Understanding tuberculosis (TB) transmission chains can help public health staff target their resources to prevent further transmission, but currently there are few tools to automate this process. We have developed the Logically Inferred Tuberculosis Transmission (LITT) algorithm to systematize the integration and analysis of whole-genome sequencing, clinical, and epidemiological data. Based on the work typically performed by hand during a cluster investigation, LITT identifies and ranks potential source cases for each case in a TB cluster. We evaluated LITT using a diverse dataset of 534 cases in 56 clusters (size range: 2–69 cases), which were investigated locally in three different U.S. jurisdictions. Investigators and LITT agreed on the most likely source case for 145 (80%) of 181 cases. By reviewing discrepancies, we found that many of the remaining differences resulted from errors in the dataset used for the LITT algorithm. In addition, we developed a graphical user interface, user's manual, and training resources to improve LITT accessibility for frontline staff. While LITT cannot replace thorough field investigation, the algorithm can help investigators systematically analyze and interpret complex data over the course of a TB cluster investigation. Code available at: https://github.com/CDCgov/TB_molecular_epidemiology/tree/1.0; https://zenodo.org/badge/latestdoi/166261171.


Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) for postherpetic neuralgia. Design Randomized single-blind clinical study. Patients Patients with postherpetic neuralgia. Methods Patients were randomly divided into the control group and the ESWT group. The control group received conventional treatment while the ESWT group received conventional treatment and ESWT. The primary outcome is pain degree as assessed by the numeric rating scale (NRS), and secondary outcomes include brief pain inventory (BPI), Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Data were collected at baseline and at weeks 1, 4, and 12. Linear mixed-effects models were applied to repeated measurement data. Results The scores on the NRS, BPI, SAS, SDS, and PSQI decreased over time in both groups. The NRS and SDS scores of the ESWT group were statistically lower than the control group. There was no time × group interaction in the mixed model analysis. Baseline age was correlated with NRS scores and BPI scores, and invasive treatment was related to PSQI scores, with no interaction effect for baseline confounders observed. No adverse events were observed during the process of this trial. Conclusion Extracorporeal shockwave therapy combined with conventional treatment could relieve pain and improve the psychological state in patients with postherpetic neuralgia without serious adverse effects.


Peer group influence on youth crime is largely an area of interaction physically and impersonally. Physically interaction can take place in a compound, wards, schools or other socially organised activities such as youth camps, football clubs or other game activities, boys scout,   girls guide, man 'o' war and debating society etc and specifically to assess peer influence on youth involvement on crime in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council. And specifically to examine the demographic characteristics of youth in Maiduguri, assess whether peer have influence on youth involvement in crime in Maiduguri. The study reviewed relevant theories and in particular Differential Association Theory which explained that criminal behaviour is learnt through interaction with other individual in a process of communication. The data were obtained from primary and secondary sources which involved the use of questionnaires and review of relevant literatures. The study interviewed 180 respondents. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics. The findings revealed that most of the crimes committed are mostly by Males, so Males are prone to committing crime, and they are between the ages of 18 to 25years and have secondary or degree qualification. It also revealed that crime committed by youths were due to influence of bad friends and those youth were from large family size, and their parents don't allow outsiders to discipline them and they are unemployed and have poor parental upbringing which characterised by poverty, homelessness and frustration among others. The study recommends that parents, government and community organisations could provide adequate jobs and enabling environments for business to thrive, as this will curb crime among the youth in Maiduguri Metropolis. Keywords: Assessment, Peer Influence, Youth Involvement and Criminal Behaviour


The main goal of this study is to evaluate the impacts of humaninduced activities on land surface temperature dynamics of Osogbo, in Osun State, Nigeria. Land surface temperature dynamics, land use land cover dynamics and the relationship between land surface temperature (LST) and land-use land-cover (LULC) were assessed using Landsat satellite data (ETM+ and OLI/TIRS) of Oshogbo, Osun State, Nigeria. The radiometrically corrected thermal infrared bands of the Landsat images of 2000 and 2018 were used to retrieve land surface temperature while the Maximum Likelihood algorithm in Erdas imagine 9.2 was used to generate a classified image for the two periods. Land surface temperature maps, land cover index maps and Normalized Differential Vegetation Index (NDVI)) were generated. Correlation analysis using Pearson's Product Moment Method was carried out between land surface temperature and normalized differential vegetation index (NDVI) data and the land cover index was digitized and overlaid on the LST map of 2018 to determine the association between them. The results revealed noticeable decrease in vegetated areas of Osogbo with an accompanying increase in land surface temperature from 28.045°C in 2000 to 29.200°C in 2018. Built-up increased within the same periods from 19 to 42%, which could be attributed to anthropogenic activities. The land surface temperature distribution maps showed a more pronounced intensity in areas of significant human activities than in areas covered by vegetation and waterbody. The correlation coefficient values of –0.54418 and -0.48513 observed in the land surface temperature and normalized differential vegetation index values for 2000 and 2018 respectively, indicated an inverse relationship between the two variables. The study concluded that the nature of land use / land cover patterns in Osogbo have impacted its land surface with a corresponding increase in land surface temperature. It is expected that as the city expands further, the magnitude of the land surface temperature will also increase thereby affecting the living conditions of the urban populace.


BACKGROUND
The impact of early detection of second breast cancers in women who have survived a primary breast cancer is unknown. We examined the prognostic effect of detection of ipsilateral breast relapse (IBR) or contralateral breast cancer (CBC) in the asymptomatic relative to symptomatic phase.

PATIENTS AND METHODS
Subjects were women with histology-verified second (invasive or in situ) breast cancer (N = 1044) in a breast centre in Florence (1980-2005). Symptom status, test, tumour stage, and outcomes data were obtained from clinical records and linkage with mortality registry. Disease-specific survival was measured from first cancer diagnosis to avoid lead-time bias. Sensitivity analysis was used to allow for length-time bias.

RESULTS
Second cancers (IBR = 455; CBC = 589; median age 60 years) were diagnosed in 699 asymptomatic and 345 symptomatic women (67% versus 3%, P < 0.0001). Mammography was more sensitive than clinical examination (86% versus 57%, P < 0.0001); however, 13.8% of cases were only identified clinically. Asymptomatic cancers were smaller than symptomatic for both IBR (P < 0.001) and CBC (P < 0.001). Early-stage tumours were more frequent in asymptomatic (58.1%) than symptomatic (22.6%) women (P < 0.0001). Fewer women with asymptomatic than symptomatic CBC had node metastases (P = 0.0001). Hazard ratio (HR) for asymptomatic (relative to symptomatic) detection was 0.51 (0.32-0.80) for IBR, 0.53 (0.36-0.78) for CBC, and 0.53 (0.40-0.72) in all subjects (P < 0.0001). Length bias-adjusted HRs ranged from 0.53 to 0.73.

CONCLUSION
Detection of second breast cancers in the asymptomatic phase leads to detection of early-stage cancer and improves relative survival by between 27% and 47%.


