From the Publisher:
hotbed of activity for farsighted thinkers and determined doers, the high-technology industry has given rise to a pioneering group of entrepreneurs and executives that is not only behind today's most innovative technological advances, but at the forefront of a dynamic new movement in business.
Armed with groundbreaking management approaches, the members of this visionary group are changing the way companies are modeled and offering new ideas on how companies should be run. Having helped their own organizations survive and thrive in a competitive, pressure-filled arena, they offer invaluable lessons for executives and managers in all industries. Now, in Silicon Gold Rush, their inspirational stories are told and their strategies for success revealed.
Written by Karen Southwick, editor of Upside Magazine's book division, this enlightening behind-the-scenes account spans the gamut of emerging technology management styles, from proven successes such as Cisco Systems to new kids on the block like PeopleSoft. Providing valuable insights into a myriad of key issues, from nurturing creativity and motivating employees to finding new markets and weathering tough times, Silicon Gold Rush examines the modi operandi of the technology world's emerging stars and heavyweights. The book reveals the maverick leadership techniques that are finding their way into mainstream corporate culture with far-reaching consequences.
Along with an overview of the high-tech environment, Silicon Gold Rush delivers in-depth coverage of the changing role of the high-tech CEO, the growing importance of the customer in the development and marketing processes of technology companies, the essentials of internalcorporate organization, and the increasing frequency of mergers and alliances. To illustrate the dynamics of the technology industry that make it so exciting and instructive to watch—the scramble for financing, the feverish move of product from design to delivery, the constant risk of failure—it tracks the progress of CrossWorlds Software, Inc., a start-up venture headed up by Katrina Garnett, founder and chief executive.
Delivering insider analysis of the thinking and motivations that drive today's high-tech powerhouses, this eye-opening book presents fascinating interviews with more than twenty trailblazing CEOs and senior executives, including Yahoo!'s Tim Koogle, 3Com's Eric Benhamou, PeopleSoft's Dave Duffield, Cisco's John Chambers, and Novell's Eric Schmidt.
A one-of-a-kind book that delves into the management ideas and strategies of high-tech leaders who are "rewriting the rules of business," Silicon Gold Rush is essential reading for anyone—in any industry—seeking the inside track on contemporary business transformations.
KAREN SOUTHWICK is a veteran journalist who has covered the high-tech industry extensively. Formerly executive editor of Upside Magazine, she is currently editor of Upside's book division. <
EXCELLENCE BY DESIGN
TRANSFORMING WORKPLACE AND WORK PRACTICE
To prepare for the challenges of the next century and, in particular, to adapt to an increasingly unstable and fast changing global environment, all organizations must redesign themselves if they are to succeed. In the search for elements of this design, one has gone largely unnoticed—until now. A growing number of forward-looking managers are discovering the significance of the effectively developed workplace and the vital role it plays in improving business operations and increasing productivity in a variety of business and service organizations—from factories and offices to laboratories and financial institutions. Excellence by Design examines this important approach and introduces proven strategies for creating the workplace of the future.
Based on a four-year research project conducted by the MIT School of Architecture and Planning's Space Planning and Organization Research Group (SPORG), this compelling book will intrigue all those concerned with improving work practices and workplaces. Excellence by Design introduces the "process architecture" framework and provides industrywide cases and examples. The book demonstrates how this strategy can be used across a wide variety of organizations. Process architecture will interest senior managers as well as engage space planners, information technologists, human resources managers, and work teams. This design process can be used to simultaneously improve both the workplace and the associated work practices.
Readers will learn the fundamental objectives and elements of the approach and will come to understand the skills, attitudes, and values needed to effectively implement the framework companywide. Excellence by Design delivers comprehensive coverage of a critical issue facing businesses today: the optimum use of the workplace in achieving organizational objectives.
TURID H. HORGEN is a research associate at the MIT School of Architecture and Planning. She maintains an active workplace design practice in the United States and Europe, working for corporations, governments, and institutions.
MICHAEL L. JOROFF is senior lecturer at the MIT School of Architecture and Planning, where he served for fifteen years as Director of the Laboratory of Architecture and Planning. He consults globally with organizations about their workplace strategy and organizational development.
WILLIAM L. PORTER is Leventhal Professor of Architecture at the MIT School of Architecture and Planning and Fellow of the American Institute of Architects. He is a former dean of the MIT School of Architecture and Planning.
The late DONALD A. SCHON was Ford Professor of Urban Studies and Education, Emeritus, and Senior Lecturer in the MIT Department of Urban Studies and Planning.
A GROUNDBREAKING LOOK AT ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES FACING BUSINESSES TODAY.
Often overlooked, yet vital to an organization's overall operations and productivity, how work space is used is becoming an increasingly critical issue for businesses to address. Based on a four-year research project conducted by members of the MIT School of Architecture and Planning's Space Planning and Organization Research Group (SPORG), Excellence by Design examines this important issue. The book explores how the workplace interacts with work practices, introducing proven strategies and providing a sound framework for creating the workplace of the future.
Covering a wide range of essential topics, from the interpersonal and political dimensions of workplace making to the art of using tools for workplace and organizational transformation, Excellence by Design introduces the "process architecture" approach to creating workplaces.


Immunoblot studies of synaptic membranes isolated from rat brain using antibodies raised against a previously purified glutamate-binding protein (GBP) indicated labeling of an -70-kDa protein band, Since the antibodies used were raised against a 14-kDa GBP, the present studies were undertaken to explore the possibility that the 14-kDa protein may have been a proteolytic fragment of a larger M, protein in synaptic membranes. Protease activity during protein purification was prevented by introducing five protease inhibitors, and a three-step purification procedure was developed that yielded a high degree of purification of glutamate-binding proteins. The major protein enriched in the most highly purified fractions was a 71kDa glycoprotein, but a 63-kDa protein was co-purified during most steps of the isolation procedure. The glutamate-binding  characteristics of these isolated protein fractions were very similar to those previously described for the 14-kDa GBP, including estimated dissociation constants for L-glutamate binding of 0.25 and 1 PM, inhibition of glutamate binding by azide and cyanide, and a selectivity of the ligand binding site for L-glutamate and L-aspartate. The neuroexcitatory analogs of L-glutamate and L-aspartate, ibotenate, quisqualate, and D-glutamate, inhibited ~-['H]glutamate binding to the isolated proteins, as did the antagonist of L-glutamate-induced neuronal excitation, L-glutamate diethylester. On the basis of the lack of any detectable glutamate-related enzyme activity associated with the isolated proteins and the presence of distinguishing sensitivities to analogs that inhibit glutamate transport carriers in synaptic membranes, it is proposed that the 71-kDa protein may be a component of a physiologic glutamate receptor complex in neuronal membranes.


To the Editor.— Serial determination of serum creatine phosphokinase (CPK) level is a useful index of acute myocardial infarction. 1 Nevertheless, a rise in serum CPK level must be interpreted with caution, because many extracardiac conditions are recognized to cause CPK level elevation (1974;229:1894). 1 We wish to call attention to the time course of serum CPK level elevation after generalized, tonic-clonic convulsions. We have determined serum CPK levels in five nonalcoholic patients who were admitted to the hospital for examination immediately after their first seizure. Three patients had generalized tonic-clonic seizures, and two had repetitive focal motor seizures involving the face or eralized tonic-clonic seizures, and two had repetitive focal motor seizures involving the face or extremity. Seizures were observed by either a physician or another reliable witness. No intramuscularly given injections were administered. There was no previous history of neuromuscular disease in any patient. Serial ECGs did not


The higher education degree standard is a social evaluation and academic norm for individual scholars pursuing academic achievements. It is believed that the prerequisite condition for establishing degree standard system is to acknowledge scientifically and rationally degree system. In this article, based on the analysis of the structural characteristics of degree system, we seek to deeply explore the degree awarding ways, degree standards and their interrelationships, and propose to start with the classification of talent training types and reconstruct the degree standard system framework in China's higher education with quantitative analysis methods. In order to clarify the framework of the degree standard system of China's higher education, we considered several elements, including the two dimensions of vertical degree level and horizontal degree type, and the relationship between these elements. In the vertical dimension, the degree standards from low to high are divided into three levels, such as the bachelor's degree standard, master's degree standard and doctoral degree standard. In the horizontal direction, there are three ways to cultivate talents through degree standards, namely degree standards, professional degree standards and honor degree standards. This research can be used as a development strategy and decision-making mechanism with a view to promote the transformation of China's higher education from scale expansion to connotative development.


Flower bud initiation of herbaceous peony (Paeonia L.) may start soon after the current year's flower anthesis in June; buds continue to develop until the onset of dormancy in the fall. Flower formation, days to harvest, foliage senescence, and dormancy are unaffected by photoperiod. Flower bud dormancy can be broken by storage of dormant plants for a minimum of 4 weeks at 5.6°C after which they may bloom in the greenhouse in 8 to 10 weeks. Increasing storage time to 6 weeks or reducing the temperature to 1° increases the total number of shoots that grow after forcing.


INTRODUCTION
Flexible ureteroscopy (fURS) is the most common procedure for treatment of urolithiasis. We previously utilized kinematic evaluations of simulated fURS to demonstrate certain body movements are associated with efficient ureteroscopic manipulation for complex tasks. Herein, we incorporated computer vision to create an efficiency score using ureteroscope travel distance (DIST), task time (TIME), spectral arc length (SPARC), and percentage of purposeful wall collisions (COLL). The goal is a simulation-based system that can abstract these automated performance metrics (APMs) to differentiate between novice and expert ureteroscopic handling.

METHODS
A ureteroscopic simulation box was used. Body kinematics, task time, and ureteroscopic movements were analyzed using a motion capture system and video camera. Optical flow computer vision was used to track the ureteroscope. DIST, TIME, and SPARC were automatically calculated. Wall collisions were automatically captured and independently judged by two authors; an algorithm was developed to automatically determine the COLL variable. A mixed effects model was used to aggregate these variables and distinguish between surgeons' first and final task attempts. The normalized values of these metrics were added to create a Composite Ureteroscopy Efficiency Score (CUES).

