Wavelet-based image coders generally perform well on natural images, which are typically characterized by slowly varying image intensities. Their performance suffers, however on compound images containing both text and image data. We modify a quadtree wavelet coder to perform well on text image data by treating text blocks differently from non-text blocks. We combine wavelet domain processing of non-text blocks with spatial domain processing of text blocks, and achieve improved performance over purely wavelet domain techniques for compound images.


The spin flip of the conduction electrons at the interface of a ferromagnetic and a nonmagnetic part of a metallic wire, suspended between two electrodes, is shown to tort the wire when a current is driven through it. In order to enhance the effect it is suggested to use an alternating current in resonance with the torsional oscillations. Thereby the magnetic polarization of the conduction electrons in the ferromagnet can be measured directly, and compared to the total magnetization. This may yield new information on the transport properties of the narrow band electrons in itinerant ferromagnets.


The recording of auditory brain stem potentials (ABR) with bimastoid leads and bilateral stimulation makes it possible to evaluate relative cochlear function and the type of hearing loss. The theoretical background for this technique and the results obtained in patients with disease of the internal-middle ear, cochlea, and auditory nerve are discussed.


Author(s): Rodriguez, Kaelyn Danielle | Advisor(s): Villase�or Black, Charlene; Baca, Judith F. | Abstract: This dissertation project identifies the anti-colonial and anti-racist traditions that Black and Brown Angelenos have created, specifically the artworks expressing cultural pride and solidarity with each other. While other scholars have looked at Black and Latina/o/x Los Angeles together, few have looked at the trends and traditions within visual culture and art history. This particular intervention is historical, but also builds from the contemporary moment we live in, where underpaid school teachers have been striking en masse, where women are proclaiming #TimesUp, where Black Lives Matter is ushering perhaps the largest social movement in U.S. history, and still, the movement continues to grow all over the world. Furthermore, this dissertation has been informed by the COVID-19 crisis, which deeply and disproportionately impacts housing, employment, health outcomes and many other factors for people of color, especially Native Peoples, African Americans and Latinx folks in the U.S. As a way to reframe this political moment of pandemics, social injustice, and consciousness raising, I freedom dream through Afro-Latinx Futurism, a concept I offer that empowers Black, Latinx and Afro-Latinx people to center pleasure, rest, and joy as a visual practice in the arts and an important expression of liberation. Together, this project will forge a new history of the past by offering analysis of artworks, but also, moments when people lived, fought and created together. In some cases, I will highlight works of art that were not exactly made together, or directly in conversation with the other, but still work within a constellation of struggle against US imperialism and white supremacy. I have conducted participatory observation fieldwork, interviews, investigated archives, made maps via Emoji Mapping and Social Explorer; I offer visual and historical analysis to demonstrate the social realities that Black and Brown creative communities have forged for the past 237 years in what is now Los Angeles.


This paper presents an approach to model business processes and associated user interfaces in a declarative way, relying on constraints. An UML-based meta-model to define processes, activities and user-interface objects is proposed. Connecting activities and user interface objects in an integrated model allows expressing interdependencies and mutual effects. Flexible execution logic for workflows and UI control flows are specified by OCL invariants. The model is constructed for the UML tool USE. Using object snapshots, USE can animate and validate business scenarios. Snapshots represent states of a process and a UI at specific times. Such animation enables business process and UI designers to discuss sensible scenarios on basis of the flexible declarative models. The intention is to create validated concrete process models in connection with UI elements that will provide a basis for the system implementation.


To understand how people cultivate and sustain authenticity in multiple, often shifting, work roles, we analyze qualitative data gathered over five years from a sample of 48 plural careerists—people who choose to simultaneously hold and identify with multiple jobs. We find that people with multiple work identities struggle with being, feeling, and seeming authentic both to their contextualized work roles and to their broader work selves. Further, practices developed to cope with these struggles change over time, suggesting a two-phase emergent process of authentication in which people first synchronize their individual work role identities and then progress toward harmonizing a more general work self. This study challenges the notion that consistency is the core of authenticity, demonstrating that for people with multiple valued identities, authenticity is not about being true to one identity across time and contexts, but instead involves creating and holding cognitive and social space for several true versions of oneself that may change over time. It suggests that authentication is the emergent, socially constructed process of both determining who one is and helping others see who one is.


The article deals with the main causes and consequences of the de-industrialization of the national economy of Ukraine. The impact of foreign trade policy on the dynamics of the domestic industrial sector is analysed. Features of the Ukrainian economy sectors' integration into international value chains are defined. The decisive role of the state in the formation of favourable prerequisites for the development of domestic industry is justified.


In the Member States of European Union, including Poland, the legal framework for the management and protection of water resources is determined in the Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC (WFD). The aim of the article is to determine the impact of the revision of legal provisions in the field of water law licensing caused by the Directive implementation on the currently applicable framework for the protection and management of water resources in Poland. Based on the legal regulations and statistical data it was found that the implementation of WFD and related directives regarding sewage treatment plants limiting the inflow of nitrogen compounds from agriculture and priority substances to surface waters, contributed to an extension of scope of the activities that require this permission. That scope extension concerns both the protection of water resources in terms of quantity and quality e.g. water abstraction, agricultural fertilization, reclamation of water reservoirs, protection of flood risk areas and use of waters for economic and service purposes. All this indicates a more restrictive approach of the legislator to the protection of the most valuable resource in the environment, which should contribute to possible achievement of a good state of surface water, as is the main goal of the WFD.


AIM
To clarify mechanisms that the antiarrhythmic effects of matrine and berbamine are weaker than those of amiodarone and RP58866.

METHODS
Experimental arrhythmic models were induced by aconitine, coronary artery ligation and electric stimulation in rats and rabbits. Whole-cell patch-clamp techniques were used to record IK1, IKr, IKs and Ito.

RESULTS
Matrine and berbamine significantly increased the dose of aconitine for induction of ventricular premature and ventricular tachycardia in rats, decreased the number of arrhythmias induced by coronary artery ligation in rats and increased ventricular fibrillation threshold (VFT) induced by electric stimulation in rabbits, but the anti-arrhythmic potency of matrine and berbamine was lower than that of amiodarone and RP58866. The inhibitory actions of matrine and berbamine on IK1, IKr, IKs, Ito were lower than those of amiodarone and RP58866. The IC50 of matrine for IK1, IKr, IKs, Ito were (46 +/- 3), (32.9 +/- 1.2), (37 +/- 8) and (7.6 +/- 0.5) mol x L(-1), respectively. The IC50 of amiodarone for IK1, IKr, IKs, Ito were (21 +/- 5) , (3.7 +/- 0.7), (5.9 +/- 0.9) and (5.9 +/- 0.6) mol x L(-1), respectively.

CONCLUSION
The inhibitory actions of matrine and berbamine on IK1, IKr, IKs, Ito were lower than those of amiodarone and RP58866, which might be the reason that the antiarrhythmic effects of matrine and berbamine were weaker than those of amiodarone and RP58866.


In this paper, we proposed a new scheme that supports micro mobility and macro mobility. By using this scheme, we do not have to communicate with the home agent of the mobile host when the mobile host moves from one MPLS subnet to another. Through simulations, we demonstrated that by using MINHM, we could provide lower end-to-end delay and delay jitter to the traffic during handoff periods. Thus, MINHM is a better approach to support smooth handoff in delay sensitive applications over conventional HIPv6 and conventional mobile MPLS. The scheme is based on the hierarchical mobile MPLS and extends hierarchical mobile MPLS. So it is better than hierarchical mobile MPLS, which is proposed in T. Yang and D. Makrakis (2001).


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the alteration of the adiponectin signal pathway in hypertrophic myocardium of spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHR) and to observe the effects of Gadol (GD) and Ganoderma spores (GS) on the hemodynamic parameters and the adiponectin signal pathway of SHR.

METHODS
SHRs, 8 weeks old, were randomly divided into four groups: the untreated group, and the three treated groups treated with GD, GS, and GD + GS respectively by gastrogavage for 4 weeks. Controlled with 8-week-old WKY rats, the hemodynamic parameters in all rats were recorded through the carotid artery intubation; the serum level of adiponectin was determined with ELISA; the mRNA expressions of adiponectin receptors (AdipoRs) and carnitine palmitoyl transferase (CPT-1) were determined by RT-PCR; and the protein expression of adenosine monophosphate activated protein kinase (AMPK), both phosphorylated and un-phosphorylated, was detected by Western blot.

RESULTS
Compared with the WKY rats, the systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and myocardial hypertrophy index (MHI) in SHR were significantly higher; the serum levels of adiponectin and phosphorylated AMPK, mRNA expressions of AdipoR1 and CPT-1 in SHR heart tissue were lower (P < 0.05). Compared with the SHR, medication of GD and GS, either alone or in combination, could reduce SBP, DBP and MHI significantly (P < 0.01, P < 0.05), and elevate the mRNA expression of CPT-1 (P < 0.05) in heart, but levels of adiponectin, AdipoR1 and phosphorylated AMPK could only be raised by combined use of the two (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS
Adiponectin signal transduction pathway alteration presents in the myocardium of SHR, which might be one of the molecular mechanisms that cause hypertrophic metabolic abnormality. GD and GS could improve the hemodynamic index in SHR, and enhance the level of adiponectin and the expression of its related signal transduction molecules.


