The issues of protection of the rights of medical workers have recently become especially relevant. Modern medical legislation is due to the imperfection of the legal framework and, consequently, the lack of resources to improve the legal literacy of health professionals, in connection with which they often find themselves in difficult situations. The article highlights the main legal acts that regulate the interests in the field of health care and form a model of the doctor-patient relationship.Objective: to prove in an accessible form to health professionals the main legal acts to maintain their knowledge in the legal field and to explain the mechanisms for minimizing conflict situations during professional activities.


Blockchain, which is a technology for distributedly managing ledger information over multiple nodes without a centralized system, has elicited increasing attention. Performing experiments on actual blockchains is difficult because a large number of nodes in wide areas are necessary. In this study, we developed a blockchain network simulator SimBlock for such experiments. Unlike the existing simulators, SimBlock can easily change behavior of nodes, so that it enables to investigate the influence of nodes' behavior on blockchains. We compared some simulation results with the measured values in actual blockchains to demonstrate the validity of this simulator. Furthermore, to show practical usage, we conducted two experiments which clarify the influence of neighbor node selection algorithms and relay networks on the block propagation time. The simulator could depict the effects of the two techniques on block propagation time. The simulator will be publicly available in a few months.


Introduction More than 50 million people worldwide are living with dementia in 2020, and this number is expected to double every 20 years. Physical exercise is a growing field in non-pharmacological interventions for dementia care. Due to public health measures during the COVID-19 pandemic, more people have considered adapting to technology-based exercise via digital devices. This scoping review will explore evidence relating to the use of technology-based group exercise by people with dementia or mild cognitive impairment. Methods and analysis This review will follow the Joanna Briggs Institute scoping review methodology to review literature published between June and December 2021. This review is designed to identify existing types of technology-based group exercise interventions for people with dementia. The review will provide a synthesis of current evidence on the outcome and impacts of technology-based group exercise. The context of this review will include homes, assisted living facilities and memory care services but exclude hospitals. The review will include a three-step search strategy: (a) identify keywords from MEDLINE and Embase, (b) search using the identified keywords in databases (MEDLINE/PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, PsychInfo and Google) and (c) review references from included studies to identify additional studies. Only studies in English will be included. Four researchers will independently assess titles and abstracts and then review the full text of the selected articles, applying the inclusion criteria. The extracted data will be presented in tables and summarised narratively. Ethics and dissemination Scoping review data will be collected from publicly available articles; research ethics approval is not required. The findings will be disseminated to healthcare practitioners and the public through a peer-reviewed publication and conference presentations.


This study measures the severity of a banking crisis by using its duration and the cost. Using this new methodology, we find that the factors associated with a severe banking crisis are not quite the same as those associated with a simple banking crisis. An ordered logit model and a large panel data set were used for this study. One of our major findings is that there exists a four-year time lag between an economic boom, or financial system liberalization, and the occurrence of a severe banking crisis in a country. This indicates that banking problems start much earlier than the time when they are revealed as banking crises. This study also finds that the lower the remains of a past banking crisis, the higher the probability of a severe banking crisis. It could be due to less-attentiveness of banking sector policy-makers with elapsed time. A high rate of inflation, existence of an explicit deposit insurance scheme, and a weak institutional environment are found to be common factors positively associated with both simple and severe banking crisis.


Mohs surgery is a technique used for the excision of different types of skin cancer which enabled the histological study of the entire (100%) surgical margins, with maximum preservation of healthy tissue and leading to the highest healing rates. After surgery, several techniques are available to repair resulting defects, one of which is healing by second intention. The latter consists in allowing granulation tissue to be formed spontaneously, which can be assisted with hydrocolloid dressings to favor healing. The case of an old age female patient with three facial defects is described. Second intention healing was the choice, assisting it with hydrocolloid dressings.


The magneto-volume coupling of the itinerant electron metamagnetic compound LaCo9Si4 was studied by measuring the forced magnetostriction of a single crystal utilizing a capacitive miniature dilatometer cell. The volume changes and the anisotropy with respect to different crystal orientations were measured as a function of the applied magnetic field for different temperatures ranging from 4.2 K up to 50 K. The forced volume-magnetostriction coefficient λv(H) = V−10δV/δH is positive up to 9T with a pronounced maximum at the critical field μ0Hc ≊ 3.5 T for H||c and μ0Hc ≊ 5.85 T for H ⊥ c, respectively.


Abstract We conducted a hacking project in 1986–1994 to restore a population of breeding Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) in central California, where the species had not nested in more than a half-century. We first documented breeding among release cohorts in 1993, and the population increased to 26 known occupied breeding territories by 2012, exceeding the recovery plan goal for central California. Not all Bald Eagle nesting in the region can be attributed to the hacking project, but because the first seven nesting pairs each included at least one released eagle, we believe that the project expedited the recovery of a Bald Eagle breeding population in central California. The proportion of Bald Eagles returning to breed increased for the final three cohorts in 1991–1994, when we released eaglets younger than the standard fledging age. Eaglets released at or beyond the standard fledging age dispersed relatively quickly, whereas eaglets released at a younger age established more regular feeding patterns at the hack tower, and were more often seen in future seasons. Reintroduction in central California was supported by previous protective measures for the recovery of the global population, particularly the ban on DDT.


In 2010 the phased introduction of the new Project Maths curriculum began in post-primary schools in Ireland. This new curriculum aimed to enable students to develop problem-solving skills by providing relevant, contextual applications of mathematics, while simultaneously increasing the levels of cognitive demand required of students. This research aims to investigate whether the levels of cognitive demand required to complete tasks in the Leaving Certificate Higher-level mathematics examinations changed as a result of the curriculum reform. The methodology of this research includes the systematic analysis of Leaving Certificate examination tasks, from 2007 to 2017, using an adaptation of the Stein and Smith (1998) task analysis framework. Using this framework, tasks were classified as being of high-level or low-level cognitive demand. Analysis of the data collected suggests that a statistically significant increase in the levels of high-cognitive demand tasks did occur following the curriculum reform. Our findings are discussed in relation to two recent studies that used different frameworks to examine the cognitive demand of tasks in post-primary mathematics.


Implantation of the embryo into the maternal endometrium represents a unique biological process, combining an immunological (tolerance of an allograft) and biological (adhesion of two epitheliums) paradox. The success of implantation depends on a receptive endometrium, a functionally normal blastocyst and a synchronized cross-talk between embryonic and maternal tissues. Though sexual steroids control the process, a cascade of growth factors or cytokines are the prime paracrine mediators of the dialogue at the maternal-embryonic interface. HCG is one of the molecules most precociously produced by the embryo and is the most specific marker of its presence. HCG is a luteotropic factor which relays the inadequate support provided by the reduced rates of LH, but also influences the pregnancy on a paracrine mode by a local action on implantation process, probably by interacting with its receptor, the LH/hCG-R that we have evidenced on endometrial epithelium. We demonstrate that embryo actively participate into its implantation, tolerance and placentation.


In recent years some reactors have experienced significant steam dryer cracking. The cause of the dryer's failure was considered as flow-induced acoustic resonance at the stub pipes of the safety relief valves (SRVs) on the main steam lines (MSLs). A research program was started to investigate the acoustic resonance of the steam dryer. Most studies used scaled down method, while our research based on the full scale steam dryer of the prototype CAP1400 but with only one unit of the steam dryer. The purpose of our research program is to study the strength of the steam dryer under flow-induced acoustic resonance. This paper introduces the parameter selection of the main pipe and the stub pipe through numerical method and theoretical method.


In this paper, we propose RMDM, Random Meta-atoms enabled Directional Misinformation, a novel system that enables a wireless transmitter to program a transmissive metasurface to send misinformation towards eavesdroppers while ensuring the correct information is received at the legitimate receiver. To do so, we design a metasurface with angular-dependent channel responses that alter the phase and amplitude of the transmitted symbol in different ways along different angular directions. We show how randomly selected groups of meta-atoms can be reconfigured so that the symbol constellation in the eavesdropper's direction is randomly transformed for each symbol. Moreover, our design includes a baseband correction, prior to transmission, to eliminate the metasurface's impact in the intended user's direction. Our experimental results show that the eavesdropper's error probability increases to almost 0.5 after an angular separation of only 4° away from the legitimate user's direction, forcing the eavesdropper to be very close to correctly intercept the information.


Serum osteocalcin, total alkaline phosphatase, intact parathyroid hormone (PTH), creatinine, calcium, and phosphate were determined in 23 kidney cadaveric allograft recipients, immediately before and 0·5, 1, 3 and 6 months after surgery. Immunosuppressive treatment was based on low doses of corticosteroids and cyclosporin combined with antilymphoblast globulin. The decrease in serum creatinine was accompanied by falling PTH concentrations. Serum osteocalcin levels were higher than normal before kidney transplantation and diminished at 0·5 and 1 month after surgery. Significant increases in serum osteocalcin concentrations were observed 3 and 6 months after kidney transplantation with a significant correlation with alkaline phosphatase levels. The increase in serum osteocalcin levels observed in our transplanted patients is not related with a parallel increase in serum creatinine levels nor with an increment in PTH levels; it seems to reflect an increase in the osteoblastic activity, which is not altered by steroid therapy.


In the past few years, the main research efforts regarding General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)-compliant data sharing have been focused primarily on informed consent (one of the six GDPR lawful bases for data processing). In cases such as Business-to-Business (B2B) and Business-to-Consumer (B2C) data sharing, when consent might not be enough, many small and medium enterprises (SMEs) still depend on contracts—a GDPR basis that is often overlooked due to its complexity. The contract's lifecycle comprises many stages (e.g., drafting, negotiation, and signing) that must be executed in compliance with GDPR. Despite the active research efforts on digital contracts, contract-based GDPR compliance and challenges such as contract interoperability have not been sufficiently elaborated on yet. Since knowledge graphs and ontologies provide interoperability and support knowledge discovery, we propose and develop a knowledge graph-based tool for GDPR contract compliance verification (CCV). It binds GDPR's legal basis to data sharing contracts. In addition, we conducted a performance evaluation in terms of execution time and test cases to validate CCV's correctness in determining the overhead and applicability of the proposed tool in smart city and insurance application scenarios. The evaluation results and the correctness of the CCV tool demonstrate the tool's practicability for deployment in the real world with minimum overhead.


Human fibroblasts grown from the heart and skin of patients with and without rheumatic heart disease have been compared in their responses to crude streptococcal filtrates and to disintegrated organisms derived from streptococcal strains presumed to have caused rheumatic fever. These test substances were incorporated in nutrient media which contained either pooled serum from normal individuals or serum from patients with active rheumatic fever. Fibroblastic growth was evaluated at the end of the second week of culture.
 Fibroblasts grown from the skin and heart responded similarly to the streptococcal products tested. The use of rheumatic in place of normal serum did not alter the response.
 Fibroblasts grown from rheumatic individuals were nearly always inhibited by a 3% concentration of streptococcal filtrate, while those from normal individuals were not. While the 1% concentration showed some inhibition of the rheumatic tissues compared to the normal, it was not as definite as that found in the 3% concentration. A concentration of 10% resulted in the inhibition of growth of all tissues tested.
 Disintegrated streptococci in final concentrations of 0.1 and 0.2% inhibited fibroblastic growth of tissues from rheumatic patients more frequently than from normal individuals. There was complete suppression or inhibition in all cases with the 1.5% concentration.
 While the above conclusions were apparent from the study of the grouped data, there was no "all or none effect," so that it was impossible to determine whether or not an individual specimen was derived from a normal or rheumatic patient. If cellular hypersensitivity to streptococcal antigens does exist in fibroblasts of rheumatic fever patients, the observations in tissue culture with the methods here described would indicate a subtle rather than a striking phenomenon.


The use of narrow tracking beam antennas at base stations provides a way to increase the capacity of CDMA cellular systems. The realistic capacity evaluation of such a system is still a challenge since multi-cell interference is hard to model, especially considering real-time power control and soft handoff. This paper proposes and compares both an analytical and a simulation approach in calculating multi-cell interference in the CDMA forward link with a transmission tracking beam antenna. The analytical method assumes a constant required E/sub b//N/sub 0/ for all users in the system to maintain a given quality of service, while the simulation approach takes the CDMA soft (and softer) handoff gain into account. The results show that the latter yields a more realistic interference power profile. To evaluate the capacity gain of the tracking beam system, the interference power profile is incorporated into an IS-2000 symbol-level user motion simulation. The simulations show that narrow tracking beam antennas can provide about 2.7 times capacity gain over a conventional tri-sector system.


Abstract Yeasts from all immature life stages of Mexican fruit fly Anastrepha ludens (Loew) (Diptera: Tephritidae) from diet, insectary air, and rearing materials were isolated, identified and evaluated for pathogenicity. Fifteen species of yeasts with one to genus level were identified from 72 yeast cultures obtained. Zygosaccharomyces bailii was the only yeast found to be highly pathogenic to Mexican fruit fly. Seventy-two hours post inoculation, the diet in bioassay cups with Z. bailii consistently showed signs of fermentation with gas bubbling causing the migration of larvae to the walls and lids of bioassay cups. The spent diet from Z. balii-infested cups was crusty, cracked and had a pasty layer. Many larvae were small, moribund, and discolored, appearing caramel or blackish. Insect yield loss with Z. bailii in comparison to that of control ranged from 10 to 44% for larvae and 14 to 47% for pupae. Additionally, Z. bailii caused a reduction in mean pupal weight. The weakly pathogenic yeasts produced significantly less yield of larvae and pupae than the nonpathogenic ones included Trichosporon montevideense, Clavispora lucitaniae, Candida sp., C. rugosa, and Rhodotorula mucilaginosa. Yield loss of larvae caused by this group ranged from 12 (C. lusitaniae) to 18% (R. mucilaginosa). Yield losses for pupa were similar to that of larvae. The mean pupa weight for these species was above the minimum acceptable (16.50 mg) for the SIT program. The nonpathogenic yeast produced yields of larvae and pupae similar to the control included Cryptococcus diffluens, Pichia kudriavzevii, Meyerozyma guilliermondii, Wickerhamomyces anomalus, Trichosporon asahii, Debaryomyces hansenii, Candida tropicalis, Cryptococcus sp., Candida parapsilosis, and Hanseniaspora opuntiae. In conclusion, the identification and management of insect pathogenic yeasts, such as Z. balii in mass rearing systems of Mexican fruit fly must be considered to avoid their potential negative effects.


Post-stroke depression and anxiety are the most common emotional changes after a stroke. They can impair patient's functional recovery, rehabilitation and community reintegration. It was postulated that applying skillful nursing interventions, such as the Slow Stroke Back Massage (SSBM), can improve patient's levels of depression and anxiety. Objective: This study aimed to determine the effect of slow stroke back massage on depression and anxiety among post-stroke geriatric patients. Setting: The study was conducted at the neuropsychiatry inpatient unit in El-Hadara University Hospital for Orthopaedics and Neuropsychiatry, Alexandria, Egypt. Subjects: The study subjects comprised 50 post-stroke geriatric male patients. Tools: Four tools were used to collect data; the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) Scale, Geriatric Patients' Socio-Demographic and Clinical Data Structured Interview Schedule, Geriatric Depression Scale-Short Form (GDS-SF) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Results: The percentages of subjects who had moderate and severe levels of depression significantly decreased after applying the SSBM. The percentage of those who had moderate level of anxiety significantly decreased, while no patient was found to have severe anxiety after receiving the SSBM. Conclusion: The SSBM is a clinically effective nursing intervention that can significantly reduce levels of depression and anxiety among post-stroke geriatric patients. Recommendations: Include the SSBM as an integral part in the gerontological and psychiatric nursing courses, and develop training programs for both nurses and caregivers of post-stroke geriatric patients about the SSBM.


The palliative care of 227 consecutive patients by two support teams was measured according to 17 key indicators in the Support Team Assessment Schedule (STAS), an instrument previously developed and validated for use in these settings. Mean time in care was 71 days (range 1-547); 56 per cent of patients died at home, 26 per cent in hospital, 18 per cent in a hospice. Totalled ratings (sum of 15 items, excluding two items owing to missed ratings) improved in 83 per cent of cases, remained unchanged in 3 per cent and deteriorated in 13 per cent. The main problems which the STAS identified at referral were family anxiety, symptom control, patient anxiety and communication between patient and family. Fifteen of the 17 items showed significant improvements (Wilcoxon Z ranged from -3.18 to -8.20, p less than 0.00005) between referral ratings and ratings for the last week of the patient's life; family anxiety and spiritual needs did not. Patient anxiety and symptom control, although improved, also remained relatively severe at death. These results demonstrate the value of measuring key indicators and indicate areas where improvement in palliative care is needed.


A simplified Coates flow-graph technique, applied to the analysis of an arbitrary active network, is presented. Flow-graph representations of building blocks of active networks are given, which permit construction of the graph from the given network. A flow-graph formula for the sensitivity investigation is also given.


The heat transfer and thermal performance of a single pass solar air heater a smooth plate was investigated experimentally. In the present paper, energy and heat transfer analysis of a solar air collector with smooth plate, this technique is used to determine the optimal thermal performance of flat plate solar air heater by considering the different system and operating parameters to obtain maximum thermal performance. Thermal performance is obtained for different mass flow rate varying in the array 0.0108–0.0202 kg/s with five values, solar intensity; tilt angle and ambient temperature. We discuss the thermal behavior of this type of collector with new design and with my proper construction. An experimental study was carried out on a prototype installed on the experimental tests platform within the University of Biskra in the Algeria. The effects of air mass flow rate, emissivity of channel plates and wind heat transfer coefficient on the accuracy of the criterion are also investigated.


Micro-silica is widely used as an additive to cement in producing high performance concrete. This matter is used to enhance the strength and efficiency of concrete. Recently, due to the development of advanced nano-technology, nano-silica has been produced with particle sizes smaller than micro-silica and higher pozzolanic activity. Studies show that addition of nano-silica into cement-based materials improves their mechanical properties. Considering the unique characteristics of nano-silica, it seems that this material can be used in ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC). Therefore, further studies are needed on how the local bond and bond stress of steel reinforcing bar and UHPC containing nano-silica would be effected. In the present study, after preparing the mix designs and proposed specimens, the effects of various parameters on the local bond of steel reinforcing bars and UHPC containing nano-silica were examined by pullout experiments. In this research, we have numerically investigated the bond strength using numerical methods and calibration of the ABAQUS results in addition to its experimental study of ultra-high performance concrete and steel reinforcement. In numerical analysis, the concrete damage plasticity method was used to simulate the nonlinear behavior of concrete and its strain softness. Comparing between numerical and experimental analysis results shows that numerical analysis with high precision can predict the bond stress, bond load, and concrete specimen fracture mode.


OBJECTIVE
To describe risk factors associated with microalbuminuria (MA) in subjects with diabetes, investigate the predictive value of MA as a marker of risk for diabetic nephropathy (DN), and define risk factors associated with the development and progression of MA.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
We conducted a prospective longitudinal study of 23 diabetic subjects with persistent MA and 209 diabetic subjects without MA who attended diabetes clinics at the University of Michigan Medical Center in 1989 and 1990. Both groups were examined at baseline and after 7 years. At baseline, urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratios were studied in random, first morning, and 24-h urine samples. At follow-up, a 12-h overnight urine sample was collected and analyzed for albumin and creatinine. At baseline, MA was defined by at least two separate urine specimens with albumin-to-creatinine ratios between 30 and 299 microg albumin per milligram of creatinine.

RESULTS
MA regressed in 56% of subjects with baseline MA without systematic application of corrective measures and developed in 16% of subjects without baseline MA. The predictive value positive of MA as a marker of risk for DN was 43%, and the predictive value negative was 77%. In the combined cohort, the incidence and progression of MA were significantly associated with poor glycemic control and duration of diabetes between 10 and 14 years.

CONCLUSIONS
MA may not be as sensitive and specific a predictor of DN as previously suggested. Other markers of risk for DN are needed for optimal clinical management.


ABSTRACT More students are beginning their college careers at community colleges before completing degrees at four-year institutions. As enrollments swell at these two-year institutions, issues surrounding transfer and articulation agreements are increasingly important, and two- and four-year institutions must work together on the recruitment, retention, and transition of political science majors. Central to this collaboration is the curriculum. Building on conclusions from the 2011 Leadership Collaborative Core Curriculum and General Education track regarding a common curriculum in the discipline, this article examines the political science curriculum using data from 47 two-year colleges with separate political science departments. We examined similarities and differences among these programs and found sufficient commonality in curriculum to allow students to transfer credits to four-year institutions. The article also offers community colleges an indication of common curricular features and informs the wider profession about community college curriculum design.


Optical imaging based on time-stretch process has recently been proven as a powerful tool for delivering ultra-high frame rate (> 1MHz) which is not achievable by the conventional image sensors. Together with the capability of optical image amplification for overcoming the trade-off between detection sensitivity and speed, this new imaging modality is particularly valuable in high-throughput biomedical diagnostic practice, e.g. imaging flow cytometry. The ultra-high frame rate in time-stretch imaging is attained by two key enabling elements: dispersive fiber providing the time-stretch process via group-velocity-dispersion (GVD), and electronic digitizer. It is well-known that many biophotonic applications favor the spectral window of ~1m. However, reasonably high GVD (> 0.1 ns/nm) in this range can only be achieved by using specialty single-mode fiber (SMF) at 1m. Moreover, the ultrafast detection has to rely on the stateof-the-art digitizer with significantly wide-bandwidth and high sampling rate (e.g. >10 GHz, >40 GS/s). These stringent requirements imply the prohibitively high-cost of the system and hinder its practical use in biomedical diagnostics. We here demonstrate two cost-effective approaches for realizing time-stretch confocal microscopy at 1m: (i) using the standard telecommunication SMF (e.g. SMF28) to act as a few-mode fiber (FMF) at 1m for the time-stretch process, and (ii) implementing the pixel super-resolution (SR) algorithm to restore the high-resolution (HR) image when using a lower-bandwidth digitizer. By using a FMF (with a GVD of ~ 0.15ns/nm) and a modified pixel-SR algorithm, we can achieve time-stretch confocal microscopy at 1m with cellular resolution (~ 3m) at a frame rate 1 MHz.


An oscillator array prefers to operate at an exceptional point of degeneracy (EPD) occurring in a waveguide periodically loaded with discrete nonlinear gain and radiating elements. The system maintains a steady-state degenerate mode of oscillation at a frequency of 3 GHz, even when the small-signal nonlinear gain values are nonuniform along the array. Contrarily to the original expectation of zero phase shift associated to the designed EPD using small-signal gain, after reaching saturation, the time domain signal in consecutive unit cells displays a $\pi$ phase shift. Hence, we demonstrate that the saturated system oscillates at a distinct EPD, associated to a $\pi$ phase shift between consecutive cells, than the one at which the system was originally designed using small-signal gain. This new EPD at which the nonlinear system is landing is associated to higher power efficiency. Finally, we demonstrate that the oscillation frequency is independent of the length of the array, contrarily to what happens ordinary oscillating systems based on one-dimensional cavity resonances. These findings may have a high impact on high-power radiating arrays with distributed active elements.


We studied by angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy the strain-related structural transition from a pseudomorphic monolayer (ML) to a striped incommensurate phase in an Ag thin film grown on Pt(111). We exploited the surfactant properties of Bi to grow ordered Pt(111)-xMLAg-Bi trilayers with 0 <= x <= 5 ML, and monitored the dispersion of the Bi-derived interface states to probe the structure of the underlying Ag film. We find that their symmetry changes from threefold to sixfold and back to threefold in the Ag coverage range studied. Together with previous scanning tunneling microscopy and photoelectron diffraction data, these results provide a consistent microscopic description of the coverage-dependent structural transition.


In a probing article that appeared not very long ago in this journal, G. W. Pigman III called attention to the following passage from Petrarch's Familiares which deals with the Italian author's unconscious reminiscence from well-known and often-read authoritative works: I have read Virgil, Flaccus, Severinus, Tullius not once but countless times … . I ate in the morning what I would digest in the evening, I swallowed as a boy what I would ruminate upon as an older man. I have thoroughly absorbed these writings, implanting them not only in my memory but in my marrow, and they have so become one with my mind that were I never to read them for the remainder of my life, they would cling to me, having taken root in the innermost recesses of my mind. But sometimes I may forget the author, since through long usage and continual possession I may adopt them and for some time regard them as my own; and besieged by the mass of such writings, I may forget whose they are and whether they are mine or others'.


Pregnancy involves a significant amount of physiological changes. A normal pregnancy is essential to ensure healthy maternal and fetal development. We sought to explore whether the urinary proteome could reflect the pregnancy process. Urine samples were collected from pregnant rats on gestational day 1, 4, 7, 11, 14, 16, 18, 20 (GD 1 d, GD 4 d, GD 7 d, GD 11 d, GD 14 d, GD 16 d, GD 18 d, GD 20 d), and control rats on days 0, 4, 7, 11, 14, 16, 18 and 20. The urinary proteome was profiled by liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), and differential proteins were obtained by comparing the 0 d (GD 1 d) of the same group at each time point within the two groups. Through the analysis of the enriched pathways of differentially expressed proteins in the pregnant group, during the period from fertilization to implantation, many pathways related to embryo implantation and trophoblast differentiation were enriched on GD 1 d, GD 4 d and GD 7 d. In addition, the developmental process of the fetal rat heart such as heart looping and endocardial cushion formation, are consistent with the timing of previous studies; the developmental process of the lung and the development of the rat embryo alveoli before birth are consistent with the reported timing; and the developmental time of the rat embryo pancreas is also during the period of pancreatic cell proliferation and differentiation. These processes were enriched only in the pregnancy group and not in the control group. Furthermore, coagulation-associated pathways were found to be increasingly prominent before labor, which is consistent with the previously reported trend of increasing coagulation function during pregnancy. Our results indicated urinary proteome can reflect some embryonic developmental and maternal changes in rat pregnancy.


In August 2008, the OECD published Improving School Leadership Volume 1: Policy and Practice and Improving School Leadership Volume 2: Case Studies on System Leadership. The main objectives of these reports were to compare school leadership policy between participating countries and to identify innovative practices and options for policy development. As part of the preparation for the final report, a background report on school leadership in the Republic of Ireland was prepared by the Department of Education and Science in 2007. This report will be analysed in this paper in order to identify the degree to which the background report achieved the objective of capturing the current and emerging issues facing school leaders in Ireland. A critique of the 'one size fits all' approach to policy in the area of school leadership detailed in Volume 1 of the OECD report follows. This critique contests that some of the policy recommendations contained in the report are based on a narrow and selective range of suppor...


The article analyses the redesign of the Museum of the University of Architecture and Urbanism Ion Mincu (UAUIM) in Bucharest. The second-hand life of the didactic objects of the Bucharest School of Architecture tells a nostalgic story of lost values, of bits and pieces saved from various historical assaults (demolitions, change of ownership, etc.). The organisation and the display of the collection entails a psychological, emotional and cognitive price payed by the curator in order to facillitate the visitor's acces. Another price to be payed is the long term investment in the preservation of the objects and the interpretation and communication of the collections.
The redesign of the UAUIM Museum can be seen as a form of "frame extension". The old museum, molded by the historical circumstances of its birth, was extended, in order to attract a broader audience. Not through the introduction of "entertainment" but through a shift of interest: from architectural details (plaster molds, demolition fragments) to all the documents relevant to the history of architecture and the history of the Bucharest School of Architecture. Thus the relevance of the museum was encreased.
Drawing on a personal experience of the framing of the exhibits and of visitor interaction, the article compares what the curators envisioned and what was experienced by the visitors. The comparation and analysis can be used to guide the interpretation of a collection which has grown meanwhile justifying its reframing as an Exhibition and Documentary Center. Some proposals are made for changing the collection presentation on its website and on its Facebook page.


This minitrack provides a venue for innovative research that rigorously addresses the risks to information system security and privacy, with a specific focus on individual behaviors within this nomological net. Domains include work related to detecting, mitigating, and preventing both internal and external human threats to organizational security. Papers may include theory development, empirical studies (both quantitative and qualitative), case studies, and other high-quality research manuscripts.


Yvonne Todd: Creamy Psychology CITY GALLERY WELLINGTON WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND DECEMBER 6, 2014-MARCH 1, 2015 Two of Wellington's public galleries devoted the entirety of their respective spaces to solo exhibitions by New Zealand artists this year, an exceedingly rare occurrence. The most recent of these ventures is the City Gallery's Creamy Psychology, a formidably detailed and cohesive mid-career retrospective of the photographer Yvonne Todd. Todd has enjoyed much support in the past decade or so, particularly since becoming the first recipient of the country's prestigious Walters Prize in 2002, judged that year by the venerable curator Harald Szeemann, who said Todd's was "the work that irritated me the most." (1) (The other major solo show in Wellington featured Simon Denny, Berlin-based nominee for the prize in 2012 and last year.) Todd's images take their initial cue from the tropes of commercial portrait photography, but tangle with an eclectic range of cultural phenomena derived from diverse sources along the way. Todd consistently treads a fine line between the grotesque and the glamorous, seeking to acknowledge the close, almost dialectical, relationship between the two. While her works generally take the form of large-scale, immaculately presented color prints, Todd is fascinated with states of unease, from eating disorders to crippling infirmities, as well as with subcultural groups, from fundamentalists to vegans. Todd has an avid fan's interest in popular culture, most often anachronistic and American, which also speaks to how many New Zealanders before the ubiquity of broadband internet engaged with a culture industry generated thousands of miles away, and accessed largely through television, cinema, and magazines. Todd's women (her subjects are almost exclusively female) are often depicted as girl-children with glazed-over expressions--photographic Stepford beings occupying some nether region between the studio setup and the suburban locale. She is intrigued by the toll taken by the unrealistic expectations of celebrity culture, both on celebrities themselves, and on the mere mortals who fantasize about them. Narratives around Christina Onassis, JonBenet Ramsey, Karen Carpenter, and "Sybil," infamous for her sixteen distinct personalities, provide inspirational fuel for Todd's imagery. In Cheer (2001), six women's heads are viewed from behind, floating on a dark background, their carefully configured ponytails and elaborately plaited braids adorned with ribbons, giving us more than enough information to construct our own path through this oblique typological portrait/still life. …


A meta-analysis was performed to determine EGFR mutations, gene amplification, and protein expression and KRAS mutations in primary and metastatic nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We found that KRAS gene mutation frequencies were higher in primary than in metastatic tumors. There was no significant difference in EGFR mutation frequency between the primary and metastatic tumors. These results suggest that KRAS mutations in primary NSCLC foci may be a more accurate biomarker than in metastases to reflect KRAS mutation status. Combined detection of EGFR and KRAS mutations in primary NSCLC foci appears to be an optimal approach for first-line EGFR-TKI therapy.


Background Risk compensation theory has been used to explain why safety interventions in sport, such as personal protective equipment, are not as successful as predicted. As an example, it has been postulated that rugby union players wearing padded headgear may change their behaviour and tackle more forcefully because they perceive their injury risk to be reduced by headgear. Studies of risk compensation have often relied on self reported behaviour. In rugby football, players have reported that they can tackle harder and play more confidently while wearing headgear, however tackle force has not been measured. Objective To assess risk compensating behaviour using a psycho-physical model. Design A repeated measures design was applied to study the effect of wearing padded headgear on tackle force. Setting Community level adult rugby union football. Participants 98 players, mean age 25 years, participated in the study. Intervention Standard padded headgear. Main outcome measurements The force applied by the dominant shoulder was measured using an instrumented 45 kg tackle bag. Each participant completed six tackles. Demographic data and responses to standard surveys of risk perception were completed by each participant. Results No significant difference was observed for tackle force with (mean=2025 N, SD=695 N) and without headgear (mean=1996, SD=728 N). No significant differences were observed for headgear use when examining effects of age, experience, risk propensity and belief regarding headgear effectiveness. A significant main effect of experience on tackle force was observed (p=0.029). Conclusion Risk compensating behaviour may not be as prevalent as has been postulated and, in this context, self reported behaviour may not be a reliable guide to actual behaviour. Sports behaviours can be measured with appropriate psycho-physical methods. Closer scrutiny of the effectiveness of sports injury interventions is warranted and/or evidence of behavioural change.


A molecular imaging probe comprising superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) nanoparticles and Mycobacterium tuberculosis surface antibody (MtbsAb) was synthesized to enhance imaging sensitivity for extrapulmonary tuberculosis (ETB). An SPIO nanoprobe was synthesized and conjugated with MtbsAb. The purified SPIO-MtbsAb nanoprobe was characterized using TEM and NMR. To determine the targeting ability of the probe, SPIO-MtbsAb nanoprobes were incubated with Mtb for in vitro imaging assays and injected into Mtb-inoculated mice for in vivo investigation with magnetic resonance (MR). The contrast enhancement reduction on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of Mtb and THP1 cells showed proportional to the SPIO-MtbsAb nanoprobe concentration. After 30 min of intravenous SPIO-MtbsAb nanoprobe injection into Mtb-infected mice, the signal intensity of the granulomatous site was enhanced by 14-fold in the T2-weighted MR images compared with that in mice receiving PBS injection. The MtbsAb nanoprobes can be used as a novel modality for ETB detection.


BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to analyze the diagnostic distribution of patients consulting because of headache in a neurology department.

METHODS
The clinical records of 3,498 patients who had consulted specifically due to headache between 1978 to 1993 were retrospectively studied. Diagnosis was reclassified according to the criteria of the new headache classification with data concerning the age of onset and sex distribution also being collected.

RESULTS
The most frequent diagnoses were migraine (1,802 patients; 52%) tension-type headache (113; 32%), followed in decreasing order by trigeminal neuralgia, post injury headache, cluster headache, subarachnoid hemorrhage, analgesic-ergotamine abuse headache, tumoral headache, cervical disease headache, benign exertional headache, due to paranasal sinusal disorders and benign intracranial hypertension. Female predominance was observed in the whole series (68%) as in the groups with migraine, tension-type headache, neuralgia headache by analgesic-ergotamine drugs and benign intracranial hypertension. Cluster, post injury, tumor and provoked headaches (cough, exertional and sexual) were found to be more frequent in men. The age of onset was very specific for each kind of headache. The percentage of symptomatic headaches increased in direct relation to age, being 10 fold higher in patients over the age of 65.

CONCLUSIONS
The diagnostic distribution of headache as a cause of medical consultation is very different to the prevalence of different headaches. This distribution by diagnosis largely depends on the age of the patient at the time of headaches onset [corrected].


We examine the effects of real exchange rate (RER) depreciation shocks on firm productivity. Using the firm†level data of Korean manufacturing industries for 2006–13, we distinguish between yearly RER movement and persistent RER depreciation during 2007–09 and analyse how each affects productivity. We find the positive effect of RER depreciation on productivity among exporters, and this positive effect increases with higher export exposure. However, the positive productivity gain disappears when the depreciation persists. Our findings suggest that while immediate depreciation leads to productivity upgrade via price competitiveness and scale expansion, persistent depreciation nullifies the productivity gain by slackening the innovation effort.


Layered LiMnO2 is a potential Li ion cathode material that is known to undergo a layered to spinel transformation upon delithiation, as a result of Mn migration. A common strategy to improve the structural stability of LiMnO2 has been to replace Mn with a range of metal dopants, although the mechanism by which each dopant stabilizes the structure is not well understood. In this work we characterize ion-migration barriers using hybrid eigenvector-following (EF) and density functional theory to study how trivalent dopants (Al3+, Cr3+, Fe3+, Ga3+, Sc3+, and In3+) affect Mn migration during the initial stage of the layered to spinel transformation in Li0.5MnO2. We demonstrate that dopants with small ionic radii, such as Al3+ and Cr3+, can increase the barrier for migration, but only when they are located in the first cation coordination sphere of Mn. We also demonstrate how the hybrid EF approach can be used to study the migration barriers of dopant species within the structure of Li0.5MnO2 efficiently. The t...


The Low Cost Housing Programme is an imperative mechanism to respond to the issue of poverty in Malaysia. The main objective of this scheme is to ensure every family; especially poor family become capable of owning a decent house within their means. After more than 60 years of its implementation, the scheme is still being criticised for its failure to provide a house which is in accordance with the housing needs of its target group. A survey was conducted in 2011 to assess the consistency of the goals and objectives of the Low Cost Housing Programme with its target groups' needs. A total of 325 households from six Low Cost Flats in Kuala Terengganu were chosen as respondents for the study. The findings confirm the inconsistency of the Low Cost Housing; especially its physical design to the needs of its residence. The study proposes that the target group involvement is crucial to ensure that their housing need is genuinely taken into account in designing the houses.


Dahi is a popular fermented Indian dairy product prepared by fermenting the milk by lactic acid bacteria. The texture of dahi depends mainly on the heat treatment given to milk. Cow milk (3.5% fat and 8.5% SNF) was subjected to two separate treatments: (1) heating at 63oC for 30 min and (2) boiling treatment without holding period. The milk was cooled to about 40oC and inoculated with Lactococcus lactis culture and incubated at 30oC for about 12 hours. The dahi formed was chilled to 5oC and evaluated for quality. Firmness, consistency and index of viscosity as measured by Texture Analyser increased with increased heat treatment and the highest values were observed in dahi prepared from boiled milk. Boiling treatment of milk resulted in least syneresis of whey in the curd. Based on the results, it was recommended that milk be subjected to boiling treatment to produce best quality dahi.


Nuchal muscle autografts of two different sizes were transplanted into rat brain parenchyma (intraparenchymal, 1.5 X 1.5 X 1 mm) and onto the surface of the brain stem (intraventricular, 2 X 2 X 1 and 1.5 X 1.5 X 1 mm). The vasculature of the transplants retained its permeability to proteins. Exogenous, intravenously injected horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and endogenous immunoglobulins (IgG) crossed the vessels of the grafts to enter the surrounding brain tissue 1 and 3 months after transplantation. HRP infiltrated about 0.46 to 4.6 mm into the extracellular spaces around the grafts 60 minutes after its intravenous injection. The penetration of HRP depended on the size and age of the graft. Infiltration was greater in 1-month-old rats with slightly larger intraventricular grafts than in those with smaller grafts. There was a tendency for the penetration of HRP to be greater from 1-month-old grafts than from 3-month-old grafts, but the difference was not statistically significant, except for the horizontal vector of spread in the intraparenchymal group. Although endogenous IgG infiltrated the surrounding brain tissue, its penetration was very limited in comparison with that of HRP. The results suggest that muscle grafts could be used as a readily available and accessible means of circumventing the blood-brain barrier selectively and focally.


Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a clinical condition in which stomach contents leak backward into the esophagus. It affects millions of people worldwide and has a detrimental effect on quality of life. Heartburn and acid regurgitation are typical GERD symptoms, while atypical manifestations include noncardiac chest pain, cough and laryngitis. The oral and maxillofacial manifestations of GERD may include dental erosion, xerostomia, mucositis, aphthous like ulcerations, sour taste, burning mouth, hyperesthesia, bruxism, and/or temporomandibular disorder (TMD). This narrative review provides oral health care professionals with an update to medical aspects of GERD, recognition and management of oral and maxillofacial manifestations of the condition and provision of appropriate dental care for this patient population.


Abstract. Assessment of water resources available in different storages and moving along different pathways in a catchment is important for its optimal use and protection, and also for the prediction of floods and low flows. Moreover, understanding of the runoff generation processes is essential for assessing the impacts of climate and land use changes on the hydrological response of a catchment. Many methods for base flow separation exist, but hardly one focuses on the specific behaviour of temperate lowland areas. This paper presents the results of a base flow separation study carried out in a lowland area in the Netherlands. In this study, field observations of precipitation, groundwater and surface water levels and discharges, together with tracer analysis are used to understand the runoff generation processes in the catchment. Several tracer and non-tracer based base flow separation methods were applied to the discharge time series, and their results are compared. The results show that groundwater levels react fast to precipitation events in this lowland area with shallow groundwater tables. Moreover, a good correlation was found between groundwater levels and discharges suggesting that most of the measured discharge also during floods comes from groundwater storage. It was estimated using tracer hydrological approaches that approximately 90% of the total discharge is groundwater displaced by event water mainly infiltrating in the northern part of the catchment, and only the remaining 10% is surface runoff. The impact of remote recharge causing displacement of near channel groundwater during floods could also be motivated with hydraulic approximations. The results show further that when base flow separation is meant to identify groundwater contributions to stream flow, process based methods (e.g. the rating curve method; Kliner and Knezek, 1974) are more reliable than other simple non-tracer based methods. Also, the recursive filtering method (proposed by Eckhardt, 2005) can be calibrated well using the results of tracer investigation giving good results. Consequently, non-tracer based base flow separation methods that can be validated for some events may provide a powerful tool for groundwater assessment or model calibration/validation in lowland areas.


Do parents with adoptive children see themselves as similar to or different from nonadoptive parents? Is the stigma attached to adoption lessening? Does open communication about adoption contribute to the family's well-being? How successful are adoptive adults at putting their adolescent turmoil behind them? These and many other important and complex questions are addressed in Families and Adoption, an informative guidebook that shows you how adoption is both a condition and a lifelong process.Families and Adoption discusses legislation that can serve the needs of various members of the adoptive experience to deepen your understanding of the key legal issues associated with consent and openness. It also provides you with detailed coverage of changes in adoption law, open adoption research results, transracial and transethnic adoption, and the consequences of placing versus parenting for unmarried, teenage women who give birth. Graduate students, social workers, adoption professionals, members of adoptive families, and couples wishing to adopt will find there isn't a rock that Families and Adoption leaves unturned. It presents you with vital information on the following topics: the developmental stages of reunion between an adoptive child and birth parent notions of adoption, parenthood, and kinship and how these notions are challenged after a reunion has taken place the institution of adoption as it has existed for decades in American society international adoption respecting the bonds children have and helping them develop critical attachment skills those who "accept" open-adoption and those who "embrace" it flexible parenting styles and their positive effect on developmentally vulnerable adopteesA skillful blend of personal adoption experiences and research studies, Families and Adoption explores the special issues adoption presents and how all parties involved can work together to improve placement decisions, ensure that a woman is confident in her decision to relinquish her child, and help families select the most appropriate adoption arrangement. The book's main strength is that it doesn't just look at the initial considerations of adoption; it prepares you for the issues that will arise along the way.


The mechanism by which glutamate regulates the cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]c) in spontaneously firing dopamine neurons is not clear. Thus we have investigated the glutamate-mediated [Ca2+]c dynamics in the acutely isolated dopamine neurons from the rat substantia nigra pars compacta by measuring [Ca2+]c and spontaneously occurring action potentials (SAPs). The freshly isolated dopamine neurons showed tetrodotoxin (TTX)-sensitive spontaneous firing of 2-3 Hz and the resting [Ca2+]c decreased with abolition of the SAPs. The level of [Ca2+]c was affected by the spontaneous firing rate. In the presence of the Na+ channel antagonist, TTX (0.5 μM), glutamate increased [Ca2+]c by activating different glutamate receptors depending on the glutamate concentration used. Addition of glutamate at low concentrations (<3 μM) raised [Ca2+]c mainly by activating metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluR), whereas at high concentrations (>10 μM) it raised [Ca2+]c mainly by activating AMPA/kainate receptors. The contribution of NMDA receptors to the glutamate-mediated [Ca2+]c rises was largest at intermediate concentrations of glutamate. Activation of mGluR elicited a Ca2+ release from intracellular Ca2+ stores and continuous Ca2+ influx out of the cell. The spontaneous firing activities were highly enhanced by submicromolar levels of glutamate and abolished at levels above 10 μM. From these results, we conclude that at low glutamate concentrations the [Ca2+]c in the dopamine neurons is mainly governed by mGluR and the firing activities, whose rate is regulated at submicromolar glutamate concentrations, but at higher glutamate concentrations [Ca2+]c is dominantly affected by AMPA/kainate receptors.


This article aims to explain the optional gemination in the elided form of the French 3 rd p. object pronouns le and la , i.e. before vowel, as in [ʒəllɛvy] for je l'ai vu(e) 'I saw him/her/it'. This geminate, which cannot be accounted for in purely phonological terms, is shown to follow from a boundary shift within the morphological sequence /il+lə/la+V/, providing the 3 rd p. object pronouns with a new geminate allomorph before vowel; thereby, /ll/ can spread to the entire paradigm. It is argued (a) that the resulting allomorphy is the strategy found by speakers to eliminate the irregular allomorphy of the 3 rd p. subject pronoun il before consonant; (b) that a perception grammar is needed to capture the reasons for the new allomorphy.


etc. It appears to work because f 11/ = 1/ t' => 1// == (fTt" => If' + (()2 = 0, which is true for lex) == (3x 2)1/2, and in general for/ex) == (ax + b) 1/2. Perhaps readers might like to try to extend this genre by seeing if there are functions for which, say, 1. r1(x) = II/(x); 2. rl (x) = f (x). This class of function might be described as fortuitous functions, with a property impervious to exam howlers! CHRIS LITTLE 3 Widlers Lane, Upham, Southampton S032 JJE


Inverse optimization (Inverse optimal control) is the task of imputing a cost function such that given test points (trajectories) are (nearly) optimal with respect to the discovered cost. Prior methods in inverse optimization assume that the true cost is a convex combination of a set of convex basis functions and that this basis is consistent with the test points. However, the consistency assumption is not always justified, as in many applications the principles by which the data is generated are not well understood. This work proposes using the distance between a test point and the set of global optima generated by the convex combinations of the convex basis functions as a measurement for the expressive quality of the basis with respect to the test point. A large minimal distance invalidates the set of basis functions. The concept of a set of global optima is introduced and its properties are explored in unconstrained and constrained settings. Upper and lower bounds for the minimum distance in the convex quadratic setting are implemented by bi-level gradient descent and an enriched linear matrix inequality respectively. Extensions to this framework include max-representable basis functions, nonconvex basis functions (local minima), and applying polynomial optimization techniques.


If the notion of neologism is already difficult to define in the case of a modern language, it proves to be even more difficult when it comes to historical languages, such as Old French. Since on the one hand, we lack the data to distinguish spontaneous formations and hapaxes from creations which made their way from the level of speech (parole) to that of language (langue), all rare words or unique attestations are potentially unusual usages, thus potential neologisms. On the other hand however, it is not at all easy to identify neologisms in an Old French text, e.g. the astronomical and astrological texts written and translated on behalf of Charles V in the later 1360s. Even many of the usages marked by authors or scribes explicitly as estrange, i.e. "unusual" and "new," turn out to be not French derivations from Latin roots, but Latin words forged together with French endings on a relatively fixed pattern (F. Duval, 2011, 508). Determining neologisms on grounds of dictionaries of the Ancient French language does not work either, because, especially when it comes to scientific writings, only a very small percentage of the available material had found its way into the dictionaries so far, and, what is more, supposed neologisms mostly turn out to be French adaptations of terms deeply rooted in the European discursive tradition. Thus, the only method that seems to yield reliable results is to consider the "social aspect" of the neologism—not in its original sense that lexical homogeneity for a given concept helps distinguish hapaxes from well-established lexical creations, but the other way round, since lexical variety seems to enable us to identify concepts for which a satisfying equivalent in Old French has not yet been found. In addition, analyses made of a choice of terms from the corpus seem to indicate that more neologisms tend to be found among astronomical terms than among astrological terms.


Tetraphenylenes not only are theoretically and experimentally interesting but also have potential applications in a variety of fields such as materials science, supramolecular chemistry, and asymmetric catalysis. A facile and efficient approach is reported for the syntheis of tetraphenylene and its derivatives from 2-iodobiphenyls via Pd-catalyzed C-H activation. A range of substituted tetraphenylenes can be synthesized using this method, and the reaction can be performed on gram scale with relatively high efficiency, demonstrating its practical utility. This novel approach provides easy access to tetraphenylenes and should facilitate research on the application of this type of fascinating molecules.


The chief moral justification for investment in genetic technologies is on the basis of their medical benefit to humanity. However, the humanitarian goal of medicine has come to play a less prominent role in the bioethical literature and medical codes over the course of the twentieth-century. Instead, the promotion of benefit is more frequently discussed in the context of a physician's duty of beneficence to his or her patient. This study argues that the economic and social questions that emerge in ethical discussions of genetics are inadequately served by the more restrictive language of beneficence. The concept of the common good (or public welfare) offers a more versatile means to discuss the social questions that genetics poses.


The pericentromere exists as a distinct chromatin compartment that is thought to form by a process of phase separation. This reflects the ability of the heterochromatin protein CBX5 (aka HP1α) to form liquid condensates that encapsulate pericentromeres.1,2 In general, phase separation compartmentalizes specific activities within the cell, but unlike membrane-bound organelles, their contents rapidly exchange with their surroundings.3 Here, we describe a novel state for the lysine methyltransferase KMT5C where it diffuses within condensates of pericentromeric heterochromatin but undergoes strikingly limited nucleoplasmic exchange, revealing a barrier to exit similar to that of biological membranes. This liquid-like behavior maps to a discrete protein segment with a small number of conserved sequence features and containing separable determinants for localization and retention that cooperate to confer strict spatial control. Accordingly, loss of KMT5C retention led to aberrant spreading of its catalytic product (H4K20me3) throughout the nucleus. We further found that KMT5C retention was reversible in response to chromatin state, which differed markedly for CBX5 and the methyl-CpG binding protein MeCP2, revealing considerable plasticity in the control of these phase separated assemblies. Our results establish that KMT5C represents a precedent in the biological phase separation4 continuum that confers robust spatial constraint of a protein and its catalytic activity without progression to a gel or solid.


After analyzing the speech features in noisy environment, an integrated method for isolated word recognition in noisy environment was proposed, and an experimental system was realized. The detail experiments show that the recognition rate of the system at the noise level about 80 dB is nearly equal to that of the system at noiseless condition, and the system can bear the most noise level about 100 dB.


ABSTRACT We have developed a range of vectors for allelic replacements in Staphylococcus aureus to facilitate genetic work in this opportunistic pathogen. The central feature of the vector range is a selection/counterselection system that takes advantage of the 5-fluoroorotic acid (FOA) resistance and pyrimidine prototrophy caused by the loss and gain, respectively, of the pyrF and pyrE genes. This system allows for stringent counterselection of the vectors during the second homologous recombination of a classic allelic replacement. The basic vector pRLY2, which contains the pyrFE genes from Bacillus subtilis, was combined with chloramphenicol, erythromycin, and tetracycline resistance genes and four different versions of nonreplicative or conditionally replicative origins of replication. The choice between these 12 different pRLY vectors allows for high versatility and ensures that the vectors can be used in virtually any genetic background. Finally, as proof of concept, we present six deletions or modifications of components in the S. aureus degradosome as well as the operon containing the cshB DEAD box helicase.


The authors evaluate a Combined Ultrasound and Electric Field Stimulation Device (CUSEFS) on chronic recalcitrant wounds. Patients chosen for the study suffered from Diabetic Foot Ulcers (DFU's) or Venous Leg Ulcers (VLU's). Twice weekly use of the CUSEFS for fifteen minutes a session was performed for one week on patients whose wound had shown no improvement in the previous two weeks. 96% of the subjects showed some response. The majority of these recalcitrant wounds closed between 8-20% in the first week of treatment with CUSEFS.


The purpose of this work is to calculate Surge and Swab pressure in oil wells with eccentricity between drill string and wellbore or casing string. Analysis of this phenomenon, in which the fluid is confined between two eccentric cylinders, are made. The conformal mapping is used to lead the eccentric domain into the concentric domain, since the usual models correspond to concentric geometries. The results of this study, using the proposed methodology, are presented and discussed.


Inherited peripheral neuropathy (IPN) is caused by heterogeneous genetic mutations in more than 100 genes. So far, several treatment options for IPN have been developed and clinically evaluated using small molecules. However, gene therapy-based therapeutic strategies have not been aggressively investigated, likely due to the complexities of inheritance in IPN. Indeed, because the majority of the causative mutations of IPN lead to gain-of-function rather than loss-of-function, developing a therapeutic strategy is more difficult, especially considering gene therapy for genetic diseases began with the simple idea of replacing a defective gene with a functional copy. Recent advances in gene manipulation technology have brought novel approaches to gene therapy and its clinical application for IPN treatment. For example, in addition to the classically used gene replacement for mutant genes in recessively inherited IPN, other techniques including gene addition to modify the disease phenotype, modulations of target gene expression, and techniques to edit mutant genes have been developed and evaluated as potent therapeutic strategies for dominantly inherited IPN. In this review, the current status of gene therapy for IPN and future perspectives will be discussed.


Objective: To assess the people's knowledge, attitudes and practices towards risk factors for hypertension in Kinondoni Municipality. Study design: Cross sectional descriptive study. Settings: Kimara and Mbezi Luisi wards in Kinondoni Municipality. Subjects: Adults aged 18 years and above, residents of Kinondoni Municipality at Kimara or Mbezi Luisi. Results: The number of people included in the study was 318. More than half of the study population (66.80%) had knowledge on hypertension but only 19.75% had knowledge on risk factors for hypertension. The common risk factors known were consumption of fatty food and stress. People who reported to be doing physical exercises were 52.35%, smoking 9.54% and drinking alcohol 29.56%. Conclusion: Many people have heard about hypertension but only a few know its risk factors. It is necessary to provide education to people so that they can avoid the risk factors hence reduce the prevalence of hypertension.


This review paper describes the immobilization of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) on nanopolyaniline (PANI) by using self-assembly technique. Some chemically synthesized conductive polymers such as PANI were used as support for HRP immobilization. Enzymes immobilized were depend on their properties of immobilize of HRP such as optimum pH, thermal stability and storage stability and all these were investigated. The structure of PANI was characterized by FTIR, FESEM and UV-VIS. The structure of PANI depends on the pH of the phosphate buffer and the type of organic solvent. Thus, the formation of monolayer especially nano-particles of PANI was prepared by using Langmuir-Blodgett technique. The contribution in the development of the biosensor application for hydrogen peroxidase (H2O2) based on the HRP modified electrode was described. Keywords— Horseradish Peroxidase; Polyaniline; Immobilization; Enzymatic; Langmuir-Blodgett


Field-induced excitation gaps in quantum spin chains are an interesting phenomenon related to confinements of topological excitations. In this paper, I present a novel type of this phenomenon. I show that an effective magnetic field with a fourfold screw symmetry induces the excitation gap accompanied by dimer orders. The gap and dimer orders induced so exhibit characteristic power-law dependence on the fourfold screw-symmetric field. Moreover, the field-induced dimer order and the field-induced N\'eel order coexist when the external uniform magnetic field, the fourfold screw-symmetric field, and the twofold staggered field are applied. This situation is in close connection with a compound [Cu(pym)(H$_2$O)$_4$]SiF$_6$ [J. Liu et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 122, 057207 (2019)]. In this paper, I discuss a mechanism of field-induced dimer orders by using a density-matrix renormalization group method, a perturbation theory, and quantum field theories.


The bandwidth minimization problem can be used in data storage and VLSI design issues and saving large hypertext media, etc. The Matrix Bandwidth Minimization Problem involves finding matrix rows and columns permutation so that non-zero elements of the matrix A are located in a band that is as close as possible to the original diameter to minimize the amount of {max{|i−j|:aij≠.}. The Bandwidth Minimization Problem for Graphs (BMPG) is a complicated problem; hence the deterministic algorithms are not appropriate to solve these kinds of problems. The purpose of this research is to reduce the required computations through the use of heuristic algorithms and evolutionary algorithms, so that instead of using purely mathematical methods to find answers, we can turn the problem into an optimization problem through the use of collective intelligence and evolutionary algorithms and the concepts in this field. In the present paper, the use of meta-heuristic algorithm, Imperialist competitive algorithm is proposed in order to solve minimization problem. In this paper, the performance of presented algorithm with random samples has been evaluated compared with the results of genetic algorithms. The results of tests show that the Imperialist competitive algorithm can be considered as an efficient method to solve the bandwidth minimization problem for graphs.


5127 Epithelial tumors form from cells that are released from their natural basement membrane and form 3-D structures that interact with each other and with the microenvironment of the tissue around the tumor, often collagen. Cancer cells growing as monolayers on tissue culture plastic do not reflect many of the properties of whole tumors. This shortcoming limits their ability to serve as perfect models for testing of pharmacologically active compounds, including those that are being tested as anti-neoplastics). This work seeks to create new 3-D cellular materials possessing properties more similar to those in native tissues surrounding cancers, specifically electrospun micro- and nanofibrous scaffolds that support tumor growth in 3-D. Electrospinning creates spider web type fibers on which cells are grown for characterization and testing of anti-cancer compounds. The fibers produced during the electrospinning process are nanoscale, with diameters ranging from 40 to 2000 nm compared to traditional textile fibers that have diameters of 5-200 μm. The primary advantage of electrospinning is that it uses tiny quantities (50-100mg-the quantity that might result from a custom synthesis) of polymer in solution to form micro- and nanofibers. A second advantage is that additional components, e.g., small molecules, a second polymer, or cell binding factors can be added to the polymer solution and often can be incorporated into the fiber during the electrospinning process. We have optimized conditions to grow cancer cells (prostate cancer bone metastatic line C4-2B and osteosarcoma line MG-63) on these matrices for use in cancer killing studies. Data indicate that while cells attach to plates coated with collagen approximately 4X more efficiently than they initially do to electrospun membranes, by day 5 there are 4-5X more cells growing on the scaffolds. MG-63 and C4-2B cells both migrate through the depth of the electrospun membrane and by day 5 confocal images show cell processes extending throughout the membrane. C4-2B cells begin to form small colonies resembling tumors by day 5. Cells on electrospun collagen are more resistant to killing by all agents tested to date including camptothecin, rapamycin, and docetaxel than are their counterparts on collagen coated plastic. We conclude that 3-D electrospun membranes are amenable to high throughput drug screening for cancer cell susceptibility and combination killing.


Sintering of metal nanowire (NW) networks on transparent polymers is an emerging approach for fabricating transparent conductive electrodes used in multiple devices. Pulsed light sintering is a scalable sintering process in which large-area, broad-spectrum xenon lamp light causes rapid NW fusion to increase network conductivity, while embedding the NWs in the polymer to increase mechanical robustness. This paper develops a multiphysical approach for predicting evolution of conductivity, NW fusion and nanoscale temperature gradients on the substrate during pulsed light sintering of silver NWs on polycarbonate. Model predictions are successfully validated against experimentally measured temperature and electrical resistance evolution. New insight is obtained into the diameter-dependent kinetics of NW fusion and nanoscale temperature gradients on the substrate, which are difficult to obtain experimentally. These observations also lead to the understanding that NW embedding in intense pulsed light sintering (IPL) can occur below the glass transition temperature of the polymer, and to a new differential thermal expansion-based mechanism of NW embedding during IPL. These insights, and the developed model, create a framework for physics-guided choice of NWs, substrate and process parameters to control conductivity and prevent substrate damage during the process.


We have developed a novel sustained release formulation, minipellet, which is applicable to various kinds of biologically active proteins. In this study, dosage form design of interferon (IFN) minipellet was investigated. First, in order to select suitable carrier material, matrix type formulations were prepared with natural biodegradable polymers, human serum albumin (HSA), gelatin and atelocollagen, and the release profiles of IFN from these polymers were compared. IFN was released slowly from the sample made of atelocollagen but rapidly from the samples made of HSA and gelatin. The release of IFN from the atelocollagen films, prepared by drying the atelocollagen solution, varied with the atelocollagen concentration before drying. This suggested that IFN release was controlled by the density of atelocollagen matrix. So, in order to obtain the higher matrix density of atelocollagen, we newly designed a cylindical dosage formulation prepared by extrusion and air-drying of an atelocollagen solution with high concentration and named minipellet. IFN was constantly released from minipellet in vitro. Pharmacokinetic studies in mice showed that the serum IFN concentration was maintained for a long time with minipellet. To determin the optimal minipellet composition, IFN minipellets containing different amount of HSA were prepared and IFN release profile from them in dogs was evaluated, The IFN concentration increased gradually after the administration of IFN minipellet containing 30% (w/w) HSA, reached Cmax after 24h, and decreased gradually thereafter with a detectable level for 10 days. The IFN minipellet is expected to offer a significant advantage in IFN therapy because the attenuated peak IFN concentrations in serum may reduce the side effects and the sustained release may reduce the frequency of administration.


Background: Globally, teachers have misconceptions about epilepsy and its management. Little is known about Saudi Teachers' knowledge about epilepsy in Taif City. Method: Descriptive questionnaire-based cross-sectional survey of a sample of schoolteachers in Taif Governate. Results: The study included (n = 420) schoolteachers. All heard about epilepsy and (n = 116, 27.6%) knew about epilepsy from an afflicted individual, and (n = 102, 24.3%) from social media outlets. Most teachers believed that an epileptic fit constitutes seizures (n = 370, 88.1%). Some (n = 330, 78.6%) were not satisfied with their knowledge level. Attitudes were positively associated with years of experience, but, generally, were only modest with 50.2% fearful of having an epileptic child in class. The mean practice score was 6.9 (out of 15). Practice was improved by having a pupil with epilepsy in class. Discussion and Conclusion: Schoolteachers in Taif showed excellent crude knowledge about epilepsy. However, knowledge of crucial details of the disorder were poor. This could be due to reliance on social media for information. There was high level of insight among schoolteachers regarding their sub-optimum knowledge levels. Knowledge was much better among experienced schoolteachers. Witnessing an epileptic fit improved knowledge. Teachers' attitudes toward epilepsy were negative, likely because of significant epilepsy-related stigma. Years of experience were significantly associated with increased attitude score. Schoolteachers' actual practice in handling epilepsy cases was below-expectation. There is pressing need for high-quality workshops to address knowledge and practice deficits.


Given that mental health issues are acute in Asian countries, particularly Japan and Korea, and university students are more vulnerable to depression than the general population, this study aims to examine the landscapes of scientific research regarding depressive disorders among university students and evaluate the effectiveness of international collaboration and funding provision on the scientific impact in Korea, Japan, and China. Based on articles retrieved from the Web of Science database during the period 1992–2018, we found that the number of scientific publications, international collaborations, and allocated funds regarding depressive disorder among university students in China (97 articles, 43 international collaborations, and 52 funds provided, respectively) overwhelmingly surpassed the case of Korea (37 articles, 12 international collaborations, and 15 funds provided, respectively) and Japan (24 articles, 5 international collaborations, and 6 funds provided, respectively). The differences in collaboration patterns (p-value < 0.05) and the proportion of allocated funds (p-value < 0.05) among Korea, Japan, and China were also noted using Fisher's exact test. Based on the Poisson regression analysis, China's associations of scientific impact with international collaboration (β = −0.322, p-value < 0.01) and funding provision (β = −0.397, p-value < 0.01) are negative, while associations of the scientific impact and scientific quality with funding provision and international collaboration were statistically insignificant. These findings hint that Korea and Japan lacked scientific output, diversity in research targets, international collaboration, and funding provision, compared to China, but the quality of either China's internationally collaborated or funded articles was contentious. As a result, policymakers in Korea and Japan are suggested to raise the importance of mental health problems in their future policy planning and resource distribution. Moreover, it would be advisable to establish a rigorous system of evaluation for the quality of internationally collaborated and funded studies in order to increase scientific impact and maintain public trust, especially in China.


The two main ways to search for information in electronic document collections are by using free-text retrieval search engines or browsing information that has been organized into predefined organizational structures. However, each of these approaches has limitations. Using word or phrase search, users are faced with a compromise between overly broad searches returning an excessive amount of information or overly narrow searches that may fail to return relevant information. Browsing organizational structures is dependent on the user's knowledge of the structures, and a user may find it difficult to refine searches. This paper introduces a user interface based approach to the browsing of hierarchically organized information entities that avoids these problems by allowing the incremental narrowing down of a set of search results and by pruning the organizational structure after each user selection to show the consequences of the selection. The effect is to present to the user at all times only that part of the organizational structure that will lead to a nonnull selection. The approach is called no zero match (NZM) browsing. The paper presents the computational basis of NZM browsing before describing a trial implementation of the approach and presenting three case studies, which represent common search situations in an engineering context.


This study is concerned with the determination of technological quality
 characteristics of dried pomaces, i.e. blackberry and raspberry seeds, along
 with the quality parameters, content of total carotenoids and chlorophyl and
 transparency of crude extracted oil (using organic solvent). Blackberry seeds
 (Rubus fruticosus L.) were obtained from a domestic variety Cacanska bestrna,
 while the raspberry seeds (Rubus idaeus L.) were of the variety Willamette.
 Oil content of the blackberry pomace was 13.97 and 14.34%, while the oil
 content of the raspberry pomace was 13.44 and 14.33% on dry basis (d.b.). In
 regard to technological characteristics of the pomaces, i.e. volumetric and
 specific weight, no considerably difference was found. However, a weight test
 for 1000 seeds showed a significant difference in weight: 3.5 g (d.b.) for
 the blackberry pomace and 1.5 g for the raspberry pomace (d.b.). Proximate
 analysis of blackberry seed oil showed that this oil had better quality since
 the FFA value was 3.43% (sample B1) and 3.53% (sample B2), while the peroxide
 value was 8.89 and 11.16 mmol/kg, respectively. Raspberry seed oil had higher
 FFA (8.59 and 8.83% for sample R1 and R2) and peroxide values (13.99 and
 13.84 for sample R1 and R2) than the blackberry seed oil. Crude extracted
 blackberry seed oil had a brown-greenish color due to the high total
 chlorophyll content (around 3000 mg/kg dissolved in cyclohexane). Raspberry
 seed oil had a dark yellowishorange color, due to lower chlorophyll content
 (around 200 mg/kg) compared to the blackberry seed oil, while the content of
 total carotenoids was slightly higher in this oil (around 40 mg/kg) compared
 to the blackberry seed oil (33 mg/kg). [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike
 Srbije, br. TR 31014: Development of the new functional confectionery
 products based on oil crops]


In this paper, we review software development as a document-based process, with the capture of a full but ideal development history as the assumed purpose of the documents concerned. We identify generic requirements for perusal, editing and veriication of such documents, and illustrate how these requirements could be met in a software development environment based on current interaction technology. Finally, we propose a generic environment architecture for implementation of the facilities concerned, and outline how our own research work has addressed some of the requirements of this architecture.


Indistinct and gradational ('amalgamated') contacts are commonly reported within the deposits of many geophysical flows, including pyroclastic flows, debris flows and turbidity currents. However, a physical process is rarely offered as an explanation for the observed contact relationships. Herein we present experimental data as a basis for proposing a physically plausible explanation at an appropriate scale for such deposits. Flume experiments, using a lock-gate release of coloured dry granular bead charges revealed the formation of vortical mixing features between charges and loose substrate materials. Setting and sectioning of the deposits has enabled detailed 3D characterization of the internal architectures formed. Vortical instabilities are captured forming at the contact between the substrate and charge, growing in the vertical plane. The instability growth is inferred to be due to granular shear, in a manner similar to Kelvin-Helmholtz (K-H) instability growth in Newtonian fluids. The highly unsteady and brief nature of the experimental flows has captured these features in the early stages of formation. A sustained current would cause the continued growth and downstream transport of these instabilities, leading to a significant degree of mixing across the basal contact of shearing flows. The K-H-like instabilities found growing in the vertical plane within shearing dry granular fluids suggests a plausible single mechanism for amalgamation within a wide range of deposits from turbidity currents, debris flows and pyroclastic density currents.


Abstract Low-velocity zones ('bright spots') imaged by the INDEPTH seismic experiment in southern Tibet are extensively interpreted as widespread partial melt within the crust, which has given a strong support for the channel flow model. These suggest that a continuous seismic low-velocity zone underlies Tibet on the large scale. Here we take advantage of the Hi-CLIMB seismic experiment which includes a dense south–north profile and a lateral 2D seismic network to assess the vertical and the horizontal extension of low-velocity zones in southern Tibet. Several approaches including migration, amplitude analysis and waveform inversion of receiver functions are performed to detect crustal low-velocity zones using this new seismological dataset. Our results reveal localized and discontinuous low-velocity zones in Tibet. They indicate that the vertical extension of the low-velocity zones is about 10 km, and their maximum horizontal length appears to be c. 50 km. Our study suggests a partial correlation between the location of these low-velocity zones and the spatial distribution of Tibetan grabens. These results, especially the non-continuity of low-velocity zones, together with the observed regular value of mean crustal VP/VS ratio, question the existence of widespread partial melt of the southern Tibetan crust and, therefore, the viability of the channel flow model.


This work uses the low-dissipation strategy to obtain efficiency at maximum power from a stochastic heat engine performing Carnot-, Stirling- and Ericsson-like cycles at finite time. The heat engine consists of a colloidal particle trapped by optical tweezers, in contact with two thermal baths at different temperatures, namely hot (T_{h}) and cold (T_{c}). The particle dynamics is characterized by a Langevin equation with time-dependent control parameters bounded to a harmonic potential trap. In a low-dissipation approach, the equilibrium properties of the system are required, which in our case, can be calculated through a statelike equation for the mean value 〈x^{2}〉_{eq} coming from a macroscopic expression associated with the Langevin equation.


Aim: The aim of the article is to demonstrate that despite wide variety of areas involving security issues, there exists their common measure and benchmark. The author raised and confirmed a hypothesis that there is a tool allowing for qualitative or quantitative description of security. A risk analysis is such an instrument. Methodology: The article reviews the basic literature summarising current achievements in security sciences. The author proposes a tool that enables both risk analysis and risk management, which is a way of developing resilience to threats. Results: The author indicates two main directions of research works. The first one pertains to engineering approach to solving safety problems, which falls within technical field of science. The second one employs social and political methods of research and comes under social science. Links between them are the subject of author's analysis. Assuming that risk is a measure of safety, the author made a generalisation which allows to integrate the methods of the above mentioned science fields into unified methodology of risk assessment. Related to this, for the purposes of this article the notion of a generalised risk was defined. It incorporates both expert methods of solving problems and a socio-political factor, namely social agitation. The method of aggregating different hazard consequences categories was presented by means of the transformation matrix. Protection systems effectiveness was defined through introduction of the supplementary and system barriers concept to the risk assessment. As a result, a method for evaluating resilience of protected systems, particularly in public administration units as well as in civil protection system. The article also indicates research fields which need deeper exploration, especially in the context of measures and indicators of risk and social resilience. Conclusions: The theoretical foundations of security studies presented in the article offer a holistic view on questions of safety. Based on the analysis and synthesis of existing knowledge new solutions were proposed in regard to local community resilience.


The objective of this study was to assess the degree to which the mode of administration of the computer-based Academic Skills Assessments of The Praxis Series: Professional Assessments for Beginning Teachers™ contributes to performance differences among test takers. To make this determination, inexperienced or anxious computer users were recruited to take the assessments. The degree to which test design and test familiarization procedures effectively minimized variation due to comfort and familiarity with computers was examined from three perspectives:

the extent to which the availability of a personal, information-providing test center supervisor influenced test performances, beyond the help provided by a computerized test familiarization tutorial,

the effect of within-test practice on later performance on a subsequent section of the test, and

the relationship of computer-based test performance to attitudes toward computers and experience in using them.

The conclusion was that performance on the tests is not unduly affected by computer administration.


The dissertation examines a case of a student with visual impairment (VI) included in regular government school in the United Arab Emirates. The purpose of this study was to provide an understanding of the provisions and support needed for such students and to promote the means that will allow students with special needs in general and students with VI in particular to benefit from the regular school setting. The data were compiled based on qualitative data collection techniques and strategies according to the objectives and aims of the study. The student was observed in his school environment, and the findings are presented in relation to information collected from the interviews and researchers' findings from other countries. In addition, recommendations are provided to assist in the development of a better school environment. The conclusions showed that there is a clear and significant need for provisions in different areas, including early intervention, training, and appropriate technology. Professional partnerships are essential to ensuring that policy set by federal law (29/2006) for individuals with special needs, including VI, is applied in practice.


The authors report on the case of a 7 week-old boy, in whom a renal mass was discovered after general symptoms were observed. Within 48 h, cardiac failure secondary to systemic arterial hypertension occurred, requiring intensive care. After a few days of mechanical ventilation and alternating elevated and low blood pressure, improvement was obtained with captopril and frusemide enabling further investigations to be carried out which lead to the diagnosis of Wilms tumor. During left-sided nephrectomy, elevated renin from the left renal vein was found. The post surgical course was excellent. Several authors have reported on the association between arterial hypertension and nephroblastoma as being the result of hyperreninism due to hilar compression; however severe hypertension was uncommon. Renin activity determination from the tumoral tissue had led to a different interpretation, ie primary hyperreninism: in the case of mesoblastic nephroma, only the non tumoral but compressed tissue contains a large quantity of renin; in the case of nephroblastomas, only the tumoral tissue contains renin. The question now is whether all or only certain nephroblastomas secrete renin.


We construct envelopes of holomorphy for model manifolds of order 4 and describe a class of such manifolds whose envelope is a cylindrical domain (with respect to certain variables) based on a Siegel domain of the second kind. This enables us to prove the holomorphic rigidity of model manifolds of this class. We also study the envelope of holomorphy of a special model manifold of type (1,4) and show it to be a domain of bounded type whose distinguished boundary coincides with the initial manifold. The holomorphic automorphism group of this domain coincides with that of the initial manifold. The envelope of holomorphy is fibred into orbits of this group. The generic orbits are 8-dimensional homogeneous non-spherical completely non-degenerate manifolds in .


The research objective is to establish the most likely factors responsible for the aquaculture entrepreneurs' success in catching of fresh water fish. The research design refers to quantitative research that addresses research objective through empirical assessments. Data for assessing the success factors were collected via a random sampling survey of 105 respondents through site visits in the state of Selangor, Malaysia. Findings from the survey revealed that majority of the entrepreneurs are Malays and technology is an important factor in increasing the production and enhancing the success in catching fresh water fish.


Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is one of the most common etiologies of liver-related mortality throughout the world. Among the six HCV genotypes, genotype 1 was significantly more aggressive when utilizing the combination of pegylated interferon and ribavirin, as genotype 1-infected patients had the lowest likelihood of achieving cure (40%–50%) and required twice as long duration of treatment, as compared to genotypes 2 and 3. Recently, however, significant advances have been made with the advent of all-oral direct-acting antiviral agents, which have significantly improved the safety, efficacy, and tolerability of the treatment of HCV genotype 1. Among the available treatments for HCV genotype 1, the combination therapy of ledipasvir/sofosbuvir provides several advantages compared to other regimens, including use of a single-pill regimen, possibility to shorten the duration of treatment to 8 weeks, efficacy in patients exposed to protease inhibitors, safety in decompensated cirrhosis, and potential to avoid ribavirin. In this review, we discuss the pharmacotherapy of the combination of ledipasvir/sofosbuvir therapy and summarize the results of the Phase III clinical trials for this treatment in HCV genotype 1 patients. We will also discuss the data for special populations, including decompensated cirrhosis, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) coinfected patients, African-Americans, the elderly, and those who failed sofosbuvir-containing regimens.


A 32-year-old female with unexplained infertility delivered a healthy male infant at 39 weeks 0 days gestational age; the pregnancy was facilitated by in vitro fertilization. Shortly after delivery, she was found to have a morbidly adherent placenta. Attempted removal resulted in postpartum hemorrhage and ultimately hysterectomy after attempting multiple fertility preserving methods to achieve hemostatic control. Pathology results revealed a diagnosis of a 0.1 cm placenta increta (Grade 2 placental villi invasion), the least common diagnosis within the placenta accreta spectrum (PAS). Likely due to the small point of trophoblastic invasion, the diagnosis and outcome were not foreseen. This case highlights the need for additional data collection and development of standardized guidelines for the diagnosis and management of PAS, given a patient's risk factors. Current research may be limited by stigmatization surrounding infertility and reproductive-altering surgeries (e.g. hysterectomy). Additionally, counseling in all stages of pregnancy is critical to achieving the best patient-centered outcomes.