ABSTRACT

Sugiyatno, Purhawan. 2015. An Error Analysis of Preposition of Time used in the
students' Writing (A Descriptive Qualitative Study at the Eighth Grade Students of SMPN 3 Salatiga in Academic Year of 2014/2015). A Graduating Paper in Teacher Training and Education Faculty State Institute for Islamic Studies (IAIN) Salatiga.
Consultant: Hanung Triyoko, S.S., M.Hum, M.Ed.

Key words: Errors Analysis, Preposition of Time

This research deals with analyzing errors of preposition of time used in the eight year students of SMPN 3 Salatiga in academic year of 2014/2015. This research is conducted to analyze how the errors, kinds of errors which is focused on preposition of time for categories: in, at, on and the function and how the eliminate the errors. This research applies qualitative method. The object of this research is the eight year students of SMPN 3 Salatiga. Choosen purposely using purposive sampling from 244 students. The sample is 50 students of the eight year. The data of this study is taken from test, documentation and interview. The test is used to get the data about the ability of the students to do preposition of time in writing. The writer uses the documentation method to obtain the school data like students's name, and school general situation. Interview is used to obtain the more accurate data dealing with the factors that influence the grammatical errors on the use of preposition of time. Those data collection, the is analyzed in order to find how is the errors, kinds of errors, and how to eliminate the errors. The analysis result shows that: 1) students' mastery in using preposition of time are weak grade and low average achievement, 2) the kinds of errors are Over-generalization, False concept hypothesized, and Carelessness, 3) the writer give solutions that the students should understand deeply about the function of preposition of time and the teacher can give more explanations and exercises about preposition of time.


The objectives of the Phase 2 stage in a drug development program are often to evaluate the safety and tolerability of different doses, select a promising dose range, and look for early signs of activity (i.e., to establish proof of concept). At the end of Phase 2 (EOP2), a decision to initiate Phase 3 studies is made that involves the commitment of considerable resources. One of the key factors in this decision is the expected efficacy and the associated predicted probability of success (PoS) in Phase 3. Making a decision based upon the PoS requires decision makers to select a benchmark (or PoS criterion) for the PoS, which if achieved would enable a "go-to-Phase 3" decision. However, appropriately choosing the criterion requires knowledge of the operating characteristics associated with the decision criteria. A key operating characteristic that a funder/sponsor requires to make such a choice is to understand the predicted conditional probability of making a go decision and subsequently failing in Phase 3. In this article, we show how such risks can be informed through the use of clinical trial simulation. We also highlight through a worked example in pancreatic cancer how this simulation exercise can help to decide between different development strategies for a specific indication. Supplementary materials for this article are available online.


AIM
This study aimed to develop a prediction equation for segmental percent fat from anthropometric measurements.

METHODS
The subjects were 107 adults, consisting of 77 males and 30 females, aged from 21 to 82 years. Height, weight, waist circumference, hip circumference, body mass index, waist hip ratio and subcutaneous fat thickness (SFT) were used as anthropometric measurements. The SFTs were measured at 14 sites. Segmental percent fats in both arms (%SF(arms)), both legs (%SF(legs)) and trunk (%SF(trunk)) were measured by dual-energy absorptiometry (DXA) method, and these values were used as references. To predict the segmental percent fat measured by DXA, stepwise multiple regression analysis was conducted using sex, age and the anthropometric measurements as predictors. To examine the systematic error between the observed and predicted values, the error and the observed values were plotted based on Bland-Altman technique, and limits of agreement (LA) were also calculated.

RESULTS
The R, SEE and range of LA values in each prediction equation was as follows: %SF(arms): R=0.919, SEE=3.333%, LA=6.5%; %SF(legs): R=0.915, SEE=3.468, LA=6.5%; %SF(trunk): R=0.858, SEE=4.944, LA=9.7%. These prediction equations used 5 to 7 predictors and met the necessary standards for predicting body fat. Although the prediction accuracy of %SF(trunk) was inferior than those of %SF(arms) and %SF(legs), it was superior to those found in previous study reports predicting abdominal visceral fat mass and fat mass at the trunk from anthropometric measurements.

CONCLUSIONS
These prediction equations can be considered useful and practical for predicting segmental percent fat and assessing body fat distribution.


The surgical therapy of vulvar carcinoma requires a subtle planning. A diagnostical excision of the lesion allows the ascertainment of histologic prognosis factors. On this basis, the surgical procedures should be designed. For all surgical defects, a panel of save plastic reconstructive methods have been developed, that allows favourable functional and cosmetic results.


The simultaneous hydrolysis of Bi(NO3)3·5H2O and Ce(NO3)3·6H2O results in the formation of novel heterometallic bismuth oxido clusters with the general formula [Bi38O45(NO3)24(DMSO)28+δ]:Ce (DMSO = dimethyl sulfoxide; cerium content <1.50%), which is demonstrated by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The incorporation of cerium into the cluster core is a result of the interplay of hydrolysis and condensation of the metal nitrates in the presence of oxygen. Diffuse-reflectance UV-vis and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveal the presence of CeIV in the final bismuth oxido clusters as a result of oxidation of the cerium source. The cerium atoms are statistically distributed mainly on the bismuth atom positions of the central [Bi6O9] motif of the [Bi38O45] cluster core. Hydrolysis and subsequent annealing of the bismuth oxido clusters in the temperature range of 300-400 °C provides β-Bi2O3:Ce samples with slightly lowered band gaps of approximately 2.3 eV compared to the undoped β-Bi2O3 (approximately 2.4 eV). The sintering behavior of β-Bi2O3 is significantly affected by the cerium dopant. Finally, differences in the efficiency of the as-prepared β-Bi2O3:Ce and undoped β-Bi2O3 samples in the photocatalytic decomposition of the biocide triclosan in an aqueous solution under visible-light irradiation are demonstrated.


Objective: To determine whether respondents reported a change in identity following stroke. Design: A cross-sectional comparison study of perceived changes in the self-concept of stroke respondents and matched hospital volunteers. A questionnaire was administered to stroke respondents in their own homes and to hospital volunteers in their work setting. Participants: Twenty-six first-time stroke survivors who had no severe communication, cognitive or perceptual difficulties or previous physical disability, and who had returned home from hospital up to two years previously. The comparison group were 26 hospital volunteers matched for age, gender and the time from which past self-concept was considered. Main outcome measures: Included the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Frenchay Activity Index and the Head Injury Semantic Differential Scale to assess past and present self-concept. Results: Overall, individuals described themselves in more negative terms than prior to their stroke. They saw themselves as less interested, capable and independent, (p < 0.001) and less in control, satisfied and active (p < 0.05). They still saw themselves as friendly, calm, caring, hopeful and talkative. The overall self-concept of the comparison group remained positive and stable over a comparable time period. Conclusions: The stroke respondents reported a negative sense of self, reduced social activity and psychological morbidity despite inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation. Individuals following stroke may settle for a restricted future because of their expectations of life with a disability. Clinicians need to be aware of the meaning of the stroke within the life of each individual.


