Short-termbioassays such as that of Ames and co-workers may be a practical method of monitoring industrial environments for the presence of biologically active and potentially hazardous materials. In general, these assays detect agents that cause damage to DNA which may lead to mutations, cancer, birth defects and to other diseases. Used to monitor industrial environments, such tests can indicate the presence of biologically active materials and can detect changes in the levels of these materials in the air. This paper reviews the types of bioassays which are presently available and considers their applicability to evaluation of occupational exposures in the coal conversion and oil shale industries. As no direct assessment of the degree of human health hazard can be made from the results of such tests, the choice of appropriate comparisons, such as ambient air, are discussed. The advantages and limitations of such systems are considered. Some research needs for the application of bioassays to industrial monitoring are also discussed.


Within the cooperative project "Reference system for a healthy honey bee colony – FIT BEE" the subproject
"Multifactorial influences on honey bee colonies and establishment of a GIS-based expert information system"
was conducted by LAVES Institute for Apidology Celle. The project lasted for four years and was funded by BLE
/ BMELV.
In addition to research about influences of different habitats (city and country sites) on honey bee colonies,
residues from Plant Protection Products (PPPs), Heavy Metals and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs)
were analysed in pollen and honey samples.
During the project a total of 62 different residues from PPPs were analysed (11 insecticides, 18 herbicides and
33 fungicides) as well as one synergist. Thiacloprid was found in every fourth pollen sample on average with a
maximum concentration of 0.16 mg / kg (bee bread). In the country site group and the travel group over 80 %
of the pollen samples had PPP-residues, in the city site group 25 % (n = 80 / group, 2012 + 2013). In the country
site group 15 active ingredients (a.i.) were parallel in one pollen sample, in the travel group 11 and in the city
group 3 with maximum concentrations > 10 mg / kg in pollen samples from the country site. From the 15
pooled honey samples 7 had PPP-residues, especially the spring samples (oil seed rape honey). In all honey
samples analysed, four a.i`s were found in the honey samples in total (Thiacloprid (max. 0.05 mg / kg)), Boscalid
(0.005 mg / kg), Dimoxystrobin (0.005 mg / kg) and Carbendazim (max. 0.04 mg / kg)).
The PPP-data were comparable to the PAH- and the Heavy Metal data: In the pollen samples were more
residues and in higher concentration than in the honey samples. Honey is a lipophobic matrix and pollen a
lipophilic matrix. Most of the residues solve better in a lipophilic matrix and the bees act as a filter for the
nectar / honey.


We study the parallelization of the IQMR method for the solutions of linear systems of equations with unsymmetric coefficient matrices. The IQMR method is an improved version of the quasi-minimal residual (IQMR) method by using the Lanczos process as a major component combining elements of numerical stability and parallel algorithm design. The algorithm is derived such that all inner products and matrix-vector multiplications of a single iteration step are independent and communication time required for the inner product can be overlapped efficiently with computation time. Two important schemes are discussed. What is the best possible data distribution and which communication network topology is most suitable for the IQMR method on massively parallel distributed memory computers. A theoretical model of data distribution and communication phases is presented mainly based on (Hoekstra et al., 1991; 1992) which allows us to give a detailed execution time complexity analysis and investigates its usefulness. It is shown that the implementation of IQMR, with a row-block decomposition of the coefficient matrix, on a ring of communication structure is the most efficient choice. Performance tests of the developed parallel IQMR algorithm have been carried out on the massively distributed memory system and experimental timing results are compared with the theoretical execution time complexity analysis.


This article considers the ways in which what Paul Gilroy terms 'epidermal thinking' operates in the discourses surrounding certain surveillance practices and their applications, with a focus on identification documents and biometric technologies in particular. My aim is not to re-ontologize race, but instead to outline the notion of digital epidermalization, stemming from Frantz Fanon's concept of epidermalization, as it allows for thinking through race, ontological insecurity and the ways in which the body materializes with and against biometric technologies. I examine key research in surveillance studies, governmental policy documents concerning biometric enabled identification documents and the 2003 'deportation' to India of a Canadian citizen through the issuance of an expedited removal order by the US Immigration and Naturalization Services. By interrogating how digital epidermalization gains meaning and is put into practice, this article seeks to posit a space for refusals of such epidermal thinking through a critical biometric consciousness.


Drawing on notions of the modern pilgrim and postmodern tourist, this paper explores the discursive resources concerning women, travel, and transience as they apply to female teachers working in the Canadian north. In particular, it traces the discourses evident in the talk of twenty‐five women teachers currently working in northern First Nations (indigenous) education. Although both were invoked, neither the postmodern teacher–tourist nor the modernist pilgrim–teacher were easily mapped onto the positioning of the 'woman' teacher. Alternative discourses of the female teacher need to be developed to organize the work of women teachers who come to teach in the Canadian north or indeed any site of minority or multicultural education.


Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is perhaps the most important development in preventive medicine in the Western world for half a century, yet long-term compliance is notoriously poor. Up to 75% of women who start on HRT are reported to drop out within the first 6 months. Poor compliance may arise from a lack of awareness of the benefits of HRT, or from a number of common misconceptions, particularly the idea that HRT is ¿unnatural', and will cause weight gain, cancer, or unpleasant side effects. While side effects (usually progestogenic) may of course occur on HRT, they can usually be managed by a change in the regimen. Studies of the efficacy and safety of Menorest, an adhesive matrix transdermal system, used in combination with dydrogesterone for 12 days in each cycle, show it to be effective in relieving menopausal symptoms and increasing lumbar and spinal bone mass. Menorest was as effective and well-tolerated as a reference oral treatment (conjugated estrogens), and its twice weekly application may be considered to promote compliance.


Amblyopia or "lazy eye" represents a disorder of the visual system characterized by poor vision in an eye that is otherwise physically normal. Anisometropia, the condition in which the two eyes have an unequal refractive error, is considered the second most common cause of amblyopia. The purpose of this study is to determine the efficiency of HTS Amblyopia iNet Software by studying the progress of visual acuity, contrast sensitivity and stereopsis vision in anisometropic amblyopic children. 5 patients (age: 5-13 years), treated with HTS Amblyopia iNet Software at OftaTotal Clinic from Sibiu, between 2010-2013, participated in this clinical trial. Initially, visual acuity ranged from 0.25 to 0.8, contrast sensitivity from 1.35 to 1.65 Log. Unit. and 1 patient presented stereoscopic vision. After treatment, visual acuity ranged from 0.8 to 1, contrast sensitivity from 1.35 to 1.95 Log. Unit., also all patients presented stereoscopic vision. HTS Amblyopia iNet Software represents an effective modern approach in the treatment of anisometropic amblyopia.


This paper presents an analysis of the optical layout and some aberrational calculations for the OZIRIS stellar arcmeter-interferometer, developed under contract with the Russian Space Agency. The device is intended to measure the arc between celestial bodies at a microsecond level of accuracy. The layout provides that the bases of two interferometers coincide and that the image of a stellar point source in the beams formed by the optical elements is spatially filtered to form aberration-free wave fronts of the interfering beams. The optical elements of the telescopes of each arm of the interferometers, which form beams diffracted at spatial filters, are used to aim the telescopes at the object to be measured.


Abstract Context. Off-shore recruitment impairment of sea-turtle hatchlings because of light pollution is a growing concern to conservation of sea-turtle population throughout the world. Studies have focussed on sea-turtle hatchling sea-finding behaviour, and ignored the possible effect that on-shore lighting might have on hatchlings after they have entered the sea. Aims. We experimentally evaluated the effect that on-shore light pollution has on the swimming behaviour of green turtle hatchlings once they have entered the sea and begun swimming off-shore. We also estimated the decrease in off-shore recruitment of hatchlings as a result of light pollution disruption of the off-shore swim. Methods. Hatchling misorientation rates were quantified by releasing marked hatchlings to the sea from different land-based locations adjacent to light-polluted beach areas under a variety of environmental conditions. The beach in light-polluted regions was then searched for marked hatchlings returning to shore from the sea. Key results. Misorientation rates were highest in trials conducted during moonless nights (66.7% of trials had some hatchlings return to shore) and lowest during trials conducted during moonlit nights (no trials had hatchlings return to shore). Green turtle hatchling off-shore recruitment for the entire 2014–15 nesting season at Heron Island was estimated to decrease 1.0 –2.4% as a result of on-shore lights disrupting hatchling off-shore swimming behaviour. Conclusions. On moonless nights, sea-turtle hatchlings after having successfully completed their journey from nest to sea and entered the sea can be lured back to shore again by shore-based light pollution and, this will decrease their off-shore recruitment success. Implications. To ensure maximum off-shore recruitment of sea-turtle hatchlings, on-shore light pollution adjacent to nesting beaches needs to be minimised so as to minimise misorientation and disorientation of hatchlings while on the beach and in near-shore waters.


