We examine the impact of dairy disaggregation and joint production on trade liberalisation outcomes in an economy-wide model. Depending on parameterisation, our model includes either (i) a single dairy commodity, (ii) several dairy commodities without joint production or (iii) several dairy commodities with joint production. In a numerical application, we consider the removal of US tariffs on dairy exports from New Zealand (the world's largest dairy exporter). We show that failing to account for joint production when dairy commodities are disaggregated leads to misleading results. Our preferred dairy production function differs from those used in other applied trade models. Our analysis can be used to determine when accounting for joint production in other sectors is important.


The continued growth in international students coming to China for higher education had a significant positive impact on trade and economic growth in China. Student mobility may expend trade with their country of origin, owing to superior knowledge, or preferential access to market opportunities. We test this hypothesis using Chinese trade data from 1999 to 2017. In fully-modify (OLS) and Dynamic (OLS) testing estimation, we find that a 1.24 percent increase in student inward mobility is associated with a 1 percent increase in Chinese export trade. On the other hand, we find that 1.18 percent increase in the student inward mobility to China is associated with I percent increase in import trade. In addition, we find that a 1.13 percent increase in international student inward mobility is associated with 1 percent increase in the GDP. The outcome suggests that international students have a strong influence on Gross Domestic Product (GDP), exports and imports trade. However, the study holds that the government should attach great attachment and importance to the role of international students in the export and import trade.


Background: This study aimed at identifying the leadership behavior patterns practice degree of the heads of the Departments in the Hashemite University colleges, as seen by the faculty members in the light of gender, college, years of experience and academic degree variables. Material and method: The study sample consisted of (185) faculty members and the researchers applied the descriptive survey method, as well as the questionnaire to measure the practice degree of the leadership behavior patterns. The questionnaire consisted of (38) items distributed over two patterns: interest in work and interest in the human relations. Results: The results showed a high level of the heads of the departments' practice of the leadership behavior patterns in general. Interest in work ranked first, followed by interest in the human relations. The results further showed statistically significant differences in the heads of the departments' practice of the leadership behavior patterns attributable to the gender variable, in favor of the females. As for the college variable, they were in favor of the heads of the departments of the scientific colleges. Meanwhile, there were no differences attributed to the years of experience or academic rank variables. Conclusion: The results of the current study show that the level of leadership behavior among a head of department at Hashemite University was high.  The researchers recommend  Focus should be placed on the perfect selection of the academic department heads (the right man in the right place), and providing the relevant support and appreciation for the creative ones.


In this study, unbalanced magnetron sputtering approach was used to prepare ZnO film by using high-purity ZnO target. Nano-indentation and scratch test were used to study the mechanical properties of ZnO film at different sputtering powers. According to the experimental results, optimums of Young's modulus, surface roughness and adhesion strength are present at an optimal sputtering power.


The purpose of this study was to evaluate the time course of contrast enhancement of spleen, liver, and blood using eXIA 160 XL in healthy mice. eXIA 160 XL was intravenously injected in C57bl/6 mice (n = 12) at a dose of 0.1 mL/20 g (16 mg iodine [I]/20 g) (n = 6) or 0.2 mL/20 g (32 mg I/20 g) (n = 6). The distribution was analyzed by repeated micro–computed tomographic scans up to 48 hours after contrast administration. Images were analyzed using Amide software. Regions of interest were drawn in the spleen, liver, and left ventricle. Contrast enhancement was measured and expressed as a function of time. Peak contrast enhancement of the spleen was reached at 30 minutes, and peak contrast enhancement of the liver occurred 45 minutes after 16 mg I/20 g. Given that this contrast was found to be rather low in the spleen in comparison with former eXIA 160 products, experiments were done at a higher dose. However, the 32 mg I/20 g dose was lethal for mice. Enhancement inside the heart lasts for 1 hour. Administration of eXIA 160 XL results in long-lasting blood pool contrast with higher contrast enhancement in heart and liver in comparison with eXIA 160; however, the administered dose should be limited to 16 mg I/20 g.


The increased accumulation of toxic pharmaceuticals and personal care products in the environment is a concern of worldwide relevance. Efficient technologies are needed to mitigate the level of such chemicals in natural waters. The suitability of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) to remove aqueous triclosan (a widely used anti-microbial agent) was investigated in the present study. Tested operational parameters included the pH (3.0–11.0) value and the ionic strength (10−3, 10−2, and 10−1 M). Kinetic and thermodynamic studies were conducted at different initial concentrations (4, 8, and 10 mg/L) and temperatures (288, 298, and 308 K). Results showed higher triclosan adsorption at pH 3.0 (157.7 mg/g) than at pH 11.0 (103.9 mg/g). With an increase of ionic strength from 10−3 to 10−2 M, the adsorption capacity increased from 136.1 to 153.1 mg/g and from 80.8 to 105.8 mg/g at pH 3.0 and 10.0, respectively, while further increase of ionic strength to 10−1 M slightly reduced the triclosan adsorption to 149.9 and 94.7 mg/g due to the aggregation of MWCNTs. The Polanyi–Manes model (PMM) provided a best fitting of adsorption isotherms to the experimental data, and the kinetic process was well described by the pseudo second-order kinetic model. The calculated thermodynamic parameters (ΔH0 = −88.08 kJ/mol, ΔS0 = −173.38 J/mol K) suggested that the adsorption of triclosan is spontaneous and exothermic in nature. The findings of the present work have significant implications for the removal of triclosan from aqueous solution with MWCNTs.


Introduction: Maslach defined burnout syndrome first time as a syndrome involving (i) exhaustion, (ii) "depersonalization" – lack of empathy for or detachment from service recipients, and (iii) a reduced sense of professional accomplishment. Burnout leads to changes in autonomic system, immune and endocrine system. The aim of this paper was therefore to provide an overview of the literature on clinically significant burnout and their potential neurobiological and physiological correlates. Methods: All English articles published between till October 2021 were searched in PubMed, Science-Direct, Medline, GoogleScholar, using the keywords, burnout, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal-axis, cortisol, stress, neurobiology, neurogenesis, BDNF, immune, biological, sympathetic, parasympathetic, autonomic nervous system, endocrine, metabolic, cognition, sleep, and neuroimaging in various combinations. The full text of relevant articles was obtained and their reference lists were reviewed for additional studies. Results: Burnout leads to alteration in autonomic, endocrine and immune system marked by deranged levels of various hormones and immune markers. It is also reflected as neuroimaging changes in various brain structures and may manifest as cognitive changes. Accelerated aging, increased risk of cardiovascular diseases and type II diabetes mellitus, increased allosteric load are some other manifestations of burnout that needs clinical attention. Conclusion: Future research with more homogeneous clinical samples, prospective experimental designs and challenge tests will help to delineating the underlying biological mechanisms of burnout. This will help to point to potential treatment targets.


The effect of receptor mediated calcium entry (RMCE) on platelet activating factor (PAF) stimulated human neutrophils (PMNs) was investigated using SKF 96365, a selective inhibitor of RMCE. Changes in cytosolic calcium concentration were determined by the fluorometric dye indo-1, AM, superoxide generation by cytochrome c reduction, and CD11b surface expression by flow cytometry. SKF 96365 pre-treatment diminished the cytosolic calcium rise in PAF primed PMNs. SKF 96365 treatment significantly (p < 0.05) decreased superoxide generation in PAF primed PMNs, but did not affect activation of the PMN oxidase by fMLP or PMA. Chelation of extracellular calcium by EGTA, intracellular calcium by BAPTA, AM, and RMCE blockade by SKF 96365 all statistically inhibited the PAF induced increase in surface expression of CD11b (p < 0.05); moreover, SKF 96365 inhibited to a greater extent than EGTA or BAPTA, AM treatment. These results suggest that RMCE is required for maximal effects of PAF on PMN function.


The immunosuppressant macrolide everolimus was found to be metabolized in animals and humans to a phosphocholine ester (ATG181), a hitherto unknown type of conjugate in xenobiotic metabolism. The structure of ATG181 was elucidated by mass spectrometry and confirmed by synthesis. ATG181 was among the most prominent metabolites of everolimus in rat, monkey, and human blood and was found also in various tissues of the rat, whereas no ATG181 was identified in the urine and feces of the species investigated. The metabolite showed binding to FK506 binding protein with a 2- to 3-fold higher affinity than everolimus. However, ATG181 exhibited only marginal in vitro immunosuppressive activity and is therefore very unlikely to contribute in a relevant manner to the immunosuppressive effect of everolimus.


Introduction: Introduction of ultra-translucent zirconia led to increase its indications for minimally invasive aesthetic restorations, therefore, it is important to test its adhesive potentiality. Objectives: Investigation of shear bond strength (SBS) of ultra-translucent zirconia to enamel after different surface treatments and examination of their effect on surface topography. Materials and methods: Thirty six ultra-translucent zirconia discs, (Ø5mm×3mm height) were divided into three groups (n=12): Control (C): as-sintered discs, Sandblasted discs (SB): discs were sandblasted by 110μm Al2O3 particles for 10 seconds, at 2.5 bar pressure, from 10mm distance, and Etched discs (ZE): discs were dipped into Zircos-E etching solution (BIO DEN CO, Korea) for thirty minutes in an ultrasonic cleaner. The surface topography of two randomly selected discs from each group were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for descriptive analysis, and the remaining discs were bonded to enamel surfaces of human central incisors for performing the SBS test. Statistical analysis of SBS results was done by Kruskal Wallis test and post hoc test with statistically significant results at (p<0.05). Results: Morphological examination of (C) showed closely connected grains, (SB) showed a number of superficial irregularities, and shallow scratches, whereas (ZE) showed gross discontinuity of grain structure. The highest SBS value was recorded by (SB) (19.01±2.00 MPa) with insignificant difference from (ZE) (16.73± 2.13 MPa), and significant difference from (C) with the lowest SBS value (8.69±1.95 MPa).