The bed nuclei of the stria terminalis (BST) are critically important for integrating stress-related signals between the limbic forebrain and hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) effector neurons in the paraventricular hypothalamus (PVH). Nevertheless, the circuitry underlying BST control over the stress axis and its role in depression-related behaviors has remained obscure. Utilizing optogenetic approaches in rats, we have identified a novel role for the anteroventral subdivision of BST in the coordinated inhibition of both HPA output and passive coping behaviors during acute inescapable (tail suspension, TS) stress. Follow-up experiments probed axonal pathways emanating from the anteroventral BST which accounted for separable endocrine and behavioral functions subserved by this cell group. The PVH and ventrolateral periaqueductal gray were recipients of GABAergic outputs from the anteroventral BST that were necessary to restrain stress-induced HPA activation and passive coping behavior, respectively, during TS and forced swim tests. In contrast to other BST subdivisions implicated in anxiety-like responses, these results direct attention to the anteroventral BST as a nodal point in a stress-modulatory network for coordinating neuroendocrine and behavioral coping responses, wherein impairment could account for core features of stress-related mood disorders. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Dysregulation of the neural pathways modulating stress-adaptive behaviors is implicated in stress-related psychiatric illness. While aversive situations activate a network of limbic forebrain regions thought to mediate such changes, little is known about how this information is integrated to orchestrate complex stress responses. Here we identify novel roles for the anteroventral bed nuclei of the stria terminalis in inhibiting both stress hormone output and passive coping behavior via divergent projections to regions of the hypothalamus and midbrain. Inhibition of these projections produced features observed with rodent models of depression, namely stress hormone hypersecretion and increased passive coping behavior, suggesting that dysfunction in these networks may contribute to expression of pathological changes in stress-related disorders.


When several pretreatment periods are available, identification of the treatment effect in a difference-in-differences framework requires an assumption relating dynamics for controls and treated in absence of treatment. Mora and Reggio (2012, Working Paper 12-33, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid) define a family of alternative identifying assumptions and propose a model that, contrary to the usual econometric specifications, allows one to identify the treatment effect for any given assumption in the family. In this article, we introduce a command, didq, that implements the model presented in Mora and Reggio, reports the estimated effect under alternative assumptions, and performs tests for the equivalence of the estimates. We also explain how to use the command to obtain the standard difference-in-differences estimator with or without polynomial trends.


This research was held to test the influence of DER, profitability, and liquidity toward DPR to increase company value. The problems in this research gap from the former research and the fenomena bussiness gap from the manufacturing company data over period 2010-2012 in the Indonesian Capital Market Directory. Therefore a deeper research to obrserve the problems which influent DPR and company value with reasonable theory is needed. The factors consist of DER, profitability, and liquidity variables.
Sampling technique used is purposive sampling with criteria as manufacturing industry in IDX who provide financial report and traded during period 2009 through 2012 and forwarded to ICMD. The Data is based on publicity Indonesia Market Directory since 2009 to 2012. Obtained by amount sampel as much 15 company from 185 manufacturing industry in IDX 2009-2012 period. Analysis technique used is doubled regression with smallest square equation and hypothesis test use t-statistic to test coefficient of regression partial and also f-statistic to test the truth of collectively influence in level of significance 5%. Others also done a classic assumption test covering normality test, multicolinierity test, and heteroscedastisity test.
During research period show as data research was normally distributed. Based on multicolinierity test, and heteroscedasticity test variable digressing of classic assumption has not founded, its indicate that the available data has fulfill the condition to use multi linier regression model. From the result of analyse indicate that ROA in partial significant toward DPR and DER, DPR and ROA in partial significant toward company value


We develop and analyse a simple, two–compartment (chlorophyll and nitrate) model of the surface mixed layer of the ocean. The mixed–layer depth is modulated intermittently to simulate the effects of storms. The optical properties of the water column are linked to changes in the chlorophyll biomass. The model can be treated analytically. Mathematical bounds are found for the autotrophic biomass and the residual nitrate in terms of the intensity and frequency of storms and the bio–optical properties of the phytoplankton. The results are discussed in the context of the high–nutrient, low–chlorophyll regimes, where unconsumed nitrate is a persistent occurrence.


: This paper describes control algorithm and control structure of vehicle control unit for range-extended electric vehicle equipped with engine-generator system, and specially presents methods which determine optimal operating points and decreases a vibration or a shock for operating the engine-generating system. The vehicle control algorithm is consisted of several parts which are sequence control, calculation of wheel demand torque, determination of operating points, and management of operating points and so vehicle controller has be made possible to efficiently manage calibration parameters. The control algorithm is evaluated by driving test modes, launching performance and operating engine-generator system and so on. In conclusion, this paper present methods for extending a mileage, improving a launching performance and reducing vibration or shock when the engine-generating system is starting or is stopping.


Composite resin restorations have been shown to be functionally reliable and esthetically acceptable to patients, primarily due to improvements in their chemicophysical characteristics. Nevertheless, clinical limitations, such as marginal discoloration, disadaptation, and microleakage, are observed in some patients with these restorations. The choice of treatment pursued to repair such restorations depends primarily on the analysis of the compromised restoration with regard to these aforementioned imperfections. The most common procedures invoked to treat compromised restorations include resurfacing, repairing the restoration with or without the use of surface sealants, and completely replacing the compromised restoration. This case report describes the proper implementation of a simple technique, known as composite resin posterior restoration, that yields a satisfactory outcome for patients who have been characterized with these clinical limitations.


Antibiotic resistance (AR) is one of the greatest human and clinical challenges associated with different pathogenic organisms. However, in recent years it has also become an environmental problem due to the widespread use of antibiotics in humans and livestock activities. The ability to resist antibiotics comes from antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and our understanding of their presence in coastal environments is still limited. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to explore the presence and possible differences in the microbial resistome of four sites from the Yucatan coast through the evaluation of the composition and abundance of ARGs using a high-throughput analysis of metatranscriptomic sequences. In total, 3,498 ARGs were uncovered, which participate in the resistance to tetracycline, macrolide, rifamycin, fluoroquinolone, phenicol, aminoglycoside, cephalosporin, and other antibiotics. The molecular mechanisms of these ARGs were mainly efflux pump, antibiotic target alteration and antibiotic target replacement. In the same way, ARGs were detected in the samples but showing dissimilar enrichment levels. With respect to the sampling sites, the ARGs were present in all the samples collected, either from preserved or contaminated areas. Importantly, sediments of the preserved area of Dzilam presented the second highest level of ARGs detected, probably as a consequence of the antibiotics dragged to the coast by submarine groundwater discharge. In general, the resistance to a single antibiotic was greater than multiresistance, both at the level of gene and organisms; and multiresistance in organisms is acquired mainly by recruiting different monoresistance genes. To our knowledge, this is the first study that describes and compares the resistome of different samples of the Yucatan coast. This study contributes to generating information about the current state of antibiotic resistance on the Yucatan coasts for a better understanding of ARGs dissemination and could facilitate the management of ARGs pollution in the environment.