Several genomic tests for the prediction of breast cancer recurrence are commercially available and their clinical use is becoming more common. MammaPrint® (MP, Agendia NV) is a 70-gene microarray assay designed to assess the 10-year risk of recurrence in an untreated population that was not selected for ER/HER2 results. The Oncotype DX® Recurrence Score® (RS, Genomic Health, Inc.) is a 21-gene RT-PCR assay that is clinically validated to predict the 10-year risk of distant recurrence in ER+ patients treated with Tamoxifen. MammoStrat® (MS, Clarient, Inc.) is an IHC assay that uses 5 antibodies and has been validated in a similar population as RS. While the development and validation of these assays are significantly different, they are frequently believed to provide equivalent information. However, several recent reports show that these assays classify patients differently with significant discordances for all risk groups (Denduluri, et al., ASCO Breast 2011; Poulet, et al., SABCS 2012; Schneider, et al., ASCO 2013). The present study is the first to compare the results of all three of these risk-stratifying assays side by side in the same samples. Methods: Patients with ER+ early-stage breast cancer with an MP result obtained as part of their routine clinical care were identified at the University of South Florida (USF, N = 65) and Morton Plant Hospital (N = 83). Slides and/or blocks were cut and de-identified at USF and sent to Genomic Health and Clarient for blinded testing. Clinicopathological features were also reviewed by 3 breast pathologists. Descriptive statistics were calculated for cross risk-classification and tumor characteristics. Results: 148 patients with an MP result had tissue available to send for RS and MS assays. These patients had a median age of 62 years; median tumor size 1.8 cm; 9% low grade, 59% intermediate grade and 32% high grade. Of 148 patients with MP results, 53% were low risk and 47% were high risk. Of 135 samples that yielded enough RNA to produce an RS result, 53% were low risk, 26% were intermediate risk and 21% were high risk. Of 129 samples that yielded an MS result, 44% were low risk, 28% were moderate risk and 28% were high risk. Table 1 shows the distribution of patients with RS and MS risk category by MP risk category and Table 2 shows the RS by MS risk categories. Of 121 patients with results for all 3 assays, only 22% were concordant for low risk and 9% were concordant for high risk across all 3 assays. Overall, 30% of cases showed a major discordance such as low risk for one assay and high risk for another. Conclusions: This direct comparison demonstrates that the assays classify a large proportion of patients differently. Further analysis is underway to determine whether the observed discordances are associated with routine clinicopathological characteristics. This study has important clinical implications since these assays are used to help make treatment decisions regarding which patients might benefit from chemotherapy. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2013;73(24 Suppl): Abstract nr P6-06-02.


Background. Gynecological cancers are among the most common malignant tumors. Inflammation is considered an important factor in carcinogenesis and a sensitive, nonspecific marker of it is C−reactive protein (CRP). Another marker of the neoplastic process is the pleiotropic cytokine interleukin−10 (IL−10), which has both stimulatory and inhibitory influence on cancer growth. Objectives. The aim of the study was to evaluate the relationship between the serum concentrations of CRP and IL−10 in the presence and absence of tumor. Their levels were determined in gynecological cancer patients before and after surgery and in a control group. Material and Methods. The study was performed on 10 healthy female volunteers aged 42.4 ± 9.3 years and 22 gynecological cancer patients aged 57.5 ± 12.5 years qualified for surgery. Blood was collected and CRP and IL−10 levels were measured before and 14–18 days after surgery. IL−10 was determined by ELISA and CRP by immunoturbidimetric assay. Results. Significant differences in CRP and IL−10 concentrations depending on the histological grade of the tumor were found. In the subgroup of patients classified as G1, increases in both CRP and IL−10 after surgery were observed, whereas in the subgroups G2 and G3 the concentrations of both parameters decreased. Conclusions. These parallel changes may indicate an interrelationship between IL−10 and CRP in the modulation of immune response in neoplastic disease (Adv Clin Exp Med 2008, 17, 3, 321–325).


This article reports on the results of a national study of state higher education boards in the US to understand their role in efforts to increase student access and achievement in higher education. The data reveal that only a small minority of state higher education boards have articulated policy objectives and implemented initiatives that are intended to improve minority student access and achievement. The data also reveal that, while the majority of states have information systems that enable them to measure and assess minority student access and academic progress in higher education, few have produced evidence that their initiatives have improved minority student access and achievement. The paper explores the impact of national discussions about affirmative action in higher education, which appears to have dampened state efforts to improve minority student access and achievement in higher education.


BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
Little is known about the use of extended-release naltrexone (XR-NTX) during residential rehabilitation, and its effects on early outcomes and rates of follow-up treatment. This study examined patient characteristics and rates of treatment completion and engagement in post-residential care of opioid dependent patients who received XR-NTX during residential rehabilitation, compared with patients who did not receive this medication.

METHODS
Electronic records for opioid dependent patients from three Pennsylvania residential detoxification and treatment facilities (N = 7,687) were retrospectively analyzed. We determined the proportion of patients who received XR-NTX (INJ), and compared rates of treatment completion and engagement in follow-up care relative to a naturalistic control group of patients recommended for, but not administered, XR-NTX (Non-INJ). Data on whether the patient initiated follow-up care were available from one site (N = 3,724).

RESULTS
Overall, 598 (7.8%) patients were recommended for XR-NTX and of these, 168 (28.1%) received injections. Compared to non-INJ patients, INJ patients were less likely to leave against medical advice (4.8% vs. 30.2%, p < .001) and more likely to initiate follow-up care (37.7% vs. 19.7%, p < .001). These differences remained significant after controlling for demographic covariates using regression analysis.

CONCLUSIONS
XR-NTX was associated with higher rates of residential and early post-residential care engagement in patients with opioid dependence.

SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE
XR-NTX may be an effective adjunct in the residential treatment and aftercare of patients with opioid dependence.


Postmortem binding studies have established that the concentration of α4β2-nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α4β2-nAChR) is reduced in advanced Alzheimer disease (AD). However, the status of this receptor in mild or prodromal AD has remained the subject of controversy. Methods: We compared α4β2-nAChR availability in 8 brain regions of living human subjects who had AD and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) with that in age-matched healthy control subjects by using the ligand 123I-5-IA-85380 (123I-5-IA) and SPECT. All subjects (n = 32) were nonsmokers; they were administered 123I-5-IA as a bolus plus a constant infusion and imaged 6–8 h later under equilibrium conditions. The effect of diagnosis on regional α4β2-nAChR availability (regional brain activity/total parent concentration in plasma, proportional to the binding potential) was analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance, controlling for the effects of age and sex. Results: Despite a significant overall effect of diagnostic group on mean α4β2-nAChR availability, univariate analyses revealed no group differences for any brain region analyzed. An exploratory analysis of the relationship between regional α4β2-nAChR availability and neuropsychologic variables yielded several plausible correlations. However, after Bonferroni adjustment, only the correlation between the anterior cingulate and the Trail Making Test, Part B, in the healthy control subjects remained significant. Conclusion: These results are consistent with several postmortem and in vivo studies suggesting the preservation of nAChRs during the prodromal and early stages of AD. They support the interpretation that nAChR and other cholinergic reductions in AD are late-stage phenomena.


Memristor-based logic-in-memory (LiM) has become popular as a means to overcome the von Neumann bottleneck in traditional data-intensive computing. Recently, the memristor-aided logic (MAGIC) design style has gained immense traction for LiM due to its simplicity. However, understanding the energy distribution during the design of logic operations within the memristive memory is crucial in assessing such an implementation's significance. The current energy estimation methods rely on coarse-grained techniques, which underestimate the energy consumption of MAGIC-styled operations performed on a memristor crossbar. To address this issue, we analyze the energy breakdown in MAGIC operations and propose a solution that utilizes mapping from the SIMPLER MAGIC tool to achieve accurate energy estimation through SPICE simulations. In contrast to existing research that primarily focuses on optimizing execution energy, our findings reveal that the memristor's initialization energy in the MAGIC design style is, on average, 68x higher. We demonstrate that this initialization energy significantly dominates the overall energy consumption. By highlighting this aspect, we aim to redirect the attention of designers towards developing algorithms and strategies that prioritize optimizations in initializations rather than execution for more effective energy savings.


In this paper, we study the use of a new code called random diagonal (RD) code for spectral amplitude coding (SAC) optical code division multiple access (OCDMA) networks, using fiber Bragg-grating (FBG). FBG consists of a fiber segment whose index of reflection varies periodically along its length. RD code is constructed using a code level and data level, one of the important properties of this code is that the cross correlation at the data level is always zero, which means that phase intensity induced phase (PIIN) is reduced. We find the performance of the RD code to be better than those of the modified frequency hopping (MFH) and Hadamard codes. It has been observed from simulation and theoretical results that considering the bit error rate (BER), the RD code performs significantly better than other codes. The ability of RD codes to support simultaneous transmissions at different bit rates is shown through simulated results of the BER and the eye patterns.10 Gbps and 2.5 Gbps data transmissions have been successfully demonstrated together with FBG decoding scheme for canceling the code level from SAC-signal.


We consider the problem of jointly optimizing random access and subgraph selection in coded wireless packet networks. As opposed to the corresponding scheduling approach, the problem cannot be formulated as a convex optimization problem and is thus difficult to solve. We propose a special adaptation of the branch and bound method which allows for computing the optimal strategy for small and medium networks. The key tool for efficiency is a random access specific convex relaxation bound. We compare these results to both optimal and suboptimal joint medium access and subgraph selection techniques, to conclude that there is room for further improvement of suboptimal yet practical random access schemes.


Coronavirus disease 2019, which emerged in Wuhan in China in early December 2019, gradually spread across the world and was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March, 12 2020 The disease shows a wide spectrum, ranging from asymptomatic course to severe acute respiratory syndrome Although data on SARS-CoV-2 infection in HIV-infected cases are still limited, it is thought that the presence of comorbidities is important for mortality and morbidity in infected cases In this report, it was aimed to evaluate SARS-CoV-2 infection in a patient diagnosed with HIV for six years with negative HIV-1 viral load and a CD4 lymphocyte count of 240 cells/mm(3)


Abstract Introduction: Recommended by the World Health Organization as the optimal way of infant feeding, maternal breast milk represents the best nourishment for the newborn baby during its first six months. The purpose of this study was to evaluate some of the Romanian mothers' characteristics that can influence their attitude towards breastfeeding and food diversification. Methods: A questionnaire about 32 questions, including demographics items and breastfeeding attitudes, was sent online (socializing platforms) in 2020 to mothers from all Romania districts. Our sample included at the end 1768 subjects, who fully completed the questionnaire. Statistical analysis was carried out using the GraphPad statistical software. Results: The prevalence of breastfeeding for more than six months was only 32.18% in our group, and most of them were educated mothers who lives in urban areas (OR=2.76), were married (OR=1.98), had over 30 years old (OR=1.43) and have more than one child (OR=1.74). Conclusions: We underline the importance of tackling in our future community interventions some of the socio-demographic characteristics of pregnant women (like groups education, good and accessible information about breastfeeding, young age, first pregnancy, or mothers from rural areas as well) in developing good habits of breastfeeding or complementary feeding, in order to improve their children health status and proper development.


