The Picture Post project is environmental monitoring research that utilizes digital photography from octagonal platforms on top of posts for long-term monitoring. One fundamental aspect of the Picture Post project is the greenness index, defined as ratio of the red, green, and blue colors in the image to characterize the relative "greenness" to document seasonal changes over time in forested ecosystems. The initial data from photos at four locations at Penn State Brandywine (http://sites.psu.edu/picturepost/) all show decreasing levels in the greenness index over 35 weeks, from May 2014 to February 2015. This decrease is expected because of seasonal variations in our geographic location. A remaining question for long-term investigation is if the timing of changing greenness levels will shift to indicate an earlier or later spring or fall season. This will also capture a changing climate as evidenced through these digital photographs on campus. Continual analysis of the greenness index will be compared with supplemental temperature and precipitation data. This project will continue to provide opportunities for students and citizen contributions to the network and is publicly posted for others to investigate the changing campus environment. What is Picture Post


Aztec skull whistles are among prehispanic wind instruments which don't fall within western classifications. This paper discusses the context of relevant finds and the possible meaning of their sound. In particular, the complex acoustic mechanism of the whistles is addressed, this being the subject of ongoing discussion. For a better understanding, computer tomography (magnetic resonance imaging) was undertaken on several specimens conserved in the Ethnological Museum Berlin. This provided important insights into the internal structure of the instruments and, hence, their mode of operation.


This essay is aimed at examining how the exclusion clause 1F in the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees should be applied and what applies to an asylum seeker who has committed a crime falling under the exclusion clause but claims to be at risk of facing persecution or ill – treatment upon return to his home country. Apart from examining article 1F in the Refugee Convention relevant Human Right conventions were also studied and International Criminal Law for the possibilities to prosecute the alleged criminal. The legislation of Sweden was highlighted as an example of how international law is implemented at national level. At the time of adopting the Refugee Convention the world was passing into a different era. World War II was fresh in peoples' minds and there was a moral reasoning behind the exclusion clause 1F; some individuals did not deserve to be recognized as refugees and internationally protected because of the heinous crimes they had committed. Since then, though, international human rights law has evolved, and has come to even in some cases include those that the Refugee Convention excludes with regard to the absolute prohibition of refoulement in various instruments, for instance in article 3 in the UN Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. Problems do obviously arise in applying both article 1F as well as the non-refoulement provisions, where the risk of ill-treatment should be properly assessed as well as the exclusion clauses applied restrictively without a clear presumption of exclusion following the overall humanitarian purpose of the Refugee Convention. However, current European legislation seems to suggest a widening of article 1F, including national safety reasons as exclusion ground above the crimes under 1F, which has also been practiced in Sweden since the implementation of the Refugee Convention. Another purpose behind the exclusion clause 1F was that these guilty of committing the crimes should not escape punishment by seeking refuge in another country. That reasoning does not entirely hold ground today. The principle of aut dedere aut judicare (to prosecute or extradite) has also strengthened the last decades, especially considering the fact that today there is in addition to the ad hoc courts also a permanent criminal court that can prosecute individuals who are suspected of having committed crimes within 1F (a). It does lack jurisdiction over crimes included in 1F (b) and (c) and can experience considerable problems, for instance with states unwilling to extradite their citizens and it only holds a quasi-universal jurisdiction. However; as a last resort, there is a possibility for the Security Council to intervene. Sweden holds universal jurisdiction over the most serious crimes, where the anticipated punishment would exceed four years. In practice that entails that Sweden can prosecute individuals responsible for crimes included in 1F. If the system would work impeccably, few individuals would escape justice. In conclusion there are many mechanisms today that encourage a restrictive application of article 1F – besides making sure that the non-refoulement principle is not violated, there now exists possibilities to make alleged perpetrators of crimes included in 1F face justice and do not necessarily escape prosecution even though internationally protected.


Purpose: To report 3 cases of stromal rejection after deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK) assisted by a femtosecond laser. Methods: Three keratoconus eyes of 2 men (22 and 30 years old) and 1 woman (24 years old) who had DALK with a 60-kHz femtosecond laser developed intrastromal graft rejection with superficial and deep neovascularization after 6, 15, and 12 months, respectively. All patients underwent confocal microscopy and were treated with topical steroid therapy. Results: In vivo confocal microscopy revealed cellular inflammatory infiltrates in the subepithelial and middle stroma of the donor lamella without involvement of the endothelium. Graft rejection was rapidly reversed with topical steroid therapy, and a clear cornea was restored in all cases. Conclusions: Graft rejection remains a significant complication of lamellar surgery but is associated with good tissue restoration and complete visual recovery.


Background: Business aircraft fulfil a major need in providing access and mobility solutions not generally offered by scheduled commercial aircraft. These aircraft often make use of secondary airports in outlying areas thus encouraging economic development. Business aviation is, in general, growing throughout the world and also in some African countries, but appears to be subdued in South Africa. The purpose of this research project was to determine the demand characteristics for business aviation aircraft in South Africa.Objectives: The primary research objective was to determine the demand for business aircraft in South Africa, as well as the nature and characteristics of the users and non-users of business aircraft among the top 100 companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE).Method: A pragmatic research philosophy guided an exploratory sequential mixed methods research design. Findings from face-to-face interviews with aviation experts were utilised to develop the research questionnaire distributed to the top 100 JSE-listed companies.Results: The potential future growth for the business aircraft market is most likely to come from existing users, with marginal growth from new entrants in the market. Perceived costs are major deterrents to the utilisation of business aircraft.Conclusion: The research provides market intelligence necessary to guide business aviation companies to efficiently service or expand the market for business aircraft in South Africa, contributing to the existing knowledge in air transport.


BACKGROUND
although nurses often place peripheral intravenous (IV) catheters, little is known about their perceptions regarding use of ultrasound guidance.

AIM
the authors aimed to determine paediatric emergency department nurses' attitudes toward ultrasound-guided IV access techniques and assessed practice change after training.

METHOD
In a cross-sectional study of nurses, they had didactic and hands-on practice sessions, using three short-axis ultrasound-guided IV access techniques on gel models. Outcomes included likability and ease of learning and performing the techniques. A 3-month follow-up questionnaire assessed attitudes and behavioural changes.

RESULTS
18 nurses were enrolled and 17 analysed. Participants liked all three techniques and thought they were easy to learn and perform. Eighty-two percent of the nurses used at least one technique clinically. The two-person self-guided technique was most preferred (65%) and used 3 months later (65%).

CONCLUSIONS
nurses reported generally positive attitudes toward all three ultrasound-guided IV access techniques, but preferred the two-person self-guided technique. Owing to the small sample size, these results cannot be generalised and further research is needed.


PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine pressure injury prevention and management (PIPM) practices in an academic acute care setting. Specific aims were to (1) develop and examine key stakeholder engagement regarding PIPM practices, (2) develop a valid/reliable gap analysis instrument, and (3) conduct a gap analysis of current PIPM practices. DESIGN: Mixed-methods convergent design and participatory action research. SUBJECTS AND SETTING: A nurse-led council (Council) of key stakeholders from a large academic university healthcare setting was developed. The gap analysis was conducted in a southern gulf coast level I trauma academic acute care hospital in the Southeastern United States. METHODS: A multidisciplinary key stakeholder Council with 27 members was developed to accomplish study aims using the participatory action research approach to train, promote, and foster key stakeholder engagement in all aspects of the research process. The Pressure Injury Prevention Gap Analysis Instrument (PIPGAI) was developed and psychometrically tested. A gap analysis of PIPM practices across a level I trauma academic acute care hospital was conducted using the PIPGAI. RESULTS: The PIPGAI was developed using 2019 Pressure Ulcer/Injury Clinical Practice Guideline recommendations, an integrative literature review/appraisal, a concept map, and Council input. The overall PIPGAI content validity index of 0.95 demonstrated excellent content validity. The individual item content validity index scores ranged from 0.62 to1.0. Low-scoring items (0.62-0.75) were deleted or revised. Interrater reliability was demonstrated by percentage of agreement (62%-79%). Using a modified Delphi approach, items of disagreement were summarized and discussed until 100% consensus was achieved. A gap analysis of PIPM practices was conducted resulting in a cumulative score of 267/553 (48%), indicating gaps in PIPM practices. Fifty (73%) items had content present; 37 of 58 (64%) items had minimal detail, and 36 of 58 (62%) items were difficult or required notable effort to accomplish. Fifty items (63%) had a total score of 4 or less and were identified as a gap (range: 0-7). CONCLUSIONS: The main outcome of this study was an innovative and evidence-based gap analysis process. The study provides (1) a model for key stakeholder engagement, (2) a valid/reliable gap analysis instrument, and (3) a method to evaluate PIPM practices.


This study examined the awareness, understanding, attitudes, and purchase intention regarding food labeling on bakery products in the context of health consciousness. The purpose of the study was to provide basic data for bakery product labeling, which has been insufficient to date, and to develop measures to expand the labeling system. The results of the study showed that higher subjective understanding and better attitude towards bakery food labeling can positively increase the purchase intention. We believe that the bakery industry needs to promote food labeling proactively, while also developing products addressing health concerns. This study is also valuable to academia because it provides insights into the relationship between the consumer's understanding of and attitudes towards nutritional information and purchase intention. In addition, it is benefi-cial to the bakery industry because it establishes marketing strategies that increase the purchase intent among both consumers with high health consciousness and those who infrequently purchase baked goods.


In this paper, we devoted study the existence and controllability for the nonlinear fuzzy neutral integrodifferential equations with control system in E_N. Moreover we study the fuzzy solution for the normal, convex, upper semicontinuous and compactly supported interval fuzzy number. The results are obtained by using the contraction principle theorem. An example to illustrate the theory.