COBRA JUDY S-band is a phased-array data collection radar permanently mounted aboard the USNS Observation Island Designed in 1976 and first made operational in 1981, the transmitter hardware has become difficult to support and, in some cases, is entirely obsolete. In December 2004, DTI was awarded a contract to modernize the transmitter by replacing obsolete components with solid-state technology. In this paper, DTI will present an overview of the transmitter design, key technical drivers, and a summary of progress thorough installation of the transmitter in early 2006


Adrenalectomy represents the gold standard treatment for hyperfunctioning adrenal incidentaloma. In cases of silent adrenal masses, on the other hand, the surgical removal of an adrenocortical cancer entails the sacrifice of a large number of safe benign masses, and in most cases surgery is therefore unjustified. The aim of this paper was to clarify the surgical indications for adrenal incidentaloma by reviewing our experience in comparison with the main reference literature. Over the period from 1995 to 2001 we managed 40 cases of incidentaloma. US and CT abdominal scans, adrenal scintigraphy and biochemical tests were performed on an outpatient basis. Seven pre-Cushing syndromes were removed. Ten incidentalomas measured 4 cm or more in diameter: 5 of these were operated on and in 5 cases surgery was not feasible or was refused. Only one malignant mass was detected (an angiosarcoma). Four postoperative minimal complications (18.7%) were observed. The follow-up (median: 48 months) was uneventful. The surgical approach was traditional in 11 cases and laparoscopic in 1 case. Surgery should be considered mandatory in cases of hyperfunctioning adrenal masses in the presence of suspect radiological evidence, in cases of discordant CT and scintigraphy findings and when the maximum diameter is 4 cm or more.


The electromagnetic behavior of circular spiral inductors on layered substrates is analyzed by using the concentric ring approximation. The problem is formulated in terms of mixed-potential volume integral equations. The latter are semianalytically solved within the quasi-one-dimensional approximation. The result is a fast computationally efficient model, which takes into account substrate RF loss, as well as nonuniform current density distribution across inductor windings. The results are in good agreement with experimental data from various inductors on both low- and high-resistivity silicon substrates.


Abstract. In this work the problem of change detection in high-resolution (HR) satellite images is addressed. The active learning (AL) algorithm Bayesian active learning disagreement (BALD) is applied on WorldView images of urban and suburban areas in the island of Crete, Greece. Comparisons with results from random sampling (RS) on AL are carried out. Several cases of selecting different amounts of images in the training set of a convolutional neural network (CNN) are experimented. The results show that the validation accuracy of classification as changed or unchanged of the BALD algorithm is superior to that of the RS algorithm. Indeed, the BALD algorithm achieves zero test error against the test errors 34.6% and 38.5% of the RS algorithm. Actually, as the amount of training images increases, the accuracy also increases. Interesting experiments could be executed in the future utilizing estimators from robust statistics inside the AL acquisition function framework. Up to now in the literature no other work has appeared to present deep AL on WorldView images for change detection.


Many recent curriculum reforms aim to address short-falls with regard to student engagement with mathematics by harnessing the affordances of technology, social constructivist pedagogies, contextual scenarios, and/ or approaches aligned with Realistic Mathematics Education (RME). However, these may not sit well within a conventional classroom setting; a 21 st Century (21C) learning model may be more appropriate. This paper describes a teaching experiment in Ireland, supporting an ongoing curriculum reform; it used technology-mediated activities consonant with social constructivism, RME, and 21C learning. The study involved twenty students (aged 15–17) over a two-day period. Results suggest that the approach has the potential to increase student engagement with and confidence in mathematics.


We propose a novel ultrafast electronic switching device based on dual-graphene electron waveguides, in analogy to the optical dual-channel waveguide device. The design utilizes the principle of coherent quantum mechanical tunneling of Rabi oscillations between the two graphene electron waveguides. Based on a modified coupled mode theory, we construct a theoretical model to analyse the device characteristics, and predict that the swtiching speed is faster than 1 ps. Due to the long mean free path of electrons in graphene at room temperature, the proposed design avoids the limitation of low temperature operation required in the normal semiconductor quantum-well structure. The layout of the our design is similar to that of a standard CMOS transistor that should be readily fabricated with current state-of-art nanotechnology.


The article and a map (Enclosure 1) give the basic information on the dividing of the territory of the Czech Socialist Republic in 47 regions and 37 subregions of tourisme, further in 28 so called perspective regions and in small areas convenient for recreation outside regions of tourisme. The first regionalization of tourisme in Czechoslovakia was done in 1962 and that one is now actualized - separately for the Czech and the Slovak Soc. Republic. Nowadays there are together 70 regions of tourisme in Czechoslovakia. According their importance and quality they are divided in 4 categories. This actualization is motivated by changes of the landscape and especially by changes in the social economic sphere during last 20 years. Besides review of that changes it is partialy mentioned used methodic too.


In order to reduce the mounting pressure on government budget due to rising expenditures related to all sorts of subsidies, including those for the banking sector and domestic fuel consumption, the Indonesian Government has opted to cut only the fuel subsidies. Following the surge of the world price of oil, the size of the cut was huge, causing the average domestic fuel prices to increase by more than 120 per cent. It is argued in this paper that such a policy is ill-advised. A partial reduction, not an enormous cut, would have been sufficient if it is complemented with a fractional cut of sovereign domestic debt payments. Based on a set of simulations on a financial general equilibrium model, it is shown that slicing subsidies for the banking sector, providing that the saved money are spent on agricultural-related infrastructures, could produce a favourable outcome in terms of income distribution and poverty conditions without deteriorating the macroeconomic stability or injuring investors' confidence. Compared with the fuel subsidies cut, the number of population affected by such a policy will also be much smaller. Thus, a drastic and massive reduction of fuel subsidies is unnecessary, especially considering the adverse socio-economic and political repercussions of it.


We calculate the ionization rate for a hydrogen atom interacting with a circularly polarized electromagnetic plane wave. Coulomb effects in the final state of the outgoing electron are taken into account. Our approximate theory is valid when the classical radius of motion of a free electron in a plane-wave field is much larger than the radius of the atom in its initial state.


On every engagement, auditors are required to obtain a sufficient understanding of the internal control structure to plan the audit and determine the nature, timing and extent of audit tests. The evaluation of control weaknesses is important for error and fraud detection and for the avoidance of audit failure. To document their understanding of client internal control systems, auditors have relied upon two common formats – internal control narratives and flowcharts. The choice of format is important because it can affect the use and interpretation of information. The purpose of this study is to examine if documentation format affects performance. Results suggest that, while documentation format did not affect performance, internal auditing experience was important, regardless of the documentation format used.


