Racial disparities in maternal and infant health have long been understood through the lens of systemic racism, a critical structural determinant of health. Pregnant Black women experience racism within all social institutions, including healthcare, where their experiences have regularly been characterized by overt discrimination and outwardly hostile medical environments. However, contemporary manifestations of racism now also operate more inconspicuously, and little is known about how pregnant Black women experience more elusive forms of racism within the healthcare setting. This paper advances an understanding of medical racism by examining how it subtly manifests in Black women's prenatal healthcare experiences. Drawing on interviews with Black women in Jamaica and Canada, I introduce the concept of 'colourblind healthcare' to explain how medical racism, which is often conceptualized as an overt phenomenon, is also a covert and structural one. Colourblind healthcare is a form of allegedly 'race-neutral' healthcare delivery that minimizes the significance of race within the healthcare setting. When healthcare providers refuse to recognize race, whiteness is usually their assumed norm. Accordingly, colourblind healthcare is characterized by 1) healthcare providers privileging biomedical approaches to healthcare delivery over race-conscious ones, and 2) healthcare providers dismissing and overlooking non-white health concerns. My findings show that Black women navigate this elusive form of medical racism by either minimizing or centring discussions around race within the prenatal healthcare context. This paper highlights how seemingly non-racial healthcare practices in fact perpetuate racism by providing Black women with lower-quality care and putting them at risk of harm.


Parental care is any form of parental behavior that increases offspring fitness. To the authors' knowledge, this study is the first to analyze the intensity of parental care in the Guiana dolphin, Sotalia guianensis (van Beneden, 1864). The objectives of this study are as follows: 1) to quantify the degree of parental care in S. guianensis in Ilha Grande Bay, Rio de Janeiro; 2) to investigate the influence of behavioral state and group size on the degree of parental care; and 3) to evaluate the differences between the intensity of parental care provided to calves and juveniles. Our results indicate that the intensity of parental care is high in S. guianensis and that care is more intense in larger groups. It is possible that these differences serve to maximize hydrodynamic gains and to minimize risks. Our results suggest that parental care is more intense during travel. A possible reason for this greater intensity is that the feeding dynamics show a more random pattern than other behavioral states. Moreover, the results indicate that calves receive more intense care than juveniles. These results suggest that parent-offspring conflict is possible in the study population.


The ability to predict the behaviour of polymeric nanomedicines can often be obfuscated by subtle modifications to the corona structure, such as incorporation of fluorophores or other entities. However, these interactions provide an intriguing insight into how selection of molecular components in multifunctional nanomedicines contributes to the overall biological fate of such materials. Here, we detail the internalisation behaviours of polymeric nanomedicines across a suite of cell types and extrapolate data for distinguishing the underlying mechanics of cyanine-5-driven interactions as they pertain to uptake and endosomal escape. By correlating the variance of rate kinetics with endosomal escape efficiency and endogenous lipid polarity, we identify that observed cell-type dependencies correspond with an underlying susceptibility to dye-mediated effects and nanomedicine accumulation within polar vesicles. Further, our results infer that the ability to translocate endosomal membranes may be improved in certain cell types, suggesting a potential role for diagnostic moieties in trafficking of drug-loaded nanocarriers.


Common-image gathers are an important output of prestack depth migration. They provide information needed for velocity model building and amplitude and phase information for subsurface attribute interpretation. Conventionally, common-image gathers are computed using Kirchhoff migration on commonoffset/azimuth data volumes. When geologic structures are complex and strong contrasts exist in the velocity model, the complicated wave behaviors will create migration artifacts in the image gathers. As long as the gather output traces are indexed by any surface attribute, such as source location, receiver location, or surface plane-wave direction, they suffer from the migration artifacts caused by multiple raypaths. These problems have been addressed in a significant amount of work, resulting in common-image gathers computed in the reflection angle domain, whose traces are indexed by the subsurface reflection angle and/or the subsurface azimuth angle. Most of these efforts have concentrated on Kirchhoff and oneway wave-equation migration methods. For reverse time migration, subsurface angle gathers can be produced using the same approach as that used for one-way wave-equation migration. However, these approaches need to be revisited when producing high-quality subsurface angle gathers in three dimensions (reflection angle/azimuth angle), especially for wide-azimuth data. We have developed a method for obtaining 3D subsurface reflection angle/azimuth angle common-image gathers specifically for the amplitude-preserved reverse time migration. The method builds image gathers with a highdimensional convolution of wavefields in the wavenumber domain. We have found a windowed antileakage Fourier transform method that leads to an efficient and practical implementation. This approach has generated high-resolution angle-domain gathers on synthetic 2.5D data and 3D wideazimuth real data.


Abstract Objectives: to analyze the incidence of obstetric practices in labor and childbirth care at usual risk in a tertiary hospital. Methods: cross-sectional, descriptive study with a quantitative approach. Data were collected from 314 Monitoring Sheets of Labor and Childbirth Care of women who had their birth attended at the institution, from July 2017 to July 2018. The study was approved by the research ethics committee, with the embodied opinion number 2.822.707. Results: most women in the study were between 20 and 34 years old, coming from the city of Fortaleza, Ceará; had completed high school; and had unpaid work. The prevalence of good practices was identified: umbilical cord clamping in a timely manner (81.5%), immediate skin-to-skin contact (73.9%), breastfeeding in the childbirth room (74.2%), freedom of position and movement (72.3%), completion of the partograph (66.6%), presence of a companion (66.2%), offer of a liquid diet (65%), and non-pharmacological methods for pain relief (54.8%). As for interventional practices, we identified: venoclysis (42.4%), oxytocin infusion (29%), and amniotomy (11.1%). Conclusions: advances in the adoption of good practices based on scientific evidence are noteworthy; however, the technocratic model of childbirth care for women at normal risk persists.


Microstructure and creep properties of cast Mg-Al-Ca-Sr alloys have been investigated. The microstructure was characteri-zed using light microscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Phase identification was made by EBSD technique and by SAED analysis. The measurement of volume fraction of intermetallic phases was performed using quantitative metal-lography. Creep tests were performed at 180 ◦ C and at applied stress between 45 and 90 MPa. Microstructure of tested alloys composed of α -Mg grains and intermetallic compounds in the interdendritic regions. It was found that the addition of calcium and strontium improves creep resistance at 180 ◦ C.


Provided is a device for controlling a frequency response by Scaling an impedance. The device includes a filter and a duty ratio controller. The filter generates an output signal after removing a frequency from an input Signal, and comprises a first impedance component and a Switch. The Switch, which is Serially connected to the first impedance compo nent, is Switched on or off in response to a duty-controlled clock Signal. The duty ratio controller receives a clock Signal, controls a duty ratio of the clock signal, and generates the duty-controlled clock signal. The duty ratio controller comprises a flip-flop, which has a clock terminal that receives the clock Signal, and a reset terminal, which receives a delayed signal obtained after delaying the clock signal by a time delay. The duty ratio controller further comprises a delay component that receives the clock signal, generates the delayed signal, and controls the time delay in response to a duty control Signal.


Although only a small fraction of corporate investments is financed through venture capital, research on venture capital is both important and challenging. Private equity means buying shares in companies which are not listed on any exchange. Thus, these are investments on the private capital market. Their characteristic feature is usually midterm and long-term character and the fact that the investor involves in managing the company that he co-finances. If such investments are made in early development stages of companies, they are classified as venture capital. However, many publications use these two names (venture capital and private equity) as substitutes. The author also uses this terminology. The aim of the paper is to show the sector structure of pe/vc investments in Poland as well as its changes in 2001 – 2006. The author also presents some examinations on benefits from this kind of investments. These studies let conclude that venture capital investments in Poland are diversified into different sectors, which is a positive effect. However, they also pay attention to the problem of attracting pe/vc investments as a significant part of the future development of the Polish economy.


The literature on real business cycles finds that one reason why emerging economies are more volatile than developed small open economies is that they face greater financial frictions. Indeed, according to several measures of financial depth and access, financial systems in emerging countries are on average less developed than those in developed small open economies. Despite the lag in financial development, private credit, particularly unsecured credit to households, has been steadily increasing during the last two decades in emerging countries in Latin America. During this period of rising credit, various countries in the region observed an increase in the size of their middle income class population and the emergence of the vendor financing channel in their consumption credit market. Estimates by the World Bank suggest that the share of middle class households increased from 20.9 % in 1995 to 40.7 % in 2010. In addition, the share of poor households was approximately halved and reached 23.4 % at the end of this 15 year period. This phenomenon not only increased credit demand but also motivated the entry of new suppliers in the consumer credit market in countries like Mexico, Colombia, Chile and Brazil. In spite of a significant decline in unemployment in recent years, the lack of formal employment and poor credit history were still impeding many individuals from gaining access to consumer finance from traditional financial institutions. In order to enable new middle class shoppers access items typically offered by large retail stores, the retailers themselves started offering credit. In this dissertation, I study the relationship between middle class size, unsecured credit markets and aggregate consumption volatility in emerging countries. In the first chapter of this thesis, we examine the link between middle class size and consumption growth volatility using a sample of middle income countries. In the second chapter, we study the effect of an expansion of the middle class on vendor financing incentives and unsecured credit supply on its extensive margin. In the third chapter, I study business cycle implications of a reduction in the share of financially excluded households in an emerging economy. In the first chapter, I empirically examine the effect of middle income class size on consumption growth volatility in emerging countries. Using a panel data of middle income countries, I find that a larger middle class size tends to increase aggregate consumption growth volatility, particularly at lower levels of financial system depth. Financial development plays a significant role in determining the sign of the marginal effect of middle class size on aggregate volatility. Unlike emerging countries, the effect of the size of the middle class and the role of financial development on consumption volatility in developed countries is ambiguous. The key message of this analysis is that as more households escape poverty thresholds and reach the middle income class status in developing and emerging economies, iii it becomes more important to deepen financial systems from the perspective of aggregate consumption volatility. In the second chapter, I explore through the lens of a theoretical model, potential reasons triggering an increase in credit supplied by the non traditional financial sector, i.e vendors, at the extensive margin. I find that a reduction in the average risk of default and an increase in the market size of credit customers raise vendor financing incentives. This model rationalizes the observation that the improvement of economic conditions of the low-income and financially constrained households potentially led to increased credit supply by vendors in several countries of Latin America. In the third chapter, I study business cycle implications of a decline in household financial exclusion in a dynamic general equilibrium model suitable for emerging economies. Using Mexico as a case study, I estimate the model with Bayesian methods for the period 1995 to 2014. Standard measures of predictive accuracy suggest that the extended business cycle model with limited credit market participation outperforms a model with zero financial exclusion. The results of the estimation suggest that a rise in credit market participation in an emerging economy increases aggregate volatility of key macroeconomic aggregates, and that financial frictions play a key role in this relationship. I confirm this prediction by re-estimating the model for Mexico after splitting the sample into two nonoverlapping decades. A key implication derived in this chapter is that a reduction of financial exclusion within an emerging country may lead to higher consumption growth volatility and trade balance volatility, and that fewer financial frictions dampen the marginal effect. As household financial access increases in these countries, a greater need for improving broad financial development measures arises.