This review summarizes a number of articles published in 2011 describing mechanisms of pericyclic reactions. The types of reactions studied were of the cycloaddition sort (e.g., [2+1], [2+2], [3+2], [4+2], etc.), as well as sigmatropic (e.g., [1,2], [1,3], [3,3] shifts, etc.), group transfer (e.g., ene), and electrocyclic types. Interestingly, the literature on pericyclic cascade reactions was quite rich in 2011.


Background: Pilot studies suggest that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation could be effective in migraine. We studied its efficacy for prophylaxis of chronic migraine.
Methods: We undertook a randomised, single-blind, sham-controlled study in patients with chronic migraine. Subjects were randomly allocated to sham, high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (HF-rTMS) or low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (LF-rTMS). The primary outcome was the reduction of attacks at four weeks. In addition, reduction of severity of headache based on the Visual Analogue Scale score at two & four weeks and a functional disability score at four weeks was recorded.
Results: One hundred and eight patients were allocated to sham stimulation (n=36), HF-rTMS (n=36) and LF-rTMS (n=36) groups. The number of attacks per month decreased to 7.05+/-1.45 at four weeks post-rTMS in the HF-rTMS (p<0.001) as compared to the LF-rTMS (10.61+/-1.69) and sham (10.83+/-3.37) groups. The VAS score in the HF-rTMS group was significantly lowered (p < 0.001) from 8.61+/-1.15 at baseline to 6.63+/-0.96, and 7.19+/-0.98 at two and four weeks respectively. The duration of headache in hours over 4 weeks reduced from 32.4+/-14.9 to 11.6+/-6.14 in the HF-rTMS group (p<0.001), but did not change significantly in the LF-rTMS (30.4+/-11.9 to 27.8+/-14, p>0.05) and sham (26.8+/-11.06 to 37+/-15, p>0.05) in sham groups. There was no significant difference in functional disability between all the study groups at four weeks.
Conclusion: High-frequency, but not low-frequency, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation may be useful in management of chronic migraine.


There are many well‐known hypersensitivity reactions to drugs such as penicillin and sulfa drugs, but this paper will emphasize other aspects of hypersensitivity reactions to drugs that are not as widely known. Certain drugs such as hydralazine and procainamide are widely used in the treatment of hypertension and cardiac arrhythmia. It has become increasingly clear that these drugs are implicated in a hypersensitivity reaction that is different in its manifestations from most drug hypersensitivity reactions. Hydralazine and procainamide produce an untoward clinical syndrome that resembles spontaneous systemic lupus erythematosus. These drugs, therefore, arc able to induce an autoimmune reaction that results not only in clinical manifestations of a spontaneous autoimmune disease but also in the production of autoantibodies in the sera of patients with drug‐induced disease. The pathogenetic mechanisms by which drugs such as hydralazine and procainamide can produce autoimmune reactions are the subject of increasing interest to immunologists, since there is a possibility that understanding this reaction may lead to the elucidation of the factors that produce spontaneous autoimmune disease in man.


The Bacillus subtilis phage 4105 repressor, a X re-pressor-like transcriptional regulatory protein, was overproduced in Escherichia coli and purified to near homogeneity in order to examine its in vitro DNA-binding properties. The active form of repressor ap- pears to be a tetramer. DNase I protection experiments demonstrate that repressor can specifically bind to six distinct sites, all located within the 4105 EcoRI-F immunity region (immF). Three of these sites had been identified earlier as functional operators by genetic analysis. They share a common 14-base pair, asym-metric "core" sequence, 5'-GACGGAAATACAAG-3', termed OR. The three additional sites show significant homology with OR. For an individual binding site, hy-droxyl-radical footprinting reveals symmetrical re- pressor-DNA interactions established via one side of the helix. Dimethyl sulfate protection indicates that guanines at the conserved OR base pair positions 1, 3, and 4 may participate in sequence-specific interactions with repressor in agreement with a previously proposed recognition model. However, since the OR se- quence is not symmetrical with respect to this GNCG motif, at present it remains difficult to completely un- derstand the molecular basis of this interaction.


Although macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) proteins conjugate glutathione, sequence analysis does not support their homology to other glutathione transferases. Glutathione transferases are not detected with MIF proteins in searches of protein sequence databases, and MIF proteins do not share significant sequence similarity with glutathione transferases. Homology cannot be demonstrated by multiple sequence alignment or evolutionary tree construction; such methods assume that the proteins being analyzed are homologous.


The Asian financial crisis of 1997–98 was devastating for the region, but policymakers at least believed that they gained a great deal of knowledge on how to prevent, mitigate, and resolve crises in the future. Fifteen years later, the Asian developing countries escaped the worst effects of the global crisis of 2008–10, in part because they had learned the right lessons from their own experience. In this important study, the Asian Development Bank and Peterson Institute for International Economics join forces to illuminate the contrast between Asia's performance during the more recent crisis with its performance during its own crisis and the gap between what the US and EU leaders recommended to Asia then and what they have practiced on themselves since then. The overriding lessons emerging from the essays in this volume are that countries need to prepare for crises as if they cannot be prevented, make room for stabilization policies and deploy them rapidly when crises hit, and address the need for self-insurance globally if they can, or regionally if they must.


An immune algorithm is presented for solving the job shop scheduling problem. In the algorithm, the niche technology is used to keep the diversity of the population and chaos variables are employed to perform antibody mutation. The code of an antibody is based on random keys, and a heuristic process is given to decode the antibody into a parameterized active schedule to reduce the solution space. Experimental results demonstrate the algorithm is effective for solving job shop problems.


: Objective: The objective of the current study was to compare the perceptions of depressed and non -depressed lactating mothers regarding breast feeding. Study Design: Cross-sectional comparative study. Place and Durations of Study: We conducted this study at Services hospital, Lahore for the duration of one year starting from August, 2018 to July, 2019. Material and Methods: All mothers who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were screened with self-reporting questionnaire and Edinburgh post-natal depression scale by trained female researchers. A detailed proforma was used to obtain information on demographic, pattern of breast feeding, antenatal information variable s. The perception of insufficient milk (PIM) questionnaire was also applied. Results: In this study most of the mothers booked for antenatal care 84% but only one third 26% had proper information about breast feeding both in depressed and non -depressed mothers. Most of the mothers were multigravida 73 % and about 27% were primigravida. Depressed mothers were 41% who scored >12 on EPDS, while 59% were non -depressed who scored >12 on EPDS. Depressed group 18 (42%) scored less than 30 while nondepressed group 8 (13.5%) scored less than 30. Conclusion: The view of insufficient m ilk has a significant and control atmosphere in the interruption of breast milk in the postnatal depressive lactating mothers.


Single-member LLCs ("SMLLCs") are curious and highly useful creatures. Much of that utility is based upon their ease of organization (seldom will the sole member need to engage in detailed negotiations as to the terms of the operating agreement) and the default federal tax treatment as disregarded entities. That utility can be hampered when there is a question as to whether or not the LLC is in fact an SMLLC. Careful attention, both at the time of formation and the throughout the LLC's life, as to whether or not it is in fact an SMLLC is necessary. Absent that attention, there may be surprises, and seldom are surprises welcome. These same principles find sometimes curious application in other unincorporated forms. Conversely, we find circumstances in which at least the tax code will conflate two persons into one or in some other way elect not to treat what would otherwise be a partnership other than as a partnership.


Visual Cryptography Schemes (VCS) based on the"XOR"operation (XVCS) exhibit significantly smaller pixel expansion and higher contrast compared to those based on the"OR"operation. Moreover, the"XOR"operation appears to possess superior qualities, as it effectively operates within a binary field, while the"OR"operation merely functions as a ring with identity. Despite these remarkable attributes, our understanding of XVCS remains limited. Especially, we have done little about the noise in the reconstructed image up to now. In this paper, we introduce a novel concept called Static XVCS (SXVCS), which completely eliminates the noise in the reconstructed image. We also demonstrate that the equivalent condition for perfect white pixel reconstruction is simply the existence of SXVCS. For its application, we naturally propose an efficient method for determining the existence of XVCS with perfect white pixel reconstruction. Furthermore, we apply our theorem to $(2,n)$-XVCS and achieve the optimal state of $(2,n)$-XVCS.


An efficient recursive procedure to find the resonant length of a normal mode uniformly winding helical dipole antenna, has been developed. In the procedure, starting with two (or an arbitrary even number) turns, the moment method impedance elements are found and the Toeplitz equations are solved. If the imaginary part of the input impedance is capacitive, the antenna does not resonate. So we add one turn on each end of the dipole. Two more impedances are computed for the new dipole. These two impedances, the previous antenna current and impedance elements are used to find the new input impedance with very simple calculations. This process continues until the input impedance is real.


Abstract This paper describes two methods of calling subscriber number sending over Internet to the called subscriber who is connected to the classic telephone exchange by Internet. One, faster, method uses two event codes, while the other method uses only one event code, but it is significantly slower.