Despite the swift rise in power conversion efficiency (PCE) to more than 32%, the instability of perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells is still one of the key obstacles to practical application and is closely related to the residual strain of perovskite films. Herein, a simple surface reconstruction strategy is developed to achieve a global incorporation of butylammonium cations at both surface and bulk grain boundaries by post‐treating perovskite films with a mixture of N,N‐dimethylformamide and n‐butylammonium iodide in isopropanol solvent, enabling strain‐free perovskite films with simultaneously reduced defect density, suppressed ion migration, and improved energy level alignment. As a result, the corresponding single‐junction perovskite solar cells yield a champion PCE of 21.8%, while maintaining 100% and 81% of their initial PCEs without encapsulation after storage for over 2500 h in N2 and 1800 h in air, respectively. Remarkably, a certified stabilized PCE of 29.0% for the monolithic perovskite/silicon tandems based on tunnel oxide passivated contacts is further demonstrated. The unencapsulated tandem device retains 86.6% of its initial performance after 306 h at maximum power point (MPP) tracking under continuous xenon‐lamp illumination without filtering ultraviolet light (in air, 20–35 °C, 25–75%RH, most often ≈60%RH).


BACKGROUND
Pediatric differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) has an excellent prognosis, but unknown late effects of treatment. Initial cardiac evaluation showed subclinical diastolic dysfunction in 20% of adult survivors. The objective of this follow-up study was to determine the clinical course of this finding.

METHODS
This multicenter study, conducted between 2018 and 2020, re-evaluated survivors after 5 years. The primary endpoint was echocardiographic diastolic cardiac function (depicted by the mean of the early diastolic septal and early diastolic lateral tissue velocity [e' mean]). Secondary endpoints were other echocardiographic parameters and plasma biomarkers.

RESULTS
Follow-up evaluation was completed in 47 (71.2%) of 66 survivors who had completed their initial evaluation. Of these 47 survivors, 87.2% were women. Median age was 39.8 years (range 18.8-60.3), and the median follow-up after initial diagnosis was 23.4 years (range 10.2-48.8). Between the first and second evaluation, the e' mean significantly decreased by 2.1 cm/s (SD 2.3 cm/s, P<0.001). The median left ventricular ejection fraction did not significantly change (58.0% vs. 59.0%, NS). In the best explanatory model of e' mean, multivariate linear regression analysis showed that body mass index and age were significantly associated with e' mean (β coefficient -0.169 , 95% confidence interval (CI) [-0.292;-0.047], P=0.008 and β coefficient -0.177 ,95% CI [-0.240;-0.113], P<0.001, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
In these relatively young survivors of pediatric DTC, diastolic function decreased significantly during 5 year follow up and is possibly more pronounced than in normal ageing. This finding requires further follow-up to assess clinical consequences.


This paper describes the latest progress in our work on Broadcast News for European Portuguese. The central modules of our media watch system that matches the topic of each news story against the user preferences registered in the system are: audio pre-processing, speech recognition and topic segmentation and indexation. The main focus of the paper is on the impact of the errors made by the earlier modules in the last ones. This impact is in our opinion an essential diagnostic tool for the improvement of the overall pipeline system.


This mainly discusses the next generation factory automation systems, i.e., open systems. Along the dimension of open architecture, it discusses some standardized methodologies involving Linux open source operating systems, platform independent programming languages, systematic object-oriented software engineering, web-based information publishing, virtual instrument-based system structure, distributed and embedded real-time systems, etc., and their applications in factory automation systems. The resulting open systems are capable of keeping up with the evolving requirements in the factory automation arena, and it is expected that the strict use of standards would bring benefits to enterprises in the long sight.


The present work describes a simple reverse phase HPLC method for the determination of Omeprazole and Cinitapride from capsules formulations. The determination was carried out on a Thermo Hypersil, BDS, C-18 (250x4.6 mm, 5 micron) column using a mobile phase of 0.1 N phosphate buffer(pH 3.2): Acetonitrile (60:40). The flow rate was 1 ml/min and the runtime was 7min. The column temperature was 35°C and the eluent was monitored at 230 nm. The retention times of Omeprazole and Cinitapride are 3.5minutes and 5.3minutes respectively. The method was reproducible, with good resolution between Omeprazole and Cinitapride. The detector response was found to be linear in the concentration range of 50-150 μg/ml for Omeprazole and Cinitapride. The developed method was validated for specificity, system suitability, precision, linearity, accuracy, Limit of Detection, Limit of Quantification and robustness. Recovery of Omeprazole and Cinitapride in formulations was found to be in the range of 99%, 100%, and 101% respectively. And the correlation coefficient was 0.999. Hence, it was concluded that the developed method is suitable for routine analysis of these combination due to its less analysis time.


A group theoretical mechanism for unification of local gauge and spacetime symmetries is introduced. No-go theorems prohibiting such unification are circumvented by slightly relaxing the usual requirement on the gauge group: only the so called Levi factor of the gauge group needs to be compact semisimple, not the entire gauge group. This allows a non-conventional supersymmetry-like extension of the gauge group, glueing together the gauge and spacetime symmetries, but not needing any new exotic gauge particles. It is shown that this new relaxed requirement on the gauge group is nothing but the minimal condition for energy positivity. The mechanism is demonstrated to be mathematically possible and physically plausible on a U(1) based gauge theory setting. The unified group, being an extension of the group of spacetime symmetries, is shown to be different than that of the conventional supersymmetry group, thus overcoming the McGlinn and Coleman-Mandula no-go theorems in a non-supersymmetric way. PACS numbers: 11.30.Ly, 11.30.Pb


We show that WinRed's emergence as Republicans' leading online fundraising platform proves how parties can evolve to help members achieve their ambitions (Aldrich, 2011). We document that despite mounting fundraising pressures, Republicans' adaptation to online fundraising had been slow and disjointed until 2019, while Democrats already had a coordinated fundraising platform (ActBlue). We theorize that the Republican Party, internalizing the collective benefits of coordinating members onto a single fundraising platform, created WinRed to rival ActBlue and implemented a top-down approach to enforce candidate adoption of this platform. We find that, in contrast to ActBlue, WinRed's public rhetoric extols its value to the party's shared fortunes, and that Republicans coordinated their online solicitation strategies on WinRed. Furthermore, a panel matching design shows the promise delivered: candidates, especially women and those reliant on small-dollar donations, reaped significant fundraising benefits upon joining WinRed. We discuss how this centralization may transform the GOP's future.