Understanding the nature of science and how an environmental scientist works develops the abilities of the students in participating in environmental discussions and critically evaluating environmental problems. Therefore, it is important to work on the image of the scientist, as well as attitudes towards scientists. The purpose of this study is to investigate high school students' images of environmental scientists. In this respect, six questions were used to determine 227 high school seniors' images of environmental scientists. The students were asked to draw a picture of an environmental scientist. In addition, questions were asked on the age of the environmental scientist, his or her job, work setting, and sources of images. In the analysis of the data, firstly, the number of the drawings depicted by the students and the gender of the scientists in these drawings were determined. Then, each drawing was evaluated according to indicators of a standard image of a scientist determined in previous research. A description method was used in analyzing the data. The students' answers were coded and the frequency distribution shown. It was determined in this study that high school students generated drawings displaying both positive and negative images of a scientist. Some of those drawings showed similarities with stereotypical images of scientists reported in previous research.


Alumina (Al2O3) has been considered as satisfactory material used for ceramic guide pin in mechanical engineering applications owing to its excellent properties particularly high strength, good wear and corrosion resistance and extremely low thermal conductivity. However, there is still a major concern with regard to the manufacturing process of the ceramic guide pin, especially in controlling dimensional consistency after the sintering process, leading to part rejection.  In this work, the manufacturing of alumina guide pin using powder processing is presented. The focus of this paper is to evaluate dimensional changes and surface analysis of the ground sintered guide pin using an upgraded grinding system. Alumina ceramic guide pin samples were fabricated by a Cold Isostatic Pressure (CIP) technique with four different range of diameters known as M6, M8, M10 and M12. All samples underwent sintering process at 1600°C, followed by secondary process by a micro-grinder to remove excessive diameter after sintering. Dimensional measurement was taken using a Vernier calliper, before and after the grinding process for evaluation. The surface roughness of the guide pin was then analysed by a surface roughness analyser followed by morphological analysis by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). From the result obtained, it clearly showed that, the proposed method of post-processing using of micro-grinding has worked successfully in reducing numbers of part rejection by the company owing to the inconsistency of dimensional changes after the sintering process. Diameter reduction of about 20 – 50 μm was done for all guide pin models corresponded to the improved surface roughness of Ra, Ry and Rz by 1.3 to 2.0 μm, 8.5 to 11.0 μm and 5.0 to 7.0 μm, respectively.  From the SEM analysis, better surface morphology was observed corresponded to surface roughness improvement.


Nutrient analysis is used to estimate nutrient content of crop plants to manage fertilizer application for sustained crop production. Direct solid analysis of agricultural and environmental samples by energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (EDXRF) was chosen as alternative technique to evaluate the simultaneous multielemental quantification of the most important essential elements in coffee (Coffea arabica L.) plants. Inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry and certified reference materials made from leaves were used to calibrate and check the trueness of EDXRF method for the determination of the concentration of several nutrients in coffee leaves and branches. Fluorescence spectrometry proved to be advantageous and presented low cost as loose powder samples could be used. Samples collected from a field experiment where coffee plants were treated with excess of Ni and Zn were used to verify the practical application of the method. Good relationships were achieved between certified values and data obtained by EDXRF, with recoveries ranging from 82 to 117 %.


Idiopathic glomerulonephritis (GN), such as membranous glomerulonephritis, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), and IgA nephropathy (IgAN), represent the most frequent primary glomerular kidney diseases (GKDs) worldwide. Although the renal biopsy currently remains the gold standard for the routine diagnosis of idiopathic GN, the invasiveness and diagnostic difficulty related with this procedure highlight the strong need for new diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers to be translated into less invasive diagnostic tools. MALDI‐MS imaging MALDI‐MSI was applied to fresh‐frozen bioptic renal tissue from patients with a histological diagnosis of FSGS (n = 6), IgAN, (n = 6) and membranous glomerulonephritis (n = 7), and from controls (n = 4) in order to detect specific molecular signatures of primary glomerulonephritis. MALDI‐MSI was able to generate molecular signatures capable to distinguish between normal kidney and pathological GN, with specific signals (m/z 4025, 4048, and 4963) representing potential indicators of chronic kidney disease development. Moreover, specific disease‐related signatures (m/z 4025 and 4048 for FSGS, m/z 4963 and 5072 for IgAN) were detected. Of these signals, m/z 4048 was identified as α‐1‐antitrypsin and was shown to be localized to the podocytes within sclerotic glomeruli by immunohistochemistry. α‐1‐Antitrypsin could be one of the markers of podocyte stress that is correlated with the development of FSGS due to both an excessive loss and a hypertrophy of podocytes.


What does it take to get a job at a visual effects, computer animation or interactive company? This course shows how to open the door to interviews, put your life on a one-page resume, and showcase your talent in a three-minute-or-less demo reel.


This article presents a flexible controller algorithm for bidirectional modular cascaded H-bridge (CHB)-based battery storage systems. The primary objectives are to maintain high-quality power on the ac side while balancing dc-side battery voltages under charging or discharging operations. The proposed algorithm is based on a finite-set model-predictive current control (FSMPC) technique, which performs in-phase and phase voltage equalization in two complementary balancing terms by taking advantage of intrinsic voltage vector redundancy characteristic of three-phase CHB converters. Additionally, the proposed modifications to the FSMPC provide lower demand on computational resources of the controller through offline reordering of vectors and adjacent vector introduction, which also brings the least differential-mode $dv/dt$ as an added value. Effects of battery voltage variation in charge/discharge cycles and voltage drop caused by nonideal semiconductors are considered to ensure the most accurate performance during steady-state, transient, and common-mode voltage reduction operation. The proposed approach is an efficient easy-to-implement multiparameter controller, which handles all the tasks needless to any additional control loops. Simulations and experimental prototyping results validate the feasibility of the battery voltage balancer terms to be utilized in battery storage applications with no downside impact on key power exchange functions.


Summary Experimentation with a Hele-Shaw viscous-flow analogue apparatus has supported earlier suggestions, based on field evidence, that a causal link may exist between some soil pipes and slope failure. The analogue has shown that when a pipe is blocked or is a dead-end passageway (a closed pipe), the cavity can readily fill with water during rainstorms. Pipes partially filled with standing water will generate pore pressures in the surrounding soil matrix in proportion to the hydrostatic head achieved. Long pipes parallel to the fall line of the slope have the potential, when partially filled with water, of generating soil pore-water pressures much greater than those generated by total saturation of the soil. Such pore-pressure increases could trigger landslides at sites that would otherwise be stable.


Introduction The short-term economic benefit of embedding best practice tobacco dependence treatment (TDT) into healthcare services prior to surgery across different populations and jurisdictions is largely unknown. The aim of this systematic review is to summarise the cost-effectiveness of preoperative smoking cessation interventions for preventing surgical complications compared with usual care. The results will provide hospital managers, clinicians, healthcare professionals and policymakers with a critical summary of the economic evidence on providing TDT routinely before surgery, aiding the development and dissemination of unified, best practice guidelines, that is, implementation of article 14 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Methods and analysis A comprehensive search of peer-reviewed literature will be conducted from database inception until 23 June 2021 (Cochrane, Econlit, Embase, Health Technology Assessment, Medline Complete, Scopus). Published, English-language articles describing economic evaluations of preoperative smoking cessation interventions for preventing surgical complications will be included. One researcher will complete the searches and two researchers will independently screen results for eligible studies. Any disagreement will be resolved by the third researcher. A narrative summary of included studies will be provided. Study characteristics, economic evaluation methods and cost-effectiveness results will be extracted by one reviewer and descriptive analyses will be undertaken. A second reviewer will review data extracted for accuracy from 10% of the included studies. Reporting and methodological quality of the included studies will be evaluated independently by two reviewers using the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards statement and the Quality of Health Economic Studies Instrument checklist, respectively. Ethics and dissemination This research does not require ethics approval because the study is a planned systematic review of published literature. Findings will be presented at health economic, public health and tobacco control conferences, published in a peer-reviewed journal and disseminated via social media. Trial registration number CRD42021257740.


ABSTRACT
What factors affects New Product Development (NPD) and are the factors the same in different industries? These are two of the main questions explored when three organizations in different industries are studied from the perspectives of knowledge, motivation and organizational context. Focus is on the early phases of NPD, however the entire NPD process is included to better understand the results of the actions and factors throughout the process. The indications that knowledge and knowledge management are key tools in order to stay competitive in the market place are looked closer at and the empirical cases illustrate the use of knowledge within the given sub-cases and the implications thereof.


Aims: This study is aimed at assessing the effectiveness of Cannabis sativa in the absorption of cesium and strontium elements from the soil. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted in 2011, in Tehran, Iran. We employed the phytoremediation technology to refine the contamination of soil with radioactive material such as cesium and strontium. Cannabis sativa was selected because of its capability for potential radioactive absorption. It was planted in various soils with different concentrations of cesium and strontium (20 ppm, 40 ppm, 60 ppm, and 80 ppm), and after sufficient growth for about six months, it was separated into root, stem, and leaves for measuring the absorption of these elements in the main parts of the plant. The samples were measured by using the Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) method. Results: Strontium absorption and the main parts of the plant showed a significant relationship. The percentage of strontium absorption was 45% in the root, 40% in the stem, and the minimum absorption was found in the leaves (15%), but the corresponding figure was not significant for the cesium element. A strontium concentration of 60 ppm was possibly the maximum absorption concentration by Cannabis. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that strontium can be absorbed by Cannabis sativa, with the highest absorption by the roots, stems, and leaves. However, cesium does not reach the plant because of its single capacity and inactive complex formation.