Hemangioma, focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) and hepatocellular adenoma represent the most common and clinically relevant benign liver tumors. Improved diagnostic imaging procedures as well as the broad use of oral contraceptives resulted in an increased detection rate during the past 25 years. Focal liver diseases are primarily diagnosed by ultrasonography, while a specific diagnosis can be established by contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging. Hepatocellular adenomas should be resected, since they bear the potential of a malignant transformation as well as the risk of rupture and intraperitoneal hemorrhage. Conversely, a conservative approach is advocated for hemangioma and FNH. However, surgical procedures may be justified when a mass becomes symptomatic, and should be applied liberally when the diagnosis remains uncertain.


The primary objective of the present study was to assess the qualitative and quantitative changes of wine polyphenols during in vitro digestion process conducted in a gastrointestinal tract model. Wines selected for these experiments were red grape, white grape and chokeberry wines. Following the stages of in vitro digestion—stomach, small and large intestine—qualitative and quantitative changes particularly in phenolic acids were monitored. Decomposition of resveratrol and chlorogenic acid, secretion of caffeic acid and formation of other derivatives characterized with high antioxidant activity were determined. As a second focus of this work the evaluation of interactions between human fecal microflora (Enterobacteriaceae, Lactobacillus, Enterococcus and Bifidobacterium) and polyphenolic compounds and their derivatives secreted during the digestion were performed.


Nowadays, there are reports in the specialist media of so-called Industrial Revolution 4.0. According to this industrial revolution, the production is increasingly digitized and even component-driven production is mentioned. Additionally, production machines exchange extensive process data with one another and enormous amounts of data are analyzed for production optimization. These challenges will also be faced by the die casting industry. A smart die casting foundry, according to the definition of Industry 4.0, is a highly flexible production system that is able to produce small lot sizes and even single parts. To realize this foundry, various tools and concepts need to be adapted. The use of modern information technology and the flexibilization of machines and processes are necessary to achieve this goal. If machine and process data are accessible without barriers, there are lots of possibilities to link these and to carry out comprehensive optimization along the process chain of die casting. The logistics and processes of the foundry should be transparent and can be tracked at any time. The point of consumption of energy and resources are need to be visible, the material flows can be analyzed and optimized in detail. Complex interactions can also be deciphered and the entire system can be adjusted to an optimum operating point. To realize this vision there is still some challenges. Within the scope of this paper, practical potentials of different technologies and tools are presented with the adaption of Industry 4.0 to the die casting technology and production.


Durability of dense-graded asphalt (DGA) is a key issue with regards to long term pavement performance. There is a need for a practical and implementable test to estimate these parameters. Previous research has suggested that the Cantabro abrasion loss test has potential for this application. Both the development of the Cantabro method and its conventional application to open-graded friction course (OGFC) mixtures are reviewed. A four component research approach was undertaken to evaluate suitability of the Cantabro test for DGA mixtures that included testing of 438 specimens from 69 different mixtures. First, sensitivity of the test was assessed using a large range of typical Mississippi DGA mixtures. Second, variability of the test was measured by evaluating data sets with thirty replicates. Third, the effects of oven conditioning protocols were measured. Fourth, the effects of varying reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) contents were measured for warm-mix asphalt (WMA). The overall recommendation from the research was that the Cantabro test be given serious consideration for use as a durability measurement tool for DGA mixtures.


The transition in dietary life has often been dealt macroscopically in relation to changing factors in the society, culture and various other aspects. However, whatever factor it relates to, it is a consumer's subjective need that determines the direction of his eating habits. In order to research the future tendency in the dietary system, I believe we must approach it with the structural analysis on the level of dietary consciousness that inwardly contributes to the system. Therefore, we conducted a survey of dietary consciousness on the price monitors and tried to elucidate its basic structure. As a result of the factor analysis, 10 obvious factors such as simplification and growing interest in home cookery have been extracted. Moreover, as the outcome of the cluster analysis based on the factor scores, various modes of eating habits have been confirmed and we suppose they are useful in the study of the dietary system in future. As a general trend, it is likely that we will move on to a qualitatively richer diet, as well as a diet suited toeach occasion, time and event of a consumer's life style.


Seed morphology mutations affecting the major seed components in pea (Pisum sativum L.) and maize (Zea mays L.) opened specialty markets for these crops. Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is an important oil and food crop of the world. Genetic alteration of seed composition may be useful in expanding markets for this crop. Some lines from the University of Florida peanut breeding program showed seed shriveling characteristic even when harvested mature. In the present study, three shriveled lines (529B, 563A, and 647A) were chemically characterized and compared with a normal-seeded cultivar, Sunrunner. They were found to have only one third to two thirds the amount of storage lipid and double the amount of sucrose as normal peanuts. Differences were also observed for seed protein concentration, when expressed on a defatted meal basis. Higher relative proportions of phospholipid to triacylglycerol may indicate a block in the biochemical pathway for the conversion of sucrose into triacylglycerol in the shriveled seed mutants. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) patterns revealed that there were differences in the levels of various proteins between normal seed and shriveled seed phenotypes. Differences were identified in the level of accumulation of storage lipid and also in the various proteins during the development of the shriveled seed.


APPLIED MATHEMATICS Correction for ''On the behavior of a capillary surface in a wedge,'' by Paul Concus and Robert Finn, which appeared in issue 2, June 1, 1969, of Proc Natl Acad Sci USA (63:292–299). Owing to a printer's error, the initial sentence of the abstract appeared as ''Estimates above and below are obtained for the height of the equilibrium-free surface of a liquid'' rather than the intended ''Estimates above and below are obtained for the height of the equilibrium free surface of a liquid.'' Also, the first sentence of the introduction, ''Consider a volume of liquid that partially fills a cylindrical container Z, forming an equilibriumfree surface S, as determined by surface and gravitational forces'' should have read ''Consider a volume of liquid that partially fills a cylindrical container Z, forming an equilibrium free surface S, as determined by surface and gravitational forces.'' These errors can lead to basic misunderstanding as to the nature of the problem addressed in the article. The online version of this article has been corrected.


Summary: Trifolium subterraneum plants grown at 30°C root temperature nodulated 3 days after inoculation with Rhizobium trifolii and nitrogenase activity (determined by acetylene-reduction) was detected 3 days later. While all four strains of R. trifolii examined formed effective nodules at 22°C, at 30°C only the nodules formed by strain TAI showed a rapid increase in nitrogenase activity. Light and electron microscopy of the nodules formed by one temperature-sensitive strain (NA30) showed the following abnormalities: multiple branching and distortion of the infection threads; failure of many bacteria to develop into characteristic bacteroids; continued division of these bacteria to give atypical multiple occupancy of the membrane envelopes; release of polysaccharide from ruptured infection threads into the host cytoplasm; rapid degeneration of the membrane envelopes and their contents. While the development of the membrane envelopes appeared to be under host control, the effect of the higher temperature on bacteroid development was highly strain specific.
Upon transfer of nodulated plants from 22 to 30°C, bacteroid tissue in nodules formed by the temperature-sensitive strain NA30 broke down rapidly but nodules formed by strain TAI were less severely affected.


Surgery has a definite role in the management of patients with Graves' disease, although it may be followed by perioperative complications and postoperative thyroid dysfunction. Since alternative treatments such as antithyroid drugs or radioiodine are also available, the decision making in the management should be based on clear assessment of advantages and limitations of each strategy by both patients and physicians. As clinicians caring for patients, we have to make efforts to obtain valid and reliable evidence regarding clinical outcomes of the treatment options so that the information can be used for the decisions in daily medical practices where patients' values and preferences are also important determinants.


Internet addiction is a clinical anomaly with strong negative consequences on social, work-related, family, financial, and economic function of a person. It is regarded as a serious public health issue. The basic idea of this paper is to, based on the currently available body of research work on this topic, point out to neurobiological pathos of Internet addiction, and its connection to the dopaminergic system. Dopamine contains all physiological functions of neurotransmitters and it is a part of chatecholamine family. Five dopaminergic receptors (D1 D5) belong to the super family of receptors related to G-protein. Through these receptors, dopamine achieves its roles: regulation of voluntary movement, regulation of center of pleasure, hormonal regulation, and regulation of hypertension. In order to recognize an Internet user as an addict, he or she needs to comply with the criteria suggested by the American Psychiatric Association (APA). Phenomenological, neurobiological, and pharmacological data indicates similarities in pathopsychology of substance addiction and pathological gambling, which are indirectly related to the similarity with the Internet addiction. Responding to stimuli from the game, addicts have shown more brain activity in the nape region, left dorsolateral, prefrontal cortex, and left parachipocampal gyrus than in the control group. After the six-week bupropion therapy, desire to play Internet and video games, the total duration of playing, and induced brain activity in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex are lowered with the addicts. Acta Medica Medianae 2011;50(1):60-66.


Objectives To investigate predictors of falls and fractures leading to hospitalisation in people with affective disorders. Design Cohort study. Setting The South London and Maudsley National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust (SLaM) Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) Case Register. Participants A large cohort of people with affective disorders (International Classification of Diseases- 10th version [ICD-10] codes F30–F34) diagnosed between January 2008 and March 2016 was assembled using data from the SLaM BRC Case Register. Primary and secondary outcome measures Falls and fractures leading to hospitalisation were ascertained from linked national hospitalisation data. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards analyses were administrated to identify predictors of first falls and fractures. Results Of 36 101 people with affective disorders (mean age 44.4 years, 60.2% female), 816 (incidence rate 9.91 per 1000 person-years) and 1117 (incidence rate 11.92 per 1000 person-years) experienced either a fall or fracture, respectively. In multivariable analyses, older age, analgesic use, increased physical illness burden, previous hospital admission due to certain comorbid physical illnesses and increase in attendances to accident and emergency services following diagnosis were significant risk factors for both falls and fractures. Having a history of falls was a strong risk factor for recurrent falls, and a previous fracture was also associated with future fractures. Conclusions Over a mean 5 years' follow-up, approximately 8% of people with affective disorders were hospitalised with a fall or fracture. Several similar factors were found to predict risk of falls and fracture, for example, older age, comorbid physical disorders and analgesic use. Routine screening for bone mineral density and fall prevention programmes should be considered for this clinical group.


