An important goal of cognitive neuroscience is understanding the neural underpinnings of conscious awareness. Although the low-level processing of sensory input is well understood in most modalities, it remains a challenge to understand how the brain translates such input into conscious awareness. Here, I argue that the application of multivariate pattern classification techniques to neuroimaging data acquired while observers experience perceptual illusions provides a unique way to dissociate sensory mechanisms from mechanisms underlying conscious awareness. Using this approach, it is possible to directly compare patterns of neural activity that correspond to the contents of awareness, independent from changes in sensory input, and to track these neural representations over time at high temporal resolution. I highlight five recent studies using this approach, and provide practical considerations and limitations for future implementations.


Teaching a computer to read and answer general questions pertaining to a document is a challenging yet unsolved problem. In this paper, we describe a novel neural network architecture called the Reasoning Network (ReasoNet) for machine comprehension tasks. ReasoNets make use of multiple turns to effectively exploit and then reason over the relation among queries, documents, and answers. Different from previous approaches using a fixed number of turns during inference, ReasoNets introduce a termination state to relax this constraint on the reasoning depth. With the use of reinforcement learning, ReasoNets can dynamically determine whether to continue the comprehension process after digesting intermediate results, or to terminate reading when it concludes that existing information is adequate to produce an answer. ReasoNets achieve superior performance in machine comprehension datasets, including unstructured CNN and Daily Mail datasets, the Stanford SQuAD dataset, and a structured Graph Reachability dataset.


emotion, language contacts, worldview, cognitological aspect, cognition, the-saurus, consciousness. For the first time this article discusses some aspects of cognitive research Oguz-kypchak-skish lexical interrelations on emotive materials, bound up with ethnogenesis of closely re-lated peoples and with worldview. Substantiated, that the language is a part of the cognitive system as a whole; the language – is the most important part of it, included in information and cognitive system and knowledge of the world by human, where interacts thinking, con-sciousness, memory, and language. It turns out the spread of common emotive units in Oguz (Turkmen, Azeri) and Kipchak (Bashkir) languages. In the plan methodological inter-pretation the idea of compiling a dictionary thesaurus type is put forward.


The paper first covers several properties of the extension of the divisibility relation to a set ${}^*\hspace{-0.5mm}N$ of nonstandard integers. After that, a connection is established with the divisibility in the Stone-Cech compactification $\beta N$, obtaining an equivalent condition for divisibility of ultrafilters introduced by the author. Some earlier results are illuminated by nonstandard methods, and new results on ultrafilters on the higher levels of the divisibility hierarchy are obtained by means of limits.


The Post-Licensure Rapid Immunization Safety Monitoring (PRISM) system is a cohort-based active surveillance network initiated by the US Department of Health and Human Services to supplement preexisting and other vaccine safety monitoring systems in tracking the safety of monovalent pandemic 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine in the United States during 2009-2010. PRISM investigators conducted retrospective analysis to determine whether 2009 H1N1 vaccination was associated with increased risk of any of 14 prespecified outcomes. Five health insurance and associated companies with 38 million members and 9 state/city immunization registries contributed records on more than 2.6 million doses of 2009 H1N1 vaccine. Data on outcomes came from insurance claims. Complementary designs (self-controlled risk interval, case-centered, and current-vs.-historical comparison) were used to optimize control for confounding and statistical power. The self-controlled risk interval analysis of chart-confirmed Guillain-Barré syndrome found an elevated but not statistically significant incidence rate ratio following receipt of inactivated 2009 H1N1 vaccine (incidence rate ratio = 2.50, 95% confidence interval: 0.42, 15.0) and no cases following live attenuated 2009 H1N1 vaccine. The study did not control for infection prior to Guillain-Barré syndrome, which may have been a confounder. The risks of other health outcomes of interest were generally not significantly elevated after 2009 H1N1 vaccination.


A mapping technique that can handle any number of fundamental frequencies in multitone nonlinear circuit analysis is presented. In this technique, almost-periodic spectrum truncated using the box scheme is mapped onto an equivalent periodic spectrum which is dense with no missing harmonic. The Fourier transform (or its inverse) is then implemented by a single one-dimensional fast Fourier transform. Characteristics of the mapping technique are illustrated by some results. Due to its good combination of flexibility and speed, this mapping technique should be considered as an alternative to the multidimensional discrete Fourier transform in general-purpose harmonic-balance simulators.


In this paper we describe an Internet Java-based technology that allows scientists to make their analytical software available worldwide. The implementation of this technology is exemplified by programs for the calculation of the lipophilicity and water solubility of chemical compounds available at http://www.lnh.unil.ch/~itetko/logp. Both these molecular properties are key parameters in quantitative structure-activity relationship studies and are used to provide invaluable information for the overall understanding of the uptake distribution, biotransformation, and elimination of a wide variety of chemicals. The compounds can be analyzed in batch or single-compound mode. The single-compound analysis offers the possibility to compare our results with several popular lipophilicity calculation methods, including CLOGP, KOWWIN, and XLOGP. The chemical compounds are analyzed according to SMILES line notation that can be prepared with the JME molecular editor of Peter Ertl. Conversion to SMILES from 56 formats is also available using the molecular structure information interchange hub developed by Pat Walters and Matt Stahl.


In the past, stability of an undamped clamped-pinned pipe conveying fluid has been always considered numerically leading to controversial results. Paidoussis (2004) has shown that a numerical stability analysis of a clamped-pinned pipe requires exceptionally large number of vibration modes to obtain the correct dynamical behaviour. In this paper, analytical proof of stability of a clamped-pinned pipe conveying fluid at a low speed is given. A tensioned Euler-Bernoulli beam in combination with a plug flow model is used as a model. The stability is studied employing a D-decomposition method. Advantages and disadvantages of this method with respect to the conventional methods are discussed. For demonstration of the method's capabilities, it is applied to a clamped-pinned pipe subject to linearised Morison damping caused by the surrounding fluid.


Ritonavir, indinavir, and saquinavir, all human immunodeficiency virus-1 protease inhibitors with a potent antiviral effect during triple therapy, are extensively metabolized by liver cytochrome P450 3A4. As this P450 isoform is involved in the metabolism of about 50% of drugs, coadministration of protease inhibitors with other drugs may lead to serious effects due to enzyme inhibition. Among these drugs, methadone and buprenorphine, both metabolized by P450 3A4, are potential candidates to drug interactions. In this study, metabolic interactions between these protease inhibitors and methadone or buprenorphine were studied in vitro in a panel of 13 human liver microsomes. Ritonavir was the most potent competitive inhibitor with Ki about 50 and 20 nM for methadone and buprenorphine metabolisms, respectively. Indinavir and saquinavir also inhibited methadone N-demethylation (Ki about 3 and 15 microM, respectively) and buprenorphine N-dealkylation (Ki about 0.8 and 7 microM, respectively). The rank order of inhibition potency against metabolism of methadone and buprenorphine was ritonavir > indinavir > saquinavir. There is obvious potential for clinically significant drug interactions, particularly with ritonavir. In brief, caution should be advised if human immunodeficiency virus-1 protease inhibitors are coadministered with methadone and buprenorphine.


We study how two distinct forms of globalisation, trade cost reductions and opening up of trade in previously shielded sectors, affect sector-specific wages, employment levels and aggregate welfare in a two-country model of general oligopolistic equilibrium (GOLE) with partly unionised labour markets. We find that both forms of globalisation increase union coverage, and they also lead to a lower union wage premium in shielded sectors. In contrast, the union wage premium in open sectors and aggregate welfare are affected differently by the two types of globalisation. Trade cost reductions in open sectors always lead to higher union wage premia and to lower aggregate welfare, while an increased number of open sectors lowers the union wage premium, and it may also increase welfare. JEL-Classification: F12, F15, F16


We describe a 74-year-old man with a colonic metastatic squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) from the lung. His chest X-ray revealed an abnormal shadow in the right upper lobe. Computed tomography (CT) of the chest demonstrated a large lung tumor in the right upper lobe obstructing the right upper bronchus. Bronchoscopy revealed an easy-bleeding tumor in the right upper bronchus that was diagnosed as poorly differentiated squamous cell lung carcinoma. He underwent colonoscopy because he had a positive fecal occult blood test. Colonoscopy revealed a large protruding lesion with central ulceration in the descending colon. Histological examination of the biopsy specimen obtained from the colonic lesion revealed SCC. The lesion was diagnosed as metastatic colonic SCC. He had no abdominal symptoms. He underwent chemotherapy with an infusion of cisplatin 130 mg i.v. day 1, and docetaxel hydrate 100 mg i.v. day 1, repeated every 4 wk, followed by 4 courses of chemotherapy. The primary lesion shrank by less than 10% and was judged to be "Partial Response" (PR) after 3 courses of treatment. The patient still lived 23 wk after the diagnosis of metastatic colonic SCC. Colonic metastasis of primary SCC of the lung is rare.


C-C coupling by transition metal catalyzed C-H activation has developed into a diverse area of research. The applicable catalysts are manifold, and the variety of products obtained range from basic chemicals to pharmaceuticals and building blocks for carbon networks. One reaction, in which several C-C bonds are formed under C-H activation of a methyl group, is the conversion of ortho-iodoanisole according to Equation (1).