RESULTS
12 urologists completed the simulated tasks. The COLL assessment algorithm determined beneficial wall collisions with an accuracy of 77%. Normalized values of TIME, DIST, SPARC, and COLL were combined to create a composite ureteroscopic efficiency score (CUES). Compared to the first attempt, both the second and third attempts had statistically significant improvements in CUES. The ROC-AUC score reached 0.86, suggesting excellent discrimination between attempts. There was also a statistically significant difference in CUES when comparing resident and attending performance.

CONCLUSIONS
Automated performance metrics can be abstracted using computer vision and artificial intelligence; an aggregate composite score (CUES) may be a promising method for evaluation of ureteroscopic efficiency.

FUNDING
Endoscopic equipment provided by Boston Scientific.


Green chemistry plays a significant role in protecting and improving the global environment. Green chemistry is a process in which a reducing agent usually a chemical is replaced by an extract of a natural product such as stems, leaves, fruits and its peels etc., of plants for the synthesis of nanoparticles. The metal and metal oxide nanoparticles produced from a plant extract are usually stable for a period of time. The present research work focuses on the synthesis of iron oxide [Fe2O3] nanoparticles using Cissus Quadrangularis commonly known as veldt grape (pirandai in Tamil) plant extract by precipitation method. The structural, surface morphological and optical properties of the synthesized Fe2O3 nanoparticles were studied by XRD, SEM and UV-Vis spectroscopy. Further the antibacterial activity of the prepared Fe2O3 nanoparticles was studied against gram - negative bacteria (Salmonella and Escherichia coli) and gram - positive bacteria (Bacillus subtili and Staphylococcus aureus) by disc diffusion method. X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that the prepared nanoparticles have hexagonal wurtzite structure with preferential orientation along (1 0 4) plane. The crystalline size of the synthesized Fe2O3 nanoparticles is 12.324 nm. SEM analysis shows that iron oxide nanoparticles have pebble shape. EDX result confirms the presence of Fe and O in the prepared Fe2O3 nanoparticle samples. The band gap value of biosynthesized Fe2O3 nanoparticles is 2.57eV. Antibacterial studies reveal that the ferric oxide nanoparticles display significant inhibition activities against all tested pathogens.


RBI Survey of Small Industrial Units KGK Subba Rao R P Pathak THE first part of the article 'Some Aspects of Small Scale Industries in India: Findings Based on Two All-India Sample Surveys' by R Nagaraj (EPW, October 12, 1985) is based on the Survey of Small Scale Industrial Units conducted by the Reserve Bank of India in 1977-78. The article fails to give a proper account of the scope and coverage of the survey.1 The survey was conducted during 1977-78 and the reference period for the survey was the accounting year ended during April 1976 to March 1977. The year of conducting the survey and also the reference period of the data were wrongly mentioned in the article. Further, the survey covered both registered as well as unregistered small scale industrial units assisted by commercial banks and coming within the purview of the Credit Guarantee Scheme. The statement made in the article that the survey excludes unregistered units is incorrect. Apart from these, a few other comments on the study are detailed below.


Background: Lipid-lowering agents are now the cornerstone of treatment used to reduce the risk of coronary events. Since there is wide variation in selection and use of these drugs, drug utilization studies help to evaluate and analyze drug therapy from time to time. This in turn can guide physicians prescribing practices and help in minimizing adverse drug reactions. Aims and Objectives: To evaluate the prescribing pattern of hypolipidemic drugs in a tertiary care teaching hospital in Jammu. Materials and Methods: An observational study was carried out in patients attending the departments of cardiology and general medicine for 6 months. Prescription of the patients who were prescribed at least one hypolipidemic drug as monotherapy or in combination was evaluated. Hypolipidemic and other classes of drugs prescribed and the World Health Organization prescribing indicators were analyzed. Monthly cost of the hypolipidemic drugs prescribed was also determined. Results: Nearly, two-third (63.7%) patients with increased plasma lipids and 36.2% patients in spite of having normal lipid profile were prescribed hypolipidemic drugs as well. Hypertension with comorbid conditions (39.63%) was the most common diseases, for which hypolipidemic drugs were prescribed. The average number of drugs per prescription was 6.21 ± 1.6. Atorvastatin was the most common hypolipidemic drug prescribed as monotherapy (59.16%), whereas atorvastatin with ramipril was the most common drugs prescribed as combination therapy (14.69%). Conclusion: This study depicts the widespread use of statins in various disease conditions, both as primary and secondary preventive measures. Such studies should be done to educate the physicians on good prescribing practices and on rational use of hypolipidemic drugs.


The idea that a better working memory made Homo sapiens smarter than its ancestors is attracting attention from psychologists, archaeologists, and neuroscientists alike (see main text). The architects of the hypothesis base their idea on a model of working memory proposed 35 years ago by two British psychologists. That model "was seminal" in memory research, psychologists say. But now some researchers are challenging some of its basic tenets.


Ondansetron is a useful adjunct for the treatment of acute gastroenteritis in the paediatric ED. The use of ondansetron is associated with many benefits including decreased emesis, decreased need for intravenous fluids, decreased rate of admission, decreased length of stay, decreased revisit rates and increased cost savings (15–18). There may be value in giving patients a second as-needed home dose of ondansetron as part of ED discharge planning, with the appropriate patient education, in anticipation of recurrent emesis. This practice may further reduce ED revisit rates and also prevent morbidity and hospitalization associated with severe dehydration for patients who do eventually return to the ED, especially those in rural communities where timely treatment and access to an ED is difficult. The decision to dispense ondansetron should be made clinically by the ED physician for patients who have failed ORT whose symptoms are predominantly emesis as opposed to diarrhea, and when the discharging physician is reasonably certain of a diagnosis of acute gastroenteritis and not something more sinister.

There is currently no consensus on the role of ED-provided ondansetron for out-of-hospital use for paediatric patients with acute gastroenteritis. Future studies are needed to determine the potential impact on morbidity and the health care economy.


i PREFACE AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iii LIST OF TABLES ix LIST OF FIGURES xi ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS xii CHAPTER 1:1INTRODUCTION 1 Defining Decentralisation 3 Why Do Governments Decentralise? 7 Threats to Successful Decentralisation 10 Literature Review 14 Methodology 27 Structure of Thesis 37 CHAPTER 2:42BACKGROUND TO MUNICIPAL DECENTRALISATION IN THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA 42 Introduction 42 Horizontal Inequalities and the Structural Causes of Ethnic Conflict 44 Horizontal Inequalities in the Republic of Macedonia, 1991 – 2001 47 A Nation under Threat: the State's Response to Albanian Grievances ......... 69 The Institutional Design of Decentralisation within the Ohrid Framework Agreement 75 Decentralisation and its Ability to Address Horizontal Inequalities 82 Summary 85 CHAPTER 3:88DECENTRALISATION AND THE STRENGTHENING OF CONSENSUAL,88PARTICIPATORY LOCAL DEMOCRACY 88 Introduction 88 Decentralised Governance and Conflict Management 90 Decentralisation and the Creation of Local Tyrannies 93 Representative Democracy: the Design of Municipal Power-Sharing Mechanisms 96 The Effectiveness of Consociational Power-Sharing Mechanisms Locally .. 101 Is Decentralisation and Consociational Power-Sharing Good for Women? . 113 Direct Democracy: Participatory Mechanisms and How Municipalities Communicate with Citizens 120 Internal Political Party Democracy and Discipline 125 The Pervasiveness of Patronage Politics 129 Summary 133


Background: Rural Igbo women frequently perceive disorders of menstruation in the context of their inability to achieve pregnancy, and may otherwise not volunteer information on such abnormalities in the gynaecological clinic. This study determined the prevalence and pattern of menstrual disorders in rural Igbo women of Ebonyi State, South East Nigeria.
Materials and Methods: Data was collected from 1500 women in randomly selected communities in rural Ebonyi State by trained research assistants using pre tested questionnaires in a cross sectional study that spanned three months, March to May 2005.
Information obtained related to their socio demographic variables, menstrual characteristics and disorders. Data obtained was analyzed using the epi info statistical programme.
Results: One thousand, four hundred and sixty-three questionnaires were analyzed. The mean cycle length and mean menstrual flow duration in our study population were 29.6 days and 4.4 days respectively. Eight hundred and twenty-nine (56.7%) of the respondents had one or a combination of menstrual disorders. Dysmenorrhoea occurred in 51.3% of the women and was the commonest menstrual disorder noted. Intermenstrual bleeding, found in forty-five (3.1%) respondents was the least common. Short cycle length ( 35 days), menstrual flow duration lasting more than 7 days and heavy menstrual loss were significantly more prevalent among the adolescents than other age groups.
Conclusion: Menstrual complaints which are important indices of women's well being are commonly encountered in Igbo women of Southeast Nigeria, and may indicate underlying gynaecological pathology. Keywords : disorders, menstrual, menorrhagia, Igbo, health Journal of College of Medicine Vol. 12 (2) 2007: pp. 61-66


A prototype visualization system for helping children assess website features and use them to identify risky websites has been improved and evaluated. It uses a graphical search interface called eConcentric Ring View,' which was developed to support flexible retrieval of multi-faceted metadata. Eleven website attributes were defined: action, color, atmosphere, layout, average page length, total number of images, total number of links, total number of pages, font most often used, average font size, and total number of letters. Testing using actual and dummy websites showed that the risk level of each actual website corresponded to the type of portal site through which it was accessed and that websites with different risk levels had several different distinguishing characteristics.