Grapevine Pinot gris virus (GPGV), a Thricovirus (Be- taflexiviridae) inducing grapevine mottling and deformation in Vitis vinifera L., has been reported in Europe and Korea (Martelli, 2014). During autumn 2013, a survey on the sani- tary status of native V. vinifera cultivars was carried out in Georgia, collecting leaf samples from 37 vines of 25 white- and red-berried cultivars. To detect GPGV, total RNAs were extracted from leaf tissues and RT-PCR reactions were performed with specific primer pairs amplifying dis- tinct genomic regions (GPG-14F/GPG-632R, GPG-5637F/ GPG-5939R, GPG-6609F/GPG-7020R, DetF/DetR) (Glasa et al., 2014; Morelli et al., 2014). DetF/DetR PCR products were sequenced (coverage 4X) and compared with Gen- Bank sequences. Phylogenetic analysis was done using the software MEGA6. GPGV was detected in eight plants of white-berried cvs Goruli mtsvane, Khikvi, Mtsvane kviteli and red-berried cvs Saperavi pachkha, Tavkveri, Korkaula using primer pairs GPG-5637F/GPG-5939R and DetF/ DetR. GPGV detection sensitiveness of the other primer pairs was lower. Blast comparison with GenBank showed that the Georgian GPGV isolates share the highest sequence identity at the nucleotide level (98%) with the isolate GPGV SK107 from Slovakia (GenBank accession No. KF134126). Phylogenetic analysis performed by MEGA6 showed that the Georgian GPGV isolates grouped with the Slovakian isolates in a distinct cluster separated from the Italian, French, and Slovenian isolates. To our knowledge, this is the first report of GPGV in Georgia. As response of Georgian grapevine varieties to pathogens has not been described accurately, fur- ther investigation will be crucial to determine the symptoms associated with GPGV presence and to evaluate its potential effects on yield and wine quality.


CD8+ T-cell exhaustion is a dysfunctional state that is regulated through the expression of inhibitory checkpoint receptor genes including the cytotoxic T-lymphocyte–associated antigen 4, programmed death 1, and DNA methylation of effector genes interferon-γ, perforin, and granzyme B. Different strategies have been used to reverse T-cell exhaustion, which is an adverse event of checkpoint inhibitor blockade. Here, we present the mechanisms by which DNA methyltransferase inhibitors and Simian virus 40 large T antigen through viral mimicry can promote the reversion of exhausted CD8+ T cells. We examine how these pharmacological strategies can work together to improve the clinical efficacy of immunotherapies.


Till date the United States of America has not overcome the 9/11 shock despite her efficient police and intelligence network. Nigerians would have perhaps saved the horror of the Boko Haram kidnap of the 276 innocent school girls in Maiduguri. Australians in Sydney would perhaps have prevented the death of two citizens in the hand of a man with known history of violence and crime at "the siege in Martin Place" had proper pre-emptive measures been taken. Less than 24 hours to that of Sydney Pakistan suffered its most horrifying attack in the hands of the Pakistan Taliban, causing a massacre of about 126 innocent children. Next, France became the victim. Some world leaders gathered to conduct a solidarity march and protest against terrorism. The clamour among scholars who hold fastidiously to the preservation of privacy against the quest for crime prevention surveillance in an insecure world today may be very rational and worthy of merits. But is it expedient? It appears the various democratic jurisdictions agitate against crime prevention surveillance in a manner detrimental to the same security they concertedly desire to provide for the citizens. Law enforcement agencies seek efficiency, relevance and confidence of the citizens in their role in society but it seems the same society backed by scholars would not listen? What message are we passing to the law enforcement agencies? Who should the population trust more; the citizens or the law enforcement officers? Whose privacy is the state protecting? Whose security is the state obliged to protect? Could the resistance to crime prevention surveillance tie the hands of the state law enforcement and inadvertently provide opportunities for criminals and terrorists? What is the way forward? These are the questions this paper intends to discuss in the light of recent global events of security breaches. Key Words : Adversarial system, Privacy, Surveillance, Criminal justice, Crime prevention, Crime control, Security


Purpose

The relationships between the Big Five personality traits and life and job satisfaction have been examined extensively. Despite this attention, however, most existing theories focus on a few global dimensions of the Big Five while relying primarily upon a selection of theoretically relevant but unmeasured facets to illuminate their factor-level explanations. The purpose of this paper is to examine personality–satisfaction relationships for job and life domains at the facet level to better identify and explain why certain global Big Five traits consistently relate to satisfaction, taking both factors and facets into account.

Design/methodology/approach

Data from over 20 specific occupational samples were pooled meta-analytically to examine personality facet of job/life satisfaction relationships and their generalizability. Bifactor latent variable modeling using meta-analytic input was used to examine independent contributions of general and unique personality facets.

Findings

The dominance facet of extraversion, low self-esteem facet of neuroticism, and responsibility facet of conscientiousness were most closely related to satisfaction variables. There were independent contributions of general and unique facet level personality–satisfaction relations for the neuroticism and conscientiousness domains, but not for the extraversion domain.

Research limitations/implications

Findings contribute to the literature on the bandwidth–fidelity dilemma in measuring personality and theories involving personality at work.

Originality/value

This study established the generalizability of Big Five traits–satisfaction relations and identified the empirically supported personality paths to understanding job and life satisfaction. This study also demonstrated how meta-analysis can be combined with bifactor models to understand substantive relations.


Background: Job satisfaction has been associated with lots of benefits. The provision of health services depends on several factors but the availability and retention of human resources is particularly important. This study aims to determine job satisfaction among healthcare workers in a tertiary hospital in Kano and find if there are any, determining or related factors. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted between May and June, 2017 on health workers working at a tertiary hospital in Kano, Nigeria. A modified closed-ended self-administered job satisfaction survey questionnaire was used. Data collected were analyzed with IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, version 21 Windows statistical software. Results: The participants' ages ranged from 18 to 62 years with a mean age of 38.94 ± 8.07 years. There were 119 (74.4%) males and 41 (25.4%) females with a male/female (M:F) ratio of 3:1 (χ2 = 19.415; P= 0.000). Overall, out of the 157 (98.1%) of the participants that responded to the job satisfaction question, 142 (90.4%) indicated they were satisfied with their jobs and 15 (9.6%) were dissatisfied. Satisfaction based on sociodemographic variables showed that there were no significant associations between them. There were also no significant associations between the professional categories, years in service, monthly salary, job schedule of the participants, and job satisfaction. The main reasons for job satisfaction were monetary and service to humanity. Conclusion: Majority of health workers in Kano were highly satisfied with their jobs because of the need to serve and also for the income.


France has always envied Paris. A popular interpretation of the history of France has been of conflict between the capital and the provinces in which Paris was the victor, at least from the establishment of the system of intendants by Louis XIV in the late seventeenth century. Radical Paris took the lead in the revolutionary upheavals of the 1790s, in 1830, 1848 and 1870–1. The conflict of the 1790s produced civil and foreign war and led to an even greater domination by Paris through the centralizing policies of Napoleon Bonaparte as military dictator. Under his rule and subsequently, all officials - civil, judicial, military, religious and educational - were appointed by the government in Paris. The Council of State was a corner-stone of this policy in the capital, the departmental prefect in the provinces. In 1830 the results of the July Days were acceptable on the whole to the French; but in 1848 provincial France roundly rejected the radical social revolution favoured by intellectuals and artisans in Paris; in 1871 the Commune of Paris was virtually isolated in its decentralizing and social-reforming ambitions and suffered bloody defeat at the hands of the regular army. Apparently, then, 1830 was the last, and perhaps only, time in the nineteenth century that 'Paris led, France followed.' Was 1830 so unique, and if so, why? The Revolution of 1830 was unquestionably Parisian, in that events in the capital determined the timing and location of acts of significant revolutionary violence and in that the major political and administrative changes which followed the revolution were enacted in Paris. Should one therefore assume that the provinces were passive, that they had little impact on events? This revolution may neatly illustrate the success with which Louis XIV, Napoleon and others had centralized France, but that conclusion needs to be based on evidence, not assumption. The most recent complete analysis of the revolution concentrated on Paris, but also delineated some aspects of provincial unrest in 1830, making use of the local studies written for the centenary of the revolution. Some provincial and departmental histories describe the events of 1830 and their local impact.


Hepatocarcinoma, a malignant cancer, threaten human life badly. It is a current issue to seek the effective natural remedy from plant to treat cancer due to the resistance of the advanced hepatocarcinoma to chemotherapy. Puerarin (Pue), a major active ingredient in the traditional Chinese medicine Gegen, has a wide range of pharmacological properties and is considered to have anti-hepatocarcinoma effects. However its low oral bioavailability restricts its wide application. In this report, Pue nanosuspension (Pue-NS) composed of Pue and poloxamer 188 was prepared by high pressure homogenization technique. The in vitro anti-hepatocarcinoma effects of Pue-NS relative to efficacy of bulk Pue were evaluated. The particle size and zeta potential of Pue-NS were 218.5 nm and −18.8 mV, respectively. MTT assay showed that Pue-NS effectively inhibited the proliferation of HepG2 cells, and the corresponding IC50 values of Pue-NS and bulk Pue were 3.39 and 5.73 μg/ml. These results suggest that the delivery of Pue-NS is a promising approach for treating tumors.