Although many empirical rules have been established for correctly choosing the number of stator and rotor slots so as to limit the audible magnetic noise level radiated by induction machines, these rules never take into account the stator natural frequencies or the fact that the motor is run at variable speed. In this paper, we present a fast simulation tool for the variable-speed magnetic noise emitted by induction machines, based on fully analytical models. On the basis of these models, we derive and experimentally validate an analytical expression for magnetic vibrations due to slotting reluctance harmonics, confirming the prime importance of slot combination in magnetic noise radiation. We ran simulations on a 700-W squirrel-cage motor in order to quantify the noise emitted by all possible combinations of slot numbers in two- and three-pole pairs, including odd slot numbers. We thus obtained a database that efficiently replaces the old empirical rules for slot combination numbers and helps in designing quiet induction motors. Similar databases can be built for other power ranges.


Room‐temperature photoreflectance (PR) measurements have been used to investigate the optical transition energies in InxGa1−xAs/GaAs strained layer superlattice structures grown by molecular‐beam epitaxy (MBE). Sharp PR features indicating excellent optical quality of these MBE grown structures were observed. The transition energies were calculated and PR spectra fitted to the theoretical line shape expression. By observing the variation of Cl‐Lbl (where Cl is the first conduction subband in InGaAs layers and Lbl is the first light‐hole subband in the GaAs layers) type II superlattice transition, which cannot be observed with photoluminescence even at low temperatures, a conduction‐band discontinuity of 70% was obtained. Further, an important outcome of this study is the observation of strong PR features from the spatially indirect Cl‐Lbl transition which indicates that the modulation of band to band transitions can be a dominant PR line shape determining mechanism.


We introduce a quantum algorithm that produces approximate solutions for combinatorial optimization problems. The algorithm depends on a positive integer p and the quality of the approximation improves as p is increased. The quantum circuit that implements the algorithm consists of unitary gates whose locality is at most the locality of the objective function whose optimum is sought. The depth of the circuit grows linearly with p times (at worst) the number of constraints. If p is fixed, that is, independent of the input size, the algorithm makes use of efficient classical preprocessing. If p grows with the input size a different strategy is proposed. We study the algorithm as applied to MaxCut on regular graphs and analyze its performance on 2-regular and 3-regular graphs for fixed p. For p = 1, on 3-regular graphs the quantum algorithm always finds a cut that is at least 0.6924 times the size of the optimal cut.


In this paper, an improved LSB (Least Significant Bits) information hiding algorithm is proposed according to human visual theory and implemented in the temporal-spatial domain by using C#, and based on this, a system is developed for hiding and extraction of multimedia files. Compared with the traditional LSB method implemented by Matlab, the improved one has obvious advantages in the environmental configuration requirements, the time-consuming in running and ease of use. To be specific, the system realized on .net platform takes less running time and resources, has better extensibility and greater ease-to-use, and other distinct features. Besides, the system developed for hiding and extracting multimedia files based on the method has a wide range of adaptivity and good applicability


Targeted drug delivery in cancer typically focuses on maximising the endocytosis of drugs into the diseased cells. However, there has been less focus on exploiting the differences in the endocytosis pathways of cancer cells versus non-cancer cells. An understanding of the endocytosis pathways in both cancer and non-cancer cells allows for the design of nanoparticles to deliver drugs to cancer cells whilst restricting healthy cells from taking up anticancer drugs, thus efficiently killing the cancer cells. Herein we compare the differences in the endocytosis pathways of cancer and healthy cells. Second, we highlight the importance of the physicochemical properties of nanoparticles (size, shape, stiffness, and surface chemistry) on cellular uptake and how they can be adjusted to selectively target the dominated endocytosis pathway of cancer cells over healthy cells and to deliver anticancer drug to the target cells. The review generates new thought in the design of cancer-selective nanoparticles based on the endocytosis pathways.


Dead wood such as coarse dead wood debris (CWD) is an important component in natural forests since it increases the diversity of plants, fungi, and animals. It serves as habitat, provides nutrients and is conducive to forest regeneration, ecosystem stabilization and soil protection. In commercially operated forests, dead wood is often unwanted as it can act as an originator of calamities. Accordingly, efficient CWD monitoring approaches are needed. However, due to the small size of CWD objects satellite data-based approaches cannot be used to gather the needed information and conventional ground-based methods are expensive. Unmanned aerial systems (UAS) are becoming increasingly important in the forestry sector since structural and spectral features of forest stands can be extracted from the high geometric resolution data they produce. As such, they have great potential in supporting regular forest monitoring and inventory. Consequently, the potential of UAS imagery to map CWD is investigated in this study. The study area is located in the center of the Hainich National Park (HNP) in the federal state of Thuringia, Germany. The HNP features natural and unmanaged forest comprising deciduous tree species such as Fagus sylvatica (beech), Fraxinus excelsior (ash), Acer pseudoplatanus (sycamore maple), and Carpinus betulus (hornbeam). The flight campaign was controlled from the Hainich eddy covariance flux tower located at the Eastern edge of the test site. Red-green-blue (RGB) image data were captured in March 2019 during leaf-off conditions using off-the-shelf hardware. Agisoft Metashape Pro was used for the delineation of a three-dimensional (3D) point cloud, which formed the basis for creating a canopy-free RGB orthomosaic and mapping CWD. As heavily decomposed CWD hardly stands out from the ground due to its low height, it might not be detectable by means of 3D geometric information. For this reason, solely RGB data were used for the classification of CWD. The mapping task was accomplished using a line extraction approach developed within the object-based image analysis (OBIA) software eCognition. The achieved CWD detection accuracy can compete with results of studies utilizing high-density airborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR)-based point clouds. Out of 180 CWD objects, 135 objects were successfully delineated while 76 false alarms occurred. Although the developed OBIA approach only utilizes spectral information, it is important to understand that the 3D information extracted from our UAS data is a key requirement for successful CWD mapping as it provides the foundation for the canopy-free orthomosaic created in an earlier step. We conclude that UAS imagery is an alternative to laser data in particular if rapid update and quick response is required. We conclude that UAS imagery is an alternative to laser data for CWD mapping, especially when a rapid response and quick reaction, e.g., after a storm event, is required.


The research was conducted to investigate the effects of Genital Mutilation on girls and in some selected town of Bebeji L.G.A using girls of Rantan, Cutar Biki, Unguwar Tura of Bebeji Local Government Area, Kano State as case study. The simplex random sampling technique was used to select a simple size of 180 respondents from Rantan, Cutar Biki, and Unguwar Tura community. The descriptive type of research design was used. The instrument was the structured interview schedule simple percentages were used to analyze the data collected. Findings revealed that the practice of female genital mutilation has negative complications on girls. It is recommended that the practice of female genital mutilation should be abolished and law breakers be prosecuted. The so called positive effects of FGM can be achieved through proper nurturing of girls by parents and the society through education counseling, enforcing legislation advocacy and formation of watch dog committees FGM can be abolished.


Consistent use of barrier methods of contraception is the recommendation for family planning clients at risk of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). For such methods to be effective, however, the conditions of user motivation, correct use, partner cooperation, and consistent supply must be met--conditions that are difficult to achieve for condom. A newly developed polyurethene condom may allow more physical sensation during sex, thereby increasing acceptability. The recently released female condom has the advantage of placing women in control of their protection from pregnancy and STDs; however, affordability and continued use over time remain concerns. Under development are new spermicides based on polysaccharides and defensins. Such microbicides would not involve the disruption of vaginal tissues associated with frequent use of the detergent spermicide, nonoxynol-9. Also under investigation is a microbicide based on carrageenan, a component of seaweed, that prevents human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) from infecting cervical cells in the laboratory. Although the next generation of barrier methods has the potential to increase acceptability, effectiveness, and safety, the need for counseling by providers on proper use and partner negotiation remains essential.