Nonacademic staff in higher education, also known as support staff, is a necessary and under-researched workforce essential for the success of higher education institutions. The higher education needs emphasized by the COVID-19 pandemic, state budget cuts, and increasing levels of turnover from the nonacademic population highlight the need for a more robust level of literature focused on aspects of retaining these staff in their higher education organizations. This study focuses on determining if high levels of job satisfaction indicated a high level of intent to stay in nonacademic staff in a four-campus statewide university system. The data was also analyzed to determine which construct of job satisfaction had a higher influence on an employee's intent to stay. Separating the data by location variables provided a comparative analysis among the four campuses and the business units contained within the university system. The data was collected from a recently developed system-wide survey distributed to all nonacademic staff via institutional email. Logistical regression was performed on the total job satisfaction, each of the 5 job satisfaction constructs, and the length of intent to stay. This analysis was additionally performed for location variables. The structure of the survey and the constructs were also analyzed for reliability and validity. This study adds to the literature studying nonacademic staff in higher education and underscores the importance of increasing job satisfaction to increase an employee's intent to stay.


Background: We hypothesized that a dorsomedial locking plate with adjunct screw compression would provide superior rigidity compared to crossed screws for first metatarsocuneiform (MTC) arthrodesis. Materials and Methods: In ten matched lower extremity pairs, specimens in each pair were randomly assigned to receive screw fixation or plate with screw fixation. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured. For the crossed-screw construct, two 4.0-mm cannulated screws were used. One screw was inserted dorsal to plantar beginning from the first metatarsal 10 to 15 mm distal to the joint, and the second was inserted from the cuneiform 8 to 10 mm proximal to the joint, medial to the first screw, into the first metatarsal. For the plate construct, a 4.0-mm cannulated compression screw was inserted from the dorsal cortex of the first metatarsal to the plantar aspect of the medial cuneiform. A locking plate was inserted dorsomedially across the MTC joint. Specimens were loaded in four-point bend configuration (displacement rate, 5 mm/min) until failure of the fixation or 3-mm deformation. An extensometer was used to measure deformation. Results: There was no difference in load to failure or stiffness between the two groups. BMD was positively correlated with load to failure in the screw (r = 0.893, p = 0.001) and the plate (r = 0.858, p = 0.001) construct. Conclusion: The plate construct with compression screw did not show different rigidity as compared with the screw construct with the numbers available. Clinical Relevance: Further investigation of a dorsomedial plate with adjunct screw compression may be warranted for first MTC arthrodesis.


Background The occurrence of persistent acute kidney injury (pAKI) following transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has serious implications. Methods There were 1540 patients undergoing and surviving TAVI included in the nationwide SWEDEHEART registry between 2008 and 2015. Creatinine was measured at baseline and discharge, and those with baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <15 mL/min/1.73 m2 or dialysis were excluded. pAKI was defined by and encompassing theValve Academic Research Consortium-2 (VARC-2) criteria: increase in serum creatinine concentration ≥26.5 μmol/L or increase by ≥50% (1.5×), or start of in-hospital dialysis until hospital discharge. Logistic regression analysis was used to find baseline factors associated with pAKI. Adjusted Cox regression analysis was used to assess the association of pAKI with mortality. Median follow-up was 1.8 years (IQR 0.7–3.0). Results pAKI occurred in 6.1% (n=94) of the patients (71.3% male). These patients had higher creatinine level (117±50 vs 100±35 mmol/L, p<0.001), but similar baseline eGFR (59±21 vs 56±23 mL/min/1.73 m2, p=0.18) and received higher contrast volume (129 mL ±89 vs 110 mL ±78, p=0.027). On multivariable logistic regression analysis, pAKI was predicted by eGFR (OR 0.88, 95% CI (0.79 to 0.98), p=0.019), male gender (OR 2.68, 95% CI (1.63 to 4.38), p<0.001) and apical access (OR 2.23, 95% CI (1.35 to 3.69), p=0.002), whereas contrast volume/10 mL (OR 1.02, 95% CI (1.00 to 1.05), p=0.052) did not reach statistical significance. Mortality at 1 year/end of follow-up was 10.4%/26.9%. pAKI was associated with a doubled risk of death (HR 2.04, 95% CI (1.49 to 2.81), p<0.001). Conclusion Persistent AKI after TAVI occurs in 6.1% and is associated with a doubled long-term mortality. Special efforts to avoid AKI should be taken, especially among vulnerable patients.


Sir Rudolf Bing 1947-1949 Ian Hunter 1950-1955 Robert Ponsonby 1956-1960 Lord Harewood 1961-1965 Peter Diamand 1966-1978 Sir John Drummond 1979-1983 Frank Dunlop 1984-1991 Brian McMaster 1992-1996 the hole in the ground programmes 1947-1996 operas performed ballets performed plays performed index of artists 1947-1995 financial statistics list of sponsors.


In a homogeneously broadened laser model, we find a simple and general law for stable multimode operation, which shows a nonlinear cooperative relationship between the frequencies and intensities of laser modes.


The most important aspect for electrical engineering is power quality in recent year. Power quality problem is an event of abnormal voltage, current or frequency. Utility distribution networks experience from various types of disturbances. The major problems dealt here are the voltage sags/swells. Now the fast developments in power electronics technology have made it possible to mitigate power quality problems. Such as, dynamic voltage restorer can provide the most mercantile solution to compensate voltage sag/swell by injecting voltage in to the sensitive system. Dynamic Voltage Restorer is a series connected power electronics based device that can mitigate the power quality issues in the system and restore the load voltage to the prefault value. This review paper first gives an introduction to related power quality problems for a DVR and power electronics controllers for voltage sag/swell compensation. Afterwards the operation and elements in DVR is described by using new control strategy.


This pathway provides guidance on the imaging of adult patients following a suspected cerebrovascular accident (stroke). Date reviewed: May 2016 Date of next review: May 2019 Published: May 2017 Quick User Guide Move the mouse cursor over the PINK text boxes inside the flow chart to bring up a pop up box with salient points. Clicking on the PINK text box will bring up the full text. The relative radiation level (RRL) of each imaging investigation is displayed in the pop up box. SYMBOL RRL EFFECTIVE DOSE RANGE None 0 Minimal < 1 millisieverts Low 1-5 mSv Medium 5-10 mSv High >10 mSv


This retrospective study aims to determine the epidemiological features of deaths caused by chocking among infants in one of the general teaching hospitals in Jordan with a focus on weaning practices and its relation to sucking as major factors underlying the mechanism of choking in infants and young children. The study utilized a retrospective design to review the records of forensic cases due to a foreign body aspiration examined at the forensic department at the Jordan University Hospital. A total of 27 cases of choking in the pediatric age group were retrieved from the reports of the autopsy cases dissected. All cases of children who died due to chocking by foreign bodies were under 11 years old. Choking by food materials constituted (44.4%) of cases under 3 years of age while choking by non-food material was less prevalent under 3 years of age, comprising 18.5% of the cases. Health care personnel and parents need to be aware that the introduction of solid food, unlike exclusive breast or formula-milk feeding, can have serious consequences if occurring in inappropriate timing or consistency during early childhood physical and functional development. Parents need to be educated regarding the appropriate timing and process of weaning.


Background & objective: Although the role of vitamin-D in calcium metabolism and bone health is undisputed, other long-term health consequences of low vitamin-D are still debated. Observational studies have recently indicated that vitamin-D deficiency may be a modifiable risk factor for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), although several experimental studies have failed to establish such an association. The present study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that vitamin-D insufficiency or deficiency is associated with GDM.
Methods: The present case-control study was conducted in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Rajshahi Medical College (RMC), Rajshahi, Bangladesh, over a period of 1 year between July 2019 to June 2020. Patients with confirmed GDM (case) and normal pregnant women (control) attending in the above-mentioned place during the study period were the study population. A total of 18 cases and 54 controls were consecutively included in the study based on predefined eligibility criteria. The exposure and outcome variables were serum vitamin-D insufficiency/deficiency and GDM respectively. Vitamin D insufficiency was considered when serum level 25(OH)D ranges from ≥ 15 to < 30 ng/ml and deficiency was termed if 25(OH)D level lies below 15 ng/ml. Crosstab analysis with Odds Ratio (OR) was done to find the association between vitamin-D and GDM and the risk of developing the outcome (GDM) due to vitamin-D insufficiency or deficiency.
Result: In the present study age, residence, socioeconomic status and season at data collection were almost identically distributed between case and control groups. However, the study demonstrated occupation, pre-pregnancy obesity, family history of type-II diabetes, polyhydramnios, level of hemoglobin and serum vitamin-D insufficiency/deficiency to be associated with GDM. Majority (83.3%) of the GDM patients had insufficient or deficient serum vitamin D level (< 30 ng/mL) as compared to 57.4% of the control group. The risk of having GDM in pregnant women with insufficient or deficient serum vitamin-D was estimated to be almost 4-fold (95% CI = 1.1 – 14.3) higher (p = 0.047) than that in the pregnant women with normal serum vitamin-D level.
Conclusion: The study concluded that pregnant women with GDM are associated with insufficient or deficient serum vitamin-D with risk of having GDM in pregnant women with insufficient or deficient serum vitamin-D is much greater than the pregnant women with normal serum vitamin-D level.
Ibrahim Card Med J 2021; 11 (1): 41-47


Just like the vast majority of diseases, constipation is now associated with civilization and urbanization. According to epidemiological data, up to 30% of the adult population of economically developed countries suffer from this nosology, among which women predominate. It is known that only one of four patients suffering from stool retention visit a specialist. The rest confine themselves to the advice of friends, reading of popular medical literature or consulting a pharmacist at the pharmacy. Thus, only 25% of our patients receive medical care (we cannot talk about quality, nevertheless, the care is medical), and 75%, as a rule, only periodically try to set off this condition. Constipation is dangerous as it may cause the development of complications: secondary colitis, proctosigmoiditis, hemorrhoids, anal fissures, paraproctitis and the most threatening disease – colorectal cancer. Therapy for constipation should first begin with lifestyle changes. The irritating agents that enhance secretion are the drugs that are most frequently used, because they very quickly and reliably achieve the effect. Thus, among the most commonly used and effective ones are sodium picosulfate (Regulax®) preparations.