ER fluids are functional fluids which have attracted attention in recent years. We have developed a new type of actuator using ER fluid. This ER actuator responds quickly, and has large torque/inertia ratio. ER actuators are thus suited to be the actuators used in force feedback systems. We have developed a force feedback system using ER actuators, and have enacted some basic experiments for force display. The ER actuators can be utilized in teleoperation systems and various other force feedback systems as well as in virtual reality systems.


The identities of seven weevil species described by Linnaeus are discussed and lectotypes designated for six of them, viz. Curculio craccae, C. frumentarius, C. algirus, C. cloropus, C. ater, and C. trifolii. A Iectotype is also designated for Curculio sanguineus De Geer. Curculio frumentarius L. is shown to be a senior objective synonym of C. [Apion] sanguineus De Geer. The next available name for A. frumentarium auctt., non (L.), is A. haematodes Kirby (SP. REV.). A. rubiginosum Grill is confirmed as the valid name for A. sanguineum auctt., non (De Geer). Curculio algirus L. is transferred from Lixus to Lixomorphus and becomes a senior synonym of Lixomorphus barbarus (Olivier) and L. ocularis (F.) (SYNN. N). The next available name for Lixus algirus auctt., non (L.), is L. angustatus (F.)(SP. REV.) and that for Curculio (BrachycerusJ algirus F., nec L., is B. muricatus Olivier (SP. REV.). The traditional interpretation of Curculio [Rhynchaenus]fagi L. is confirmed. Curculio cloropus L. is shown to be a senior synonym of Phyllobius viridicollis (F.) (SYN. N.) and not of Rhyncolus ater (L.), as commonly supposed. Curculio ater L. is confirmed as type species of Rhyncolus Germar.


Digitalisation and the use of algorithms have raised concerns over the future of work, the gig economy being identified by some as particularly concerning. In this article, we draw on 70 interviews in addition to participant observations to highlight the role of gig economy platforms in producing a novel form of reputational insecurity. This insecurity is generated by platforms disrupting the traditional operation of industry reputation in freelance markets. We highlight three areas of transformation (recognition, power relations and transparency) in which platforms disrupt the social regulation of reputation and thus algorithmically amplify uncertainty. We also detail how workers individually and collectively attempt to re-embed reputation within interpersonal relations to reduce this novel insecurity.


Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) is a bioactive lipid produced by tumor cells that drives disease progression through stimulating tumor proliferation, enhancing angiogenesis and suppressing immune function in the TME.1 PGE2 is also a mediator of adaptive resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy via the upregulation of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). While the role of PGE2 signaling in cancer is clear, how best to inhibit PGE2 for cancer treatment remains under investigation. Inhibition of COX-1 and/or COX-2 has shown promising results in observational studies and meta-analyses, but inconsistent results in prospective studies. PGE2 signals through four receptors, EP1-4, that are variably expressed on tumor and immune cells and have distinct biological activities. The EP2/EP4 receptors signal through cAMP and drive pro-tumor activities, while EP1/EP3 receptors signal through calcium flux and IP3 and drive immune activation and inflammation. While COX-2 and single EP inhibitors continue to be developed, the nature of PGE2 signaling supports our rationale to inhibit PGE2 by dual antagonism of the pro-tumor EP2/EP4 receptors, while sparing the pro-immune EP1/EP3 receptors.We utilized human and murine whole blood to perform in vitro characterization of PGE2/inhibitor activity. In vivo, CT26 tumors and APCmin/+ mice were used to model CRC and measure immune endpoints.In mouse and human whole blood assays, dual blockade of EP2 and EP4 receptors with TPST-1495 reversed PGE2-mediated suppression of LPS induced TNF-α, while EP4 receptor antagonists were unable to block suppression at higher PGE2 concentrations. Similarly, in murine and human T cells in vitro, TPST-1495 inhibited PGE2-mediated suppression, resulting in a significant increase of IFN-γ production in response to stimulation with cognate peptide Ag. In vivo, TPST-1495 therapy alone also significantly reduced tumor outgrowth in CT26 tumor bearing mice, correlated with increased tumor infiltration by NK cells, CD8+ T cells, AH1-specific CD8+ T cells, and DCs. The induced NKp46+CD4-CD8- cell population appeared to have an important role in TPST-1495 efficacy, as significant anti-tumor activity was observed in murine models lacking T Cells, particularly CT26 tumor-bearing RAG2-/- mice. TPST-1495 monotherapy demonstrated a decrease of both the intestinal tumor size and number in Adenomatous Polyposis (APCmin/+) mice, as compared to a single EP4 antagonist.TPST-1495 is a potent inhibitor of PGE2 mediated immune suppression and is currently being evaluated in an ongoing Phase 1 first-in-human study (NCT04344795) to characterize PK, PD, safety, and to identify a recommended phase 2 dose for expansion cohorts in key indications and biomarker selected patients.Zelenay S, van der Veen AG, Böttcher JP, et al. Cyclooxygenase-dependent tumor growth through evasion of immunity. Cell 2015;162(6):1257–70. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2015.08.015


OBJECTIVE
Core beliefs specific to eating disorder and depressive symptoms were investigated in four groups of adolescent girls well matched on these symptoms.

METHOD
A total of 272 girls were included and two measures of core beliefs were compared. The measures were the Young Schema Questionnaire (YSQ) and the Negative Self-Beliefs subscale of the Eating Disorder Belief Questionnaire (EDBQ).

RESULTS
One-way analyses of variance found that both measures distinguished a "healthy" group and a group high on depressed symptoms, but not one high on eating disorder symptoms. Both measures also distinguished the unhealthy group from a high eating disorder symptom group, but only the EDBQ subscale distinguished this group from the group high on depressive symptoms. Discriminant function analysis indicated that both measures identified beliefs specific to depression but only the EDBQ subscale was able to identify beliefs specific to eating disorder symptoms. These beliefs were I'm stupid and I'm ugly.

DISCUSSION
In an analogue population at least, the EDBQ negative self-beliefs subscale may be a more sensitive measure of eating disorder related core beliefs than the YSQ. The practical difficulties of replicating the current study in a clinical population are discussed, and a next step is proposed for future research on this topic.


Soft coding is introduced for quantifying subjective, qualitative information for geoteehnical applications. Kriging and cokriging, geostatistical interpolation methods, are introduced for gridding geoteehnical data prior to contour mapping. An application to the contouring of alluvium thickness is presented. This alluvium covers a former drainage channel and depths are greater over this channel; there is no visual evidence at the site for the buried channel. Kriging of alluvium depths measured in test pits is not able to resolve this buried channel, but its presence is known subjectively at the site by noticing where test pits are located which do not encounter bedrock. Soft coding of alluvium depth resolves this paleodrainage very well. Use of the soft coded variable in cokriging enhances the mapping of the actual alluvial depths.


Single-photon flux is one of the crucial properties of nitrogen vacancy (NV) centers in diamond for its application in quantum information techniques. Here we fabricate diamond conical nanowires to enhance the single-photon count rate. Through the interaction between tightly confined optical mode in nanowires and NV centers, the single-photon lifetime is much shortened and the collection efficiency is enhanced. As a result, the detected single-photon rate can be at 564 kcps, and the total detection coefficient can be 0.8%, which is much higher than that in bulk diamond. Such a nanowire single-photon device with high photon flux can be applied to improve the fidelity of quantum computation and the precision of quantum sensors.


Continuous-wave photonics-based THz sources present limited output power due to the restricted input optical power accepted by photomixers. Here, we investigate multipolar antenna design to increase the available THz output power by increasing the number of photomixers. Simulations of 4 to 8 dipole arms antennas are conducted, showing an improvement of antenna gain in comparison to standard dipole antennas, additionally to a potential increase of the THz power for photomixing applications.