We report a simple and effective interface engineering method for achieving highly efficient planar perovskite solar cells (PSCs) employing SnO2 electron selective layers (ESLs). Herein, a 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) self-assembled monolayer (SAM) was used to modify the SnO2 ESL/perovskite layer interface. This APTES SAM demonstrates multiple functions: (1) it can increase the surface energy and enhance the affinity of the SnO2 ESL, which induce the formation of high quality perovskite films with a better morphology and enhanced crystallinity. (2) Its terminal functional groups form dipoles on the SnO2 surface, leading to a decreased work function of SnO2 and enlarged built-in potential of SnO2/perovskite heterojunctions. (3) The terminal groups can passivate the trap states at the perovskite surface via hydrogen bonding. (4) The thin insulating layer at the interface can hinder electron back transfer and reduce the recombination process at the interface effectively. With these desirable properties, the best-performing cell employing a APTES SAM modified-SnO2 ESL achieved a PCE over 18% and a steady-state efficiency of 17.54%. Impressively, to the best of our knowledge, the obtained VOC of 1.16 V is the highest value reported for the CH3NH3PbI3 (MAPbI3) system. Our results suggest that the ESL/perovskite interface engineering with a APTES SAM is a promising method for fabricating efficient and hysteresis-less PSCs.


Complete structural theorems for quasiasymptotics of distributions are presented in this article. For this, asymptotically homogeneous functions and associate asymptotically homogeneous functions at infinity with respect to a slowly varying function are employed. The proposed analysis, based on the concept of asymptotically and associate asymptotically homogeneous functions, allows to obtain easier proofs of the structural theorems for quasiasymptotics at infinity in the so far only known case: when the degree of the quasiasymptotic is not a negative integer. Furthermore, new structural theorems for the case of negative integral degrees are obtained by this method.


ABSTRACT Protective immunity wanes rapidly after immunization of children with acellular pertussis (aP) vaccines and these vaccines do not prevent nasal colonization or transmission of Bordetella pertussis in baboons. In this study, we examined the role of tissue-resident memory T (TRM) cells in persistent protective immunity induced by infection or immunization with aP and whole-cell pertussis (wP) vaccines in mice. Immunization of mice with a wP vaccine protected against lung and nasal colonization, whereas an aP vaccine failed to protect in the nose. IL-17 and IFN-γ-secreting CD69+CD4+ TRM cells were expanded in the lung and nasal tissue after B. pertussis challenge of mice immunized with wP, but not aP vaccines. However, previous infection induced the most persistent protection against nasal colonization and this correlated with potent induction of nasal tissue TRM cells, especially IL-17-secreting TRM cells. Blocking T cell migration to respiratory tissue during immunization with a wP vaccine impaired bacterial clearance, whereas transfer of TRM cells from convalescent or wP-immunized mice conferred protection to naïve mice. Our findings reveal that previous infection or wP vaccination are significantly more effective than aP vaccination in conferring persistent protective immunity against B. pertussis and that this is mediated by respiratory TRM cells.


Seasonal fluctuations in nonstructural carbohydrates (starch and soluble sugars) were studied in 'Hass' avocado (Persea americana Mill.) trees on 'Duke 7' rootstock over a 2-year period in southern California. On a dry weight basis, total soluble sugar (TSS) concentrations ranged from 33.0 to 236.0 mg·g -1 dry weight and were high compared to starch concentration (2.0 to 109.0 mg·g -1 dry weight) in all measured organs (stems, leaves, trunks and roots). The seven carbon (C7) sugars, D-mannoheptulose and perseitol, were the dominant soluble sugars detected. The highest starch and TSS concentrations were found in stem tissues, and in stems, a distinct seasonal fluctuation in starch and TSS concentrations was observed. This coincided with vegetative growth flushes over both sampling years. Stem TSS and starch concentrations increased beginning in autumn, with cessation of shoot growth, until midwinter, possibly due to storage of photosynthate produced during the winter photosynthetic period. TSS peaked in midwinter, while starch increased throughout the winter to a maximum level in early spring. A second peak in stem TSS was observed in midsummer following flowering and spring shoot growth. At this time, stem starch concentration also decreased to the lowest level of the year. This complementary cycling between stem TSS and starch suggests that a conversion of starch to sugars occurs to support vegetative growth and flowering, while sugars produced photosynthetically may be allocated directly to support flowering and fruit production.


Increasing access to and participation in cancer early detection and screening programs can contribute to substantial progress in reducing cancer morbidity and mortality burden experienced by underserved and/or ethnic minority communities. Regular screening facilitates early diagnosis of cancer, which, in turn, contributes to the reduction of morbidity and mortality. Colorectal cancer (CRC) represents an important focus for reducing cancer health disparities due to the widespread availability of effective early detection screening methods. Despite the known benefits of early detection, screening rates across the U.S. remain sub-optimal. CRC incidence presents a paradox in that about 75% of CRC is diagnosed in persons with no known risk factors. About 90% of CRC is diagnosed in people aged 50 years or older. Incidence and mortality rates for CRC differ substantially by race and ethnicity with African American men having the highest mortality in the U.S. These facts together suggest the need for broad-based efforts to increase screening among older minority groups. In this presentation, we will present an integrated model of health behavior change that incorporates cultural variables relevant to various minority groups such as African Americans, Korean Americans, and South Asians. Results of both quantitative and qualitative research studies will be detailed. Study 1. Purpose: African American men are at the highest risk for mortality from CRC, and, correspondingly, African American men also have very low screening rates. Using latent class analysis, we identified groups of African American men at high and low behavioral risk for screening nonadherence. Methods: Data were from baseline interviews of a 5 year, RCT designed to increase CRC screening. Sample: A subset of 260 African American men, with a mean age of 56.2; 45% reported some college education, 33% were single, and 82% were not employed. Measures: Validated measures on CRC screening related self-efficacy (SE), benefits and barriers, knowledge, perceived risk, trust in provider, and screening history were used based on the Health Belief Model. Analysis: We fit LCA models to summarize behavioral risk and protective factors (high knowledge, SE, benefits, risk and trust, and low barriers) related to past use of screening tests, and LCA regression models to assess the significance of behavioral risk group and screening history. Results: Risk groups were: high, moderate high, moderate low, or low risk for nonadherence with screening. Four LCA models provided the best fit across the three screening tests (FOBT, sigmoidoscopy and Colonoscopy). African American men at highest risk for not being screened by colonoscopy (34%) had low knowledge, SE, benefits, risk, and trust, and high barriers. For stool blood tests, 42% of men fell into high risk for not having the test. In contrast, only 10% of men were at high risk for sigmoidoscopy nonadherence; the majority were at moderate risk (55%). Latent class structure (controlling for age) was related only to endoscopy screening. Men nonadherent with colonoscopy screening were 8 times more likely to be in a high risk group compared to moderate or low risk groups (p Conclusions: There is potential for clustering individuals into behavioral risk groups and targeting interventions relevant to their risk for not getting screened. African American men at higher risk for not getting screened may need interventions focused on addressing the relevant beliefs that would move them into lower risk groups. Studies 2, 3, and 4 are qualitative studies examining cultural differences with regard to beliefs and knowledge. For all three studies: Purpose: Identify knowledge and perceptions related to CRC screening among Korean Americans, Latinos/Latinas, and South Asians. Samples: Men and women, aged 50 or older, who self-identified as Latino/Latina, South Asian, or Korean American. Methods: Focus group discussions were conducted guided by semi-structured interview guides. The Latino/a and South Asian groups were separated by gender. Results: While many beliefs, especially barriers, were common to both the majority and minority groups, several barriers related to patient provider communication, medical mistrust, and cultural sensitivity were recurrent themes. Results underscore the need to integrate culturally appropriate messaging into educational programs on CRC screening. Examples of culturally sensitive tailored interventions designed to increase CRC screening and the pilot testing will also be described. Strategies to incorporate linguistic and socio-cultural sensitivity into community-based interventions will also be discussed.


The aim of this investigation was to study the factors that influence students to do mathematics in a level higher than the usual level arising from the usual syllabus. The sample was 339 students who participated at 25th National Mathemati- cal Olympiad "Archimedes" in March 2008. They completed a questionnaire designed to measure the factors that influenced them to do mathematics. The results of this investigation show that the more important factors aecting students to do mathe- matics are: Mathematical competitions, their fathers, books, their school teachers, the publications of the Hellenic Mathematical Society and their mothers.


Simultaneous online measurement of gas concentration and velocity can be realized by tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS) technique and optical signal cross-correlation method. The fundamental and relative factors of gas concentration and velocity measurement are described in the present paper. The spectral lines of NH3 used for gas sensing at communication band in near infrared range were selected and analyzed by the calculation based on the HITRAN database. In the verification experiment, NH3 and N2 were mixed by two mass flow meters and sent to flow through the quartz tube 0. 016 m in inner diameter and 1 m in length at normal temperature and pressure. The spectral line located at 6,548.7 cm(-1) was scanned at high frequency by the diode laser of 15 MHz linewidth and 1 cm' tunable range with no mode hoppings. The instantaneous NH3 absorbance was obtained using direct absorption method and the gas concentration was calculated. At the same time, the non-intrusive optical absorption signal cross-correlation method was utilized to obtain two concentration signals from two adjacent detectors mounted along the gas tube. The corresponding transit time of gas passing through the detectors was calculated by cross-correlation algorithm, and the average gas velocity was inferred according to the distance between the two detectors and the transit time. The relative errors were less than 7% for the gas concentration measurement, and less than 10% for the gas velocity measurement. Experimental results were proved to be of high precision and good repeatability in the lab. The feature of fast response and capacity immune to the in situ disturbance would lead to a potential in industry application for the real time measurement and control of gas pollutant emission in the future.


