Soil erosion is a natural geomorphological process resulting from water and land interactions but accelerated to become an environmental hazard by human activities such as clearing of forests for cultivation, poor farming practices and encroachment into marginal lands. Mbire District is no exception, with soil erosion manifesting in the form of gullies causing onsite adverse impacts on agricultural land, settlements and engineering structures. The main objective of this study was to assess soil erosion hazard and gully erosion occurrence in Mbire District, Zimbabwe and asses the implications for catchment management.

In this study an improved method of the Soil Loss Estimation Model for Southern Africa (SLEMSA) for soil erosion hazard assessment was used in a GIS to identify the spatial extent of
potential erosion hazard for the District. The association between distribution of gullies and flood hazard, landcover, soil and terrain variables was assessed at Mushumbi Pools which forms part
of Wards 4, 9, 12 and 17 of the district. Ten factors were linked to gully occurrence namely; landcover, soil type, slope, elevation, distance from river, distance from road, Sediment Transport Index (STI), Stream Power Index, (SPI) Wetness Index (WI) and flood hazard. Using factors showing significant correlation with gully occurrence, a gully erosion hazard map was developed by means of Weight of Evidence Modelling.

Results from the SLEMSA model show that Mbire District has a low and moderate erosion hazard covering 72% of the district, with pockets of high hazard occurring in areas with a combination of steep slopes, low erodibility soils, high settlement density and cultivation. Out of the 17 wards in Mbire District, 10% or more of the area of each of the Wards: 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6
was in the very high erosion hazard class. Results also show that out of the ten factors affecting gully erosion studied, seven were significantly correlated (p 0.05) to gully occurrence. The gully erosion hazard map showed that 90% of the very high hazard class is within a distance of 250 meters from rivers. Model validation indicated that 75% of the
validation set of gullies were in the high hazard and very high hazard class. The model had a prediction accuracy of 74.7 %.
In this study it is concluded that the SLEMSA model can be applied to assess erosion hazard in the District but cannot predict occurrence of gully erosion and Weight of Evidence Modelling has great potential in gully erosion hazard mapping. It is recommended that further studies could be done to establish the actual quantities of soil lost and its deposition into hydrological structures. Catchment management targeted at soil conservation may have to focus on areas with high settlement density and cultivation, especially if cultivation is expanding into fragile lands.

For planning purposes, it is recommended that highly erodible soils should be allocated to landuse activities such as wildlife management which do not reduce vegetation cover. It is also
recommended that policy makers have to address increases in settlement densities along rivers.


Countries rarely hit the zero lower bound (ZLB) on interest rates, but when they do, these episodes tend to be very long-lived. These two features are difficult to incorporate jointly into macroeconomic models using typical representations of shock processes. We introduce a regime-switching representation of risk premium shocks into an otherwise standard New Keynesian model to generate a realistic distribution of ZLB durations. We discuss what different calibrations of this model imply for optimal inflation rates.


This study is entitled; A Study on Teachers' Competency In Teaching English At SMA Negeri 2 Kupang. It was conducted to answer the research question, "what are the teachers' competencies in teaching English at SMA Negeri 2 Kupang?". The methodology of this study was qualitative method. The research instruments of thi study were interview and observation. The research subject of this study were four English teachers at SMA Negeri 2 Kupang. The result of this study showed there were four competencies owned by the English teacher in teaching English at SMA Negeri 2 Kupang. The pedagogic competence was performed by the teachers in some manners such as, know the learner characteristic, understand learning theories, develop lesson plan, facilitate the students' potential, communicate with the students, organize the process of assesment and evaluation, utilize the result of assesment and evaluation, take action to improve the quality of reflective learning. Then, the personalcompetence was performed by acting in accordinance with the norms of religious, legal, social, and national culture of Indonesia, and present self as being steady, noble, and rule models for the students, and also showed the work ethic as a teacher. Another competence owned by the teachers in teaching English was social competence. Social competence was performed by the teachers with some manners such as; act objective, be inclusive, and not discriminative, communicate effectively, adapt on duty in entire territory ofIndonesia. The last competence owned by the teachers was professional competence. The professional competence was performed by the teachers with some manners such as; understand the material, structure, concepts, and scientific mindset that support the subject matter and know the competency standards and basic competencies mastered basic subject or field of teaching development. Those are the competencies were performed by the English teachers at SMA Negeri 2 Kupang based on their ability and capability inteaching English.


Abstract The first Diccionario da Lingua Portugueza was published in 1783 by Bernardo de Lima e Melo Bacellar. This title became very successful, as many subsequent dictionaries demonstrate; but the work was a flaw, utterly ridiculed and systematically ignored. This unusual fate for a dictionary may be the outcome of a combination of factors: on one hand, the author himself – a nonconformist clergyman who became a persona non grata in the Portuguese ecclesiastic hierarchy; and on the other hand, his original lexicographic 'method' that aimed to provide more information than what was achieved by his predecessors. In this paper, we will present what we know about Bacellar's biography and describe his dictionary by examining some landscape entries. Finally, we will discuss the role of this dictionary for research within the framework of the LandLex project. About LandLex, see Villalva/Williams (2019: 15–25).


Despite the ability of radical prostatectomy to eradicate prostate carcinoma, biochemical evidence of recurrent prostate carcinoma may be seen in approximately 40% of patients 15 years after they undergo surgery. Localization of recurrent disease after radical prostatectomy is difficult and may greatly influence subsequent clinical management. The authors examined the utility of indium 111 (111In)‐capromab pendetide immunoscintigraphy to detect recurrent prostate carcinoma radiographically in men with early biochemical evidence of failure (serum prostate specific antigen [PSA] ≤ 4.0 ng/mL) and assessed the minimum serum PSA level necessary for imaging recurrent disease.


Context. WASP-18b is an ultra-hot Jupiter with a temperature difference of up to 2500 K between day and night. Such giant planets begin to emerge as a planetary laboratory for understanding cloud formation and gas chemistry in well-tested parameter regimes in order to better understand planetary mass loss and for linking observed element ratios to planet formation and evolution.
Aims. We aim to understand where clouds form, their interaction with the gas-phase chemistry through depletion and enrichment, the ionisation of the atmospheric gas, and the possible emergence of an ionosphere on ultra-hot Jupiters.
Methods. We used 1D profiles from a 3D atmosphere simulation for WASP-18b as input for kinetic cloud formation and gas-phase chemical equilibrium calculations. We solved our kinetic cloud formation model for these 1D profiles, which sample the atmosphere of WASP-18b at 16 different locations along the equator and in the mid-latitudes. We derived the gas-phase composition consistently.
Results. The dayside of WASP-18b emerges as completely cloud-free as a result of the very high atmospheric temperatures. In contrast, the nightside is covered in geometrically extended and chemically heterogeneous clouds with dispersed particle size distributions. The atmospheric C/O ratio increases to >0.7 and the enrichment of the atmospheric gas with cloud particles is ρd/ρgas > 10−3. The clouds that form at the limbs appear located farther inside the atmosphere, and they are the least extended. Not all day- to nightside terminator regions form clouds. The gas phase is dominated by H2, CO, SiO, H2O, H2S, CH4, and SiS. In addition, the dayside has a substantial degree of ionisation that is due to ions such as Na+, K+, Ca+, and Fe+. Al+ and Ti+ are the most abundant of their element classes. We find that WASP-18b, as one example for ultra-hot Jupiters, develops an ionosphere on the dayside.


With the onset of the smart grid, electric utilities and their customers are engaged in millions of dollars of research on smart grid technologies. There are hundreds of smart grid topics being studied by dozens of organizations including the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). One of the topics in the electric utility industry that has been (and still is) of significant importance to utilities is power quality (PQ). The reliable and compatible performance of end-use equipment requires, in part, quality power at the power frequencies of 50 or 60 hertz up to about 3 kHz. Compatibility with the surrounding electromagnetic environment above 3 kHz (i.e., up to 10 GHz and beyond) is also a must in today's changing environment. Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) is paramount if electronic loads - used to operate the grid and in customer facilities - are to interoperate with the power system and other loads on the grid. This article will help the reader to understand why EMC, bundled with PQ, must be co-addressed as the smart grid takes shape in the next few decades.


The weight decay regularization term is widely used during training to constrain expressivity, avoid overfitting, and improve generalization. Historically, this concept was borrowed from the SVM maximum margin principle and extended to multiclass deep networks. Carefully inspecting this principle reveals that it is not optimal for multi-class classification in general, and in particular when using deep neural networks. In this paper, we explain why this commonly used principle is not optimal and propose a new regularization scheme, called Pairwise Margin Maximization (PMM), which measures the minimal amount of displacement an instance should take until its predicted classification is switched. In deep neural networks, PMM can be implemented in the vector space before the network's output layer, i.e., in the deep feature space, where we add an additional normalization term to avoid convergence to a trivial solution. We demonstrate empirically a substantial improvement when training a deep neural network with PMM compared to the standard regularization terms.


The key parts of ferromagnetic materials that have served in high temperature environment for a long time are prone to cracks, and the growth of cracks seriously threatens the safe operation of the components. Aiming at the surface crack defects of ferromagnetic materials, based on numerical simulation, this study uses wideband ultrasonic surface waves to carry out nondestructive evaluation of surface crack defects. The wideband ultrasonic surface waves are generated and received by the wideband ultrasonic surface waves transducers. Based on time-frequency analysis method, the interaction law between ultrasonic surface wave with different frequency components and surface crack defects is studied. Ultrasonic characteristic parameters with different frequency components are extracted, and a neural network model with ultrasonic characteristic parameters as input and surface crack defects information as output is constructed to evaluate surface cracks defects. The results show when the crack length is between the wavelength depth of high-frequency ultrasonic surface waves and the wavelength depth of low-frequency ultrasonic surface waves, the prediction error of crack length is large. The prediction error of crack length can be reduced and the ability of nondestructive evaluation of surface crack defects can be improved when using wideband ultrasonic characteristic parameters for crack nondestructive evaluation.