Background Catalytic deoxyribonuclease (DNAse) autoantibodies have been demonstrated in patients with autoimmune and infectious diseases, but conclusive data about DNAse activity of antibodies in patients with spondyloarthritides (SpA) are lacking. Recently the assessment of catalytic serum activity is used for diagnosis of many diseases. The assessment of DNAse serum activity is not used for spondyloarthritides diagnosis. The aim of the study is to assess DNAse abzyme activity of polyclonal IgG and DNAse serum activity in patients with SpA for next elaboration of differentiation criteria for these diseases. Objectives The 125 patients with peripheral SpA, 51 patients with axial SpA and 69 healthy persons were examined. All patients were fulfilled ASAS criteria for peripheral and axial SpA (1). Methods The samples of sera and polyclonal IgG isolated from patients and healthy persons were investigated. IgG were purified from the sera by combined method of affinity chromatography on protein A column. The experiments, confirming that abzyme activity is the essential quality of polyclonal IgG, were performed. The methods for DNAse activity assessment relied upon rivanol capacity to form a clot with DNA reversely proportional to this acid depolymerisation on the action of DNAse. Results The levels of serum DNAse activity in patients with peripheral SpA (Me 4,0 units (min 3,0 max 5,0) (lower quartile 3,0 upper quartile 4,0)) and axial SpA (Me 2,0 units (min 1,0 max 4,0) (lower quartile 1,0 upper quartile 2,0)) were significantly (p<0,001) higher than in controls (Me 0,0 units (min 0,0 max 1,5) (lower quartile 0,0 upper quartile 0,0)). The levels of DNAse abzyme activity in patients with peripheral SpA (Me 3,5 units (min 3,0 max 5,0) (lower quartile 3,0 upper quartile 4,0)) and axial SpA (Me 1,50 units (min 0,0 max 2,0) (lower quartile 1,0 upper quartile 2,0)) were significantly (p<0,001) higher than in controls (Me 0,0 units (min 0,0 max 1,5) (lower quartile 0,0 upper quartile 0,0)). The levels of DNAse serum and IgG activity in patients with peripheral SpA were substantially (p<0,01) higher than in patients with axial SpA. We revealed that determination of elevated levels (3 and more units) of serum DNAse activity might be applied for discrimination of periferal and axial SpA (sensitivity 82,5% (95%Cl: 74,2-89,9), specificity 84,3% (95%Cl: 78,1-90,3), positive likelihood ratio (PLR) 6,12, negative likelihood ratio (NLR) 0,16)). The detection of elevated levels (3 and more units) of DNAse IgG activity might be implicated for discrimination of periferal and axial SpA (sensitivity 77,25% (95%CL: 69,5-86,2), specificity 92,3% (95%CL: 80,5-98,8), PLR 10,50, NLR 0,19)). Conclusions We confirmed the presence of elevated levels of serum DNAse and DNAse polyclonal IgG activity in patients with peripheral and axial SpA in comparison with the health persons and prevalence of these activities in peripheral SpA. We proposed original tests for differentiation of peripheral and axial SpA on the basis of assessment of DNAse serum and abzyme activities. References Rudwaleit M. New classification criteria for spondyloarhritis. Int Adv J Rheumatol 2010;8:1-7. Disclosure of Interest None Declared


Summary. An urea broth microdilution method to assay the susceptibility of Cryptococcus neoformans to antifungal drugs was newly developed. Using this method, urease activity of the fungus was measured instead of the viability by checking colony development. The urease activities were indicated by colour changes in optical density at 545 nm. The end point in this assay was considered as 99% inhibitory concentration. When we measured antifungal activities of the three drugs against 16 isolates of Cr. neoformans using this assay method, mean minimum‐inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of fluconazole, itraconazole and terbinafine were 2.0 μg ml‐1, 0.008 μg ml‐1 and 0.25 μg ml‐1 respectively. This assay method resulted in higher sensitivity in MICs of the three antifungal drugs than the broth microdilution method recommended by the Committee for Laboratory Standards of the Japanese Society for Medical Mycology. The results obtained using this assay method support the more effective evaluation of antifungal substances in susceptibility testing of Cr. neoformans.


The paper presents an improved median filter for salt & pepper impulse noise removal. The computationally efficient filtering technique is implemented as a two pass algorithm involving identification of corrupted pixels that are to be filtered are perfectly detected into a flag image using an iterative fixed sized smaller window approach and modification of them by a valid median. Experimental results have shown that the proposed algorithm performs far more superior than many of the median filtering techniques reported in terms of retaining the fidelity of the image highly corrupted by impulse noises even to the tune of ninety percent impulse noise.


IIANtr, encoded within the rpoN operons of many Gram-negative bacteria, is a homologue of a class of phosphoryl transfer proteins of the phosphoenolpyruvate: sugar phosphotransferase system. We have used a xylS operon-lacZ fusion from the TOL plasmid of Pseudomonas putida to show that IIANtr influences sigma 54-dependent transcription when the xylS operon is expressed in Escherichia coli. Loss of IIANtr influences, but does not abolish cyclic AMP-independent carbon catabolite repression.


Gaps in our understanding of the complex regulated expression of isozymes of Na,K-ATPase and the diverse systems for posttranslational modification and short term regulation of active Na,K-transport in animals and humans are the main problems in comprehensive Na,K-pump physiology. In mammalian genomes, the genes of four alpha-subunit and at least three beta-subunit isoforms of Na,K-ATPase are identified and two gamma-subunits are expressed in kidney. The isoforms combine in a number of Na,K-ATPase isozymes that are expressed in a tissue and cell specific manner. Models of the molecular mechanism of regulation of these isozymes have become more reliable due to progress in understanding the three-dimensional protein structure and conformational transitions mediating transfer of energy from the P-domain to intramembrane Na+ and K+ binding sites.


This text looks at the cutting-edge in interior design from the Australian city of Sydney. Highlights include the home of Australian architect Harry Seidler, young architect Alex Popov's home and the house of Dinosaur Design's Stephen Ormandy and Louise Olsen, in the Sydney beach of Bronte. The interior photographs look at penthouses, open interiors and minimalist homes.


Sustained release (SR)-gastroretentive dosage forms (GRDF) enable prolonged and continuous input of the drug to the upper parts of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and improve the bioavailability of medications that are characterized by a narrow absorption window. A new strategy is proposed for the development of gastroretentive dosage forms for ofloxacin preferably once daily. The design of the delivery system was based on the sustained release formulation, with floating and swelling features in order to prolong the gastric retention time of the drug delivery systems. Different polymers, such as psyllium husk, PMC K100M, crospovidone and its combinations were tried in order to get the desired sustained release profile over a period of 24 h. Various formulations were evaluated for buoyancy lag time, duration of buoyancy, dimensional stability, drug content and in vitro drug release profile. It was found that dimensional stability of the formulation increases with the increasing psyllium husk concentration. It was also found that in vitro drug release rate increased with increasing amount of crospovidone due to the increased water uptake, and hence increased driving force for drug release. The optimized formulation was subjected to stability studies at different temperature and humidity conditions as per ICH guidelines.


This technical report presents our first place winning solution for temporal action detection task in CVPR-2022 AcitivityNet Challenge . The task aims to localize temporal boundaries of action instances with specific classes in long untrimmed videos. Recent mainstream attempts are based on dense boundary matchings and enumerate all possible combinations to produce proposals. We ar-gue that the generated proposals contain rich contextual information, which may benefits detection confidence prediction. To this end, our method mainly consists of the following three steps: 1) action classification and feature extraction by Slowfast [10], CSN [20], TimeSformer [4], TSP [1], I3D-flow [7], VGGish-audio [11], TPN [33] and ViViT [3]; 2) proposal generation. Our proposed Context-aware Proposal Network (CPN) builds on top of BMN [16], GTAD [32] and PRN [26] to aggregate contextual information by randomly masking some proposal features. 3) action detection. The final detection prediction is calculated by as-signing the proposals with corresponding video-level classification results. Finally, we ensemble the results under different feature combination settings and achieve 45.8% performance on the test set, which improves the champion result in CVPR-2021 ActivityNet Challenge [26] by 1.1% in terms of average mAP.


We analyze the primal-dual upper bound method for Bermudan options and prove that its bias is inversely proportional to the number of paths in sub-simulations for a large class of cases. We develop a methodology for estimating and reducing the bias. We present numerical results showing that the new technique is indeed effective.


The remolded undrained shear strength (sur) is of importance in many geotechnical applications. This paper uses published regression analyses for strength variation with water content (w) to draw some generalized conclusions on soil strength behavior, including values of sur mobilized for the Casagrande liquid limit (LL) and plastic limit (PL) conditions and, hence, the shear strength variation occurring over the plastic range. Reported methods of deducing strengths from measured values of water content (w) at the Atterberg limits are reviewed, many of which assume a strength variation of 100 over the plastic range. Regression analysis of reported log w: log sur correlations for 14 mineral soils and four organic sediments indicated that the strength variation is generally not 100 and can vary significantly between soils. Hence, a new approach is proposed for predicting values of remolded undrained strength mobilized for different water contents. Whereas existing formulations are based on empirical sur values associated with the Atterberg limits, the proposed approach is based on direct strength measurements along with water contents for two test specimens.


Using "brute reason" I will show why there can be only one valid interpretation of probability. The valid interpretation turns out to be a further refinement of Popper's Propensity interpretation of probability. Via some famous probability puzzles and new thought experiments I will show how all other interpretations of probability fail, in particular the Bayesian interpretations, while these puzzles do not present any difficulties for the interpretation proposed here. In addition, the new interpretation casts doubt on some concepts often taken as basic and unproblematic, like rationality, utility and expectation. This in turn has implications for decision theory, economic theory and the philosophy of physics.


Background. The goal of this case is to review the zoonotic infection, human granulocytic ehrlichiosis, presenting with pyrexia. Case. A 22-year-old multigravid female presented to the emergency department with a painful skin rash, high fever, and severe myalgias. The patient underwent a diagnostic evaluation for zoonotic infections due to her geographical and seasonal risk factors. Treatment of human granulocytic ehrlichiosis was successful though the patient spontaneously aborted presumably due to the severity of the acute illness. Conclusion. Treatment of human granulocytic ehrlichiosis in pregnancy presents unique challenges. Management of pyrexia during pregnancy is limited to external cooling in the setting of thrombocytopenia and elevated aminotransferases. Extensive counseling regarding teratogenic potential of medications allows the patient to weigh the pros and cons of treatment.