Bulk heterojunction photovoltaic devices consisting of a novel non-fullerene acceptor based on a decacyclene triimide core and the common polymer donor poly(3-hexylthiophene) exhibit good power conversion efficiency (∼1.6%) as-cast. However, thermal annealing results in a drastic decrease in both the efficiency and the electron current. Polarized soft X-ray spectroscopy and grazing incidence X-ray scattering reveal that thermal annealing results in a reorientation of the acceptor molecules to an edge-on orientation with their π–π stacking direction predominantly in-plane with the substrate and overall hexagonal packing among planar columnar structures. This packing motif greatly hinders vertical electron transport in bulk heterojunction films. Furthermore, in situ X-ray scattering studies show that this critical reorientation occurs even at relatively low temperatures (∼60 °C). These results are some of the first to highlight differences between the morphology of non-fullerene and fullerene-based bulk heterojunctions and critical parameters that must be controlled when designing future high-performance non-fullerene acceptor molecules.


The primary goal of this research was to characterize the effect of laminin on three-dimensional (3D) neurite growth. Gels were formed using type I collagen at concentrations of 0.4–2.0 mg mL−1 supplemented with laminin at concentrations of 0, 1, 10, or 100 µg mL−1. When imaged with confocal microscopy, laminin was shown to follow the collagen fibers; however, the addition of laminin had minimal effect on the stiffness of the scaffolds at any concentration of collagen. Individual neurons dissociated from E9 chick dorsal root ganglia were cultured in the gels for 24 h, and neurite lengths were measured. For collagen gels without laminin, a typical bimodal response of neurite outgrowth was observed, with increased growth at lower concentrations of collagen gel. However, alteration of the chemical nature of the collagen gel by the laminin additive shifted, or completely mitigated, the bimodal neurite growth response seen in gels without laminin. Expression of integrin subunits, α1, α3, α6 and β1, were confirmed by PCR and immunolabeling in the 3D scaffolds. These results provide insight into the interplay between mechanical and chemical environment to support neurite outgrowth in 3D. Understanding the relative impact of environmental factors on 3D nerve growth may improve biomaterial design for nerve cell regeneration.


We present new evidence about the long-run relationship between state capacity -- the fiscal and administrative power of states -- and economic performance. Our database is novel and spans 11 European countries and 4 centuries from the Old Regime to World War I. We argue that national governments undertook two political transformations over this period: fiscal centralization and limited government. We find a significant direct relationship between fiscal centralization and economic growth. Furthermore, we find that an increase in the state's capacity to extract greater tax revenues was one mechanism through which both political transformations improved economic performance. Our analysis shows systematic evidence that state capacity is an important determinant of long-run economic growth.


Latest development in oil and gas industry is focused on higher pressure and temperature. In addition, standard oil and gas components are more frequent adapted to the other applications like aerospace, food processing, renewable energy. For those conditions, tightness is even more critical than before. In the existing codes the requirements for different tightness classes can be find as well as detailed fugitive emission test descriptions. However, the complete design methodology for HPHT seal solution is still missing. There is no engineering procedure/methodology in the code which will link the design concept, R&D process to the prototype and real tests results. The method which will predict tightness for each size and each configuration/condition is not there. Therefore, there is an urgent need to understand the leakage phenomena and describe it by simplified and safe engineering method. Method, which will connect the design concept with real behavior and be in agreement (or conservative) with test results. By having such method, it will be possible to understand better the sealing mechanism in the existing solutions as well as designing new robust, simple, and cheap (optimized) solutions. There are some more or less accurate methods/rules which are already existing in the supplier companies. There is also more and more research about the continuum flow between two surfaces in contact. Based on those sources in this paper we will present the concept for metal to metal sealing solution designing methodology which can be implemented for future revision of the designing codes. The method which can be used simply and effectively and help to understand the current designs and further R&Ds. Presented here design concept, will be described based on example. The example will go through the process from design concept to the real component tightness test.


This report deals with the volume of maternal blood flow to the pregnant uterus of the sheep and goat. Studies were made in 2 nonpregnant animals and in 20 pregnant animals at known stages of gestation. Measurements of uterine blood flow were made using nitrous oxide according to the Fick principle. The results indicate that in the nonpregnant uterus the blood flow is approximately 25 ml/min. It increases to approximately 200 ml/min. at the 80th day of gestation and exceeds 1000 ml/min. near the end of the 150-day gestation period of these animals. Data are also included for calculation of uterine O2 consumption. The findings with regard to uterine blood flow and O2 consumption are discussed in relation to previous findings in human beings and in rabbits.


[reaction: see text] Syntheses of 2-substituted furo[3,2-b]pyridines and furo[3,2-h]quinolines have been achieved for the first time in the solid-phase mode. The central enabling steps involved concomitant deprotection/cyclization promoted by the mild base K(2)CO(3). Reactions were monitored "in situ" in real time by a variety of spectroscopic techniques, which allowed full and accurate control of progress in these syntheses.


»Voter Movements to the NSDAP 1924-1933. Methodical Problems – Empirircally Founded Insights – Unresolved Questions«. Although extensive research on National Socialist voting behavior has been conducted on a national as well as an international scale, a critical view of the results show that today's knowledge of NSDAP voters has not yet reached a sufficient empirical foundation. A far-reaching consensus on the social and economic situation, party political background and personal motivations of NSDAP voters still relies on a fragmentary, incomplete basis. Particularly the German research landscape needs to catch up with the progress of the international academic community working on NSDAP voting behavior. Two errors are characteristic and frequent in historical election research: the error of 'arbitrary' selection and the error of naive disaggregation. Both lead to a mix of social-statistic correlations with individual correlations resulting in intuitive interpretations that are often unfounded. A closer look on statistical data and the application of methods used in modern election research would help to avoid common false conclusion.


Ternary content addressable memory (TCAM) is a key component in various digital systems due to its fast lookup operation. Symmetric and asymmetric TCAM cells are two widely used cells for implementing a TCAM array. This paper presents several comparison fault models of TCAMs with asymmetric cells based on electrical defects. Some new comparison faults which do not exist in a TCAM with symmetric cells are found. One march-like test algorithm TAC-H is also proposed to cover the defined comparison faults. The TAC-H consists of 8N Write operations and (3N + 2B) Compare operations for an N × B-bit TCAM with Hit output only. We also propose two march-like diagnosis algorithms to identify the defined comparison faults of TCAMs with asymmetric cells. The first diagnosis algorithm DAC-H requires 5N Write operations, 3N Erase operations, and (5N + 2B) Compare operations to distinguish 100 percent comparison faults for a TCAM with Hit output only. The second diagnosis algorithm DAC-P requires 3N Write operations, 1N Erase operations, and (5N + 2B) Compare operations to distinguish 100 percent comparison faults for a TCAM with Hit and priority address encoder outputs.


Overweight and obesity have reached epidemic proportions, especially among schoolchildren, and have become a global health problem. Many adaptations in postural organization are observed in overweight and obese children, which have serious consequences. Posture assessment contributes to the understanding of these changes. The aim of this study was to assess changes in lower limb posture of overweight and obese children using a specific method. Twenty-two subjects, 9 girls and 13 boys, aged 5-9 years participated in the study. Posture was assessed by photogrammetry using the SAPo software. The lower limb joint angles and plantar projection of the center of gravity were analyzed. Nonparametric and descriptive statistics were used, in addition to the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests (p < 0.05) for comparison between genders. Both groups showed anterior pelvic tilt and slight rotation (to the right in girls and to the left in boys), hyperextension, and valgus knees and ankles. The center of gravity presented 26.95% anteriorization. In conclusion, posture assessment in this population was consistent with literature findings and the method used permitted the quantification of data for future comparisons.


Abstract. The long-range transport (LRT) of trace gases and aerosol particles plays an
important role for the composition of the Amazonian rain forest atmosphere.
Sulfate aerosols originate to a substantial extent from LRT sources and play
an important role in the Amazonian atmosphere as strongly light-scattering
particles and effective cloud condensation nuclei. The transatlantic
transport of volcanic sulfur emissions from Africa has been considered as a
source of particulate sulfate in the Amazon; however, direct observations
have been lacking so far. This study provides observational evidence for the
influence of emissions from the Nyamuragira–Nyiragongo volcanoes in Africa
on Amazonian aerosol properties and atmospheric composition during September
2014. Comprehensive ground-based and airborne aerosol measurements together
with satellite observations are used to investigate the volcanic event. Under
the volcanic influence, hourly mean sulfate mass concentrations in the
submicron size range reached up to 3.6 µg m−3 at the Amazon
Tall Tower Observatory, the highest value ever reported in the Amazon region.
The substantial sulfate injection increased the aerosol hygroscopicity with
κ values up to 0.36, thus altering aerosol–cloud interactions over
the rain forest. Airborne measurements and satellite data indicate that the
transatlantic transport of volcanogenic aerosols occurred in two major
volcanic plumes with a sulfate-enhanced layer between 4 and 5 km of
altitude. This study demonstrates how African aerosol sources, such as
volcanic sulfur emissions, can substantially affect the aerosol cycling and
atmospheric processes in Amazonia.


In this paper we address a worst-case weighted sum rate maximization problem for a full-duplex (FD) and point-to-point (P2P) system. The effects of channel-state information (CSI) error, as well as the signal distortion due to hardware impairments are jointly taken into account. Due to the intractable structure of the resulting problem, a weighted minimum mean squared error (WMMSE) method is applied to cast the rate maximization into a separately convex optimization problem, which can be iteratively solved with a guaranteed convergence. The provided rate maximization framework is also shown to provide a converging minimum mean squared error (MMSE) design as a special case. Moreover, a methodology to obtain the least favorable error matrices is proposed by casting the resulting non-convex quadratic optimization into a convex problem. The achievable guaranteed (worst-case) rate is then numerically studied, over different levels of CSI error intensity, transceiver accuracy, and available transmit power.