The common bronzeback tree snake Dendrelaphis tristis is reported from the hilly terrain of Margalla Hills National Park, Islamabad. This represents the first well documented record of this species from Pakistan. The status of one specimen housed in the Natural History Museum, London purportedly collected in Pakistan in 1860 is


${\mathrm{Co}}_{\mathit{c}}$${\mathrm{Mn}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{c}}$${\mathrm{Cl}}_{2}$-${\mathrm{FeCl}}_{3}$ graphite bi-intercalation compounds (GBIC's) form superlattices with a c-axis stacking sequence of ${\mathrm{Gl}}_{1}$${\mathrm{Gl}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Gl}}_{1}$${\mathrm{Gl}}_{2}$. . ., where the ${\mathrm{Co}}_{\mathit{c}}$${\mathrm{Mn}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{c}}$${\mathrm{Cl}}_{2}$ layer (=${\mathit{I}}_{1}$) and ${\mathrm{FeCl}}_{3}$ layer (=${\mathit{I}}_{2}$) alternate with a single graphite layer (=G). We have studied the magnetic properties of these compounds by low-field superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetization, and ac and dc magnetic-susceptibility measurements. ${\mathrm{Co}}_{\mathit{c}}$${\mathrm{Mn}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{c}}$${\mathrm{Cl}}_{2}$-${\mathrm{FeCl}}_{3}$ GBIC's with 0\ensuremath{\le}c\ensuremath{\le}0.1 show a ferromagnetic behavior characterized by a positive Curie-Weiss temperature, an irreversible effect of SQUID magnetization, and a broad peak in the ac magnetic susceptibility. This ferromagnetic behavior can be explained in terms of either the ferromagnetic nearest-neighbor intraplanar exchange interaction of ${\mathrm{MnCl}}_{2}$ layers, or a possible competition of Ising ${\mathrm{Fe}}^{2+}$ spins and XY ${\mathrm{Fe}}^{3+}$ spins in the ${\mathrm{FeCl}}_{3}$ layers. For 0.25\ensuremath{\le}c\ensuremath{\le}0.7 the antiferromagnetic phase occurs in the ${\mathrm{FeCl}}_{3}$ layers. For 0.45\ensuremath{\le}c\ensuremath{\le}0.7 this antiferomagnetic phase coexists with a spin-glass-like phase occurring in the ${\mathrm{Co}}_{\mathit{c}}$${\mathrm{Mn}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{c}}$${\mathrm{Cl}}_{2}$ layers below a characteristic temperature ${\mathit{T}}_{0}$ (\ensuremath{\approxeq}9 K). For 0.7c1 there occurs a cluster glass phase below a critical temperature ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$ in the ${\mathrm{Co}}_{\mathit{c}}$${\mathrm{Mn}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{c}}$${\mathrm{Cl}}_{2}$ layers, where the spin directions of ferromagnetic clusters are frozen. The nature of this cluster glass phase is different from that for stage-2 ${\mathrm{Co}}_{\mathit{c}}$${\mathrm{Mn}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{c}}$${\mathrm{Cl}}_{2}$ GIC's with 0.8\ensuremath{\le}c\ensuremath{\le}1.


Since the early days of helioseismology, adiabatic models have shown their limits for a precise fitting of individual oscillation frequencies. This discrepancy, which also exists for solar-type stars, is known to originate near the surface superadiabatic convective region where the interaction between oscillations and convection is likely to have a large effect on the frequencies. We present an asteroseismic study to address the adequacy of time-dependent convection (TDC) non-adiabatic models to better reproduce the observed individual frequencies. We select, for this purpose, three solar-like stars, in addition to the Sun, to which we fit the observed frequencies in a grid of TDC non-adiabatic models. The best model selection is done by applying a maximum likelihood method. The results are compared to pure adiabatic and near-surface corrected adiabatic models. We show that, first, TDC models give very good agreement for the mode frequencies and average lifetimes. In the solar case, the frequency discrepancy is reduced to <1.75 μHz over 95 per cent of the modes considered. Secondly, TDC models give an asteroseismic insight into the usually unconstrained ad hoc stellar parameters, such as the mixing-length parameter αMLT.


The Tennessee Energy Conservation In Housing (TECH) complex has been utilized since 1977 as a field test site for several novel and conventional heat pump systems for space conditioning and water heating. Systems tested include the Annual Cycle Energy System (ACES), solar assisted heat pumps (SAHP) both parallel and series, two conventional air‐to‐air heat pumps, an air‐to‐air heat pump with desuperheater water heater, and horizontal coil and multiple shallow vertical coil ground‐coupled heat pumps (GCHP). A direct comparison of the measured annual performance of the test systems was not possible. However, a cursory examination revealed that the ACES had the best performance, however, its high cost makes it unlikely that it will achieve wide‐spread use. Costs for the SAHP systems are similar to those of the ACES but their performance is not as good. Integration of water heating and space conditioning functions with a desuperheater yielded significant efficiency improvement at modest cost. The GCHP systems...


Power-gating is a technique for efficiently reducing leakage power by shutting off the idle blocks. However, the presence of power-gating may also introduce negative effects, which are not considered in the earlier design stages. Ignoring those effects may result in suboptimal designs and potentially even nullify the intended power savings. In this paper, the authors propose a novel measure to efficiently capture the power-gating effects. The authors apply this measure in a floorplanner for power-gated chips. Experimental results show that the power-gating aware floorplanner can achieve 50% decap saving compared to a floorplanner unaware of power gating. Leakage power can be saved by inserting less decap, especially when thin-oxide decap are used due to the area constraint. The approach can reduce leakage power consumed by decap from 36mW to 9mW when area overhead is limited to about 19% of the total chip area


Objective: to study the effect of polyphenolic antioxidant resveratrol on markers of inflammatory activation of the endothelium (ET) in patients with stable coronary heart disease (CHD) in conjunction with autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT). Methods. The study involved 30 patients with coronary artery disease: stable angina pectoris, FC II with concomitant autoimmune thyroiditis, euthyroidism (study group), control group consisted of 20 healthy subjects. After 1 month of standard stabilizing therapy (β-blockers, statins, aspirin) for study group, in blood of participants was identified the levels of circulating endothelial microparticles (CEM) CD32+CD40+ by cytofluorometry, after which for study group additionally was appointed resveratrol at a dose of 100 mg per day and after 2 months we re-analyzed these indicators. Results. In patients with stable coronary artery disease combined with AIT found increased amount of CEM CD32+CD40+. Under the influence of resveratrol in patients with CHD combined with AIT was revealed a significant reduction of the amount of CEM CD32+CD40+ in the peripheral blood, that can be the result of its effect on intracellular molecular cascades associated with nuclear transcription factor kappa B (NF-kB). Conclusion. Resveratrol demonstrates the anti-inflammatory and protective action for endothelium: it reduces the indicator of inflammatory activation ET CEM CD32+CD40+ in the blood in patients with stable CHD combined with AIT.


This paper describes a novel strategy for the non-mechanical motion of a liquid droplet by photoisomerization of surface-immobilized azobenzenes. When a liquid droplet is placed on a substrate surface that has been modified with a monolayer of azobenzene-terminated calix[4]resorcinarenes, alternating irradiation with UV and blue light causes in situ changes in the contact angle of the droplet. The spreading/retraction motion of a liquid droplet is based on the reversible change in surface free energy of the photoresponsive surface due to the trans–cis isomerization of the azobenzene molecules. By measuring the hysteresis in contact angles of various liquids, we determined the principal requirement for the motion of a liquid droplet to occur: a receding contact angle on a trans-rich surface should be larger than an advancing contact angle on a cis-rich surface. Localized illumination of a liquid droplet of several
millimeters in diameter causes it to move vectorially across the photoresponsive surface. The direction and velocity of the motion are tailored by manipulating both the direction and steepness of an applied light intensity gradient. Detailed profiles of a moving droplet support the assumption that the surface-assisted motion is ascribed to an imbalance in contact angles. The potential applicability of light-driven motion to lab-on-a-chip technology was presented by delivery of reactants for a chemical reaction on a photoresponsive surface by illumination.


The use of membranes in the equipment of air separation unit for cleaning the neon- helium mixture from nitrogen presumes to obtain a neon-helium concentrate in the installations with the limited production of liquid cryogenic products. The important indices in such a process are the degree of extraction of the target components (neon and helium) as well as the concentration of nitrogen impurity in the production stream. Alternative calculations of the neon-helium mixture enrichment process on the polymeric membrane in a wide range of operating modes have been presented. The dependence of the extraction degree of the neon-helium mixture on the initial concentration of nitrogen impurity at various recycle ratios has been demonstrated. It was found that recirculation of the permeate stream allowed to approximate the characteristics of the membrane installation to the characteristics of the dephlegmator.


Lymphocystis disease is a viral disease of freshwater and marine fish. It was found in three species ofSciaenids along the Georgia coast. It was found in six of the eight estuaries sampled and appeared in three forms: cutaneous, visceral and ocular. Thecutaneous and visceral lesions were typical. An ocular site of infection, however, had not been previously described. The lymphocystis cells were found in the choroid coat of the eye near blood vessels and transport of the virus to the infection site via the blood was suspected. The disease appeared in the fall and winter months in Cynoscion regalis and Stellifer lanceolatus. No conclusions could be drawn from the data on the seasonal appearance of the disease in Dynoscion nothus. Water temperature changes appear to be associated with the appearance and disappearance of the disease but additional factors need to be studied before a causal relationship can be established. There was no significant difference in the proportion of infected S. lanceolatus from lower salinity and higher salinity sample areas.


: Histophysiological pancreatic indices were studied in 1-, 21- and 30-day-old offsprings of white non-lineal female rats that were given antithyreoid drug mercasolil in the dose 3 mg/kg of body weight during pregnancy and lactation. Chemical inhibition of maternal thyreoid function results in decreasing weight index of the offspring's pancreas, in decreasing section area of the terminal secretory parts, in narrowing the homogenous zone of exocrine pancreocytes, in decreasing the portion occupied by the endocrine part on the section area, as well as in decreasing the index of B/A cells ratio of pancreatic islands and of nuclear volume of basophilic insulocytes. It is possible to conclude from the data obtained that maternal hypothyreosis produced by mercasolil unfavourably affects the process of structural and functional setting and the status of the pancreas in the offspring.


The aim of this study is to find out the crystallization behaviour and in-vitro bioactivity character of machinable glass ceramics having different ratios of Na/K mica and apatite phases, to ascertain the best machinable composition. In order to investigate the bioactivity behavior of the samples the simulated body fluid (SBF) was prepared. Samples were removed from the solution after 1 hour, 1 day, 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks. FEG-SEM was used to characterize the morphology of precipitation HCA layer on the surface depending on time. Molecular bonding characterization of HCA layers were carried out by using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) technique. The thin film X-ray diffraction (TF-XRD) analysis was used to characterize the variation of chemical composition on precipitated layer by time. Optimum results were obtained by the composition, containing 70wt% Na/K mica and 30wt% fluorapatite which had an average mica size of 3-4 microns.


Understanding how Ontario Ministry of Education (OME) early years' curriculum and framework documents, such as The Kindergarten Program (OME, 2016), How Does Learning Happen? (OME, 2014) and ELECT (BSEPEL, 2007) set the expectations for fostering gender and identity formation is increasingly vital in contemporary society. Educators need to understand how the mandated documents feed their practice and influence what is understood by educators as "appropriate" gendered practices and identities. Drawing on a poststructural feminist perspective (Blaise & Taylor, 2012), the authors examine these early years' documents for systemic or structural aspects that suggest the formation of specific gender identities. Specifically, this study explores the language and systemic gender beliefs contained in the three documents identified above. The study also examines how specific ideologies may influence gender identity formation in young children. The authors expect to find that these curriculum and framework documents do not support educators in fostering the formation of gender identities, particularly those which are outside of heteronormative expectations.


Antisemitism marked with an irrational prejudice against Jews and Israel is on the rise over the past decade after declining for much of the post WW-II era. This trend is particularly acute in Muslim-majority countries where surveys show the percentage of population with positive views of Jews languishing in the single digits. Deconstructing the provenance of this neo-antisemitism is essential if we are to effectively combat it. While scholars have extensively analyzed antisemitism over the ages across myriad dimensions, we point out that non-theological and localized motivations explain much of the renewed expression of antisemitism across the Muslim ummah. By 'localized', we denote motivations that are isolated both along the space (viz. specific to group or country) and time (viz. specific to the past few decades) dimensions.Since the pre-Christian era, antisemitism has been a scourge on human civilization. Its continuation into the modern era in-spite of the monstrosities inflicted on Jews during WWII represents a collective failure on our part to eradicate irrational hatred from society's midst. In the post-war era, we mercifully do not see any large-scale self-identification with the "antisemite" tag. Antisemitism, though, continues to survive and has indeed adapted itself to the changing political discourse of the times. The most prominent example of such adaptation is the couching of Jew-hatred under the anti-Israeli and anti-Zionist categories since the 1967 Yom Kippur war. Our principal concern in this paper is with the surge of antisemitic incidents across the Islamic world in the past decade. A tragic example was proffered a few weeks back when MEMRI TV released footage showing Yemeni Zaidi worshippers repeatedly chanting "Death to Israel" just moments before they are blown to smithereens by their sectarian rivals from the Salafi-inspired Islamic State. Monumental literature already exists analyzing the provenance and persistence such irrational Jew-hatred across social, religious, economic, racial and political dimensions. In this paper, we do not deny or contradict any of these theoretical frameworks. Instead, we provide a complementary argument that the recent rise in antisemitism is well-explained by political, non-theological reasons that are specific to the local elite across different countries, who in turn are motivated by peculiar circumstances of the times they find themselves in. And, it is by a clear elucidation of these temporal reasons that we hope to address the issue of antisemitism effectively.


It is difficult to see any rhyme or reason in the titles and forms of address for British hospital doctors; there can be little doubt that the general public struggle to understand the `rules'. Dentists are adding to the confusion in the high street by increasingly styling themselves as Doctor.

When referring a patient to the hospital, the general practitioner may say `I am sending you to see a consultant', or a specialist, or a surgeon but when the patient arrives, what is the proper form of address? Is it Doctor or Mister? What is signified by these terms? The fact is that there are no rules, just rather obscure conventions. It remains a complete mystery to many patients and just when they begin to get the hang of it they are caught out again. At one point the rule seems simple. Surely all consultants are called Mister? Many believe so and state so authoritatively in the pub or on the Clapham omnibus. It held true and seemed consistent when a family member went to the hospital with her piles, a hernia or a breast lump. The doctors they met in the hospital were called Mister. Was it because they were consultants or specialists? No, it is because those were surgeons. Then along he goes with heart trouble. A coronary stent insertion is advised. Next thing the cardiologist appears all togged out, just like a surgeon, and you get it wrong again—this Miss is accustomed to being called Doctor. To the patient (and much of the British press) inserting a stent seems uncannily similar to an operation, but wrong again. Probably for no other reason than it is not being done by a card carrying surgeon, angioplasty is called an intervention (a percutaneous coronary intervention or PCI).

A good history of how surgeons came to be called Mister is provided by the respected medical historian Irvine Loudon.1 Ibery and colleagues have surveyed the oto-laryngologists to find out how they would prefer to be addressed,2 but would their patients know them better as ENT surgeons, and are either or both coterminous with the fashionable Head and Neck Surgeon? It is the patients who are at risk of being confused by these terms and titles. Consider, for example, the risk taken in addressing a consultant cardiologist as nurse. Patients have their own worries and do not need the added anxiety of making a faux pas. It merits our attention—perhaps there is a way we can unscramble ourselves to help them. It would be instructive to follow Ibery's lead and perform a properly structured poll—but of what patients would like, rather than what doctors expect. Such a poll would be beyond our expertise and way beyond our resources. So we will rely on our own experience—between us we have heard a lot of patients' questions, confusions and opinions.

We can start on fairly sure ground. In Britain, if someone is described as `a doctor' there is broad agreement about what is intended. This is an individual who has passed a formal qualifying examination and is licensed by a National regulatory body after years of university education and training in a teaching hospital in what is regarded within our culture, and recognized throughout the world, as Western scientific or just `modern' medicine.3 These doctors give advice about sickness and health and prescribe drugs. In any other sense the word is qualified—as in `witch doctor'. The public and the other forms of practitioners have the good sense not to allow language to confuse them. They use terms such as healer, herbalist, and therapist and qualifiers such as traditional and alternative. Nobody is in any serious doubt about what we mean by a doctor, nor indeed by a dentist or a surgeon. From now on we will use the word doctor in this sense. The sense includes surgeons as being a type of doctor for most people. The title Mister raises a question for some but the standard of education, training and licensing are perceived as being at least those of a doctor.

The usage certainly does not cover those titled Doctor by virtue of having a PhD. There may be some badinage about which is the `proper doctor' but joking aside, we all know what is meant when the cry goes up `Is there a doctor in the house?'. Dr Ian Paisley does not spring to mind, nor to his feet. There are plenty of Doctors but there is no confusion about which is which in most university departments. In the preclinical science departments we begin to see the need to specify in some practical classes, particularly where patients are involved. However, in hospital the title Doctor for someone who is not a doctor begins to cause confusion. The clinical psychologist, neurophysiologist, nurse or non-medically qualified manager with a PhD has a dilemma. They worked hard for the title and may well feel it was harder earned and more deserved than the courtesy title given to those who practise medicine on a couple of bachelor degrees. What are they to do? Put PhD after their name? Forgo the title? They rarely do and yet the use of the title Doctor, in a hospital setting, will mislead nearly all members of the public into thinking the title is medical. We come across Doctors in editing, management, politics, guideline development, health services research and scientific committees and the title is ambiguous. Few PhDs seem overly concerned about the possible confusion and in all of those fields it is their contribution not the camp they come from that matters.

We little islanders reflect on these issues, but the continent which always hosts The World Series, believes that all over the world children go to school in yellow buses, and can understand no currency other than the dollar, has its own ways which are as strange to us as we are to them. Doctor Denton Cooley (acclaimed by his followers as America's greatest surgeon) told his residents, you had better call him Mister Treasure, with just possibly a reference to Sidney Poitier's `In the Heat of the Night' character who insisted on being addressed as Mr Tibbs, not just Virgil. In the USA the Doctor status was lost a long time ago. All dentists, osteopaths, podiatrists and veterinary surgeons are called Doctor and many other therapists besides. The title Doctor is largely devalued. To identify a doctor the public need to look for MD, often on car registration plates. Americans use the word physician to embrace all those we call doctors whereas in Britain it has a much narrower meaning: we broadly divide hospital doctors into two camps, the physicians and the surgeons. In the USA the title Professor is completely devalued and not used other than with sarcastic intent. There are so many tiers of assistant and associate professors, that when you have to specify `full' professor, there is no point. On the other hand in Britain professors in hospitals are rare. For the happy few who have the title, it is so nice to be called `Prof', a pleasing form of address, respectful yet cosily avuncular.

So what is a consultant? It still has a special cachet in British medicine or why would nurses want to be consultants? But in common usage it is meaningless. The travel agent and electricity board's automatic switchboard tells us `all our consultants are busy' and architects, accountants, engineers, heating engineers and so on, all do a little consultant work in retirement. What does it mean? Nothing.

What is a specialist? A generation ago it was a term of respect as used by a GP but in the hospital where the general surgeon and general physician controlled the beds and in turn the hospital, generalists trumped specialists.

Words change their meaning. Euphemisms have to be replaced by new euphemisms. Spastic and cretin were medical words but in the mouths of school boys became terms of abuse so were replaced by cerebral palsy and congenital hypothyroidism, more difficult to mouth and not suited to invective. Status words are adopted by those who seek status. The expansion of Surgeon's Assistant is one such. While Lynne Truss was not looking, the apostrophe was dropped4 and Surgeon Assistant emerged. Take Nurse Consultant and drop the redundant word to make it manageable (you choose which one) and you can be anything you want to be. No wonder the surgeons (male at least) are happy to be Mister without needing to be reminded that once it meant Master. Female surgeons would prefer to be called Doctor than fail to be recognized as medically qualified. It really does not matter. Being a surgeon is doing what a surgeon does. How we are titled is of little consequence.


After  its introduction at the start of this century, the Corsican pine has become  an important forest tree in Flanders (Belgium). The total area covered by  Corsican pine is about 11.000 ha. Due to climatological factors it is  virtually absent from the Walloon part of Belgium. Despite the crisis in 1984  - 1986, practical experiences with its vitality and disease resistance are  generally positive. Compared to Scots pine which is native to Belgium, its  productivity and insensitivity for insect pests is large. To quantify the productivity of Corsican pine, a growth table was  constructed using a method developed by PALM and DAGNELIE. It was based on  data from 321 temporarily and 80 permanent plots distributed over Flanders.  Five yield classes were distinguished according to dominant height at 50  years. For each yield class, a series of tables as a function of treatment  was constructed. Treatments were characterized by the mean annual  circumference increment. These tables allow to predict the growth of Corsican pines. Such  predictions for the whole range of species are necessary for the development  of a good forestry policy and for timber industries. The tables also provide  information for any given Corsican pine stand that is helpful in practice:  expected productivity, stand density, determination of the felling quantum.  The data show that the productivity of Corsican pine is very high. The very  early culmination of the current annual volume increment and the rather  constant level of the mean annual volume increment after culmination are  interesting new findings. It is also shown that it is possible to work with  long rotation periods. This offers good opportunities for the production of  high quality wood and is also important for the social and ecological role of  the forest. Productivity is lowest on very dry and sandy soils. A high productivity on  moderately dry sand and loamy sand soils and loamy soils make the Corsican  pine one of the most valuable tree species for the Kempen in Flanders.  Although productivity is very high on well drained sandy loam and loam soils,  plantation of Corsican pine on these locations is not advised.


Background: This study aims to compare allele and genotype frequencies of a 30-bp variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) polymorphism of the DAT1 gene, located at intron 8, between adult crack cocaine users and nonaddicted individuals. Due to its involvement in drug addiction, this gene is a good candidate for molecular studies. Methods: A cross-sectional sample of 239 current adult crack abusers or dependents from in- and outpatient clinics and 211 control individuals was collected in Brazil. They were evaluated using ASRS, ASI-6, WAIS-III, and MINI assessments. DNA samples extracted from whole blood were genotyped for the intron 8 VNTR in DAT1. Results: Logistic regression analysis was performed and controlled for gender, age, ethnicity, educational level, and comorbidities of clinical interest (generalized anxiety disorder, suicide risk, major depressive episode, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder). This analysis showed that the 6R6R genotype was associated with crack cocaine addiction (OR = 1.844; CI = 1.101–3.089; p = 0.020). Conclusions: Our results are consistent with the role of DAT1 in the neurobiology of drug addiction. Nevertheless, the study of other genes, environmental factors, and their interactions is also important to gain a broader understanding of this condition.


Background: As a regulatory unit of class III phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), PIK3R4 is an important molecule involved in several malignant tumours, but the role and molecular mechanism of PIK3R4 in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is still unclear. Methods: Multiple bioinformatics analyses were used to investigate the role and potential mechanisms of PIK3R4 in DLBCL. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT‒PCR) was performed to determine the expression of PIK3R4 in 80 DLBCL patients, and the survival time of DLBCL patients grouped according to PIK3R4 mRNA expression was compared. Results: PIK3R4 is up-regulated in several malignant tumours, including DLBCL. Bioinformatics analyses revealed that PIK3R4 exhibits prognostic value in DLBCL patients, and the upregulation of this gene in DLBCL samples was subsequently validated. In the functional category, GO analysis revealed that PIK3R4-related genes are enriched in ribosomal RNA metabolic process, the DNA damage response, mitochondrial gene expression, and nucleoside metabolic process. KEGG pathway analysis showed the enrichment of PIK3R4-related genes in the ribosome, oxidative phosphorylation, proteasome, and cellular senescence pathways. More importantly, the expression of PIK3R4 in DLBCL was correlated with the immune cell content in the cancer microenvironment, CD8(+) T-cell and neutrophil infiltration and the levels of several immune checkpoint molecules, including BTN3A2, BTN3A1, PRF1, CXCL9, PDCD1, and TIGIT. Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that PIK3R4, as a novel immune microenvironment-related gene, may represent an important diagnostic, prognostic, or therapeutic biomarker in DLBCL patients.


This paper summarises a project carried out in north-west Wales as part of a wider project in Wales funded by Cadw and designed to assess the resource provided by lithic scatters, and collections deriving from them. The work in north-west Wales also included general assessment of actual lithic scatter sites, some detailed evaluation of individual sites by different methods, including geophysics, soil and palaeo-environmental work, and some trial surface collection. The work provided an up-to-date synthesis of present knowledge, provides new suggestions about depositional environments and about the identification of inland activity areas in the Later Mesolithic period. Full reference: Smith, A.G. 2005. The north-west Wales lithic scatters project. Lithics: The Journal of the Lithic Studies Society 26: 38–56.


Abstract Models of braided stream deposition have largely been developed from studies of regionally degrading and laterally confined alluvial environments. Glacial outwash streams, in particular, have supplied important and widely cited descriptions of intra-channel processes. These fluvial systems are typically confined within quite narrow valleys. It is felt that such systems have low long-term preservation potential and are unlikely to be present in the geologic record in large quantities. Therefore, the study of these modern laterally confined degradational systems may not provide holistic analogs of the larger-scale alluvial architecture developed in braided river environments in the ancient. The Escanilla Formation of the Spanish Pyrenees provides a well-exposed example of an Eocene fluvial system flowing axially within the Pyrenean foreland basin. Sedimentologic study shows coarse channelized deposits of braided character wholly enclosed within large amounts of fine-grained overbank mudstones and siltstones (>40% by volume), with both being deposited coevally across the Escanilla floodplain. A new depositional model is proposed that combines facets of existing models derived from other fluvio-morphologic systems. This consists of a laterally confined channel belt, internally preserving a braided stream character, capable of rapid vertical aggradation on short geological time-scales (about a thousand years). Avulsion processes are used to explain finer sediment deposition in interfluve settings, as well as the large-scale architectural geometries within the lower Escanilla Formation. This new model illustrates that discrete channel belt avulsion, and the preservation of thick sequences of overbank material are not exclusively characteristics of higher sinuosity fluvial systems.


A Boundary-Condition-Independent (BCI) Compact Thermal Model (CTM) was generated for an opto-electronic transceiver package called SFP (Small Form-factor Pluggable device). The SFP has four internal power dissipating sources and the BCI CTM for the SFP was developed using the DELPHI methodology. This paper presents a detailed validation of the BCI CTM of the SFP in real-time applications using Flotherm, a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)-based thermal analysis software package. The results show excellent agreement between the results predicted by the SFP CTM with the data from the detailed model and from the experiments. The SFP CTM predicts the junction temperature of the four power dissipating components and the heat flows through the sides with relative error less than 10%. In addition to accurate thermal characterization of the SFP, the SFP CTM facilitates a large order reduction (105 to 1) in the CFD-based computations. Advantages and limitations on using the DELPHI methodology for generation of CTM for the SFP are also discussed.


The purpose of conducting this research was to prove whether the students' vocabulary mastery can be increased by using snowball throwing technique or not. This research was true-experimental research design. The population of this research was the seventh grade students of SMP Negeri 1 Ampibabo. The researcher took the students in seventh grade by using random sampling technique. The data were collected by using pre-test and post-test. The pre-test was conducted to measure the students' vocabulary mastery before treatment, while the post-test was conducted to measure the students' vocabulary after treatment. The data obtained from the test were analyzed statistically. The result of the data analysis showed that there was a significant difference between the result of experimental group and control group. It is proved that the result of t-counted (2.30) is higher than t-table (2.034). It means that the alternative hypothesis (Ha) was accepted and the null hypothesis (Ho) was rejected. Hence, the use of Snowball throwing technique can increase vocabulary mastery of the seventh grade students at SMPN 1 Ampibabo. Keywords: Snowball Throwing Technique; Vocabulary Mastery.


In this talk I give a short review of theoretical results on the properties of hadrons in cold, equilibrium nuclear matter. I then discuss the observable consequences of any changes of these properties inside the medium in actual experiments. I demonstrate that any experimental verification of in-medium effects requires a state-of-the-art treatment of the reaction dynamics and, in particular, also the final state interactions.


We analyse the determinants of trade misinvoicing using data on 86 countries from 1980 to 2005. In a simple microeconomic framework, we derive the determinants of four different types of trade misinvoicing taking into account that only the financial incentives determine whether and how much exports/imports to underinvoice or overinvoice, whereas the deterrents only affect the extent of misinvoicing. The hypothesised determinants are tested using data on discrepancies in bilateral trade with the United States. We find that the black market premia and tariffs motivate illegal trading activities. Higher financial penalties effectively act as a deterrent to this crime.


To study the mechanism of plasma endothelin (pET) increment in chronic renal failure (CRF) patients, we investigated 20 CRF cases given hemoultrafiltration for 90 min followed by hemodialysis and 12 given hemodialysis only to examine the effect on ET. The results revealed that 90-min ultrafiltration with 2 500ml fluid extraction significantly decreased plasma ET (1 132 +/- 793--753 +/- 702 pg/ml, P less than 0.05), while hemodialysis without water extraction for the same period of time resulted in no significant change (1 195 +/- 891--1 011 +/- 654pg/ml, P greater than 0.05). BUN in the ultrafiltration group showed no marked changes (102 +/- 11.4--83.5 +/- 119 mg/dl), but the hemodialysis group presented a significant decrease (97 +/- 12--63 +/- 7 mg/dl, P less than 0.05), showing that the ET fall had no significant relevance to the metabolic products extracted. In 120 min following hemodialysis, ET levels in both groups decreased by different amounts. MAP decreased in both groups throughout the procedure period. Therefore, it is suggested that decreased extracellular volume via ultrafiltration can lead to lowering of ET levels, showing that extracellular volume may influence the ET level.


UNLABELLED
Electrovaporization of the prostate consists of the use of a high energy section current to destroy hyperplastic prostatic tissue. The authors present the preliminary results obtained with this new technique.

METHOD
15 patients presenting indications for transurethral resection of the prostate were included in this prospective study. Three patients were in complete retention. Three patients presented a high operative risk (ASA 3). Electrovaporization of the prostatic tissue was performed according to the plans of resection using a round loop and a pure section current of 250 to 300 W.