The analysis of space-time data from complex, real-life phenomena requires the use of flexible and physically motivated covariance functions. In most cases, it is not possible to explicitly solve the equations of motion for the fields or the respective covariance functions. In the statistical literature, covariance functions are often based on mathematical constructions. We propose deriving space-time covariance functions by solving "effective equations of motion", which can be used as statistical representations of systems with diffusive behavior. In particular, we propose using the linear response theory to formulate space-time covariance functions based on an equilibrium effective Hamiltonian. The effective space-time dynamics are then generated by a stochastic perturbation around the equilibrium point of the classical field Hamiltonian leading to an associated Langevin equation. We employ a Hamiltonian which extends the classical Gaussian field theory by including a curvature term and leads to a diffusive Langevin equation. Finally, we derive new forms of space-time covariance functions.


Adults are capable of very fine motor skills whereas newborn babies' motions are less accurately adjusted to the environment. It has been suggested that babies are sensitive to sensorimotor contingencies so they can acquire their body knowhow by gradually linking each body movement to its perceptual consequences. The research we pursued in the team is part of this theoretical framework. We use behavioural measurements to study how babies refine their body knowhow over time. During my internship, we studied arm differentiation in infants of age 6 months. An artificial contingency was established between the movements of one of the babies' arms and the appearance of visual and auditory stimuli on both of their arms. My goal was to develop analytical tools to assess if babies detect the contingency (i.e. if they realize that they caused the occurrence of the stimuli). I tried to reproduce the probabilistic methodology developed by J. Watson in his experiments with 4month old babies. I could not obtain reliable results and so pursued my investigations. I adapted Watson's analytical tools to create a binary indicator measuring the success of babies at the individual level. I showed that babies can differentiate between a situation where without doubt they have no control and a situation where they could be the cause of the stimulus. However, because babies who tried to test the contingency behaved similarly in both the test and the control group I can not ascertain that babies from the contingent group understood that they triggered the contingency.


Every continent has its unique beauty, and Europe isn't an exception. Here you will find a variety of tourist destinations ranging from beaches, beautiful sceneries, cultural and art centers among others. It's no wonder Europe has always been voted among the best continents to visit. So, if you are planning for a romantic getaway, cultural tour, family vacation, or a getaway with your friends, this content has something to offer and more in what you are looking for.
However, with 51 countries and thousands of destinations to discover, narrowing down on a single destination can be overwhelming. We are here to make your decision easier with the following 5 places that will guarantee you a getaway of your lifetime.
Tuscany, Italy
There is no better way to tour Tuscany than taking a road trip. Plan to land in Florence and start your tour there as it is home to the largest airport. While there, you can visit the Uffizi Gallery and savor the art in the display or enjoy a beautiful view of the city from up the hill at Piazzale Michelangelo. After enjoying the city, start your journey to the countryside stopping at stunning sceneries to enjoy the sites. You can make your first stop in Lucca. Enjoy the breathtaking Piazza d'Anfiteatro and take a stroll along the tops of the city's fortifying walls. After that, make other stops at Pisa, San Gimignano, Siena, Val d'Orcia, and Montepulciano to enjoy all that these spots have to offer; beautiful sceneries, food and get to taste the local wine before heading back to Florence.
While you can move around using public transport, renting a car and driving yourself around offers a more convenient option. To do this, however, you would need to possess an international driver's license, a document that allows you to drive in a foreign city. Make sure you obtain one before leaving for your trip.
Madeira, Portugal
If you love nature, Madeira in Portugal is one of the best destinations for this. This place is full of flowers, trees, beaches, and unique landscapes that are home to birds and other incredible wildlife.  If you are in for some amazing scenery, head to the Valley of the Nuns also known as Camara De Lobos, or to Miradouro das Flores viewpoint to enjoy the cliffs around. The geological formation of Pico de Ana Ferreira will not disappoint either. If you haven't experienced black sandy beaches, Madeira Island has this to offer. You can head to Praia do Porto do Seixal to savor this and enjoy a swim or to the sea to search for dolphins. Of course, a nature trip wouldn't be complete without a hike to a nature trail; head to Ribeiro Frio Natural park for some rugged mountains and forest experience.
San Sebastian, Spain
If you are looking for the best beach experience, this gem along the northern coastline of the Basque Country is your best bet. The famous La Concha Beach offers the best atmosphere to chill out or take a walk. You can also go surfing off Zurriola Beach or take a ferry to Santa Clara Island.
Apart from the beaches, San Sebastian is surrounded by green hills and numerous historical and cultural attractions. You can dive into this after you are done enjoying the beach. A visit to the San Vicente Church, the oldest in San Sebastian, a tour around the cobbled streets of the Old Town, or a funicular ride up the top of Monte Igueldo will leave you mesmerized.
Paris, France
Paris is one of the most romantic cities in the world. If you have been looking for the best destination for your honeymoon, proposal, anniversary or your spouse's birthday weekend, the City of Love is perfect for a romantic getaway. Sip a glass of champagne from the top of the famous Eiffel Tower overlooking the beautiful views of the city and wait for the dark to see the tower sparkle with numerous gold lights. You can also take a stroll or cycle around the city and linger at romantic spots such as the iron footbridge at the intersection of rue de la Grange aux Belles and Quai de Jemmapes to see the road bridge open to let canal boats through. Explore the city's art galleries to savor romantic works or go boat riding in Bois de Boulogne and afterward head to Jardin Shakespeare through the woods to see flowers, plants, and trees in Shakespeare plays grow.
Rotterdam, Netherlands
With diverse cultures, Rotterdam is one of the best destinations for a cultural tour. Start your tour at The Markthal, a huge, horseshoe-shaped building that houses a gigantic food court. You will enjoy different local cuisines as you marvel at some of the largest artworks the planet has to offer. You can then take a stroll through Witte de Withestraat to enjoy contemporary art in galleries located along the street. Head to WORM to enjoy some concerts of the local music or to Kinderdijk, a UNESCO heritage site to witness 300 years old windmills that pump water from swamps. Complete the cultural experience by renting a suite in one of the city's iconic buildings such as Hotel New York and enjoy beautiful views from there.
Conclusion
There you have it! Five European destinations that are bound to blow your mind away. You can determine the best time to visit the continent by considering the weather, your budget, and your personal preferences. If you want the best weather for hikes and adventurous activities, the summer that runs from June to August is the best time to visit. However, be prepared to pay more and deal with crowds. The rest of the months can be cheaper since they are off-peak seasons, but you might have to endure unfavorable weather.


Kate Gleason College of Engineering Rochester Institute of Technology Degree Doctor of Philosophy Program Microsystems Engineering__ Name of Candidate _________Ajay Pasupuleti_____________________ Title _Analysis of Effective Mechanical Properties of Thin Films used in MicroElectroMechanical Systems This research aims at analyzing the effective mechanical properties of thin film materials that are used in MEMS. Using the effective mechanical properties, reliable simulations of new or slightly altered designs can be performed successfully. The main reason for investigating effective material properties of MEMS devices is that the existing techniques can not provide consistent prediction of the mechanical properties without time-consuming and costly physical prototyping if the device or the fabrication recipe is slightly altered. To achieve this goal, two approaches were investigated: soft computing and analytical. In the soft computing approach, the effective material properties are empirically modeled and estimated based on experimental data and the relationships between the parameters affecting the mechanical properties of devices are discovered. In this approach, 2D-search, Micro Genetic Algorithms, Neural networks, and Radial Basis Functions Networks were explored for the search of the effective material properties of the thin films with the help of a Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and modeling the mechanical behavior such that the effective material properties can be estimated for a new device. In the analytical approach, the physical behavior of the thin films is modeled analytically using standard elastic theories such as Stoney's formulae. As a case study, bilayer cantilevers of various dimensions were fabricated for extracting the effective Young's modulus of thin film materials: Aluminum, TetraEthylOrthoSilicate (TEOS)-based SiO2, and Polyimide. In addition, a Matlab® graphical user interface (GUI), STEAM, is developed which interfaces with Ansys®. In STEAM, a fuzzy confidence factor is also developed to validate the reliability of the estimates based on factors such as facility and recipe-dependent variables. The results obtained from both approaches generated comparable effective material properties which are in accord with the experimental measurements. The results show that effective material properties of thin films can be estimated so that reliable MEMS devices can be designed without timely and costly physical prototyping. Abstract Approval: Committee Chair _______________________________________ Program Director _______________________________________ Dean KGCOE _______________________________________Approval: Committee Chair _______________________________________ Program Director _______________________________________ Dean KGCOE _______________________________________


This research, generally, aims at investigating the structure and the characteristic of model sytem in responding the potency of seaweed cultivation and formulating some alternative of policy in expanding seaweed cultivation to increase the cultivators prosperity and the local income. The validation test result to the model system of seaweed cultivation showed that the model was statiscally accepted. The test consisted of the Absolute Mean Error (AME) which P = 0,077 (P < 0.10), Absolute Variation Error (AVE) which P = 0.043 (P < 0.10), Durbin Watson (DW-test) which the value 1.92 and Kalman Filter (KF) which the value 0.313 (KF < 0.50). The Analysis Hierarchy Process (AHP) result showed that it is needed the expansion of seaweed cultivation which the feasibility value showed that B/C ratio is 2.67 and the number of priority vector is 0.45, it means that 45 % opinions support the expansion of seaweed cultivation in the investigating area. This case is also supported by the result of financial analysis, which the indicator value of B/C ratio is 1.15 and the IRR value is 79.06 %., it means that the business of seaweed cultivation is beneficial and suitable for it being expanded.