Ascorbate is one of the most abundant soluble antioxidants in the plant. Multiple functions of ascorbate in photo protection have been proposed, including scavenging of reactive oxygen species generated by oxygen photoreduction and photorespiration. There is still unclear information relation to LED light with Ascorbate biosynthesis and metabolism, yellowing, chlorophyll content, and ethylene production in broccoli florets. The effect of light-emitting diodes (LED) light on ascorbate (AsA) biosynthesis and metabolism in broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. Italica) cultivar "Ryokurei" were studied using red (660 nm), blue (470 nm) and white LED lights as the light source and also no light treatment as the control. Gene expression involved in the biosynthesis and metabolism of AsA, AsA content, color, chlorophyll content and ethylene production rate on the postharvest broccoli were observed in 4 days. The result showed that after two days, red light treatment significantly (p < 0,05) delayed the decrease of ascorbate content. The result was supported by observations using Real-Time Quantitative RT-PCR showed that red light treatment can suppress mRNA level of BO-APX1, BO-APX2, and BO-sAPX on the third day. Observation of BO-GLDH mRNA level was increased in the third-day exposure of red LED light. Therefore red LED light showed up-regulated AsA biosynthesis transcriptional level. Enzymes which possibility responsible for AsA metabolism and biosynthesis in a row were Ascorbate Peroxide (APX) and L-Galactono-1,4-Lactone Dehydrogenase (GLDH). The regulation of this gene expression might contribute to the suppression of AsA reduction by red LED light treatment in broccoli. Red LED also showed suppression of yellowing and decline the chlorophyll content in postharvest broccoli florets. Keywords: ascorbate, LED; broccoli; gene expression; real-time quantitative RT-PCR.


Background: The prevalence of periodontal diseases in patients with type 2 diabetes and improper glucose control is significantly higher. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of scaling and root planning and chlorhexidine digluconate rinse on metabolic control in type 2 diabetic patients. Methods: A total of 60 patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes and moderate chronic periodontitis were selected, and randomly divided into three groups. We performed scaling and root planning in 2 test groups (T1, T2), with 0.2% chlorhexidine rinse used only for test group 2. Follow-up including one evaluation 3 months later and a visit 6 months later, was to evaluate glycemic control (FBS and HbA1c) and periodontal status (PI and CPI). Data were presented as mean ± standard deviation (SD) and analyzed using Student's t test and Wilcoxon test in SPSS 20.0. Results: The mean changes in all variables in both test groups except FBS were significantly reduced (P <0.01). T2 group showed better results at 3-month evaluation. Conclusions: Non-surgical periodontal therapy improves periodontal health indicators and metabolic control in type 2 diabetic patients. Chlorhexidine is more effective on periodontal status and metabolic control in the short term.


For a finite group $G$, Frobenius found a formula for the values of the function $\sum_{\mathrm{Irr} G} (\dim\, \pi)^{-s}$ for even integers $s$, where $\mathrm{Irr} G$ is the set of irreducible representations of $G$. We generalize this formula to the relative case: for a subgroup $H$, we find a formula for the values of the function $\sum_{\mathrm{Irr} G} (\dim\, \pi)^{-s} (\dim\, \pi ^H)^{-t}$. We apply our results to compute the E-polynomials of Fock--Goncharov spaces and to relate the Gelfand property to the geometry of generalized Fock--Goncharov spaces.


Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common of the cutaneous malignancies, accounting for 65-75% of all skin cancers. The natural history of this disease is one of chronic local invasion. Metastatic BCC Is a rare clinical entity, with a reported incidence of only 0.0028-0.5%. Approximately 85% of all metastatic BCCs arise in the head and neck region. We present a case of BCC that spread to the muscles of the cheek and nodes (intraparotid and internal jugular), in a man who had a lesion near the inner canthus of his right eye and adjoining nasal bridge.


BACKGROUND
Metabolic syndrome (MetS), a complex cluster of risk factors for chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, is observed to be increasingly associated with periodontal disease. However, the fundamental contribution of periodontal bacteria to periodontal bone loss in patients with MetS remains unclear. The aim of the present study is to analyze the effect of Porphyromonas gingivalis on differentiation of primary osteoblasts from New Zealand obese (NZO) mice, a model for MetS, compared with C57 Black 6 JAX (C57BL/6J) mice osteoblasts.

METHODS
Primary calvarial osteoblasts, isolated from 3-day-old NZO and control C57BL/6J mice, were stimulated with P. gingivalis. Proliferation was quantified by 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine incorporation. Cell cycle and early and late apoptosis were measured by flow cytometry. Gene expression was determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

RESULTS
Twelve hours after P. gingivalis stimulation, NZO osteoblasts showed significantly decreased proliferation (P ≤0.01) with increased G2 cell cycle phase compared with normal osteoblasts. Flow cytometry analysis demonstrated significant (P ≤0.01) increase of early apoptotic cells (annexin V positive) and late apoptosis (caspase 3 activity) in NZO cells compared with control cells at 3 and 6 hours after stimulation. No significant lactate dehydrogenase release was found after P. gingivalis stimulation. RT-PCR data showed significantly suppressed expression (P ≤0.01) of collagen 1, osteocalcin, and Runt-related transcription factor 2 in NZO cells compared with normal osteoblasts.

CONCLUSIONS
The present data demonstrate that P. gingivalis downregulates proliferation and promotes apoptosis in primary NZO osteoblasts, unlike C57BL/6J osteoblasts. Also, suppressed osteoblastic marker expression in NZO cells may contribute to pathogenesis of periodontitis, suggesting a similar process in patients with MetS.


Abstract Environmental drug prevention interventions are gaining momentum alongside and in concert with 'classical' prevention practices such as school, family and community interventions. The Icelandic Prevention Model (IPM) is particularly gaining attention because of its innovative environmental approach and because of its supposed impact on lowering (the onset of) substance use among youth during the past two decades in Iceland. Although this model is rooted in well accepted prevention principles and has been prominent in public discussions and the media across the world, much remains unknown about the active ingredients, the core elements and their contribution to lowering (the onset of) substance use among youth. In this discussion paper we highlight the model's strengths (bottom-up approach, local assessment and dissemination, multi-component, targeting risk and protective factors, supervised leisure activities, curfew hours) and raise some critical concerns (transferability, external and internal validity) that should be considered and dealt with before implementing, adapting and evaluating the model in other contexts.


As an introduction to the general theme "The kingdom of God", this article presents an overview of the second petition of the Lord's Prayer. This is done under the following headings: the setting, the aspects, and the guidelines of the petition. The setting shows the very close relation among the first three petitions as pertaining to God's cause, and the priority which his kingship should have in our prayers. In turning to God in our prayers, we turn away from ourselves. Thus prayer is part of our sanctification. The aspects treated in this article are, firstly, that the second petition is a prayer, implying our helplessness and destitution; secondly, that it concerns God's kingdom, not ours, thereby undercutting every form of modernism, Social Gospel, political theology, and progressive ethical 'goodness' of man; thirdly, it is a petition that the kingdom may come, which happens mysteriously, in God's time, in our history, and according to Scriptures. In the guidelines it is argued that, in order to live responsibly as Christians, we must know our time, ourselves, and the immutable nature of prophecy.


Microbial communities in the sediments of an inland salt marsh adjacent to a freshwater environment were examined in three locations using high-resolution 16s rRNA gene sequencing approach as well as community diversity analyses. The three sites within the marsh were specifically selected based on their locations relative to the frequently influential Maple River system. In general, a slight biogeographical effect was observed in the relative abundance of most of the bacterial taxa among the sites. Bacterial members belonging to the Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi and Bacteroidetes numerically dominated the sequences among the three sites. The Bacterial Community Compositions (BCC) were more similar among the two sites closer to the adjacent Maple River with the predominance of taxa more commonly found in freshwater habitats such as the Betaproteobacteria, in contrast to the third site within the epicenter of the marsh. These results suggest that frequent flooding from the Maple River probably serves as one of the major determinants of bacterial composition across the entire marsh. The study further revealed the strength of applying the sequencing approach in delineating the community compositions of a previously uncharacterized environment


Reactive oxygen species (ROS), the key mediators of cellular oxidative stress and redox dysregulation involved in cancer initiation and progression, have recently emerged as promising targets for anticancer drug discovery. Continuous free radical assault upsets homeostasis in cellular redox system and regulates the associated signaling pathways to mediate stress‐induced cell death. This study investigates the dose‐specific pro‐oxidative behavior of a bacterial fucose polysaccharide, which attenuated proliferation of different cancer cells. In the fermentation process, Bacillus megaterium RB‐05 [GenBank Accession Number HM371417] was found to biosynthesize a polysaccharide with low‐fucose content (4.9%), which conferred the maximum anti‐proliferative activity (750 µg/mL) against human lung cancer epithelial cells (A549) during preliminary screening. Structural elucidation and morphological characterization of the duly purified polysaccharide was done using HPLC, GC‐MS, 1H/13C NMR, and microscopy. The polysaccharide exhibited concentration‐ and time‐dependent anti‐proliferative effects against A549 cells by inducing intracellular ROS level and regulating the mitochondrial membrane‐permeability following the apoptotic pathway. This process encompasses activation of caspase‐8/9/3/7, increase in the ratio of Bax/Bcl2 ratio, translocation of Bcl2‐associated X protein (Bax) and cytochrome c, decrease in expression of anti‐apoptotic members of Bcl2 family, and phosphorylation of mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPKs). Apoptosis was attenuated upon pretreatment with specific caspase‐inhibitors. Simultaneously, during apoptosis, the ROS‐mediated stress as well as activated MAPKs triggered nuclear translocation of transcription factors like nuclear factor (erythroid‐derived)‐like 2 (Nrf2) and promoted further transcription of downstream cytoprotective genes, which somehow perturbed the chemotherapeutic efficacy of the polysaccharide, although using CuPP, a chemical inhibitor of HO‐1, apoptosis increased significantly (P < 0.05). © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.