In the economic and financial analysis, the need to classify companies in terms of categories, the delimitation of which has to be clear and natural occurs frequently. The differentiation of companies by categories is performed according to the economic and financial indicators which are associated to the above. The clustering algorithms are a very powerful tool in identifying the classes of companies based on the information provided by the indicators associated to them. The last decade imposed to the economic and financial practice the use of economic value added as an indicator of synthesis of the entire activity of a company. Our study uses a sample of 106 companies in four different fields of activity; each company is identified by: Economic Value Added, Net Income, Current Sales, Equity and Stock Price. Using the ascending hierarchical classification methods and the partitioning classification methods, as well as Ward's method and kmeans algorithm, we identified on the considered sample an information structure consisting of 5 rating classes


This paper proposes a distribution network reliability cost-benefit analysis and optimization method. When carrying out the distribution network planning to improve the reliability of power supply, through analyzing a variety of major reliability improvement measures, each measure's reliability cost-benefit analysis curve decomposed can be obtained. Then the curves corresponding to all the measures are combined, and then using the classic power supply reliability cost-benefit analysis theory to develop a reliability optimization strategy considering a variety of measures combination. Using this strategy, the best reliability optimization path of cost-benefit including multi-measures can be selected from the combined curves. The path can be further broken down into the actual investment of each optimization measure, and thus the scale of each measure can be obtained through the investment. Finally considering the actual situation of distribution network, the measures are transformed into some specific projects, and the most economical and reasonable optimization scheme is obtained to achieve a certain improvement of reliability, and realize the efficient control of reliability cost-benefit. This method can optimize the regional distribution network and the individual line. It can optimize the investment based on a given reliability target, and also can optimize the reliability based on a given investment level. Through this method, several typical regional distribution network planning projects of Nanjing city are analyzed and optimized, achieving remarkable economic benefits in practical applications.


The financial crisis of 2008 had pushed for the internalization of luxury and promoted a new wave of brands pioneering intrinsic values over opulent goods and services. Sitting in the peculiar intersection of humanism and luxury, humanistic luxury is a novel subcategory of ethical consumerism, one that combines social development and materially derived prestige. With a promise to preserve dying arts and crafts and uplift impoverished but deserving artisans, a new form of inconspicuous prestige consumption was born. This novel badge of honour, however, also introduced unprecedented considerations to the global social fabric. Humanistic luxury, an oxymoron that is too often overlooked, may help eliminate artisan vulnerability, but it also cements social hierarchies confirming who is 'worthy' and who is not, ultimately hindering social mobility on both local and global levels. Based on fourteen deep interviews conducted with humanistic luxury consumers across eleven countries, this article is tracing the origins of this new segment, exploring the social dynamics that set it in motion, outlining its social impacts and guiding academics to further research and industry professionals to a critical understanding of development and commerce. Humanistic luxury, as the findings of the research demonstrate, is a synthesis that arises from two oppositional ideas and serves as a reconciliation between haves and have-nots, ultimately providing a compromise between social sensitivity and vanity-driven status-seeking, affixing the same social hierarchy and related beliefs they already possess. While this symbolic segment yields consumers with the agency to improve the life of vulnerable populations, it ultimately fails to deliver on its promise of creating an egalitarian society, as it exclusively works with the 'distant other', maintaining local and global social order and the access to resources, as we know it.


In absence of haptic feedback, the perception of contact with virtual objects can rapidly become a problem in extended reality (XR) applications. XR developers often rely on visual feedback to inform the user and display contact information. However, as for today, there is no clear path on how to design and assess such visual techniques. In this paper, we propose a design space for the creation of visual feedback techniques meant to represent contact with virtual surfaces in XR. Based on this design space, we conceived a set of various visual techniques, including novel approaches based on onomatopoeia and inspired by cartoons, or visual effects based on physical phenomena. Then, we conducted an online preliminary user study with 60 participants, consisting in assessing 6 visual feedback techniques in terms of user experience. We could notably assess, for the first time, the potential influence of the interaction context by comparing the participants' answers in two different scenarios: industrial versus entertainment conditions. Taken together, our design space and initial results could inspire XR developers for a wide range of applications in which the augmentation of contact seems prominent, such as for vocational training, industrial assembly/maintenance, surgical simulation, videogames, etc.


Objectives: (1) To develop a clinical microsystem simulation methodology for alarm fatigue research with a human factors engineering (HFE) assessment framework and (2) to explore its application to the comparative examination of different approaches to patient monitoring and provider notification. Background: Problems with the design, implementation, and real-world use of patient monitoring systems result in alarm fatigue. A multidisciplinary team is developing an open-source tool kit to promote bedside informatics research and mitigate alarm fatigue. Method: Simulation, HFE, and computer science experts created a novel simulation methodology to study alarm fatigue. Featuring multiple interconnected simulated patient scenarios with scripted timeline, "distractor" patient care tasks, and triggered true and false alarms, the methodology incorporated objective metrics to assess provider and system performance. Developed materials were implemented during institutional review board–approved study sessions that assessed and compared an experimental multiparametric alerting system with a standard monitor telemetry system for subject response, use characteristics, and end-user feedback. Results: A four-patient simulation setup featuring objective metrics for participant task-related performance and response to alarms was developed along with accompanying structured HFE assessment (questionnaire and interview) for monitor systems use testing. Two pilot and four study sessions with individual nurse subjects elicited true alarm and false alarm responses (including diversion from assigned tasks) as well as nonresponses to true alarms. In-simulation observation and subject questionnaires were used to test the experimental system's approach to suppressing false alarms and alerting providers. Conclusions: A novel investigative methodology applied simulation and HFE techniques to replicate and study alarm fatigue in controlled settings for systems assessment and experimental research purposes.


X-ray computed microtomography is a powerful, non-destructive method for imaging textures and for quantifying vesicle spatial relationships and size distributions. It was applied to one breadcrust bomb and three pumices from the 1997 Vulcanian explosions of the Soufriere Hills Volcano, Montserrat. A detailed 2D textural study of these same samples, including high-resolution vesicle size distributions, has already been carried out. In order to cover the wide range of vesicle and crystal sizes (few µm to a few hundreds of µm), we acquired tomographic images at three magnifications (0.37, 4.0 and 17.4 µm voxel-1) on each sample. Each magnification covers only part of the whole vesicle size range, but with large overlaps. Vesicle walls were reconstructed using ImageJ and 3DMA_Rock softwares, and a Matlab code was written to combine the data from the three stacks and to calculate vesicle size and sphericity distributions for the whole sample. Comparison with the 2D results show only minor differences in the vesicle size distributions. Cumulative vesicle number densities obtained by the two methods are of the same order of magnitude (~1015 m-3 of glass). Three vesicle populations are recognized in the samples, the same three recognized in 2D, although minor shifts in modes are observed. As in 2D, vesicle sphericity decreases with size, vesicle shape being progressively more complicated as the vesicle grows and coalesces with neighbours. Coalescence in all samples appears to occur between neighbouring vesicles of any sizes, but, as intuitively expected, the larger the vesicle, the more connected it is. Our results show that coalescence affected indifferently pre- and syn-eruptive bubbles. This suggests that the syn-eruptive gas was rapidly connected to large-scale pathways through which it could escape. Depending on clast permeability, this mechanism has the potential to double the amount of gas available for propulsion of the Vulcanian jet.


Recommender systems have achieved great success in providing product recommendations for online shopping. With recommender systems, customers can find their interested merchandise in a timely manner. It not only facilitates customers' purchases, but also promotes sales. While recommender systems can predict customers' preferences accurately, they suffer from privacy leakage in many aspects.

In this paper, we study an attack model in centralized recommender systems and present a privacy-preserving recommendation framework to neutralize such attack. In this model, an attacker holds some of the real customers' ratings and attempts to obtain their private preferences. The proposed framework is based on the weighted nonnegative matrix tri-factorization technique. It utilizes customers' trustworthiness to filter out unrelated ratings so that their privacy can be preserved. We performed experiments on two different datasets with respect to recommendation precision and privacy preservation level. The results demonstrate that our recommender system can distinguish between real customers and attackers to a great extent without compromising the prediction accuracy.


Many aldehyde dehydrogenases (ALDHs) have potential potassium-binding sites of as yet unknown structural or functional roles. To explore possible K+-specific effects, we performed comparative structural studies on the tetrameric betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PaBADH) and on the dimeric BADH from spinach (SoBADH), whose activities are K+-dependent and K+-independent, respectively, although both enzymes contain potassium-binding sites. Size exclusion chromatography, dynamic light scattering, far- and near-UV circular dichroism, and extrinsic fluorescence results indicated that in the absence of K+ ions and at very low ionic strength, PaBADH remained tetrameric but its tertiary structure was significantly altered, accounting for its inactivation, whereas SoBADH formed tetramers that maintained the native tertiary structure. The recovery of PaBADH native tertiary-structure was hyperbolically dependent on KCl concentration, indicating potassium-specific structuring effects probably arising from binding to a central-cavity site present in PaBADH but not in SoBADH. K+ ions stabilized the native structure of both enzymes against thermal denaturation more than did tetraethylammonium (TEA+) ions. This indicated specific effects of potassium on both enzymes, particularly on PaBADH whose apparent T m values showed hyperbolical dependence on potassium concentration, similar to that observed with the tertiary structure changes. Interestingly, we also found that thermal denaturation of both enzymes performed in low ionic-strength buffers led to formation of heat-resistant, inactive soluble aggregates that retain 80% secondary structure, have increased β-sheet content and bind thioflavin T. These structured aggregates underwent further thermal-induced aggregation and precipitation when the concentrations of KCl or TEACl were raised. Given that PaBADH and SoBADH belong to different ALDH families and differ not only in amino acid composition but also in association state and surface electrostatic potential, the formation of this kind of β-sheet pre-fibrillar aggregates, not described before for any ALDH enzyme, appear to be a property of the ALDH fold.


The flora and fauna of the Cerrado biome in central Brazil both show great diversity and high levels of endemism. Butia capitata is a palm native to this biome that has significant economic, social, and environmental value. We sought to identify and quantify the genetic diversity of four fragmented populations of B. capitata growing in northern Minas Gerais State, Brazil, as well as one located at the Institute of Agricultural Sciences (ICA) at UFMG, assessing 93 genotypes using 11 ISSR markers. The relationships among populations were evaluated by constructing dendrograms, principal coordinate analysis, genetic distances, as well as Bayesian inference, including and excluding the ICA population. High genetic diversity was found in the populations studied, with most of that diversity occurring within populations. Bayesian inference regrouped the original populations into four populations, redistributing the ICA individuals to the Aboboras and Cristalia populations. The analysis that excluded the ICA population arranged the original populations into two groups - with the Aboboras and Cristalia populations together in the same group. The ICA population was found to be a repository for future reintroductions into the Aboboras and Cristalia regions, as they genetically resemble those populations. It should be noted that other management measures outlined in this study should be adopted before these palm populations enter critical decline phases, such as: stimulus to plants seedlings derived from seeds originated in each area (principally the Aboboras site); quantification of the genetic diversity of neighboring populations to the Mirabela site for future reintroductions as this population showed low intrapopulation diversity. Key words : Arecaceae , inter simple sequence repeats (ISSR) molecular markers, Bayesian analysis, management measures.


Randomization in clinical trials involving comparison of patients receiving an allogeneic HSCT versus other treatments is challenged by limitated donor availability. Biologic assignment relies on the availability of suitable donors to determine assignment to allogeneic HSCT. BMT CTN 0102 is a phase III multicenter clinical trial that compares tandem autologous HSCT (auto-auto) to an autologous HSCT followed by a nonmyeloablative allogeneic HSCT (auto-allo) for the treatment of multiple myeloma after initial systemic therapy. Transplant arm assignment was determined by the availability of an HLA-matched sibling donor. Patients were stratified into high and standard risk groups. Absence of chromosome 13 deletion by standard karyotyping and beta-2 microglobulin (B2M) ≤ 4mg/L were defined as standard-risk disease (SRD). The trial was powered to detect differences in 3-year progression-free survival in patients with SRD. A total of 710 patients from 43 centers in the U.S. were enrolled from December 2001 to March 2007. Data from 596 patients with SRD were available for this analysis (sibling donor availability for other 28 SRD patients is not yet determined); 30% (n=178) were assigned to the auto-allo arm. The median ages were 55 and 52 years for the auto-auto and auto-allo arms, respectively (p=0.01). The proportions of African-American patients were 17% and 9% in the auto-auto and auto-allo arms, respectively (p=0.006). Most patients were Durie Salmon Stage III (66% and 70%, p=0.6), in partial remission (86% and 83%, p=0.6) and had Karnofsky Performance Scores ≥ 90 (76% and 77%, p=0.5) at time of study entry. Treatment arms were balanced for B2M, baseline cardiac and hepatic functions and CMV serological status. Median times from diagnosis, initiation of systemic therapy and stem cell mobilization to first transplant were 213, 191 and 27 days, respectively and the same in both arms. The interval from the first to second transplant was 98 days for the auto-auto arm and 105 days for the auto-allo arm (p=0.02). We conclude that biologic assignment resulted in two reasonably comparable treatment groups, although statistically significant differences in age, race and interval between first and second transplant were identified. The differences in age between the groups is related to donor availability, since patients younger than 55 years had on average significantly more living siblings than older patients. Importantly, full-sibling donor availability did not account for differences in race distribution. Because the clinical significance of all detectable differences is unknown, the planned statistical analysis will adjust for these discrepancies. These results confirm that biologic assignment is feasible and might be considered when standard randomization is prohibitive, as in allogeneic HSCT clinical trials.


Adhesion G Protein‐Coupled Receptors (GPCRs) are cell adhesion proteins that mediate cellular communication and play critical roles in embryonic and neural development. Their mechanisms of action remain poorly understood. In the past several years, three‐dimensional structures of adhesion GPCRs and their ligands have been reported at atomic resolutions and revealed distinct protein folds and unique structural features. In this talk, we will discuss these structures which, together with structure‐guided biochemical and functional analyses, provide hints for the mechanisms of trans‐cellular communication at the synapse and other cell‐cell contact sites.


The paper opens up the issue of how to relate culture to class in the UK. First, problematizing the conflation of class with status – inherent to stratification models like the GBCS – we theorize culture as 'world-making' rather than limit culture to artistic or individual possession. Second, exploring culture in the wake of reforms aimed at local and institutional 'cultures' that are said to hold back economic growth, we examine power relations between class and culture. After clarifying how Weber's analysis of stratification keeps economic relations underpinning class distinct from the cultural mores of status groups, we point to a third dimension in his emphasis on parties – those groupings locked in the struggle for dominance across all levels and modes of life – as the 'house of power'. Contrary to his supposition of homogeneity, however, we suggest legitimation today requires contesting parties, including factions and interest groups, to recruit from across class and status groups. Arguing recruitment to parties is enhanced by a mood of endless reform – in which modernity appears bent on tearing up its own foundations – we indicate how the resulting sense of precariousness is augmented by the stratifying technologies of grading and ranking. The pertinent question is: Who benefits from endless reform? And if the answer is no more than to recognize how benefits are skewed to an 'elite' working on behalf of owners of capital, then it is time to put aside stratification for an analysis of class relations that pointedly attends to wider notions of culture by asking: Who gets the say in world-making?


We present an optical fiber catheter-based complex swept-source optical coherence tomography (OCT) system for imaging of biomedical turbid tissue. A quadrature Mach-Zehnder interferometer based on multi-port fiber couplers was employed in our complex swept-source OCT system. A variety of fiber probes were developed for the different types of biomedical application. We demonstrate OCT images of human skin and deeper tissues by using the fiber probes and our OCT engine. The results show that catheter-based swept source OCT is an effective imaging modality for real-time diagnosis and in vivo applications on human turbid tissue.


Smears on slides taken from 44 patients suspected of having smallpox were examined for the presence of smallpox antigens and from 15 of them for chickenpox antigens also, by the fluorescent antibody method, using the conventional `sandwich' and the complement techniques. In seven, very strong non-specific fluorescence made the result unreadable. When staining for smallpox antigen results agreeing with the diagnoses established by other methods were obtained in 36 of 37, and when staining for chickenpox in 12 of 13 specimens examined. One false positive diagnosis of smallpox and one false negative of chickenpox were made. Because of intense non-specific staining no diagnosis could be made from other smears stored for three years. It was not possible to reach a diagnosis by examination of crust suspensions spread on slides. In five fresh specimens examined during the outbreak there was hardly any non-specific fluorescence and results could more easily be read. Morphological features as seen by fluorescence microscopy are described. The value of the method in the diagnosis of smallpox is discussed.


This work is focused on the determination of the Helmholtz free energy and the magnetic moments of the 'Dirac-like' group VI dichalcogenides subject to Landau quantization. We employ a technique described by Wilson to relate the free energy to the Green's function for the dichalcogenides in a high magnetic field, which was recently evaluated explicitly in terms of elementary functions. In the course of this analysis, the partition function is determined as a function of the magnetic field as well. The results exhibit the role of the quantizing magnetic field in the Helmholtz free energy at arbitrary temperature, and they are also employed to obtain the magnetic moments of the dichalcogenides. Explicit analytic formulas characteristic of de Haas–van Alphen oscillatory phenomenology are presented in the degenerate limit, and nondegenerate Landau quantization effects are also presented for the dichalcogenide magnetic moments.


A major obstacle in cancer treatment is the development of resistance to multiple chemotherapeutic agents in tumor cells. The hallmark of this multidrug resistance (MDR) is overexpression of the MDR 1 P-glycoprotein or the multidrug resistance protein MRP1. It is well documented that these proteins confer MDR in cancer cells. Much evidence indicates that control of intracellular drug levels in MDR cells is determined by P-glycoprotein or MRP, and therefore these proteins are suitable targets for identifying MDR-reversing agents (MDR modulators). We originally explored the drug-binding ability of P-glycoprotein by synthesizing and using radioactive photoaffinity analogs of vinblastine. Since our initial discovery that P-glycoprotein binds to vinblastine photoaffinity analogs, many P-glycoprotein- and MRP-specific photoaffinity analogs have been developed. In this review, photoaffinity analogs which specifically bind to P-glycoprotein or MRP are discussed. Moreover, utilizing these photoprobes to identify, characterize and localize the drug binding sites of P-glycoprotein and MRP is described. Using P-glycoprotein-specific photoaffinity analogs in combination with site-directed antibodies to several domains of this protein has allowed the localization of the general binding domains of some of the cytotoxic agents an MDR modulators on P-glycoprotein. However, the molecular architecture of the drug binding sites, their exact location on the P-glycoprotein molecule, and the total number of the drug binding sites remain to be determined. This review discusses recent advances in delineating the structure of the drug-binding sites of P-glycoprotein. Moreover, novel MRP1 photoaffinity analogs are reviewed. Copyright 1999 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.