This study aimed at investigating the knowledge and perception of youth on contraceptive use and its influence on unintended pregnancy. Unintended pregnancy is a public health issue in Zimbabwe. Focusing on the problems that most youth go through due to indulgences in risky sexual behaviors due to negative perceptions they have on contraceptive use. Efforts have been made to reduce the rates of unintended pregnancy among youth, which include the introduction of contraceptives, inclusion of the topic in guidance and counselling, and programmes that different organizations have pioneered around the country. The question still remains; "how effective has been the information and availability of contraceptives in the reduction of unintended pregnancy?" the study discovered that most youths have the information on contraceptive use, but this has not deterred any of their risky sexual behaviors and attitudes, to a greater extent. Various reasons for such behavior patterns executed by youths range from perpetual African traditional teachings transferred from one generation to another which explicitly denounce contraceptive use and religious attitudes that proclaim conspiracy theories. It is also the lack of adequate information on their sexuality is-a- vis the modern day society sexual practices. The above mentioned factors contribute to negative perceptions on contraceptive use thus leading to the hypothesis that guided this research: there is lack of knowledge and use of contraceptives. This research identified that societies have a magnitude of work that needs to be done in an endeavor to combat unintended pregnancy and remodel knowledge and perceptions of contraceptive use amongst the youth.


Accurate knowledge of the rain amount is a crucial driver in several hydrometeorological applications. This is especially true in complex orography territories, which are typically impervious, thus, leaving most mountain areas ungauged. Due to their spatial and temporal coverage, weather radars can potentially overcome such an issue. However, weather radar, if not accurately processed, can suffer from several limitations (e.g., beam blocking, altitude of the observation, path attenuation, and indirectness of the measurement) that can hamper the reliability of the rain estimates performed. In this study, a comparison between rain gauge and weather radar retrievals is performed in the target area of the Abruzzo region in Italy, which is characterized by a heterogeneous orography ranging from the seaside to Apennine ridge. Consequently, the Abruzzo region has an inhomogeneous distribution of the rain gauges, with station density decreasing with the altitude reaching approximately 1500 m a.s.l. Notwithstanding, pluviometric inflow spatial distribution shows a subregional dependency as a function of four climatic and altimetric factors: coastal, hilly, mountain, and inner plain areas (i.e., Marsica). Such areas are used in this analysis to characterize the radar retrieval vs. rain gauge amounts in each of those zones. Compared to previous studies on the topic, the analysis presented the importance of an accurate selection of the climatic and altimetric subregional areas where the radar vs. rain gauge comparison is undertaken. This aspect is not only of great importance to correct biases in radar retrieval in a more selective way, but it also paves the way for more accurate hydrometeorological applications (e.g., hydrological model initialization and quantification of aquifer recharge), which, in general, require the accurate knowledge of rain amounts upstream of a basin. To fill the gap caused by the uneven rain gauge distribution, ordinary Kriging (OK) was applied on a regional scale to obtain 2D maps of rainfall data, which were cumulated on a monthly and yearly basis. Weather radar data from the Italian mosaic were also considered, in terms of rain rate retrievals and cumulations performed on the same time frame used for rain gauges. The period considered for the analysis was two continuous years: 2017 and 2018. The output of the elaborations included raster maps for both radar and interpolated rain gauges, where each pixel contained a rainfall quantity. Although the results showed a general underestimation of the weather radar data, especially in mountain and Marsica areas, they were within the 95% confidence interval of the OK estimation. Our analysis highlighted that the average bias between radar and rain gauges, in terms of precipitation amounts, was a function of altitude and was almost constant in each of the selected areas. This achievement suggests that after a proper selection of homogeneous target areas, radar retrieval can be corrected using the denser network of rain gauges typically distributed at lower altitudes, and such correction can be extended at higher altitudes without loss of generality.


Although price-matching refund policies are common in many retail environments, the impact of such policies on consumers has largely been ignored. This article reports the results of three studies that examine price-matching policies from a consumer perspective. Study 1 shows that consumers perceive price-matching policies as signals of low store prices and that the presence of a refund increases the likelihood of discontinuing price search. Contrary to the predictions based on signaling theory in information economics, studies 2 and 3 show that when search costs are low, the number of stores searched increases in the presence versus absence of a price-matching policy. When search costs are high, consumers appear to accept the price-matching signal at face value and search less in the presence of a refund. The article concludes by discussing the theoretical implications of the findings and suggesting directions for future research.


Original Research Article Background: Liver cirrhosis is a major burden that includes marked metabolic dysfunction and sarcopenia which may influence patients' HRQoL. The main aim of the study was to analyse the mental, physical, and social well-being in sarcopenic population with liver cirrhosis (LC) using Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire (CLDQ). Methods: The six domains of CLDQ were applied in a cross-sectional study during the 18 months of research in Rajasthan, India. Severity of the liver disease was determined through CTP and MELD. For the physical evaluation of sarcopenia, participants had undergone TAMA, hand grip strength, and gait speed test. For the statistical analysis, mean, SD, median, interquartile range, and multi logistic regression was used for final analysis. The total sample size was 138 patients. Result: The mean age of participants was 47.42±13.47 years, alcohol induced cirrhosis was the major factor contributing LC. CLDQ showed association with CTP, Meld Na, Ascites and Sarcopenia. CTP and MELD Na had an inverse effect with all domains of CLDQ and it showed a direct association with TAMA, hand grip strength and gait speed test. Conclusion: LC sarcopenic patients do worst in the domains of CLDQ that impair the health-related quality of life, as evidenced by CTP and MELD scores.


Accurate segmentation of text lines from printed or handwritten documents is an important task in any document processing system. This becomes a challenging and complex problem due to several reasons. Situations arise when the text from neighboring lines overlaps the white space area, or touches text of the current line. Complications may also arise when due to varying skew, text lines curve along the page in varied trajectories. These situations are beyond the scope of common algorithms developed for some printed or handwritten documents. In this paper, we propose a novel approach based on fringe maps to generate segmenting paths between adjacent text lines. First we generate a fringe map for the input binary image, next we compute peak fringe numbers (PFN) to locate potential regions to find a separating path. PFNs between lines are used to generate a segmenting path to separate adjacent lines. The method is demonstrated on various types of examples including those with Indic scripts, both printed and handwritten.


We study exclusion processes on the integer lattice in which particles change their velocities due to stickiness. Specifically, whenever two or more particles occupy adjacent sites, they stick together for an extended period of time, and the entire particle system is slowed down until the ``collision'' is resolved. We show that under diffusive scaling of space and time such processes converge to what one might refer to as a sticky reflected Brownian motion in the wedge. The latter behaves as a Brownian motion with constant drift vector and diffusion matrix in the interior of the wedge, and reflects at the boundary of the wedge after spending an instant of time there. In particular, this leads to a natural multidimensional generalization of sticky Brownian motion on the half-line, which is of interest in both queuing theory and stochastic portfolio theory. For instance, this can model a market, which experiences a slowdown due to a major event (such as a court trial between some of the largest firms in the market) deciding about the new market leader.


What sort of doxastic response is rational to learning that one disagrees with an epistemic peer who has evaluated the same evidence? I argue that even weak general recommendations run the risk of being incompatible with a pair of real epistemic phenomena, what I call evidential attenuation and evidential amplification. I focus on a popular and intuitive view of disagreement, the equal weight view. I take it to state that in cases of peer disagreement, a subject ought to end up equally confident that her own opinion is correct as that the opinion of her peer is. I say why we should regard the equal weight view as a synchronic constraint on (prior) credence functions. I then spell out a trilemma for the view: it violates what are intuitively correct updates (also leading to violations of conditionalisation), it poses implausible restrictions on prior credence functions, or it is non-substantive. The sorts of reasons why the equal weight view fails apply to other views as well: there is no blanket answer to the question of how a subject should adjust her opinions in cases of peer disagreement.


The global performance of the 5 MW OC4 semisubmersible floating wind turbine in random waves with or without steady/dynamic winds is numerically simulated by using the turbine-floater-mooring fully coupled dynamic analysis program FAST-CHARM3D in time domain. The numerical simulations are based on the complete second-order diffraction/radiation potential formulations along with nonlinear viscous-drag force estimations at the body"s instantaneous position. The sensitivity of hull motions and mooring dynamics with varying wave-kinematics extrapolation methods above MWL(mean-water level) and column drag coefficients is investigated. The effects of steady and dynamic winds are also illustrated. When dynamic wind is added to the irregular waves, it additionally introduces low-frequency wind loading and aerodynamic damping. The numerically simulated results for the 5 MW OC4 semisubmersible floating wind turbine by FAST-CHARM3D are also extensively compared with the DeepCWind model-test results by Technip/NREL/UMaine. Those numerical-simulation results have good correlation with experimental results for all the cases considered.


A cobalt complex with nitronyl nitroxide, Co(hfac)2(NITPh-p-Br)2 (hfac = hexafluoroacetylacetonate; NITPh-p-Br = 2-(4/-bromophenyl)-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide) was synthesized. The complex has been investigated by X-ray crystal diffraction and magnetic susceptibility measurements. The crystal structure consists of Radical-Co-Radical tri-spin units, in which the central Co(II) ion is coordinated by four oxygen atoms from two hfac and two oxygen atoms from the NITPh-p-Br. Furthermore, dimmer structure [Co(hfac)2(NITPh-p-Br)2]2 is formed through hydrogen bond interaction between the hydrogen atom of C-H group from hfac ligand and the fluorine atom of C-F group from another hafc ligand. Magnetic susceptibility measurements indicate that the Co(II) ions interact antiferromagnetically with the directly bonding nitroxide group of the radicals.