In this paper, we report the benchmarking results of Hyperledger,  a Distributed Ledger, which is the derivation Blockchain Technology.  Method to evaluate Hyperledger in a limited infrastructure is developed. Themeasured infrastructure consists of 8 nodes with a load of up to 20000 transactions/second. Hyperledger consistently runs all evaluation, namely, for 20,000 transactions, the run time 74.30s, latency 73.40ms latency, and 257 tps. The benchmarking of Hyperledger shows better than a database system in a high workload scenario. We found that the maximum size data volume in one transaction on the Hyperledger network is around ten (10) times of MySQL. Also, the time spent on processing a single transaction in the blockchain network is 80-200 times faster than MySQL. This initial analysis can provide an overview for practitioners in making decisions about the adoption of blockchain technology in their IT systems.


The promotion and protection of human rights is a key political principle of ASEAN and the ASEAN member states have made efforts to safeguard human rights and freedom of all ASEAN citizens, including the disadvantaged workers. This paper examines the ASEAN countries' commitment and labour policy to promote equal employment opportunities for women, the elderly and persons with disabilities. The findings of this study would provide better insights to the issues of human rights in the labour market among ASEAN countries. It can serve as a resource for researchers, practitioners and policymakers for policymaking in ensuring that disadvantaged workers are not excluded from being able to fully enjoy their right to work as their participation in the labour market could in turn be one of the solutions to reduce high unemployment rate suffered in some ASEAN countries.


Abstract One of the most arduous challenges in tissue engineering is neovascularization, without which there is a lack of nutrients delivered to a target tissue. Angiogenesis should be completed at an optimal density and within an appropriate period of time to prevent cell necrosis. Failure to meet this challenge brings about poor functionality for the tissue in comparison with the native tissue, extensively reducing cell viability. Prior studies devoted to angiogenesis have provided researchers with some biomaterial scaffolds and cell choices for angiogenesis. For example, while most current angiogenesis approaches require a variety of stimulatory factors ranging from biomechanical to biomolecular to cellular, some other promising stimulatory factors have been underdeveloped (such as electrical, topographical, and magnetic). When it comes to choosing biomaterial scaffolds in tissue engineering for angiogenesis, key traits rush to mind including biocompatibility, appropriate physical and mechanical properties (adhesion strength, shear stress, and malleability), as well as identifying the appropriate biomaterial in terms of stability and degradation profile, all of which may leave essential trace materials behind adversely influencing angiogenesis. Nevertheless, the selection of the best biomaterial and cells still remains an area of hot dispute as such previous studies have not sufficiently classified, integrated, or compared approaches. To address the aforementioned need, this review article summarizes a variety of natural and synthetic scaffolds including hydrogels that support angiogenesis. Furthermore, we review a variety of cell sources utilized for cell seeding and influential factors used for angiogenesis with a concentrated focus on biomechanical factors, with unique stimulatory factors. Lastly, we provide a bottom-to-up overview of angiogenic biomaterials and cell selection, highlighting parameters that need to be addressed in future studies.


This article seeks to explain the cultural phenomenon of the Catalan nova canco, as well as its importance in the cultural scene of the 1960s and early 1970s. To this end, we focus our attention on its origin, the factors which gave rise to it, and how it later became such an influential movement in the world of Spanish music, creating a new model of singer-songwriter which would spread throughout the country. Furthermore, we examine the political significance that the canco would acquire after 1968, as a result of Joan Manuel Serrat's refusal to sing in Spanish in the Eurovision Song Contest, which in turn would highlight the continuation of the regime's censorship of Catalan songs. Lastly, this paper explores the role of this movement in promoting cultural change in Spain during the 1960s and 1970s.


Context: Prevailing assumptions of disability can be altered when exposed to individuals with disability acting in ways that challenge common perceptions. Given that individuals with disabilities are often judged on their 'imperfect' bodies, exercise participation by these individuals may exemplify a behaviour that challenges dominant beliefs regarding disability. Purpose: To explore this avenue for social change, this study qualitatively examined the impact of being a fitness trainer or bystander for an adapted physical exercise (APEX) program for individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). Method: APEX fitness trainers (n=6) and bystanders (n=8) completed semi-structured interviews related to their experience with an APEX program for individuals with MS. Participants witnessed individuals with MS complete cardiovascular, strength, balance, and flexibility training. Verbatim transcripts of audio-recorded, semi-structured interviews were analyzed using inductive content analysis. Results: The impact of witnessing an APEX program for individuals with MS was depicted through two broad categories: (1) transforming the person, and (2) transforming disability. Subcategories within 'transforming the person' included recognizing abilities in disability and altering perceptions of personal abilities. Subcategories within 'transforming disability' included building strengths through challenges and subscribing to a social model. Discussion: Showcasing abilities of individuals with MS identified capabilities that exist outside common perceptions of disability, and increased gratitude for one's personal abilities. Transforming disability into an opportunity to build strengths, such as resilience, along with the adoption of a social model of disability, led to individuals with MS being identified as "like anyone else", as disability was not evidenced in the person-environment interaction.


P193 Angiotensin-(1-7) [Ang-(1-7)] produces arteriolar dilation and a hypotensive action, which may be mediated through nitric oxide, prostaglandin or bradykinin mechanisms. In rats, Ang-(1-7) produces a biphasic pressor/depressor action; the pressor component is blocked by AT 1 antagonists while the depressor component is not blocked by either AT 1 or AT 2 antagonists. In this study, we determined whether Ang-(1-7) would produce cardiovascular effects in AT 1a receptor knockout mice. Male Agtr1a(-/-) (n = 5) and control mice (n = 6) were anesthetized with ketamine:xylazine (71:7 mg/kg) and received femoral artery and jugular vein catheters. As previously reported, baseline blood pressure was lower (62 ± 5 mm Hg) in the Agtr1a(-/-) than in the controls (79 ± 6 mm Hg). Arterial blood pressure responses to Ang-(1-7) (0.15 - 1.5 μmol/kg) were determined. Ang-(1-7) produced a dose dependent pressor response in control animals with the peak response at the highest dose (15 ± 2 mm Hg). The pressor response was followed immediately by a depressor response ranging from -6 ± 1 at the lowest dose to -8 ± 1 mm Hg for the highest dose. AT 1a receptor knockout mice showed no pressor response to Ang-(1-7) but did show an immediate depressor response ranging from -4 ± 1 to -6 ± 2 mm Hg. Similar reductions in blood pressure without pressor effects were observed in female knockout mice (-5 ± 2 mm Hg to -9 ± 2 mm Hg over the same dose range, n = 3). The results of this study indicate that the depressor response to Ang-(1-7) is not dependent on a preceding pressor response to this peptide. Furthermore, the depressor response is not mediated by an AT 1a receptor, consistent with our previous reports of a non-AT 1 , non-AT 2 receptor mediating the actions of Ang-(1-7) in the vasculature. (Support: HL51952; HL55082)


I am very happy and honoured by my friend Prof. Stephen Goldstein's invitation to give my own modest contribution to the vigorous cultural life of this University, and in particular to this seminar, dedicated this year to the in-depth study of that most important subject, "res judicata". A final judgment represents the coat of arms of judicial activity, that which clearly separates and distinguishes this function distinctly from other functions of the State, i.e., legislative and administrative. In my view, the concept of a final judgment in a legal system, at a particular moment in history, is of unique interest in understanding the structure of that system's legal proceedings, its conception of adjudication and the ideology which inspires it. The subject thus becomes central in the science of legal proceedings; the temptation for me to deal with it at length is very strong. I realize, though, that the usefulness of a survey of a foreign system depends on simplifying and limiting the description. That is why I have singled out one aspect of res judicata, i.e., the finality as part of a judgment, and I have chosen to deal only with recent developments in the Italian doctrine of party limits.


A feasibility study of a system of high-speed rail lines for the kingdom of Thailand is described. Absent comprehensive local data and any intercity forecasting models for the nation, an incremental demand model and an incremental mode-choice model were chosen as the modeling techniques to use for the study. The incremental demand model used variables of population, gross provincial product, and the log sum term of level of service from the mode-choice model. The mode-choice model itself was synthesized using parameter values from similar efforts in other countries, adjusted to local currency values and income per capita. The steps taken to estimate base-year demand and market shares are described, and the application of the models to forecasting demand for four alternative technologies is discussed. Within the context of the input forecasts of population and gross domestic product, the models were found to produce reasonable results, with intuitively appropriate sensitivities. The results were also found to be adequate to guide initial assessments of feasibility.


This paper reports for the first time an electrically and thermally controllable nanoparticle (NP) random laser in a well-aligned dye-doped liquid crystal (DDLC) cell. Experimental results show that the random lasing emission is attributed to the amplification of the fluorescence via the multiple scattering of the randomly distributed NPs in the diffusion rout of the well-aligned DDLC cell. The random laser can be electrically and thermally controlled by varying the applied voltage and cell temperature, respectively. As the applied voltage is increased, the orientational change of the LCs from homogeneous to homeotropic texture decreases the dye absorption and thus the spontaneous fluorescence emission, resulting in the decrease of the random lasing emission. The random lasing intensity decreases with increasing temperature at the nematic phase and dramatically increases after the nematic→isotropic (N→I) phase transition. The result in the former stage is attributed to the decreases in the absorption and thus in the spontaneous fluorescence emission for the laser dyes because of the decrease in the order of the laser dyes with increasing temperature at the nematic phase. The result in the latter stage results from the significant decrease of the loss because of the disappearance for the strong leakage of the scattering fluorescence light through the boundaries of the LCs and the glass substrates after the N→I phase transition. Moreover, the anisotropy of the random lasing is crucially determined by two factors: the anisotropies in the spontaneous emission and the leakage of the scattering fluorescence light.


The search for diamonds in Greenland has resulted in the discovery of many new dykes of kimberlite and ultramafic lamprophyre and, most importantly, in the acquisition of a wealth of chemical data on rocks and minerals representing mantle material entrained by the dyke magmas. The discovery of a diamondiferous sheet at Garnet Lake in southern West Greenland stimulated the research (Hutchison 2005). Over the past five to ten years, the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland together with the Bureau of Minerals and Petroleum in Greenland and international research groups have acquired, processed and interpreted data with the objective of identifying diamond-favourable regimes within the lithospheric mantle below the Archaean craton in West Greenland. Here we present mineral data from drift samples that allow us to identify where mantle conditions in terms of lithology and depth may be favourable for the occurrence of diamonds.


The southeast peninsular India contains, to name a few, several important cities crucial for trade and economic growth of the country, rice bowls, institutes for science and technology, space port, etc. Despite its importance, not many reports exist on rainfall and its variation on different temporal scales over this region during southwest monsoon, partly because the rainfall in this region is relatively less and it forms only a minor part of all India rainfall. Here, an attempt has been made to understand differences in thermal and dynamical characteristics and energetics of the atmosphere between wet and dry spells of the Indian summer monsoon over the southeast India by utilizing various observations and reanalysis products. Observations demonstrate that the difference in the thermal structure between wet and dry spells is significant only in the lower troposphere (< 2-3 km) with mean CAPE values are reaching as much as 1000 Jkg-1during wet spell. Vertical buoyancy profiles indicate the bi-modal distribution during dry spells with peaks in 700 and 500 hPa levels. The observed thermal features are not confined to Gadanki but seen over entire southeast peninsular India. Associated dynamical variations also exhibit obvious differences during wet and dry spell. The diurnal variation of winds exhibits difference in amplitude and phase are remarkably large during dry spell than in wet spell. Synthesis are all the measurements indicates that the thermal and dynamical differences observed in wet and dry spells are pronounced in the boundary layer.


Studies have shown that student recreational sports centers offer a variety of benefits to emerging adult students. Previous research has identified the presence of constraints to physical activity and student recreational sports center (SRSC) usage (Flood & Parker, 2014; Stankowski, Trauntvein, & Hall, 2017; Young, Ross, & Barcelona, 2003). However, little research has examined the negotiation strategies which students use to increase their physical activity levels through use of the SRSC. This study focused on the constraints and negotiation strategies which affected both users and infrequent users of the SRSC at a mid-size, public university in the northeastern United States. Results suggested that constraints and negotiation strategies differed significantly between user groups and that several constraints and negotiations predict frequency of visitation to the SRSC. Findings suggest the importance of management actions which help students to create social networks, improve their planning and prioritization, and develop self-efficacy with regard to physical activity at the SRSC.


Most of the work has been done on the optical properties of the rare earth doped CePO4, so there are few studies on the effect of metal ion doping on CePO4. The doping improves the properties of the compounds and can lead to new properties. It is the first time, that multi- ionic doping process is used in the CePO4matrix, in order to improve the ionic conductivity and the electrochemical stability. The low percentage of (Cd2+, Li+), Cr3+, Bi3+ dopant affect the structure showing a weak decrease in the lattice parameters compared to the CePO4. Impedance spectroscopy analysis was used to analyze the electrical behavior of samples as a function of frequency at different temperatures. The total electrical conductivity plots obtained from impedance spectra shows an increase of the total conductivity as Li, Cr-content increases. The determined energy gap values decrease with increasingly Li+, Cr3+ and Bi3+ doping content. Electrochemical tests showed an improved capacity when increasing the Li+, Cr3+ and Bi3+ content and a stable cycling performance.


The alteration of the default mode network (DMN) functional connectivity (FC) has been reported in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) as a predictor of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, no studies exist that examined stage-dependent DMN FC changes throughout the course of aMCI. The present study aims to characterize patterns of DMN FC over three aMCI stages as first defined. Utilizing the extreme groups approach on the performance of memory tasks, aMCI subjects were divided into mild, moderate, and severe stages. Independent component analysis was used to assess DMN for individual patients in each of the three cross-sectionally defined stages. Instead of finding that continued monotonic decline was the case for the hippocampus volume, which we also investigated in this study, we observed an increase in DMN functional connectivity from mild aMCI to moderate aMCI and a decrease to severe aMCI, mainly in the left precuneus and superior parietal lobe. Moreover, the FC was significantly associated with cognitive performance. Though a longitudinal study is needed to confirm these results, our cross-sectional finding is that non-linear FC changes in DMN could be a characteristic of prodromal early disease development.


Accumulation of cholesterol esters and triglycerides in peritoneal mice macrophages in the course of their interaction with lipoproteins of very low density (VLDL) is shown to grow considerably under conditions of hypercholesterolemia. A decrease of triboluminescence intensity characterizing the surface charge has been revealed at hypercholesterolemia both in VLDL and in the blood plasma. It is supposed that the triboluminescence method may be used for testing of the atherosclerotic process development.


The amniotic epithelium is in direct contact with the amniotic fluid and has tight junctions. The amniotic tight junctions function as a barrier to restrict fluid flux via the amniotic membrane during midpregnancy in the mouse. However, during late pregnancy, amniotic fluid volume significantly decreases in association with the disruption of amniotic tight junctions. The disruption of amniotic tight junctions is caused by apoptosis in the amniotic epithelium on Embryonic Day 17 (E17). In this study, we examine the molecular mechanisms underlying apoptosis of the amniotic epithelium of the mouse. We found that from E16, the number of activated macrophages that express high levels of NOS2 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) increase in amniotic fluid. TNF receptor type 1 (TNFR1) was detectable from E16 onward. On E17, amniotic epithelial cells expressing TNFR1 became TUNEL positive, suggesting that TNF/TNFR1 signaling may initiate apoptosis. To further confirm the role of TNF/TNFR1 signaling, WP9QY, a TNFR1 antagonist, was injected into the amniotic cavity and was found to significantly reduce the numbers of apoptotic cells in the E17 amniotic epithelium. Furthermore, dehydroxymethylepoxyquinomicin, a specific nuclear factor-kappa B inhibitor, was found to inhibit TNF production in macrophages and amniotic apoptosis in vivo. Finally, we showed that injection of TNF into the amniotic cavity induces early onset of apoptosis. These results indicate that amniotic apoptosis is induced by the TNF pathway via TNFR1 expressed in the amniotic epithelial cells and that activation of macrophages may trigger amniotic apoptosis.


This paper presents the development of a probabilistic multi‐model ensemble of statistically downscaled future projections of precipitation of a watershed in New Zealand. Climate change research based on the point estimates of a single model is considered less reliable for decision making, and multiple realizations of a single model or outputs from multiple models are often preferred for such purposes. Similarly, a probabilistic approach is preferable over deterministic point estimates. In the area of statistical downscaling, no single technique is considered a universal solution. This is due to the fact that each of these techniques has some weaknesses, owing to its basic working principles. Moreover, watershed scale precipitation downscaling is quite challenging and is more prone to uncertainty issues than downscaling of other climatological variables. So, multi‐model statistical downscaling studies based on a probabilistic approach are required. In the current paper, results from the three well‐reputed statistical downscaling methods are used to develop a Bayesian weighted multi‐model ensemble. The three members of the downscaling ensemble of this study belong to the following three broad categories of statistical downscaling methods: (1) multiple linear regression, (2) multiple non‐linear regression, and (3) stochastic weather generator. The results obtained in this study show that the new strategy adopted here is promising because of many advantages it offers, e.g. it combines the outputs of multiple statistical downscaling methods, provides probabilistic downscaled climate change projections and enables the quantification of uncertainty in these projections. This will encourage any future attempts for combining the results of multiple statistical downscaling methods. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


This paper deals with an error model and its evaluation in estimating the 3-D depth information using stereo camera system. This paper defines an error model caused by stereo matching, and evaluates the error bound empirically in estimating the depth information. The proposed error model is that the disparity values in the pixel domain have ±0.5 pixel errors maximally even though the disparity values are correctly estimated. Thus, the depth information also has the same amount of errors with respect to the focal length and baseline of stereo cameras. To evaluate and apply the proposed model to the military applications, we use uncooled FIR cameras to set the stereo camera system and consider the small high-temperature objects as the targets. We first detect the high-temperature moving object in the stereoscopic IR images, and estimate the disparity field in the pixel domain. Then, we calculate the physical depth between the cameras and moving object by using triangulation of disparity, baseline and focal length. According to the experiments with various distances and baselines, we evaluate the error bound in the depth estimation. This error bound and stochastic parameters are useful for estimating the 3-D position of moving objects probabilistically.


Studies present insufficient information on working models within the purchasing area using the BPM tool for agro-industrial companies, especially in Latin America, which aim to improve performance and optimize the processes of an organization. For this reason, the need for this research arises. This scientific article presents a model to improve supply management. The BPM methodology was proposed to standardize internal processes and the Kraljic matrix, a tool used in purchasing management to classify materials and optimize purchase planning. The level of compliance within the purchasing area did not satisfy the established policies, reaching only 55.96% and generating a gap in the savings goal of approximately S/.500,000. This causes an imbalance at the administrative and operational level due to a lack of general standardization of the processes. This triggered problems at the macro level, such as lack of communication between areas, inefficient operations, and economic losses. The proposal that was carried out covers different areas, such as a harmonization within the administrative processes to reduce time variability and logistics focused on the efficient management of purchases and classification of materials. It was possible to prove the hypothesis; it is feasible to reach 85% of the target scope by restructuring the areas and generating strategies. The simulation could prove the optimization of resources by up to 60% and reduce processing times.


PURPOSE
To determine the test performance and longitudinal evolution of air trapping for diagnosing bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS).

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Over 7 years, 111 combined inspiratory and expiratory computed tomographic examinations were performed in eight healthy control subjects and 38 heart-lung transplant recipients. Functional impairment was assessed with the BOS classification. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed to determine the optimal threshold of air trapping to distinguish between patients with and those without BOS and to compute sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing BOS.

RESULTS
The extent of air trapping increased with BOS severity (P =.001). A threshold of 32% of air trapping is optimal for distinguishing between patients with and those without BOS and provides a sensitivity of 83%, a specificity of 89%, and an accuracy of 88%. The prevalence of BOS and positive predictive value of air trapping increased with postoperative time, but the negative predictive value of air trapping remained high throughout the study. Patients without BOS who had air trapping exceeding 32% of the parenchyma were at significantly increased risk of developing BOS (P =.004).

CONCLUSION
At the threshold of 32%, air trapping is sensitive, specific, and accurate for diagnosing BOS. Patients with air trapping below 32% are unlikely to have BOS. Air trapping exceeding 32% may be an early indicator of future BOS.


The preparation of the 1:1:1 addition compound 1 of 1,4-dioxane, water and antimony(V) chloride is described. 1 crystallizes in the space group Cmcm with the lattice constants a = 8.494, b = 11.453, c = 13.030 Å with four formula units in the unit cell. The dioxane is strongly hydrogen bonded to an antimony(V) chloride water adduct. The vibrational spectra of the solid are assigned


Gildersleeve gave ὄλβος, ϰόϱος, ὓβϱις, and ἂτη as the genealogy of evil characteristic of archaic Greek thought. Greene observed a fifth item at the end of the sequences in Solon 13. Commenting on Aeschylus, Agam. 757–62 Denniston and Page note that 'ϰόϱος—ὓβϱις—ἂτη are often linked together as successive elements in the downfall of man.' More recently Doyle has challenged the very existence of a 'canonical tetralogy.' He concludes that there were three triads (ὄλβος—ὓβϱις—ἂτη; ὄλβος—ϰόϱος—ἂτη; ϰόϱος—ὓβϱις—ἂτη); and that they occur too infrequently to be seen as 'a central doctrine of Greek thought' (Doyle 302/45).


We demonstrate a method to extend the range of pulsed laser spin noise measurements to long spin lifetimes. We use an analog time-domain detection scheme with a bandwidth limited only by laser pulse duration. Our model uses statistics and Bloch-Torrey equations to extract the Lande g-factor, Faraday cross-section $\sigma_F$, and spin lifetime $\tau_S$, while accounting for finite detector response. Varying the magnetic field with a fixed probe-probe delay yields $\tau_S$ when it is longer than the laser repetition period. Varying the probe-probe delay with a fixed field produces a time-domain measurement of the correlation function.


Abstract Objectives: to verify presence of psychic suffering in male undergraduate students in Nursing related to gender; Analyze determining factors and attitudes of coping with psychic suffering. Method: a descriptive and exploratory study, with a quantitative approach, carried out at a public university in the city of Sao Paulo / SP, Brazil, with 16 male students. The data collection was performed with a questionnaire and the data stored in SPSS software 20, then analyzed, presented in tables and discussed with the literature. Results: Participants believed in socio-historically determined prejudice. Coping actions: union between men, showing competence, support of affective persons, believing in their potential. Determinants of psychological distress: gender social prejudice, teachers and health professionals. Conclusion: students present psychic suffering for being men in the Nursing course, stereotypes and prejudices were the main determinants; The acting in a critical and proactive way were the confronting attitudes.


Diagnostic radiology dosimeters should comply with International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 61674 standard in order to perform measurements with sufficient accuracy and reliability. The calibration of a dosimeter is performed under, and pertains to, reference conditions. However, in most cases, dosimeters are used for clinical measurements under non-reference conditions. The performance, in terms of accuracy of dose measurements, of six commercial diagnostic radiology dosimeters was tested at reference calibration and at clinical non-reference conditions. The results showed that all dosimeters being tested exhibited limits of variation within the ±5% IEC limits. Depending on the detector's physical and operational properties, the dosimeters' energy dependence of response values varied from −4.7% to +4.2%. To address this variation of response, calibration at three radiation qualities (RQR 3, RQR 5, and RQR 9), at least, is recommended. Different irradiation conditions such as air kerma rate, x-ray tube design, x-ray system, and dosimeter operational modes affect the dosimeters' response by less than 3%. A dosimeter that complies with IEC standards and operates according to its specifications could be used at typical clinical irradiation conditions taking into account only corrections for the energy dependence of response. In this case, the error in dose accuracy is expected to be less than 3%.


Does follow-up in a specialized center influence symptom profile and severity of bipolar depression? Introduction: Despite bipolar patients spend up to one third of their lives in depression, the treatment of bipolar depression remains as an understudied area. Although more atypical depressive symptoms are expected to be seen in bipolar depression, ethnocultural differences and regular follow-ups can change the onset and expression of clinical symptoms. Thus, in the present study, we aimed to evaluate the symptoms of depressive bipolar patients who are followed up in a specialized mood disorder unit. Methods: The most severe depressive symptoms of 144 bipolar patients were followed up using standardized forms in a specialized mood disorder outpatient unit. Obtained data analyzed by descriptive statistics. Results: It was determined that less than 10% of depressive symptoms were severe. Feelings of guilt and low self-esteem were not detected in nearly half of the patients (45,8%); active (3,5%) or passive (15,3%) suicidal ideation was seen approximately in one-fifth of the patients. The rate of psychotic symptoms was considerably low (4,2%). Beside this, vegetative symptoms other than loss of energy and lack of concentration were not seen in more than half of the patients. Adding a mood stabilizer or titrating the levels and psychotherapeutic interventions were adequate for remission in one-third of the patients. Discussion: Although previously it was reported bipolar depressive symptoms were severe with higher suicide rates, in less than 10% of patients, depressive symptoms were severe and the rate of active suicidal ideation was 3,5% in our study. Moreover, the rate of psychotic symptoms was found 4,2%. Although occurrence of milder symptoms contradicts with the literature, this can be explained by the follow-up of the patients in a specialized unit and early intervention before symptoms get more severe. Decreased need for pharmacological intervention can also be explained by the same reason.


The hybrid integration of silica-based planar lightwave circuit (PLC) platforms and semiconductor opto-electronic devices is a technology that shows promise for the development of highly functional opto-electronic modules. These modules are expected to offer both optical signal and electrical signal processing functions. The silica PLC has already realized various optical signal processing functions such as those in the couplers, the switches and the arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) wavelength multiplexers. Therefore, the technologies to improve the performance of electrical circuits on PLC platforms are significant to realize high-functional opto-electronic modules. We introduced a PLC platform with a silica-on-terraced silicon (STS) structure. Using the PLC platform, we can easily align optoelectronic devices to the silica waveguide. However, the silicon substrate caused parasitic capacitance and propagation loss in the electrical circuits on the platform.


Influences of the low molecular humic substance HS 1500 on parameters of organs (testis weight, epididymis weight), FSH-, and LH-levels in plasma as well as on the spermatogenesis of male rats were studied. After a daily oral application of 1000 mg/kg b.w. and 2000 mg/kg b.w., respectively over a period of 60 days (40th to 100th day of life) only 2 animals of the high dose group were observed with bilateral testicular atrophy. Despite of the two animals with testicular atrophy no significant differences between treated and control rats were observed with respect to testis morphology and spermatogenesis. There is no evidence whether the differences between the hormone levels and the testicular atrophy revealed is regarded to a HS 1500-effect or not. But otherwise a direct influence of HS 1500 can be ruled out with high certainty. Possibly because of the thin covering layer on the gastrointestinal mucous membrane formed by HS 1500, the absorption of nutritive substances is inhibited. Therefore the growth of sensitive organs like testis and epididymis, in the development period, can be decreased. Nevertheless, even after long time application the spermatogenesis is not influenced.


ALTHOUGH chromosome analysis in myeloproliferative disorders has usually confirmed a normal chromosome pattern, several reports of patients with various chromosome abnormalities have appeared. 1-7 Most of these patients had received irradiation or chemotherapy prior to chromosome analysis. The purpose of this report is to record a case of myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia in which cytogenetic study of peripheral blood prior to treatment revealed a missing C group chromosome. Report of a Case A 54-year-old white salesman was admitted to the Veterans Administration Hospital with a two year history of easy fatigability. Six weeks prior to admission he had consulted his physician for treatment of an ischiorectal abscess when, for the first time, anemia and hepatosplenomegaly were discovered. Multiple bone marrow aspirations were "dry," but an open marrow biopsy of the right iliac crest revealed fibrosis. For this reason the patient was referred for continued study. Prior to referral, therapy consisted


Researchers have studied whether there are classes of people who differ systematically in the way they respond to polytomous ordered scales with a middle category such as ?. The mixed-partial credit model was fitted to a number of scales of a personality questionnaire. Most of the scales fit better with the use of 2 latent subpopulations. The most consistent difference among the latent classes was related to the functioning of the middle response category. For most of the examinees, the probability of choosing the middle category was very close to zero, but a nonnegligible percentage of people selected this category with much higher probability. The total scores from the 2 subpopulations were incommensurate. Some personality factors contributed to explaining class membership.


The effect of growth parameters on the position of the interface in the melt growth of indium antimonide by vertical solidification has been studied. It has been observed that the interface deviates from the expected position of the melting-point isotherm. It was found that the growth parameters play a vital role in moving the S/L interface on either side of the melting-point isotherm, suggesting that the growth occurs under off-stoichiometric conditions. By choosing the optimized growth conditions, it has been possible to grow InSb single crystals with stoichiometric composition.


In this book, the security algorithms for wireless communications were discussed. Then different algorithms of global system for mobile communications (GSM) and their work have been analysed using qualitative method that we conducted our research which was the research methodology we used for this study.GSM was one of the first digital mobile phone systems to follow the analogue era. Widely known problems with GSM's analogue counter parts were the possibility of phone fraud through cloning phones and thus calling in someone else's expense, and the possibility of someone intercepting the phone call over the air and eavesdropping on the discussion. The GSM system was supposed to correct these problems by implementing strong authentication and encryption. A part of the security in GSM comes from the fact that it is a digital system employing speech coding and channel coding algorithms, GMSK (Gaussian Minimum Shift Keying) modulation, slow frequency hopping and time division multiple access (TDMA) timeslot architecture. Finally the authentication and encryption algorithms for GSM were tested using GSM network server and mobile station


Banks hold capital to guard against unexpected surges in losses and long freezes in financial markets. The minimum level of capital is set by banking regulators as a function of the banks' own estimates of their risk exposures. As a result, a great challenge for both banks and regulators is to validate internal risk models. We show that a large fraction of US and international banks uses contaminated data when testing their models. In particular, most banks validate their market risk model using profit-and-loss (P/L) data that include fees and commissions and intraday trading revenues. This practice is inconsistent with the definition of the employed market risk measure. Using both bank data and simulations, we find that data contamination has dramatic implications for model validation and can lead to the acceptance of misspecified risk models. Moreover, our estimates suggest that the use of contaminated data can significantly reduce (market-risk induced) regulatory capital.


Purpose
Vascular endothelial growth factor-signaling in human tenon fibroblasts (hTFs) has recently become a target for antifibrotic treatment in glaucoma filtration surgery. The anti-VEGF antibody bevacizumab (BVC) has been shown to increase filtration bleb size. Given the relatively high concentration of BVC needed to obtain an effect, we investigated whether BVC acts through VEGF inhibition or via non-antigen-dependent ways.

Methods
Human tenon fibroblast primary cultures were obtained from strabismus surgery subjects. Under low (0.2%) and high (10%) serum conditions, cells were incubated with BVC, ranibizumab (RNB), aflibercept (AFB), or rituximab (RTX) at different concentrations. Total number of cells and number of dead or proliferating (5-bromo-2-deoxy-uridine-positive) cells were assessed after 24 hours. Concentrations of VEGF-A in cell culture media was measured with ELISA. Intracellular IgG was detected with immunostaining and Western blot analysis.

Results
In quiescent hTF culture (0.2% serum) the addition of 5 mg/mL BVC induced widespread cell death. Under proliferative conditions (10% serum), BVC reduced the number of proliferating cells. No such effect was observed with 2.5 mg/mL BVC or with 10 mg/mL AFB or 2.5 mg/mL RNB, although they were equally effective in binding free VEGF-A in the culture media. Instead, the CD20 antibody RTX, which did not bind VEGF, induced hTF death and inhibited proliferation in a BVC-comparable fashion. Bevacizumab, AFB, and RTX were detected intracellularly in a concentration-dependent manner.

Conclusions
The cell death-inducing and antiproliferative effect of 5 mg/mL BVC appeared not to depend on VEGF inhibition. Our data question a direct role of VEGF for hTF survival and proliferation.


A rationale for providing decision support in complex situations by the use of computer models is outlined and exemplified with the hazard windthrow in forestry. A presentation of a system of models for formal assessment of the risk of windthrow is included. The risk of windthrow depends on the stability of the trees, and the frequency of occurrence and magnitudes of strong winds (exposure). Our approach to model the risk of windthrow is centred on these aspects and includes i/ a modified version of the Finnish model HWIND used to calculate the stability of the forest stands, ii/ a model for parameterising aerodynamical properties of the landscape surrounding each individual forest stand, and iii/ the Danish exposure model WA^P for simulating the distributed wind climate over the terrain in terms of probability distributions for wind speeds in different wind directions. For the system of models, predicted windthrow compares well with recorded landscape level distribution of windthrow. The system of models will be used to provide more reliable estimates of the risk (probability) of windthrow than can be made without the models. These estimates will be used for evaluating silvicultural treatments and forestry planning activities in relation to the risk of windthrow under present and future climatic conditions. In this way the uncertainty in the decision situation may be reduced and the possibility for reducing the risk (probability) of windthrow in forestry can be explored. Risk Analysis II, C.A. Brebbia (Editor) © 2000 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, ISBN 1-85312-830-9


Do rich and poor countries compete by exporting the same mix of goods to the US? Using highly disaggregate trade flow data ? which breaks US imports into thousands rather than tens of goods ? this paper documents two significant trends. First, the portion of US imports originating in either rich or poor countries exclusively has fallen dramatically as world trade has increased, from 50% in 1972 to 25% in 1994. This heightened export competition among countries with vastly different factor endowments is greatest in manufactures, particularly apparel and textiles, and smallest in natural resources. Second, when rich and poor countries both export a manufactured good to the US, rich countries receive a significantly higher price for their export than poor countries, and this disparity increases with time. To the extent that this heterogeneity maps into product differences, it consistent with the type of specialization implied by both the Heckscher-Ohlin model of trade and Product Cycle theory. On the other hand, significant intra-good price differences are troubling for existing empirical trade research because they suggest that even a very fine categorization of commodities may be too coarse for the assumptions underlying most trade models. We discuss the implications of unaccounted-for product heterogeneity for previous Heckscher-Ohlin estimations as well as its potential relevance for the trade and wages debate.


This paper describes an empirical study that assesses the economic value of various forms of organizational learning that are common in semiconductor manufacturing. This study considers three business environments: very large-scale integrated circuits, commodity components, and specialty parts with high value added. This study finds that the economic value of organizational learning varies over time, the relative economic value of different learning practices varies over time, the external economic environment strongly influences the economic value of different learning practices, the economic value of learning can be positive or negative, and the synergy between different kinds of learning can be positive or negative. The primary contribution of this paper is an empirically grounded model of organizational learning in the semiconductor manufacturing industry, which potentially enhances the profitability of semiconductor manufacturing ventures. The model helps practicing managers make investment decisions through scenario planning and identifies learning strategies that are tailored to their particular economic environment. This paper also provides insight into the structure of technological knowledge in semiconductor manufacturing, which has historically been treated as a black box.


In this paper, an extensive literature review of sustainable machining using different minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) variants is presented. Nowadays, sustainable development (SD) is referred as a common global issue. Sustainability concept in machining is linked with two major goals. The first goal is to reduce the environmental impact by reducing the energy consumption in the process. The second goal is to reduce the consumption of hazardous non-biodegradable materials. During machining, it was evident that when the cutting of material takes place, it increases the heat produced due to plastic shear deformation and friction. In dry machining, the tool wear and surface roughness are very high and it is not practical to use this method. So, there is a need to introduce a coolant or lubricant in the cutting zone to control or reduce the cutting temperature. Conventional cutting fluids are referred as non-biodegradable in nature and high disposal cost is associated with them as well. The researchers found that Minimum quality lubricant (MQL) is an appropriate way to remove the heat from the work material and chips formed in this case are almost dry. Minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) has been emerged as a potential solution for the second goal. MQL is being popular in the metal cutting sector because of its ability to provide improved machinability while being sustainable at the same time. The main topic discussed in this article is to reduce the quantity of lubricant for the machining usage to move forward towards a cleaner and greener machining process. The research community also observed that when moving towards the superalloys primarily used in the aerospace and aircraft industry MQL technique is not efficient. Using the MQL technique, the friction is reduced by this lubricant film, but it does not take away the heat generated from the work material and tool.
 Due to this reason, several variants of MQL were developed. These variants include advanced oil on water (OoW) droplet MQL, minimum quantity cooling lubricant (MQCL), and nano MQL etc. In MQCL coolant is used at the lower temperature, which is air or water, to remove the extra amount of heat from the work material. The current study compared performance of all these MQL variants. It has also been observed that MQL operating parameters and jet arrangements can significantly affect the machining performance. The current study will provide a detailed comprehensive review about the performance of these variants.


OBJECTIVE To examine the effect of handgrip exercise induced ischaemia on non-invasive assessment of endothelial function in the brachial artery. DESIGN AND SETTING High frequency ultrasound was used to measure brachial artery diameter at rest and after reactive hyperaemia induced by forearm cuff occlusion with and without handgrip exercise induced ischaemia. SUBJECTS 10 healthy subjects, < 40 years, without known cardiovascular risk factors. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Brachial artery dilatation and blood flow. RESULTS Hyperaemia following forearm occlusion with handgrip exercise induced ischaemia increased brachial artery diameter significantly more than hyperaemia following occlusion alone, 6.9 (3.2)% and 4.5 (1.6)%, respectively (95% confidence interval 0.3% to 4.5%). There was no difference in peak blood flow with and without exercise induced ischaemia CONCLUSIONS Handgrip exercise induced ischaemia with forearm occlusion caused more pronounced brachial artery dilatation than occlusion alone without change in peak blood flow. This suggests continued brachial artery responsiveness to the stimulus of ischaemia despite maximum blood flow and peripheral vasodilatation with occlusion alone.


Breast cancer has become increasingly prevalent in Taiwanese women, especially in younger women. Unfortunately, early breast cancer detection may be hampered by Taiwanese women's beliefs about breast cancer, risk factors, and mammography. The Internet has become a powerful way to disseminate health information, but health education Web sites are frequently neither patient-centered nor theoretically based. We used the Transtheoretical Model as the theoretical basis for the design of a tailored Web-based educational program aimed at correcting Taiwanese women's misconceptions about breast cancer and mammography and increasing their intent to obtain routine mammography. In this article, we describe the Web-based educational intervention and the results of an initial preliminary evaluation study.


To understand the meaning of the content of the holy Qur'an, it takes a lot of disciplines, such as; 'Ilm' Ira>b al-Qur'a>n, 'Ilm Awqa>t al-Nuzu>l,' Ilm Asba>b al-Nuzu>l, 'Ilm Ghari>b al-Qur'a>n, and so on. 'Ilm Asba>b al-Nuzu>l is the most urgent to be studied, because knowing the causes of the decline of a verse (nas}), will greatly assist the understanding and interpretation of the intent of the verse. In addition, Moslem scholars also have very intense attention to this kind of science. In history, there are at least dozens of their books which contain titles with the word Asba>b al-Nuzu>l and the titles are not limited only to the classical Moslem scholars. Contemporary Moslem scholars such as; Abd al-Fattah al-Qadi, Muqbil al-Wadi'i, Ghazi Inayah, Hammad Abd al-Khaliq Hulwah, and so on, also adds richness of development of ' Ilm Asba>b al-Nuzu>l. For this reason, this paper will explore the extent of the urgency of 'Ilm Asba>b al-Nuzu>l by citing some of the opinions of Moslem scholars such as; Imam Ibn al-'id Daqiq, Imam Ibn Taymiyah, Imam al-Suyuti, Imam al-Zarkasyi, Shaykh Abu al-Fath al-Qushayri, and Sheikh Muhammad al-Zarqani. From their explanation, it was found that 'Ilm Asba>b al-Nuzu>l plays a key role in explaining the meaning of the verse, or eliminating a number of problems related to the study of the Qur'an, especially in vulnerable interpretation sparking different thought or opinion.


Sulfurtransferases transfer a sulfane atom from a donor substrate to a thiophilic acceptor molecule. Recently a sulfurtransferase specific for the substrate 3-mercaptopyruvate was isolated from Arabidopsis thaliana [Papenbrock, J. & Schmidt, A. (2000) Eur. J. Biochem. 267, 145-154]. In this study a second sulfurtransferase from Arabidopsis was characterized and compared to the enzyme described previously. Sequences of the mature proteins had an identity of 77.7%. The plant sulfurtransferases formed a distinct group within the known eukaryotic sulfurtransferases. When Southern blots were hybridized with labelled cDNA fragments from each of the plant sulfurtransferases the same pattern of bands was obtained indicating the existence of only these two closely related sulfurtransferases. The new sulfurtransferase was expressed in Escherichia coli fused with an N-terminal His6-tag, purified and tested for enzyme activity. Like the first enzyme, the newly isolated protein preferred 3-mercaptopyruvate to thiosulfate as substrate. The Km of both enzymes determined for 3-mercaptopyruvate and cyanide were almost identical. As a result of database searches it became obvious that sulfurtransferase proteins from higher plants showed high similarities to small senescence- and stress-induced proteins. To prove the involvement of sulfurtransferases in senescence-associated processes 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase activity was determined in crude protein extracts from Arabidopsis plants of different ages. 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase activity and steady-state RNA levels of sulfurtransferases increased with increasing age. However, steady-state protein levels as measured by using an antibody against the sulfurtransferase protein expressed previously decreased. Putative roles of sulfurtransferases in senescence-associated processes are discussed.


Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder affecting women of reproductive age. It is characterized by hormonal, reproductive and metabolic disturbances, including hyperandrogenism, altered gonadotropin level, ovarian cysts and ovulatory dysfunction as well as insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia and dyslipidemia. It was shown that increased insulin concentration is a plausible factor in the pathogenesis of PCOS. Insulin leads to overstimulation of ovarian theca cells to androgen biosynthesis and contributes to insulin resistance in tissues such as muscle, liver, adipose tissue and ovary of PCOS patients. Noteworthy, recent studies suggested that supplementation with vitamin D3 may be an alternative therapy increasing insulin sensitivity and thereby improving reproductive parameters in PCOS women. Indeed, various action of vitamin D3 on the ovarian, hormonal and metabolic features observed in PCOS were presented. Many studies reported therapeutic effects of vitamin D3, but some research found a lack of influence or contradicted these findings. Therefore, the aim of this review was to summarize the available evidence about vitamin D3 and insulin interaction in PCOS, and discusses the potential usefulness of VD3 in PCOS treatment.


Spectral characteristics of the local and global EEG spatial-temporal organization were studied in 10 healthy subjects during solving the complicated intellectual tasks. Techniques of evaluation of successive topograms and point frequency mapping were applied. Two different types of the global spatial-temporal organization of brain potentials were observed. Increased delta in EEG spectra characterized the task solving. The alpha- and beta-rhythms occupied the limited part of the cortex. Point mapping enabled clarification of the spatial distribution of the dominant spectral frequencies and their redistribution under different functional loads. Comparison of the characteristics of the spatial-temporal organization of global bioelectrical processes and maps of the dominant rhythms in EEG power spectra made it possible to reveal the new relations in bioelectrical processes.


In the process of learning Chinese, second language learners may have various grammatical errors due to the negative transfer of native language. This paper describes our submission to the NLPTEA 2020 shared task on CGED. We present a hybrid system that utilizes both detection and correction stages. The detection stage is a sequential labelling model based on BiLSTM-CRF and BERT contextual word representation. The correction stage is a hybrid model based on the n-gram and Seq2Seq. Without adding additional features and external data, the BERT contextual word representation can effectively improve the performance metrics of Chinese grammatical error detection and correction.


Legacy approaches to journalism education, formulated before computing and the Internet, focus on the democratising service outputs of the profession in promoting discussion, public scrutiny, commerce and entertainment. This focus has been at the cost of a reduced emphasis on the process of producing and distributing journalism, the expertise for which has largely been relinquished to engineers. This has made journalists vulnerable to economic variables and reduced their capacity to create and capture value in their markets in an agile manner. However, since the early 2000s, broadband has allowed and then required journalists and journalism educators to regain production and distribution expertise and to include systems thinking in curriculum areas. This article discusses the economic implications of this and the expected impacts on journalism practice and commercial funding. The article concludes that a 'key performance indicator' for journalists is now the ability to optimise where and how a digital file of text, audio, video or other computer code is placed on any relevant computer network.


The present study aimed to establish a strategy for parapharyngeal space (PPS) tumor surgery based on preoperative symptoms, clinical signs, imaging and histological examination. A retrospective cohort study was conducted with 29 adult patients who underwent surgery for primary PPS tumors from 2008-2015. The following data was obtained: Preoperative symptoms of the patient, histological type of the tumor, surgical approach and complications. Of the 29 patients who underwent surgery to remove a PPS tumor, 16 presented with neurogenic tumors and 13 with salivary gland tumors. The most common symptom was the presence of a neck mass. Preoperative computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging were performed to evaluate the size and location of the tumors. The majority of the salivary gland tumors were located in the prestyloid space, whereas all neurogenic tumor cases were poststyloid. A total of 21 of the 29 patients (72.4%) underwent a preoperative fine needle aspiration (FNAC) examination. FNAC contributed to preoperative diagnosis in 9 of these cases (42.9%). In parotid tumors of the prestyloid space, facial nerve palsy was a common postoperative complication. In the case of neurogenic tumors, a common complication was the postoperative palsy of the nerve of tumor origin. The strategy for PPS surgery, from the preoperative diagnosis to the operative method, remains controversial. The data on pre- and postoperative symptoms, imaging and histological diagnosis, and the selection of surgical method depending on a neurogenic or salivary tumor origin in the present study indicated that improving the method of examination, carefully selecting the method of approach and accurately managing surgery leads to complete tumor removal, and that the use of nerve-preserving techniques may reduce the likelihood of complications.


The guilty knowledge polygraph test (GKT; D. T. Lykken, 1959, 1960) is a psychophysiological method of identifying suspects with concealed information about a crime. A meta-analysis of 50 treatment groups drawn from 22 laboratory simulation studies (total N = 1,247) was conducted to provide a comprehensive estimate of GKT accuracy under controlled conditions. Electrodermal measures correctly identified 76% of participants with concealed knowledge and 83% of those without information. Informed participants were detected at rates significantly in excess of chance, with a mean weighted effect size of .57. Enactment of mock crimes increased the hit rate to 82%. The rates of false-positive error among noninformed treatment groups did not significantly exceed chance. Applications and research directions are discussed.


The phase equation approach for the description of patterns in a spatially varying environment is tested for realistic setups. To this end the phase equation for axisymmetric Taylor vortex flow with spatially varying cylinder radii (spatial ramps) is derived and solved for various geometries which allow a detailed comparison with recent experiments. The wave number selected by subcritical ramps and its dependence on the geometry is determined. A suitable choice of the ramp allows the selection of wave numbers for which the pattern is unstable with respect to a wavelength changing instability (e.g., Eckhaus instability). This leads to a drift of the pattern. The drift velocity is calculated as a function of the Reynolds number for different geometries. Without any adjustable parameters the results for the selected wave numbers as well as for the drift velocities agree well with recent experiments. The calculations suggest the possibility of spatiotemporal chaos in suitably ramped systems.


A graph with vertex set V is said to have a prime labeling if its vertices are labeled with distinct integers 1,2,3 ... V such that for edge xy the labels assigned to x and y are relatively prime. A graph which admits prime labeling is called a prime graph. In this paper we investigate prime labeling for some helm related graphs. We also discuss prime labeling in the context of some graph operations namely fusion and duplication in Helm Hn


This article rejects the linkages in proposals that the Federal Reserve Bank (Fed) target equity prices. The real federal funds rate (RFF) and stock prices (SP) are uncorrelated; causality tests show a positive effect of SP on RFF and a negative effect of SP on RFF. These results occur as part of the dynamics of a negative cointegrated relationship between SP and RFF. A theoretically expected inverse relation between SP and inflation accounts for the results. The negative effect of SP on FF is also confirmed in a Taylor Rule estimate. Higher stock prices anticipate lower, not higher, inflation.