The Woodbine Formation is composed largely of terrigenous sediment eroded from Paleozoic sedimentary and weakly metamorphosed sedimentary rocks of the Ouachita Mountains in southern Oklahoma and Arkansas and subsequently deposited in a complex of nearshore environments along the margins of the broadly subsiding Northeast Texas Basin. Three principal depositional systems are recognized in Woodbine rocks—a fluvial system, a high-destructive delta system, and a shelf-strandplain system. Their recognition is based on a regional outcrop and subsurface investigation in which external geometry of framework sands was inte-grated with lithology, sedimentary structures, fossil distribution, and bounding relationships. Two components of the fluvial system, a tributary channel sand facies and a meander belt sand facies, are developed in the Dexter Member (lower Woodbine) northeast of a line from Dallas to Tyler. To the south and southwest, a high-destructive delta system is persistent throughout the entire Woodbine section. The three component facies of the delta system are: progradational channel-mouth bar sands; coastal barrier sands, deposited along shore adjacent to the channel mouth; and prodelta-shelf muds. The Lewisville (upper Woodbine) shelf-strandplain system, developed in the northern third of the basin marginal to principal deltaic facies, is composed of two facies: shelf muds and strandplain sands, accumulated along shore. Near the end of Woodbine deposition, but before transgression by Eagle Ford seas, emergence of the Sabine Uplift resulted in erosion of Woodbine sediments, which were subsequently redeposited along margins of the uplift as the Harris Sand. The close correspondence of Woodbine oil and gas fields with deltaic and strandplain sands suggests that on a regional scale facies distribution is as important as structure in governing the occurrence of hydrocarbons.


Wind erosion is detrimental to agriculture. Planting shelterbelt trees is a common strategy to protect vulnerable areas. I estimate the impact of shelterbelts on agriculture while instrumenting the endogeneity of planted location with a designated zone under the Great Plains Shelterbelt Project—a massive tree-planting operation implemented in 1935–1942. I find a shift from cropland to pasture associated with higher shelterbelt coverage due to differential productivity changes in livestock and crop production. The revenue increase from livestock was contributed by cattle, while the decline in crop production mainly occurred in western counties owing to obstacles to adopting new irrigation technology.


Abstract Interference for 40 d after emergence (DAE) of corn, cotton, peanut, and snap bean by four glyphosate-resistant (GR) and four glyphosate-susceptible (GS) Palmer amaranth populations from Georgia and North Carolina was compared in the greenhouse. Greater interference from Palmer amaranth, measured as crop height and fresh weight reduction, was noted in cotton and peanut compared with corn or snap bean. Crop height 15 to 40 DAE was reduced similarly by GR and GS populations. Crop fresh weight, however, was reduced 25 and 19% in the presence of GS and GR populations, respectively. Measured as percent reduction in fresh weight, GR and GS populations of Palmer amaranth were controlled similarly by glufosinate, lactofen, paraquat, and trifloxysulfuron applied POST. Atrazine and dicamba controlled GR populations more effectively than GS populations. Nomenclature: Atrazine; dicamba; glufosinate; lactofen; paraquat; trifloxysulfuron; Palmer amaranth, Amaranthus palmeri S. Wats.; corn, Zea mays L.; cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L.; peanut, Arachis hypogaea L..; snap bean, Phaseolus vulgaris L.


Background: During myocardial infarction (MI), billions of cardiomyocytes are lost. The optimal therapy should effectively replace damaged cardiomyocytes, possibly with stem cells able to engraft and differentiate into adult functional cardiomyocytes. As such, cardiac atrial appendage stem cells (CASCs) are suitable candidates. However, the presence of elevated levels of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) in cardiac regions where CASCs are transplanted may affect their regenerative potential. In this study, we examine whether and how AGEs alter CASCs properties in vitro. Methods and Results: CASCs in culture were exposed to ranging AGEs concentrations (50 µg/mL to 400 µg/mL). CASCs survival, proliferation, and migration capacity were significantly decreased after 72 h of AGEs exposure. Apoptosis significantly increased with rising AGEs concentration. The harmful effects of these AGEs were partially blunted by pre-incubation with a receptor for AGEs (RAGE) inhibitor (25 µM FPS-ZM1), indicating the involvement of RAGE in the observed negative effects. Conclusion: AGEs have a time- and concentration-dependent negative effect on CASCs survival, proliferation, migration, and apoptosis in vitro, partially mediated through RAGE activation. Whether anti-AGEs therapies are an effective treatment in the setting of stem cell therapy after MI warrants further examination.


New Europe banking is one of the most promising markets in the world. The EU convergence process has guaranteed a fast realignment to EU legal and regulatory standards, thus reducing systemic risk. In the forthcoming years, real economic convergence will allow a long period of fast growth, while low banking penetration, as well as complete underdevelopment of a number of market segments and products, suggest strong development opportunities. Starting from the late '80s, by recognising important development opportunities, a number of international banks, mainly coming from the eu market, started to operate in the region, considering it as a second home market where to grow. Seven international banking groups are today leader in the region. Among them, UCI has acquired a leading role, with a widespread presence in the market and being among the top player in most of its countries of operations. The New Europe is a long term strategy for the group, as testified by the role of the region in total assets and net profits. If the main rationale for the presence in the market is to exploit growth and development opportunities, the aim of sustaining Italian enterprises operating in the region is also a priority.


suggest Bowen's intra-epidermal cancer; Fig. 5 is nonspecific, and Fig. 6, the only section showing undoubted characteristics of leucoplakia, is described by the authors as neurodermatitis of 20 years' duration ! Is it possible that rubbing and scratching may be one of the factors in the aetiology of leucoplakia ? It would seem that any author wishing to find general acceptance for his opinions on this subject would be well advised, be he gynaecologist or dermatologist, to seek the co-operation of his colleagues in the other specialty in all stages of his work.-I am, etc.,


Abstract Scott, TJ, Duthie, GM, Delaney, JA, Sanctuary, CE, Ballard, DA, Hickmans, JA, and Dascombe, BJ. The validity and contributing physiological factors to 30-15 intermittent fitness test performance in rugby league. J Strength Cond Res 31(9): 2409–2416, 2017—This study examined the validity of the 30-15 Intermittent Fitness Test (30-15IFT) within rugby league. Sixty-three Australian elite and junior-elite rugby league players (22.5 ± 4.5 years, 96.1 ± 9.5 kg, &Sgr;7 skinfolds: 71.0 ± 18.7 mm) from a professional club participated in this study. Players were assessed for anthropometry (body mass, &Sgr;7 skinfolds, lean mass index), prolonged high-intensity intermittent running (PHIR; measured by 30-15IFT), predicted aerobic capacity (MSFT) and power (AAS), speed (40 m sprint), repeated sprint, and change of direction (COD—505 agility test) ability before and after an 11-week preseason training period. Validity of the 30-15IFT was established using Pearson's coefficient correlations. Forward stepwise regression model identified the fewest variables that could predict individual final velocity (V IFT) and change within 30-15IFT performance. Significant correlations between V IFT and &Sgr;7 skinfolds, repeated sprint decrement, V[Combining Dot Above]O2maxMSFT, and average aerobic speed were observed. A total of 71.8% of the adjusted variance in 30-15IFT performance was explained using a 4-step best fit model (V[Combining Dot Above]O2maxMSFT, 61.4%; average aerobic speed, 4.7%; maximal velocity, 4.1%; lean mass index, 1.6%). Across the training period, 25% of the variance was accounted by &Dgr;V[Combining Dot Above]O2maxMSFT (R 2 = 0.25). These relationships suggest that the 30-15IFT is a valid test of PHIR within rugby league. Poor correlations were observed with measures of acceleration, speed, and COD. These findings demonstrate that although the 30-15IFT is a valid measure of PHIR, it also simultaneously examines various physiological capacities that differ between sporting cohorts.