Study Design Retrospective study. Purpose To determine whether low-dose tramadol plus non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug combination therapy could prevent the transition of acute low back pain to chronic low back pain. Overview of Literature Inadequately treated early low back pain transitions to chronic low back pain occur in approximately 30% of affected individuals. The administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs is effective for treatment of low back pain in the early stages. However, the treatment of low back pain that is resistant to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs is challenging. Methods Patients who presented with acute low back pain at our hospital were considered for inclusion in this study. After the diagnosis of acute low back pain, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug administration was started. Forty patients with a visual analog scale score of >5 for low back pain 1 month after treatment were finally enrolled. The first 20 patients were included in a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug group, and they continued non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug therapy for 1 month. The next 20 patients were included in a combination group, and they received low-dose tramadol plus non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug combination therapy for 1 month. The incidence of adverse events and the improvement in the visual analog scale score at 2 months after the start of treatment were analyzed. Results No adverse events were observed in the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug group. In the combination group, administration was discontinued in 2 patients (10%) due to adverse events immediately following the start of tramadol administration. At 2 months, the improvement in the visual analog scale score was greater in the combination group than in the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug group (p<0.001). Conclusions Low-dose tramadol plus non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug combination therapy might decrease the incidence of adverse events and prevent the transition of acute low back pain to chronic low back pain.


We consider the nonlinear Schr?dinger equation i ut = uxx - mu - f(|u|2)u on a finite x-interval with Dirichlet boundary conditions. Assuming that f is real analytic with f(0) = 0 and f?(0)0, we show that the equilibrium solution u0 enjoys a certain kind of Nekhoroshev stability. If most of the energy is located in finitely many modes and sufficiently small, then the amplitudes of these modes are almost constant over a time interval,which is exponentially long in the inverse of the total energy. This result is due to Bambusi, but the proof given here is conceptually and technically simpler. It may also apply to a larger class of nonlinear partial differential equations.


The Necker cube is a line drawing with two possible solutions in depth perception. The process of interpreting a two-dimensional line drawing as a three-dimensional object was investigated using the Necker cube. Attention was directed to a local feature of a briefly presented cube, ie an angle at a vertex. The attended angle was perceived as a front part of the cube and other parts were interpreted so as to match this interpretation. Results show that the local feature to which attention was directed was interpreted first and then global features and other local features were interpreted so as to agree with the local feature interpreted initially. This suggests that the three-dimensional interpretation of the line drawing was made sequentially from the local feature to global structures.


Composite MnOxCeOx catalysts (Mnat: Ceat = 1) synthesized via the redox and coprecipitation routes were comparatively characterized by micro-Raman spectroscopy using a laser irradiation power ranging between 0.6 and 4.2 mW. A quasi-molecular dispersion of the oxide species determines a major and irreversible structural rearrangement of the redox MnOxCeOx system because of severe heating effects for laser power in excess of 0.6 mW. The X-ray diffraction data of samples calcined in the range of 6731273 K confirm that the micro-Raman characterization of the composite MnOxCeOx systems requires an adequate minimization of the irradiation power to prevent the strong sintering and restructuring phenomena due to laser-heating effects. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


ABSTRACT I offer a philosophical examination and feminist queering of the social imaginaries of the dead – with specific reference to recent public disclosures about death in Ireland's Mother and Baby Homes – by looking at the issue of spectrality through the work of Jacques Derrida and others. What does it mean to respond to the dead, who, though temporarily forgotten, return to haunt us not as remembered human beings but as remnants or remainders? The normative distinctions between past and present; past, present and future; between living and non-living; absence and presence; and self and other are all made indistinct when displaced by a non-linear temporality. What differential is in play with respect to those who are grievable (in Judith Butler's terms) and the others who constitute what Giorgio Agamben calls bare life? The strategy of memorialising the re/discovered dead seems inadequate, and I outline an alternative hauntological ethics, as suggested by Derrida, and ask if there are queer social imaginaries that allow us to live well with the dead not because we give respect, but because death itself has been rethought. I close with some speculations arising from Deleuzian vitalism and Rosi Braidotti's optimistic claim that 'death frees us into life'.


Background: Renal ischemia and subsequent reperfusion injury is a major cause of acute renal failure and transplant rejection. Nitric oxide and its metabolites have important role in renal ischemia/reperfusion injury. Beta carotene as an antioxidant effectively scavenges toxic metabolites of nitric oxide. Our previous study has shown that beta carotene pretreatment protects kidney against ischemia/reperfusion injury. Objectives: In this experimental study we investigated whether effect of beta carotene is causally linked with nitric oxide signal transduction. Methods: In this experimental study, male adult Wistar rats (250 - 300 g) were exposed to 45 minutes of renal ischemia followed by 4 hours of reperfusion. Beta carotene (10, 30 and 100 mg kg-1) or vehicle was administered for 5 days prior to ischemia. Nitrite and nitrate were measured in the urine sample. Blood Flow and blood pressure were monitored during I/R period. Results: I/R decreased (P < 0.001) urinary nitrite - nitrate and renal blood flow. Beta carotene pretreatment increased them (P < 0.05 - P < 0.001), although not by all doses. Blood pressure was not affected by beta carotene. Conclusions: Since beta carotene administration improved renal blood flow and reduced the injury, it seems that beta carotene exerts some of its protective effects, probably by modulating of nitric oxide system.


The effects of resveratrol (RES) in heart failure have already been evaluated in animal models; however, in human clinical trials, they have not been confirmed yet. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of resveratrol treatment in systolic heart failure patients (heart failure with reduced ejection fraction or HFrEF). In this human clinical trial, 60 outpatients with NYHA (New York Heart Association) class II-III HFrEF were enrolled and randomized into two groups: receiving either 100-mg resveratrol daily or placebo for three months. At the beginning and at the end of the study echocardiography, a six-minute walk test, spirometry, quality of life questionnaire, lab test and RNA profile analysis were performed. The systolic and diastolic left ventricular function, as well as the global longitudinal strain, were improved significantly in the resveratrol-treated group (RES). Exercise capacity, ventilation parameters and quality of life also improved significantly in the RES group. In parallel, the cardiac biomarker levels (N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and galectin-3) decreased in the treated group. The level of inflammatory cytokines decreased significantly after RES supplementation, as a consequence of the decreased expression level of leucocyte electron transport chain proteins. The main findings of our trial are that RES treatment added to the standard heart failure therapy improved heart function and the clinical condition by moderating the inflammatory processes in patients with HFrEF.


ABSTRACT Dichanthelium wrightianum, a species of panic grass whose North American range is exclusive to the Coastal Plain, is reported from Tennessee for the first time. A single population of this species was discovered in a wet grassland remnant in the Eastern Highland Rim physiographic region alongside many other species disjunct from the Coastal Plain. Another Coastal Plain Dichanthelium, D. roanokense, was found at a second wet grassland nearby. While D. roanokense was previously reported for Tennessee, it has not been recently documented or confirmed to be extant within the state and its current status should be reviewed. The ecology and conservation of Tennessee populations of both species are discussed.


This paper presents a novel biped-wheeled-wearable machine, named HANDSHAKE, and obtained by an evolution of two robots presented in other works: one flexible-wheeled leg and one biped-flexible-wheeled robot. A critical design analysis of these two robots helped the author to propose a novel machine able to revolutionize the lower body exoskeletons' world. Conceptual and functional design, mechanical behavior (kinematics and dynamics), and multibody simulation of the biped-wheeled exoskeleton are presented in this paper, and a first reduced scale prototype is used to show the feasibility of the proposed solution. The simple control architecture used in this work underlines the enormous advantages to use the HANDSHAKE system for people with a complete absence of mobility, which are completely supported by this machine. This is possible thanks to the wheeled feet of the HANDSHAKE system which allow to support more weights respect to the classical exoskeletons, available on market and literature. The proposed machine increases stability, dynamic balance, autonomy, reducing power supply and complexity in comparison with classical exoskeleton systems because the wheeled feet are always in contact with the ground. These advantages, recognized in humanoid robots, may be used also in exoskeletons.


. Ice nucleating particle (INP) concentrations can spread over several orders of magnitude at any given temperature. However, this variability is rarely accounted for in heterogeneous ice nucleation parameterizations. We developed a scheme for immersion freezing where the INP concentration is drawn from a relative frequency distribution of cumulative INP concentrations. At each temperature, this distribution describing the INP concentrations is expressed as a log-normal frequency distribution. The new parameterization scheme does not require aerosol information from the driving model to represent the 5 heterogeneity of INP concentrations. The scheme's performance is tested in a large-eddy simulation of an Arctic stratocumulus. We find that it leads to reasonable ice masses in the cloud. The scheme is sensitive to the median of the frequency distribution and highly sensitive to the standard deviation of the distribution. Generally, larger probability to draw high INP concentrations leads to substantially more ice in the simulated cloud.


Atomic force microscopy (AFM) provides a method for detecting nanoscale structural information. First, this review explains the fundamentals of AFM, including principle, manipulation, and analysis. Applications of AFM are then reported in food science and technology research, including qualitative macromolecule and polymer imaging, complicated or quantitative structure analysis, molecular interaction, molecular manipulation, surface topography, and nanofood characterization. The results suggested that AFM could bring insightful knowledge on food properties, and the AFM analysis could be used to illustrate some mechanisms of property changes during processing and storage. However, the current difficulty in applying AFM to food research is lacking appropriate methodology for different food systems. Better understanding of AFM technology and developing corresponding methodology for complicated food systems would lead to a more in-depth understanding of food properties at macromolecular levels and enlarge their applications. The AFM results could greatly improve the food processing and storage technologies.


OBJECTIVE
To characterize knee movements before and after unilateral hindlimb deafferentation in dogs with stable joints.

METHODS
High speed cinematography and frame by frame analysis were used to analyze knee kinematics of 6 dogs serially for 26 weeks following L4-S1 dorsal root ganglionectomy, which was performed to deafferentate one hindlimb.

RESULTS
Overall knee movements were not reduced, but knee extension increased during most of the gait cycle. Few changes occurred in knee velocity, and none at touchdown or during weight acceptance.