RESULTS
The mean operating time was 22 min (+/- 13) for a mean prostatic weight of 43 g (+/- 7.7). No immediate postoperative haematuria was observed. The duration of catheterization was 2.2 days, and the mean hospital stay was 2.8 days (range: 2-4 days). With a minimum follow-up of 6 months, all patients were improved with an average flow rate of 22.17 +/- 8.6 mL/s, and a score less than 7. Two patients developed haematuria on D5 and D7, one patient developed resorption hyponatraemia and one patient died on D2 from acute respiratory failure.

CONCLUSION
EVP is an effective new resection technique designed to limit postoperative morbidity and the length of hospital stay, which uses inexpensive material. A randomized study versus loop resection should allow identification of the advantages of this technique.


This paper is concerned with the response of a controlled system after an initiating disturbance has died out. Such a transient is obtained, for example, when the load on a prime mover is suddenly rejected or the speed setting of an engine governor is instantly switched to a new value. It is assumed that the rate of change of the controlling variable with respect to time is bounded, and that the maximum rate of change can be obtained arbitrarily. Thus the speed of a hydraulic governor servo is limited. The best return to equilibrium (minimum over or under-swing, minimum duration of the transient, and so on) can be obtained under rather general conditions by having the servo or its equivalent travel only at maximum or zero speed. Control functions exist which give the optimum transients. These functions are nonlinear. The results of theoretical studies to enable the control designer to obtain optimum or nearly optimum transients are given here along with practical compromises. All results have been verified in the laboratory with physical devices (governors) of various kinds and automatically controlled systems.


The effects of nematicides carbofuran (C) and fenamiphos (F) and herbicides metribuzin (M) and trifluralin (T), alone and in combination, on hatching, penetration, development, and reproduction of Meloidogyne incognita race 3 were determined under laboratory conditions. To study hatching, entire egg masses were exposed to nematicides (6 mug/ml), herbicides (0.5 mug/ml), and their combinations over a period of 16 days; the hatched juveniles were extracted and counted every 48 hours. Second-stage juveniles that hatched from day 6 to day 8 were used as inoculum to determine the effects of the chemicals on penetration, development, and reproduction of M. incognita on tomato 4, 16, and 32 days after inoculation. F, F + T, and F + M inhibited hatching; whereas, C, T, M, C + T, and C + M did not affect hatching, penetration, development of females, or reproduction. Since so few juveniles hatched from the fenamiphos treatments, we were not able to use them for the postinfection development study. There was no apparent reduction in the effect of the nematicides by the herbicides.


This research aimed to provide approaches to develop or enhance accommodations in Amphawa District and Bangkhontee District, Samut Songkhram Province to facilitate senior tourists properly. Key informants of this study consisted of hotel staff at the operational level and local residents in the areas as well as academics in the field of tourism and hotel business. Total number was 11 people. They were selected by purposive sampling which is a non-probability sampling technique. Data were gathered with a means of in-depth semi-structured interviews. The research findings showed that in order to serve senior tourists well, accommodations should be easy or convenient to reach. This aspect was priority. Clear signs telling directions to accommodations should be put in place. Accommodations should have certain measures to ensure safety and security for tourists. In terms of personnel, hotel staff should have proper knowledge on senior tourists' needs and how to take care and give advices to them, especially first aid knowledge and basic medical assistance. Accommodations should also pay an attention to their surroundings which needed to be tranquil, natural, and peaceful, or they should be designed with eco-friendly concerns and should be compatible with existing natural resources. As for facilities in the accommodations, this aspect was very necessary for senior tourists therefore accommodations should provide proper facilities that made everything convenient for them in all areas. Lastly, in terms of activities, accommodations should arrange activities that were compatible with local resources or made use resources properly.


In the far-off past, tattoos were something only sailors had, and the only body part people pierced was their ears. Nowadays, piercings and tattoos are everywhere. But like anything you do in life — from driving a car to playing a sport — tattoos and piercings come with some risks. Taking a few precautions will help you get the best results from your new body art and avoid side effects, which can include allergic reactions to inks or piercing jewelry, infections caused by unsterile equipment and needles, and scarring.


This paper explores Polish Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) in Germany as a part of the broader category of outward FDIs. It aims at detecting patterns in the behaviour of Polish companies abroad and thus discerning the profile of Polish firms investing in Germany. Besides drawing on statistics concerning Polish FDIs, qualitative research (comprising interviews with independent experts and representatives of companies who have ventured abroad) has been conducted. Polish companies investing in Germany tend to act independently, i.e. regardless of the behaviour of other firms. Their decisions are not costmotivated, but rather influenced by the attractiveness of the German market. Despite Germany's physical proximity, its business environment constitutes a significant investment barrier for many Polish companies. Due to the small and heterogeneous nature of the group examined, the obtained results must be taken with caution.


Chromatographic interaction between infiltrating solutions of racemic mixtures of enantiomers and enantiomorphic minerals with chiral excess has been proposed as a scenario for the emergence of biomolecular homochirality. Enantiomer separation is supposed to be produced by different partition coefficients of both enantiomers with regard to crystal faces or walls of capillary tubes in the enantiomorphic mineral. Besides quartz, nepheline is the only common magmatic mineral with enantiomorphic symmetry. It crystallizes from SiO2-undersaturated melts with low viscosity and is a promising candidate for chiral enrichment by autocatalytic secondary nucleation. Under liquidus conditions, the dynamic viscosity of silicate melts is mainly a function of polymerization. Melts with low concentrations of SiO2 (<55 wt%) and rather high concentrations of Na2O (>7 wt%) are only slightly polymerized and hence are characterized by low viscosities. Such melts can ascend, intrude or extrude by turbulent flow. Fourteen volcanic and subvolcanic samples from alkaline provinces in Africa and Sweden were chemically analyzed. Polished thin sections containing fresh nepheline phenocrysts were etched with 1% hydrofluoric acid at 20 °C for 15 to 25 min. Nepheline crystals suitable for a statistical evaluation of their etch figures were found in four samples. Crystals with chiral etch figures are mainly not twinned. Their chiral proportions in grain percentages of single crystals are close to parity in three samples. Only one sample shows a slight chiral excess (41.67% L-type vs. 58.33% D-type) but at a low level of significance (15 vs. 21 crystals, respectively).


This paper focuses on the main factors that contribute to the dangers of violent internal conflict erupting, or re-igniting after a peace has been concluded. The conflict literature has identified greed and grievance as the principle causes of conflict. But for either of them to take the form of large-scale violence there must be other factors at work, specifically a weakening of the 'social contract'. Such a viable social contract can be sufficient to restrain opportunistic behaviour such as theft of resource rents and violent expression of grievance. The social contract, therefore, refers to the mechanisms and institutions of peaceful conflict resolution. Three main risk factors are considered in this briefing: The breakdown of redistributive mechanisms, democratic transitions and lack of economic progress.


[1] This study examines various climatological features related to multiple tropopause events (MT events). The analysis is based on the lapse rate definition of the tropopause and is performed on a radiosonde data subset taken from the Integrated Global Radiosonde Archive database. The global statistics of MT events are analyzed, taking into consideration both their seasonal and geographical variations. Our results are in moderate qualitative agreement with those of earlier studies. They reinforce the analytical findings of other researchers, but at the same time highlight important differences in both the number and position of the maximum occurrence of MT events. We found a latitudinal band of multiple tropopause occurrence in the Northern Hemisphere and three centers in the Southern Hemisphere, which coincided with identified zones of maximum cyclogenesis. The climatological features of pressure, temperature, and vertical separation of MT events revealed the complexity of these phenomena, which behave very differently according to latitude and season.


According to the WHO's Global Status Report on Road Safety of 2013, road fatalities were 1.24 million for the 182 countries studied; the injury statistics were as always less precise: depending on definition and recording measures, there were 20-50 million injuries – either extreme of the spectrum would constitute the size of a medium-large nation state. In economic terms the cost of road injuries in 2000 was recorded in the WHO Report as in excess of $1/2 trillion – again equivalent to the GDP of medium-large national economies. Correct helmet use was estimated in the study to reduce the risk of death by 40%, and that of serious injury by 70%. These somewhat sobering statistics provide the backdrop for the empirical study of helmet use by riders of bicycles and motorcycles analyzed by gender, age, number of riders and personal/cargo use, which are presented below. Locations in the following countries were chosen in Central America and the Caribbean, for empirical observation of helmet use: Latin America (Cuba, Costa Rica and Nicaragua) and locations in the following countries in Europe (U.K., Italy and the Netherlands.) The data collected are summarized, analyzed and reviewed; and comparisons between countries and regions made. Policy implications are discussed. Tentative policy recommendations are suggested, subject to more extensive empirical research, for a more pro-active approach to road safety for pedal and motor cycle users – not just operators but also passengers, who constitute some of the most vulnerable road users.


The presentation is going to describe the state of the art of the INTISC project. The
project aimed to offer a registration and cooperation framework for actors and
researchers involved in the topics of territorial intelligence, mapping relevant services
and projects all over the world. Wide variety IT services are available via the internet.
A lot of specific service used in research, needs authentication. If the services offered
are connected and use distributed authentication as a cloud, it could multiply the effect
of use. The federative authentication in the INTISC project is a base to enable
researchers to connect in the field of "Territorial Intelligence". The distributed system
consists of a directory application as a signpost of the research area and the services
connected. The Cloud metaphorically contains, but in fact smartly integrates
functional and identification services. On the identification side higher education
institutions, research institutions, territorial actors and organization members should
be involve into the process of knowledge transfer and gain of development. The
authorization is an independent federative layer of the system, enabling access of
services offered in functional level. The functional services could be provided by any
partners, from anywhere world-wide. The functionality usually supports specific
research purposes such as data collection, statistical analysis, project management,
data mapping, collaborative publication, etc. This project aims to support cooperative
knowledge sharing in science and action, theory and use.