Organisations involved in delivering international democracy assistance are engaging increasingly with questions about how to assess their activities. A double shift in the terms of reference, from the ex post evaluation of assistance projects or programmes to ex ante appraisal of the broader democracy promotion strategies, could make democracy promotion more effective. This does not mean abandoning the former; on the contrary its status would be enhanced. Improving the chain of learning that leads from assistance evaluations to the formulation of promotion strategies could improve decision-making over how and whether to promote democracy abroad. Because strategies for democracy promotion are constitutive of the political relationship with countries, different strategies have different implications for the possibilities of political self-determination. For that reason and because democratisation and hence effective democracy promotion may be beneficial for human development, international peace and national security, strategies that reflect informed appraisal would be an improvement on a defective status quo. The challenges include: more systematic data gathering; innovative ways of comparing the various democracy promotion options; and institutional changes that connect the research findings to the high politics of policy-making.


Robustness against deviations from nominal source pdf assumptions is very desirable in blind source separation (BSS) algorithms. In the paper, a new approach for robust BSS is proposed. The EASI (equivariant adaptive separation by independence) algorithm (Cardoso and Laheld, 1996) is modified to use ranks of observed signals. The modified EASI algorithm can be applied to both real-valued and complex-valued data. Design guidelines are discussed for the nonlinear rank weighting functions in the modified EASI algorithm. Simulation results for two examples are given, showing very good performance.


1. INTRODUCTION

Restructuring of large enterprises is not a novelty in either economic theory, or practice. However, it has become a pressing problem in the transitional countries. In the Croatian economy, the amount of large enterprises in the total number of registered companies is not higher than 0.5%, but those companies employ 49.4% of the entire workforce, generate 46.4% of the total revenues, and own 69.6% of the available capital. At the same time, they are accountable for 47% of all the costs generated, and 50.7% of all the reported losses, which demonstrates their unsatisfactory performance.

Such an unfavourable situation can be attributed to the internal weaknesses of these enterprises, of which the inadequate and bureaucratic organisational structure is an especially important factor. It is obvious that this kind of structure is not able to address the requirements of the contemporary business environment in transition. The intention of this paper is to propose the restructuring methodology based on reengineering (BPR), in order to achieve radical breakthroughs required for the success of the large Croatian enterprises, as well as to show how to successfully implement such a methodology.
2. ORGANISATIONAL RESTRUCTURING OF LARGE ENTERPRISES

All the large enterprises should not be restructured by disintegration to a network of smaller enterprises because some of them will form the basic Croatian economic infrastructure. Consequently, some of these companies should be internally restructured in order to improve their management. This process can be achieved through a five-stage framework, which consists of : (1) identification of the existing organisational form, (2) analysis of the factors influencing the organisational design, (3) selection of the appropriate organisational form, (4) definition of the internal organisation and (5) implementation of the new organisational design.

3. APPLICATION OF BUSINESS PROCESS REENGINEERING TO THE ORGANISATIONAL REDESIGN OF LARGE ENTERPRISES

In the context of restructuring, it is important to differentiate two levels of reengineering: macro-reengineering and micro-reengineering.

Macro-reengineering rethinks the work at the corporate level, on the basis of evaluating the business processes both in terms of value-adding potential and strategic relevance.

Only value-creating processes considered strategically important are worth performing inside the enterprise. They do not have to be reengineered (according to the micro-reengineering methodology) only if their performance satisfies the requirements of the world-class excellence. Processes which do not add any value whatsoever are eliminated, while strategically irrelevant processes which are still adding value should be outsourced (entrusted to an external partner company).

Large enterprises are often criticised for being unresponsive to the customers' needs, as well as for placing too much value on the internal procedures and policies. The functional organisational structure, based on hierarchy, is usually pointed out as the main source of such inadequate and sluggish performance. Although functional structuring of an organisation brings about the advantages of specialisation, it disregards the importance of workflows (business processes). Hence, it does not optimise the functioning of the enterprise as a system, which is the principal macro-reengineering promise.

Figure 1.: Methodology for reengineering large Croatian enterprises

Micro-reengineering rethinks the work at the level of an individual process: it engineers the process flow. A specific methodology for reengineering large Croatian enterprises, based on the synthesis of the traditional organisational design model and a "generic" reengineering methodology is proposed for this purpose (Figure 1).
4. POTENTIAL OUTCOMES OF REENGINEERING AND THE LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE MORE DEVELOPED ECONOMIES

Although it is difficult to avoid a biased conclusion when discussing reengineering, we believe that it is an important tool for a professional aiming to implement restructuring. One should also take into account that reengineering is a potentially dangerous approach, which, in case of failure, leaves the enterprise with the torn organisational and social fabric. Therefore, we recommend a balanced and well-planned approach to the implementation of reengineering, based on the proposed methodology.

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Buble, M., Pavic, I., (1998): Organisational Approach to Restructuring of the Large Corporation in the Postsocialist Countries, in: The 3rd International Conference on Management (IMC 98), Theme: Management Developments in the 21st Century, Shanghai, China, July 25-28, 1998.
Buble, M., (1998): Organizacijski pristup restrukturiranju velikih hrvatskih poduzeca, in: Buble, M., (ed.): Redizajniranje velikih hrvatskih poduzeca u funkciji razvoja, Ekonomski fakultet Split, Split, pp. 67-90.
Hammer, M., Champy, J., (1993): Reengineering the Corporation: A Manifesto for the Business Revolution, Harper Collins, New York
Hammer, M., Stanton, S., (1995): The Reengineering Revolution: A Handbook, Harper Collins, New York
Keen, P., (1997): The Process Edge, Harvard Business School Press, Boston


Sequential changes in plasma endothelin-1 (ET-1) and pulmonary hemodynamics were studied in a piglet model of meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS). Sixteen piglets were randomly divided into meconium (MEC) and normal saline (NS) groups (8 animals/group). The animals of the MEC group were instilled with meconium (20% in normal saline) via an endotracheal tube (3 ml/kg), and the animals of the NS group instilled with the same amount of normal saline. The plasma ET-1 as well as pulmonary mechanics, arterial blood gas and hemodynamics were measured at baseline and 60, 120, 180 and 240 min after instillation. The results showed that plasma ET-1 level of the MEC group was significantly higher after meconium aspiration as compared with NS group (p < 0.05 at 60 and 120 min, p < 0.01 at 180 and 240 min). Furthermore, pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) increased and remained elevated after 120 min (p < 0.01) and pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) increased after 180 min (p < 0.01). The correlation was significant between ET-1 and PVR (r = 0.92, p < 0.001) as well as ET-1 and PAP (r = 0.89, p < 0.001). These data suggest that elevation of ET-1, which has long-lasting vasoconstriction effect, may play an important role of pulmonary hypertension of MAS.