Our previous study had shown that advanced stages of lung adenocarcinomas (ADC) was frequently associated with overexpression of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), which has multipotent and anti-apoptotic activities. In this study, we examined the effect of HGF on gene expression of apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) and cisplatin sensitivity in lung ADC cells. Expression of AIF was determined by immunocytochemistry and confocal immunofluorescence microscopy. Our data show that addition of HGF suppressed AIF expression and increased cisplatin resistance. The effect could be through HGF receptor and its downstream effector, focal adhesion kinase (FAK). Interestingly, knockout of FAK gene increased AIF expression and drug sensitivity. Re-introduction of FAK gene, on the other hand, restored drug resistance. These results suggested that HGF might induce cisplatin resistance via c-Met to activate FAK and down-regulate AIF expression.


This research aims to examine the difference of Original Regional Revenue Surabaya before and after the Online Tax System in the 2015-2017 period. The population in this research are hotel tax, restaurant tax, and parking tax in Surabaya city area in every month at 2015-2017 period which amount to 36 data. The data in this research are secondary data covering the realization and target of hotel tax, restaurant tax, and parking tax during the 2015-2017 period obtained from Surabaya City Financial and Regional Tax Management Board. Hypothesis test using independent t independent test analysis, using SPSS. The results showed that there are differences in the original income of Surabaya city before and after the online tax system in 2015-2017. The achievement of effectiveness level before and after the online system is increase in hotel tax and parking tax, whereas in restaurant tax the achievement of its effectiveness is stable from 2015-2017. So with the online tax system will provide convenience and provide oversight of taxpayers in reporting the amount of tax, so the potential for tax leakage can be minimized which will automatically give influence in increasing the original income of the city of Surabaya


The recently developed H.264 video standard achieves efficient encoding over a bandwidth ranging from a few kilobits per second to several megabits per second. Hence, transporting H.264 video is expected to be an important component of many wireless multimedia services, such as video conferencing, real-time network gaming, and TV broadcasting. However, due to wireless channel characteristics and lack of QoS support, the basic 802.11-based channel access procedure is merely sufficient to deliver non-real-time traffic. The delivery should be augmented by appropriate mechanisms to better consider different QoS requirements and ultimately adjust the medium access parameters to the video data content characteristics. In this article we address H.264 wireless video transmission over IEEE 802.11 WLAN by proposing a robust cross-layer architecture that leverages the inherent H.264 error resilience tools (i.e., data partitioning); and the existing QoS-based IEEE 802.11e MAC protocol possibilities. The performances of the proposed architecture are extensively investigated by simulations. Results obtained indicate that compared to 802.11 and 802.11e, our cross-layer architecture allows graceful video degradation while minimizing the mean packet loss and end-to-end delays.


INTRODUCTION
Studies designed to investigate chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) epidemiology play an important role to assess population`s distribution and risk factors to result in the development and promotion of public health policies.

METHOD
This study design is a survey carried out with a complex two-stage cluster sampling plan. Personal interviews were carried out with 2,003 individuals. The questionnaire included the epidemiological criteria for CRS. Demographic data, history of physician-diagnosed respiratory diseases (asthma, sinusitis, rhinitis), smoking, family income, educational attainment, and household characteristics were also evaluated.

RESULTS
The overall response rate was 93.9% of the households. Mean age was 39.8 +- 21 years; 45.33% were male. The overall prevalence of CRS in the city of Sao Paulo was 5.51%. We found a significant association between diagnosis of CRS and diagnosis of asthma and CRS and diagnosis of rhinitis and a significant association between presence of CRS and belonging to the low-income subgroup.

CONCLUSION
The municipality of Sao Paulo has an urban population of 11 million. According to the present study, the prevalence of CRS is 5.51%, which represents more than 500,000 individuals affected by this condition in the city.


CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2008 Abstracts

Abstract #24

Background: The Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway is a highly conserved system which regulates development and cell fate. It also contributes to the pathogenesis of a number of human malignancies, including basal cell, prostate and pancreatic carcinoma as well as medulloblastoma. There is emerging evidence that Hh may play an important role in breast cancer. Methods: We examined the immunohistochemical expression of key Hh proteins, sonic hedgehog (Shh), Patched (Ptch) and Gli1 in 3 cohorts of patients; 2 independent cohorts of the histological progression model of breast cancer and a cohort of 292 patients with a median follow up of 5.5 years. We also investigated expression of Shh in the C3/SV40T mouse model of mammary carcinogenesis. We then investigated the effects of recombinant Shh in the MCF10A in vitro model of early breast cancer development. Finally, a mammary reconstitution graft model was employed where donor mammary epithelial cells were briefly cultured and transduced with a retroviral construct carrying a Shh-GFP construct, then transplanted into the cleared mammary fat pad of a recipient mouse. Results: Overexpression of Shh was an early event in human premalignant lesions, with progressive increases (p<0.05) with the development of hyperplasia, atypia and malignancy in both test and validation progression cohorts. Similar results were observed in the mammary gland lesions of the C3/SV40T mouse. In human breast cancer, overexpression of Shh was associated with a poor prognosis (recurrence HR=2.0, p=0.003 and breast cancer specific death (HR=2.4, p=0.002) and also associated with a poor prognosis in chemotherapy (HR=2.4, p=0.03) and endocrine therapy (HR 3.5, p=0.03) treated patients. There was a highly significant (p=0.004) association by chi squared analysis with the basal-like subtype of breast cancer. Based on these data, we investigated the effects of Shh in 2 experimental systems – Shh caused disorganization of MCF-10A acini and was associated with the development of an unusual discohesive phenotype. In the mammary graft model, expression of Shh was associated with ductal epithelial hyperplasia in 58% of ducts, compared to 5% of controls. Conclusion: These experimental data suggest that excessive Shh may cause hyperplasia and dysplasia of normal human and murine mammary gland epithelium. Together with our observations in human breast preinvasive and malignant lesions, these results support a role for aberrant Hh signaling in breast carcinogenesis.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(2 Suppl):Abstract nr 24.


This paper tests a central implication of the theory of equalizing differences, that workers sort into jobs with different attributes based on their preferences. We present evidence from four new time-use data sets for the United States and France suggesting that workers who are more gregarious, as revealed by their behavior when they are not working, tend to be employed in jobs that involve more social interactions. We also find that workers report substantially higher levels of job satisfaction and net affect while at work if their jobs entail frequent interactions with coworkers and other desirable working conditions.


Sedentary behaviour (SB) is prevalent across all ages, but particularly in older adults aged 50 years and above. Given that older adults spend more than 60% of waking hours sedentary, enhancing our understanding of the correlates of SB will be important to inform the development of interventions to reduce SB in mid-age and older adults. This thesis provides five studies focusing on the correlates of SB in mid-age and older adults. Firstly, Chapter 2 presents a literature review using behaviour epidemiology framework to examine the existing evidence on sedentary behaviour in general adults in order to identify the gap of current knowledge in sedentary behaviour. Chapter 3 presents a systematic review which included the existing evidence on correlates of SB in mid-age and older adults and provides evidence-based conclusions on the topic. Chapter 4 presents a study examining the association of demographics and physical activity (PA) with daily sitting time in mid-age and older adults, and found behavioural correlates of SB and PA in mid-age and older adults. Chapter 5 presents a secondary data analysis using the data of the older office worker from the Stormont study. This chapter uses the results from the cross-sectional and longitudinal data to examine the association of demographics and behaviours with domain-specific sitting time among the older office workers. In this study, differences were found in demographic and behavioural correlates according to the studied domain of sitting. Chapter 6 presents a 6-month longitudinal study, which was designed to fill the gaps of our understanding of the associations between demographics, health and PA with SB in older adults aged 65 years and above. This chapter also looked into the changes of sitting time and its correlates. Together, these four studies provide adequate evidence on the demographics and behavioural correlates of SB and also identified the determinants of SB in mid-age and older adults. This thesis found that demographics had limited associations with SB, and sociodemographics were associated with work-related sitting time. Health behaviour was generally inversely associated with SB. These findings provide information to the correlates and determinants of mid-age and older adults SB and will inform further research on behaviour change strategies.


ABSTRACT This paper is to apply a fuzzy newsvendor inventory management approach to analyze optimal order policy based on probabilistic fuzzy sets with hybrid data so that the expected total cost is minimized. We will find that, after defuzzification, the ordering quantity and the expected total cost are slightly different between the fuzzy model and the crisp model when the variation of demand is small. As a result, we verify that the fuzzy newsvendor model is one extension of the crisp models. Most importantly, one may conclude that the fuzzy methodology leads to a better result than using a single point estimate of the unknown demand under the example of exponential distribution.