CONCLUSION
We previously showed that unilateral hindlimb deafferentiation does not cause osteoarthritis or reduce ipsilateral peak vertical forces in dogs with stable knee joints over an observational period of 16 months. We now show that joint protection in the deafferented stable joint occurs, paradoxically, in the presence of increased knee extension. We conclude that whereas sensory nerves may limit knee extension during ambulation, the health of the joint is not dependent upon this "extension limiting" function.


This chapter considers the pedagogies associated with different types of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). It argues that the current discourse around the concept of xMOOCs (primarily based around interaction with content and essentially adopting a behaviourist learning approach), and cMOOCs (which focus on harnessing the power of social media and interaction with peers, adopting a connectivist learning approach), is an inadequate way of describing the variety of MOOCs and the ways in which learners engage with them. It will provide a brief history of the emergence of MOOCs and the key stakeholders. It will introduce an alternative means of categorising MOOCs, based on their key characteristics. It will then describe the 7Cs of Learning Design framework, which can be used to design more pedagogically informed MOOCs, which enhances the learner experience and ensure quality assurance.


Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is a major health concern globally. Extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) accounts for around 20% of the total (EPTB) cases which are difficult to diagnose due to the lack of availability of diagnostic tools. Although pulmonary TB is most common presentation, EPTB is also an important problem clinically. Cartridge-based nucleic acid amplification (CBNAAT) test has a well-documented role in diagnosing pulmonary tuberculosis. The potency of CBNAAT in the diagnosis of EPTB cases is still debated. Aim: To establish the importance and role of diagnosing EPTB by CBNAAT. Settings: Conducted in Dr. D Y Patil Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Dr. D Y Patil Vidyapeeth, Pimpri, Pune-411018. Design: Retrospective cross-sectional study of suspected EPTB patients in a tertiary care center area from April 2020 to September 2020. Materials and Methods: Data of suspected EPTB patients were retrieved. Potency of CBNAAT in diagnosing EPTB was assessed. Statistical Analysis: All the statistical analyses were carried out using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. Results: Samples collected from 556 suspected EPTB patients were subjected to CBNAAT. The collected samples included pus, pleural fluid, cerebrospinal fluid, gastric aspirate, peritoneal fluid, tissue biopsy, pericardial fluid, ascitic fluid, synovial fluid, drain fluid, para-spinal fluid. In CBNAAT results, 67 cases were positive for TB bacilli, rifampicin resistance detected in 4 samples. Conclusion: Xpert®MTB/RIF assay is a rapid and effective method for early detection of EPTB and can be used in conjunction with routine culture methods for detection of the same.


Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) may mimic mixed medullary and follicular thyroid carcinoma (MMFTC). MTC originates from para-follicular cells, while MMFTC is an uncommon tumor characterized by coexistence of follicular and para-follicular cell-derived tumor populations. A 35-year-old woman was diagnosed with MTC but showed a hot nodule in thyroid scintigraphy. The tumor included diffusely-spread follicular lesions within it, which were immunostained with thyroglobulin and calcitonin. Immunofluorescence showed the presence of several tumor cells that were double-stained with thyroglobulin and calcitonin. To clarify whether or not the tumor was MMFTC, we used duplex in situ hybridization (ISH). Thyroglobulin and calcitonin-related polypeptide alpha mRNA were not expressed together in a single cell, so we suspected false-positive staining of tumor cells with thyroglobulin. To make comparisons with other follicular lesions in MTC, we searched our hospital database. Five cases within a ten-year period had been pathologically diagnosed as MTC. All had follicular lesions in the tumor, but unlike the other case, they were peripherally localized. Dual differentiation into follicular or para-follicular tumor cells was not indicated by either immunofluorescence or duplex ISH. Compared with the case suspected to be MMFTC, there was only mild invasion of tumor cells into the follicular epithelium. The extent of follicular lesions and invasiveness of tumor cells may be associated with pseudo-staining of thyroglobulin in MTC. Duplex ISH can distinguish MTC that are stained with thyroglobulin from MMFTC.


The objective of this study is to determine the stand structure and spatial distribution patterns in rare mixed stands of Oriental spruce (Picea orientalis L.), Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and Caucasian fir (Abies nordmanniana (Stev.) Spach. subsp. nordmanniana). The study was conducted in Ovacik Forests of Artvin, Turkey in 2016. To evaluate stand structure, the distribution of tree species was determined according to developmental stage (seedlingthicket stage; saplingpole stage; small wood stage; medium large wood stage) and vertical structure (overstory, middlestory and understory). Spatial distribution of trees was analyzed using Ripley's K function in ArcGIS. Results showed that all three species contributed to the mixed stand. Caucasian fir dominated in in all plots and plots had a layered structure. Spatial analyses revealed that all trees showed clumped distributions (p<0.01) at smaller scales. Scots pine and Caucasian fir mostly showed random distribution whereas Oriental spruce showed a clumped distribution at 0–7 m scales. Each of the tree species at the medium wood developmental stage showed random distributions at all scales. Clumped distribution was observed in the middle and understory while trees in the overstory layer were randomly distributed.


Cholangiocellular carcinomas are aggressive, malignant neoplasms of biliary epithelium usually arising from intrahepatic bile ducts. The aim of this study was to describe the immunohistochemical characteristics of metastatic ductular/papillary cholangiocarcinoma in a common breed dog. A 16-year old common breed dog was submitted for necropsy with an anamnesis of apathy, vomiting, anorexia and intermittent neurological symptoms. After complete necropsy, samples were taken and processed using paraffin technique. The sections were stained with Hematoxylin-eosin, Masson's trichrome, and PAS methods. Immunohistochemical examination was also performed using alpha smooth muscle actin, multicytokeratin AE1/AE3, cytokeratin 7, cytokeratin 19 and vimentin antibodies. At necropsy multiple masses in the liver parenchyma, and several metastases in the lungs, pancreas, intestinal serosa, omentum and on the surface of the diaphragm muscle were observed. Histologically the tumor consisted of pleomorphic epithelial cells, arranged in ductules, presenting intraluminal papillary growth pattern and marked fibroplasia. Vascular invasion, intra and extrahepatic metastases were also present. The tumoral cells were AE1/AE3, cytokeratin 7 and cytokeratin 19 positive, alfa smooth muscle actin and vimentin negative. Immunohistochemical exam proved to be useful in differentiating cholangiocellular carcinoma from hepatocellular carcinoma and several extrahepatic metastatic carcinomas.


Objective To develop and validate a computed tomography (CT)-based radiomics model for predicting tumor deposits (TDs) preoperatively in patients with rectal cancer (RC). Methods This retrospective study enrolled 254 patients with pathologically confirmed RC between December 2017 and December 2019. Patients were divided into a training set (n = 203) and a validation set (n = 51). A large number of radiomics features were extracted from the portal venous phase images of CT. After selecting features with L1-based method, we established Rad-score by using the logistic regression analysis. Furthermore, a combined model incorporating Rad-score and clinical factors was developed and visualized as the nomogram. The models were evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis and area under the ROC curve (AUC). Results One hundred and seventeen of 254 patients were eventually found to be TDs+. Rad-score and clinical factors including carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9, CT-reported T stage (cT), and CT-reported peritumoral nodules (+/-) were significantly different between the TDs+ and TDs- groups (all P < 0.001). These factors were all included in the combined model by the logistic regression analysis (odds ratio = 2.378 for Rad-score, 2.253 for CA19-9, 2.281 for cT, and 4.485 for peritumoral nodules). This model showed good performance to predict TDs in the training and validation cohorts (AUC = 0.830 and 0.832, respectively). Furthermore, the combined model outperformed the clinical model incorporating CA19-9, cT, and peritumoral nodules (+/-) in both training and validation cohorts for predicting TDs preoperatively (AUC = 0.773 and 0.718, P = 0.008 and 0.039). Conclusions The combined model incorporating Rad-score and clinical factors could provide a preoperative prediction of TDs and help clinicians guide individualized treatment for RC patients.


SAH 51-641 (1) is a potent hypoglycemic agent, which acts by inhibiting hepatic gluconeogenesis. It is a prodrug of 4-(2, 2-dimethyl-1-oxopropyl)benzoic acid (2) and 4-(2, 2-dimethyl-1-hydroxypropyl)benzoic acid (3), which sequester coenzyme A (CoA) in the mitochondria, and inhibits medium-chain acyltransferase. 1-3 and 4-tert-butylbenzoic acid all cause testicular degeneration in rats at pharmacologically active doses. 14b (FOX 988) is a prodrug of 3, which is metabolized in the liver at a rate sufficient enough to have hypoglycemic potency (an ED50 of 65 micromol/kg, 28 mg/kg/day, for glucose lowering), yet by avoiding significant escape of the metabolite 3 to the systemic circulation, it avoids the testicular toxicity at doses up to 1500 micromol/kg/day. 14b was selected for clinical studies.


The paper presents a clinical material on effects of health-resort factors, hyperbaric oxygenation, and psychotherapeutic correction on the gonadal function in patients having sexual problems. The multimodality approach permitted not only a significant alleviation of pathological symptomatology on the part of the autonomic nervous system, pain syndrome, improving the consistency and function of the prostate, but also had a beneficial effect on the copulative sphere, indices for microscopy of the prostatic secretum, spermatogenesis, and fertility of the ejaculate.


Xiangsha Yangwei pill was selected as a model drug in this research, and time domain reflectometry (TDR) was used to determine the water content in the pill. The effects of five factors including the number of pill layers, pill packing density, atmospheric moisture, ambient temperature and the ratio of pill formula were investigated on water content. The results showed that the number of pill layers and ambient temperature had significant effects on water content of pills, while the pill packing density, atmospheric moisture and pill formula ratio had little effect on the determination of water content in pills. The reflection value was stable when 6 layers of pills were used. Under the condition of 25 ℃ and 45% relative humidity, the water content of pills ranged from 4.01% to 22.38%, showing good linear relationship between water content and reflection value, and the model equation was as follows: Y=0.279X-21.670 (R²=0.997 0). Verification experiment was used to explain the feasibility of this prediction model. The precision of the method complied with the methodology standard. It is concluded that TDR can be used in determination of water content in Xiangsha Yangwei pills. Additionally, TDR, as a new way to quickly and efficiently determine the water content, has a prospect application in the processing of traditional Chinese medicine pharmacy, especially for concentrated pill.