The phenology of six Antarctic red macroalgae, Delesseria salicifolia Reinsch, Gymnogongrus antarcticus Skottsberg, Gymnogongrus turquetii Hariot, Hymenocladiopsis crustigena Moe, Kallymenia antarctica Hariot and Phyllophora ahnfeltioides Skottsberg, was investigated in a two-year culture study under fluctuating daylengths imitating the conditions of King George Island, South Shetland Islands. The algae were cultured at 0°C in filtered, nutrient enriched seawater under photon fluence rates of 3, 10, 25, 50 μmol photons m−2 s−1. All species are classified as season anticipators, starting growth in late winter–spring and stopping growth before the summer solstice. Formation of new blades was observed from January/February onwards in most of the species. Carpospore formation was observed in K. antarctica in early summer. Growth was light saturated at photon fluence rates of 3 μmol photons m−2 s−1 in D. salicifolia and at 10 μmol photons m−2 s−1 in the other species, corresponding to an annual light dose of 31.4 and 157 mol photons m−2. The results show that this type of life strategy is typical for species from the Antarctic and give further evidence on the high degree of shade adaptation of Antarctic algae and predict a lower distribution limit for these species at 37 ± 15 m and 23 ± 10 m, respectively.


Cook Inlet Basin of south-central Alaska is a forearc basin containing voluminous Tertiary coal deposits with sufficient methane content to suggest a major coalbed gas resource. Coals ranging in thickness from 2 to 50 ft (0.6 to 15 m) and in gas content from 50 to 250 scf/ton (1.6 to 7.8 cm2/g) occur in Miocene-Oligocene fluvial deposits of the Kenai Group. These coals have been identified as the probable source of more than 8 tcf gas that has been produced from conventional sandstone reservoirs in the basin. Cook Inlet coals can be divided into two main groups: (1) those of bituminous rank in the Tyonek Formation that contain mainly thermogenic methane and are confined to the northeastern part of the basin (Matanuska Valley) and to deep levels elsewhere; and (2) subbituminous coals at shallow depths (<5000 ft [1524 m]) in the Tyonek and overlying Beluga formations, which contain mainly biogenic methane and cover most of the central and southern basin. Based on core and corrected cuttings-desorption analyses, gas contents average 230 scf/ton (7.2 cm2/g) for bituminous coals and 80 scf/ton (2.5 cm2/g) for subbituminous coals. Isotherms constructed for samples of both coal ranks suggest that bituminous coals are saturated with respect to methane, whereas subbituminous coals at shallow depths along the eroded west-central basin margin are locally unsaturated. A preliminary estimate of 140 tcf gas in place is derived for the basin.


Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL

Background: As a modifiable risk factor, physical activity (PA) has been linked to breast cancer, and there is cumulative evidence for a beneficial effect of PA on breast cancer risk. However, most of the studies were conducted in developed countries, with little knowledge on PA level and its relation to breast cancer risk among indigenous African populations, where breast cancer may have unique etiology. Methods: We used preliminary data from the African Breast Cancer Study (ABCS), a recently launched, multicenter case-control study, conducted in Cameroon, Nigeria, and Uganda in Africa. After consulting with native investigators in Africa, we developed a physical activity questionnaire to assess the type, frequency, intensity, and duration of various activities. Based on the questionnaire, we calculated sub-scores of housework PA, occupational PA, and leisure PA, as well as a total PA score estimating daily energy expenditure (MET-hours/day). Multivariate linear regression was used to examine the relationship between the total score and sub-scores of PA and case-control status, age, and study sites. Results: To date, 98 cases and 120 controls have been enrolled and the PA questionnaires were administered. The mean age was 48.6 years, ranging from 19-84 years. The overall PA score averaged at 29.6 MET-hours/day, mainly composed by housework PA (an average of 20.5 MET-hours/day) and occupational PA (an average of 16.2 MET-hours/day), with relatively low level of leisure PA (an average of 1.3 MET-hours/day). PA scores were the highest in the Cameroon study site, and the lowest in the Nigerian study site. PA score varied by age, but there was no clear trend. In the multivariable regression model, case-control status was significantly associated with the total PA score: cases were estimated to have 14.0 MET-hours/day lower PA compared to controls, after adjusting for age and study site (p<0.05). Conclusion: African women's physical activity mainly consists of housework activities and work-related activities, with little activities conducted for recreational purposes. The preliminary data show physical activity may be significantly associated with reduced breast cancer risk, but further investigation and a larger sample size are to be followed.

Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 674. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-674


P-glycoprotein (P-170) is the phenotypic marker of tumoral cells that show the phenomenon of multidrug resistance (MDR). Using an immunocytochemical approach, we employed the monoclonal antibody C219 (which recognizes an epitope of such a glycoprotein) to evaluate in cytologic samples the expression of P-170 on neoplastic cells from 52 patients affected by different hematologic malignancies and its eventual correlation to clinical outcome. Longitudinal studies were also performed in 14 patients. Results obtained demonstrated that a) the so-called « MDR phenotype » may be heterogeneously represented (from « 1 to 100% of positive cells) in hemopoietic tumors at diagnosis (without exposure to pharmacologic agents), as well as during the course of the disease, although a more substantial presence of P-170 occurred in treated patients. There was no correlation between neoplastic kinetic activity (such as expression of Ki 67 recognized nuclear proliferation-associated antigen) and P-170-positive cells. b) Percentage of positive cells as well as intensity of staining seemed to be important in determining MDR; in general, there was a strong correlation between expression of P-170 in more than 20% of neoplastic cells and a lack of response to chemotherapy. However, some false-positive and false-negative cases were observed. c) The detection of scattered P-170-positive cells may predict a pharmacologic selection of intrinsic or mutant-resistant clones.


The competitiveness and sustainability of the biodiesel and vegetable oil market can be achieved through increasing the quantity of total biomass cultivated and the yield of the vegetable oil. Furthermore, pre-treatment technologies aiming to increase the bulk density and decrease the water content of the biomass can be employed to reduce the cost of biomass transportation and storage. The valorisation of the by-products (straw, stalk, leaves) through conversion processes into high value-added chemicals and biomaterials as well as energy also contributes to improving the economics of the whole biorefinery scheme.


Objective: Hypertension is associated with higher cardiovascular risk as well as several markers of subclinical target organ damage (TOD). Total arterial compliance (TAC) has been recognized as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular events. We hypothesized that there is a relationship between TAC and markers of TOD in never-treated hypertensives. Design and method: We enrolled 990 consecutive essential hypertensives (mean age 52.6 ± 12.2 years, 526 males) without known cardiovascular disease (CVD). Markers of subclinical TOD [left ventricular mass index (LVMI), pulse wave velocity (PWV), ankle-brachial index (ABI) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)] were evaluated in all patients. LVMI was assessed echocardiographically using the Devereux formula. Carotid-femoral PWV was estimated with the Complior device. eGFR was calculated by the Cockcroft-Gault formula. ABI was calculated by dividing the highest ankle systolic blood pressure by the highest brachial systolic blood pressure. The ratio of stroke volume to pulse pressure was measured echocardiographically as a surrogate of TAC. Results: In multivariable regression analysis, TAC exhibited significant association with LVMI (p = 0.004, adjusted R2 of model = 0.318), PWV (p < 0.001, adjusted R2 of model = 0.335) ABI (p < 0.001, adjusted R2 of model = 0.334) but not with eGFR. In further analysis, TAC was associated with TOD as suggested by the 2013 European Guidelines for Hypertension [left ventricular hypertrophy (LVMI > 115 g/m2 in men and >95 g/m2 in women), increased PWV (PWV > 10 m/s), decreased ABI (ABI < 0.9) and decreased renal function (eGFR<60 ml/min)]. Specifically, TAC exhibited significant association with left ventricular hypertrophy (p = 0.003, adjusted R2 of model = 0.318), increased aortic stiffness (p < 0.001, adjusted R2 of model = 0.325), decreased ABI (p = 0.001, adjusted R2 of model = 0.320) and renal dysfunction (p = 0.003, adjusted R2 of model = 0.318). These associations were independent of age, gender, mean blood pressure, body-mass index, smoking habits, glucose, low-density lipoprotein and C-reactive protein. Conclusions: Our findings support the close relationship between TAC and TOD in hypertension, as well as, the predictive ability of TAC for TOD.


Using trancient capacitance spectroscopy we determined energy levels and studied the annealing behaviour of defect states introduced by 1.5 MeV electron irradiation of float-zone and pulled boron-doped silicon at 80 K. We found that apart from a previously reported bistable defect attributed to the boron substitutional-vacancy pair, the carbon interstitial in the float-zone silicon and the level E, + 0.34 eV in the pulled silicon exhibit charge-dependent peak amplitudes. Additionally, we found that in pulled silicon the (E,, + 0.20 eV) defect level is not only due to the divacancies but also to another kind of contributor which shares it. Finally, some other levels are reported as well.


We reported the kind of symptoms and how they could be palliated in terminally ill patients at home based on our experience of about 9 years. Cancer pain, which was the most frequent symptom, appeared in 67 among 126 patients receiving home care, and it could be effectively controlled with morphine; no patient returned to the hospital because of aggravation of pain. Very few patients stayed in the hospital and never returned home due to uncontrollable pain. Home parenteral infusion was done for 63 patients who were unable to eat or drink because of peritonitis carcinomatosa or cancer cachexia. High fever in the tumor mass was controlled by glucocorticoid hormone, and ascites was drained continuously when the patients suffered from abdominal distension. From analysis of the cases in which home care was interrupted or those in which patients were unable to transfer to home care, symptoms that were difficult to palliate at home were nausea caused by bowel obstruction, acute symptoms (bleeding, disturbance of consciousness, and so on), and dyspnea. But if the patients and family are eager for home care and an adequate medical support system is in place, home care may be possible despite these symptoms.


Disclosed is a hot-pressing cushion material (11a). In this hot-pressing cushion material (11a), the ratio (a : b) between a compression thickness deformation (a), which is calculated by subtracting a compressed thickness size (H2) at the time of loading a predetermined pressing pressure from an initial thickness size (H1), and a repulsive thickness deformation (b), which is calculated by subtracting the compressed thickness size (H2) from a pressure-released thickness size (H3) at the time of eliminating the pressing pressure, is 1 : 1 to 1 : 0.8.