Abstract: Recent international events sparked renewed academic interest for the European Union's Common Foreign and Security Policy, particularly towards the Arab world. Usually, much is made of the normative power of the Union and of its role in exporting the values of democratic governance and human rights. It follows that the policies of the Union in specific regions are judged according to the parameters of liberal idealism. This paper challenges such an assumption and argues that a structural realist interpretation of the Union's tentative foreign policy makes a decisive contribution to better understand and evaluate what the Union 'does' abroad. The paper is specifically concerned with the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership and how, contrary to the liberal idealist values of CFSP, it helps securitising the Mediterranean through the promotion and support of political authoritarianism in the partner countries. The case of Morocco is discussed in detail.;


A white-rot basidiomycete, Phlebia tremellosa, produced a laccase that showed increased activity during degradation of phthalates. A laccase was purified through the ion exchange chromatography and preparative gel electrophoresis, and the estimated molecular weight was 75 kDa. The optimum pH and temperature of the purified laccase was pH 4.0 and 20 degrees C, respectively. The K(m) value of the enzyme was 55.7 microM, and the V(max) was 0.0541 OD min(-1) U(-1) for o-tolidine. Purified laccase reduced the estrogenic activity of four different endocrine-disrupting chemicals. However, this effect was reduced by a laccase inhibitor, kojic acid, which confirmed that the laccase was involved in the removal of estrogenic activity.


Background: Frailty is one of the most important global health challenges. We aimed to examine the associations between frequency of intellectual and social activities and frailty among community-dwelling older adults in China. Methods: This is a prospective analysis of older adults (aged ≥60 years) who had intellectual and social activity data and were free of frailty from the national representative China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). The exposure was frequency of intellectual and social activities. Frailty was measured by the frailty index (FI) and defined as FI ≥ 0.25. Frailty incidents were followed up for 2 years. We estimated the relative risks (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using log-linear binominal regression adjusting for potential confounders. Results: We documented 655 frailty cases over the past 2 years. Participants who had frequent intellectual activities had a lower frailty risk compared with participants who did not have intellectual activity (adjusted RR = 0.65, 95%CI = 0.47–0.90). The adjusted RRs were 0.51 (95%CI = 0.33–0.77) for participants who did not have a slip or a fall accident and 1.06 (95%CI = 0.65–1.75) for participants who had experienced slip and fall accidents (P = 0.01 for interaction). Having frequent social activities was not associated with a significant decrease in frailty risk compared with participants who did not have social activity (adjusted RR = 0.93, 95%CI = 0.78–1.12). Conclusions: This observational study showed that having frequent intellectual activities was associated with a decreased frailty risk. The association was likely to be stronger in participants without a slip or a fall accident. Randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm this observational finding.


A test approach for testing Intellectual Property (IP) analog/mixed-signal cores is presented. The proposed procedure comprises a two-phase test design process: an equivalent fault analysis is carried out in the initial phase, followed by a built-in self-test (BIST) technique based on the weighted sum of selected node voltages. Each phase of the procedure has been validated with example circuits. Besides high fault coverage, the proposed BIST technique only needs an extra testing output pin, and only a single DC stimulus is needed to feed at the primary input of the circuit under test (CUT). Hence, the proposed BIST technique is especially suitable for the testing environment of IP cores.


The discoveries that synthetic peptides corresponding to the N- and C-terminal heptad repeat (HR) regions of gp41 have potent anti-HIV activity opened a new avenue to identification of small molecule HIV entry inhibitors targeted to the HIV gp41 coiled-coil regions. Based on the structural information of the HIV gp41 core, three distinct approaches to develop small molecule anti-HIV agents have been reported. Each of these approaches has specific advantages, which will have complementary effects on the design of new strategies for identification of more potent HIV entry inhibitors. It is expected that novel antiviral drugs targeted to the HIV gp41 coiled-coil regions will be developed in the near future for the chemotherapy and/or prophylaxis of HIV infection and AIDS.


The exposure of high temperatures which exposed reinforced concrete beams will cause damage to the cement paste as a binding component of the materials and decrease the ability of the beam. The objective of the study is to identify the high temperatures effect which exposed reinforced concrete beams (10 x 15 x 100 cm), focusing on the bending stiffness, deflection and bending capacity. The tests were conducted in some temperature variations which are 400 ˚C, 600 ˚C and 800 ˚C with the heating concept based on the slow changes of surface temperature and the convective heat transfer, the normal beam specimens (27 ˚C) were also tested as control specimens. The results show that the bending capacity decreases as the heating temperature increases, followed by the decrease of bending stiffness and also the increase of deflection before the beam reaches the first yield, then there is an increase on the bending stiffness of the beam which have been exposed by high temperature at 400 ˚C after the first yield is reached.


Historical records of growth rates of the key Caribbean reef framework-building coral Orbicella faveolata can be fundamental not only to understand how these organisms respond to environmental changes but also to infer future responses of reef ecosystems in a changing world. While coral growth rates have been widely documented throughout the Caribbean, the drivers of coral growth variability remain poorly understood. Here, we provide a record spanning 53 years (1963-2015) of the coral growth parameters for five O. faveolata core samples collected at Serrana Atoll, inside the Seaflower Biosphere Reserve, Colombian Caribbean. Coral cores were extracted from reefs isolated from direct anthropogenic impacts, and growth estimations (skeletal density, linear extension, and calcification rates) were derived using computerized tomography. Master records of coral growth parameters were evaluated to identify long-term trends and to relate growth responses with sea surface temperature (SST), the Atlantic Multi-decadal Oscillation (AMO), North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and Southern Oscillation indexes, aragonite saturation state (Ω ), and degree heating months (DHM). We found significant negative relationships between density and mean SST, maximum SST, AMO, and DHM. Moreover, density showed significant positive correlations with NAO and Ω . Extension rate did not show significant correlations with any environmental variable. However, there were significant negative correlations between calcification and maximum SST, AMO, and DHM. Trends of coral growth indicated a significant reduction in density and calcification over time, which were best explained by changes in Ω . Inter-annual declines in calcification and density up to 25% (relative to historical mean) were associated to the impacts of previously recorded mass bleaching events (1998, 2005, and 2010). Our study provides further evidence that AMO and Ω are important drivers affecting coral growth rates in the Southwestern Caribbean. Therefore, we suggest upcoming variations of AMO and future trajectories of Ω in the Anthropocene could have a substantial influence on future disturbances, ecological process and responses of the Caribbean reefs.


In this paper, we present an error estimation and propagation technique which targets high-level design abstraction through considering data-flow graph (DFG) representation of approximate circuits. The proposed technique is utilized for pruning different combinations of exact versus approximate realizations of various operations in the DFG for a design space exploration (DSE) framework. The technique relies on the output error estimation of the arithmetic modules of a high-level library by dividing the input range to intervals and then considering different combinations of these intervals (cluster-based estimation of output error). Additionally, the estimation considers the error of the operands. The error for each combination is stored in a look up table (LUT). The efficacy of the proposed method is assessed for two image processing applications. Simulation results show that the framework can efficiently generate the Pareto frontier in the trade-off space of accuracy versus energy efficiency for the two applications.


Under the Q-symmetric entropy loss function,the parameter Bayesian estimations of Poisson distribution,binomial distribution and geometric distribution are given,and the general results are worked out.Both the admissibility and inadmissibility are also discussed here.


Recombination line profile shapes are derived for ionized spherical stellar winds at radio wavelengths. It is assumed that the wind is optically thick owing to free-free opacity. Emission lines of arbitrary optical depth are obtained assuming that the free-free photosphere forms in the outer, constant expansion portion of the wind. Previous works have derived analytic results for isothermal winds when the line and continuum source functions are equal. Here, semi-analytic results are derived for unequal source functions to reveal that line shapes can be asymmetric about line center. A parameter study is presented and applications discussed.


Excess calcium is well known to induce iron deficiency. Furthermore, excess calcium increases hepatic copper concentration and decreases renal copper concentration. We investigated the effect of iron supplementation on the tissue distribution of copper in rats given a high-calcium diet. Male rats (5 weeks old) were divided into four groups; a control group, and three groups given a diet containing 5-fold higher calcium than its requirement and an intraperitoneal iron supplementation of 0, 1 or 2 mg/week as iron dextran. The animals were fed their respective experimental diets with or without iron supplementation for 4 weeks. Although the high-calcium diet had no effect on calcium concentrations in the liver, kidney, testis, spleen and plasma, it reduced haematocrit and iron concentrations in the liver, kidney and testis and the rats had a moderate iron deficiency. The iron supplementation restored to normal these signs of iron deficiency. The high-calcium diet increased hepatic copper concentration but decreased plasma copper concentration and ceruloplasmin activity, which was restored by the iron supplementation. The copper concentration in bile was neither affected by the high-calcium diet nor the iron supplementation. The high-calcium diet decreased the copper concentration in the kidney, which was not restored by the iron supplementation. These results suggest that secondary iron deficiency stimulates hepatic accumulation of copper in rats given excess calcium by suppressing copper efflux into the circulation. The reduced renal copper concentration by excess calcium is independent of the iron deficiency.


The feelings of personal efficacy and attitude towards the newly advocated collaborative/supportive roles of resource personnel were investigated in a sample of general and resource teachers by means of a questionnaire. The variable of type of teacher was found to have significant effect on the perception of personal efficacy. Interaction effects between teacher type and special training were also found on feelings of personal efficacy and the total questionnaire score. Supplementary correlation results showed a slightly negative orientation of resource teachers towards the new supportive role functions. The new questionnaire items on efficacy of the present study were found to have high internal validity, but the ecological validity of the items on supportive roles would need further research. Suggestions for future research into other fundamental factors affecting collaboration are given.


This study proposed an eye responses-based mental workload (E-MWL) evaluation method in nuclear power plants (NPPs) when performing the task via a user interface control. The fuzzy theory was used to combine four eye response indices using the entropy weight method. Then, the E-MWL method was validated through experiments by comparison with the NASA-TLX rating and performance measures indices in two different tasks of the State Oriented Procedure (SOP) in NPP. The correlation analysis results between the NASA-TLX and eye response indices showed that four eye response indices used in this study were correlated significantly with the NASA-TLX, indicating that these indices may develop the E-MWL method. The E-MWL score results indicated that it is highly correlated with NASA-TLX and performance measures indices in two different tasks of SOP in NPP. This has proved that E-MWL is an objective method suitable for evaluating and predicting human mental workload (MWL) for interface control task in NPPs.


Vulnerability assessment based on composite indices such as Livelihood Vulnerability Index (LVI) or Sistem Informasi Data Indeks Kerentanan (SIDIK) is widely used, and it is practically known as the initial step to determine the adaptation policies for climate change. Various vulnerability assessment methods that have been developed including LVI and SIDIK raise the possibility that different methods can lead to different conclusions. This research aimed to assess whether the results of vulnerability analysis using different methods on the same data offer consistent results. Comparative studies on this topic based on the different indexing methods may also provide a beneficial insight for stakeholders. We tested LVI, LVI-IPCC, and SIDIK methods in Tanah Merah and Lobuk villages in Sumenep Regency, East Java. We collected the primary data based on interviews with households in the field. Climate data (monthly rainfall, maximum, and minimum air temperature) with 0.05 o spatial resolution from 2001-2020 was obtained from CHIRPS and TerraClimate. Our results showed that both villages were consistently categorized as vulnerable according to LVI, LVI-IPCC, and SIDIK methods. This result is also consistent at village and household levels. The findings showed difference in the key indicators driving the vulnerability in both villages. The key indicators in Tanah Merah Village were households without waste management, training from government, and no early warning system. In contrast, the key indicators driving the vulnerability for Lobuk were households with small land ownership and households with debt. Further, action recommendations for Tanah Merah are providing waste banks and waste sorting facility, upgrading public capacity through workshops, and adopting social media to share climate-related information. For Lobuk, the recommendations are the determination of regulatory instruments related to space utilization in the coastal area, mapping area affected by climate change, and financial literacy improvement especially promoting savings in the community.


Niemann-Pick disease (NPD) type A is a rapidly developing metabolic illness, with autosomal recessive mode of inheritance. A deficiency of the lysosomal enzyme--acid sphingomyelinase (ASM) produces the clinical phenotype with multiple organ involvement including the central nervous system. Type A NPD is characterized by failure to thrive, hepatosplenomegaly and rapidly progressive neurodegenerative course that leads to death by the age of 2-3 years. The authors report a 3-year-old boy with fatal course of the disease.


A new algorithm for digital watermarking of large-scale digital images is proposed in the article. The proposed algorithm provides watermark robustness to a wide range of host image distortions and has a number of advantages compared to an existing algorithms of robust watermarking.


At both of our universities we teach (with colleagues) introductory courses in statistics for fellows and physicians. We do not expect that those taking these courses will be able to do their own statistical work, but rather the intention is for them to 'learn the language' and to facilitate future collaboration. Basic principles of study design are introduced in the courses, as well as some of the most common statistical procedures. We will discuss the factors (what works and what does not) that may contribute to a successful course, a comparison to other courses, and our self‐evaluation strategy. Finally, we will cover the financial arrangements that we have made when teaching these courses. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Catalysts of the type [Rh(chiral diphosphine)] + convert 4-substituted 4-pentenals into the corresponding 3-substituted cyclopentanones with generally high turnover numbers and frequencies at 25 o C. The enantioselectivities of various substituted 4-pentenals with two chiral diphosphines have been explored. It was found that with the binap catalyst, almost complete enantioselectivity is observed for 4-pentenal substrates bearing 4-substituted tertiary substituents and for ester groups. Ketonic substituents give very high enantioselectivities


This study focuses on the assessment of air pollution tolerance index (APTI) of two selected plant species commonly found along roadsides in Pulau Pinang, Malaysia. The plant species selected for the study were Bougainvillea sp. and Ficus sp. The plants were evaluated in terms of APTI by analyzing four different biochemical parameters: leaf relative water content (RWC), ascorbic acid content (AA), total leaf chlorophyll (TCh) and pH of leaf extract. Based on APTI, Ficus sp. was found to be more tolerant compared to Bougainvillea sp. in all locations. Species with lower APTI value are considered sensitive species, which can be used as a biological indicator for further monitoring of air quality. Species with higher APTI value are tolerant species and thus, can be planted for pollution abatement in order to control and reduce environmental pollution.


Hydrostatic pressure is used to investigate two types of device based upon the n-type GaAs/(AlGa)As material system: an asymmetric double barrier resonant tunnelling device and a device incorporating two superlattices separated by a single barrier. In the double barrier structure, the pressure-induced increase in Gamma -X tunnelling and scattering reduces the build-up of electronic space charge in the GaAs quantum well. This allows one to study the transition from intrinsic bistability to ordinary negative differential conductivity in I(V). In the superlattice/barrier/superlattice structure the authors have evidence for a pressure-induced decrease in the free-electron density of the heavily doped n+ contact regions due to DX centres.


Introduction: Pancytopenia is commonly encountered entity in paediatric patients characterized by reduction in the effective production of erythrocytes, leukocytes and platelets by bone marrow. Etiology includes infections, malignancies, bone marrow failure and nutrient deficiencies. Objectives: To determine the frequency of different clinical manifestations and etiological factors of childhood pancytopenia. Study Design: Descriptive study. Setting: Department of Paediatrics, Allied Hospital Faisalabad. Duration: Eight months from 01-08-2015 to 31-03-2016.Sample Size: total of 125 patients. Sampling Technique: Consecutive non-probability sampling. Data Collection Procedure: Patients with pancytopenia were enrolled and underwent detailed history and physical examination. Blood counts with peripheral smear, reticulocyte count, red cell indices, Vitamin B12 and folate levels, blood culture, bone marrow examination and any other investigation required were done. All data was analyzed using SPSS version 20. Results: The mean age was between 7.69 ± 2.36 years with 54 male and 71 female patients. Leukemia was in 28% cases followed by lymphoma in 24%, aplastic anemia in 20%, megaloblastic anemia in 8%, enteric fever in 8%, malaria in 6.4% and sepsis in 5.6%. The commonest clinical presentation was fever in 92% cases followed by pallor in 83.2%, visceromegaly 64.8%, petechiae/bruises 42.4%, joint pain 29.6% and bleeding tendency 20.8%. Conclusions: Common etiologies found were malignancy and aplastic anemia, while megaloblastic anemia and infectious etiologies were less frequent. Common presentation was fever, pallor, bleeding tendency and visceromegaly.


A computational verification and validation study of the Cyclops I experiment [1–7] was conducted using the Los Alamos Eulerian Applications code xRage [8]. The purpose of this study was to validate the Scaled Unified Reactive Front (SURF) plus (SURFplus) model for insensitive high explosives [9–12]. Diagnostics from the experiment included photon doppler velocimetry measurements of the encasing shell for the device and proton radiography photographs of the explosions. This data was compared to the xRage computed data and a convergence study of burn front evolution was conducted. We conclude that the SURFplus high explosive model does an excellent job at predicting the high explosive burn front velocity and shape with results that converge to the experimental data at rates near to or better than first order in most cases. Some companion verification metrics for the solution convergence are also described. These metrics show that the xRage computed solution for the high explosive burn front converges to first order or better, as consistent with the treatment of shock fronts in a higher order Godunov hydrodynamic solver as used in xRage.


ABSTRACT Research on psychological contracts has made significant contributions to theoretically advancing our understanding of the employee-employer exchange relationship and its implications for organizational practice. However, the predominant emphasis of this empirical research has been on the individual level of analysis and in the process does not give sufficient attention to contextual influences. Teams have become a common feature in organizations today and provide a proximal context through which to understand how teams affect individuals' evaluation of their psychological contract. Based on the macrosociological perspective of social exchange theory as well as theories on the role of social influence in psychological contract evaluations, we examine how shared individual psychological contract fulfilment (PCF) shapes the relationship between individual PCF and outcomes (employee's own contributions and contextual performance) at the individual level as well as the predictors (group POS) and consequences (average employee contributions and average contextual performance) of shared individual PCF at the team level. Our findings from three studies, representing a total sample of 995 employees and 170 teams, provide support for the study hypotheses. This paper contributes to the psychological contract literature by conceptually and empirically addressing the role of a team context (shared individual PCF) and its impact on individual- and team-level relationships.


Recently, modifications of charge density wave (CDW) in two-dimensional (2D) show intriguing properties in quasi-2D materials such as layered transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs). Optical, electrical transport measurements and scanning tunneling microscopy uncover the enormous difference on the many-body states when the thickness is reduced down to monolayer. However, the CDW in quasi-one-dimensional (1D) materials like transition metal trichalcogenides (TMTCs) is yet to be explored in low dimension whose mechanism is likely distinct from their quasi-2D counterparts. Here, we report a systematic study on the CDW properties of titanium trisulfide (TiS 3 ). Two phase transition temperatures were observed to decrease from 53 K (103 K) to 46 K (85 K) for the bulk and < 15-nm thick nanoribbon, respectively, which arises from the increased fluctuation effect across the chain in the nanoribbon structure, thereby destroying the CDW coherence. It also suggests a strong anisotropy of CDW states in quasi-1D TMTCs which is different from that in TMDCs. Remarkably, by using back gate of −30 V∼70 V in 15-nm device, we can tune the second transition temperature from 110 K (at −30 V) to 93 K (at 70 V) owing to the altered electron concentration. Finally, the optical approach through the impinging of laser beams on the sample surface is exploited to manipulate the CDW transition, where the melting of the CDW states shows a strong dependence on the excitation energy. Our results demonstrate TiS 3 as a promising quasi-1D CDW material and open up a new window for the study of collective phases in TMTCs.


The enzyme butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and the human cannabinoid receptor 2 (hCB2R) represent promising targets for pharmacotherapy in the later stages of Alzheimer's disease. We merged pharmacophores for both targets into small benzimidazole-based molecules, investigated SARs, and identified several dual-acting ligands with a balanced affinity/inhibitory activity and an excellent selectivity over both hCB1R and hAChE. A homology model for the hCB2R was developed based on the hCB1R crystal structure and used for molecular dynamics studies to investigate binding modes. In vitro studies proved hCB2R agonism. Unwanted μ-opioid receptor affinity could be designed out. One well-balanced dual-acting and selective hBChE inhibitor/hCB2R agonist showed superior in vivo activity over the lead CB2 agonist with regards to cognition improvement. The data shows the possibility to combine a small molecule with selective and balanced GPCR-activity/enzyme inhibition and in vivo activity for the therapy of AD and may help to rationalize the development of other dual-acting ligands.


By using a semiconductor saturable-absorber mirror (SESAM) optimised for operation in the spectral range from 1100 to 1200 nm, passive mode locking is obtained in a cw bismuth-doped fibre laser. Pumping was performed by a cw ytterbium-doped fibre laser at a wavelength of 1075 nm. The operation of the laser is studied by using either a fibre Bragg grating or a loop fibre Sagnac mirror as the output resonator mirror. Stable laser pulses of duration from 50 ps to 3.5 ns, depending on the output mirror type, were generated. The pulse repetition rate was 11 MHz at a wavelength of ∼1160 nm and the maximum spectral width of 2.1 nm. The maximum average output power was 7.8 mW upon pumping by 1140 mW.


Initial growth stages of Ge on Si (111) are studied from the viewpoint of intermixing of Si into the epitaxial Ge layer. Defect formation in the Ge islands was characterized by using moire patterns taken by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Ge islands are grown by MBE on Si(111) surfaces with an SPE-grown buffer layer, which is expected to prevent intermixing between the epitaxial Ge layer and the Si substrate. Anomalous Si incorporation into the Ge islands is analyzed by TEM moire fringe analysis. Dislocations are visualized by means of extra 'half-lines' of the moire fringes, and thus Burgers vectors are determined. Stacking faults are observed by a displacement of the fringe spacings Coalescence of the Ge islands and dislocation generation from the contact part of the islands are detected.


The experience of the Fiji Locally Managed Marine Areas (FLMMA) network provides an illustration of how to mainstream community-based resource management practices that began with local communities, and were in-turn supported by a Government which has witnessed the success of community-based intervention. To improve the success of conservation in the communities and attract attention to its approach, FLMMA formed a learning portfolio. This is a network of projects that use a common strategy to achieve a common end and agree to work together to collect, test and communicate information about the conditions under which the strategy works, to enable the partners to exchange ideas and experiences. The learning portfolio enhances collaboration and also ensures that lessons learnt are shared widely with people in the network. FLMMA is working to increase the effectiveness of conservation and to ensure that the involvement of people in the management of their marine resources is both satisfying and meaningful. Modern science is an important part of the FLMMA approach because it is used to demonstrate the effects of the use of traditional resource management practices. Using simple biological, social, and economic monitoring methods, the villagers are collecting impressive results on resources and habitat recovery and the associated social and economic improvements in living conditions. The objectives of improving conservation to protect biodiversity and improve people's living conditions are important features of the kind of community-based resource conservation that is now being undertaken in the Pacific and Asia region. The objectives are also consistent with national policies for inshore fisheries development and global concerns about poverty alleviation. The success of community-based conservation in different parts of Fiji has resulted in long-term support from the communities. It has also facilitated the articulation of Government fisheries development policies. The Government has set up a new conservation unit and has formalised its support, and adopted the FLMMA method of involving local community units in the sustainable use of their marine resources. Under FLMMA, the success and combined experiences of conservation practitioners are being used to mainstream resource conservation and influence policy development in Fiji.


Personal computers used for data acquisition systems can drastically affect the maximum speeds at which they are able to continuously acquire data. SitePlayer for data acquisition is rapidly becoming a more flexible alternative to a desktop PC based data acquisition system. The data transfer capability of computer use can significantly affect the performance of a DAQ system. The success of Web-based systems has demonstrated the power of connectivity. As the world increasingly moves towards being fully connected, home networking that connects smart household appliances and connects them to the Internet becomes a natural next step. With the wide spread deployment of the Internet and World Wide Web (WWW), both as a public resource and as corporate resources, people have come to recognize the utility of attaching low-cost devices to networks for the purpose of communicating with these devices using standard networking protocols, including TCP/IP (Transfer Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) and HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) This paper discusses the possibility of using a small system for controlling and monitoring devices from anywhere in the world.


Traditionally South African commercial deciduous fruit producers produced almost exclusively for the export market and only sent fruit with domestic market specifications to the local market. This fruit was usually bought by fruit hawkers and traders for sale on the local Cape Town municipal market. While commercial producers have continued to focus on producing fruit of the quality required for exports, during the past few decades the trade in local market fruit has led to the quiet rise to a notable group of entrepreneurs.


This article presents a discursive analysis of interview material in which single women reflect on their relationships and reasons for being single. Despite changing meanings of singleness, it remains a 'deficit identity' (Reynolds and Taylor, 2005) and the problem for a woman alone is to account positively for her single state. Our analysis challenges theorisations which would suggest autonomy and agency in how identity and self are constructed. It employs the methodological approaches developed in critical discursive psychology (for instance Wetherell, 1998) to look at the detailed identity work of speakers as part of the identity project proposed by Giddens (1992, 2005), Bauman (1998) and other writers associated with the 'reflexive modernisation' thesis (Adkins, 2002). By approaching 'choice' as one of the cultural resources available to speakers, we present a more complex view of the dilemmas around a speaker's identity work in her accounting for her relationships and the course her life has taken


Background: Cardiac dysfunction worsens COPD & vice versa happens during acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD). Various mechanisms proposed: Large negative swings in intrathoracic pressure, ventricular interdependence, remodeling of LV myocardium etc. Hereby need was felt to assess magnitude of left ventricular dysfunction (LVD) in AECOPD. Aim of study: To evaluate as well as correlate prevalence and severity of LVD in AECOPD. To assess possibility of COPD acting as independent risk factor for LVD. Methods: Prospective observational study was performed among 50 AECOPD patients after exclusion of other known LVD risk factors. They were evaluated for LVD on basis of clinical, radiological, PFT, ABG & ECHO assessment. All patients once stable were called for follow up after 6 weeks for a fresh assessment. Results: Findings revealed 80% prevalence of LV Diastolic Dysfunction (LVDD) on admission while it was found to be 72.3% on follow up. 92.5% patients of LVDD were in GOLD 3 & GOLD 4. 23 patients had PHT on admission of which 83.6% had LVDD. Out of 38 patients mechanically ventilated, 76.31% had LVDD. Mean of hospital days in LVDD group was 10.56 +3.84 and in non LVDD group was 7.5 +1.62. (p 0.05). Conclusion: Our study highlights higher prevalence of LVDD during AECOPD, also that LVDD was present in stable COPD patients. We conclude that COPD acts as an independent risk factor for LVDD. All patients of AECOPD should be evaluated for cardiac dysfunction with an echocardiography as the later increases severity and hospitalization duration in AECOPD.


Healthcare information technologies (HIT) have shown great potential for improving the effectiveness and quality of healthcare services. However, the inequal ability of older adults to use HIT may limit their exploitation of these benefits. To narrow the age‐based "digital divide", this research further develops the concept of digital capability and emphasises the link between older adults and their social context. Based on a qualitative inductive study of 33 participants, who included Chinese patients and their family members, we generate a novel theoretical model for understanding the process by which social activities may shape older adults' digital capabilities. Based on the model, we suggest two strategies that might encourage older adults to engage with HIT. This research contributes to the information systems (IS) literature by strengthening digital capability as a conceptual lens to investigate individuals' engagement with information communication technologies (ICTs). It also extends research on the social context for ICT use by revealing how social processes at multiple levels influence digital capability development. Finally, this study offers practical implications for governments and private sectors to encourage and promote ICT use by older adults.


OBJECTIVE
Our goal was to identify how colposcopy is being taught to residents in obstetrics and gynecology and family practice programs and to see if the program directors think their residents receive sufficient clinical exposure to be adequately trained in colposcopy.

STUDY DESIGN
A 30-question survey was sent to all obstetrics and gynecology and family practice residency program directors. The survey included questions about the didactic nature of the colposcopy curriculum, the type of supervision, how resident skills are evaluated, estimates of the numbers and types of patients evaluated, the numbers and types of procedures being done by each resident, and the program director's perception of residents' competence in colposcopy.

RESULTS
The overall response rate was 485 of 752 program directors (64.5%). Significantly fewer family practice than obstetrics and gynecology program directors thought they had adequate numbers of colposcopy patients to train their residents. By their program directors' estimates, 86% of family practice residents evaluate 10 or fewer patients with high-grade lesions (versus 16.5% of obstetrics and gynecology residents); 51.4% evaluate 10 patients or fewer with low-grade lesions (versus 6.7% of obstetrics and gynecology residents), and 40.6% evaluate 10 patients or fewer with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (versus 3% of obstetrics and gynecology residents). Experience with vulvar disease is also limited. Program directors thought their residents' colposcopy skills were roughly comparable with their general obstetrics and gynecology skills.

CONCLUSIONS
It is possible that many program directors underestimate the number of colposcopic examinations required to achieve and maintain colposcopic skills. Many training programs have insufficient clinical volume to properly train residents in colposcopy.


Phenanthraquinone (PQ) is a component of diesel exhaust particles which inhibits nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity by shunting electrons away from the normal catalytic pathway of the enzyme and which can oxidize proximal protein sulfhydryls. In the present study, we examined the possibility that PQ may also modify critical thiol residues on endothelial NOS (eNOS), leading to a disruption of catalytic activity. PQ and the thiol-modifying agent N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) suppressed NO formation from L-arginine by the total membrane fraction of bovine aortic endothelial cells in a concentration-dependent manner. The dithiol agent dithiothreitol (DTT) completely blocked NEM-mediated inhibition of eNOS activity. In contrast. PQ-inhibited eNOS activity was reduced by DTT, but not by the monothiol agent glutathione. These results suggest that PQ-mediated suppression of eNOS activity involves not only uncoupling of the electron transport of this enzyme, but also modification of presumably the proximal protein sulfhydryls that play an important role in the maximal catalytic activity.


The topic of this work is a description of a software which can be used to create a meteorological report on the basis of pilot balloon and radiosonde observations of the atmosphere by the meteo firing and meteo middle methods.


The hypothalamic hormone gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) is released in a pulsatile fashion, with its frequency varying throughout the reproductive cycle. Varying pulse frequencies and amplitudes differentially regulate the biosynthesis and secretion of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) by pituitary gonadotropes. The mechanism by which this occurs remains a major question in reproductive physiology. Previous studies have been limited by lack of available cell lines that express the LH and FSH subunit genes and respond to GnRH. We have overcome this limitation by transfecting the rat pituitary GH3 cell line with rat GnRH receptor (GnRHR) cDNA driven by a heterologous promoter. These cells, when cotransfected with regulatory regions of the common alpha, LH beta, or FSH beta subunit gene fused to a luciferase reporter gene, respond to GnRH with an increase in luciferase activity. Using this model, we demonstrate that different cell surface densities of the GnRHR result in the differential regulation of LH and FSH subunit gene expression by GnRH. This suggests that the differential regulation of gonadotropin subunit gene expression by GnRH observed in vivo in rats may, in turn, be mediated by varying gonadotrope cell surface GnRHR concentrations. This provides a physiologic mechanism by which a single ligand can act through a single receptor to regulate differentially the production of two hormones in the same cell.


Spotlights BUPA, the UK's leading light in independent healthcare, which has 45% of the private medical insurance market, in addition to a leading private healthcare business in Spain, and 29 private hospitals and 30 nursing homes in the UK. Shows how BUPA has been using the balanced scorecard as a management tool to turn BUPA's strategy into action. Chronicles that Gemini Consulting devised the transformation programme. Details how BUPA's management team of 25 used the scorecard after dividing into four cross functional groups, and gives a breakdown of their methods and results. Commends the balanced scorecard as a very good tool but that it is only as good as the management finds it, and not an end in itself.


Chemo- and radio-therapy suffer from certain well-recognized drawbacks for lymphoma therapy. Passive immunotherapy with monoclonal antibody has improved outcome for patients with CD20+ B cell lymphoma, but not for T cell lymphoma. Therefore, novel treatment approaches are clearly required for T cell lymphoma. To date, the combined application targeting TLR7, 8 and 9 has established long-term antitumor immunity. We previously synthesized a purine-scaffold TLR7 agonist named GD5. Here, we report that the intratumoral administration of GD5 combined with doxorubicin (DOX), a conventional chemotherapeutic agent in T cell lymphoma. This combined treatment made mice to produce more cytokines in blood, and generate more potent cytotoxic T lymphocyte response, then result in effective eradication of both local and distant tumors in tumor-bearing mice. Our findings demonstrate the potential for enhancing the efficacy of the current standard DOX therapy through combination with TLR7 agonist GD5 to improve antitumor immune responses and provide durable remissions for T cell lymphoma.


The Wigwam River bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) and fish habitat monitoring program is a trans-boundary initiative implemented by the British Columbia Ministry of Water, Land, and Air Protection (MWLAP), in cooperation with Bonneville Power Administration (BPA). The Wigwam River is an important fisheries stream located in southeastern British Columbia that supports healthy populations of both bull trout and Westslope cutthroat trout (Figure 1). This river has been characterized as the single most important bull trout spawning stream in the Kootenay Region (Baxter and Westover 2000, Cope 1998). In addition, the Wigwam River supports some of the largest Westslope cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki lewisi) in the Kootenay Region. These fish are highly sought after by anglers (Westover 1999a, 1999b). Bull trout populations have declined in many areas of their range within Montana and throughout the northwest including British Columbia. Bull trout were blue listed as vulnerable in British Columbia by the B.C. Conservation Data Center (Cannings 1993) and although there are many healthy populations of bull trout in the East Kootenay they remain a species of special concern. Bull trout in the United States portion of the Columbia River were listed as threatened in 1998 under the Endangered Species Act bymore » the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The upper Kootenay River is within the Kootenai sub-basin of the Mountain Columbia Province, one of the eleven Eco-provinces that make up the Columbia River Basin. MWLAP applied for and received funding from BPA to assess and monitor the status of wild, native stocks of bull trout in tributaries to Lake Koocanusa (Libby Reservoir) and the upper Kootenay River. This task is one of many that were undertaken to ''Monitor and Protect Bull Trout for Koocanusa Reservoir'' (BPA Project Number 2000-04-00).« less


IN THE PRESENT PAPER, BUCKLING ANALYSIS OF FUNCTIONALLY GRADED RECTANGULAR MICRO-PLATES, ON THE BASIS OF STRAIN GRADIENT THEORY WITH ONE LENGTH SCALE PARAMETER IS STUDIED. CONSIDERING THE KIRCH-HOFF PLATE THEORY AND THE PRINCIPLE OF MINIMUM TOTAL POTENTIAL ENERGY, GOVERNING EQUATIONS OF MICRO-PLATE SUBJECTED TO IN-PLANE LOADS ARE EXTRACTED. IN ACCORDANCE WITH FUNCTIONALLY GRADED DISTRI-BUTION OF MATERIAL PROPERTIES THROUGH THE THICKNESS, HIGHER ORDER GOVERNING EQUATION OF SIXTH ORDER IS DERIVED. CONSEQUENTLY, THE STABILITY EQUATION IS SOLVED ANALYTICALLY FOR SIMPLY SUPPORTED MI-CRO-PLATES AND THE EFFECTS OF MATERIAL PROPERTIES, MICRO-STRUCTURE PARAMETERS, DIMENSIONS AND LOADING CONDITIONS ARE EXPOUNDED ON THE CRITICAL BUCKLING LOAD.


—In recent years, there has been attention on lever- aging the statistical modeling capabilities of neural networks for reconstructing sub-sampled Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) data. Most proposed methods assume the existence of a representative fully-sampled dataset and use fully-supervised training. However, for many applications, fully sampled training data is not available, and may be highly impractical to acquire. The development and understanding of self-supervised methods, which use only sub-sampled data for training, are therefore highly desirable. This work extends the Noisier2Noise framework, which was originally constructed for self-supervised denoising tasks, to variable density sub-sampled MRI data. We use the Noisier2Noise framework to analytically explain the performance of Self-Supervised Learning via Data Undersampling (SSDU), a recently proposed method that performs well in practice but until now lacked theoretical justification. We also use the framework to modify SSDU, which we find substantially improves its reconstruction quality and robustness, offering a test set mean-squared-error within 1% of fully supervised training on the fastMRI brain dataset.


A critical barrier to effective management of deep-sea resources is a lack of understanding by society of the benefits received from the oceans. To address this knowledge gap, we applied an iterative design-based research methodology to evaluate (1) how to effectively use an exhibit to increase public literacy of the deep sea over the short and long-term and (2) how visitors to a public science center perceive the deep sea. Using observations of visitor interactions and surveys of visitors, we evaluated three iterations of an exhibit that highlighted deep-sea ecosystem services and habitats as a case study of exhibit efficacy. Exhibits containing video and interactive components were effective in communicating deep-sea information that was retained by visitors over the long-term. For many visitors, the exhibit was their first introduction to the deep sea. Visitors agreed it is important to learn about the deep sea and expressed interest in learning more about deep-sea animals, habitats, resources, and benefits to humans. Visitors tended to agree with protection-oriented value statements and disagree with use-oriented value statements toward the deep sea. This study provides insight into how to effectively communicate policy-relevant information about the deep sea to an audience that has little to no prior knowledge of the ecosystem, yet who will be increasingly responsible for making use decisions of this habitat.


Microalgae are reported as the efficient source of renewable biodiesel which should be able to meet the global demand of transport fuels. Present study is focused on assessment of wastewater grown indigenous microalga Chlorella sp. for fuel quality parameters. This was successfully grown in secondary treated waste water diluted with tap water (25% dilution) in glass house. The microalga showed a dry weight of 0.849 g L-1 with lipid content of 27.1% on dry weight basis on 21st day of incubation. After transesterification, the yield of fatty acid methyl ester was 80.64% with major fatty acids as palmitic, linoleic, oleic and linolenic. The physical parameters predicted from empirical equations in the biodiesel showed cetane number as 56.5, iodine value of 75.5 g I2 100 g-1, high heating value 40.1 MJ kg-1, flash point 135 °C, kinematic viscosity 4.05 mm2 s-1 with density of 0.86 g cm3 and cold filter plugging point as 0.7 °C. Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR), 1H, 13C NMR spectrum confirmed the chemical nature of biodiesel. The results indicated that the quality of biodiesel was almost as per the criterion of ASTM standards; hence, wastewater grown Chlorella sp. can be used as a promising strain for biodiesel production.


Few guidelines exist for the effective revegetation of peatlands following the removal of in-situ oil and gas infrastructure. We conducted a manipulative field study in northeast Alberta, Canada, on a well pad undergoing removal and revegetation to test different management practices for facilitating vegetation establishment and recovery of a sphagnum-dominated peatland. A randomized block design was used to evaluate the effect of various revegetation practices, including augmenting natural recovery with the use of native transplants, acrotelm transfer from a similar intact donor peatland, and the use of variable surface microtopography. Although overall survival of transplants was similar between areas smoothed and left rough, areas that were rough had greater species richness under natural recovery, including trees, shrubs, and other perennial herbs. Moreover, survival and growth of woody transplants (Picea mariana—black spruce and Ledum groenlandicum—Labrador tea) were greater when planted within the top and middle microtopographic positions rather than micro-depressions. Survival of transplanted sedges (Carex spp.) was high at all topographic positions, but benefited the most in growth from planting in depressions. Contrary to expectations, no benefits of acrotelm application were found on vegetation recovery during the first two seasons, and even reduced the presence of some native vegetation. Although transplants directly contributed to revegetation, the recovering peatland remained highly dissimilar (> 90%) in composition relative to the neighboring peatland after two years.


THE aim of this study was to investigate whether the neuroprotective properties of magnesium in cerebral ischaemia involve suppression of repetitive tissue depolarizations. Cortical spreading depressions (CSDs), evoked by cortical KCl application, and cardiac arrestinduced anoxic depolarization (AD) were measured by extracellular DC recording on intact rat brain. At 90 min after onset of CSDs saline, MK-801 (3 mg/kg) or MgSO4 (90 mg/kg) was given i.v. Latency time to AD was measured after 4h. The frequency of CSDs was significantly reduced in animals treated with MgSO4 or MK-801. AD was significantly delayed by MgSO4 but not by MK-801. Our results suggest that suppression of depolarization by magnesium may play a role in its neuroprotective properties in cerebral ischaemia.


In the research described, the authors are developing a materials handling system where many small, simple actuators cooperate to convey large objects with three degrees of freedom in a plane. The actuators, or cells, are arranged in a regular array, fixed to a planar surface, and objects are passed over the array. Such an array provides very flexible materials handling in which many objects can be conveyed simultaneously in different directions. The array is coordinated in a distributed manner, rather than by a central controller, where each manipulator has its own controller, and each controller communicates with its neighbors. The system is modeled as a continuous medium rather than a collection of independent entities, and useful behaviors are derived from physical analogies such as heat transfer and fluid flow.


The aim of the present study was to verify the role of the primary notions acquired in early school in the formation of a general strategy in elaboration of information. For this purpose we selected a tiny rural village in southern Italy which comprises a substantial number of elderly persons having very little formal schooling. These subjects were screened using a test battery composed of classic neuropsychological tests and reaction-time tests. In the subjects studied we observed a significant correlation between the amount of education and the neuropsychological performances, although no such correlation existed for reaction times. Subjects having little schooling (up to 3 years) performed better than the illiterate persons on the Constructional Apraxia test and on the Raven Matrices. However, the reaction times were similar in these groups. On this basis we claim that reaction-time tests might form a basic tool in evaluating cognitive performances of persons with very little schooling. Further, the primary notions learned during the first few years of schooling induce an improvement in mental strategies that is well-preserved in the normal aging process.


0751. Brose, D. S. TOWARD A MODEL OF EXCHANGE VALUES FOR TIlE EASTERN WOODLANDS. Midcontinental Journal of Archaeology, 1990, 15(1):100-136. Since the Late Archaic, settlement systems in the Eastern Woodlands have included sites at which the ritual disposal of non-subsistence goods was a significant activity. The locations of such sites do not conform to econometric models because the relevant value of goods are only partly a function of economic costs as currently understood. Replicative studies have identified the levels of effort required for extraction and manufacture of various categories of goods. Source analyses and logistic studies are used to assess the effort required to move such goods along various routes. These approaches are combined to assess the potential social costs of distribution. A model of relative socio-economic values for various categories of goods in differing areas is proposed, and the known distributions of those goods are compared with the distribution expected under the conditions suggested by various ethnographic analogues. The implications for identifying relative ceremonial values are suggested.


Background: It is well described that moderate-to-vigorous physical activity improves the health status of children and adolescents. Thus, monitoring the levels of physical activity together with the motives to perform is critical for future programs aiming to enhance physical activity in youth and young adults in the Czech Republic and further afield in other Central and Eastern European nations that are in transition. Objective: The aim of this study is to provide basic overview about moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), vigorous physical activity (VPA) and motives to physical activity of Czech adolescents on the basis of gender and age group. Methods: Data from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study conducted in May–June 2010 in the Czech Republic. The sample consisted of 4,385 Czech pupils (48.5% boys; age 11, n = 418; age 13, n = 1,449; age 15, n = 1,518). Chi-square test of independence was used to provide basic comparison on basis of gender and age groups. Results: A substantial part of boys and girls are not participating in MVPA and VPA as recommended. MVPA and VPA among girls significantly decreased from age 11 to age 15. Boys compared to girls reported significantly more moderate-tovigorous and vigorous physical activities in all age groups, except 11 years old adolescents where the level of MVPA among girls and boys did not differ. Girls appear to be more influenced by social motives. Importance of these motives became higher with increasing age. Achievement motivation for physical activity is more important for boys and it also is increasing with age. Conclusions: Better understanding of the motives for physical activity as well as gender and age based differences in physical activity levels can significantly contribute to better planning of national and local intervention promoting active living.


The San Francisco Bay Area is one of the most progressive transportation regions in the deployment of high-capacity transit and the use of policies to encourage active transportation. Yet, there remains a dearth of knowledge on the abundance and location of parking infrastructure. The extent and location of parking supply, including on-street and off-street spaces, are estimated for the nine-county Bay Area by creating a federated database that joins land use, transportation, parcel, building, and parking code layers to estimate the number and characteristics of parking spaces at the census block scale. This bottom-up parking space inventory results in an estimated 15 million parking spaces in the region: 8.6 million on-street and 6.4 million off-street. Residential parking dominates the share of supply at 70%, followed by commercial at 9.4%. Space density is greatest in downtown San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose—largely attributed to high-rise structures. On-street parking is dominant in the North Bay, commanding 78% of total parking in Napa, 75% in Solano, 68% in Sonoma, and 67% in Marin County. Parking area constitutes 7.9% of the total incorporated area. Notably, when compared to other southwest cities (Phoenix Metropolitan Area and Los Angeles County), the Bay Area parking supply appears better utilized considering spaces per person, per car, and per job. The density and quantity of parking spaces in the Bay Area are critical insights toward developing targeted policies that encourage active mobility and support affordable housing.


The Mauna Kea silversword, Argyroxiphium sandwicense ssp. sandwicense, has experienced both a severe population crash associated with an increase in alien ungulate populations on Mauna Kea, and a population bottleneck associated with reintroduction. In this paper, we address the genetic consequences of both demographic events using eight microsatellite loci. The population crash was not accompanied by a significant reduction in number of alleles or heterozygosity. However, the population bottleneck was accompanied by significant reductions in observed number of alleles, effective number of alleles, and expected heterozygosity, though not in observed heterozygosity. The effective size of the population bottleneck was calculated using both observed heterozygosities and allele frequency variances. Both methods corroborated the historical census size of the population bottleneck of at most three individuals. The results suggest that: (i) small populations, even those that result from severe reductions in historical population size and extent, are not necessarily genetically depauperate; and (ii) species reintroduction plans need to be conceived and implemented carefully, with due consideration to the genetic impact of sampling for reintroduction.


Although the WHO edited guidelines for pain treatment as early as 1986, practical management has frequently remained inadequate, especially in cancer patients. Traditional adherence to restrictions from the former Austrian Controlled Drug Act which have resulted in ongoing limitations in the prescription of opioids as well as complicated formal regulations in the current law represent two major obstacles. As a consequence, recent legislation of a "state of the art" pain management in Austria facilitates adequate provision of analgesics on the one hand, and may, on the other, even result in claims for indemnity should these be withhold.


Optimal oxygen delivery is an essential component of therapy for patients with respiratory failure. Reservoir masks or air entrainment nebulizers have often been used for patients who require highly concentrated oxygen, but these may not actually deliver a sufficient fraction of inspired oxygen if there is a marked increase in the patient's ventilatory demands, or if oxygen flow becomes limited due to high resistance in the nebulizer nozzles. The HighFO nebulizer is a novel air entrainment nebulizer equipped with unique structures which reduce nozzle resistance, and as a result, it is possible to supply a sufficient flow of highly concentrated-oxygen. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and usefulness of the HighFO nebulizer in 10 respiratory failure patients with severe hypoxemia who used a reservoir mask and required more than 10 L/min of oxygen supply. In each case, the reservoir mask was replaced with the HighFO nebulizer, and changes in percutaneous oxygen saturation (SpO2) were monitored using pulse oximetry. Oxygenation improved promptly after the reservoir mask was substituted for the HighFO nebulizer (SpO2 : 83.7% +/- 8.5%-94.2% +/- 3.2%, p = 0.007). This finding suggests that the HighFO nebulizer was reasonably effective in delivering highly concentrated oxygen, sufficient for patient demands. The HighFO nebulizer may be the beginning of a new strategy for oxygen therapy.


Based on the analysis of the effect of the channel estimation error on the performance of Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) systems, a novel noise reduction algorithm for the LS channel estimation is presented for OFDM systems with virtual carriers in frequency-selective fading channels. In the method, the estimated channel vector by the LS algorithm is further processed by the Q matrix from QR decomposition of the part DFT matrix and the zero-forcing processing, and the accuracy of the processed channel estimation vector is highly improved. Simulation results show that the performance of the proposed method is much better than those of the available noise reduction methods for the LS channel estimation, and the MSE of the proposed method is about one fifth of that of the LS method.


Background and Purpose:Damage to motor areas of the brain caused by stroke can produce devastating motor deficits, including aberrant control of force. Reorganization of brain function is a fundamental mechanism involved in recovery of motor control after stroke, and recent advances in neuroimaging have enabled study of this reorganization. This review focuses on neuroimaging studies that have examined reorganization of brain function during force production and force modulation after stroke. Methods:The type and extent of reorganization after stroke were characterized by three factors: severity of injury, time after stroke, and impact of therapeutic interventions on brain activation during force production. Twenty-six studies meeting the inclusion criteria could be identified in MEDLINE (1980–2007). Results:Relevant characteristics of studies (lesion location, chronicity of stroke, and motor task) and mapping techniques varied. During force production, increased activation in secondary motor areas occurred in persons with more severe strokes. Reduced recruitment of secondary motor areas during force production was found as a function of increased time since stroke. During force modulation, increased activation in motor areas occurred with greater force generation. Persons with more severe stroke showed greater activation with increasing force compared with persons with less severe stroke. Alteration of brain activation during and after rehabilitative interventions was identified in some studies. Discussion and Conclusion:This systematic review establishes that reorganization of brain function during force production and force modulation can occur after stroke. These findings imply that therapeutic strategies may target brain reorganization to improve force control and functional recovery after stroke.


The effects of post-treatments with asiatic acid (AA) at 20, 40 or 80 mg per kg BW per day against apoptotic, oxidative and inflammatory injury in the striatum of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-treated mice were examined. The results showed that AA supplements at 40 and 80 mg per kg BW per day increased AA deposit in the striatum, increased glutathione content and decreased reactive oxygen species production in the striatum. AA supplements at 20-80 mg per kg BW per day dose-dependently lowered striatal levels of nitric oxide, 3-nitrotyrosine, interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha and prostaglandin E2. AA supplements at 40 and 80 mg per kg BW per day down-regulated striatal p47(phox) and gp91(phox) expression; but, at three test doses suppressed striatal expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2. AA post-treatments at 40 and 80 mg per kg BW per day enhanced Bcl-2 expression, and lowered Bax, apoptosis-inducing factor and caspase-3 expression in the striatum. AA at 20-80 mg per kg BW per day up-regulated striatal tyrosine hydroxylase expression, and suppressed Toll-like receptors (TLR)2 and nuclear factor kappa B p65 expression. AA treatments at 40 and 80 mg per kg BW per day decreased striatal expression of α-synuclein and TLR4, increased striatal levels of dopamine, brain-derived nerve growth factor and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor. These novel findings suggest that asiatic acid is a potent nutraceutical agent against the progression of Parkinson's disease.


ABSTRACT Nucleotide excision repair (NER), which is arguably the most versatile DNA repair system, is strongly attenuated in human cells of the monocytic lineage when they differentiate into macrophages. Within active genes, however, both DNA strands continue to be proficiently repaired. The proficient repair of the nontranscribed strand cannot be explained by the dedicated subpathway of transcription-coupled repair (TCR), which is targeted to the transcribed strand in expressed genes. We now report that the previously termed differentiation-associated repair (DAR) depends upon transcription, but not simply upon RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) encountering a lesion: proficient repair of both DNA strands can occur in a part of a gene that the polymerase never reaches, and even if the translocation of RNAPII is blocked with transcription inhibitors. This suggests that DAR may be a subset of global NER, restricted to the subnuclear compartments or chromatin domains within which transcription occurs. Downregulation of selected NER genes with small interfering RNA has confirmed that DAR relies upon the same genes as global genome repair, rather than upon TCR-specific genes. Our findings support the general view that the genomic domains within which transcription is active are more accessible than the bulk of the genome to the recognition and repair of lesions through the global pathway and that TCR is superimposed upon that pathway of NER.


Objective: To examine whether cognitive function is different among the patients with well-controlled, white-coat hypertension, masked hypertension and sustained hypertension in the elderly. Design and Method: We enrolled 587 older hypertensive patients (mean age: 72 years; 52% were men; 79% had been treated with antihypertensive medications). All patients were ambulatory, lived independently, and were without clinically diagnosed dementia. Cognitive function was assessed by the mini-mental state examination (MMSE). The lowest quartile of the MMSE score distribution was defined as cognitive dysfunction (n = 183: mean MMSE score: 24 points). Results: The proportion of well-controlled BP cases (office BP [OBP] < 140/90 mmHg and 24-hour BP < 130/80 mmHg), white-coat hypertension (OBP ≥ 140/90 mmHg and 24-hour BP < 130/80 mmHg), masked hypertension (OBP < 140/90 mmHg and 24-hour BP ≥ 130/80 mmHg), and sustained hypertension (OBP ≥ 140/90 mmHg and 24-hour BP ≥ 130/80 mmHg) were 16.3%, 21.7%, 15.8%, and 46.3%, respectively. The estimated mean (95% confidence interval [CI]) scores of MMSE, adjusted for age, sex, and education, were as follows:27.0 (26.4–27.5) points in well-controlled BP cases, 26.8 (26.4–27.2) points in white coat hypertension, 25.9 (25.3–26.5) points in masked hypertension, and 26.1 (25.8–26.4) points in sustained hypertension (trend P = 0.003). In multiple regression models (n = 587), cognitive dysfunction was associated with the existence of masked hypertension (odds ratio:2.8; 95% CI:1.3–6.2) and sustained hypertension (odds ratio:2.0; 95% CI:1.0–3.6) independent of age, sex, educational attainment, current smoking, daily drinking, use of antihypertensive medications, BMI, diabetes, use of statins, and pre-existing cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, cognitive dysfunction was not associated with the existence of white-coat hypertension (odds ratio:0.9; 95% CI:0.4–1.8). Conclusions: Masked hypertension and sustained hypertension are associated with cognitive dysfunction in the elderly hypertensive patients. Figure. No caption available.


Recreational conflict is based on the idea that differences among user groups can negatively influence experience(s). In the context of outdoor recreation conflict has been more specifically defined as "goal interference attributed to another's behavior" (Jacob & Schreyer, 1980, p. 369). To assist in explaining factors that underlie conflict, Jacob and Schreyer developed a theoretical framework, which incorporated the concept of mode of experience, which addresses how recreational users focus their attention on the environment. However, there has been little empirical investigation of different modes of experience during recreational activities including trail use. Understanding participants' modes of experience is likely to provide insights into the perceptual and environmental parameters that underlie mode-based conflicts. Methods from environmental perception literature including modified Visitor Employed Photography (VEP) and follow-up interviews were administered in-situ to explore mountain bikers' and hikers' perceptions during their trail experiences. Data suggest that both mountain bikers and hikers experience variations in modes that range from concentrating on specific elements to experiencing the environment much more broadly. Results suggested bikers and hikers exhibited both similarities and differences in mode of experience. Conflict appeared to be dependent on how types of focus interfered with each other and not simply what type of recreation a participant was engaged in. The discussion presents hypotheses intended to direct future research on modes in specific settings. The value of using a triangulated approach is also discussed. Managerial implications are suggested and include developing a more in-depth understanding of users' experiences from an in-situ perspective; understanding trail design suggestions which support user preferences and that might alleviate conflicts; and optimizing trail layouts by utilizing designs based on perception.


The problem of timing recovery in wireless mobile receiver systems is critical. This is partly because timing recovery functions must follow rapid parameter changes inherent in mobile systems and partly because both bandwidth and power must be conserved in low signal to noise ratio communication channels. The ultimate goal is therefore to achieve a low bit error rate on the recovered information for improving QoS provisioning to terminal mobile users. Traditional timing recovery methods have over-relied on phase-locked loops for timing information adjustment. However, associated schemes do not exploit code properties. This leads to synchronization difficulties in digital receivers separated from transmitters by lossy channels. In this paper we present a soft timing phase estimation algorithm for wireless mobile receivers in low signal to noise ratios. In order to develop a bandwidth and power efficient timing recovery method for wireless mobile receivers, a raised cosine filter and a multilevel phase shift keying modulation scheme are implemented and no clock signals are transmitted to the receiver. In the proposed method, the receiver exploits the soft decisions computed at each turbo decoding iteration to provide reliable estimates of a soft timing signal, which in turn, improves the decoding time. The derived method, based on sequential minimization techniques, approaches the theoretical Cramer-Rao bound with unbiased estimates within a few iterations. Key Words : discrete polyphase matched filters, maximum likelihood estimators, iterative turbo receivers, log-MAP ba


Hepatic Actinomycosis (HA) is a very rare abdominal actinomycosis that can be confused with hepatic involvement due to a tumor. Liver involvement can occur from an abdominal focus or by blood dissemination from another focus. This disease is much more common in men between 50 - 70 years and in a situation of immunosuppression. Symptoms are nonspecific and diagnosis includes histopathology, cultures, and imaging test. Treatment includes prolonged antibiotic therapy with antibiotics such as penicillin and drainage of abscesses. We present a case of a 54-year-old man patient with a record of three years of chronic pancreatitis of probably alcoholic origin, who developed hepatic actinomycosis, requiring drainage of liver abscesses and directed antibiotic treatment.


A substantial portion of patients with newly diagnosed gastric cancer has distant metastases (M1 disease). These patients have a very poor prognosis and it is generally accepted that they should be treated with noncurative intent. Because it dramatically changes prognosis and treatment plans, it is very important to diagnose distant metastases. In this article, the definition, pathways, incidence and sites of distant metastases in gastric cancer are described. Subsequently, the current performance of imaging in detecting distant metastases in newly diagnosed gastric cancer is outlined and future prospects are discussed.


End-Point (EP) Man-In-The-Middle (MITM) attack is a well-known threat in computer security. This attack targets the flow of information between endpoints. An attacker is able to eavesdrop on the communication between two targets and can either perform active or passive monitoring; this affects the confidentiality and integrity of the data flow. Several techniques have been developed by researchers to address this kind of attack. With the current emergence of machine learning (ML) models, we explore the possibility of applying ML in EP MITM detection. Our detection technique is based on Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) analysis. The technique combines signal processing and machine learning in detecting EP MITM attack. We evaluated the accuracy of the proposed technique using linear-based ML classification models. The technique proved itself to be efficient by producing a detection accuracy of 99.72%.


The response of the surfclam Spisula solidissima to warming of the Mid-Atlantic Bight is manifested by recession of the southern and inshore boundary of the clam's range. This phenomenon has impacted the fishery through the closure of southern ports and the movement of processing capacity north, impacts that may require responsive actions on the part of fishery captains to mitigate a decline in fishery performance otherwise ineluctably accompanying this shift in range. The purpose of this study was to evaluate options in the behavioral repertoire of captains that might provide mitigation. A model capable of simulating a spatially and temporally variable resource harvested by fleets of boats landing in a number of homeports was created. The model includes characterization of each vessel in terms of economics and vessel performance. The model assigns to each vessel a captain with defined behavioral proclivities including the tendency to search, to communicate with other captains, to take advantage of survey data, and to integrate variable lengths of past history performance into the determination of the location of fishing trips. Each captain and vessel operate independently in the simulation providing a spatially and temporally dynamic variability in fishery performance. Simulations showed that a number of behaviors modestly varied performance. Use of survey data and occasional searching tended to increase performance. Reliance on an older catch history tended to reduce performance as did frequent searching. However, in no simulation was this differential large and the differential was little modified by the contraction in the surfclam's range. Simulations showed that the population dynamics of the clam and the low fishing mortality rate imposed by the Fishery Management Plan permit near optimal fishing performance based on a few simple rules: choose locations to fish that minimize time at sea while permitting the landing of a full vessel load; base this choice on the most recent catch history for the vessel. Simulations suggest that the performance of the fishery is primarily determined by surfclam abundance and the location of patches that control LPUE at small geographic scales. Constraints imposed on fishery performance by port location and vessel size far exceed limitations or ameliorations afforded by modifications in the behavior of captains.


The liquid phase LPG injection (LPLI) system is considered as one of the next generation fuel supply systems for LPG vehicles, since it can accomplish the higher power, higher efficiency, and lower emission characteristics than the existing mixer type fuel supply system. However, during the injection of liquid LPG fuel into the inlet duct of an engine, an large quantity of heat is extracted due to evaporation of fuel. A problem is that the moisture in the air freezes around the outlet of a nozzle, which is called icing phenomenon. It may cause damage to the outlet nozzle of an injector. The frozen ice deposit detached form the nozzle also may cause a considerable damage to the inlet valve or valve seat. In this work, the experimental investigation of the icing phenomenon was carried out. The results showed that the icing phenomenon and process were mainly affected by humidity of inlet air instead of the air temperature in the inlet duct. Also, it was observed that the icing occurs first in the inlet of a nozzle, and grows considerably at the upper part of the nozzle inlet and the opposite side of the nozzle entrance. An LPG fuel, mainly consisting of butane, has lower latent heat of vaporization than that of propane, which is an advantage in controlling the icing phenomenon.


In the human spleen the marginal zone (MZ) contains medium‐sized B cells with a distinct immunophenotype. A main function attributed to the MZ is its involvement in the primary response to blood‐borne antigens, in particular to thymus‐independent antigens type 2. In this study the presence of antigens related to activation and proliferation was evaluated in human spleens by immunohistochemical staining. It appeared that MZ B cells do not show interleukin 2 receptor expression, and are in G0 phase of the cell cycle, as demonstrated by the lack of Ki‐67 reactivity. The most interesting finding is the high CD21 expression by MZ B cells in the absence of IgD expression. As the CD21 antigen has been shown to be involved in B cell activation in close linkage with IgM, it can be suggested that MZ B cells are particularly well equipped for rapid and easy activation in a primary immune response.


Uniaxial pressure dependencies of the electric properties of perovskite-like La1-xSrxMnO3 (0.2 ≤ x ≤ 0.6) system have been investigated. A large nonlinear piezoresistance effect and a remarkable pressure-induced change of metal-semiconductor (M-S) transition have been observed. For La0.7Sr0.3MnO3, the piezoresistance value can reach about 86% at 290 K under a pressure of 16.8 MPa, and the pressure coefficient of Tp, the onset of the M-S transition, is as high as 6.4 K/MPa, which is significantly larger than that of known similar pressure effects. These pressure effects suggest that the resistivity of the perovskite compounds is relative not only to double exchange but also to the symmetry of lattice. This phenomenon may provide another route in understanding the colossal magnetoresistance behavior in the perovskites.


ABSTRACT Degeneration of surgical bioprosthetic heart valves (BPVs) occurs in up to one third of surviving patients within a decade of implantation and is a common cause of cardiovascular morbidity. Valve-in-valve transcatheter aortic valve replacement (VIV TAVR) is a safe and effective treatment for patients with failed BPVs who are unsuitable for reoperation. However, there may be patient-prosthesis mismatch (PPM) following VIV TAVR, particularly in patients with small BPVs. This may influence both morbidity and mortality. Bioprosthetic valve fracture (BVF) has emerged as a novel technique to prevent PPM. It involves high-pressure inflation of a non-compliant balloon to fracture the ring of the BPV, allowing for further expansion of the implanted transcatheter heart valve (THV) and thereby reducing residual transvalvular gradients. Early experience with this technique has been promising. This review will describe the procedural technique of BVF, explore the lessons learned from bench testing and early clinical experience, and discuss the limitations of the current literature as well as future directions. Abbreviations: ACn: ACURATE neo; BPV: Bioprosthetic heart valve; BVF: Bioprosthetic valve fracture; BVR: Bioprosthetic valve remodeling; EOA: Effective orifice area; NYHA: New York Heart Association; PPM: Patient-prosthesis mismatch; PWI: Pin-wheeling index; S3: Sapien 3; SAVR: Surgical aortic valve replacement; TAVR: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement; TPVR: Transcatheter pulmonary valve replacement; THV: Transcatheter heart valve; VIV: Valve-in-valve


Phosphate solubilizing micro-organisms were isolated from rhizosphere soils of rice fields around Mannachanalur area, Tiruchirappali district of Tamilnadu. The isolated fungal cultures were identified as Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus fumigatus and Penicillium sp. The efficacy of Phosphatase activity of fungal strains was carried out. The fungal strains were subjected to random mutational studies such as UV and chemical mutation. The Phosphatase assay was carried out after random mutagenesis using wild and mutated cultures. The efficacy of Phosphatase activity of the wild strains were observed in the descending order of Aspergillus niger > Penicillium sp. > Aspergillus fumigatus. Among the chemically treated fungal strains, Aspergillus niger (ANsa120) was the predominant fungal strain for Phosphatase activity. The Glucose and Ammonium sulphate were found to be the best carbon and nitrogen source respectively for both phosphate solubilization and phosphatase production. The significance of the findings is discussed herewith in detail.


Let be a continuum (other than a single point) in the -plane not disconnecting the plane, a simply-connected domain containing . The class consists of those functions that are analytic in and satisfy the inequality The author proves the following theorem: Here is the -entropy of , and the -dimensional linear diameter of in the space of all functions continuous on . The norm on is For the proof a basis is constructed in the space of functions holomorphic in ; it coincides with the Faber basis if is a level curve of . A fundamental part in this construction is played by a lemma which states that the domain can be mapped conformally into a domain , where is a level curve of . In the appendix, which is written by A. L. Levin and V. M. Tikhomirov, a similar theorem is proved (under additional assumptions) for the case when is multiply-connected and may consist of several continua. CONTENTS Preface (V. M. Tikhomirov) Introduction § 1. The problem of bases. The main lemma § 2. Fundamental properties of the bases constructed § 3. Asymptotic theory of ε-entropy § 4. Estimates for n-dimensional diameters § 5. Some "extraneous" results Appendix. A. L. Levin and V. M. Tikhomirov, On a theorem of Erokhin References


Background: Maxillofacial fractures constitute a substantial proportion of trauma globally. The main causes worldwide are road traffic accidents (RTAs), falls, assaults, sports, firearm injuries and industrial trauma. The highest incidence is commonly seen in the young age group with majority being male. The most common site in maxillofacial injuries is the mandible followed by the zygomatic complex, maxilla, and alveolar process. Maxillofacial trauma also poses a significant socioeconomic burden on affected individuals. Hence appropriate treatment and prevention of these morbidities and possible mortality is necessary. This study is therefore aimed at analyzing the prevalence, pattern of presentation of maxillofacial injuries at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) in Western Nigeria. Methods: A retrospective review of 182 patients diagnosed and treated for maxillofacial injuries at the Oral and Maxillofacial Department of the LASUTH was conducted. Data were obtained from clinical notes and records of radiological findings noting patient's age, gender, etiologic factors (RTA, assault, sport, and fall), anatomic site of injury and different definitive treatment modalities. The data were analyzed by SPSS version 20 using various descriptive statistical tools. Mean and standard deviation were calculated for quantitative variable like age while frequency and percentage were calculated for qualitative variables like gender and site of fracture. Results: Majority of patients were male (72.0%) with a male to female ratio of 1:0.4. Most patients were between 31 and 40 (34.1%) years of age. RTA accounting for 73.1% of the injuries was the most common cause for maxillofacial injury followed by assault (19.2%). Majority of injuries due to RTA were of motorcycles accidents (33.6%). The most common sites of fracture out of 226 sites were in the mandible (62.8%, P = 0.003). Among the mandibular fracture sites, 28.2% affected the body of the mandible. Majority (31.9%) of the studied patients presented within 24 h (≤ 1 day). Out of the 182 patients, 68.1% were treated by close reduction. Conclusions: RTA represented the major etiological factor of maxillofacial injuries. The mandible remains the most affected bone of the facial skeleton. Closed reduction is the most common approach used for treatment. J Curr Surg. 2019;9(4):51-56 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/jcs387


The current study investigates a number of theoretically relevant victim characteristics to determine their impact on sexual assault victimization severity. Ordinary least squares regression analysis of survey responses from a sample of 204 university women indicated significant relationships between many of the variables of interest and increases in victimization severity. In particular, risk-taking behavior, delayed victim response strategies to sexual risk, increased number of lifetime sexual partners, and more frequent exposure to pornographic media significantly correlated with increasingly more severe forms of sexual assault. Future research directions and policy implications are discussed.