patients primarily base their treatment decisions on physician recommendations. Patients were often unaware of treatment side effects. However, some patients felt this deficit helped them decide to receive treatment, whereas if they had known about possible impotence and incontinence, they would have refused treatment. Physicians recognized that patient concerns about side effects were a critical TDM factor. Physicians attributed prolonged delays between diagnosis and treatment to waiting times for tests of possible tumor spread and medical comorbidities.

CONCLUSIONS
Understanding decision making and care processes for AA men with local advanced prostate cancer is critical to reducing the treatment and outcome disparities in this population. This study identifies several patient and physician/system factors that contribute to this process. These data can help inform interventions to improve prostate cancer care for AA men.


This paper presents a new topology of soft-switching two-switch forward converter associated with a quadratic boost converter, providing large voltage step-up (from 12 V/sub dc/ to 80 V/sub dc/). The combination of the stages results in a switched-mode power supply (SMPS), whose output voltages are +200 V/sub dc/ and -200 V/sub dc/. The operation of both converters is analyzed, as some results concerning the proposed SMPS are presented.


Despite increasing awareness regarding the role of oscillating migration in the mining industry as a major driving force in the spread of tuberculosis (TB) throughout southern Africa, very little work has focused on the historical and contextual factors which may contribute to former migrant miners' present-day risk of TB. Most research regarding migration-related and occupational influences on TB has been done on current miners still employed by the mining industry. Through both a historical and contemporary lens, this paper explores and elucidates the need to address the TB epidemic among former migrant mine workers and provides considerations to improve current interventions among this critical population.


Haze pollution has been one of the most serious environmental catastrophes in countries with wide areas of forest, such as Indonesia. Efforts to combat haze pollution have been carried out at the national, regional and international levels. Adopting principles developed within international law arena such as sustainable development, precautionary principle, foreseeability, due diligence and good neighbourliness have been  canvassed for every state in the world especially those having activities which have potential impact to cause transboundary pollution. Indonesia has been experiencing forest burns from time to time and trying to combat it ever since. National law has been developed, institutions have been designated, and mechanisms have been created. These efforts are however far from complete. Indonesia needs to go much further than what have  been undertaken this far. A necessary way forward would be to ratify the 2002 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution, which Indonesia fails to ratify. This paper  discusses the problems of haze pollution in Indonesia, the applicable rules under international law including the  state responsibility doctrine, the mechanism developed within the ASEAN Agreement, what steps have been taken by Indonesian Government in combating haze pollution, and the need for Indonesia to ratify the  ASEAN Agreement. Keywords : Haze, Pollution, ASEAN, Indonesia