9 This paper shows that some implementations of fault-tolerant systems with dynamic error detection and reconfiguration mechanisms may not recover from certain types of temporary failures. An experiment is conducted to study the effect of temporary failures on the behavior of a dynamically redundant fault-tolerant system. The system is built out of 4' LSTTL catalog parts. Transient failures are induced by reducing the power supply voltage; intermittent failures are induced by loading nodes in the system. Reducing the power supply voltage produces common-mode failures that can be detected if the recovery mechanism produces high amplitude oscillations when its inputs are near the threshold level. Intermittent failures can be detected if the recovery mechanism detects errors before incorrect data is transmitted through the output devices. It is shown that the stuck-at fault model is inappropriate for the temporary failures injected into the system. Techniques are suggested that will guarantee detection of many transient and intermittent failures.


The article explains the essence of the concept of "stability of socio-economic development of an enterprise" and its place in the modern enterprise management system. The stability of the socio-economic development of the enterprise is a concept that characterizes system feature of the enterprise, the content of which is the ability of the enterprise to achieve development goals, complexity and balanced economic and social development indicators, and also the ability to maintain the rate of change of the enterprise status over time.


We present a quasi-polynomial time classical algorithm that estimates the partition function of quantum many-body systems at temperatures above the thermal phase transition point. It is known that in the worst case, the same problem is NP-hard below this point. Together with our work, this shows that the transition in the phase of a quantum system is also accompanied by a transition in the hardness of approximation. We also show that in a system of n particles above the phase transition point, the correlation between two observables whose distance is at least Ω(logn) decays exponentially. We can improve the factor of logn to a constant when the Hamiltonian has commuting terms or is on a 1D chain. The key to our results is a characterization of the phase transition and the critical behavior of the system in terms of the complex zeros of the partition function. Our work extends a seminal work of Dobrushin and Shlosman on the equivalence between the decay of correlations and the analyticity of the free energy in classical spin models. On the algorithmic side, our result extends the scope of a recent approach due to Barvinok for solving classical counting problems to quantum many-body systems.


Employing cooperative communication in multihop wireless sensor networks provides the network with significant energy efficiency. However, the lifetime of such a network is directly dependant upon the lifetime of each of its individual sections (or clusters). Ignoring the fact that those sections close to sink have to forward more data (their own data plus the data received from the previous sections) and hence die sooner with considering equal section sizes, leads to a sub-optimal lifetime. In this paper, we optimize the section sizes of a multihop cooperative WSN so that it maximizes the network lifetime. Simulation results demonstrate a significant lifetime enhancement for the proposed optimal sectoring.


The ASY-EOS experiment at GSI laboratory measured the direct and elliptic flow of neutrons and light charged particles in the reaction Au-197+Au-197 at 400 A MeV incident energy. The ratio of elliptic flow of neutrons with respect to that of the light charged particles was used as main experimental observable to probe the density dependence of the symmetry energy term of the nuclear equation of state. Results, obtained by comparison of the experimental data with the UrQMD model predictions, strongly support a moderately soft to linear density dependence of the symmetry energy at suprasaturation densities below 2 rho 0.


Malaysia's Personal Data Protection Bill 2009 adds a distinct new flavour to Asia's growing array of data protection laws. The Bill applies only to personal data in 'commercial transactions'. The largest omission is that the public sector is not covered at all (s3(1)). Malaysia has no existing protections for personal information which limit State abuses of privacy. This Bill can only be said to cover part of the private sector, and only then subject to many exceptions, particularly where any State-related activities are concerned. Within its scope it may still be valuable, but the narrow scope must always be kept in mind.Malaysia will have a Personal Data Protection Commissioner appointed by the Minister (s47), with a normal range of powers. The Commissioner will be appointed for up to three years, and may be re-appointed (s53), but he or she may also be dismissed by the Minister, who only needs to 'state the reason'. There is no point pretending that this Commissioner's office is like that of other Privacy Commissioners in the Asia-Pacific. Those in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Hong Kong have statutory provisions underwriting their independence which are not found here. The seven Personal Data Protection Principles in the Bill's ss5-12 (General; Notice and Choice; Disclosure; Security; Retention; Data Integrity; and Access) are influenced strongly by the EU data protection Directive rather than by the OECD Guidelines or APEC Framework. The Act will have no application to processing outside Malaysia, with the interesting exception of where data is intended to be further processed in Malaysia. Temporary exports of data from Malaysia for purposes of processing breaching the Act will therefore be subject to it. It applies to anyone 'established in Malaysia' or who uses equipment in Malaysia. Personal data may not be transferred outside Malaysia unless the destination is on a 'whitelist' specified by the Minister, after receiving the Commissioner's advice. The Minister can so specify a place if it has in force a law 'substantially similar' to the Malaysian Act, or the place ensures 'an adequate level of protection … which is at least equivalent to the level of protection' provided by Malaysia's Act. There are exceptions similar to those found in Article 26 of the EU data protection Directive, but some which go considerably further than the Directive, including where 'the data user has taken all reasonable precautions and exercised all due diligence'. Data users who breach one of the Principles commit an offence carrying substantial fines or even imprisonment . However, as with the Hong Kong law, reliance on enforcement notices has the fatal flaw that breaches that have caused harm, but are unlikely to be repeated, fall outside the scope of the Act. Overall, the 'enforcement pyramid' in this Act is completely deficient. While this Bill has many deficiencies, privacy legislation even of these modest dimensions will be a step forward for Malaysians.[Postscript: The Bill was enacted in 2009, but not brought into force. The Malaysian government announced in 2012 that the Bill would be brought into force in June 2012, but that instead of the Commissioner, who has not been appointed, a new Department will be set up to administer the Act.]


The linear algebraic approach to queuing theory is applied to analyze the performance of a typical single-bus multiprocessor system. This system can be modeled as an M/G/1/N queuing system with load-dependent arrivals. The method presented requires only that the nonexponential service time distribution for the system be a matrix-exponential, that is, one with a rational Laplace transform. Using linear algebraic techniques, expressions are obtained for the performance characteristics of interest, such as the processing power for the multiprocessor system. The algorithm does not rely on root finding and can be implemented using symbolic programming techniques. The explicit closed-form expression for the processing power is presented for some special cases. >


Background: Data following laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) for type 2 diabetes mellitus obese patients are extremely variable and we herein present our results. Methods: The data of 320 (90 diabetic) obese patients who had LSG were retrieved from prospectively collected database. Postoperative weight loss and glycemic control were evaluated during 24 months follow-up. Results: Diabetic patients had a significantly higher percentage excess weight loss (%EWL) (60.21 ± 11 and 72.9 ± 13) than nondiabetics (53.4 ± 12 and 62.5 ± 29) at 12 and 24 months post LSG, respectively. Diabetic patients with body mass index (BMI) >40 kg/m2 had significantly higher %EWL (64.17 ± 13 and 75.2 ± 16) than patients with BMI ≤40 at 12 and 24 months, respectively. The mean glycated hemoglobin and fasting blood glucose were 6.6% ± 1.4%, 6.1% ± 1.1%, 5.9% ± 1.2%, 5.8% ± 0.5%, and 110 ± 1.6 mg/dL, 106.7 ± 1.8 mg/dL, 99.2 ± 1.9 mg/dL, and 98.1 ± 1.2 mg/dL at 1, 6, 12, and 24 months, respectively. All patients had complete diabetes remission at 12 months, and this was maintained at 24 months. Conclusion: Diabetic obese patients with BMI >40 kg/m2, had a better %EWL compared with nondiabetics and to diabetics with lower BMI. Diabetes remission started early at 1 month. At 12 months, all diabetics had complete diabetes remission and this was maintained at 24 months. Our results need to be validated in a larger study, which evaluates impact of gastrointestinal motility on diabetes control.


Abstract Liver enzymes and transporters play an essential role in xenobiotic metabolism, distribution and elimination. Pre-clinical safety assessment relies on studies on animal models, including the (mini)pig. The pig shares many anatomical and physiological characteristics with humans, and there is currently a gap in information about porcine metabolism and disposition pathways and their similarities and differences from human ones. Three different sample preparation methods (filter-aided sample preparation (FASP), enhanced FASP (eFASP) and in-solution sample preparation) were used to prepare porcine liver tissue (two samples) for proteomic analysis. The analysis relied on rapid-separation liquid chromatography coupled to Orbitrap mass spectrometry in data-dependent acquisition mode. MASCOT was used for identification and relative label-free quantification was based on spectral counting. The three sample preparation methods provided complementary results, allowing characterisation of approximately 70 pharmacologically relevant proteins. The main quantified proteins included 16 cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes, 5 UGT enzymes, and 11 transporters. In addition, 20 Phase I and 14 Phase II enzymes were also characterised. Inter-operator differences were negligible and the pig liver pies for CYP, UGT and efflux transporter proteins were established. Human homologues of the quantified CYP, UGT and transporter proteins were identified.


This work presents novel methodology for the simultaneous modelling and forecasting of three-dimensional (3D) wind fields. This is achieved based on a quaternion domain wind model, which naturally accounts for the coupling between the dimensions of the 3D wind field. The proposed quaternion valued processing also facilitates the fusion of external atmospheric parameters, such as air temperature, exhibiting more degrees of freedom and enhanced accuracy. The quaternion least mean square (QLMS) algorithm and its variants are used for short term adaptive forecasting, and a rigorous comparative study with the corresponding algorithms in ℝ4 is performed. Simulations for different wind regimes and over a range of prediction horizons support the approach.