How and when did hominins move from the numerical cognition that we share with the rest of the animal world to number symbols? Objects with sequential markings have been used to store and retrieve numerical information since the beginning of the European Upper Palaeolithic (42 ka). An increase in the number of markings and complexity of coding is observed towards the end of this period. The application of new analytical techniques to a 44–42 ka old notched baboon fibula from Border Cave, South Africa, shows that notches were added to this bone at different times, suggesting that devices to store numerical information were in use before the Upper Palaeolithic. Analysis of a set of incisions on a 72–60 ka old hyena femur from the Les Pradelles Mousterian site, France, indicates, by comparison with markings produced by modern subjects under similar constraints, that the incisions on the Les Pradelles bone may have been produced to record, in a single session, homologous units of numerical information. This finding supports the view that numerical notations were in use among archaic hominins. Based on these findings, a testable five-stage scenario is proposed to establish how prehistoric cultures have moved from number sense to the use of number symbols. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'The origins of numerical abilities'.


Mononuclear phagocytes play an important role in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. However, knowledge of the extent of macrophage involvement in the pathogenesis of HIV infection is still incomplete. This is due in part to the technical difficulties associated with isolating, purifying, and culturing these cells. Isolation of a pure population of human monocytes is essential when studying the role of these cells in HIV infection. In addition, the differentiation, activation, and replication of human monocytes are critically affected by both isolation and culture conditions. This review examines the different monocyte isolation and purification methods and culture conditions that are currently being employed and assesses their suitability for studying the functions of monocytes in HIV infection. J. Leukoc. Biol. 56: 236–240; 1994.


The modified sol-gel derived silica coatings were prepared and characterized. The amino and methyl groups were introduced onto the colloidal silica. The silica coatings with different wettability properties: coloidal silica (water contact angle 17°), polysiloxane (61°), methyl-modified (158° and 46°) coatings samples were tested for CaCo-2 cells proliferation. Methyl-modified coating (46°) proved to be the best substrate for cell proliferation. CaCo-2 cell proliferation two days post seeding was significantly faster on almost laminine, fibronectin and collagen-1 coated samples compared to corresponding controls.


We present a patient with Burkitt's lymphoma who suffered a severe haemolytic crisis after treatment with rasburicase. This case report underlines the high incidence of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency in some ethnic groups and the importance of a detailed patient and family history before starting treatment, even in case of emergency. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase is an essential enzyme since it makes the synthesis of NADPH + H from NADP possible, which determines the reducing power (NADPH) of the cell. Every defect in this physiological process, notably glucose6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, may thus result simultaneously with the use of rasburicase in acute or chronic haemolysis according to the importance of the deficiency. Management is based on stopping the incriminated drug and on supportive therapy consisting of administering packed red blood cells if the anaemia is poorly tolerated. (Belg J Hematol 2015;6(2):74-8)


Bats are one of the least studied groups of vertebrates in Chile; however, in recent years the knowledge about them has advanced significantly due to the implementation of bioacoustics methods as well as by the recent inclusion of bats in environmental impact studies. Here we update the list of Chilean bats, raising to 13 the number of previously known species. In addition to updating the taxonomic status, incorporating a new species record for the country, also some ecological and behavioral information is presented, including significant extensions of the geographic ranges of several species. Finally, we identify and propose some directions for future research to be developed in the country that will allow deepening the knowledge of this group of mammals.


Ms Rossignol and Dr Paasche-Orlow1 described legislation related to educational services for individuals with disabilities and recommended accommodations for use by physicians. In addition to a number of inaccuracies (eg, the comprehensive federal Special Education law was passed in 1975, not 1990; the Individual Education Program [IEP] provides more than just accommodations2), we have concerns about the recommendations provided.


This article seeks to review and consolidate existing research modeling the relationships between perceived privacy, security, and consumer intention to use Web-based services such as on-line shopping. This is a crucial area to understand since many consumers are still reluctant to use on-line services due to perceived risk and trust issues. Recent headlines highlighting major privacy and security breaches by firms such as Winners have further inflamed concerns. Past research, however, has focused only on narrowly defined components of the overall picture, such as the link between security and trust. This paper therefore seeks to consolidate their models, creating a single overarching model, which is proposed as a starting point for future research.


Abstract In this study we investigated the prevalence of sexual aggression as reported by adolescent males and females in the Netherlands. Data were collected from a low-risk school-based sample (n=219; 119 adolescent females and 100 adolescent males), a medium-risk school-based sample (vocational training) (n=237; 117 adolescent females and 120 adolescent males); and a high-risk sample from eight different juvenile justice institutions (n=377; 215 adolescent females and 162 adolescent males). Participants reported on the strategy used to force a person into sexual contact (defined as sexual touching, sexual intercourse or oral sex) against his/her will. Results showed that around 8% of the adolescent females and 10% of the adolescent males reported having used sexual aggression against a person. However, prevalence rates differed for the different samples: the juvenile institution sample showed the highest rate. Further, we found that for adolescent females "beliefs about sexual behaviour" was the only predictor of sexually aggressive behaviour, while for adolescent males being a victim of sexual abuse was the most important predictor. The results are discussed in relation to the literature on sexually aggressive offending behaviour.


Britain's Trident nuclear missile programme has long been politically controversial. In 1999, the controversy entered the judicial arena in Scotland, in two cases involving 'direct action' against Trident installations by anti-nuclear activists. In both cases, the actions were intended not as protests against Britain's nuclear-weapons policy, but rather as actual operations to disable the weapons themselves. The acts were, in other words, in the nature of acts of sabotage. Both incidents led to criminal prosecutions. In both cases, the accused parties sought to use international law as a defence. In both cases, the Appeal Court of the High Court of Justiciary—the highest court for criminal cases in Scotland—rejected the defence. In the process, however, the Appeal Court had occasion to expound upon some controversial points regarding nuclear weapons. Each of these cases will be discussed in turn.


Growing public concern regarding the health of the aging civil infrastructure has spurred research in structural health monitoring (SHM). Recent advances in wireless smart sensor (WSS) technology has significantly lowered the cost of SHM systems and resulted in WSS being successfully implemented at full-scale. However, assuring accurate timesynchronized WSS nodes in a network is still a challenging problem. Generally, WSS synchronization is realized by communicating a sensors' CPU clock information over the network. However, such a synchronization approach becomes more challenging as the network size increases. Reliable communication is not easily achieved due to longer communication distance, larger numbers of sensors, and complexity of a distributed sensor network. Moreover, CPU clocks may not be sufficiently reliable for accurate time-synchronization due to substantial tolerance errors in crystal and/or temperature effects. In this study, the use of low-cost GPS receivers for time synchronizing WSSs is explored to resolve these issues. GPS sensors offer the potential to provide high-accuracy synchronization --- nano-second level even with low-cost GPS receivers. The GPS-assisted time synchronization approach overcomes network communication limitations to realize time-synchronization in large-scale networks of WSS.


Rephotography is the practice of retracing the location depicted in an old photograph and taking a new image from the exact same perspective. The two photographs are then combined within the same photographic frame. Originally used in scientific surveys, rephotography is now a widely popular trend, featuring a variety of technologies. In this article I employ the idea of the ruin to conceptualise rephotography's potential to expose the temporality of space and the spatiality of time. First, I relate Walter Benjamin's theory of the ruin to his notion of photography and introduce the notion of the photograph as a ruin of the event that it captures. Subsequently, with reference to Mark Klett's pioneering work I explore how rephotography spatialises this past event and transforms corresponding details of the physical environment into ruins. Finally, I examine rephotography's performative and affective dimensions through two popular blogs, Dear Photograph and Link to the Past, that feature different techniques of layering images.


Abstract : We present a combined experimental and theoretical study on carbon nanodiamonds using Raman and DAC experimentation and ab initio calculations. Our calculations confirm the surface reconstruction to a fullerene-like structure, and indicate compression of the diamond core, producing an estimated internal pressure of 50 GPa. Quantum molecular dynamics simulations of hypervelocity collisions of NDs show that upon collision shock-induced amorphization first occurs, followed by complete disruption of the ND surface and ejection of reactive particles into the vacuum. Raman spectra of oxidized ND samples at increasing pressures showed a subtle increase in the vibrational intensity of the Raman feature centered near 1335 cm-1 near 18 GPa and continued under subsequent pressure increases. The intensification of this vibrational feature is consistent with a thinning of the amorphous carbon outer shell, which results in greater exposure to the diamond core with increasing pressure and may be a precursor to SBER initiation. Additionally, a nearly two-fold increase in the vibrational intensity of the sp2 graphite peak centered near 1630 cm-1 in the spectra of the oxidized nanodiamond sample suggests the possibility of a sluggish partial phase transition from sp3 hybridized diamond to sp2 hybridized graphite.


Pulmonary infection is a heterogeneous and complex infectious disease with high morbidity and mortality worldwide. In clinical practice, a considerable proportion of the etiology of pulmonary infection is unclear, microbiological diagnosis being challenging. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing detects all nucleic acids in a sample in an unbiased manner, revealing the microbial community environment and organisms and improving the microbiological detection and diagnosis of infectious diseases in clinical settings. ABSTRACT Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) has been gradually applied to clinical practice due to its unbiased characteristics of pathogen detection. However, its diagnostic performance and clinical value in suspected pulmonary infection need to be evaluated. We systematically reviewed the clinical data of 246 patients with suspected pulmonary infection from 4 medical institutions between January 2019 and September 2021. The diagnostic performances of mNGS and conventional testing (CT) were systematically analyzed based on bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). The impacts of mNGS and CT on diagnosis modification and treatment adjustment were also assessed. The positive rates of mNGS and CT were 47.97% and 23.17%, respectively. The sensitivity of mNGS was significantly higher than that of CT (53.49% versus 23.26%, P < 0.01), especially for infections of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (67.86% versus 17.86%, P < 0.01), atypical pathogens (100.00% versus 7.14%, P < 0.01), viruses (92.31% versus 7.69%, P < 0.01), and fungi (78.57% versus 39.29%, P < 0.01). The specificity of mNGS was superior to that of CT, with no statistical difference (90.32% versus 77.42%, P = 0.167). The positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of mNGS were 97.46% and 21.88%, respectively. Diagnosis modification and treatment adjustment were conducted in 32 (32/246, 13.01%) and 23 (23/246, 9.35%) cases, respectively, according to mNGS results only. mNGS significantly improved the diagnosis of suspected pulmonary infection, especially infections of M. tuberculosis, atypical pathogens, viruses, and fungi, and it demonstrated the pathogen distribution of pulmonary infections. It is expected to be a promising microbiological detection and diagnostic method in clinical practice. IMPORTANCE Pulmonary infection is a heterogeneous and complex infectious disease with high morbidity and mortality worldwide. In clinical practice, a considerable proportion of the etiology of pulmonary infection is unclear, microbiological diagnosis being challenging. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing detects all nucleic acids in a sample in an unbiased manner, revealing the microbial community environment and organisms and improving the microbiological detection and diagnosis of infectious diseases in clinical settings. This study is the first multicenter, large-scale retrospective study based entirely on BALF for pathogen detection by mNGS, and it demonstrated the superior performance of mNGS for microbiological detection and diagnosis of suspected pulmonary infection, especially in infections of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, atypical pathogens, viruses, and fungi. It also demonstrated the pathogen distribution of pulmonary infections in the real world, guiding targeted treatment and improving clinical management and prognoses.


Objective: Use of optimal Atlas segmentation algorithm to study the imaging signs of mycoplasma pneumonia with multi-slice spiral CT (HRCT), and to explore the value of HRCT in the diagnosis and efficacy in evaluation of mycoplasma pneumonia in children. Methods: The study retrospectively analyzed 72 patients diagnosed with mycoplasma pneumonia in our hospital from January 2017 to January 2019. The imaging data and clinical data of 72 patients were collected. The optimal Atlas segmentation algorithm was used to analyze the characteristics of CT examination, and the value of CT in the diagnosis of mycoplasma pneumonia and the evaluation of curative effect was summarized. Results: Among all patients, 37 cases were unilateral lesions, 35 cases were bilateral lesions, 19 cases were in the left upper lobe, 24 cases were in the left lower lobe, 21 cases were in the right upper lobe, 13 cases were in the right middle lobe, 25 The lesion was located in the right lower lobe. The main CT findings of the lesions before treatment were large patchy, spot-shaped shadows, and strip-shaped or ground-glass shadows. After treatment, the main CT findings of the lesions were reduced lesion density and reduced lesion range. Conclusion: CT can clearly show the pulmonary lesions of mycoplasma pneumonia, and its unique imaging signs can improve the clinical diagnosis accuracy. In addition, CT scans can evaluate the treatment effect according to the changes in the characteristics of the lesion, which has important value for the evaluation of the effect for clinical diagnosis and efficacy evaluation of mycoplasma pneumonia.


In this paper we study priming of identity within the context of inherent vs. contextual financial decision making. We use a sample of individual trading accounts in equity-style funds taken from one fund family to test the hypothesis that trading styles are inherent vs. contextual. Our sample contains investors who invest either in a growth fund, a value fund, or both. We document behavioral differences between growth fund investors and value fund investors. We find that their trades depend on past returns in different ways: growth fund investors tend towards momentum trading and value fund investors tend towards contrarian trading. These differences may be due to inherent clientele characteristics, including beliefs about market prices, specific personality traits and cognitive strategies that cause them to self-select into one or the other style. We use a sample of investors that trade in both types of funds to test this proposition. Consistent with the contextual hypothesis, we find that investors who hold both types of funds trade growth fund shares differently than value fund shares.


Abstract : The Department of Transportation Emergency Medical Equipment Requirements Rule of January 9, 1986, mandated a period of 24 months (August 1986-July 1988) during which all air carriers flying under Federal Aviation regulation, Part 121, would monitor medical emergencies and use of the prescribed medical kits. The reporting airlines were to provide descriptions of how the medical kits were used, by whom, and the outcome of the medical emergency. During the two year monitoring period, a total of 2,322 reports of medical emergencies were documented; these included 33 inflight deaths, with only one of these representing a crew member (secondary to aircraft structural failure and resultant physical trauma). In the 2,293 actual uses of the medical kit, a physician was the provider in over 85% of the cases. The most common presenting symptom was pain, with unconsciousness, impaired breathing, nausea and/or vomiting, and various myocardial diagnoses the most common presenting sign (in descending order of frequency). High frequency recurrent complaints about kit adequacy were not noted during the two year monitoring period; there were scattered references about the poor technical quality of the most frequently employed equipment; the medical kit content might selectively be expanded to include analgesics, anti-arrhythmics, antiementics, and bronchodilators.


The networking of knowledge in the Internet age is calling into question the relationship between experts and non-experts in the development, preservation, and communication of knowledge. There is a growing movement towards knowledge co-creation and "mutualization." These changes in the roles of expertise will have implications for museums as traditional gatekeepers of knowledge. This paper will explore social tagging as one tactic for broaching the divide between experts and non-experts in the online museum. Although tagging cannot mutualize museum knowledge itself, it can increase access to online collections, provide insight into users and their frameworks of perception, and begin to turn the online collection catalogue into a living historical document in its own right.


Monthly significant event analysis (SEA) sessions, which all clinical staff are invited to attend, were introduced at an independent Hospice in 2010. SEA allows opportunity for a team to come together and reflect on a clinical event that has had a significant impact for them; in either a positive or negative way. The chair of the clinical quality (now clinical audit) group introduced SEA in recognition that it forms an important part of clinical governance. Guidance was developed outlining how a significant event may be identified, how the sessions would be structured (through use of a specific proforma) and facilitated, ground rules to be followed and including background information on the role of SEA in a clinical setting. Pathways for staff support are also outlined in the guidance. Dates of SEA sessions are issued in advance. The significant event to be discussed and session facilitator are decided at the organisations' "Implementing Clinical Governance Group (ICGG)". Since it's introduction, the structure of SEA has been reviewed and adjusted to ensure it is robust from both a governance and learning perspective. This includes ensuring ground rules are set at the beginning of each session and that action points are followed up through ICGG. An aspect we are keen to further develop is the link between SEA learning outcomes and staff education. Examples of topics reflected on at SEA include management of terminal agitation, vulnerable adults, communication, boundaries, expectations, capacity and preferences. SEA is well attended and has received positive verbal, informal feedback with staff voicing they enjoy the sessions and are keen for them to continue. Recently a questionnaire has been developed and sent to all clinical staff to obtain formal feedback to support the development of future SEA sessions.


The passing of the Public Libraries (Scotland) Act, 1955, is an important event, comprising as it does the first step forward in library legislation in the United Kingdom for more than thirty years. True, it is a modest measure which in the main does little more than bring Scotland into line with England and Wales and Northern Ireland in the extent of the statutory library powers of local authorities, and still leaves unsolved several problems for the future. Its first clause removes the statutory rate limitation on expenditure and on borrowing powers of Scottish library authorities, thus bringing to a belated end the eras of penny and threepenny rates. This was a move urgently required, especially in the smaller burghs, though it should be realised that probably more than half the population of Scotland had already been freed from the crippling effect of rate restriction through the passing of local acts, and that no statutory restriction has ever operated on library expenditure in the county libraries of Scotland. The effect of the repeal of the 3d. rate limit will, therefore, be much less marked in the country as a whole than might at first be supposed.


This paper is a short history of the Committee for Academic Freedom in Africa (CAFA) since its founding in 1991 to the present. It describes CAFA documenta- tion of the formation of an Africa-wide student movement against the structural adjustment of African universities. It also details some of CAFA's campaigns in defence of student struggles against both the World Bank's role in propagating the introduction of tuition fees and the cutting of housing and food subsidies to stu- dents and the repressive action of the African governments against protesting students. We argue that academic freedom also includes the right to be involved in the production of knowledge and hence to have access to the means of its produc- tion. To deny Africans such a right in this period in history is to condemn them to the fate of being the damned of the earth once more and to put the ability of Africans to manage their own resources in peril.


New customer requirements, relaxed regulation and increasing competition will lead to a separation of service provision and network operation in future telecommunication environments, with intelligent networks representing the common architecture for an efficient provision of such services in the coming age. This scenario results in an increased number of service providers and network operators involved in the provision of international services spanning several countries and networks. Consequently a high degree of interworking between different management domains is required calling for coordinated management strategies. Management services and corresponding harmonized management interfaces. The paper investigates the upcoming inter-domain management issues in global IN environments and focuses on the possible application of the directory and trading services in future TMN platforms in order to support the interworking of different TMN systems.<<ETX>>


The recent developments in power semiconductor devices and increasing demands on reliability as well as on operation performance require innovative package technologies. Such a novel package technique based on a Planar Interconnect Technology (SiPLIT®) for power modules is introduced in this work. This package features thick Cu interconnects on a high-reliable insulating film for power semiconductor chip top contacts. Due to the conductor structure and contact technology, on-resistance and stray inductances are very low compared to state-of-the-art Al wire bonds. In addition, large area contacting improves the power cycling capability and surge current robustness significantly. These remarkable properties have been verified on several prototype modules where the manufacturing process has also been optimised in terms of cost-effectiveness, system integration and maturity for series production.


BACKGROUND
Studies have found infrequent interventions after croup admission. Our objectives were to achieve 25% reduction in (1) admission rate and (2) neck radiograph utilization among patients presenting to the emergency department.

METHODS
At our tertiary children's hospital, we implemented clustered interventions including education, guideline, and orderset integration. We included patients 3 months to 8 years old with an emergency department, observation, or inpatient encounter for croup. We excluded patients with direct or ICU admissions, complex chronic conditions, or concurrent asthma, pneumonia, or bronchiolitis. We reviewed a random sample of 60% of encounters from baseline (October 1, 2017 to September 30, 2019) and implementation (October 1, 2019 to September 30, 2020) periods. We conducted a posthoc analysis from October 1, 2017 to December 1, 2021 to assess sustainment during coronavirus disease 2019. Interrupted time series analysis was used to evaluate changes in outcome, process, and balancing measures.

RESULTS
There were 2906 (2123 baseline and 783 implementation) encounters included. Extrapolating preintervention trend estimates, the baseline admission rate of 8.7% decreased to 5.5% postintervention (relative decrease 37% [95% confidence interval: 8 to 66]) and sustained over 26 months after implementation. Admission rate in patients receiving 2 or fewer racemic epinephrine was significantly lower in implementation (1.7%) compared with baseline (6.3%), relative decrease of 72% (95% confidence interval: 68 to 88). There were no significant changes in neck radiographs, length of stay, or revisits.

CONCLUSIONS
Croup quality improvement interventions were associated with a significant decrease in hospital admissions with no increase in revisits.


BACKGROUND
According to the National Kidney Foundation-Dialysis Outcomes Quality Initiative (NKF-DOQI) and the European Guidelines, the first and second choice for vascular access for haemodialysis are the radial-cephalic and brachial-cephalic arteriovenous fistula (AVF). Autogenous fistulas have a longer functional lifetime, less thrombotic complications and a lower infection risk compared with prosthetic implants. If it is impossible to create a brachial-cephalic AVF or after failure, either a brachial-basilic (BB) or a prosthetic forearm loop AVF may be considered. To determine the outcome of BB-AVFs, we retrospectively surveyed the results of this type of vascular access.

METHODS
All BB-AVF patient records over a 6 year period were subtracted from an academic hospital registry. Primary failure and primary, assisted primary and secondary patency rates were calculated with the Kaplan-Meier method. Sex, diabetes mellitus (DM), pre-operative duplex diameters, complications and interventions were recorded and correlated with the patency rates.

RESULTS
A total of 31 BB-AVFs were created in a one-stage surgical procedure. Of the patients, 36% were male and 19% had DM. Only one patient had a primary failure, leaving 30 (97%) of the BB-AVFs functional for dialysis treatment. Four patients died within 1 year after the operation, one of them from a catheter sepsis. Primary, assisted primary and secondary patency rates after 1 year were, 58, 83 and 90%, respectively. Patient characteristics and pre-operative duplex parameters did not influence patency rates.

CONCLUSION
The BB-AVF is an excellent third choice option for vascular access.


This paper describes large-scale and fast nonlinear magnetostatic field analyses by the magnetic moment method (MMM) with the adaptive cross approximation. In order to stabilize the convergence characteristic of the Newton-Raphson method, we apply a line search technique to the MMM. Some numerical results that demonstrate the validity of the developed method are also presented


The ability to apply academic skills to agriculture is increasingly important. Even so, studies have shown that students and teachers of agricultural education lack competence in solving agriculture-related mathematics problems. The purpose of this correlational study was to explain variance in the mathematical problem-solving ability of preservice agricultural educators. Findings show a lack of competence in mathematical problem-solving among the preservice agricultural educators in the study. Also, preservice educators who achieved higher scores on the problem-solving test had completed fewer college mathematics courses, were more likely to have taken advanced mathematics courses, and possessed higher ACT math scores. A previously tested approach to teaching mathematical problem-solving in the context of agriculture was recommended. Additionally, the importance of recruiting undergraduate students with the aptitude needed to apply basic math and other academic principles to agriculture was emphasized. Further research is needed to more precisely isolate the nature of the problem.


To account for the temperature effect on guided wave signals in complex structures, a significant amount of baseline measurements typically need to be collected over a large temperature range to serve as a library of signals at all possible temperatures, which, if not impossible, is highly impractical. This paper presents a data-driven temperature baseline reconstruction approach that is applicable for various structures made from the same material. The influence of temperature on the amplitude and phase of guided wave measurements are experimentally quantified as dimensionless compensation factors. The derived compensation factors are used to reconstruct baselines at various temperatures for guided wave measurements in a simple flat plate and a stiffened panel. With a single baseline measurement at 20◦C and the reconstructed baseline using the predetermined temperature compensation factors, impact damage was successfully detected and located when current measurements were up to 25◦C and 20◦C higher than the baseline temperature, respectively.


Water development interests on the Platte River in Nebraska and recognition of the importance of this river as migratory bird habitat have prompted studies to determine how much water is needed to maintain wildlife habitat values. The whooping crane (Crus americana) is one of many species that use the Platte. A model was developed to quantify the relationship between river discharge and roosting habitat suitability for whooping cranes, designed to accommodate the data collection and hydraulic simulation techniques of the Instream Flow Incremental Methodology. Results of the model indicate that optimum roosting habitat conditions in the Big Bend reach of the Platte River are provided by flows of approximately 56.7 m/s to 60.0 m/s. Each spring the Platte and North Platte river valleys host the world's largest concentration of cranes. More than 500,000 sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) amass in preparation for their northward migration to breeding grounds in Canada, Alaska and Siberia (U.s. Fish & Wildlife Service 1981). Among the other migratory bird species that use the Platte are 4 threatened and endangered species-the piping plover (Charadrius melodus), the interior least tern (Sterna antillarum), the bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) and the whooping crane. The entire natural flock of whooping cranes crosses the Platte each spring and fall during its migration between Wood Buffalo National Park, Northwest Territories, and Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, Texas. The migration corridor that crosses the Platte was designated as critical habitat for whooping cranes under regulations pursuant to the federal Endangered Species Act (FR 43:20938-20942). Over 1,000 direct-diversion irrigation ditches were in place on the Platte and its tributaries in Nebraska, Wyoming and Colorado by 1890 (Eschner et al. 1983). In 1909, Pathfinder reservoir on the North Platte River in Wyoming was among the first of the mammoth U.s. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) projects to be completed in the west, and several other large reservoirs in the Platte basin followed. The present annual stream flow of the Platte is less than 30% of the pre-development flow (Miller 1985). In the past, reductions in the water and sediProc. 1988 N. Am Crane Workshop ment supply to the Platte have resulted in losses of as much as 90% of the pre-development channel width through vegetative encroachment (Williams 1978). The replacement of wide, open channels with networks of narrow channels separated by densely vegetated islands has been detrimental to several bird species dependent upon the Platte (Currier et al. 1985). New development proposals must consider potential effects to migratory bird habitat on the Platte, particularly to the habitat of the 4 endangered species. Most attention and controversy have focused on the flows required to render the Platte a suitable roosting site for migrating whooping cranes. The simplest approach to this question is to examine the record of whooping crane use of the Platte and to attempt a correlation of use and discharge. This was the approach taken in a biological opinion issued by the U.s. Fish and WildE.fe Service (USFWS) on the Narrows Unit, a large reservoir proposed for construction by the USBR on the South Platte River in Colorado. The USFWS reasoned that because most sightings of whooping cranes on the Platte have occurred at a discharge greater than 31.2m 3/S (1100 cfs), and Narrows would significantly reduce the occurrence of such flows in the spring and fall, the project would constitute an adverse modification of habitat (U.s. Fish & Wildlife Service 1983). The effects of Narrows on channel morphology also figured into this finding of jeopardy. In a similar decision, the Nebraska Game and Parks 1 Present address: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 810 1st St. N.E., Rm. 1004, HL-20.2, Washington, D.C. 20426.


Sydney's dated intercity train connections are not playing in the league of the world's great cities. Rail connections between Sydney and neighbouring cities need to improve substantially, and business class carriages would be a good first step. Every day, thousands of people travel between Sydney and the neighbouring urban centres of Wollongong, the Blue Mountains, and Newcastle. Increasingly over the last decade, these people are making the journey by private car instead of public rail. The single-class trains that have been reliably servicing NSW for the last three decades offer a level of comfort to passengers that is no longer adequate on longer intercity journeys. International comparisons reveal that NSW intercity rail connections have not moved with the times. The seats are uncomfortable; there are no buffet services, no power sockets for portable electronic devices, no wireless Internet—features that are standard on many train connections in countries like the United Kingdom, Korea, Germany, or South Africa. For these reasons, taking the train remains unattractive to business commuters who choose the more expensive option of driving when travelling intercity in NSW. A cursory examination of the amenities people demand when travelling by car and by plane demonstrates that rail is falling short of the expected standards of service and comfort.


ObjectiveTo evaluate a new antimicrobial treatment for central venous catheters in comparison with a traditional treatment, by assessing the catheter colonization and catheter-related bloodstream infection rates in two groups of patients. DesignMultiple-center, prospective randomized study. SettingThe medical and surgical departments of ten institutions. PatientsPatients requiring a central venous catheter for medical or surgical pathologies between June 2000 and November 2001. InterventionsPatients in the control group received a conventional benzalkonium-treated double-lumen central venous catheter, while patients in the oligon group received an oligon-treated (polyurethane combined with silver, carbon, and platinum) catheter with the same characteristics. Data collection included demographics, preexisting clinical conditions, main pathology, catheter insertion, and management data. Catheter colonization was defined as the growth of ≥15 colony-forming units in culture of catheter segments by the roll-plate method, or ≥1000 colony-forming units for the sonication method, and catheter-related bloodstream infection was defined as isolation of the same organism from the colonized catheter and from the peripheral blood of a patient with clinical signs of bloodstream infection. Measurements and Main ResultsData were obtained from 545 catheters. Of these, 132 catheters (24.2%) were positive for colonization. Patients in the oligon group demonstrated a lower risk for catheter colonization in the overall population (relative risk, 0.63; 95% confidence interval, 0.46–0.86;p = .003) and in the surgical subgroup (relative risk, 0.5; 95% confidence interval, 0.33–0.76;p = .001). Significant differences between groups were detected for coagulase-negative staphylococci and Gram-negative bacilli colonization rates. Twenty-one patients (3.8%) were positive for catheter-related bloodstream infection, without significant differences between control and oligon groups. ConclusionsOligon treatment is effective in limiting the catheter colonization rate. Due to the limited amount of events, this study lacked the power to detect significant differences in terms of catheter-related bloodstream infection rate.


Over the past 8 years, Latin America9s largest nation has begun to boom. Its economy is growing fast, and it has become a player in world affairs, reveling in an unprecedented bout of self-confidence. It will host the World Cup in 2014 and the Olympics 2 years later. The good times are lifting science, too. Between 1997 and 2007 the number of Brazilian papers in indexed, peer-reviewed journals more than doubled to 19,000 a year. Brazil now ranks 13th in publications, according to Thomson Reuters, having surpassed the Netherlands, Israel, and Switzerland. Brazil9s universities awarded twice as many Ph.D.s this year as they did in 2001, and thousands of new academic jobs have opened up on 134 new federal campuses. It9s a reversal of fortune for a nation that during the 1990s was beset by dire economic problems. But Brazil is not formidable yet; its scientific output trails its ambitions. The country produces few high-impact papers and only a trickle of patents. Its primary and secondary public education system is in shambles, leaving the nation of 195 million chronically short of technical workers.


We consider the demixing problem of two (or more) high-dimensional vectors from nonlinear observations when the number of such observations is far less than the ambient dimension of the underlying vectors. Specifically, we demonstrate an algorithm that stably estimate the underlying components under general \emph{structured sparsity} assumptions on these components. Specifically, we show that for certain types of structured superposition models, our method provably recovers the components given merely $n = \mathcal{O}(s)$ samples where $s$ denotes the number of nonzero entries in the underlying components. Moreover, our method achieves a fast (linear) convergence rate, and also exhibits fast (near-linear) per-iteration complexity for certain types of structured models. We also provide a range of simulations to illustrate the performance of the proposed algorithm.


An acoustooptic correlator was constructed using PbMoO(4) deflectors whose acoustic transit time was 7.5 microsec. This correlator performed successfully at 40 MHz using a 127 bit pseudonoise code. A new matched filter concept is presented which can be realized with similar acoustooptic deflectors and commercially available acoustic delay lines. It utilizes a hybrid combination of digital shift register electronics and acoustooptic techniques to achieve an almost unlimited time-bandwidth product.


Trachycephalus cunauaru is an Amazonian hylid that uses phytotelmata to reproduce. There is relatively little information about the species, mainly due to the difficulty of accessing their reproductive sites. In this study, we gathered data on the ecology and natural history of T. cunauaru in the southern Amazon, in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil. In addition to natural phytotelmata, we used buckets installed at a height of 10 m as artificial phytotelmata. We compared physical and chemical characteristics, as well as the presence of tadpoles between natural and artificial phytotelmata. We also collected data on the reproductive behavior of the species through the use of camera traps. We recorded a density of 14.1 reproductive sites per km2. Environmental parameters differed significantly between artificial and natural phytotelmata. In artificial sites, the presence of tadpoles was directly related to trees with a larger diameter. We registered oophagy for the first time for the species and observed that males can use more than one phytotelm. We also recorded the presence of snakes within the reproductive sites. We determined that artificial sites and digital camera traps are a satisfactory alternative for behavioral observations of T. cunauaru and possibly for other species with a similar habit.


Red blood cell glucose metabolism was studied in erythrocytes from a patient with trisomy 10 p which resulted in + 50% hexokinase specific activity, in normal controls and in cases of heterozygous hexokinase deficiency. The results obtained show that the hexokinase activity level is an important factor in the control of the erythrocyte's glycolytic rate while having no appreciable effect on the hexose monophosphate pathway under resting conditions. No clear conclusion could be drawn when an oxidative stress was present.


A scenario tree is an efficient way to represent a stochastic data process in decision problems under uncertainty. This paper addresses how to efficiently generate appropriate scenario trees. A knowledge-based scenario tree generation method is proposed; the new method is further improved by accounting for subjective judgements or expectations about the random future. Compared with existing approaches, complicated mathematical models and time-consuming estimation, simulation and optimization problem solution are avoided in our knowledge-based algorithms, and large-scale scenario trees can be quickly generated. To show the advantages of the new algorithms, a multiperiod portfolio selection problem is considered, and a dynamic risk measure is adopted to control the intermediate risk, which is superior to the single-period risk measure used in the existing literature. A series of numerical experiments are carried out by using real trading data from the Shanghai stock market. The results show that the scenarios generated by our algorithms can properly represent the underlying distribution; our algorithms have high performance, say, a scenario tree with up to 10,000 scenarios can be generated in less than a half minute. The applications in the multiperiod portfolio management problem demonstrate that our scenario tree generation methods are stable, and the optimal trading strategies obtained with the generated scenario tree are reasonable, efficient and robust. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


There is little known in Romania about the role played by parents, teachers and form masters on the secondary school students' attitudes towards school, level of grades and the intention to enroll in a higher education system.In order to find out the impact of parents and teachers on theteenagers' integration into the lifelong learning society, I conducted, together with my colleagues1, a national survey on Romanian secondary school students (n=2624) in 2011. The survey findings underline the importance of communication between teenagers, parents, teachers and form masters. Teenagers need united and supporting families and also teachers who are open to discuss their issues. Parents and teachers have to transmit the importance of school and not of the materialistic values, fact that can help secondary school students to be happier and integrated into society.


With the advent of the Corona virus/COVID-19, airline traffic has dropped off so much because of lack of passenger/shipper demand, and/or governmental sanitation rules, that airlines may wish to use less than 80% of their allocated slots, but then risk a loss of slots. It is a catch 22 situation: either you fly a (near) empty aircraft and keep your slot for better, post COVID times (so-called ghost flights), or you go under 80% and you lose your grandfathered slot right. Governments, other authorities and not in the least the EU, have stepped in to relax the 80/20 rule, at least temporarily. The article is divided into four parts: introduction; air transport under the Corona virus; slot allocation under Corona; slot allocation post Corona.
Corona, EU, IATA, Slots, 80/20 rule


In order to alleviate the steady-state position error and the destabilizing effect of the nonlinear friction, a novel compensation method is presented, which modified the traditional Southward's compensation method. Estimated the nonlinear friction model using an identification method, the effect caused by its nonlinear component can be compensated, and an enhanced tracking performance is verified on a selectively compliant articulated robot arm(SCARA) robot.


2.5-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations are performed with high spatial resolution in order to distinguish between competing models of the coronal heating problem. A single coronal loop powered by Alfven waves excited in the photosphere is the target of the present study. The coronal structure is reproduced in our simulations as a natural consequence of the transportation and dissipation of Alfven waves. Further, the coronal structure is maintained as the spatial resolution is changed from 25 to 3 km, although the temperature at the loop top increases with the spatial resolution. The heating mechanisms change gradually across the magnetic canopy at a height of 4 Mm. Below the magnetic canopy, both the shock and the MHD turbulence are dominant heating processes. Above the magnetic canopy, the shock heating rate reduces to less than 10 % of the total heating rate while the MHD turbulence provides significant energy to balance the radiative cooling and thermal conduction loss or gain. The importance of compressibility shown in the present study would significantly impact on the prospects of successful MHD turbulence theory in the solar chromosphere.


The main goal of this study is two-fold: (1) to provide a general overview of thecontributions to the literature on the informal sector, with a special focus on the PublicChoice approach; and (2) to compare these contributions across two institutionallydifferent types of countries: developed and less developed (developing and transition)countries. The paper focuses on the criteria used to define the informal sector, therelationship between the formal and informal economy, tax evasion, and PublicChoice analysis. It is stressed throughout this paper that the distinction between thetwo types of countries is of key importance.


Between June 1, 1990 and December 31, 1996, 58 consecutive patients with unprepared colons were urgently explored for nontraumatic disease with intent to proceed with primary left-sided colonic anastomosis. Unprotected anastomoses were not attempted in 15 patients. The causes of exclusion included preoperative and intraoperative shock in three patients, and three patients were on long-term high-dose steroids, four had gross fecal contamination of the peritoneal cavity, four had large pelvic abscesses, and one had ischemic colitis. All 43 patients undergoing anastomosis without protective colostomy had stapled anastomoses. Indications included complicated diverticular disease in 32 cases. There were nine cases of obstruction from colorectal carcinoma and one obstruction due to sigmoid volvulus. There was one case of perforation from pseudomembranous enterocolitis. The most common complications were: atelectasis in nine cases, wound infection in two cases, and prolonged ileus in two cases. Pelvic abscess occurred in one case. There was one wound dehiscence. There was one anastomotic dehiscence, and there was no mortality. Operative time averaged 85 minutes and hospital length of stay 9.7 days. Primary anastomosis of the unprepared left colon is safe in most urgent and emergent situations, thus avoiding the significant morbidity and cost of colostomy closure.


Most psychological research on the social effects of facial appearance has compared 'normal' with attractive faces whereas little work has been concerned with the possible differences in reactions to disfigured and 'normal' faces. Yet many cranio-facial surgeons wish to know whether their disfigured patients are reporting reality when they complain that members of the public avoid or react negatively to them. This study finds that people travelling on a suburban railway significantly avoided sitting next to someone who appeared to have a facial port-wine stain. It is concluded that facially disfigured people's accounts of avoidant behaviour towards them are probably the results of correct perceptions.


A gene encoding the xylanase (XynA) predicted from partial genomic sequence of Paenibacillus woosongensis was cloned into Escherichia coli by PCR. This xynA gene consisted of 633 nucleotides, encoding a polypeptide of 211 amino acid residues. The deduced amino acid sequence exhibited 85-89% identity with those of several Paenibacillus xylanases, belonging to the glycosyl hydrolase family 11. As a results of expression of the structural gene by T7 promoter of a pET23a(+) expression vector, xylanase activity was higher in cell-free extract than culture filtrate of a recombinant Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) CodonPlus. However, the expression level of xylanase was not sufficient be detected by SDS-PAGE. The cell-free extract showed maximal xylanase activity at 60℃and pH 5.5. The predominant products resulting from xylan and xylooligosaccharide hydrolysis were xylose and xylotriose. The enzyme could hydrolyze xylooligosaccharides larger than xylbiose.


PREMISE
Nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC) play a key role in tree performance and functioning. NSC are stored in radial and axial parenchyma (RAP) cells, but it is not known if this relationship is altered among species and climates, or is linked to functional traits describing xylem structure (wood density) and tree stature.

METHODS
In a systematic review, we collated data for NSC content and RAP fractions in stems for 68 tree species. To examine their relationships with climate factors and other functional traits, we also recovered climate data at each tree's location, as well as wood density and maximum height. A phylogenetic tree was established to examine the role of species' evolutionary relationships on the associations between NSC, RAP and functional traits.

KEY RESULTS
Across all 68 tree species, NSC was positively correlated with RAP and mean annual temperature. but relationships were only weakly significant in temperate species and angiosperms. When separating RAP into radial parenchyma (RP) and axial parenchyma (AP), both NSC and wood density were positively correlated with RP but not with AP. Taller trees had less dense wood and lower RAP, but no relationship with NSC.

CONCLUSIONS
NSC is stored mostly in radial parenchyma that increases in warmer climates, but this relationship was only weakly linked to wood density and tree height. Our analysis of evolutionary relationships demonstrated that RAP fractions and NSC content were always closely related, suggesting that RAP can act as a reliable proxy for potential NSC storage capacity in tree stems. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.


The objectives of this research were divided into two phases: Phase 1: To synthesize and design learning activities based on the elderly philosophy for a happy life in Thai social context; the target group consisted of 8 key informants, 6 casual Informants, and 6 general informants; instruments used were an unstructured interview form, a non-participant observation form, and a diary form, data were analyzed by content analysis and thematically analysis. Phase 2: To study a learning model based on the elderly philosophy for a happy life in Thai social context, key informants consisted of 9 experts selected by purposive sampling, instruments used were a draft model and an evaluation form, data were analyzed by mean and standard deviation. The research results were as follows: Phase 1: The synthesis and designed results consisted of 4 aspects, 4 relationships, 4 developing dimensions, 5 standards, and 6 indicators in learning activities based on the elderly philosophy. Phase 2: The learning model based on the elderly philosophy for a happy life in Thai social context consisted of POCO&A+L(PAORS). The details were: a principle (P), an objective (O), conditions for achievement (C), operations and activities (O&A), and learning processes based on the elderly philosophy consisted of planning (P), action (A), organizing (O), reflection (R), and sustainability (S). The suitability and the possibility of the learning model were at the highest level (mean = 4.76 and 4.68) respectively.


What is the relation between a word and its description, or a word and its embedding? Both descriptions and embeddings are semantic representations of words. But, what information from the original word remains in these representations? Or more importantly, which information about a word do these two representations share? Definition Modeling and Reverse Dictionary are two opposite learning tasks that address these questions. The goal of the Definition Modeling task is to investigate the power of information laying inside a word embedding to express the meaning of the word in a humanly understandable way – as a dictionary definition. Conversely, the Reverse Dictionary task explores the ability to predict word embeddings directly from its definition. In this paper, by tackling these two tasks, we are exploring the relationship between words and their semantic representations. We present our findings based on the descriptive, exploratory, and predictive data analysis conducted on the CODWOE dataset. We give a detailed overview of the systems that we designed for Definition Modeling and Reverse Dictionary tasks, and that achieved top scores on SemEval-2022 CODWOE challenge in several subtasks. We hope that our experimental results concerning the predictive models and the data analyses we provide will prove useful in future explorations of word representations and their relationships.


The technology base required to fabricate silicon nitride components with the strength, reliability, and reproducibility necessary for actual heat engine applications is presented. Task 2 was set up to develop test bars with high Weibull slope and greater high temperature strength, and to conduct an initial net shape component fabrication evaluation. Screening experiments were performed in Task 7 on advanced materials and processing for input to Task 2. The technical efforts performed in the second year of a 5-yr program are covered. The first iteration of Task 2 was completed as planned. Two half-replicated, fractional factorial (2 sup 5), statistically designed matrix experiments were conducted. These experiments have identified Denka 9FW Si3N4 as an alternate raw material to GTE SN502 Si3N4 for subsequent process evaluation. A detailed statistical analysis was conducted to correlate processing conditions with as-processed test bar properties. One processing condition produced a material with a 97 ksi average room temperature MOR (100 percent of goal) with 13.2 Weibull slope (83 percent of goal); another condition produced 86 ksi (6 percent over baseline) room temperature strength with a Weibull slope of 20 (125 percent of goal).


Conventional measures of population aging, such as proportions over age 65, can present a misleading picture of the aging process by not taking account of changes in people's characteristics beyond their chronological age—for example, changes in remaining life expectancy, health and morbidity, disability rates, and cognitive functioning. The "characteristics approach" set out in this article encompasses multiple features of population aging, yielding new measures that can better inform both demographic analysis and public policy debate. We relate the brief history of this approach, examine its basic mathematical structure, and give empirical examples of the insights it offers, drawing on data from West Germany, Japan, Russia, and the United States.


Otoliths commonly are used to determine the taxon, age, and size of fishes. This information is useful for population management, predator-prey studies, and archaeological research. The relationship between the length of a fish and the length of its otoliths remains unknown for many species of marine fishes in the Pacific Ocean. Therefore, the relationships between fish length and fish weight, and between otolith length and fish length, were developed for 63 species of fishes caught in the eastern North Pacific Ocean. We also summarized similar relationships for 46 eastern North Pacific fish species reported in the literature. The relationship between fish length and otolith length was linear, and most of the variability was explained by a simple least-squares regression (r 2 > 0.700 for 45 of 63 species). The relationship between otolith length and fish length was not significantly different between left and right otoliths for all but one fish species. Images of otoliths from 77 taxa are included to assist in the identification of species. (PDF file contains 38 pages.)


Reliability of Sacroiliac Joint Tests in Experienced and Inexperienced Examiners Danielle Lueck, BS, ATC Context: The sacroiliac joint is the largest axial joint in the body. Based on the function of transferring loads and providing stability, there is an increase risk of dysfunction. Sacroiliac joint tests exist to assess mobility and pain; however, there are few reliable tests for sacroiliac joint dysfunction and virtually no study which examined the reliability of experienced and inexperienced athletic trainers. Objective: The purpose of this study is to determine interand intrarater reliability for a battery of sacroiliac joint tests for experienced and inexperienced examiners. Design: This study was a single blind prospective reliability study. Setting: This study took place at HealthWorks Rehab and Fitness in Morgantown, WV. Patients and Other Participants: A total of four examiners were used for this study. Two examiners were inexperienced graduate certified athletic trainers while the other two examiners had five or more years of experience. A total of four recorders recorded data for each examiner. A total of 31 healthy male and female subjects age 20.7 ±2.4 years old without a previous history of back surgery or lower limb surgery within the last two years volunteered for this study. Interventions: After a practice session, two experienced and two inexperienced examiners performed a battery of sacroiliac joint tests on the subjects. The tests performed were the standing flexion test, standing stork/Gillet test, seated flexion test, and supine-to-sit test. The examiners performed each test three times and then reported to a recorder if the test was positive or negative. This procedure was completed in two rounds, the original day and again after the first round was completed. Main Outcome Measures: The expectations of this study was to determine if the experienced examiners had moderate to high interrater and intrarater reliability for sacroiliac joint tests as compared to inexperienced examiners who were anticipated as having low to moderate intrarater and interrater reliability for sacroiliac joint tests. Results: Intrarater reliability of the March test ranged from .351 to .53. Interrater reliability of the March test for all examiners ranged from -.090 to .335. Intrarater reliability of the Standing Flexion test ranged from .410 to .686. Interrater reliability of the Standing Flexion test for all examiners ranged from -.220 to .384. The interrater reliabilityof the Seated Flexion test ranged from .517 to .708. Interrater reliability of the Seated Flexion test for all examiners ranged from -.069 to .184. Intrarater reliability of the Supine to Long Sit test for each examiner ranged from . 241 to .735. Interrater reliability of the Supine to Long Sit test for all examiners ranged from -.091 to .479. Percent agreement for all four tests ranged from 35% to 100%. Overall, intrarater reliability was higher than interrater reliability; however, there was no clear distinction between experienced and inexperienced examiners as defined by the study. Conclusion: This study found that intrarater reliability is higher than interrater reliability for four sacroiliac joint tests. Interrater reliability was extremely variable amongst the four examiners. It is important to note that it is not experience in years, but rather amount of daily exposure to sacroiliac joint testing that equates to increased reliability. These results support the need for a standardized teaching protocol for SIJ tests to increase interrater reliability. Because of the high intrarater reliability and low interrater reliability, one can also deduce that, from a clinical standpoint, the same individual should evaluate and treat the same patient daily.