Granzymes are serine proteases present in secretory granules of cytolytic T lymphocyte lines. We have studied the expression of the granzyme family (granzyme A, B, C, D, E, F, and G) in different lymphoid cell populations and cell lines as well as in nonlymphoid cells and tissues. Our data show that with few exceptions expression of granzyme genes is restricted to T cells and their thymic precursors. In mature T cells granzymes are expressed only upon activation. The same is true for thymocytes, with the exception of grazyme A that is expressed also in non-stimulated cells. In T cells and thymocytes the distribution of mRNAs coding for different granzymes depends on the subpopulation tested and the activation protocol. Highly cytolytic PEL express granzymes A and B but none of the other granzymes.


This article seeks to explore why Roman Catholics have responded so negatively to the Left Behind Series. The article critically evaluates the charges that Pentecostal and Evangelical expectations of the rapture are necessarily 'fundamentalist' or inherently 'anti-Catholic'. By presenting the Catholic Church's history of its own apocalyptic movements and its experience in America, the author suggests ways that Roman Catholics and Pentecostals can strengthen each by sharing elements of each other's understanding of the Book of Revelation.


We use Langer's approach to calculate the reaction rate of a system of two (classical) spins interacting via the exchange coupling J in a magnetic field H, with uniaxial anisotropy of constant K. We find a particular value of the exchange coupling, that is j ≡ J/K = jc ≡ 1 − h2, where h ≡ H/2K, which separates two regimes corresponding to a two-stage and one-stage switching. For j >> jc the Néel-Brown result for the one-spin problem is recovered.


Vortex shedding behind a stationary T–shaped cylinder in a circular pipe subjected to periodically varying flow was studied at Reynolds numbers between 6.17 × 103 and 2.46 × 104, whereas the frequency ratio, Fs/Fo, ranged from 0.29 to 14.64. Fs denotes the natural vortex-shedding frequency referred to the mean flow, and Fo denotes the frequency of periodically varying flow. By adopting the Hilbert transform to analyse the velocity signals measured, the instantaneous vortex-shedding frequency was obtained. Based on this quantity, one could categorize the vortex-shedding phenomenon observed into three regimes, namely, quasi-steady vortex shedding for Fs/Fo > 4.37, hysteresis vortex shedding for Fs/Fo= 1.56-4.37 and non-interactive vortex shedding for 0.29 < Fs/Fo < 1.56. In the regime of quasi-steady vortex shedding, the instantaneous vortex-shedding frequency follows the periodically varying flow without phase lag. In the regime of hysteresis vortex shedding, the instantaneous vortex-shedding frequency lags behind the periodically varying flow. Phase lag roughly varies linearly with Fs/Fo. Further, the variations of non-dimensionalized instantaneous vortex-shedding frequencies obtained in the accelerating and decelerating portions of the periodically varying flow are found to depend on Fs/Fo and ΔU0/Ū0. In the regime of non-interactive vortex shedding, the vortex-shedding frequency tends to vary with the mean velocity of periodically varying flow, excluding the occurrences of primary and secondary lock-on at Fs/Fo= 0.97-1.03 and 0.495-0.514, respectively.


Friend leukemia was used as an experimental model to study the action of a ribofuranosyl derivative of nitrosourea : RPCNU. This new product was known to be active in L 1210 leukemia and immunosuppressive. RPCNU significantly decreases the splenomegaly induced in DBA2 mice by Friend virus when it is given at a time ranging from 7 days before to 14 days after virus inoculation. The survival time in leukemic treated groups is also greatly increased. However, viral content of the spleen extracts of the leukemic treated mice is not reduced. Therefore, RPCNU cannot be considered as an antiviral agent. A comparison between survival of leukemic and non leukemic mice treated with different doses show that the effectiveness of RPCNU is correlated with its toxicity. The effect of RPCNU on Friend leukemia by cytotoxicity on hematopoietic stem cells is discussed in this paper.


La(Fe0.88Si0.12)13 shows peculiar magnetic properties such as the first order paramagnetic-ferromagnetic transition and magnetic-field induced metamagnetic transition accompanied by the lattice expansion. The practical application using the magnetic transition temperature controlled by hydrogen absorption is expected in this compound. Here, the electronic structure of La(Fe0.88Si0.12)13 has been investigated by photoemission spectroscopy using synchrotron soft x-rays. The Fe 3s core-level photoemission spectra below and above the Curie temperature TC exhibit a satellite structure at ~ 4.3 eV higher binding energy than the main peak, which is attributed to the exchange splitting due to the local moment of Fe. The exchange splitting of the Fe 3s photoemission spectrum with the asymmetric line shape shows that the magnetization of La(Fe0.88Si0.12)13 is derived by the exchange split Fe 3d bands like the itinerant ferromagnetism in Fe metal, while the magnetic transition of La(Fe0.88Si0.12)13 is the first order. The valence band photoemission spectrum shows temperature dependence across the TC . The temperature dependence of the photoemission spectra is discussed based on the difference between the electronic structure in the ferromagnetic phase and that in the paramagnetic phase.


Big Band Jazz in Black West Virginia, 1930-1942. By Christopher Wilkinson. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 2012. 197pp (hardcover). Illustrations. ISBN 978-1-61703-168-7. $55 In 1934, Irving Mills blackballed Jimmie Lunceford from the major New York theatres, radio audiences, and hotel ballrooms that his orchestra had consistently played over the years. Lunceford left after becoming fed up with Mills' exploitation, but the timing, deep in the throes of the Great Depression, was far from perfect. He knew that he had to find the steadiest work possible for his band, and fast, so he hit the road, like so many other jazz musicians did in the 1930s, towards ... the coal camps of West Virginia. Christopher Wilkinson's wonderfully researched Big Band Jazz in Black West Virginia, 1930-1942 yields a number of such revelatory anecdotes as he presents for us the vibrant dance culture of West Virginia during the long 1930s. African-American miners indeed created a remarkable and unique space in the hills of West Virginia, unlike anything witnessed during that time in the Jim Crow South, from where most of them had arrived. Railroad construction and the operation of high-quality bituminous coal mines in West Virginia required highly concentrated labor. African-American sharecroppers from the South were among the first to take advantage of this opportunity, particularly as welcomed members of the United Mine Workers Association; the work was extremely dangerous, but the financial incentive was hard to ignore, particularly after the National Industrial Recovery Act of 1933 virtually guaranteed the union members well-paying work for the remainder of that tumultuous decade. With disposable cash in hand, they often turned to dance band music. Wilkinson in fact documents 356 public dances held for African-Americans between 1930 and 1942 in the state. African-American southerners indeed had much reason to celebrate in West Virginia: there they wielded a politically influential right to vote, they succeeded in banning racist films such as Birth of a Nation from the state's theaters, secured an anti-lynching law, and, as Wilkinson demonstrates through the vivid remembrance of Lionel Hampton's trumpeter, Joe Wilder, enjoyed the dignify of integrated seating in train cars. One of Wilkinson's contributions lies in his ability to use a musical micro-history of West Virginia's coal camps in order to further disrupt the dichotomies that originally defined the work of many music scholars: those of rural versus urban entertainments, of " hot" versus "sweet" jazz adherents, and of the musical preferences of whites versus blacks and middle class versus working class audiences. From the days of medicine shows, West Virginians had become well versed in the cosmopolitan, commercial musics that emanated from New York and Chicago. Enhanced through the distribution of phonographs and the reach of radio deep into the hollers of the mountains, indeed the most well-known orchestras arrived behind a long line of local and "territory," or regional, jazz and dance bands that had long played their hit parade renditions both to white and black audiences. Despite the equity gained by African-Americans in some of West Virginia's social and political arenas, their dances remained segregated. Wilkinson demonstrates through his examination of local newspapers how African-American jazz and dance orchestras began to create interesting fissures in the divide: when Don Redman performed at the Fairmont armory in 1934, the West Virginian reported that in addition to the "biggest crowd of colored terpsichorean experts ever assembled at one time on the local floor . …


Rips complexes are important structures for analyzing topological features of metric spaces. Unfortunately, generating these complexes constitutes an expensive task because of a combinatorial explosion in the complex size. For $n$ points in $\mathbb{R}^d$, we present a scheme to construct a $3\sqrt{2}$-approximation of the multi-scale filtration of the $L_\infty$-Rips complex, which extends to a $O(d^{0.25})$-approximation of the Rips filtration for the Euclidean case. The $k$-skeleton of the resulting approximation has a total size of $n2^{O(d\log k)}$. The scheme is based on the integer lattice and on the barycentric subdivision of the $d$-cube.


Background: Globally, hypertension (HTN) control is poor. We studied the contribution of primary care physicians to this. Methods: Lagos-based primary care physicians were studied using anonymous self-administered questionnaire on HTN treatment goals and drug therapy. Results: Data from 403 respondents with a mean age and experience of 40 ± 11.34 years and 14.3 ± 11.1 years, respectively, were analyzed. Two hundred and twenty-eight physicians (61.1%) practiced in primary health-care facilities, while 125 (33.5%) and 20 (5.4%) practiced in facilities affiliated to the secondary and tertiary health-care centers, respectively. One hundred and twenty-three (35.7%) of the respondents correctly indicated the treatment blood pressure goal for uncomplicated HTN. Eighty (26.1%), 37 (12.2%), and 54 (18.5%) of respondents correctly indicated the treatment goals in hypertensive patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), old stroke, and coronary artery disease (CAD), respectively. The correct choice(s) of antihypertensive drugs vis-a-vis compelling/possible indications were made by 259 (76%) for uncomplicated HTN, 194 (63.4%) for hypertensives with chronic kidney disease, 128 (44.3%) for hypertensives with previous stroke, 250 (76.7%) for pregnant hypertensives, 166 (57%) for hypertensives with CAD, and 165 (61.6%) for hypertensives with DM. Choice(s) of antihypertensive medications were determined by the patient's age 302 (79.4%), gender 233 (58.4%), race 234 (59.8%), associated clinical condition 365 (90.6%), duration of action of antihypertensive drugs 340 (85.5%), and the cost of antihypertensive medications: 334 (85%). Conclusions: The physicians' knowledge of HTN management is suboptimal. This may be contributory to the poor HTN control in Nigeria. These deficiencies may be addressed through continuing medical education together with popularizing and simplifying of the guidelines.