The abnormal muscle response, elicited by electrical stimulation of one branch of the facial nerve and recorded from muscles innervated by another branch, has been used previously as an objective sign of hemifacial spasm in the development of animal models of this disorder. In the present study we recorded spontaneous electromyographic activity from the orbicularis oculi muscle from both sides in rats in which a demyelination of the peripheral portion of the facial nerve and vascular contact had been made previously. The root mean square value of the electromyographic activity on the affected side was significantly larger than that on the unaffected side in all rats in which the vascular irritation had caused the abnormal muscle response to appear. The results support our earlier finding that vascular contact together with demyelination of the peripheral facial nerve can cause the development of signs of hemifacial spasm, including involuntary muscle contractions.


Media narratives that dehumanise asylum seekers have tremendous power to shape and reinforce public support for policies that jeopardise the well-being of some of the world's most vulnerable people. Research suggests that such dehumanisation is exacerbated by the limited opportunities these groups have to contribute to media coverage about their experiences. In response, scholars have advocated for more inclusion of asylum seekers' voices in news coverage; however, little is known about how Australian media audiences are engaging with this issue. This article discusses research utilising Critical Discourse Analysis alongside a cultural studies Audience Reception framework to examine the perspectives of 24 Western Australians concerning news discourses about asylum seekers. Resistance to dehumanising constructions was a recurring theme, with many participants arguing for greater inclusion of asylum seekers voices' in news depictions of their plight. These findings suggest that some audiences are challenging and resisting dehumanising discourses about asylum seekers and in some cases, demonstrating awareness of Australian media's evident exclusion of their voices. Examined through Judith Butler's social ethics lens, we consider these findings in the light of positions that advocate for the provision of voice as a means to a more ethical and inclusive Australian media.


Background: Community-based exercise classes have the potential to sustain the benefits of cardiac rehabilitation for the prevention of future cardiovascular events. Such classes can be designed to address this need; however, whether such classes meet these objectives is rarely evaluated.
 Methods: Facility managers, instructors, and class participants completed questionnaires. Two assessors observed exercise classes called "Heartmoves." A maximum of 10 participants per class wore heart rate (HR) monitors. Mean and highest HR as percentage of age-predicted maximum were recorded for class components. At the end of classes, participants completed a 10-point rating of perceived exertion (RPE) scale. Data were compared with international guidelines for community exercise classes for individuals with cardiovascular disease (CVD).
 Results: Twelve classes were observed with 82 participants. All classes included guideline-recommended components of warm-up, cooldown, strength, and aerobic conditioning; 58% of classes (n = 7) incorporated strength and aerobic conditioning in a circuit. Class participants exercised at low to moderate intensities as indicated by mean ± SD: HR (warm-up 55% ± 11% age-predicted maximum HR; cooldown 52 ± 11; strength 59 ± 11; aerobic conditioning 58 ± 12); and overall RPE (6 ± 2). Class participants' mean age was 70 ± 8 years; 27% (n = 24) were referred by health professionals; 73% (n = 61) attended for fitness; 61% (n = 50) had CVD risk factors; and 21% (n = 17) reported diagnosed CVD.
 Conclusion: Community exercise classes for individuals with CVD, specifically those aligned with Heartmoves, may comply with international guidelines, although few class participants have diagnosed CVD.


Utilization of a novel plant host by herbivorous insects requires coordination of numerous physiological and behavioral adaptations in both larvae and adults. The recent host range expansion of the crucifer-specialist diamondback moth (DBM), Plutella xylostella L. (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae), to the sugar pea crop in Kenya provides an opportunity to study this process in action. Previous studies have shown that larval ability to grow and complete development on sugar pea is genetically based, but that females of the pea-adapted strain do not prefer to oviposit on pea. Here we examine larval preference for the novel host plant. Larvae of the newly evolved pea-adapted host strain were offered the choice of the novel host plant sugar pea and the original host cabbage. These larvae significantly preferred pea, while in contrast, all larvae of a cabbage-adapted DBM strain preferred cabbage. However, pea-adapted larvae, which were reared on cabbage, also preferred cabbage. Thus both genetic differences and previous exposure affect larval host choice, while adult choice for the novel host has not yet evolved.


A defect in germ-cell (sperm and oocyte) development is the leading cause of male and female infertility. Control of translation through the binding of deleted in azoospermia (DAZ)-like (DAZL) to the 3′-UTRs of mRNAs, via a highly conserved RNA recognition motif (RRM), has been shown to be essential in germ-cell development. Crystal structures of the RRM from murine DAZL (Dazl), both alone and in complex with RNA sequences from the 3′-UTRs of mRNAs regulated by Dazl, reveal high-affinity sequence-specific recognition of a GUU triplet involving an extended, kinked, pair of β-strands. Recognition of the GUU triplet is maintained, whereas the identity and position of bases flanking this triplet varies. The Dazl RRM is thus able to recognize GUU triplets in different sequence contexts. Mutation of bases within the GUU triplet reduces the affinity of binding. Together with the demonstration that multiple Dazl RRMs can bind to a single RNA containing multiple GUU triplets, these structures suggest that the number of DAZL molecules bound to GUU triplets in the 3′-UTR provides a method for modulating the translation of a target RNA. The conservation of RNA binding and structurally important residues between members of the DAZ family, together with the demonstration that mutation of these residues severely impairs RNA binding, indicate that the mode of RNA binding revealed by these structures is conserved in proteins essential for gamete development from flies to humans.


In order to investigate flow characteristics of blood flow in a micro tube (100㎛ in diameter) with respect to hematocrit, in-vitro experiments were carried out using a micro-PIV technique. The micro-PIV system consists of a microscope, a 2 head Nd:YAG laser, a 12 bit cooled CCD camera and a delay generator. Blood was supplied into the micro tube using a syringe pump. Hematocrit for blood was controlled by 20%, 30% and 40%. The blood flow has a cell free layer near the tube wall and its thickness is changed with increasing the flow rate and hematocrit. The hemorheological characteristics such as shear rate and viscosity were evaluated using the velocity field data. As the flow rate increased, the blunt velocity profile in the tube center was sharpened. The viscosity of blood was also steeply increased by decreasing shear rate, especially in the region of low shear rate, changing RBC rheological properties. The variation of velocity profile and blood viscosity shows typical characteristics of Non-Newtonian fluids. Based on the inflection points, the cell free layer and two-phase flow consisted with plasma and suspensions including RBCs were clearly discriminated.


The effect of the exposure to copper in metal bioaccumulation capacity in cells from Euglena gracilis was evaluated in this study. Metal accumulation measured with the X-ray fluorescence (XRF) technique showed that the accumulation of Cu in E. gracilis was dose dependent and was significantly increased in cells treated with 0.4 and 0.8 mM of Cu with respect to control. The presence of an accumulation strategy in E. gracilis that could involve the participation of a number of multiple processes, such as production of vacuoles, is not discarded. Future studies should be oriented to evaluate the potential for bioaccumulation of E. gracilis to be applied in bioremediation of aquatic systems programs.


OBJECTIVE
Low energy expenditure is a risk for cardiovascular morbidity. The goals of this study were to compare energy expenditure between patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and healthy controls.

METHODS
A total of 121 RA patients and 120 healthy controls in New York City completed the Paffenbarger Physical Activity and Exercise Index at time of enrollment (1999-2000) and 1 year later to measure energy expenditure from walking, climbing stairs, and exercise/sports. Analyses were adjusted for age, sex, education, pain, social support, and depressive symptoms and were compared with recommended thresholds of energy expenditure.

RESULTS
Participants' mean age was 49 years, and 87% were women. Patients with RA expended fewer kilocalories per week than controls (mean +/- SD 1,474 +/- 1,198 versus 1,958 +/- 1,940, P = 0.003), with most of this difference from less walking as opposed to high-intensity activities. Although similar percents of RA patients and controls met national recommendations for total weekly energy expenditure (56% versus 64% for the lower [> or =1,000 kilocalories per week] threshold; P = 0.14, and 41% versus 48% for the higher [> or =1,400 kilocalories per week] threshold; P = 0.17), fewer RA patients met the recommendations (> or =700 kilocalories per week) for walking (32% versus 48%; P = 0.01). The strongest predictor of more energy expenditure at 1 year for both groups was more energy expenditure at enrollment.

CONCLUSION
Most of the difference in energy expenditure between RA patients and healthy controls was due to less walking. Given that walking is an effective and relatively safe lifestyle activity, increasing walking should be a priority to improve cardiovascular risk in RA.


The rate of Caesarean delivery in Bangladesh is not known but thought to have increased markedly in recent years. This observational study addressed the prevalence of various types of deliveries conducted on 2714 subjects attending the postnatal ward of a referral hospital in Dhaka from August 1994 to March 1995. During this period data were collected retrospectively from their registries and clinical history sheets. Of these participants 1509 (55.6%) had a history of normal delivery and 1150 (42.4%) underwent Caesarean sections. Very few (1.7%) had other means of delivery and only 0.7% were reported to have forceps delivery. The Caesarian delivery for the first baby was 14.1%, which gradually decreased in subsequent deliveries. Most of the deliveries, be it normal or Caesarean, were conducted by the trainee doctors (43.6%) and Medical Officers (25.7%). Professors and Assistant Professors performed less than 1%. The normal or Caesarean deliveries were assisted mostly by trainee doctors (54.4%), interns (19.0%) and nurses (15.8%); and very few were conducted by Medical Officers (8.3%) and Assistant Registrars (2.1%). The study observes that the rate of Caesarean delivery is much higher than that observed in western countries. Most of the deliveries in this hospital, whether normal or Caesarean, were found to be conducted by the trainee or junior doctors. Ibrahim Med. Coll. J. 2009; 3(1): 21-23 Keywords: Pregnancy, normal delivery, Caesarean delivery, delivery practices, tertiary hospital. doi: 10.3329/imcj.v3i1.2915


The paper presents the low power architecture of CalmRISC, a low power 8-bit microcontroller consuming only 0.1 mW per MIPS at 3.0 V, and its efficient coprocessor interface. The architectural consideration of CalmRISC for low power consumption is presented. Some low power circuit design schemes, as well as an efficient coprocessor interface scheme in CalmRISC are proposed and discussed.