Although 'Mr. Gradgrind' and 'Mr. Bounderby' have higher class status in Hard Times, Dickens ironically describe them as 'honorable' gentlemen who cause immense destruction both in educational and economical institutions. On the one hand, as a politician and a father 'Mr. Gradgrind' grinds or destroys his children as well as other kids' imagination and sense of wondering in their learning process at home and school. Mr. Gradgrind regrets a lot in the end when he sees what he has corrupted in the nature of his children. While the children are educated with facts only, their feelings, imaginations and natural wonderings are neglected consciously. On the other hand, as a social climber, wealthy 'Mr. Bounderby' who always boasts his self-made richness, behaves unfaithfully to his mother – who always deserves respect and close care from their own children–. He also humiliates his 'hands' or workers and squeezes them as much as he can. While the workers work hard to survive, their practical, individual and social needs are not only unseen but they are also considered nonsense by their ill-mannered, dishonorable and unscrupulous boss named Mr. 'Bounderby' by Dickens. Although Hard Times is one of the shortest novels of Dickens, he makes, through it, a great difference and contribution to the society by warning the people with the descriptions of the devious gentleman. Dickens also implies that the destruction of this type of gentlemen and their effects might be sensed rather deeply in the society if they were selfish, dishonorable, dishonest politicians and wealthy people who work together. Dickens is one of the rare writers who highlight this collision, corruption, nepotism or economical and social destruction organized by them. Thus, he did not have enough time to see how these "honorable" gentlemen – mainly politicians and the rich – develop their gang with the gentleman in the media, bureaucracy and even in the military forces. If he had lived more, he would have seen how the wars, rows, struggles, conflicts, the anarchy and terrorism – artificially created by them – destroyed the millions of lives and how a lot of countries suffered from their systematic corruption and destruction. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v4n1s1p105


Grapes along with their leaves and sap have been traditional treatments in Europe for thousands of years. Grape seed extract is derived from the ground-up seeds of red wine grapes Vitisvinifera, Family: Vitaceae. Grape Seed is a great source of polyphenols-flavonoids, Essential Fatty Acid-linoleic acid, vitamin E, and oligomericproanthocyanidin(OPC), Gallic Acid, Resveratrol. Grape seed extract is now used to treat a number of diseases. Human case reports and results from basic research provide preliminary evidence that grape seed extract may affect diseases, hypertension, high levels of blood cholesterol, platelet aggregation, inflammation, reduce the risk for cancer, to treat diabetic retinopathy and neuropathy and various other conditions. As a nutritional supplement the extract is available in liquid, capsule or tablet form. It can be used as a nutritional supplement in various health conditions under the supervision of a doctor.


Corn stover equilibrium moisture isotherms were developed to aide biomass engineering of consistent,
uniform-quality feedstock supplies for renewable bioenergy and bioproducts. Equilibrium moisture content (EMC) and
equilibrium relative humidity (ERH) sorption data of corn leaf, stalk skin, and stalk pith were experimentally determined using
the static gravimetric method at six temperatures ranging from 10°C to 40°C and at ten ERH values ranging from 0.11 to
0.98. The greatest EMC values for corn leaf and stalk pith generally corresponded with ERH below and above 0.90,
respectively, at all temperatures. Only at some intermediate ERH range at 20°C to 40°C was stalk skin EMC greater than
stalk pith EMC. Corn stover components followed a type II isotherm typically observed among food materials. EMC of all
components was proportional to ERH and inversely proportional to temperature. Observed EMC ranges were 3.9% to 56.4%,
3.1% to 41.1%, and 2.7% to 71.5% dry basis (d.b.) for corn leaf, stalk skin, and stalk pith, respectively. Calculated whole-stalk
EMC values ranged from 3.1% to 49.2% d.b. Isotherm data were fitted with the EMC model of Henderson, and modified
versions of Henderson, Chung-Pfost, Halsey, Oswin, and Guggenheim-Anderson-deBoer. The modified Oswin model (R2 >
0.98; F > 2085) followed by the modified Halsey model (R2 > 0.97; F > 1758) produced the best fit for corn stover components
studied. The Henderson, modified Henderson, and modified Chung-Pfost models were not suitable since these models did not
produce randomized residuals. The modified Oswin model (R2 = 0.99; F = 6274) best described the stalk EMC. Results have
practical applications in corn stover collection method and timing; process handling, grinding, and drying requirements;
transportation efficiency of dry matter; and necessary storage environment, shelf life, and potential microorganism safety
hazards. For example, results indicated that higher EMC values for corn stover leaf may result in greater propensity for the
onset of mold growth and may determine minimal storage requirements or potential advantages in separating leaf from stalk
fractions.

http://bioprocessing.ag.utk.edu/Publications/1-Articles/TRANS ASABE 2005 EMC Corn Stover-Igathinathane et al.pdf


A new type of 3D multichip module (3D-MCM) for wireless sensor network was developed based on a kind of embedded FR-4 substrate for the wireless sensor network, in which FCOB (flip-chip on board), COB (chip on board), BGA (ball grid array) technologies, wirebonding and flip-chip interconnection technologies were combined together. The PBGA device and bare die were hybrid-integrated on the embedded multi-layer FR-4 substrate. By solder ball placement and reflow the BGA was formed at the bottom of 3D-MCM, and solder balls with different melting points were used for initial and final vertical interconnections for the sake of compatibility of all levels interconnections of BGA by reflow soldering. The application of embedded substrate solved the problem that the top surface of the encapsulated chip overtops the solder balls in the condition that the chip was assembled in the same side of substrate with BGA. The thermal management was conducted and the thermal related reliability of 3D-MCM were simulated and evaluated respectively. This kind of packaging structure satisfies the electrical performance and thermal requirement, and meets the challenge of minimization, high reliability and low cost of the package design for the wireless network.


Sensitive tools are needed to accurately establish the diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) at death, especially in low-income countries. The objective of this study was to evaluate the burden of TB in a series of patients who died in a tertiary referral hospital in sub-Saharan Africa using an in-house real time PCR (TB-PCR) and the Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra (Xpert Ultra) assay. Complete diagnostic autopsies were performed in a series of 223 deaths (56.5% being HIV-positive), including 54 children, 57 maternal deaths and 112 other adults occurring at the Maputo Central Hospital, Mozambique. TB-PCR was performed in all lung, cerebrospinal fluid and central nervous system samples in HIV-positive patients. All samples positive for TB-PCR or showing histological findings suggestive of TB were analysed with the Xpert Ultra assay. TB was identified as the cause of death in 31 patients: three out of 54 (6%) children, five out of 57 (9%)maternal deaths and 23 out of 112 (21%) other adults. The sensitivity of the main clinical diagnosis to detect TB as the cause of death was 19.4% (95% CI 7.5–37.5) and the specificity was 97.4% (94.0–99.1) compared to autopsy findings. Concomitant TB (TB disease in a patient dying of other causes) was found in 31 additional cases. Xpert Ultra helped to identify 15 cases of concomitant TB. In 18 patients, Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA was identified by TB-PCR and Xpert Ultra in the absence of histological TB lesions. Overall, 62 (27.8%) cases had TB disease at death and 80 (35.9%) had TB findings. The use of highly sensitive, easy to perform molecular tests in complete diagnostic autopsies may contribute to identifying TB cases at death that would have otherwise been missed. Routine use of these tools in certain diagnostic algorithms for hospitalised patients needs to be considered. Clinical diagnosis showed poor sensitivity for the diagnosis of TB at death. This study shows the usefulness of molecular assays in ascertaining TB diagnosis at death. It questions the information of clinical diagnoses obtained from hospital registries as a reliable tool for TB mortality estimation. http://bit.ly/2KrzTBJ


A multi-terawatt, ultra-short laser pulse was used to create a large, well-defined relativistic ionization front, and the collision of a probe laser pulse with it was studied. Due to the good definition of the ionization front it was also possible to isolate the probe frequency up-shift due to the collision, unlike in previous experiments. A good agreement with the theoretical model for photon acceleration was found. Furthermore, we report novel measurements of ionization front velocities, based on the photon acceleration effect, in excess of 0.99c.


Coronary perforation is a rare complication of percutaneous interventional procedures, occurring in 0.2-3% of procedures, which may require emergency coronary bypass surgery. We describe here an alternative method to deal with such complication, which proved effective in a patient with active bleeding from the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery. By temporary pressing on beating heart patches of TachoSil, a sponge impregnated with human fibrinogen and thrombin, on the bleeding site, complete and stable hemostasis was achieved.


In recent years, Great development have been happened in the damping technique for high-rise building structure, how to build a structure which can ensure the safety of buildings in the sudden earthquake and how to adopt a new system structure which is more safe, more reasonable and more effective plays a decisive role in reducing earthquake disaster.This paper introduces the architectural structure of energy dissipation shock absorption system, isolation system,structure of passive system and structure of active control of the new system, and lists various kinds of application systems in engineering, provides reference for seismic design of engineering structure vibration.


A computer program is described for the rapid calculation of least squares solutions for data fitted to different functions normally used in reassociation and hybridization kinetic measurements. The equations for the fraction not reacted as a function of Cot follow: First order, exp(-kCot); second order, (1+kCot)-1; variable order, (1+kCot)-n; approximate fraction of DNA sequence remaining single stranded, (1+kCot)-.44; and a function describing the pairing of tracer when the rate constant for the tracer (k) is distinct from the driver rate constant (kd): (formula: see text). Several components may be used for most of these functional forms. The standard deviations of the individual parameters at the solutions are calculated.


The first infections of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius in humans were recorded in 2006, and is now becoming a concern because of its close similarities to human pathogens in the Staphylococcus intermedius group (SIG). These bacteria have all the properties which a multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus possesses. The literature was searched using the term "Staphylococcus pseudintermedius" in PubMed and other reference databases. The virulence factor and the pathogenicity are under investigation, but reports have suggested that this commensal of animals is transmitted easily via close contact to animals by owners, veterinarians and staff. Resistance to beta-lactams (including methicillin) is a primary concern. Drug resistance to methicillin is a considerable problem in developing countries, as antibiotic use is not regulated. Studies from Europe have reported multidrug resistant isolates from clinical specimens. Although data on drug resistance and pathogenesis of S. pseudintermedius are not sufficient, it is extremely important to identify the pathogen correctly. Only then can its pathogenesis be studied during the course of disease and appropriate measures developed to prevent it becoming a global problem.