Basic statistical characteristics of the message-signal channel output signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) are discussed and measured. An explanation and experimental proof are given for the lack of close correlation between the measured median output SNR and the measured average bit-error rate. Also, it is shown that a much higher correlation exists between the fade-level distribution of the output SNR and the average bit-error rate. These results also explain the lack of close correlation between the median of the received RF signal and the average bit-error rate. The measured relationship between the average bit-error rate and the median output SNR was found to be considerably different from the calculated value for quadruple-diversity conditions; this difference is attributed to the fact that the actual distribution of the output SNR does not correspond to the theoretical distribution for quadruplediversity conditions for the FDM-FM type of transhorizon tropospheric radio link.


Repeated switching of electric potentials within a single experimental cycle is introduced for a multi-reflection time-of-flight mass spectrometer (also known as an electrostatic ion beam trap) in order to eject different ion species after different storage times. The method is demonstrated with two cluster ions with considerably different mass-to-charge ratios (the A = 624 and 832 isotopologues of Pb3 + and Pb4 +, respectively) for the specific case where the sequential ejections result in an identical number of revolution periods. Thus, the ions' flight lengths are identical, and the resulting time-of-flight values allow single-reference mass determination. The requirements for the switching time window are studied in detail. For the present system and ion pair, the relative mass uncertainty is found to be 3 · 10-7 for short measurements (≈10 min) and 6 · 10-8 for longer ones (≈2 h).


For features of Chinese string matching, considered encoding rules in the Internet application layer protocols, introduce a novel improved string matching algorithm. This algorithm on the foundation of BM algorithm, according to URL encoding features of the Chinese characters, takes full advantage of the information when a mismatch occurs, to increase the range of jumping back, reduces the number of comparisons, and enhances the match speed. The experiment shows this improved algorithm enhances efficiency by approximately 30% comparing to the BM algorithm under the Chinese boundary.


Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) has been specifically designed to produce undistorted three-dimensional information of the maxillofacial skeleton, including the teeth and their surrounding tissues with a significantly lower effective radiation dose compared with conventional computed tomography (CT). Periapical disease may be detected sooner using CBCT compared with periapical views and the true size, extent, nature and position of periapical and resorptive lesions can be assessed. Root fractures, root canal anatomy and the nature of the alveolar bone topography around teeth may be assessed. The aim of this paper is to review current literature on the applications and limitations of CBCT in the management of endodontic problems.


Multi-robot manipulation tasks are challenging for robots to complete in an entirely autonomous way due to the perceptual and cognitive requirements of grasp planning, necessitating the development of specialized user interfaces. Yet even for humans, the task is sufficiently complex that a high level of performance variability exists between a novice and an expert's ability to teleoperate the robots in a sufficiently tightly coupled fashion to manipulate objects without dropping them. The ultimate success of the task relies on the skill level of the human operator to manage and coordinate the robot team. Although most systems focus their effort on forging a unified connection between the robots and the operator, less attention has been spent on the problem of identifying and adapting to the human operator's skill level. In this paper, we present a method for modeling the human operator and adjusting the autonomy levels of the robots based on the operator's skill level. This added functionality serves as a crucial mechanism toward making human operators of any skill level a vital asset to the team even when their teleoperation performance is uneven.


In Ontario, both exploratory and development drilling decreased from 1961. Although the total number of wells drilled continued to decline for the sixth consecutive year, combined footage increased over the previous year. This reflected the increased interest shown in deeper Cambrian formations, following the discovery of the Clearville oil field. The number of offshore exploratory tests was identical to 1961, but offshore development drilling increased appreciably. The production of oil declined slightly from that of 1961 to 1,134,500 bbls. whereas natural gas production increased substantially to 15,600,000 Mcf. The minor production of both gas and oil in New Brunswick continued to decline as expected and no development drilling was carried out. In Quebec, 2 dry exploration tests, 7 development wells, and 10 structure tests were drilled, a substantial decrease from the 57 wells drilled in 1961. For the second consecutive year, there was no drilling activity in the Atlantic region. Of the 8 successful exploratory ventures in Ontario, the Clearville oil field was by far the most significant discovery. Other successes added to the oil reserves of the Gobles field and important additions to the Silurian gas fields in Lake Erie. Acreage held by Industry increased by approximately 15% in Ontario, remained static in Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland, and decreased in the other three provinces. Field activity in Eastern Canada, including both geophysical and geological parties, decreased from 31 to 22¼, party-months.


Objective: To analyze the influencing factors of lung function in pneumoconiosis patients, and to provide reference for clinical treatment. Methods: From July 2020 to December 2020, a questionnaire survey was conducted on pneumoconiosis patients in the jurisdiction by using the "Guangdong Province Occupational Disease Prevention and Control Institute" questionnaire, and the relevant items of patients were examined. The rate of counting data is expressed, and the measurement data is expressed by mean and standard deviation. Chi-square test was used for comparison between groups, trend chi-square test was used for trend analysis of ordered classified data. Multivariate analysis was carried out with binary logistic regression model. Results: A total of 1409 pneumoconiosis patients were enrolled. The abnormal rate of lung function in pneumoconiosis patients was 68.77%. The results of trend Chi-square test showed that the abnormal rate of lung function increased with the age of exposure to dust in different age groups (Chi Sqnare Trend=64.12、8.49、24.20, P<0.05) . In univariate analysis, there were statistical significance in different dust exposure age, working age, pneumoconiosis stage, complications and occupational pneumoconiosis diseases (P<0.05) . Multiple logistic regression results showed that age of exposure to dust, years of service, stage of pneumoconiosis and complications were the main influencing factors of lung function in pneumoconiosis patients (P<0.05) . Compared with patients aged 0-30 years, patients aged 50-70 years and older had a higher rate of abnormal lung function (OR=2.16, 95%CI: 1.12~4.16; OR=4.82, 95%CI: 2.05~11.35, all P<0.05) ; Compared with patients with 0~20 years of service, patients with 20~30 years of service and more than 30 years of service had a higher rate of abnormal lung function (OR=1.58, 95%CI: 1.10~2.25; OR=1.63, 95%CI: 1.28~2.40, P<0.05) ; Compared with stage Ⅰ patients, Stage Ⅱ and Stage Ⅲ patients had a higher rate of abnormal lung function (OR=1.62, 95%CI: 1.20~2.17; OR=2.23, 95%CI: 1.40~3.55, all P<0.05) ; Compared with patients without comorbidities, patients with comorbidities had a higher rate of abnormal lung function (OR=1.68, 95%CI: 1.20~2.38, P<0.05) . Conclusion: The factors such as age of exposure to dust, working age, stage of pneumoconiosis and complications may be the influencing factors of lung function in pneumoconiosis patients.


The aim of this study was to analyze a case series with acquired alexia after stroke within the posterior areas of the left hemisphere, in the context of the current criteria for pure alexia and their relevance to the set of symptoms observable in clinical practice. Seven patients with ischemic strokes and an initial diagnosis of pure alexia were enrolled for detailed analysis. The evaluation consisted of neuropsychological assessment in the form of standardized tests and non-standardized reading tasks, while oculomotor activity during reading was measured. Language functions, visual object and space perception, verbal and nonverbal memory, and visuospatial constructional ability were among the domains assessed. In five of the participants, pure alexia was recognized based on significant and specific discrepancies between test scores, indicating primary abnormalities in the visual processing of letter strings as a basic mechanism of the disorder. In most of the patients, coexisting cognitive deficits were revealed; however, these were disproportionately milder and less functionally significant than reading disturbances. Pure alexia is a relatively rare disorder after a stroke, but it considerably affects the quality of everyday independent functioning. Its clinical characteristics in practice rarely meet all the criteria proposed in the subject literature. The differential diagnosis of this form of alexia and other reading disorders requires detailed clinical analysis.


Background: Respiratory viruses are the main pathogens of acute respiratory infections. Viral respiratory pathogens in children are well studied, but the study on adults are limited. So we design this subject to determine viral respiratory pathogens in patients with acute respiratory tract infections of adults.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective study for the patients with acute respiratory infections from June, 2017 through July, 2018 at Fever Clinic in Peking University Third Hospital. We collected throat swab from the patients diagnosed with acute upper respiratory tract infections and sputum or throat swab diagnosed with community-acquired pneumonia. RT-PCRs were performed to detect infection with the following virus: human rhinovirus, influenza A virus, influenza B virus, human coronavirus 229E/HKU1,Coronavirus OC43/NL63、ADV, RSV, PIV1-4, hMPV and EV.
Results:185 throat swabs and sputum were collected from outpatients. Overall, 23.8% (44/185) were found to be positive for at least one respiratory virus. The virus detection rate for AURTIs and CAP was 23.3% (14/60) and 24.0 % (30/125), respectively. The most prevalent viruses detected were IFVs (13.5%, 25/185), PIVs (3.24%, 6/185) and HRVs (2.70%, 5/185). In the Influenza Virus, the highest positive detection rate is 21.4%(6/28)in the group >60 years old, while 11.0%( 14/127) in the group <40 years old and 13.3% (4/30) (P<0.05).
Conclusion: In one-year study, IFVs were the dominant pathogens both in acute upper respiratory tract infections and community-acquired pneumonia, followed by PIVs and HRVs. The patients in the group >60 years old had a higher rate of influenza infection


Background and objectives MiR-31 is upregulated in repeatedly activated Th1 and in effector/memory Th lymphocytes isolated from the synovial fluid of patients suffering from rheumatic joint diseases. Several respective miR-31 targets are downregulated and essential for the cytoskeletal rearrangement of repeatedly activated Th1 cells. This suggests that miR-31 regulates the motility and immobilises proinflammatory Th1 cells in inflamed tissues. Materials and methods Assuming that Th cells involved in chronic inflammation have a history of repeated stimulation by autoantigens, we have in vitro generated four times activated Th1 cells. We have determined the transcriptomes and the migratory behaviour of these cells after Antagomir mediated miR-31 knockdown by using microarrays and in vitro transwell migration assays. For the identification of potential direct targets we have applied the target prediction algorithm TargetScan. In order to determine the putative function of miR-31 in proinflammatory Th1 cells a gene set enrichment (GSE) analysis of the obtained transcriptome data after miR-31 knockdown was performed. Results Specific inhibition of miR-31 in repeatedly activated Th1 cells promoted their migration up to 30% in a transwell migration assay. In sum, we have identified 283 differentially expressed genes in repeatedly activated Th1 cells after treatment with a miR-31 specific or an unspecific Antagomir for 36, 48 and 72 h. The GSE analysis revealed an enrichment of genes, which regulate cell-intrinsic and extrinsic pathways involved in motility and tissue localization. Among the putative direct targets we found actin binding LIM Protein 1 (Ablim1), Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase/Tryptophan 5-Monooxygenase Activation Protein Epsilon (Ywhae), actin gamma 1 (Actg1), actin beta (Actb), Lamellipodin (Raph1), T-cell lymphoma invasion and metastasis-inducing protein 1 (TIAM1) and Ras homolog gene family, member A (RhoA). From these genes, we could verify the upregulation of Actg1, Actb, Raph1 and RhoA after 48 to 72 h of Antagomir-31 treatment from 1.2 to 3 fold using quantitative RT-PCR. Conclusion We show that miR-31 restricts the motility of repeatedly activated Th1 cells in vitro most likely by repressing genes involved in cytoskeletal rearrangement. MiR-31 might represent a molecular switch important for the persistence of proinflammatory Th cells in inflamed tissues.


ABSTRACT Using likelihood-based evolutionary methods, we demonstrate that the broad genetic diversity of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) in an infected individual is a consequence of site-specific positive selection for diversity, a likely consequence of immune recognition. In particular, the extent of positive selection appears to be a good predictor of disease duration. Positively selected sites along HIV-1 partial env sequences are numerous but not distributed uniformly. In a sample of eight patients studied longitudinally, the proportion of sites per sample under positive selection was a statistically significant predictor of disease duration. Among long-term progressors, positive selection persisted at sites over time and appears to be associated with helper T-cell epitopes. In contrast, sites under positive selection shifted from one longitudinal sample to the next in short-term progressors. Our study is consistent with the hypothesis that a broad and persistent immunologic response is associated with a slower rate of disease progression. In contrast, narrow, shifting immune responses characterize short-term progressors.


The incidence of pleural mesothelioma will probably increase into the next century. A complete occupational history should include an inquiry about asbestos exposure, especially in patients with chest pain or dyspnea. The latency period between exposure and mesothelioma is as long as 50 years. In some patients, early diagnosis leads to a chance of cure. In most cases, however, there is no cure. Accurate diagnosis and a frank discussion of prognosis will allow patients to prepare for death.


Objective-Psychological Indicator specifies impetus and drift way, in addition to overbought and overvalued worth echelons and its conforming conceivable mean setbacks. These indicators play an essential role in sustainable development goals via stock market activities. The central objectives of the study are to identify the key psychological cognitive indicators behind the abnormal movements of the market.
Methodology -For this purpose, a Semi-structured scale - developed on a self-basis - (with the help of literature and connoisseur's meetings) was used after the context and the content validity to get an extensive array of differentiated information.
Results-According to the experts of the market: investors do not always behave rationally, most investors either fall in the category of overconfident investors or status quo investors, usually the Rookies or beginners in the stock markets only have elementary knowledge and basic experience in the investment domain, based on little or no knowledge of rookies it is actually so hard for them to recognize the future prospects of the securities, and not only investors but stock market's financial analysts can also be subjected to the behavioral biases but on the other hand in order to understand and recognize one's own behavioral biases and proneness towards those biases investors can rely on financial planners.
Conclusion-The traditional economic theory states that the investor is rational: which is not true in every case and is hard to generalize. Investors must overcome the general predispositions that lead to poor decision-making if they are to become successful in the stock market in the long run. And the investor must learn all about the investment accounts available in the stock market


ABSTRACT Hosts defend against parasites through two main strategies: resistance and tolerance. These two strategies have different influences on the parasite load of the host and so have variable effects on the fitness of parasites. In this study, we investigated the strategy used by the Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) to defend against a hematophagous mite (Dermanyssus hirundinis) in East Asia. For the first time, we found Barn Swallows were parasitized by D. hirundinis in Asia and, in northeastern China, over 60% of broods were parasitized. We examined whether swallows with better body condition or the males with more extravagant sexually selected traits (longer tail streamers or redder ventral plumage) showed stronger resistance or tolerance to these parasites. The results showed that males with more extravagant sexual ornaments had weaker resistance (heavier brood mite load) than males with less extravagant traits; however, the heavier mite load was likely to be a byproduct of larger brood size. Moreover, the Barn Swallow population showed strong tolerance against the parasite (i.e. the brood mite load did not affect brood size or nestling body mass). It is worth noting that male swallows with redder breast plumage showed weaker tolerance (lower seasonal reproductive success) than other males. Further, we conducted experimental ectoparasite manipulations in 46 Barn Swallow nests to verify the potential effect of these parasites on the body condition of nestlings. Neither the body mass nor the hemoglobin concentration differed between the designed groups; however, the hemoglobin concentration of nestlings decreased with mite load. We concluded that the Barn Swallow population in East Asia used the tolerance strategy, rather than resistance to defend against nest mites, and the ectoparasitic mite did not appear to be a strong selective factor for reproductive success owing to the strong tolerance of the studied Barn Swallow population. LAY SUMMARY To defend against parasites, hosts either reduce parasite burden (resistance) or compensate for parasite damage (tolerance). In this study, we are the first to report the existence of a bloodsucking parasite species Dermanyssus hirundinis on Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) nestlings in Asia, and we investigated the swallows defense against this ectoparasite. Different from previous studies which showed that Barn Swallow males with longer tails or redder plumage coloring had stronger resistance against nest mites, our results showed that such males had weaker resistance to ectoparasites in northeastern China, which was likely to be a byproduct of a larger brood size. As heavier mite load did not appear to impair their reproductive success, the studied Barn Swallow population showed strong overall tolerance to these ectoparasites; however, the nest mite could still affect swallow nestling hemoglobin concentration. 摘要 宿主主要通过两种策略防御寄生虫:抵抗力和忍耐力。采取这两种策略对于宿主的寄生虫负载量有不同的影响,从而对于寄生虫的适合度产生不同 影响。在本项研究中,我们探讨了位于亚洲东部的一个家燕(Hirundo rustica)种群防御某种吸血型螨虫(燕皮刺螨,Dermanyssus hirundinis)所采取 的策略。我们首次报道了亚洲家燕被燕皮刺螨所寄生:在中国东北地区,有超过60%的家燕巢被这种螨虫寄生。我们检验了具有更好身体状况或更 明显性选择特征(更长的尾羽飘带或更红的腹侧羽色)的家燕雄性个体是否对燕皮刺螨表现出更强的抵抗力或忍耐力。研究结果显示,具有更明显性 选择特征的雄性个体较其他雄性个体具有更弱的抵抗力(巢内螨虫负载量较高);而较高的巢螨负载量似乎是巢内雏鸟更多所带来的副产品。此外, 家燕种群整体对于燕皮刺螨表现出较强的忍耐力,即巢内的螨虫负载量并不影响家燕窝雏数或雏鸟体重。需要注意的是,具有更红胸部羽色的雄性 家燕较其他个体表现出更弱的忍耐力(年度繁殖成效较低)。进一步地,我们通过在46个家燕巢内人为操控寄生虫数量的实验来证实燕皮刺螨对于 雏鸟身体状况的潜在影响。不同实验组别间家燕雏鸟的体重或血红蛋白含量并无显著差异,但是雏鸟的血红蛋白含量整体上随螨虫负载量的升高而 降低。我们认为,东亚的家燕种群采取了忍耐力策略而非抵抗力策略来对螨虫进行防御;所研究的家燕种群对于燕皮刺螨较强的忍耐力使这种体表 寄生虫不足以成为作用于家燕繁殖成效的较强选择压力。 关键词:燕皮刺螨,家燕,体表寄生虫,繁殖成效,抵抗力,忍耐力,性选择


This paper presents an integrated approach for evaluating the post-fracture performance of gas wells completed in tight gas sands. Our technique focuses on a methodology for evaluating the stimulation effectiveness of hydraulically fractured gas wells. Rather than relying on a single evaluation technique, we integrate short-term pressure buildup testing with long-term production data analysis using decline type curves. We illustrate the applicability and efficacy of our technique with examples from more than twenty wells completed in tight gas sands. The results of our paper also demonstrate the value and function of short-term pressure buildup tests performed in tight gas sands. Introduction Most wells completed in tight gas sands require stimulation to achieve economic production. Depending on the type and size of stimulation treatment, hydraulic fracturing may be very expensive, often representing a significant portion of the total well completion costs. Since the economic viability of many wells completed in low-permeability reservoirs depends on minimizing costs, then it is imperative to optimize fracture treatments. Fracture optimization is achieved by finding the proper balance between stimulation costs and well productivity. A key component in achieving this balance is a post-fracture evaluation program to determine stimulation effectiveness, principally effective fracture conductivity and propped fracture length. A number of techniques have been developed by the petroleum industry for evaluating hydraulically-fractured gas well performance. Unfortunately, no single methodology is perfect. Theoretical assumptions, model applicability, and/or data requirements limit each analysis technique. Therefore, we employ an integrated approach in which we capture the benefits and utilize the strengths of several types of fractured well diagnostic techniques. Several previous papers have illustrated the effectiveness of such an integrated approach. Cipolla and Wright have identified and grouped fractured well diagnostic techniques into three general categories: direct far-field, direct near-wellbore, and indirect. We focus on the integration of indirect techniques, particularly pressure transient testing and production data analysis. Pressure buildup testing is the most effective indirect technique for evaluating the stimulation effectiveness of hydraulically fractured gas wells. But, knowledge of reservoir permeability, either from the well test or from an independent source, is required to compute fracture properties. If a well is shut in for a sufficient time to reach the pseudoradial flow period, then we can uniquely determine reservoir permeability. Unfortunately, wells completed in tight gas sands usually require very long shut-in times to reach pseudoradial flow. Most operators are reluctant to shut in a well for extended periods, especially under favorable gas product pricing scenarios. If, however, we have an estimate of reservoir permeability from an independent source, then shorter duration pressure buildup tests in tight gas sands become practical. Conventional decline type curve analysis of production data is a viable alternative for evaluating well performance without shutting in the well. Unlike pressure transient test analysis, decline type curves do not rely upon identification of characteristic flow regimes for the analysis. As a result, we cannot always obtain unique estimates of fracture half-length, especially when using poor-quality production data. Other production analysis techniques consider the production data to be an extended drawdown test. Accordingly, these techniques use variable-rate pressure transient testing theory and superposition plotting functions to analyze the production data. Unlike conventional decline type curve analysis techniques, these methods allow us to identify specific flow regimes. However, we still cannot quantify fracture properties unless we have an estimate of reservoir permeability. Evaluation Methodology To overcome these problems with post-fracture evaluation techniques, we have developed an analysis methodology that integrates short-term pressure buildup testing and long-term production data analysis using conventional decline type curves. Although several decline type curves are applicable, we selected the material balance decline type curve (MBDTC) methodology developed by Palacio and Blasingame. SPE 84475 Integrating Short-Term Pressure Buildup Testing and Long-Term Production Data Analysis to Evaluate Hydraulically-Fractured Gas Well Performance J.A. Rushing, SPE, Anadarko Petroleum Corp. and T.A. Blasingame, SPE, Texas A&M University


US federal transfers to individuals are large, countercyclical, vary geographically, and are often credited for helping stabilize regional economies. This paper estimates the short-run effects of these transfers using plausibly exogenous regional variation in temporary stimulus packages and earlier permanent Social Security increases. States that received larger transfers tended to grow faster contemporaneously, with a multiplier of around 1.5 for permanent transfers and 1/3 for temporary transfers. Results are broadly consistent with an open-economy New Keynesian model. At business-cycle frequencies, cross-region transfer multipliers are not large, suggesting only modest gains in regional stabilization from US federal automatic stabilizers.


Background
Acupuncture is an integrative and complementary practice for which biosafety standards are essential.

Objective
To elicit a reflection on biosafety in acupuncture to reduce occupational hazards associated with infection as adverse effect for both provider and patient.

Methods
The present theoretical essay is grounded on references intentionally selected from June through October 2019.

Results
Infection is the adverse effect most frequently reported for acupuncture practice, which involves considerable risk of microorganism inoculation. Provider awareness should be raised to comply with biosafety principles and thus ensure their and patient safety without any negative implications for the effectiveness of treatment.

Conclusion
We recommended providers to adopt universal biosafety practices during acupuncture procedures.


Social marketing has experienced substantial growth over the last three decades and its utilization has spread into various domains of social and public life. However, certain barriers to its expansion do still remain. The proliferation of various definitions and the lack of consensus on what these definitions should contain have prevented its consolidation as an area of study. Since current students will be the upcoming marketers, it is important to analyze their understanding about the social marketing concept. In this sense this research aims to understand the importance of social marketing as perceived by marketing students and to compare the perceptions of what is social marketing among undergraduate and master's degree marketing students.


A time domain model for the ferromagnetic core is presented. The model includes the effects of hysteresis and eddy currents. Simulation of the nonlinear B-H trajectories is based on Preisach's theory, and it requires only the limiting hysteresis loop as input data. The model has been checked against measurements of the inrush currents obtained for a small transformer. There is satisfactory agreement between the calculated and measured current transients.


Since the Second World War important advances have been made in the understanding of biological phenomena in terms of the detailed three-dimensional structure of the molecules involved and the way these molecules interact with each other. Physicists have made valuable contributions to these developments: firstly in the development of physical techniques for investigating biological structures and secondly in the application of physical concepts and ideas to an analysis of biological processes. The techniques with which this review is mainly concerned are electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction. The application of electron microscopy is illustrated by some recent studies on virus structure where, in the interpretation of the electron micrographs, the high degree of symmetry in the virus particle is used. Recent advances in x-ray techniques are illustrated by describing their use in the determination of protein and nucleic acid structures. In particular the use of isomorphous replacement and anomalous dispersion in single-crystal protein analysis and of Fourier synthesis and automatic refinement techniques in fibre analysis is discussed. From an analysis of the conformations which have been determined for a number of macromolecules it has been possible to formulate some general principles describing the forces important in defining macromolecular conformation and interaction. Attempts to apply these principles to the prediction of the conformation of other macromolecules are discussed. Many biological structures consist of highly specific aggregates of macromolecules. For the protein coat of simple viruses, principles of efficient design have been formulated to account for the observed structures in terms of identical protein sub-units arranged in approximately equivalent positions. Recent theories of the control of cellular function are particularly interesting to physicists. Here control appears to be exercised by feedback processes and amplification of the signal is achieved by utilizing the co-operative behaviour of structures constructed from identical sub-units in equivalent positions. Perhaps the most remarkable contribution of physics to biology has been to emphasize the high degree of order and precision in biological systems. Although to some extent this may have been exaggerated, because many physical techniques are most powerful in dealing with ordered systems, it is very likely that, as for inanimate matter, the ordered state is more common in living things than macroscopic examination might suggest.


Two shipboard line-transect surveys of the Northeast Atlantic were conducted between 2002–2007 and 2008–2013 to meet the ongoing requirements of the Revised Management Procedure (RMP) for common minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata acutorostrata) developed by the International Whaling Commission's Scientific Committee. Here we present estimated abundances for non-target species for which there were sufficient sightings, including fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus), humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus), killer whales (Orcinus orca), harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena), and dolphins of genus Lagenorhynchus. The 2 surveys were conducted using a multiyear mosaic survey design with 2 independent observer platforms operating in passing mode, each with 2 observers. The abundances of Lagenorhynchus spp. from the 2002–2007 survey were estimated using single-platform standard distance sampling methods because of uncertainty in identifying duplicate sightings. All other estimates were derived using mark-recapture distance sampling techniques applied to a combined-platform dataset of observations, correcting for perception bias. Most notably, we find that the abundance of humpback whales, similar in both survey periods, has doubled since the 1990s with the most striking changes occurring in the Barents Sea. We also show that the pattern in distribution and abundance of fin whales and sperm whales is consistent with our earlier surveys, and that abundances of small odontocete species, which were not estimated in earlier surveys, show stable distributions with some variation in their estimates. Our estimates do not account for distributional shifts between years or correct for biases due to availability or responsive movement.


The object of this article is to relate the experience of a large industrial group in the migration of data-processing systems to so-called open systems. The need to be able to assess the economic and technical impact as well as the context of the migration are presented in points 1 and 2. Next there is a demonstration of the need to adopt open systems (point 3), the different phases of the migration and the approach taken (point 4 and 5). The lessons to be learned and some figures about migration conclude this presentation.


A brief description of methods and software for estimation of the ergonomics of biotechnical systems ergonomics is given. The study shows that the used indicators don't give sufficient accuracy for practical purposes because they don't take into account the impact of ergonomics on the functional status, the health of the people status, and the used technical systems owing to the fuzzy and latent (hidden) nature of the links between them. A method of synthesis of hybrid fuzzy decision rules groups is proposed for the analysis of the data structure by specially developed algorithm exploratory analysis based on fuzzy application. Mathematical modelling and software showed that the confidence in the decisions made by the selected class of problems exceeds the level of 0.85. This allows recommending the use of the obtained results in clinical practice.


Purpose The physician assistant (PA) literature has focused on the implications of creating an entry-level doctoral degree; however, there is scant primary literature on postprofessional doctorates, which are becoming more popular as the number of institutions offering them increases. The purposes of this project were to: (1) describe interest and motivation of currently practicing PAs to enroll in a postprofessional doctorate program and (2) identify the most- and least-preferred attributes of a postprofessional doctorate program. Methods This was a quantitative cross-sectional survey of recent alumni from one institution. Measures included interest in obtaining a postprofessional doctorate, a nonrandomized Best-Worst Scaling (BWS) exercise, and motivators for enrolling in a postprofessional doctorate. The main outcome of interest was the BWS standardized score for each attribute. Results The research team received 172 eligible responses (n = 172, response rate = 25.83%). Results indicate that 47.67% of respondents (n = 82) expressed interest in a postprofessional doctorate. The most preferred doctorate program attribute was a clinically based program, ending with a residency, conferring a Doctor of Medical Science (DMSc) degree, with a hybrid course delivery. Discussion This sample included various interests, motivations, and preferred program attributes. Understanding these factors may help inform the design and redesign of doctoral programs.


We investigate the possibility of achieving a nonlocal parallel quantum computation by using hyperentangled photon pairs, quantum-dot spins, and optical-microcavities. Exploiting a pair of hyperentangled photons, the two nonlocal parties in a quantum network can perform a deterministic hyper-controlled-Z gate operation on two spins. With the parallel quantum computation operation, two identical cluster states can be built up simultaneously in a quantum computation network between non-local parties. As the cluster state is universal substrate for one-way quantum computation, our scheme can provide a polynomial gain for the capacity and efficiency of long-distance quantum computation. For the ideal spin-cavity system, our scheme for the remote control operation between two spin-qubits is deterministic and this protocol can be well combined with the long-distance quantum repeater. We also discuss the feasibility and efficiency of our scheme, conclude that it is feasible with current technologies.


The aim of this work is focused on water quality classification of the textile waste water streams and evaluation of pollution. Data from the chemical characterization of the effluents were elaborated to identify a useful separation in potentially treatment for reuse. This was done with the aim of realizing a full scale characterization of effluents. In the two textile companies analyzed, machineries are used to carry out different production processes such as sizing and desizing, weaving, scouring, bleaching, mercerizing, carbonizing, fulling, dying and finishing. Different process effluents from the same machinery were found to be very diverse in pollution level. 25 and 49 samples of textile waste waters from two different textile companies were analysed and physical chemical measurements were performed. The following physicochemical and chemical water quality parameters were controlled: absorbance measured at three different wavelengths, pH, conductivity, turbidity, total suspended solids, volatile suspended solids, chemical oxygen demand, metals content (Ba, Ca, Cu, Mn, K, Sr, Fe, Al, Na) and total nitrogen content. For handling the results, basic statistical methods for the determination of mean and median values, standard deviations, minimal and maximal values of measured parameters and their mutual correlation coefficients, were performed. Different chemometric methods, namely, principal component analysis (PCA), cluster analysis (CA), and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) were used to find hidden information about textile waste water quality.


References Bauua@cic, R. A., DISTZ-SCHMIDT, S. G. & Wan'maao,W. A. (1977) Depression in children referred to an educational diag nostic center. Diagnosis, treatment, analysis of criteria and literature review. Diseasesofthe Nervous System. 7, 529—535. Bauus@tciç R. A., Stanton, R. D. & Wilson, H. (1980) Neuro psychological study ofchildren during and after remission of an endogenous depressive episode. Perceptual Motor Skills, 50, 1163—1167.


The rise of motorcycle gang action has caused casualties and material losses. The government has tried to redress through the legal process and prevention through extension activities. Faculty of Psychology, University of Medan Area as an institution of higher education felt called to assist the government in handling this issue, through a program of community service personality development training for high school students who allegedly have links with the action alley bike in the city of Medan. This event was organized by the coaches who have experience in the field of the high school students, vocational NP, and BS Field High School. Training was given for 3 days for each school includes self knowledge, safe driving and entrepreneurship. With a total of 77 participants obtained results that safety riding training modules provide a significant effect on the change in students' attitudes toward safe driving at high school students (t = 7.694, p <0.05). For SMA Nusa Penida obtained a significant increase in knowledge of safe driving (t = 2.059, p <0.05) and highly significant on entrepreneurial knowledge (t = 0.797 p <0.01), but the student has not shown any significant change in attitude related these aspects. While the high school students of BS just show increased knowledge of self knowledge training material (t = 1.134 p <0.05) but self knowledge of the participants themselves have not shown marked improvement.


UNLABELLED
Intelligibility of speech measure is based on the perception of the listeners.

OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was the construction and the validation of a quantitative test of speech disorders severity allowing the the follow up and the measure of management impact.

MATERIAL AND METHOD
After a first step of construction and feasibility, the psychometric validation was performed. 37 patients with a speech disorder and 13 normal subjects were recorded. The reference was the global score obtained by reading a text. The whole recordings were scored by a panel of 5 judges. The test was composed by a automatic series of words (the months of the year) with a phono-orthographic score, the semantic transcription of a list of words and sentences, a qualitative score of spontaneous speech obtained by the description of a photography.

RESULTS
The intra and inter judges reliability are correct (intraclasse coefficient of 0.97 and 0.98). The different parts of the test are well correlated to the reference proof (r = 0.75 to 0.82). Chronbach alpha is 0.98, the limits of agreement are 14.88 +/- 3 on a maximum score of 88. The dispersion is enough for a good differentiation of the patients. (11 to 88, avec mean 62.93, SD 22.45) with a significant difference p < 0.002 between the control group and the population with speech disorders.

CONCLUSION
This test constructed on the concept of a composite assessment is validated.


A prerequisite to a theory of the way agents understand speech acts is a theory of how their beliefs and intentions are revised as a consequence of events. This process of attitude revision is an interesting domain for the application of nonmonotonic reasoning because speech acts have a conventional aspect that is readily represented by defaults, but that interacts with an agent's beliefs and intentions in many complex ways that may override the defaults. Perrault has developed a theory of speech acts, based on Rieter's default logic, that captures the conventional aspect; it does not, however, adequately account for certain easily observed facts about attitude revision resulting from speech acts. A natural theory of attitude revision seems to require a method of stating preferences among competing defaults. We present here a speech act theory, formalized in hierarchic autoepistemic logic (a refinement of Moore's autoepistemic logic), in which revision of both the speaker's and hearer's attitudes can be adequately described. As a collateral benefit, efficient automatic reasoning methods for the formalism exist. The theory has been implemented and is now being employed by an utterance-planning system.


This research explores hacktivism as a new form of online political activism. It uses qualitative interviews with a gender-equal sample of 10 self-defined hacktivists to address issues of gender and the discursive strategies used by males and females to handle the hacktivist community's male-only stereotype. The semi-structured interviews are analysed using Foucauldian discourse analysis (FDA). The analysis indicates that male hacktivists relate to this dominant male-only representation through discursive techniques such as the suppression of gender (Male Oblivious Discourse) or mechanisms of vindication (Male Justification Discourse). Female hacktivists use the accentuation of gender and sexism to counteract male-dominant discourses and establish Female Discourses of Resistance (Emphasis Discourse; Negation Discourse). These gender-related argumentative positions and rhetorical mechanisms demonstrate how the male-only stereotype is created and maintained and how it affects not only hacktivists' talk and sense-making but also their identity and the hacktivist actions they perform.


Abstract. Urquhart J (Department of Epidemiology, Pharmaco‐epidemiology Group, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands). Controlled drug delivery: therapeutic and pharmacological aspects (Internal Medicine in the 21st Century). J Intern Med 2000; 248: 357–376.


The frequency of occurrence in human peripheral blood of T cells able to proliferate in the autologous mixed lymphocyte reaction (AMLR), and in response to trinitrophenyl (TNP)-modified self (AMLR-TNP) and alloantigens, was measured by limiting dilution analysis. AMLR responder cells were found to have a precursor frequency of from 1/7500 to 1/44,000 peripheral blood T cells. T cells able to respond to hapten modified self were about twice as common and those responding to alloantigen had a 10-fold greater frequency. Responses of T cells remaining after Budr plus light treatment of AMLR or AMLR-TNP-activated T cells indicate that these T cells are in overlapping populations. Their relation to alloreactive T cells is not clear at present. Although responses to alloantigens remained, and indeed were slightly enhanced, after Budr plus light treatment of self-reactive T cells, the experimental design does not rule out the possibility that some self-reactive T cells are also alloreactive.


This paper provides a summary of our understanding of cell membrane and volume changes during red cell development and aging. Cytoskeletal structures which include microtubules and microfilaments appear to play key roles in the genesis of the anucleate reticulocyte from its nucleated precursor cell, as well as in the early stages of reticulocyte development. The maturation of reticulocyte into red cell is accompanied by marked changes in cell shape and extensive remodeling of the membrane skeleton, resulting in the mature red cell acquiring a highly deformable yet remarkably stable membrane. The volume and cell density heterogeneity seen for circulating red cells also appears to be the result of the membrane changes that occur during reticulocyte maturation. Following its genesis from reticulocyte, the mature red cell undergoes further membrane and volume changes during its life span of 120 days. While it is clear that surface area loss, decrease in cell volume and cell surface modifications leading to binding of immunoglobulins accompany red cell aging, the cardinal cellular modification responsible for the removal of senescent red cells from the circulation is yet to be defined.


Layered transition metal oxides (LTMOs) are a kind of promising cathode materials for potassium-ion batteries because of their abundant raw materials and high theoretical capacities. However, their synthesis always involves long time calcination at a high temperature, leading to low synthesis efficiency and high energy consumption. Herein, an ultra-fast synthesis strategy of Mn-based LTMOs in minutes is developed directly from alkali-transition metal based-metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). The phase transformation from the MOF to LTMO is systematically investigated by thermogravimetric analysis, variable temperature optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction, and the results reveal that the uniform distribution of K and Mn ions in MOFs promotes fast phase transformation. As a cathode in potassium-ion batteries, the fast-synthesized Mn-based LTMO demonstrates an excellent electrochemical performance with 119 mA h g−1 and good cycling stability, highlighting the high production efficiency of LTMOs for future large-scale manufacturing and application of potassium-ion batteries.


A piecewise continuous distribution of critical currents is used to predict the hysteresis of the superconducting cylinder in the transverse magnetic field slowly oscillating in time. The proposed hysteresis model takes into account that the magnetic field has the peripheral and radial components due to the screening effect of critical currents. The model is used to predict the hysteresis loss in a round superconducting wire. An analytical formula for the hysteresis loss is given.


The dropped head syndrome (DHS) is a disabling condition caused by severe weakness of the neck extensor muscles causing progressive reducible kyphosis of the cervical spine and the inability to hold the head up. Weakness can occur in isolation or in association with a generalized neuromuscular disorder. Isolated cases are owed to the late onset of noninflammatory myopathy designated as INEM, where persistent chin to chest deformity may gradually cause or aggravate preexisting degenerative changes of the cervical spine and ultimately result in myelopathy. In review of the literature, we could find only 5 cases, with no unique guidelines to address the management of these two concomitant pathologies. Herein, a 69-year-old man who had developed cervical myelopathy 2 years after being affected by isolated dropped head syndrome is presented. Chin to chest deformity and cervical myelopathy were managed through three-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) combined with decompressive cervical laminectomy and stabilization with C2 to C7 pedicle screw-rod construct. At 4-month follow-up, despite recovery in patient's neurological status, flexion deformity reappeared with recurrence of dropped head due to C7 pedicle screws pull-out. However, this was successfully managed with extension of the construct to the upper thoracic levels.


This research examines the tenor found in short story entitled "Harrison Bergeron" written by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. The writer is interested in identifing this short story because in this short story occurs a lot of different mood types since there are many clauses in different sentences. The theory proposed by Halliday (2004) was used as the framework to analyze the tenor recognized in "Harrison Bergeron" short story. This research has two objects of the study that focus on Mood types and Tenor of the Discourse. As this research is descriptive and qualitative in nature, the data were analyzed by using six steps: first browsing the text in the website, second reading the text, third segmenting the clause into unit of analysis, fourth putting the segmented clause into mood pattern, fifth identifying and categoryzing mood elements into their mood system. Finally, the writer construes the tenor of the discourse. The results of the study show that all clauses in "Harrsion Bergeron" short story are major clauses which have percentge of 91,51% and minor clauses have percentage of 8,49%. The mood types in "Harrison Bergeron" short story are declarative positive mood with percentage 86,83%, declarative negative 6,29%, imperative 3%, and interogative 3,9%. There are two mood types in "Harrison Bergeron" short story: unmarked and marked. The frequency of unmarked are 286 clauses (85,63%) and marked are 48 clauses (14,37%). The status relation between the speaker and listeners is unequal because the speaker just gives command to the listeners without knowing who the listeners are and the listeners must do what the speaker says. In addition, there is a social gap among the speaker and the listeners. The social distance between them is maximal because they did not interact each other before.


Numerous orchid species are pollinated by food deception, where rewardless flowers attract foraging pollinators through the mimicry of other flowers or the use of non-specific floral signals. Here we investigate the pollination of Caladenia hildae, a member of a diverse Australian genus containing species pollinated by sexual deception, and species pollinated by food foraging pollinators. Despite eight bee species occurring at the main study site, only food foraging bees of a single species of Hylaeus (Colletidae) were observed to remove and deposit pollen of C. hildae. Spectral reflectance of C. hildae flowers differed from co-flowering rewarding species in terms of both the wavelengths of light reflected, and the pattern of colouration. As such, there was no evidence that C. hildae uses a pollination strategy based on floral mimicry. However, the attraction of only a single bee species at this site suggests that C. hildae may use a deceptive strategy that exploits sensory biases or behaviours that differ between Hylaeus sp. and the remainder of the bee community. While Hylaeus have been recorded visiting orchid flowers in several parts of the world, C. hildae may represent the first documented case of an orchid species specialised on pollination by Hylaeus bees.


A model of signed language classifier predicates is presented in which these forms are held to be a mode, not of linguistic, but of visual representation. This representation is largely schematic, combining discrete parts drawn from a finite set. Some of these parts or 'templates' may be truly digital or undeformable in nature, but some are argued to contain 'elastic' parameters, allowing for the conventional use of analogue or free-form representation. The model of classifier predicates as templated visual representation thus accommodates their discrete-combinatorial structure (previously interpreted as evidence of their linguistic nature), and also accounts for the mix of fixed and nonfinite elements in them, thus solving formal problems which arise in a strictly linguistic approach.
Some implications of this model include issues regarding multimodality in signed communication systems, the relationships between CPs, 'frozen' sign and iconic gesture, the integration of visual and abstract modes of representation, and metaphor. It is concluded that the TVR model may provide a useful new perspective on the design of representational systems in the human mind.


Although ultraviolet (UV) light is generally harmful to patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, most clinical and immunologic studies of UV exposure have evaluated the effects of UV-B (280-320 nm). The long-wavelength UV-A band (320-400 nm), however, is less toxic than UV-B and has different immunologic actions. Therefore, we studied the effect of UV-A irradiation on survival and immunologic function in the (New Zealand black x New Zealand white)F1 hybrid mouse model of systemic lupus erythematosus. Twenty-one (New Zealand black x New Zealand white)F1 mice were treated with 3.5 joules/cm2/day of UV-A light for 5 days each week, beginning at age 10 weeks. A control group consisted of 20 untreated animals. All UV-A-irradiated mice survived to 32 weeks, compared with 12 of 20 mice in the nonirradiated group (P = 0.0013). Splenomegaly was significantly decreased in the irradiated mice (P less than 0.03). Mice that received UV-A treatment combined with depilation had significantly improved lymphocyte responses to phytohemagglutinin and lipopolysaccharide and significantly decreased levels of anti-DNA antibodies compared with mice that received neither treatment. Reductions in spleen size and anti-DNA antibody titer were significantly correlated with improved parameters of lymphocyte function. These results suggest that a relatively small dose of UV-A exerts significant therapeutic action in murine lupus, perhaps through an effect on immunologic regulation.


Immunoblotting (also referred to as western blotting) uses antibodies to probe for a specific protein in a sample bound to a membrane. Typically, a protein sample is first size separated via electrophoresis (e.g., SDS PAGE). However, antibodies used for specific protein detection are restricted by the polyacrylamide gel and, to make the separated proteins accessible, the proteins need to be moved out of the gel and bound to a rectangular sheet of PVDF or nitrocellulose membrane. Specialized blotting equipment electrophoretically transfers the negatively charged proteins from the gel onto the membrane. The nitrocellulose or PVDF membrane binds the proteins as they move out of the gel, producing an exact replica, on the membrane surface, of the original protein gel separation. The membrane is then blocked to prevent any nonspecific protein binding and visualized by specific antibodies to detect the presence or absence of a particular protein. Applications of immunoblotting are many, and include antibody characterization, diagnostics, gene expression, and post‐translational modification analysis. Curr. Protoc. Essential Lab. Tech. 4:8.3.1‐8.3.36. © 2010 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.


Abstract
 The historicity of the event that the pericope adulterae (John 7:53–8:11) relates has not been disproved. The orthodoxy of the words of Jesus it contains also cannot be denied. If the canonicity of the pericope is determined according to the same historical and content-related criteria that the ancient church applied during the development of the canon of Scriptures, then nothing speaks against its canonical status. This sort of assessment does not rest on an infallible and therefore binding decision of the church or its magisterium or on an internal testimony of the Holy Spirit. When the pericope adulterae is accepted into the NT, it should not be placed between chaps. 7 and 8 of the Gospel of John because it is not part of the original text of this book. Rather, it should be put after John's Gospel, because it probably comes from the same historical root. Those who hesitate to accept the pericope adulterae as canonical can remove it from the NT without having to fear a serious loss. Everything the pericope has to say is also expressed several times in other places of the biblical canon. The additional benefit of the narrative of Jesus and the adulteress is not some singular ethical or theological statement. Its particular value lies in the fact that the pericope presents the forgiveness offered by Jesus to those who are condemned to death by the Mosaic law in a more elaborate, more colorful, and more pointed way than any other passage of the NT.


Abstract. With this paper, we present a novel approach for efficiently creating reality-based, high-fidelity urban 3D models for interactive VR cycling simulations. The foundation of these 3D models is accurately georeferenced street-level imagery, which can be captured using vehicle-based or portable mapping platforms. Depending on the desired type of urban model, the street-level imagery is either used for semi-automatically texturing an existing city model or for automatically creating textured 3D meshes from multi-view reconstructions using commercial off-the-shelf software. The resulting textured urban 3D model is then integrated with a real-time traffic simulation solution to create a VR framework based on the Unity game engine. Subsequently, the resulting urban scenes and different planning scenarios can be explored on a physical cycling simulator using a VR helmet or viewed as a 360-degree or conventional video. In addition, the VR environment can be used for augmented reality applications, e.g., mobile augmented reality maps. We apply this framework to a case study in the city of Berne to illustrate design variants of new cycling infrastructure at a major traffic junction to collect feedback from practitioners about the potential for practical applications in planning processes.


Increasing agricultural productivity is one of the most important goals of plant science research and imperative to meet the needs of a rapidly growing population. Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the most important staple crops worldwide. Grain size is both a major determinant of grain yield in rice and a target trait for domestication and artificial breeding. Here, a genome-wide association study of grain length and grain width was performed using 996,722 SNP markers in 270 rice accessions. Five and four quantitative trait loci were identified for grain length and grain width, respectively. In particular, the novel grain size gene OsSNB was identified from qGW7, and further results showed that OsSNB negatively regulated grain size. Most notably, knockout mutant plants by CRISPR/Cas9 technology showed increased grain length, width, and weight, while overexpression of OsSNB yielded the opposite. Sequencing of this gene from the promoter to the 3'-untranslated region in 168 rice accessions from a wide geographic range identified eight haplotypes. Furthermore, Hap 3 has the highest grain width discovered in japonica subspecies. Compared to other haplotypes, Hap 3 has a 225 bp insertion in the promoter. Based on the difference between Hap 3 and other haplotypes, OsSNB_Indel2 was designed as a functional marker for the improvement of rice grain width. This could be directly used to assist selection toward an improvement of grain width. These findings suggest OsSNB as useful for further improvements in yield characteristics in most cultivars.


BACKGROUND/AIMS
In chronic hepatitis B, hepatic progenitor cells (HPCs) activation and ductular reactions occurred in periportal and portal area. However, the association between hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and HPCs activation remains unknown. We aim to investigate the expansion of HPCs in patients with end-stage chronic hepatitis B and its relationship to HBV infection.

METHODOLOGY
Liver biopsy specimens from 16 cases of end-stage liver disease caused by chronic hepatitis B were studied. The quantities of serum HBV DNA were available in 13 patients. The number of HPCs and the area of ductular reactions were quantitively analyzed on the cytokeratin 7 (CK7)-stained sections. Double-staining combined either HBsAg or HBcAg with CK7 were performed to assess the histological relationship between HBV infection and HPCs activation.

RESULTS
All of the sections showed liver cirrhosis and severe inflammation (HAI ranged from 12 to 17). The number of HPCs correlated with the area of ductular reactions positively. Multivariate analysis showed that serum HBV DNA level was independently associated with HPCs activation and ductular reactions. Moreover, the expression area of HBsAg in liver tissue correlated with HPCs activation positively.

CONCLUSIONS
In end-stage of chronic hepatitis B, the expansion of hepatic progenitor cells and ductular reactions were extensive. HBV infection may be involved in the proliferation of progenitor cells in cirrhotic environments.


OBJECTIVE
To determine whether the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-gamma Pro12ala polymorphism modulates susceptibility to diabetes in South Asians.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
South Asians (n = 697) and Caucasians (n = 457) living in Dallas/Forth Worth, Texas, and South Asians living in Chennai, India (n = 1,619), were enrolled for this study. PPAR-gamma Pro12Ala was determined using restriction fragment-length polymorphism. Insulin responsiveness to an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was measured in nondiabetic subjects.

RESULTS
The Caucasian diabetic subjects had significantly lower prevalence of PPAR-gamma 12Ala when compared with the Caucasian nondiabetic subjects (20 vs. 9%, P = 0.006). However, there were no significant differences between diabetic and nondiabetic subjects with reference to the Pro12Ala polymorphism among the South Asians living in Dallas (20 vs. 23%) and in India (19 vs. 19.3%). Although Caucasians carrying PPAR-gamma Pro12Ala had lower plasma insulin levels at 2 h of OGTT than the wild-type (Pro/Pro) carriers (76 +/- 68 and 54 +/- 33 microU/ml, respectively, P = 0.01), no differences in either fasting or 2-h plasma insulin concentrations were found between South Asians carrying the PPAR-gamma Pro12Ala polymorphism and those with the wild-type genotype at either Chennai or Dallas.

CONCLUSIONS
Although further replication studies are necessary to test the validity of the described genotype-phenotype relationship, our study supports the hypothesis that the PPAR-gamma Pro12Ala polymorphism is protective against diabetes in Caucasians but not in South Asians.


Summary
Recent studies have noted significant regional changes in American patterns of alcohol use. The present paper discusses regional differences in drinking patterns, problems, attitudes, and contexts as these have emerged along with the 'wettening' of the previously drier Southern and Mountain states. Data come from a 1984 national survey. Results indicate the persistence of regional differences in abstention rates and in apparent consumption levels when calculated on a per-drinker basis. The higher per-drinker apparent consumption levels in the historically drier regions are accompanied by higher levels of problems in the categories of belligerence, accidents, and trouble-with-the-police. These differences in problem rates, however, are apparent only among men, indicating an interplay between gender and region. Attitude measures do not show notable regional differences, which indicates unresolved tensions, in the drier regions, between relatively high (per drinker) consumption and relatively conservative drinking attitudes. Contextual evidence indicates that the limitation of public drinking opportunities in the drier regions is accompanied by more drinking in the home.


The incidence of the syndrome may be greater than is suspected. Patients present with recurrent respiratory infections and bronchiectasis. The symptoms are non-specific and indistinguishable from those of other chronic respiratory diseases. The diagnosis is often made several years after the first clinical complaints. The authors perform a brief review of the literature and report two cases of Mounier-Kuhn syndrome. One of the patients was diagnosed in childhood and the other in the fourth deca- de of life.


The purpose of this report is to provide the implementation details for work that has been published in a scholarly article and in which space limitation have not allowed the detailed descriptions. In this paper we describe, in detail, the implementation of Location Aware Routing for Opportunistic Delay-tolerant Networks (LAROD) and Spray and Wait as implemented in the ns-2 simulator. Spray and Wait was originally evaluated using a custom simulator where the MAC protocol provided services that were not modeled by packet exchanges.


Geochronological and Pb isotopic studies were carried out to constrain the petrogenesis, emplacement age(s), and relationships of the Little Nahanni pegmatite group to other granitoids in the region. A U–Pb age of 81.6 ± 0.5 Ma for columbite was obtained. K–Ar ages for micas were determined to be 65.4 ± 4.0 Ma for muscovite and 65.8 ± 3.4 and 65 ± 3 Ma for lepidolite. The U–Pb age is interpreted as the emplacement age for the pegmatites, and the K–Ar ages are interpreted to be the timing of a thermal event responsible for resetting the K–Ar mica system. The U–Pb columbite age is 8–13 Ma younger than the average age of the plutons in the Selwyn plutonic suite and indicates that these pegmatites represent a magmatic event that has not been previously recognized. Likewise, the K–Ar ages point to a later thermal event not previously recognized in this area. The results of our studies demonstrate the utility of the U–Pb columbite geochronometer in dating relatively young pegmatite systems.


SUMMARY: A numerical study of 60 strains of Serratia showed three phena. Phenon A included 51 strains corresponding to the usual description of Serratia marcescens. Phenon B included five strains characterized by their fermentation pattern, positive malonate test and halotolerance. Phenon C included three aerogenic, cold-tolerant strains resembling pattern 2 of Fulton, Forney & Leifson (1959). One strain did not fall into any of these phena. All strains of human origin fell into phenon A. This phenon could be subdivided into two smaller phena, one composed of haemolytic and multi-resistant nosocomial strains. A hypothetical median organism for phenon A is described.


Telecommunications networks are in a state of transition from legacy narrowband networks utilizing predominantly copper loops and circuit switches to advanced broadband networks built with fibre loops and packet switches. Since passage of the Telecommunications Act in 1996, advances in technology and increases in local economic competition have shocked the telephone industry causing telecommunications companies to increasingly seek relief from federal regulations by petitioning the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to forbear from certain federal regulations. Based on an analysis of forbearance orders from 2004 to 2008, it is the contention of this research that the FCC utilizes different economic frameworks when considering relief from narrowband regulations in contrast to relief from broadband regulations. For instance, the FCC requires demonstration of actual, facilities-based intermodal competition before forbearing from regulations for narrowband services, while the FCC assigns much more weight on facilitating entry into broadband and thus relies on dynamic, Schumpeterian competition. In addition, this research identifies key legal, regulatory, and economic decisions that largely account for these differences in forbearance approach. Overall, the FCC is moving cautiously in granting relief for traditional voice services but boldly in deregulating advanced broadband facilities and services.


Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA

According to recent WHO estimates, cervical cancer is ranked as the second most frequently diagnosed cancer among women ages 15 - 44 years in the Caribbean and disproportionately affects developing countries. Globally, 80 to 85% of deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. However, little is known about cervical cancer burden in much of the Eastern Caribbean and particularly for Grenada, West Indies. Grenada is a Tri-Island state comprised of Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique, with a population of 35,000 women ages 15 years and older who are at risk of developing cervical cancer.

To investigate cervical cancer prevalence and its associated mortality, a study was conducted on de-identified records obtained from the Grenada General Hospital Histopathology Laboratory of women who visited hospital and clinic facilities during 2000 - 2010. Ten years of hand-written records (12,016 entries) were compiled into an electronic master sheet, and cervical cancer prevalence was assessed. Of the 12,016 entries, 9,003 were female (7,160 individuals) between ages 8 - 94 years. Sampling without replacement resulted in inclusion of 2,524 entries for analysis. Identified cancer cases were matched to corresponding patient data from death registries collected at the Ministry of Health and used to identify and calculate associated mortality rates.

The highest rates of cervical cancer occurred in the 35 - 44 year age group followed by the 45 - 64 age group. Prevalence rate of cervical cancer was determined as 52.4 per 100,000 women (ages 15 and above). A total of 65 deaths attributable to cervical cancer occurred during 2000 - 2010, with women over 65 years old experiencing a majority of these deaths. The mortality rate was determined to be 16.7 per 100,000, almost twice the rates estimated by WHO for the region or reported for the previous decade (9.7 per 100,000).

This study reports data that demonstrate the need for a comprehensive cervical cancer-screening program in Grenada. It should be used in the generation of public health policy and should aid future studies in determining how to appropriately execute public health policy for screening, prevention, and control of cervical cancer in Grenada.

Citation Format: Avi' A T Bahadoor - Yetman, Laura Riley, Ashley Gibbons, Paul J. Fields, Veronica Mapp-Alexander, Robert Hage, Amy Baldwin. Prevalence of cervical cancer and associated mortality in Grenada: A ten-year analysis (2000 - 2010). [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 4134. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-4134


Isolated frog hearts perfused with hypertonic solutions passed through three reversible stages: I ) altered spontaneous waveforms; II ) absence of spontaneous activity but responsive to stimulation; III ) nonresponsive. The following patterns of action potentials were observed with intracellular recording during stage I : 1 ) the plateaus gradually disappeared leaving short-duration spikes. 2 ) These spikes often occurred as high-frequency bursts usually accompanied by sustained contractions. Quiescent cells were often located adjacent to active ones, and many fibers fired at frequencies lower than that of the ECG. 3 ) Often a 'slow wave' gradually differentiated from the plateau and resulted in separation of a fast initial spike from a later slow wave. These observations suggest fiber-to-fiber junctional transmission rather than conduction within a syncytium. Hypertonic solutions may: a ) depress fiber-to-fiber transmission, b ) alter the time courses of the Na and K conductances and c ) directly depress the contractile mechanism.


Chronic anterior uveitis is one of the few ocular lesions that have no standardized, uniformly accepted nomenclature. This disease, which has been in the last twenty years the subject of numerous investigations, mostly pathologic, is characterized by: (1) a slow insidious course, so that years may pass without any serious visual impairment; (2) a primary involvement of the anterior part of the uveal tract, iris and ciliary body; (3) a lack of acute inflammatory signs and symptoms, such as pericorneal congestion, pain, photophobia and lacrimation, and (4) the presence of precipitates on the posterior surface of the cornea. The lack of irritation is only relative: not infrequently the eyeball becomes congested and the patient complains of some discomfort or pain. The same is true regarding the precipitates that are found in chronic anterior uveitis in most instances, but not necessarily in every case. The fundamental and permanent characteristics, the chronicity


In this study we looked at several issues regarding the derivation of population exposure and fatality rate estimates during widespread tornado outbreaks. The two events studied were the April 3, 1974 and April 27, 2011 tornado outbreaks in the state of Alabama. We attempted to determine if tornado warnings have become more effective over time at reducing the number of fatalities. We used GIS to perform an analysis on these outbreaks. We found that the effectiveness of tornado warnings did improve between the two outbreaks, and we can have reasonably high confidence in using county level population data to compare recent and historical outbreaks, although the higher resolution of the census track data is preferred for studying a single tornadic event. We also found that the accuracy of fatality rates is directly related to the accuracy of the path data. Finally, GIS can be used to innovatively evaluate tornado warning effectiveness.


Agricultural mechanisation has received increased interest during the last decade for the development of agriculture in African countries. One of the challenges of mechanisation in farming is the high cost associated with the procurement and maintenance of tractors and implements. Therefore, a mechanisation programme to assist with the development of emerging farmers in the country was established. The study was undertaken to determine the effective implementation of the mechanisation programme from the perspectives of farmers and extension officers. The study aimed to investigate whether the programme has assisted with the development of emerging farmers and whether the current implements in centres are suitable for the various commodities produced per area. To meet the objectives of this study, structured questionnaires were administered to participants and interviews were conducted with stakeholders in management positions. The findings revealed that the efficiency of the mechanisation programme can be improved upon, as farmers highlighted challenges that included access to mechanisation centres, the correct type and availability of implements. Nevertheless, the mechanisation programme has had a positive impact on the development of emerging farmers, and they feel that if issues are addressed, the programme could be even more beneficial in ensuring that recipients of the programme reap maximum benefits. Keywords: Emerging farmers, Extension, Mechanisation


In my interdisciplinary analysis of foodways which combines Gender Studies with Holocaust Studies, I aim to demonstrate the cultural and gendered significance of the wartime sharing of recipes among starving women prisoners in concentration camps. This study will further discuss the continuing importance of food talk and food writing in the aftermath of the Holocaust, with an emphasis on the memory work of Hungarian survivors and their descendants. Fantasy cooking and recipe creation, or "cooking with the mouth," as it was called in many camps, was a way for many inmates to maintain their identities and connections to their ethnic and family history, a survival technique that may have influenced the depiction of food memories and their continuing role in the postwar memoir writing of survivor women. I will also examine the continued use of food talk as a genealogy of intergenerational remembrance and transmission in the post-memory writing of second-generation and even third-generation daughters and (very occasionally) sons of Hungarian origin. Studying multigenerational Holocaust alimentary writing has become particularly urgent today because we are approaching a biological and cultural caesura, at which juncture direct survivors will disappear and we will need new forms of transmission to reshape Holocaust memories for the future.


Abstract The nitrogen (N) uptake, growth characteristics, and yield of the Genkitsukushi rice variety were evaluated over 2 years (2017 and 2018) of field experiments involving the application of poultry manure (PM), cow manure (CM), and compost (CP). Organic fertilizers were quantified as the estimated-mineralizable-nitrogen (EMN) based on the total N content. Compared with chemical fertilizer (CF100), CF50PM50 resulted in greater growth characters, N uptake, dry matter, and yield in both years. The PM (total N > 4%) had a higher N mineralization, a greater N availability to rice and thus, a greater contribution to yield. More N was available from CM and CP containing ∼2% of total N in the second year. In conclusion, an organic fertilizer with a higher total N (>4%) was compatible with the EMN method and let to increase N availability and yield of Genkitsukushi japonica rice.


OBJECTIVEThe aim of this study was to verify any effect of carpal tunnel release (CTR) on distal ulnar nerve conduction findings, using the database of a previous study performed to establish a protocol for CTR outcome. METHODSThe motor and sensory ulnar distal conduction findings of 251 consecutive hands belonging to 217 patients (175 women and 42 men; mean age, 55.6 years) with idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) were reanalyzed before and 1 and 6 months after CTR. RESULTSBefore surgery, 115 hands (45.8%) showed reduction of ulnar nerve sensory action potential (SAP) amplitude; this number was reduced significantly to 85 (33.9%) after CTR. The SAP amplitude and sensory conduction velocity values of the ulnar nerve showed significant improvement 1 month after CTR; SAP amplitude values showed further significant improvement 6 months after CTR. Patients' ages and occupations were independent predictors of reduced baseline SAP amplitudes of the ulnar nerve in CTS. CONCLUSIONThese results demonstrate an improvement in conduction values in sensory ulnar fibers in a percentage of patients with CTS after CTR, providing further support for the conclusion that in CTS ulnar fibers may be subject to compressive forces in the Guyon canal as a consequence of high pressure in the carpal tunnel.


Background. Evaluate the effectiveness of an infectious disease physician managed outpatient antibiotic therapy (OPAT) program. Methods. A retrospective chart review of 3754 patients from August 2011 through July 2013 who received intravenous OPAT through our program. Patients were either initiated in the hospital (HI) or in the office (OI). Results. 3754 patients were initiated or continued on IV antibiotics for 3 days or longer in the outpatient setting after evaluation by an infectious disease (ID) specialist. Evaluated therapy was delivered exclusively in the outpatient setting. The age of patients ranged from 2-99 years old (average 60). Predominant diagnoses were (Bone/ Joint) B/J: 30.1%, (Skin/Soft Tissue) S/ST: 25%, Abscess: 15.2%, UTI: 10.1%. Most common antibiotics were Ertapenem: 26.7%, Daptomycin: 25%, Ceftriaxone: 24.7 %, Vancomycin: 24.5%. 524 patients required at least 2 antibiotics during therapy. Duration of therapy for specific diagnoses: B/J: 34.7 days, S/ST: 14.22 days, UTI: 11.8 days, Abscess: 22.9 days. Outcomes were defined as success, modified success and failure. Success was defined as cure without relapse or admission due to primary infectious diagnosis. Modified success was defined as success with line complications or adverse drug reactions but without hospital admission. Failure was defined as relapse within 30 days of therapy completion or hospitalization due to progression of primary infection or treatment complication. Failures were seen in 200 patients (5.33%), with 91 relapses (2.42%), 66 primary infection progressions (1.76%), and 43 admissions due to therapeutic complications (1.15%). Relapses were more commonly seen in OI and primary infection progressions in HI patients. Overall cure rates were 94.67%. Total number of patients requiring hospitalization after admission to our program was 109 (2.9%). Conclusion. An ID physician supervised OPAT program is safe, efficient, and cost effective. With the continued push for alternatives to inpatient care, it becomes increasingly important for ID physicians to play a role in outpatient care to optimize outcomes, reduce hospital utilization, minimize complications, and maximize cost containment. This program will meet the needs of patients, payers, and healthcare facilities as healthcare reform continues. Disclosures. R. Petrak, HHI Infusion: Board Member, Consulting fee R. Fliegelman, HHI Infusion: Shareholder, Dividends


Person‐centred planning (PCP) is both a philosophy and method of service delivery across varied contexts. It is used in pathway planning for young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to promote positive transition outcomes. Due to idiosyncratic use, it is unclear how PCP meetings are organised and structured and to what extent this reflects fidelity to PCP as a philosophy. It is also unclear how young people experience PCP meetings and how this impacts transition. To explore this further, a systematic literature review was undertaken from which six studies were included and their data reported using PRISMA guidelines. Drawing upon Gestalt theory as an interpretive lens, findings from these studies suggest that PCP meetings comprise intersecting 'foreground' and 'background' elements, making PCP meetings a complex space requiring skilled facilitation. Limitations and recommendations for further research and practice are included.


The steady increase in the number of patients with chronic diff use liver diseases, including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, leads to the need to introduce non-invasive methods of diagnosis and monitoring changes in the structure of the organ into clinical practice.Objective. To evaluate the possibility of using shear wave steatometry and elastography in the diagnosis of fi brosis stage and degree of steatosis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.Materials and methods of research. The study involved 52 patients of the I. I. Mechnikov NWSMU clinic with NAFLD, 28 of them men and 24 women, the average age was 51-+11.2 g, the average BMI-30,7-+5,4 kg / m2. The control group consisted of 20 healthy volunteers. All patients underwent complex ultrasound on the Angiodin-Sono/P-Ultra device (Bioss, Russia) with a 1–6 MHz convexic sensor (B-mode, Doppler modes—vascular mapping and spectral pulse, shear wave elastometry, elastography (active and natural compression—Active / Natural Strain)).


Graphite phase carbon nitride (g-C3N4) quantum dots have received much attention due to its good stability, water solubility, biological compatibility, non-toxicity as well as strong fluorescence characteristics. In order to enhance the light absorption and improve photocatalytic activities of the g-C3N4 quantum dots, theoretical studies are carried out on the O and S atoms doped (g-C3N4)6 quantum dots. First-principles calculations based on the density functional theory and time dependent density functional theory are performed to investigate the geometries, electronic structures and ultraviolet visible absorption spectra of O and S atoms doped (g-C3N4)6 quantum dots. The results show that the highest electron occupied molecular orbital-the lowest electron unoccupied molecular orbital (HOMO-LUMO) energy gap of doped (g-C3N4)6 quantum dots is significantly reduced though the CN bond lengths closely related to the impurities only change slightly. The calculated formation energies indicate that the O-doped (g-C3N4)6 quantum dots are more stable, and the O atom tends to substitute for N atom at the N3-site, while the S atoms prefer to substitute for N atom at the N8-site. The simulated spectra indicate that the doping of O and S in (g-C3N4)6 could improve the light absorption. Not only the absorption peaks are extended from the UV to the infrared region (e.g. 200-1600 nm), but also the corresponding absorption intensities are enhanced significantly by doping the O or S atoms with the appropriate concentration. The increase of proper impurity concentration will lead to a pronounced red shift in light absorption. The effect of doping site on the optical absorption property of (g-C3N4)6 quantum dots shows that the absorption intensity is mainly affected in the visible range, however, besides the influence on the absorption intensity, the light absorptions of some structures are also affected beyond 800 nm. Overall, the O atoms and S atoms have a substantially similar effect on the light absorption of the (g-C3N4)6 quantum dots, while the effects of these impurity atoms are different in the long wavelength region. Oxygen doping is better than sulfur doping in the absorption of (g-C3N4)6 quantum dots by comparing the doping of O and S. These first-principles studies give us a method to effectively improve the light absorption of g-C3N4 quantum dots, and could provide a theoretical reference for tuning its electronic optical properties and applications.