The two-dimensional fluid-structure numerical model was developed to investigate the VIV suppression effect of the fined cylinder in subcritical flow (2000<Re<12000). The simulation of the flow field is performed by solving RANS equations with standard k-e turbulence model. And the finned cylinder is modeled as a mass-spring system. The fluid-structure interaction of the finned cylinder in a uniform stream is numerically simulated by applying the displacement and stress iterative computation on the fluid-structure interfaces. The Arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian (ALE) method and leader-follower method were combined together to keep a good quality of the fluid domain mesh for large displacements of fluid-structure interface.The vortex induced vibration of smooth cylinder was firstly simulated and compared with the experimental and numerical results of available literatures.The cylinder with Δ60-fins (consists of three splitter plates of 0.2D depth with splitter plate angle of 60° equally spaced on the cylinder surface) was investigated. The vortex shedding mode, vibration response, vibration frequency, and lifting force for the cylinder with Δ60-fins were analyzed and compared with smooth cylinder. The numerical results show that the cylinder with Δ60-fins can significantly interfere the vortex shedding and synchronization by reducing the lateral spacing of the initial large eddy. The remarkable decrease of response amplitude for cylinder with Δ60-fins is found.Copyright © 2014 by ASME


Physiotherapy is considered a healthcare profession concerned with human function and movement, and maximising potential. It normally uses physical approaches to promote, maintain, and restore physical, psychological, and social well-being, taking account of the variations in health status. The human function is more than just a physical and movement issue. Physiotherapy plays a unique role in the rehabilitation of people who have been profoundly traumatised. Certain precautions are needed when handling survivors of torture, but sensitive physical techniques can relieve the legacies of severe pain, dysfunction, and stress. The physical medium is especially effective for people who are unable to speak of their experiences. (Hough, 1992) Trauma, especially those who have experienced torture and considerable life-threatening violence presents a very wide range of responses from an individual - responses that often include family members and close relationships. The Humane to Humane Transcultural Centre for Torture Victims in Manipur has been providing direct assistance to over 450 clients and their families in support with the UN Torture Fund since 2009.Working with people who have been tortured has similarities to working with intensive care patients. There is a need for acute sensitivity to the client's responses, an extra awareness of the importance of autonomy, and an understanding of issues of power and helplessness. A multidisciplinary approach was adopted that included medical, psychological, creative movement therapy, social and financial assistance. Physiotherapy constituted an important component of the services provided by the centre, providing a vital link in rebuilding the personality of survivors of torture because trust can be fostered in the context of physical contact. Close liaison between the physiotherapist and other therapists is needed in this area of work. A combined approach is essential in the work and the support team also indulges in caring for each other and the luxury of co-working. The intimacy of our relationship with survivors of torture is matched by the perverted intimacy of their previous relationship with the torturer, and extra care is needed in this context.This paper elaborates on the range of psychosocial, physical, and emotional responses to torture, the methodologies adopted, and the results obtained in our centre.


The epidemiologic patterns and the economic impact of acute lower respiratory tract illness (LRTI) in children under age two were studied using data collected from November 1, 1971-August 30, 1975 in a suburban pediatric practice in Monroe County, New York. LRTI was responsible for 23 illness episodes per 100 child-years among children in their first two years of life. This indicates that a cohort of 100 children might be anticipated to have 46 LRTI episodes from birth until their second birthday. The majority of episodes correlated with the presence of four viruses in the community, most commonly respiratory syncytial virus. The minimal, estimated direct cost of LRTI in the first two years of life based on 1984 cost data was equivalent to $35.14 for every child and was comprised of hospitalization cost ($19.68) and ambulatory care cost ($15.46). Hospitalization costs attributable to LRTI comprised at least 2.5 per cent of all hospitalization costs in this age group. Immunization against the four most common respiratory viruses, at a reasonable cost per child immunized, would appear to be cost beneficial.


The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of clinical factors on variation in the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients with arterial essential hypertension. An open questionnaire study was performed among 1539 subjects (775 men and 764 women) aged from 18 to 88 years (mean age 51.7 +/- 14.6 years) with arterial hypertension diagnosed at least 3 months earlier. The patients had been treated (86.2%) or started treatment (17.4%) in municipal outpatient units and in the Antihypertensive Outpatient Center of the I Cardiac Department. The following data were analyzed: systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, body mass, target organ complications and number of hypotensive drugs. All patients completed a standardized Psychological General Well-Being questionnaire (PGWB) to evaluate the general quality of life and its six dimensions: anxiety, depressive mood, well-being, self-control, general health and vitality. Irrespective of the patients' gender the general quality of life was poorer in those patients in whom systolic blood pressure exceeded 140 mmHg. The highest general quality of life was observed in patients with diastolic blood pressure between 74 and 90 mmHg. In patients with BMI > 30 kg/m2 the HRQoL was significantly lower. In obese patients as compared with normal and overweight patients the following scales of the PGWB were significantly lower: general health and vitality, whereas the score of depressive mood was higher (p < 0.05). Furthermore obese patients had significantly higher SBP and DBP than slim subjects. Both in men and women with arterial hypertension there was a negative relationship between the quality of life and the presence of target organ complications and the number of drugs used. Among the patients treated with 4 and more hypotensive drugs the proportion of subjects with controlled blood pressure was lower as compared with those receiving 1, 2 or 3 drugs. Multiple regression analysis showed that the clinical factors independently affecting the general quality of life in patients with arterial hypertension were systolic and diastolic blood pressure, obesity, target organ complications and the number of hypotensive drugs used. These factors accounted for 37.1% of variance in the general quality of life.


Medicinal plants of the Plectranthus genus (Lamiaceae) are known for their ethnopharmacological relevance, mainly against infectious, dermatologic and gastrointestinal pathologies. Three Plectranthus species originated from South Africa, namely P. madagascariensis, P. neochilus and the rare P. porcatus were hereby screened for their antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities related with their known and/or potential ethnomedicinal uses. Twenty-six extracts were prepared by the combination of extraction methods (infusion, decoction, microwave-assisted, ultrasound-assisted, maceration and supercritical fluid extraction) with different polarity solvents (water, methanol, acetone and supercritical CO2). The comparison study of these extracts was elucidated through the corresponding chemical characterization and cytotoxic activity data. Therefore, the acetone extract from P. madagascariensis prepared by ultrasound extraction method revealed potent antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria (1.95 < minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) < 7.81 μg/mL), including a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strain. Additionally, acetone extracts from both P. madagascariensis and P. neochilus exhibited relevant antibacterial activity against Gram-negative Klebsiella pneumonia (0.48 < MIC < 3.91 μg/mL), validating the traditional uses of such plants as anti-infectious agents. All methanolic extracts showed potent antioxidant effects at 100 μg/mL measured as their radical scavenging activity (60.8–89.0%) in the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. The P. madagascariensis extract obtained by maceration in acetone showed moderate cytotoxic effects in the MDA-MB-231 cell line (triple negative human breast carcinoma). The extract concentration that caused a 50% inhibition in cell viability (IC50) was 64.52 μg/mL. All extracts in this comparative study were profiled by high-performance liquid chromatography-HPLC with a diode-array detector-DAD (HPLC-DAD) and the main known bioactive components were identified in each extract, which included polyphenols (caffeic 1, chlorogenic 2 and rosmarinic 3 acids), abietane diterpenes (7α-acetoxy-6β-hydroxyroyleanone 4 and coleon U 5) and flavone glycosides (rutin 6 and naringin 7).


A new system has been developed for the measurement of motion of ferroelectric domains under high electric field driving in ferroelectric materials. This system can simultaneously measure the hysteresis curves of (hkl) X-ray diffraction peak intensity (I(hkl)), field-induced polarization (D), and switching current (I current) as a function of electric field. In a poled tetragonal lead zirconate titanate ceramic, it was found that the peak of I current occurs before the abrupt change in X-ray diffraction intensity of I002 (=I(002)/{I(002)+I(200)}) in the negative direction of the poling axis, whereas the peak of I current in the positive direction of the poling axis occurs at the same electric field as the abrupt change in the X-ray diffraction intensity of I002 under ±2000 V/mm triangular-waveform high electric field at a frequency of 1 mHz. Domain motion is suggested as follows: 180 deg domain walls move before 90 deg domain walls in the negative direction of the poling axis, and 180 deg domain walls move together with 90 deg domain walls in the positive direction of the poling axis near coercive electric fields. This is probably due to the existence of asymmetry of internal bias electric/stress field. Several discussions are given on the relationships among the hysteresis curves of X-ray diffraction peak intensity, field-induced strain, dielectric coefficient, and piezoelectric d33 coefficient in the tetragonal ceramics.


Liver biopsy specimens from 18 patients with primary biliary cirrhosis were examined histochemically and by energy-dispersive x-ray microanalysis. Using two indices, we classified hepatic copper accumulation into three stages based on the Cu x-ray intensity of cuproproteins that had accumulated in hepatocyte lysosomes and on the binding ratio of postulated copper transfer proteins between the cytosol and lysosomes. Eight patients were in stage 1 with an initial accumulation of lysosomal cuproproteins, mediated by transfer proteins not saturated with copper. Two patients were in stage 2, in which transfer proteins were saturated with copper. The first two stages gave negative results for histochemical copper. The remaining eight patients were in stage 3, in which copper accumulation detected by histochemical included transfer proteins saturated with copper and large amounts of lysosomal cuproproteins. Five patients (one each in stages 1 and 2, and three in stage 3) underwent a second liver biopsy after treatment with 600 mg of ursodeoxycholic acid daily for 14 to 39 months. Results of blood chemistry tests improved, but liver histologic findings and copper accumulation were unchanged in all five patients. It seems likely that ursodeoxycholic acid does not affect the copper accumulation in hepatocyte lysosomes that reflects the state of cholestasis in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis.