The intravenous anaesthetic ketamine is widely used in subanaesthetic doses as a potent analgesic in emergency and disaster medicine. At present, ketamine is commercially available only in its racemic form, although the S(+)-isomer has proved to be approximately three times as potent than the R(-)-isomer. In first clinical trials in Germany, S(+)-ketamine was reported to be markedly advantageous with regard to analgesia in anaesthetized patients. We therefore evaluated ketamine's analgesic and psychotropic effects in subanaesthetic doses given to healthy volunteers. MATERIALS AND METHODS. After institutional approval of the study by the university's Ethics Committee, 16 volunteers received ketamine racemate (1 mg/kg) and S(+)-ketamine (0.5 mg/kg) i.m. with 1-week intervals between injections in a randomized, double-blind fashion. Analgesia (electric pain stimulation of the median nerve), long-term memory, anterograde amnesia (recognition of simple pictures), motor coordination (Trieger test), immediate recall (short test of general intelligence) and concentration capacity (CI test: recognition of a preselected symbol among several symbols) were measured over a 60-min period and mean arterial pressure, heart rate, and ketamine plasma levels in venous blood samples were determined. Values were calculated as means and data were analysed by Wilcoxon's paired test for group comparison. RESULTS. Within 15 min, both agents induced a measurable degree of analgesia. After ketamine racemate, the level of pain tolerated increased from 38.8 +/- 14.0 to 57.0 +/- 13.7 mA and after S(+)-ketamine, from 36.9 +/- 10.5 to 53.3 +/- 15.2 mA. Ketamine racemate did not exert measurable effects on long-term memory, whereas anterograde amnesia was observed in 46% and 54% of the study subjects after 15 and 30 min, respectively. However, after S(+)-ketamine, only 8% of the volunteers demonstrated anterograde amnesia (P < 0.05). Immediate recall also declined in both groups (baseline: 5 points, after 15 min: 3.5 points for ketamine racemate, 4 points for S(+)-ketamine), whereas concentration capacity worsened from 14.5 +/- 3.8 s to 35.9 +/- 18.6 s after ketamine racemate and significantly less, from 14.8 +/- 2.5 s to 22.9 +/- 7.6 s, after S(+)-ketamine (P < 0.01). Furthermore, after 15 min, ketamine racemate induced an increase in heart rates from 73 +/- 15 b/min to 97 +/- 11 b/min, while S(+)-ketamine raised heart rates from 74 +/- 13 b/min to 89 +/- 11 b/min only (P < 0.05). Mean arterial pressure increased from 97 +/- 11 mmHg to 111 +/- 9 mmHg after ketamine racemate and from 92 +/- 11 mmHg to 110 +/- 13 mmHg after S(+)-ketamine (not significantly different). CONCLUSION. S(+)-Ketamine at half-dose of ketamine-racemate is as potent as ketamine-racemate in subanaesthetic doses with powerful analgesic properties. The (+)-isomer exerts less adverse effects on measurable cerebral functions and induces a significantly smaller increase in heart rate. Since states of impaired consciousness and disorientation are especially disturbing under emergency conditions, further investigations should be carried out to define S(+)-ketamine's position as a potent analgesic for therapeutic use in emergency and disaster medicine.


The anthropology of weather includes the study of the significance of astronomical and atmospheric phenomena within indigenous myths and rituals as well as of the importance of representations of these phenomena for the social practices of indigenous people. Among the Ticuna of Upper Solimoes (Brazil) the celestial bodies depicted in the iconography of artifacts used in the Ticuna puberty festival can be related to some aspects of this people's mythology and cosmovision, as expressed in ritual chants and speeches. This relation is translated into expectations regarding the inter-relationships between the annual movement of the stars in the sky and the influence of the rainy and dry seasons for survival activities. The identification of groups of celestial bodies visualized by the Ticuna allows us to establish their correlations with the conventionally reconized constellations.


We present a mathematical model describing the population distribution of genetic diseases related to X chromosomes. The model captures the disease spread within a population according to the relevant inheritance mechanisms; moreover it allows to include de novo mutations (i.e., affected siblings born to unaffected parents). The resulting dynamic system is nonlinear, discrete time and positive. Among our contributions, we consider the analytical study of model's equilibrium point, that is the distribution of the population among healthy, carrier and affected subjects, and the proof of the stability properties of the equilibrium point through Lyapunov second method. In particular global exponential stability was demonstrated in the presence of significant mutation rates and global asymptotic stability for negligible mutation rates.


Background: Sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) levels are low in adult subjects with obesity when compared to normal-weight individuals. Obesity is associated with higher tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) plasma levels and lower adiponectin levels. Moreover, we have recently elucidated the molecular mechanisms by which TNFα and adiponectin regulate hepatic SHBG production. Aim: The main objective of this study was to assess if the adult associations between TNFα, adiponectin, and SHBG are present in prepubertal children. Methods: We determined several morphometric and biochemical parameters in normal-weight (n=15) and obese prepubertal (n=51) children, as well as quantified plasma SHBG, TNFα receptor 1 (TNFα-R1), and adiponectin levels. Results: Our results showed that prepubertal children with obesity had decreased plasma SHBG levels compared to normal-weight controls (67 nmol/L vs 172 nmol/L). Importantly, SHBG plasma levels correlated significantly (P < 0.05) with TNFα (negatively, ßstd= − 0.31) and adiponectin (positively, ßstd= 0.58) suggesting an important role of these two cytokines in determining plasma SHBG levels in prepubertal children. Conclusions: Our results suggest that plasma adiponectin levels may play a more important role than TNFα in influencing plasma SHBG levels in our prepubertal population with obesity.


A mixed-method research design was used to investigate the attitudes, perceptions, and experience of 256 students enrolled in an introduction to engineering course in the Lee College of Engineering at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNC Charlotte) during fall 2009. Major contextual and individual factors were incorporated into the study to evaluate their influence on students" persistence in the major. By the end of the semester, there was a statistically significant difference in students" perceptions of the major and the profession. Although they were more likely to believe that engineers are more concerned with improving the welfare of society than other professions, they were less likely to believe that the future benefits of studying engineering were worth the effort. They also had a less favorable view of engineering professionalism, and they were less likely to be interested in engineering as a career. These results suggest that some freshman students started to re-consider the value of engineering degree during the first semester as they realized the demanding engineering curriculum and high level commitment required of them. However, by the end of the semester, 88% of the students still liked engineering as a career. The follow-up qualitative data analysis showed different patterns between male and female students" peer relationships and support systems. Furthermore, male and female students also tended to adopt slightly different coping strategies relative to the demanding course workload. While male students were more likely to form a quick social network and to build "learning relationships" with "like-minded" others most female students tended to work alone and exclusively focused on academic work while not seeking more diverse and non-academic social networking opportunities. Each strategy seems to present some positive and negative consequences.


A 3-D resistive random access memory potentially offers lowest cost per bit and highest bit density memory architecture without the use of transistors in the array. However, without the use of selectors attached to each cell in the array, sneak currents are a key concern, causing signal errors, and excess power dissipation. A nonlinear LRS helps to resolve the issue, but to date, reported LRS nonlinearity values are still insufficient. In this letter, we describe how a 1TNR architecture may be designed and operated to take more advantage of the HRS rather than the LRS nonlinearity, allowing sneak currents to be minimized during write operations, without the use of cell selectors. We show how a recently studied TaOx/HfOx device with highly nonlinear ( ~ 105) HRS can be used in block sizes up to 256 Mb without selectors in a 1T8R architecture with a 25% current margin.


Examining the spatiotemporal dynamics of proteins can reveal their functional importance in various contexts. In this article, it is discussed how fluorescent recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) and photoactivation techniques can be used to study the spatiotemporal dynamics of proteins in subcellular locations. We also show how these techniques enable straightforward determination of various parameters linked to actin cytoskeletal regulation and cell motility. Moreover, the microinjection of cells is additionally described as an alternative treatment (potentially preceding or complementing the aforementioned photomanipulation techniques) to trigger instantaneous effects of translocated proteins on cell morphology and function. Micromanipulation such as protein injection or local application of plasma membrane-permeable drugs or cytoskeletal inhibitors can serve as powerful tool to record immediate consequences of a given treatment on cell behavior at the single cell and subcellular level. This is exemplified here by immediate induction of lamellipodial cell edge protrusion by the injection of recombinant Rac1 protein, as established a quarter-century ago. In addition, we provide a protocol for determining the turnover of enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP)-VASP, an actin filament polymerase prominently accumulating at lamellipodial tips of B16-F1 cells, employing FRAP and including associated data analysis and curve fitting. We also present guidelines for estimating the rates of lamellipodial actin network polymerization, as exemplified by cells expressing EGFP-tagged β-actin. Finally, instructions are given for how to investigate the rates of actin monomer mobility within the cell cytoplasm, followed by actin incorporation at sites of rapid filament assembly, such as the tips of protruding lamellipodia, using photoactivation approaches. None of these protocols is restricted to components or regulators of the actin cytoskeleton, but can easily be extended to explore in analogous fashion the spatiotemporal dynamics and function of proteins in various different subcellular structures or functional contexts.


In this paper we discuss the idea of combining old-fashioned computer Go with Monte Carlo Go. We introduce an analyze-after approach to random simulations. We also briefly present the other features of our present Monte Carlo implementation with upper confidence trees. We then explain our approach to adding this implementation as a module in the GNU Go 3.6 engine, and finally show some preliminary results of the entire work, ideas for future work and conclusions.


The effects of inhibitors of RNA or protein synthesis (cycloheximide, puromycin and actinomycin D) on acquisition of learning in mice were investigated using various types of shock avoidance tasks. Mice having uniform and superior learning ability were used as subjects. Drugs were injected into the lateral ventricle 1 hr before training for avoidance tasks in three different shapes of maze and in a one-way shuttle box and for those based on light-dark discrimination. In all cases of training, the drugs were found to impair the acquisition of learning. The impairment was pronounced in a relatively complicated task such as H-maze learning as compared to a simple task such as T-maze learning. The drugs never affected the performance of pretrained animals. During the discussion, the acquisition of learning would be related to some specific process of RNA and protein synthesis in the brain.


Recently, disordered blends of semiconducting and insulating polymers have been used to prepare light-emitting diodes with increased luminous efficiency. Because the thermodynamic stability of the disordered phase in blends is limited, equivalent diblock copolymers (BCPs) could be an alternative. However, the choice between disordered blends and BCPs requires understanding structural differences and their effect on charge carrier transport. Using a hybrid mesoscopic model, we simulate blends and equivalent BCPs of two representative semiconducting and insulating polymers: poly(p-phenylene vinylene) (PPV) and polyacrylate. The immiscibility is varied to mimic annealing at different temperatures. We find stable or metastable disordered morphologies until we reach the mean-field (MF) spinodal. Disordered morphologies are heterogeneous because of thermal fluctuations and local segregation. Near the MF spinodal, segregation is stronger in BCPs than in the blends, even though the immiscibility, normalized by the MF spinodal, is the same. We link the spatial distribution of PPV with electric conductance. We predict that the immiscibility (temperature at which the layer is annealed) affects electrical percolation much stronger in BCPs than in blends. Differences in the local structure and percolation between blends and BCPs are enhanced at a high insulator content.


We present a conceptual framework that describes how species belonging to a growth form collectively can be niche constructors (i.e. modify niches) and affect species diversity in plant communities. We use an empirical assessment of tundra plant communities to illustrate the framework's utility. In doing so, we make a first investigation of collective niche construction in ecological communities. In tundra plant communities, growth forms differently affect ecosystem process rates and cause environmental modifications; thus, growth forms are strong candidates for being niche constructors. To assess the impact of growth form niche construction on plant species diversity, we excluded the species of the growth form applied as niche constructor when estimating the community species diversity. We assessed niche construction in 70 tundra meadow communities and 1450 randomly selected tundra plant communities that are distributed along ecological gradients in temperature, resource availability, competitive interference and herbivory. These gradients allowed us to concomitantly assess to what extent the niche construction is independent of environmental conditions. Growth forms varied from strong positive to neutral predictors of both species richness and Simpson index in the order of forbs, grasses, sedges, deciduous shrubs and evergreen shrubs, suggesting that growth forms have important roles as niche constructors in tundra plant communities. Also, the environmental conditions were strong predictors of species diversity, but they did not interact with or confound the effects of growth forms. Forbs and grasses were the least abundant growth forms, yet they were the strongest positive predictors of species diversity. Therefore, our results suggest a particular niche‐constructing role of these growth forms for enhancing species diversity in tundra plant communities. Synthesis. In this study, we provide conceptual and empirical evidence for collective niche construction as a powerful ecological process that affects species diversity and that can act independently of environmental conditions. Species sharing a single trait or species belonging to a growth form can act as collective niche constructors, and as exemplified for growth forms in this study, be important predictors of species diversity in ecological communities.


Quasi one-dimensional quantum wire arrays are fabricated by low-energy ion beam exposure of AlGaAs-GaAs heterostructures containing a high-mobility two-dimensional electron system (2DES). The mask used for the ion beam exposure consists of a metal grating evaporated on the crystal surface, which also serves as a gate after irradiation. This self-aligned gate allows us to change the electron density in the wires without changing the electronic wire width. The linewidths of the dimensional resonances in the far infrared (FIR) of these wire arrays confirm this assertion. The FIR transmission spectra are compared with previous results obtained using wire arrays that were density tuned with a distance-modulated gate. Furthermore, a higher-order resonance is observable, indicating that the confinement potential has non-parabolic contributions.


Studies were conducted during the dry hot period of December 1999 to April 2000 in the Nechisar National Park, Southern Ethiopia, to obtain base line data on catch, age compositions, and reproductive status of samples of Glossina pallidipes , trapped in NGU-2G traps. The objective was to assess tsetse population dynamics and to provide data on the temporal and spatial variations of the structure of the fly population at five localities (habitats). The data were to be used for the suppression phase of a Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) project in the study area. Population study in space was conducted at randomly selected five sites in and out of the park. In each vegetation type, a set of 2 NGU-2G traps baited with urine and acetone were deployed for five days during the same week of the study time. Female flies were dissected to assess ovarian age structure of populations. To determine the age of male flies wing-fray analysis was carried out using wing-fray categories (1-6). Trapped tsetse included significantly higher proportions of teneral and non-teneral females, and a lower male: female ratio. Insemination rates of the sampled flies were over 95% at all habitats. In any one habitat, the frequency of pregnancy (egg stage) predominated, followed by the first, second, and lastly, by the third instar larva. Abortion was the predominant reproductive abnormality at all habitats of the natural population of G. pallidipes . Age compositions of females (ovarian aging) showed greater proportions of females with 1–3 ovarian age categories and a physiological age between 8–40 days at all habitats. Age compositions of males (wing-fray) were significantly greater for young males (1–3 wfc) compared with old males (4–6 wfc). The studies of this base line data collection with other operational studies will be a prerequisite to assess the feasibility of the proposed area wide eradication project and to develop appropriate strategies to suppress and finally to eradicate the fly by situational releases of sterilized male flies. Key words/phrases : Abortion, age reproductive status, Glossina pallidipes , NGU-2G traps, pregnancy SINET: Ethiopian Journal of Science Vol. 28 (1) 2005: 51-60


The present research study focuses on how the language of instruction has an impact on the mathematical thinking development as a consequence of using a language of instruction different from the students' mother tongue. In CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) academic content and a foreign language are leant at the same time, a methodology that is widely used in the schools in the present times. It is, therefore, our main aim to study if the language of instruction in second language immersion programs influences the development of the first formal mathematical concepts. More specifically, if the learning of mathematical concepts in the early ages develops in a similar way if it is taught in the students' mother tongue and is not influenced by the language used for teaching. Or else, if it can influence the development of the first skills only in the students' general performance or in certain areas. The results of both the analysis of variance and multiple regression confirm how influencing the language of instruction is when mathematical thinking is developed teaching formal contents in a non-coincidence language. The second language is affecting the resolution of daily life problems, being more competent those students in 1st grades whose language of instruction matched with their mother tongue.


Stereotype threat was measured in 167 racial/ethnic minority and majority pre-medical students from all four undergraduate years at Georgetown University, using a modified survey by Henry (2006). Three main scales were created to assess perceived threats for pre-medical students concerning gender discrimination, racial/ethnic discrimination, and non-racial/ethnic discrimination. Analyses revealed significant interactions between gender, race, and year in university regarding gender discrimination and racial/ethnic discrimination. Overall, females expected significantly more gender–related barriers than males in their future medical careers. Similarly, all minorities, including Asian Americans, who are not considered to be underrepresented in U.S. medical schools, reported perceiving significantly more race-related barriers than their European American counterparts. Further, European American male Juniors reported expecting more race-related threats than European American male Freshmen. Analyses revealed no significant results regarding the stereotype threat condition. Results are discussed with reference to the literature on stereotype threat and medical-related education in the U.S.


Monday-morning assessments of antitrust merger trial outcomes are common. Critics of a court decision blocking a merger may opine that the outcome is an indication that the judiciary has become overzealous in its interpretation of the Clayton Act's prohibition of mergers whose effects "may be to substantially lessen competition, or tend to create a monopoly." Similarly, in the wake of an adjudicated merger that is allowed to proceed, critics may argue that the judiciary has become too lax in its interpretation of the Clayton Act. Less common are attempts to systematically assess the body of merger outcomes to determine judicial trends and tendencies. This void is particularly salient because in recent years a substantive narrative has emerged that judicial application of the antitrust laws — overly influenced by the Chicago School — has become increasingly hostile toward antitrust authorities' (Agencies') challenges of mergers over time. A corollary of this narrative is the claim that the shifting composition of the judges hearing merger cases has also contributed to the propensity of the courts to deny the Agencies' merger challenges.

In this paper, we first describe the historical context within which the current narrative has arisen. Although this narrative builds upon certain developments in merger enforcement over the years, we find that a more complete assessment of the evolution of merger enforcement and judicial outcomes yields a substantially more ambiguous interpretation of the evolution of judicial standards than has been proffered. That is, the current narrative does not provide an unambiguous basis upon which to draw conclusions regarding shifts in judicial standards in litigated merger cases. Given this ambiguity, the paper then develops a theoretical model designed to capture the essence of the interplay among merging firms, antitrust authorities and the courts. The model yields clear predictions on shifts in judicial standards from the outcomes of both litigated mergers cases and those that settle prior to trial.

The paper then provides an empirical investigation of litigated merger outcomes based on the population of all merger challenges in the United States over 1979-2019. Two-stage econometric methods are employed to account for the potential that the set of litigated mergers is a non-random sample of all merger challenges. This empirical analysis reveals that, contrary to the current narrative, judicial standards have shifted in favor of the Agencies over time. The probability that merger challenges proceed to trial has declined over time while the probability that antitrust agencies win trials has increased over time — both results are indicative of judicial standards applied to merger challenges that have grown increasingly pro-enforcement over time. We find no statistically significant evidence that the outcomes of antitrust merger cases vary according to whether the judges involved were appointed by Republican or Democratic presidents.


Abstract: To investigate the effects of osmotic stress on forage sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) varieties at critical stage of seed germination, i.e., at which salinization is initiated. A study was conducted at the Seed Technology Laboratory at University of Putra Malaysia (UPM- lab.) from October to November 2007. Two forage sorghum varieties (Speedfeed and KFS4) were evaluated in the salinity levels of 0, 5, 10, 15 dS m-1. The experimental design was Completely Random Design (CRD), which was based on factorial with 3 replications. In the experiment, seeds were germinated in covered, sterilized, disposable Petri dishes. Three parameters, namely germination percentage, germination rate, germination index and coefficient velocity of germination were estimated. The results of this study showed that different levels of salinity had significantly affected the germination percentage, germination rate germination index. In addition, a significant difference (1%) was also found in the germination percentage between the two varieties. Meanwhile, the mean comparison of the treatments showed that the germination percentage in distilled water (S1) was the highest (92.5%) and salinity dS m-1 (S4) had the lowest germination percentage. The maximum germination rate (35.58) and germination index (391.67) were retrieved from EC 0 and with the increasing salinity, these parameters were decreased. The evaluation of the two varieties showed that KFS4 (V1) had a higher germination percentage (82.91%) than the speed feed (72.5%). Consequently, the seed germination of KFS4 was better than the speed feed (in salty water and non-stress conditions). In other words, salt stress had been found to delay germination of both varieties.


Spatial monitoring campaigns of volatile organic compounds were carried out in two similarly sized urban industrial cities, Windsor and Sarnia, ON, Canada. For Windsor, data were obtained for all four seasons at approximately 50 sites in each season (winter, spring, summer, and fall) over a three-year period (2004, 2005, and 2006) for a total of 12 sampling sessions. Sampling in Sarnia took place at 37 monitoring sites in fall 2005. In both cities, passive sampling was done using 3M 3500 organic vapor samplers. This paper characterizes benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, o, and (m + p)-xylene (BTEX) concentrations and relationships among BTEX species in the two cities during the fall sampling periods. BTEX concentration levels and rank order among the species were similar between the two cities. In Sarnia, the relationships between the BTEX species varied depending on location. Correlation analysis between land use and concentration ratios showed a strong influence from local industries. Use one of the ratios between the BTEX species to diagnose photochemical age may be biased due to point source emissions, for example, 53 tonnes of benzene and 86 tonnes of toluene in Sarnia. However, considering multiple ratios leads to better conclusions regarding photochemical aging. Ratios obtained in the sampling campaigns showed significant deviation from those obtained at central monitoring stations, with less difference in the (m + p)/E ratio but better overall agreement in Windsor than in Sarnia.


In this paper, we propose an automated and scalable garment recommender system using real-time in-store videos that can improve the experiences of garment shoppers and increase product sales. The video-based automated recommender (VAR) system is based on observations that garment shoppers tend to try on garments and evaluate themselves in front of store mirrors. Combining state-of-the-art computer vision techniques with marketing models of consumer preferences, the system automatically identifies shoppers' preferences based on their reactions and uses that information to make meaningful personalized recommendations. First, the system uses a camera to capture a shopper's behavior in front of the mirror to make inferences about her preferences based on her facial expressions and the part of the garment she is examining at each time point. Second, the system identifies shoppers with preferences similar to the focal customer from a database of shoppers whose preferences, purchasing, and/or consideration decisions are known. Finally, recommendations are made to the focal customer based on the preferences, purchasing, and/or consideration decisions of these like-minded shoppers. Each of the three steps can be implemented with several variations, and a retailing chain can choose the specific configuration that best serves its purpose. In this paper, we present an empirical test that compares one specific type of VAR system implementation against two alternative, nonautomated personal recommender systems: self-explicated conjoint (SEC) and self-evaluation after try-on (SET). The results show that VAR consistently outperforms SEC and SET. A second empirical study demonstrates the feasibility of VAR in real-time applications. Participants in the second study enjoyed the VAR experience, and almost all of them tried on the recommended garments. VAR should prove to be a valuable tool for both garment retailers and shoppers.Data, as supplemental material, are available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/mksc.2016.0984 .


This paper describes the application of on-line monitoring system for recording welding current and voltage during stud arc welding with a ceramic ferrule. Recorded values of welding current and voltage are analyzed off-line for the weld process with both stable arcs and processes with purposely induced instabilities, and presented as welding current versus voltage distribution diagrams. In the second part of the paper, stability is evaluated from the welding voltage and current relationship diagrams, and also the macro sections of weld joints with good weld quality and with weld defects are presented.


One of the most controversial issues in the Parthian history of the early 1st century AD is the lineage of Artabanos II. The resolution of this problem determines the image of Parthian history in the 1st century AD, moulded to a large extent by an internecine struggle for the legitimation of rival parties' claim to power. After the death of Phraates IV (37–3/2 BC) Parthia was ravaged by domestic wars. The power of his son, Phraates V (Phraatakes), turned out to be rather ephemeral. He was succeeded by one Orodes III, an Arsacid but of unknown lineage, who reigned for a short time, and this by Vonones I, son of Phraates IV. Eventually a new order initiated by Artabanos II (ca. 8–39/40), the adversary of the descendants of Phraates IV, emerged out of the chaos of war and political turmoil. The time when Artabanos's ancestral house rose to a high position in Parthia seems to be located somewhere within the turbulent first decade or so of the reign of Phraates IV. We may put forward a hypothesis that a branch of the Arsacids which survived the turmoil of the Sinatrukid period lived among the Dahae. It was from this line that Artabanos II was descended. Artabanos came to rule in Media Atropatene in circumstances which have not been clarified yet. And it was from Media Atropatene that he launched and conducted his struggle for the throne of Parthia against Vonones I. We may assume his ancestry went back to the greatest Arsacid monarch before the Sinatrukids, viz. Mithradates II. The descendants of Phraates IV did not regard any of the other branches of the Arsacids eligible to the throne. The assumption that Artabanos was an Arsacid in the male line is confirmed by Flavius Josephus (Ant. 18.48) and Dio (59.17.3).


The effect of plant oils (olive, palm, corn, sunflower and soya bean) addition at different concentrations (0.5%. 1.0%, 2.0% and 4.0%) producing mycelium biomass (MBS) and exopolysaccharides (EPS) in submerged fermentation using a local strain Schizophyllum commune was determined. Additional of all type of plant oils exhibit higher yield of MBS and EPS than without plant oils. The highest production of MBS was obtained at 26.08 g/L in 4.0% palm oil, while in control (without plant oils) gave only 12.16 g/L of MBS. The maximum concentration of EPS was produced is 2.2 g/L from medium containing 1.0% and 4.0% of olive oil; and 2.0% of sunflower oil. The best treatment containing 4.0% of corn oil was selected since it showed high production of MBS (23.44 g/L) and EPS (2.1 g/L) compared to other treatments. However, the addition of 4.0% of palm oil in submerged culture of local strain Schizophyllum commune was preferred since it also showed the good result on production of MBS (26.08 g/L) and EPS (2.0 g/L). Palm oil is locally source and cheap, therefore, the MBS can be produced in local industry with cost-effective. The MBS will be used as liquid spawn (seed) or extraction of bioactive compounds in pharmaceutical industry. Key word: Exopolysaccharides, Liquid spawn, Mycelium biomass, Plant oils, Schizophyllum commune, Submerged fermentation.


Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a leading public health problem affecting as many as 4 million Americans. Chronic HCV infection can progress to hepatocellular carcinoma, cirrhosis and death. Interferon-α-based therapies, initially as monotherapy and later in combination with ribavirin, have proven effective in the treatment of HCV infection, but standard interferon is hampered pharmacokinetically by a short half life. With the advent of the pegylated-interferons, administered in combination with oral ribavirin, the chances for HCV eradication have improved further. Peginterferon α-2b, the formuation discussed in this review, provides greater antiviral pressure while maintaining a tolerable side-effect profile with more convenient once-weekly dosing. Clinical trials have focused on treatment-naive patients as well as on many different HCV subpopulations, including difficult-to-treat patients such as previous interferon therapy failures and patients with HCV cirrhosis.


To report the clinical and radiological outcomes of arthroscopic bone grafting and percutaneous K-wire fixation without radial styloidectomy in patients with scaphoid nonunion advanced collapse (SNAC). We retrospectively analyzed the records of 15 patients with SNAC who were treated with arthroscopic bone grafting and percutaneous K-wire fixation and subsequently followed up for a minimum of 1 year between November 2009 and March 2018. The clinical outcomes were evaluated by comparing the range of motion (ROM), grip strength, the modified Mayo Wrist Score, and visual analog scale (VAS) scores for pain, all of which were measured preoperatively and at the last follow-up. The radiologic outcomes were evaluated by comparing the scapholunate (SL) and radiolunate (RL) angles preoperatively and at the last follow-up. All 15 cases of nonunion were resolved. The average radiologic union time was 9.7 ± 1.2 weeks. The average VAS score increased from 5.7 ± 2.3 (range, 2 − 10) preoperatively to 1.3 ± 1.3 (range, 0 − 3) at the last follow-up (P < .05). The average modified Mayo wrist score increased from 58.3 ± 14.0 preoperatively to 80.0 ± 9.2 at the last follow-up (P < .05). The mean ROM of the wrist improved, but there was no statistical significance. At the last follow-up, the mean flexion and radial deviation on the affected side were significantly decreased, and the mean extension on the affected side was significantly improved compared to the normal side (P < .05). The mean preoperative SL and RL angles were 66 ± 11.9° and 7.2 ± 6.8°, respectively, and were decreased to 50.4 ± 7.5° and 6.4 ± 5.2°, respectively, at the last follow-up. The mean SL angle was significantly corrected (P = .01). Arthroscopic bone grafting and percutaneous Kerschner (K)-wire fixation without radial styloidectomy are considered to be very effective methods for correcting scaphoid deformities to treat SNAC stage I. However, caution may be needed during the surgery to prevent reductions in flexion and the radial deviation of the wrist.


We study the formation of dark states and the Aharonov—Bohm effect in symmetrically/asymmetrically coupled three- and four-quantum-dot systems. It is found that without a transverse magnetic field, destructive interference can trap an electron in a dark state. However, the introduction of a transverse magnetic field can disrupt the dark state, giving rise to oscillation in current. For symmetrically structured quantum-dot systems, the oscillation has a period of one flux quanta. But for asymmetrically structured dot systems, the period of oscillation is halved. In addition, the dephasing due to charge noise also blocks the formation of dark states, while it does not change the period of oscillation.


Abstract Complete medical examinations were performed on 20 wild Decken's sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi deckeni) and 20 wild red-fronted brown lemurs (Eulemur fulvus rufus) from western Madagascar. Each animal received a complete physical examination, and weight, body temperature, heart rate, and respiratory rate were recorded and ectoparasites collected. Blood samples were collected for complete blood cell count, differential white blood cell count, hemoparasite examination, serum biochemical profile, fat-soluble vitamin analysis, trace mineral analysis, and toxoplasmosis and viral serology. Fecal samples were collected for bacterial culture and endoparasite examination. Significant differences exist between the species for serum chemistry values for creatine phosphokinase, glucose, total protein, albumin, globulin, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, phosphorus, potassium, and chloride; for fat-soluble vitamins 25-hydroxycholecalciferol, retinol, retinyl palmitate, γ-tocopherol, α-tocopherol, and lutein + zeaxanthin; and serum copper. Parasites detected include Lemurostrongylus spp., Lemuricola spp., Trichurus spp., and ectoparasites Haemaphysalis lemuris, Psoroptes, and mites identified to the family Laelapidae. Enteric bacterial flora included Escherichia coli, Citrobacter ssp., Enterococcus faecalis, Bacillus cereus, Klebsiella ozaenae, Acinetobacter lwofii, and Enterobacter amnigenus.


This study suggests that in-group loyalty, defined as the degree to which people favor their own group over others, undermines the punishment of corruption. We present evidence from two studies. First, we utilize a real-world corruption scandal involving the ruling party in Spain that broke during survey fieldwork. People exposed to the scandal withhold support from the incumbent, but in-group loyalty based on partisanship weakens this effect. Second, we explore in-group loyalty beyond partisanship through laboratory experiments. These experiments artificially induce group identities, randomly assign the group identity of candidates and shut down any instrumental benefits of in-group loyalty. The experimental evidence suggests that people support corrupt candidates as long as they share a group identity and are willing to sacrifice material payoffs to do so. Our findings have important implications. Most importantly perhaps, they suggest that candidates can get away with corruption by engaging in identity politics.


The surgery-first approach (SFA) or Surgery-first Orthognathic approach (SFOA) without pre-surgical orthodontic treatment, has become favoured in the treatment of dentomaxillofacial deformities. Conventional orthognathic surgery treatment involves orthodontic interventions both before and after orthognathic surgery, making the total treatment period of 3-4 years and temporary worsening of facial profile. Surgery-first approach involves orthognathic surgery being carried out first, followed by orthodontic treatment to align the teeth and occlusion and it takes the advantage of corticotomy- facilitated orthodontics allowing rapid tooth movement thus reducing treatment duration. The purpose of this article is to present a case of skeletal class III malocclusion treated with surgery-first approach with emphasis on selection of case, treatment protocol, indications, advantages and disadvantages of surgery-first approach.


A Thesis/Dissertation Submitted in Partial/Fulfilment of the
Requirements for Award of the Degree of Masterof Business Administration in
Corporate Management (MBAcm) of Mzumbe University


This paper tests theories of representation by studying laws that were challenged by referendum. For these laws, we can compare legislator roll call votes and citizen votes on the same law. In a sample of 3,242 roll call votes on 25 laws in nine states, I find that legislators voted congruent with majority opinion in their district 67 percent of the time, so representation generally "worked." However, when legislator preferences differed from district opinion on an issue, legislators voted congruent with district opinion only 28 percent of the time. Electoral pressure measured by vote margin, proximity of next election, and term limits had at most a modest connection with congruence. The evidence is broadly consistent with the assumption of the citizen-candidate (or trustee) theory that legislators vote their own preferences.


Background—The antiarrhythmic drugs quinidine and verapamil are known to block α1-adrenoceptors (α1ARs). α1ARs are a heterogeneous family of three subtypes (α1A, α1B, and α1D), and little is known about the effects of quinidine and verapamil on the different human α1AR subtypes. Methods and Results—Reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction showed that all α1AR subtypes are expressed in both human heart (atrium and ventricle) and the mesenteric artery. Pharmacological profiles of quinidine and verapamil actions on the α1AR subtypes were characterized with Chinese hamster ovary cells stably expressing cloned human α1AR subtypes. Radioligand binding studies showed that quinidine and verapamil had high affinities for all α1AR subtypes. Also, both drugs synergistically inhibited α1AR-mediated inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate production at the clinical effective concentration range (1 μmol/L quinidine and 0.1 μmol/L verapamil). Conclusions—The results show that all α1AR subtypes are expressed in the human card...


The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system plays an important role in the hydroelectrolytic balance, blood pressure regulation, and cell growth. In some studies, the insertion (I) allele of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene, associated with a lower ACE activity, has been found in excess frequency in elite endurance athletes, suggesting that decreased ACE activity could be involved in endurance performance (Myerson S, Hemingway H, Budget R, Martin J, Humphries S, and Montgomery H. J Appl Physiol 87: 1313-1316, 1999). To test this hypothesis, we evaluated whether ACE inhibition could be associated with improved endurance performance and muscle oxidative capacity in rats. Eight male Wistar rats were treated for 10-12 wk with an ACE inhibitor, perindopril (2 mg.kg-1.day-1), and compared with eight control rats. Endurance time was measured on a treadmill, and oxidative capacity and regulation of mitochondrial respiration by substrates were evaluated in saponin-permeabilized fibers of slow soleus and fast gastrocnemius muscles. Endurance time did not differ between groups (57 +/- 5 min for perindopril vs. 55 +/- 6 min for control). Absolute and relative (to body weight) left ventricular weight was 20% (P < 0.01) and 12% (P < 0.01) lower, respectively, in the treated group. No difference in oxidative capacity, mitochondrial enzyme activities, or mitochondrial regulation by ADP was observed in soleus or gastrocnemius. Mitochondrial respiration with glycerol 3-phosphate was 17% higher in gastrocnemius (P < 0.03) and with octanoylcarnitine 14% greater in soleus (P < 0.01) of treated rats. These results demonstrate that ACE inhibition was not associated with improved endurance time and maximal oxidative capacity of skeletal muscles. This suggests that ACE activity has no implication in endurance capacity and only minor effects on mitochondrial function in sedentary animals.


Natural dyes are recently becoming object of consumer interests  because of the harmful effects of the synthetic dyes. The dyeing with natural  colourants was one of the oldest techniques practiced by the ancient civilization  people. An ethnobotanical study was conducted between 2012 and 2015 in order  to determine wild plants used in Savastepe. Savastepe is a town and district of  Balikesir Province in the Marmara region of Turkey. With this study, we aimed to  document traditional uses of dye plants in Savastepe (Balikesir). According to the  results of the identification, 15 species belonging to 12 families were used as dye  source. Used parts of plants were flowers, fruits, leaves, roots, seeds and galls.


This application paper presents details of the technique we developed to produce an adaptive and quality tetrahedral finite element mesh model of a human heart. Beginning from a polygonal surface model consisting of twenty-two components, we first edit and convert it to volumetric gridded data. A component index for each cell edge and grid point is computed for assisting the boundary and material layer detection. Next we extract adaptive and quality tetrahedral meshes from the volumetric gridded data using our Level Set Boundary and Interior-Exterior (LBIE) Mesher. The mesh adaptivity is controlled using a feature sensitive error function. Multiple layers with different materials were identified and meshed. Furthermore, one of the heart valves in the input multi-component surface model was replaced. The extracted final tetrahedral mesh is being utilized in the analysis of cardiac fluid dynamics via finite element simulations.


We report on a new class of thermoresponsive biodegradable polyesters (TR-PE) inspired by polyacrylamides and elastin-like proteins (ELPs). The polyesters display reversible phase transition with tunable cloud point temperatures (Tcp) in aqueous solution as evidenced by UV–vis spectroscopy, 1H NMR, and DLS measurements. These polyesters form coacervate droplets above their lower critical solution temperature (LCST). The Tcp of the polyesters is influenced by the solutes such as urea, SDS, and NaCl. The Tcp of the copolymers shows a linear correlation with the composition of the polyesters indicating the ability to tune the phase change temperature. We also show that such thermoresponsive coacervates are capable of encapsulating small molecules such as Nile Red. Furthermore, the polyesters are hydrolytically degradable.


The LISA Optical Stability Characterization project is part of the LISA CTP activities to achieve the required Technology Readiness Level (TRL) for all of the LISA technologies used. This activity aims demonstration of the Telescope Assembly (TA), with a structure based on CFRP technology, that a CTE of 10-7 1/K can be achieved with measures to tune the CTE to this level. In addition the demonstration is required to prove that the structure exhibits highly predictable mechanical distortion characteristics when cooling down to - 90°C, during outgassing in space and when going from 1g environment to 0g. This paper describes the test facilities as well as the first test results. A dedicated test setup is designed and realized to allow monitoring dimensional variations of the TA using three interferometers, while varying the temperature in a thermal vacuum chamber. Critical parameters of the verification setup are the length metrology accuracy in thermal vacuum and the thermal vacuum flexibility and stability. The test programme includes Telescope Assembly CTE measurements and thermal gradient characterization.


This case describes the efforts of Hillerman Hotels to turnaround the operating performance of the Westward Hilton and Towers, a hotel they purchased out of bankruptcy when the previous owner was forced to sell the property. The general manager charged with the turnaround, Carl Gregg, began by developing a clear strategy and then innovatively devising human resource activities to implement his vision. Carl Gregg is now the executive vice president of operations and oversees the dozen-plus midand upscale hotels, owned and operated by the hotel subsidiary of the parent firm, Hillerman Enterprises. Before Gregg and the other corporate officers is a business decision to sell the Westward Hilton and Towers. As Gregg wrestles with this opportunity he worries about the impact of the decision on the hotel staff of Westward, and wonders how this decision might alter the culture and employee morale of the entire hotel group.


: In 102 patients, to whom the total coxofemoral endoprosthesis was performed, and in 19--the knee joint endoprosthesis was done, reinfusion of blood, collected from the drain, was applied. The application of blood reinfusion have permitted to reduce quantity of the donor's blood applied or to escape it at all.


This study was designed to investigate dietary life related to sodium of participants in hypertension and diabetes preventive education at the public health center located in Incheon Metropolitan City. Subjects were comprised of 301 adults (males: 102, female: 199) of age 50 years and above. The questionnaire for dietary life and salty taste assessment were performed on the subjects. Data were analyzed using SPSS package (ver. 18.0). According to the result of questionnaire for dietary behavior, 70% of the subjects were in the low salt intake group (p


As Internet-based pharmacies proliferate, hospitals--and regulators--scramble to keep pace. When in e-prescribing legitimate, and when does it subvert the medical process?


. Kiasari MSh, Sagheb-Talebi Kh, Rahmani R, Ghelichnia H. 2023. Comparison of plant diversity between managed and unmanaged forests in Haftkhal, Mazandaran Province, North of Iran. Asian J For 7: 106-113. The relationship of plant diversity with silvicultural practices has not been fully understood for the oriental beech forests ( Fagus orientalis Lipsky), which is a widespread forest tree in the Hyrcanian Region, Iran. The implementation of appropriate forestry practices in the oriental beech forests is therefore crucial in terms of sustainable forest management. Hence, assessing the impacts of silvicultural practices on plant diversity is essential with the regard to sustainable forest management. This study aimed to compare plant species diversity between two managed and unmanaged forest stands in Mazandaran Province, Iran. Forest inventory in an area of 131 ha was performed using in a systematic random sampling with a 150 × 200 m grid size. In addition, the area of sampling was 100 m 2 (10 × 10 m). Twenty and thirty sampling plots were established in managed (compartment No. 8) and unmanaged (compartment No. 36) forests, respectively. Shannon-Wiener and Simpson Indices were used to calculate plant species diversity, while Margalef and Sheldon indices were used to determine species richness and evenness, respectively. The results revealed that 50 and 56 plant species were found in managed and unmanaged forests, respectively. Rosaceae, Asteraceae, and Fabaceae were the main families in these studied areas. This study showed that the diversity and richness of plants in the managed forest slightly increased compared to the unmanaged forest. On the other hand, the evenness of plants in the managed forest slightly decreased compared to the unmanaged forest. Changes in plant diversity indices between managed and unmanaged forests were not statistically significant. This research showed that forest management of oriental beech forests using the single-tree selection cutting has not reduced or weakened the diversity of plant species in the managed forest compared to the unmanaged forest.


The "capillary pulse" has been of interest to clinicians ever since Quincke1first called attention to it in 1868. Nothing, however, has been added to his original description of the condition, nor to his discussion of the probable mechanism by which it is brought about. Two observers before Quincke noted the phenomenon in isolated cases, but failed to appreciate the frequency of its occurrence or its significance. Lebert2cites the case of a patient with an aortic aneurysm who exhibited systolic flushing and diastolic paling of the cheeks. Ascherson3observed a child 7 years of age with varicella following scarlatina, in whom the papules and the bases of the vesicles reddened in diastole and paled in systole. This was very evident for four days, but after that it was only demonstrable when the skin about the lesion was stretched. Both authors attributed the phenomenon to a pulsation of the capillaries.


Between 1992 and 2003, a total of 2029 aneurysms in 1748 patients were treated by endovascular occlusion with electrolytically detachable coils. In this series, electrolytically detachable platinum coils with Nylon fibers (Sapphire Detachable Coil System, MTI, Irvine, CA, USA) were used in 474 aneurysms solely or in combination with bare coils from various manufacturers. To determine the safety and clinical efficacy of Nylon fibered coils for the endovascular treatment of intracranial aneurysms in comparison to bare platinum coils a thorough retrospective statistical analysis by means of logistic regression and matched pairs analysis was performed. Only treatments with data for all matching variables were used, resulting in 421 matched pairs. The analysis was performed with respect to clinical status and numerous parameters concerning individual aneurysm characteristics (e.g., location, neck width, fundus diameter). Treatment-related parameters included the use and percentage of fibered coils, occlusion rate, procedural complications, early clinical outcome and Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) scores. Finally, long-term follow-up results (particularly recurrence, cause of recurrence and post treatment haemorrhage) were evaluated. Both logistic regression and matched pairs analysis sho wed a statistically improved occlusion rate if fibered coils had been used (96% largely occluded with the use of fibered coils vs. 84–85% with the exclusive use of bare coils). However, the amount of fibered coils calculated as percentage of coil length did not seem to have significant impact. Procedures with fibered coils did not lead to a higher rate of thromboembolic events (8.0% for fibered vs. 10.5% for bare coils). The apparently better clinical outcome in the group treated with fibered coils determined by both postprocedural outcome and GOS, did not reach statistical significance. Analysis of the anatomical properties showed no differences between the groups treated with bare and fibered coils in terms of neck width, fundus diameter, and anatomic location. As expected, a higher occlusion rate was achieved in aneurysms with smaller neck and fundus independent from the type of coil used. On follow up angiography, there was an apparently lower rate of recurrence secondary to coil compaction in the group treated with fibered coils, but these data were compromised by the fact that up to date only about one third of 474 aneurysms treated with fibered coils had undergone angiographic follow-up and this did not reach statistical significance. From our experiences, we conclude that the use of fibered electrolytically detachable platinum coils in aneurysm treatment leads to significantly improved occlusion rates compared to the sole use of bare platinum coils. We hope that with increasing follow-up data we will be able to confirm that the apparently reduced recurrence rates for aneurysms treated with fibered coils can be proven with statistical significance.


Use of direct sequence code division multiple access (DS CDMA) has recently been the object of much at- tention in the research and development of a multi-service personal communications network. The performance of such a system is usually given in terms of the bit error rate its a function of the number of active users for a given sig- nal to noise ratio. We have investigated the degradation in the performance of a BPSK modulated, bi-phase spread DS CDMA system due to synchronization errors. A Fourier series approach has been used to find an infinite series repre- sentation for the probability of error when both chip timing and carrier phase errors are present. The analysis requires the characteristic functions of both the multiple access inter- ference and self interference and these functions have been expressed in terms of the special functions of mathematical physics. Computation of the infinite series is very fast as a whole bit error curve can be generated in minutes on a Sparc IPX workstation. The infinite series is also compared with the standard Gaussian approximation and an alterna- tive Gaussian approximation found in the literature. The series is then used to assess the reduction in system capacity when synchronization errurs are present in the system. We have expressed this degradation in the system performance as an effective processing gain reduction.


In this work we propose long wave infrared (LWIR) imagery as a viable supporting modality for semantic segmentation using learning-based techniques. We first address the problem of RGB-thermal camera calibration by proposing a passive calibration target and procedure that is both portable and easy to use. Second, we present PST900, a dataset of 894 synchronized and calibrated RGB and Thermal image pairs with per pixel human annotations across four distinct classes from the DARPA Subterranean Challenge. Lastly, we propose a CNN architecture for fast semantic segmentation that combines both RGB and Thermal imagery in a way that leverages RGB imagery independently. We compare our method against the state-of-the-art and show that our method outperforms them in our dataset.


This study aimed to determine the most accurate microbiological test for the detection of micro-organisms in infected diabetic foot ulcerations in people living with type-2 Diabetes. For 20 eligible patients, a superficial tissue swab and a deep tissue sample were taken during a regular appointment at a Diabetes out-patient's Podiatry Clinic. Two specimens were collected from each wound for microbial culturing after debridement. Infected foot ulcerations were graded according to the Wagner's classification as per clinical protocol. This study found a significant difference [p = 0.028] between the two different samples. The deep tissue sample was found to be more accurate in identifying micro-organisms than the superficial swabs, although the latter is more widely used in clinical practice. Further studies are warranted to provide more evidence to clinicians on the best method to adopt when swabbing different types of diabetic foot ulcerations with different wound classification since, it is clearly still a matter of debate how to detect wound infection.


Species of Botrychium reproduce by spores that form subterranean gametophytes and a few, like B. pumicola, also reproduce asexually with subterranean sporophytic gemmae. The goal of this study was to examine the genetic diversity of B. pumicola populations and to better understand the role of gemmae. Ninety-nine individuals from three monitored populations were sampled. The technique of inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSR) produced 15 polymorphic loci and identified 71 ISSR genotypes. Sixteen of the ISSR genotypes were shared by more that one individual in a population, representing potential clones. Ten of the 16 shared genotypes were not limited to clusters of plants (groups of plants growing from the same point). The ten potential clones were disjunct (separated by other genotypes) and not in patches as might be expected for an underground propagule. There is a high probability that these shared genotypes arose from independent sexual events suggesting they were not clones. These results suggest that the long-distance dispersal of gemmae is at best a rare event.


Purpose: The study sought to analyze the drivers for participation in corporate social responsibility by commercial banks in Kenya. The study was guided by the following specific objectives: to determine the factors influencing participation in corporate social responsibility by commercial banks in Kenya; to analyze the drivers for participation in corporate social responsibility by commercial banks in Kenya; to evaluate the specific CSR activities undertaken by the commercial banks in Kenya; to assess the business case for corporate social responsibility in commercial banks in Kenya; and to examine the possible recommendations that could be employed by commercial banks to enhance effectiveness of the CSR activities they undertake. Methodology: A descriptive survey was undertaken, focusing on all the commercial banks registered and licensed to undertake commercial banking business in Kenya, whose number stood at 45 as at December, 2008. The respondent from each of the commercial banks was the Chief Executive Officer. A representative sample of 27 commercial banks, representing about 60 per cent of the whole population was selected to participate in the study. Primary data was collected with the aid of a semi-structured questionnaire that was administered by hand delivery. Data pertaining to the profile of respondents was analyzed by employing content analysis while data pertaining to the objectives of the study was analyzed by employing descriptive statistics. Statistical Package for Social Sciences was used in the analysis. Computation of frequencies in tables, charts and bar graphs, mean scores and standard deviations were used in data presentation. Findings: The key findings of the study indicate that the factors influencing participation in corporate social responsibility by commercial banks in Kenya can be categorized into four economic factors, legal factor, ethical factors and philanthropic factors.


BACKGROUND:Probiotic bacteria exhibit a variety of properties, including immunomodulatory activity, which are unique to a particular strain. Thus, not all species will necessarily have the same therapeutic potential in a particular condition. We have preliminary evidence that Bifidobacterium infantis 35624 may have utility in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).OBJECTIVES:This study was designed to confirm the efficacy of the probiotic bacteria B. infantis 35624 in a large-scale, multicenter, clinical trial of women with IBS. A second objective of the study was to determine the optimal dosage of probiotic for administration in an encapsulated formulation.METHODS:After a 2-wk baseline, 362 primary care IBS patients, with any bowel habit subtype, were randomized to either placebo or freeze-dried, encapsulated B. infantis at a dose of 1 × 106, 1 × 108, or 1 × 1010, cfu/mL for 4 wk. IBS symptoms were monitored daily and scored on to a 6-point Likert scale with the primary outcome variable being abdominal pain or discomfort. A composite symptom score, the subject's global assessment of IBS symptom relief, and measures of quality of life (using the IBS-QOL instrument) were also recorded.RESULTS:B. infantis 35624 at a dose of 1 × 108 cfu was significantly superior to placebo and all other bifidobacterium doses for the primary efficacy variable of abdominal pain as well as the composite score and scores for bloating, bowel dysfunction, incomplete evacuation, straining, and the passage of gas at the end of the 4-wk study. The improvement in global symptom assessment exceeded placebo by more than 20% (p < 0.02). Two other doses of probiotic (1 × 106 and 1 × 1010) were not significantly different from placebo; of these, the 1 × 1010 dose was associated with significant formulation problems. No significant adverse events were recorded.CONCLUSIONS:B. infantis 35624 is a probiotic that specifically relieves many of the symptoms of IBS. At a dosage level of 1 × 108 cfu, it can be delivered by a capsule making it stable, convenient to administer, and amenable to widespread use. The lack of benefits observed with the other dosage levels of the probiotic highlight the need for clinical data in the final dosage form and dose of probiotic before these products should be used in practice.


The acceleration response of fiber optic mandrel hydrophone is studied based on the theory of elastic dynamics in this paper. For the first time the influence of the optical fiber on the acceleration response is taken into consideration. And the derivation of the radial deformation of the mandrel is presented in details. The acceleration response is evaluated both theoretically and experimentally and the results are in good agreement.


How does 'place' contribute to the credibility of scientific claims? The Chicago School of urban studies (1918-32) had close ties to the city for which it was named: its social scientists lived in Chicago, were affiliated with the University of Chicago, and made Chicago the object of almost all of their empirical research. In order for this city to become a legitimate source of claims about urban form and process, Chicago is textually made to oscillate between two available authorizing spaces. As a field-site, the city of Chicago becomes a found and uncorrupted reality, the singularly ideal place to do urban research, and requiring the analyst to get up- close and personal. As a laboratory, Chicago becomes a controlled environment where artificial specimens yield generalities true anywhere, requiring of the analyst distance and objectivity. The distinctive epistemic virtues of both field and laboratory are preserved as complementary sources of credibility, and Chicago becomes the right place for the job.


The study was a field validation of the effectiveness of an auxiliary high-mounted stoplamp in reducing rear-end collisions. A previous study (DOT-HS-803-467), using taxicabs, found a 54 percent reduction in relevant rear-end impacts to vehicles equipped with the auxiliary stoplamp. The present study used 5,400 telephone company passenger vehicles, half test, half control, which accumulated 55 million miles during a 12-month continuous data collection period. The results showed a statistically significant 53 percent reduction in relevant rear-end impact rate in the test group as compared to the control group. The findings were thus consistent with the previous study on taxicabs.


Background
Advanced cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. Novel second-line treatments for advanced CCA underscore the need to understand treatment patterns and economic burden of illness in clinical practice.

Methods
This retrospective, claims-based study using Optum's de-identified Clinformatics® Data Mart Database [2007-2019] selected patients with CCA who experienced failure of a line of therapy containing either gemcitabine or fluorouracil. The index date was defined based on evidence of treatment failure: date of last administration of the gemcitabine- or fluorouracil-based regimen plus 28 days, or initiation date of the next-line systemic therapy. Treatment patterns, healthcare resource use (HRU), costs, and survival were assessed during the follow-up period (index until death or end of eligibility).

Results
A total of 1,298 patients met inclusion criteria and had a mean age of 69.1 years. There were 958 patients (73.8%) with intrahepatic and 275 patients (21.2%) with extrahepatic CCA. Average follow-up was 7.5 months. Almost 40% of patients did not receive another line of therapy after the index date. Among the 784 patients who received another line of therapy, 40.3% used fluorouracil-based therapy, 30.7% used gemcitabine-based therapy, and 29.3% used capecitabine-based therapy. Total mean per patient per month CCA-related healthcare costs were $7,743, with medical services ($6,685) a larger driver of monthly costs relative to treatment costs ($1,058). Median overall survival (OS) was 5.3 months among all patients.

Conclusions
Many patients with advanced CCA do not initiate additional therapy after failure of gemcitabine or fluorouracil treatment, and there is considerable variation in treatments among those who do. This study highlights the high costs and unmet need for a standard of care in this patient population.


The 21st century graduate must be able to interact with people from all over the world and must also be knowledgeable about the world (Longview Foundation, 2008). In order to produce graduates that are globally competent, The National Council for the Accreditation of Teachers (NCATE, 1982) has mandated that multi–cultural education be incorporated as part of the teacher–preparation curricula. The purpose of this study was to identify competencies and experiences needed by agricultural pre–service teachers in order to teach globalized curricula. A modified Delphi method was used and the panel consisted of 13 (n = 13) experts in the field of agricultural teacher education with additional experience in international agricultural education or extension. Twenty competencies and two experiences were identified for pre–service agricultural educators to teach globalized curricula at the high school level.


The first step in using differential evolution algorithm to solve optimal path problems in wireless sensor networks is, to establish an optimization model on the basis of an analysis of the optimization issues in wireless sensor networks. Then use differential evolution algorithm as a search tool, to find ways in minimizing the energy consumed in the established optimization model. Finally, in contrast with classical algorithms, the results acquired from our experiments clearly demonstrated the effectiveness of the differential evolution method used in our research.


Studies indicate there are a variety of contributing factors affecting physician test ordering behaviour. Identifying these behaviours allows development of behaviour-based interventions. Methods Through a pilot study, the list of contributing factors in laboratory tests ordering, and the most ordered tests, were identified, and given to 50 medical students, interns, residents and paediatricians in questionnaire form. The results showed routine tests and peer or supervisor pressure as the most influential factors affecting physician ordering behaviour. An audit and feedback mechanism was selected as an appropriate intervention to improve physician ordering behaviour. The intervention was carried out at two intervals over a three-month period. Findings There was a large reduction in the number of laboratory tests ordered; from 908 before intervention to 389 and 361 after first and second intervention, respectively. There was a significant relationship between audit and feedback and the meaningful reduction of 7 out of 15 laboratory tests including complete blood count (p = 0.002), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (p = 0.01), C-reactive protein (p = 0.01), venous blood gas (p = 0.016), urine analysis (p = 0.005), blood culture (p = 0.045) and stool examination (p = 0.001). Conclusion The audit and feedback intervention, even in short duration, affects physician ordering behaviour. It should be designed in terms of behaviour-based intervention and diagnosis of the contributing factors in physicians' behaviour. Further studies are required to substantiate the effectiveness of such behaviour-based intervention strategies in changing physician behaviour.


Context: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a frequent pulmonary manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). No Sri Lankan studies have determined the prevalence of lung disease in RA and its associations. Aims: To find the prevalence of ILD in RA and its association with rheumatoid factor (RF), erosions, Disease activity score in 28 joints (DAS 28), disease duration, Body mass index(BMI), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), smoking, and also to determine the prevalence of lung disease with demographic factors like age, sex, and income. Settings and Design: Questionnaire based retrospective study at a District General Hospital in Sri Lanka. Materials and Methods: Diagnosed RA patients included through convenient sampling as it was a simple method that could facilitate data collection in a short duration. Since all patients with a diagnosis of RA were eligible, all consecutive patients with a diagnosis of RA at the rheumatology clinics were included in the study. To reduce the bias a large sample of patients were used as well as patients attending different rheumatology clinics were included and also patients who were referred to the hospital from peripheries were included in the study. The calculated sample size was 384 and according to patient numbers attending clinics, a period of 6 months was decided to select the study sample. Statistical Analysis Used: Chi-Square calculation and logistic regression analysis using Minitab 17 software. Results: From 384 patients, the prevalence of ILD was 14.58%, been 5.4% in early RA (<2 years disease duration). Mean age of ILD group was 52.94 years (95% CI 64.66-41.22). Mean RA duration was 7.69 years (95% CI, 2.38-12.99). Male to female sex ratio of RA was 1:7, and that of ILD was 2:9. DAS 28 was 4.58 (95% CI, 3.48-5.68). Statistically significant associations were noted with ILD and DAS 28 (P = .0006), ESR (P = .005), RF (P = .03), erosions (P < .00001), and smoking (P < .05). Mean BMI was 22.67 kg and 75.78% had low income (<50 000 rupees/month = 327 US $). Conclusions: ILD significantly associates RA severity indices like DAS 28, ESR, erosions, RF, and also with smoking. No significant association was found with BMI or gender difference. Therefore, disease severity indices could be used to predict progression to ILD in RA.


The aim of this study was to assess the effect of carvacrol supplement as a dietary additive to rumen fermentors, fed a barley seed:alfalfa hay (70:30) ration and to compare its effect with monensin supplementation. The material was incubated with goat ruminal fluid and four different treatments were included: no additive (C), 7.5 mg/l monensin (M), 250 mg/l carvacrol (C250) and 500 mg/l carvacrol (C500). The addition of carvacrol reduced in vitro dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP) and neutral-detergent fibre (NDF) digestion. The effects induced by C250 on DM digestion at 72 h of incubation were comparable with those of M, whereas a greater reduction was obtained when carvacrol was supplemented at 500 mg/l concentration (68.9, 68.5 and 53.0 v. 76.1% for M, C250 and C500 v. C, respectively). The reduced CP potential degradability by supplements (51.2, 53.9 and 51.5 v. 72.8% for M, C250 and C500 v. C, respectively) was mainly caused by a reduction of the slowly degradable fraction. Volatile fatty acid (VFA) profiles determined after 48 h of incubation showed C250 increased butyrate and decreased acetate proportions, whereas M mainly stimulated propionate proportions, suggesting that the mechanism of action of carvacrol and M differs. C500 significantly reduced total VFA production. Carvacrol could be of great interest for its usage as a potential modulator of ruminal fermentation. Future research, including in vivo studies, in order to understand the factors that contribute to its antimicrobial activity and the selection of the optimal dose is required.


In wireless sensor networks (WSN), message security is an important concern. The protection of integrity and confidentiality of information and the protection from unauthorized access are important issues. However, due to factors such as resource limitations, absence of centralized access points, open wireless medium and small size of the sensor nodes, the implementation of security in WSN is a challenging task.

In this paper, we propose a protocol, quality-based distance vector routing (QDV), for securing WSN using concepts based on Ant colony optimization ACO [1]. Two fundamental parameters—quality-of-service (QoS) and reputation [2]—are used. The high value of reputation of a node signifies that the node is trusted and is more reliable for data communication purposes. As a node shows signs of misbehavior, its reputation decreases, which, in turn, affects its quality-of-security QSec [2], thereby disabling the malicious nodes from gaining access to the network. By incorporating these two factors, we are able to distinguish the nodes present in the network. We, then, present a method to achieve "equilibrium" where the node is able to guarantee that its neighbors are secure. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


We describe an apparatus which concurrently and independently measures the parameters determining thermoelectric material conversion efficiency: the Seebeck coefficient, thermal conductivity, and electrical resistivity. The apparatus is designed to characterize thermoelectric materials which are technologically relevant for waste heat energy conversion, and may operate from room temperature to 400 °C. It is configured so the heat flux is axially confined along two boron nitride rods of known thermal conductance. The Seebeck coefficient and thermal conductivity are obtained in steady-state using a differential technique, while the electrical resistivity is obtained using a four-point lock-in amplification method. Measurements on the newly developed NIST Seebeck standard reference material are presented in the temperature range from 50 °C to 250 °C.


Abstract Background and aims Research on the development of gaming disorder assumes that the quality of reinforcement learning as well as the content of use expectancies are initially rewarding in the early stages of the addictive behavior and becomes steadily more compensatory in the later stages. This assumed transition could be reflected in gaming-related mental imagery as well as the decision to play videogames in daily life. Methods We recruited 127 individuals who play videogames. Following a strict diagnostic procedure, individuals were either classified as showing casual or at-risk gaming patterns. The experience and expectancy of reward and relief were assessed in the laboratory, followed by a 14-day ambulatory assessment asking for gaming-related mental imagery intensity and playing frequency. Besides group differences, we tested a gratification and a compensation pathway in a structural equation model among groups separately. Results Results indicate that mental imagery and playing frequency as well as reinforcement processes and use expectancies are heightened among individuals showing at-risk gaming patterns as compared to casual gaming patterns. Gaming-related mental imagery was only predicted by compensation among individuals showing casual gaming patterns, and we found no significant predictions for daily gaming frequency in any of the models. Discussion and conclusions The results implicate that individuals with at-risk gaming patterns might hold stronger learned reinforcement contingencies. Daily usage seems unaffected by these contingencies, possibly indicative of habitualized behaviors. Additionally, the results provide some support for the consideration of imaginal desire thoughts as a specific coping mechanism in the context of gaming behaviors.


U.S.P. objective tests for particle contamination in injectable fluids are based on counts of single particles in a specified test volume. Accuracy standards for these tests must therefore be based on single particle count accuracy. A definitive analysis for this purpose is described whose results can be used during a counting experiment. To improve the accuracy of particle counter data, U.S.P.XXIII has added a particle counter accuracy requirement defined in terms of a maximum particle concentration for 10 microns particles at which there is a 10% ratio of coincident occurrences. The 10% coincident count ratio cannot be directly measured: it must be calculated from experimental results using a model of the counting process. The U.S.P.XXIII count accuracy specification relies on vendor statements without definition of the methodology or model to be employed. The model of particle counting described in the literature is the Geometric Poisson model due to Jaenicke (4) and extended by Lieberman (5). Recent publications (1, 2) have shown that calculations based on this model do not agree with experimental data. This conclusion is supported and extended in this paper. The single particle counting error estimate for U.S.P.XXIII (788) SVI (3), using Jaenicke's Geometric model to evaluate a good commercial laser sourced detector, is 9.32%; the single particle count error estimate for this detector using the experimentally validated Particle-Triggered Poisson model is 19%. The count error for the concentration calculated with the Jaenicke Geometric model for the same detector is 40.5% when calculated with the validated Particle-Triggered Poisson model. The estimated count error increases for particles larger than 10 microns. Light extinction particle counters are well behaved instruments fully capable of the workhorse task of making accurate, routine single particle contamination measurements in injectable products. In principle, any particle counter instrument now in use, operated within calculated particle size and concentration contours, can deliver accurate single particle counting data. Operation within these limits both within and below the U.S.P.XXIII (788) (3) size range will assure single particle count accuracy without the injection of false counts or undercounts. These count limits vary with particle size and are determined by the capability of the counter. No single particle test can characterize the complex particle size and concentration response of a detector. In practice, selection of a counter with sufficient capability to provide the desired accuracy without constant dilution is an important consideration. When particle concentration exceeds the selected count accuracy contour, dilution and a repeat of the assay provide a practical solution.


The Mississippian Caney shale of the northern Arbuckle Mountains is differentiated into three new members, the Ahlosa, the Delaware Creek, and the Sand Branch, in ascending order. The change of the goniatite faunas from the Sand Branch down to the Delaware Creek is so complete as to suggest major time hiatus, being comparable to that between the goniatites of the lower Namurian and the upper Visean of Britain and western Europe. In the southern Arbuckle Mountains similar change is observed between the goniatites of the soft shale of the lower Goddard formation above, and those of the hard, siliceous "Caney" shale below. It is proposed to adjust the customarily accepted boundary between the Mississippian and Pennsylvanian in the northern and southern Arbuckle Mountains to the new faunal (chiefly goniatites and conodonts) and stratigraphic evidence, as follows. In the northern area the soft, non-bituminous, dark gray to gray shale with the ferruginous concretions remains wholly in the Pennsylvanian. However, in the southern Arbuckle Mountains most if not all of the soft Goddard shale with its abundant ferruginous concretions may be correlated by fossils with the upper part of the Caney shale of the northern Arbuckle Mountains (Sand Branch member). The Sand Branch is lithologically unlike the Goddard of the southern Arbuckles, being dark gray to black, and containing no ferruginous concretions; the lowe Goddard of this area, however, contains two small lentils of siliceous shale similar to that of the Caney. New genus Edmooroceras is introduced for the American and European species of Eumorphoceras distinguished by a sharp and nodose umbilical edge. Edmooroceras is restricted to the basal part of the Eumorphoceras zone, and in the Barnett formation of Texas it mingles with Goniatites and Girtyoceras in an apparently very late Visean assemblage. The lowermost series of the Pennsylvanian, the Springer, is believed to start with the Rod Club sandstone. The newly named, richly fossiliferous Redoak Hollow sandstone is placed about 600 feet above the base of the Goddard shale and between two recently discovered Eumorphoceras horizons. The subsurface Goodwin sandstone may be the equivalent of the Redoak Hollow. The Primrose sandstone originally included in the Springer by Tomlinson, is added to the overlying Morrow series, and so correlated on the evidence of the goniatites, with the Union Valley formation of the northern Arbuckles, and the Hale formation of northwestern Arkansas. However, the basal part of the Primrose seems to be of pre-Hale age. A new name, Rhoda Creek, is applied to a somewhat sandy, fossiliferous unit below the Union Valley formation in the northern Arbuckle Mountains, and separated from it by a shale interval 100-300 feet thick. A local lentil of conodont-bearing siliceous shale occurs in the basal part of the Goddard shale, and two lentils of conodont-bearing shale occur in the Sand Branch formation. The conodonts from all these lentils are described, and their illustrations assembled together with the previously known conodonts from the Barnett formation (by Roundy and by Hass), the Delaware Creek formation (Caney conodonts by Branson and Mehl), and the Johns Valley and the Wapanucka formations (by Harlton). All conodonts are illustrated to a uniform scale, and arranged in stratigraphic order. End_Page 56-------------------------


The direct intercalation of iodic acid into the layered uranyl iodate, UO2(IO3)2(H2O), has been observed to yield UO2(IO3)2(H2O).2HIO3 in crystalline form. This is the first example of this type of reaction with iodic acid.


The barrier for the interconversion of the conformational atropisomers of an aryl fluorenylidene derivative was determined by variable-temperature NMR technique. In the case of a more hindered compound the two atropisomers were isolated and the structure determined by X-ray diffraction. The absolute configuration was assigned by theoretical interpretation of the Electronic Circular Dichroism spectrum (ECD).


Wavelets have become a powerful tool for having applications in almost all the areas of engineering and science such as image coding, edge extraction, weather forecasting, statistical estimation and numerical simulation of partial differential equations. One of their main attractive features is the ability to accurately represent fairly general functions with a small number of adaptively chosen wavelet coefficients. Fascinated by the ability of wavelets, an efficient numerical scheme for solving differential equations is presented in this paper. The local property of Haar wavelets is fully applied to shorten the calculation process in the task. Some illustrative examples included to observe the performance of the scheme.


Breast cancer survivors have increased risks of developing second primary cancers due to shared etiology, life style factors but also to primary breast cancer treatment. Among 53 418 patients registered by the population based Danish Breast Cancer Cooperative Group (DBCG) during 1977–2001, 31 818 patients were treated and followed according to guidelines of DBCG. In addition to surgery 23% received tamoxifen, 23% chemotherapy and 35% radiotherapy as treatment for primary breast cancer. Second primary cancers were identified by linkage to the population based Danish Cancer Register. Cancer incidence rates of the Danish population were used for calculation of standardized incidence ratios (SIRs). Time at risk was from diagnosis of breast cancer+1 year until death or through 2002. Risk for all second primary cancers combined was increased, SIR=1.04 (95% confidence interval 0.99–1.08). Sites with significantly elevated risks included corpus uteri (SIR=1.23), ovary (1.39), soft tissues (2.24), acute leukaemia (2.02), and sites potentially inducible by breast cancer radiotherapy combined (1.11). For irradiated patients compared to non-irradiated the risk was increased for all sited combined, radiotherapy-related sites, colon and soft tissues. Tamoxifen treated had, compared to non-treated, elevated risk for cancer of corpus uteri (SIR=1.83 vs 1.04). Patients given adjuvant chemotherapy had, compared to those not, elevated risks for all sites combined (SIR=1.24 vs 1.01) and for ovary (2.16 vs 1.24). Risk for cancer of the lung, uterus and ovary was analysed using multivariate Poisson regression. For lung cancer the risk was related to radiotherapy and time since diagnosis, the relative risk for lung cancer being 1.33 (95% CI 1.00–1.77) (irradiated vs non-irradiated). Ovary cancer risk was inversely related to age at diagnosis but not to treatment and corpus uteri cancer risk related to tamoxifen treatment, relative risk 1.57. The findings are in accordance to other population based studies.


The European Brown Swiss federation, in collaboration with Interbull, funded and managed a project named Intergenomics. The goal of this project is to perform genomic evaluations of sires based on a joint analysis of all the genotypes collected around Europe. To date, six countries are involved in Intergenomics and according to the country, between 3 and 15 traits are available. In this study, we propose to compare a panel of 4 genomic selection approaches to the pedigree-based BLUP (Best Linear Unbiased Predictor). Among these 4 methodologies, performances of the genomic BLUP (GBLUP) were compared to 2 bayesian approaches (Bayesian LASSO and Bayes Cπ) and a variable selection approach (Elastic Net or EN). Except the GBLUP, the other genomic selection approaches deal with the p>>n problem (number of Single Nucleotide Polymorphism or SNP (p) is much higher than the number of bulls (n)). We compare the correlations between observed and predicted deregressed proofs for the different traits, the different country scales and the different methods. Compared to the pedigree-based BLUP, genomic selection approaches allow a gain in correlation between 6.5 and 20.9%. Bayesian LASSO, Bayes Cπ and EN give the best results with a gain of correlation around 3% compared to a GBLUP. The slope of regression is also lowest with these three methods than with the pedigree-based BLUP and the GBLUP. Consequently, over the different country scale, the mean number of traits which validate the interbull test (slope of regression between 0.8 and 1.2) is lowest for the pedigree-based BLUP (6.4 traits in average) than for the Bayesian LASSO, Bayes Cπ and EN (between 7.8 and 8 traits in average).


In a recent paper Croft et alii' reported an increase in MCV with age in a group of normal subjects, and they noted that this had also been observed by Okuno.·· We also reported this in a "normal" population in Western Australia' and noted that Eastham and Jancar had made a similar observation. Croft et alii stated that "no published reports seem to have established for certain whether the regression of MeV with age is linear or not". We therefore re-examined our data. Figure 1 shows the regression of MCV (fI) on age. The increase is linear in males and quadratic in females.


Parvalbumin-expressing interneurons (PVINs) in the spinal dorsal horn are found primarily in laminae II inner and III. Inhibitory PVINs (iPVINs) play an important in segregating innocuous tactile input from pain-processing circuits, achieved through presynaptic inhibition of myelinated low-threshold mechanoreceptors and postsynaptic inhibition of distinct spinal circuits. By comparison, relatively little is known of the role of excitatory PVINs (ePVINs) in sensory processing. Here we use neuroanatomical and optogenetic approaches to show that ePVINs comprise a larger proportion of the PVIN population than previously reported, and that both ePVIN and iPVIN populations form synaptic connections amongst (and between) themselves. We find that these cells contribute to neuronal networks that influence activity within several functionally distinct circuits, and that aberrant activity of ePVINs under pathological conditions contributes to the development of mechanical hypersensitivity.


The prison adjustment, expectations, and attitudes of offenders participating in a shock incarceration program were compared to offenders who dropped out of the program and to a comparable group of offenders serving their sentence in a regular prison. There was some evidence that before beginning the program, dropouts from shock incarceration had less prosocial attitudes than those who continued in the program. Shock incarceration offenders differed from those in the regular prison in their adjustment to prison, in their attitudes, and in the changes in these over time. In comparison to regular prison inmates, they were more positive about their prison experience, about their ability to make positive changes in their lives, and in general prosocial attitudes. It was concluded that those who continued voluntarily in the program showed evidence of positive change during shock incarceration. Future research should examine whether these changes are related to performance during parole.


A method describing radially and azimuthally polarised laser modes is presented, which is devoid of intrinsic contradictions and unjustified restrictions. The solutions of the wave equation found in the paper satisfy Maxwell's equation ▽E = 0. This allowed the calculation of all the components of the fields of such modes, including the longitudinal one. Expressions for tight focusing of radially and azimuthally polarised modes are obtained in the Debye approximation. The methods of intracavity generation of such modes in a high-power industrial CO2 laser are experimentally realised and methods of mutual transformation of these modes outside the cavity are developed. The intracavity generation of azimuthally polarised modes was achieved by using as a rear highly reflecting mirror either V-shaped axicons or metal diffraction mirrors with the relief period comparable to the wavelength. Radially polarised radiation was generated by using diffraction mirrors with the relief period of the order of two wavelengths. The polarisation-nonuniform TEM01* and TEM11* modes of power up to 1.8 kW are generated for the first time. In this case, the degree of polarisation was close to 100% within the entire radiation power range both in the near- and far-field zones. By using two half-wave phase shifters, the azimuthally polarised radiation is transformed to radially polarised radiation and vice versa, the energy efficiency of this transformation being 92%. These results open up the possibility for industrial applications of such radiation.


Background: The accuracy of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) in non-critically ill hospitalized patients with heart failure or severe hyperglycemia (SH) is unknown. Methods: Hospitalized patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) exacerbation (receiving IV or subcutaneous insulin) or SH requiring insulin infusion were compared to outpatients referred for retrospective CGM. Results: Forty-three patients with CHF, 15 patients with SH, and 88 outpatients yielded 470, 164, and 2150 meter–sensor pairs, respectively. Admission glucose differed (188 versus 509 mg/dl in CHF and SH, p < .001) but not the first sensor glucose (p = .35). In continuous glucose error grid analysis, 67–78% of pairs during hypoglycemia were in zones A+B (p = .63), compared with 98–100% in euglycemia (p < .001) and 98%, 92%, and 99% (p = .001) during hyperglycemia for the CHF, SH, and outpatient groups, respectively. Mean absolute relative difference (MARD) was lower in the CHF versus the SH group in glucose strata above 100 mg/dl, but there was no difference between the CHF and outpatient groups. Linear regression models showed that CHF versus outpatient, SH versus CHF, and coefficient of variation were significant predictors of higher MARD. Among subjects with CHF, MARD was not associated with brain natriuretic peptide or change in plasma volume, but it was significantly higher in subjects randomized to IV insulin (p = .04). Conclusions: The results suggest that SH and glycemic variability are more important determinants of CGM accuracy than known CHF status alone in hospitalized patients.


Preliminary results from an extensive series of spectroscopic observations of the HZ Her optical counterpart of the eclipsing, pulsating X-ray binary Her X-1. Spectrograms with a dispersion of 30 A/mm reveal a spectral type as late as F5 near minimum in the light curve with the G-band and metallic lines present. Narrow Fe lines show that HZ Her is not a rapid rotator. Low-dispersion (115 A/mm) spectra, obtained with 10-minute time resolution, reveal rapid (10-min) variations in the 4640 N III emission and in the 4471 He I absorbtion features. The H-beta absorption is variable in equivalent width, and shows evidence of being partially filled with emission.


Morphosyntactic Disambiguation (Part of Speech tagging) is a useful benchmark problem for system comparison because it is typical for a large class of Natural Language Processing (NLP) problems that can be defined as disambiguation in local context. This paper adds to the literature on the systematic and objective evaluation of different methods to automatically learn this type of disambiguation problem. We systematically compare two inductive learning approaches to tagging: MX-POST (based on maximum entropy modeling) and MBT (based on memory-based learning). We investigate the effect of different sources of information on accuracy when comparing the two approaches under the same conditions. Results indicate that earlier observed differences in accuracy can be attributed largely to differences in information sources used, rather than to algorithm bias.


A survey fo first and second year university students reveals the acceptance of a number of misconceptions about computers and computer applications, some on which indicate the presence of negative attitudes. A statistical analysis of the survey supports the proposition that previous computer experience is not always a corrective for unreasonable or even hostile attitudes. It is claimed that the achievement of computer literacy (in the sense of technical expertise) is possible for some populations only after attitudinal corrections, and that, in general, the strategy for achieving such corrections is dependent upon population characteristics.