Allergic rhinitis and asthma often coexist and share a genetic background. Pathophysiologic connections between the nose and lungs are still not entirely understood. This study was undertaken to compare allergic inflammation and clinical findings in the upper and lower airways after segmental bronchial provocation (SBP) in nonasthmatic allergic rhinitis patients. Eight nonasthmatic, grass pollen-sensitive patients with allergic rhinitis and eight healthy controls were included. Bronchial biopsies and blood samples were taken before (T(0)) and 24 h (T(24)) after SBP. Nasal biopsies were obtained at T(0), 1 h after SBP (T(1)), and T(24). Immunohistochemical staining was performed for eosinophils (BMK13), interleukin (IL)-5, and eotaxin. The number of eosinophils increased in the challenged and unchallenged bronchial mucosa (p < 0.05) and in the blood (p = 0.03) of atopic subjects at T(24). We detected an increase of BMK13-positive and eotaxin-positive cells in the nasal lamina propria and enhanced expression of IL-5 in the nasal epithelium of atopic subjects only at T(24) (p < 0.05). SBP induced nasal and bronchial symptoms as well as reductions in pulmonary and nasal function in the allergic group. No significant changes could be observed in healthy controls. The study shows that SBP in nonasthmatic allergic rhinitis patients results in peripheral blood eosinophilia, and that SBP can induce allergic inflammation in the nose.


Abstract Although guidelines exist for selecting appropriate ecological receptors for risk assessments at contaminated sites, it can be demonstrated that many of the mammals commonly evaluated are spatially irrelevant. Terrestrial risk assessments could be simplified and made more efficient, though, if mammals that are initially considered were screened for their spatial relevance. This article presents 2 simple algorithms that each demonstrate that most mammalian receptors are not spatially relevant for the overwhelming majority of hazardous waste and other contaminated sites. The algorithms use readily available and curiously overlooked spatial distribution (e.g., animal density) information and suggest that contaminated sites need to be 80 to 100 acres in size to justify the inclusion of most mammalian receptors. Given that hazardous waste sites are generally much smaller than this, many ecological risk assessments (ERA) could reasonably dispense with incorporating mammals entirely. An awareness on the part of decision makers and risk managers of the nonsuitability of many mammalian receptors evaluated in terrestrial ERAs could significantly impact the perceived need to monitor or remediate sites. This article also examines the anticipated challenges of regulators and other decision makers when entertaining the notion of a spatial relevance screen for mammals.


Introduction: A hip fracture in older adulthood can result in function and mobility decline. The consequences are debilitating and place a great burden on patients, caregivers, and the healthcare system. Although inpatient rehabilitation programs have proven effective, the best practices required to maintain the gains in function and mobility, and to enable this population to continue living at home, are currently unknown.

 Purpose: To identify and assess the effectiveness of outpatient rehabilitation interventions provided to older adults with a cognitive impairment (CI) that have been discharged from acute care or in-patient rehabilitation following hip fracture surgery.

 Methods: The methods outlined in the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Intervention were followed and findings were reported using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Studies were included if they had participants who underwent hip fracture surgery, and had any form of CI; and conducted an outpatient intervention that takes place in the home or community. Two reviewers independently performed data extraction and assessed the methodological quality of each article.  Findings were synthesized to determine which components of the identified outpatient interventions were the most beneficial to this patient population.

 Results: The original search resulted in over three thousand articles. Four studies, two of which used the same data pool, satisfied the necessary criteria to be included in the systematic review. All studies included inpatient and outpatient physiotherapy, with some including a cognitive component, family education, and a discharge assessment. All studies were reported as successful.

 Conclusion: Findings provide support for the necessity of community driven rehabilitation options for this population to remain independent. These findings will be used to inform the development of a multi-faceted home-based outpatient rehabilitation program aimed at enabling older adults remain living at home after a hip fracture. Acknowledgments: Technology Evaluation in the Elderly


A relationship between ribamydil concentration and the intensity of accumulation of peroxidation products was found while storing ribamydil-containing liposomes which indicated a significant pro-oxidant activity of ribamydil. Increasing lethality of guinea pigs and white mice infected with Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis virus was shown while using liposomal ribamydil containing from 4.78 to 6.82 nmol. ml-1 malonic dialdehyde which appeared to be associated with disordered function of the antioxidant system of the experimental animals.


Critical systems are typically complex systems that are required to perform reliably over a wide range of scenarios, or multistate world. Seldom does a single system exist that performs best for all plausible scenarios. A robust solution, one that performs relatively well over a wide range of scenarios, is often the preferred choice for reduced risk at an acceptable cost. The alternative with the maximum expected utility may possess vulnerabilities that could be exploited. The best strategy is likely to be a hybrid solution. The von Neumann-Morgenstern Expected Utility Theory (EUT) would never select such a solution because, given its linear functional form, the expected utility of a hybrid solution cannot be greater than that of every constituent alternative. The continuity axiom and the independence axiom are assessed to be unrealistic for the problem of interest. Several well-known decision models are analyzed and demonstrated to be potentially misleading. The linear disappointment model modifies EUT by adding a term proportional to downside risk; however, it does not provide a mathematical basis for determining preferred hybrid solutions. The paper proposes a portfolio allocation model with stochastic optimization as a flexible and transparent method for defining choice problems and determining hybrid solutions for critical systems with desirable properties such as diversification and robustness.


This paper analyzes how the demographic changes in the age composition of the labor force a¤ect unemployment through shifts in labor turnover and job creation. A theoretical model of equilibrium unemployment is used to study the e¤ects of age-related changes in the mean value of a job-worker match and in average separation risks. The analysis produces four regimes with di¤erent e¤ects on unemployment and vacancies. We then examine empirically for a set of 12 OECD economies which country relates to which regime. According to the estimates we can identify all four possible outcomes. We …nd, for example, that the ongoing aging of the working force will cause an increase in unemployment in France and Japan but a decrease in Germany and North America. Keywords: Vacancies and Separations, Unemployment, Job Creation, Aging of the Labor Force, Demographic Change JEL classi…cation: J63, J64, J23, J21, J10 University of Rostock and Rostock Center for the Research on Demographic Change; Correspondence: Pascal Hetze, Rostock Center, Konrad-Zuse Strasse 1, D-18057 Rostock, Germany, e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com; Carsten Ochsen, University of Rostock, Ulmenstrasse 69, D-18057 Rostock, e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com


Prostaglandins (PG) and cyclic nucleotides (CN) were assessed radioimmunologically in the blood plasma under basal conditions and after a standard breakfast in 20 patients with duodenal ulcer, 16--with gastric body ulcer and 18 patients with atrophic gastritis. It was established that the patients showed an increased PG level, cAMP-dependent processes. Neurohumoral mechanisms of regulation of gastric secretion were abnormal.


In dynamic competition, the competitive inertia is determined by components both inside and outside of company. This paper investigated that, after integration, how can firm appropriately alter their integrating managerial pattern, according to competitive inertia, in order to achieve better advantages cause from integration. Through 10-year data of the oligopoly enterprises in airconditioner industry in China, the analysis demonstrated that, improving flexibilities of integration managerial pattern helps to build differentiation advantages, while negative to cost advantages; while firm competitive inertia grew, systematicness of integration managerial pattern would have positive effects on differentiation advantages, while negative on cost advantages. Key words : Integrating managerial pattern; Competitive dynamics; Competitive inertia; Competitive advantages


Water scarcity is one of the severest global resource shortages because freshwater plays a vital role in human existence. Fog harvesting is a promising approach to alleviate freshwater shortage, but most existing strategies based on rigid materials suffer from the shortage of nontunable fog collection rate. Herein, a smart Janus membrane with a tunable fog collection rate via uniaxially stretching a flexible polydimethylsiloxane sheet fabricated by ultrafast laser drilling is reported. Compared to its original form, the maximum strain of 200% shows up to 67% enhancement in its fog collection efficiency. Further theoretical calculation demonstrates that the increase of fog collection rate along with uniaxially stretching is estimated to be ≈79% for 200% strain sample based on the cooperation between the wetting driving force and Laplace pressure, which is in well agreement with the experimental result. It is believed that this smart Janus membrane would operate not only in the field of fog harvesting, but also in specific scenarios, such as dynamic fog‐flux regulators.


Scrub typhus is an acute infectious disease caused by the bacterium Orientia tsutsugamushi, which is widely distributed in northern, southern, and eastern Asia. Early diagnosis is essential because the average case fatality rate is usually >10% but can be as high as 45% if antimicrobial treatment is delayed. Although an O. tsutsugamushi 56-kDa type-specific antigen (TSA) is commonly used for serological diagnosis of scrub typhus, the 56-kDa TSA shows variations among O. tsutsugamushi strains, which may lead to poor diagnostic results. Therefore, the discovery of new antigenic proteins may improve diagnostic accuracy. In this study, we identified an O. tsutsugamushi 27 kDa antigen through an immunoinformatic approach and verified its diagnostic potential using patient samples. Compared with the O. tsutsugamushi 56-kDa antigen, the new 27-kDa antigen showed better diagnostic specificity with similar diagnostic sensitivity. Therefore, the O. tsutsugamushi 27-kDa antigen shows potential as a novel serological diagnostic antigen for scrub typhus, providing higher diagnostic accuracy for O. tsutsugamushi than the 56-kDa antigen.


of chronic ulcer is high in Indian population which has a significant impact on health care. Bacteriological profile & their antibiotic resistance pattern shows a region wise variation in different types of ulcers. The present study was conducted to compare the prevalence of diabetic and non-diabetic ulcers in patients admitted in surgical wards as well as to determine the resistance pattern of bacteria isolated from the ulcers. Methods: This descriptive study, which was conducted in the Departments of Microbiology & Surgery, included 103 patients admitted with ulcers in surgical wards. Samples from the ulcers were collected using sterile swabs. The isolates were identified using standard microbiological methods & sensitivity/resistance pattern determined by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. Results & Discussion: In the present study 142 bacterial isolates were obtained from 103 patients. Most prevalent type of ulcers among the study population was diabetic ulcers (54%). On comparison of flora of the three major types of ulcers (diabetic, venous &decubitus) in our study, it was observed that all of them had a predominant monomicrobial infection with equal proportions of Gram positive & Gram-negative isolates. This was in discordance with other studies who reported a Gram-negative predominance. An overall Gram-negative predominance was observed but the most frequent isolate was Staphylococcus aureus. There is a higher prevalence (79.5%) of multi drug resistant (MDR) isolates in our study when compared to other studies. All Gram-positive isolates were resistant to Penicillin & Erythromycin. Gram negative bacteria showed 100% resistance to Ampicillin. Conclusion: An increased prevalence of MDR bacteria in ulcers was observed in this study. Hence to promote healing, judicious use of antibiotics should be followed in patients with chronic ulcers.


Industrial change leading to industry convergence can be observed in many industries. This is provoked by the application of new technologies across industry boundaries, changing customer structures and regulations. Convergence presents a particular context for innovation and technology management, as firms face new bodies of technological and market knowledge which may create competence gaps. This paper asks the following question: what kind of innovation strategies do players with different industry backgrounds employ to address new industry segments resulting from industry convergence? By analysing three different industry cases of convergence, this paper explores how firms in different industries address competence gaps they face by positioning themselves in a newly emerging value chain. Empirical findings indicate that the innovation strategies which firms follow in converging industries may create conflicts with existing path-dependencies. Hence, to overcome these conflicts, open innovation built on dynamic capabilities (like alliance building) plays a major role in industry convergence.


The rapid change in technology in recent years has provided the impetus for many instructors to revisit their ideas about learning and student-teacher interactions. Computers offer an easy exchange of text-based and graphic material and increasingly, the ability to observe and hear others in real-time interactions. The use of technology as an instructional delivery tool has, in many cases, changed the way faculty teach. Teaching online can be challenging and it helps to start slowly and work up to the more complicated and involved pedagogical models. This paper discusses studies evaluating the effectiveness of computer-aided instruction (CAI), offers suggestions for developing a web-based CAI program, relates the experiences of one college of pharmacy with CAI, and offers teaching tips for the digital age.


Obesity is increasing in prevalence across all sectors of society, and with it a constellation of associated ailments including hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and eating disorders. The melanocortin system is a critical neural system underlying the control of body weight and other functions. Deficits in the melanocortin system may promote or exacerbate the comorbidities of obesity. This system has therefore generated great interest as a potential target for treatment of obesity. However, drugs targeting melanocortin receptors are plagued by problematic side effects, including undesirable increases in sympathetic nervous system activity, heart rate, and blood pressure. Circumnavigating this roadblock will require a clearer picture of the precise neural circuits that mediate the functions of melanocortins. Recent, novel experimental approaches have significantly advanced our understanding of these pathways. We here review the latest advances in our understanding of the role of melanocortins in food intake, reward pathways, blood pressure, glucose control, and energy expenditure. The evidence suggests that downstream melanocortin-responsive circuits responsible for different physiological actions do diverge. Ultimately, a more complete understanding of melanocortin pathways and their myriad roles should allow treatments tailored to the mix of metabolic disorders in the individual patient.


Describes the interests and abilities of the students that the Project Physics Course is intended for. One must remember that there is less specialisation in American schools than in British schools and that the students staying at school until 12th grade are from a wider ability band than 'traditional' British sixth formers. The Project Physics course materials include a wide range of material: laboratory equipment, 16 mm film, 8 mm film loops, OHP transparencies, etc. as well as printed material for students and teachers. The main course is organised into six units: (1) Concepts of motion, (2) Motion in the heavens, (3) The triumph of mechanics, (4) Light and electromagnetism, (5) Models of the atom, (6) The nucleus.


This study was carried out to study the effect of Fructooligosaccharide (FOS) as a source of prebiotic, commercial dry yeast ( Saccharomycescerevisiae ) as a source of probiotic and their com bination in different level as a source of symbiotic. The experiment was conducted in the fish laboratory of Animal Production Department, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences of Sulaimani University, Sulaimani, Kurdistan Region, Iraq . The trials lasted for th ree months after an adaptation period of 21 days.120 common carp fingerlings with an average weight of 20 ±2 gm, were used to test the effect of different levels of the FOS, yeast and their combination. In T1 fish were fed a diet with 2.5 g/kg FOS, While in T2, fish were fed a diet 2.5 g/kg yeast, T3 represents the third treatment, in which fish were fed on a diet 5 g/kg FOS, While, in T4 fish were fed a diet 5 g/kg yeast, and T5 2.5 g/kg FOS : 2.5 g/kg yeast , T6 was 5 g/kg FOS : 5 g/kg yeast, the T7 2.5 g/kg FOS : 5 g/kg yeast, while T8 5 g/kg FOS : 2.5 g/kg yeast. Each treatments in three replicates in which five fingerlings common carp were stocked in plastic tanks, which fed the experimental diets twice daily. Blood parameters of tested fish showed s ignificant differences in WBC ( 10 9 cells/l) differ significantly 234.850 for the fifth treatment and 230.500 for T8 ; Significant differences were in granulocytes count was 74.800 in T3 while the lymphocytes differ among treatments 15.500, for T8 , Monocytes differ significantly was 34.150 in T5. Platelets were 34.000 in the first treatment and 38.000 in T2 .


Bag of words models for feature extraction have demonstrated top-notch performance in image classification. These representations are usually accompanied by a coding method. Recently, methods that code a descriptor giving regard to its nearby bases have proved efficacious. These methods take into account the nonlinear structure of descriptors, since local similarities are a good approximation of global similarities. However, they confine their usage of the global similarities to nearby bases. In this paper, we propose a coding scheme that brings into focus the manifold structure of descriptors, and devise a method to compute the global similarities of descriptors to the bases. Given a local similarity measure between bases, a global measure is computed. Exploiting the local similarity of a descriptor and its nearby bases, a global measure of association of a descriptor to all the bases is computed. Unlike the locality-based and sparse coding methods, the proposed coding varies smoothly with respect to the underlying manifold. Experiments on benchmark image classification datasets substantiate the superiority of the proposed method over its locality and sparsity based rivals.


The research on multi-object tracking (MOT) is essentially to solve for the data association assignment, the core of which is to design the association cost as discriminative as possible. Generally speaking, the match ambiguities caused by similar appearances of objects and the moving cameras make the data association perplexing and challenging. In this paper, we propose a new heuristic method to search for structural constraints (HSSC) of multiple targets when solving the problem of online multi-object tracking. We believe that the internal structure among multiple targets in the adjacent frames could remain constant and stable even though the video sequences are captured by a moving camera. As a result, the structural constraints are able to cut down the match ambiguities caused by the moving cameras as well as similar appearances of the tracked objects. The proposed heuristic method aims to obtain a maximum match set under the minimum structural cost for each available match pair, which can be integrated with the raw association costs and make them more elaborate and discriminative compared with other approaches. In addition, this paper presents a new method to recover missing targets by minimizing the cost function generated from both motion and structure cues. Our online multi-object tracking (MOT) algorithm based on HSSC has achieved the multi-object tracking accuracy (MOTA) of 25.0 on the public dataset 2DMOT2015[1].


Purpose: Exercise could reverse the positive energy balance by increased energy expenditure and hunger suppresses. Hormones that play a role in appetite involved in the brain-gut axis of eating behavior come from different sources. No studies have examined the effect of acute concurrent exercise on hunger and PYY. Our purpose was to investigate the effects of a bout concurrent exercise on hunger feelings and plasma PYY in in obese men. Materials and Methods: Twelve-four untrained obese male were volunteered to participate in this study. Participants after eating standard breakfast, performed 7 resistance exercises against resistance corresponding to 60% of 1RM bout then ran on the cycle ergometer for 30 minutes at 60% of maximum heart rate in a random cross-over fashion. Venous blood sample was obtained in pre exercise and 30min post exercise bout. Visual analogue scales (VAS) used to assess subjective hunger sensations. Data were analyzed by Student's paired and unpaired t-tests. Statistical significance was set at P<0.05. Results: There was a significant increase in plasma PYY concentration at post exercise compared with pre exercise and control (p=0.038). Hunger scores were significantly decreased 30-min following the exercise period in experimental group (p=0.003). Conclusion: Our results showed that plasma PYY concentration increased and hunger depressed following a combined resistance and aerobic exercise at 60% of 1RM or HRmax in obese men. Therefore, increased plasma PYY concentration after a single concurrent exercise session in obese men may possibly contribute to hunger (appetite) suppression.


Long‐term acidification has been shown to result in a considerable decrease in the amount of organically bound soil Al and in a gradual decrease in the solubility of Al. We examined the solubility of soil organic matter (SOM) and Al in four acid mineral soils (one Arenosol Ah, two Podzol Bh, and one Podzol Bs) as they were leached sequentially using a solution containing 0.001 m HCl and 0.01 m KCl. The acid leaching resulted in relative decreases in Al that were 2–6 times greater than for organic C. The organic C and Al dissolved by the acid leaching originated mainly in the pyrophosphate‐extractable fraction of the elements. Protonation seems to be a major mechanism in stabilizing the residual SOM, as indicated by small changes in effective cation exchange capacity with the degree of acid leaching. In the samples of Podzol Bh and Arenosol Ah soils the solubility of Al (defined as log10{Al3+} + 1.5pH) in equilibrium suspensions (0.01 m KCl) was closely related to the ratio of pyrophosphate‐extractable Al to pyrophosphate‐extractable organic C. The Podzol Bs sample probably contained a small amount of a surface‐reactive Al(OH)3 phase, which rapidly became depleted by the acid leaching.