SUMMARY The objective of this clinical update, based on recently published literature, was to discuss incidence and characteristics of the most relevant clinical adverse effects associated with local anesthetic and steroid use in regional anesthesia and treatment of acute or chronic pain. A comprehensive review of the English-language medical literature search utilizing PubMed, Ovid Medline® and Google Scholar from 2015 to 2018 was performed. This narrative review provides anesthesia practitioners with updated evidences on complications and contraindications of local anesthetic and steroid use with emphasis on current points of view regarding prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of adverse events.


BACKGROUND
Endometrial adenocarcinoma is a frequently occurring cancer in women, accounting for 42,000 deaths every year. Despite treatment with standard therapy, occurrence of remote metastases and local recurrences is high. Through help of RT-qPCR minimal residual disease could be detected and characterized, facilitating therapeutic decision making.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
A number of marker genes were first tested in model systems and genes that performed best, were consequently used for the examination of 13 blood samples from endometrial carcinoma patients.

RESULTS
Cytokeratin 19 and MIG7 were chosen for the analysis in patient samples. Both genes were found up-regulated in small tumours and in one large tumour, but no statistical correlations could be revealed between expression levels of these two genes and tumour characteristics.

CONCLUSION
There seems to be a coherence between gene expression and the stage of tumorigenesis, but the number of samples is still too small, to be able to obtain statistical significant differences.


This study examined the effects of reduced relative frequency of knowledge of results (KR) on learning to putt in golf. Participants (19 men and 15 women) putted a golf ball, stopping the ball on a line at a distance of 3.5 m from the starting position, which included an uphill portion. After a pretest, participants were assigned as they arrived in balanced order by sex to one of two groups (100% KR, 33% KR) and practiced 60 trials. Those in the 100% KR group performed the task in its natural context, while others assigned to the 33% KR were shown the location of the putted ball after every third trial. All participants then performed a posttest and two retention tests, done 10 min. and 24 hr. after the posttest. Analysis at posttest showed each group had a constant error and an absolute constant error (|CE|) less than those at pretest. Also, in the retention test conducted the following day, the constant error of the 33% KR group was less than that of the 100% KR group. Third, in the posttest and both retention tests, the |CE| of the 100% KR group was larger than that of the 33% KR group. These results suggest that reduced relative frequency of knowledge of results is effective in learning the accuracy of the golf putt.


Soft errors induced by terrestrial radiation are becoming a significant concern in architectures designed in newer technologies. If left undetected, these errors can result in catastrophic consequences or costly maintenance problems in different embedded applications. In this article, we focus on utilizing the compiler's help in duplicating instructions for error detection in VLIW datapaths. The instruction duplication mechanism is further supported by a hardware enhancement for efficient result verification, which avoids the need of additional comparison instructions. In the proposed approach, the compiler determines the instruction schedule by balancing the permissible performance degradation and the energy constraint with the required degree of duplication. Our experimental results show that our algorithms allow the designer to perform trade-off analysis between performance, reliability, and energy consumption.


BACKGROUND
Heart failure (HF) is a growing cause of hospitalisation worldwide, and despite significant progress in its treat-ment it is still associated with high mortality.

AIM
The aim of this study was to find factors predicting in-hospital death in acute decompensated HF by analysis of basic laboratory data and echocardiography, routinely collected on admission to the hospital.

METHODS
To this single-centre retrospective study we involved 638 consecutive patients hospitalised in the years 2007-2008 due to acute decompensated HF. To the initial univariate analysis we included the results of echocardiography and 36 basic laboratory tests performed at hospital admission. Parameters significantly associated with in-hospital death in univariate analysis were taken to multivariate regression analysis.

RESULTS
In-hospital death occurred in 119 cases (median age 75 years; 40.3% females). The multivariate analysis revealed sig-nificant association between in-hospital death and: higher leukocyte count (death [D]: 13.5 vs. survival [S]: 8.8 G/L, p < 0.01), higher neutrophil count (D: 10.5 vs. S: 5.9 G/L, p < 0.01), lower lymphocyte count (D: 1.3 vs. S: 1.7 G/L, p < 0.05), higher C-reactive protein concentration (D: 20.8 vs. S: 6.7 mg/dL, p < 0.01), higher serum glucose concentration (D: 167.0 vs. S: 116.0 mg/dL, p < 0.00001), higher serum creatinine concentration (D: 1.5 vs. S: 1.2 mg/dL, p < 0.0001), higher blood urea nitrogen concentration (D: 29.0 vs. S: 22.0 mg/dL, p < 0.00001), and higher aspartate aminotransferase (D: 72.0 vs. S: 27.0 U/L, p < 0.0001). Surprisingly, there was no significant association with echocardiographic parameters.

CONCLUSIONS
Analysis of basic laboratory data collected on admission to the hospital may help to identify patients with acute decompensated HF, who are at high risk of in-hospital death.


Using coarse-grained dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) with explicit electrostatics, we performed (i) an extensive series of simulations of the electrostatic co-assembly of asymmetric oppositely charged copolymers composed of one (either positively or negatively charged) polyelectrolyte (PE) block A and one water-soluble block B and (ii) studied the solubilization of positively charged porphyrin derivatives (P+) in the interpolyelectrolyte complex (IPEC) cores of co-assembled nanoparticles. We studied the stoichiometric mixtures of 137 A10+B25 and 137 A10−B25 chains with moderately hydrophobic A blocks (DPD interaction parameter aAS=35) and hydrophilic B blocks (aBS=25) with 10 to 120 P+ added (aPS=39). The P+ interactions with other components were set to match literature information on their limited solubility and aggregation behavior. The study shows that the moderately soluble P+ molecules easily solubilize in IPEC cores, where they partly replace PE+ and electrostatically crosslink PE− blocks. As the large P+ rings are apt to aggregate, P+ molecules aggregate in IPEC cores. The aggregation, which starts at very low loadings, is promoted by increasing the number of P+ in the mixture. The positively charged copolymers repelled from the central part of IPEC core partially concentrate at the core-shell interface and partially escape into bulk solvent depending on the amount of P+ in the mixture and on their association number, AS. If AS is lower than the ensemble average 〈AS〉n, the copolymer chains released from IPEC preferentially concentrate at the core-shell interface, thus increasing AS, which approaches 〈AS〉n. If AS>〈AS〉n, they escape into the bulk solvent.


The mathematical formulation of solution algorithm for a vector optimization problem on two indices with regard to scientific substantiation of a flexible line of car repair is presented in the paper.


with the wide application of information systems, more and more enterprises adopt ontology as conceptual backbone for business data management to take advantage of knowledge base and semantic web technology. However, dynamic business motivates modifying existed ontology according to the continuous changes, which is hard to be done manually due to the growing size of ontology. Thus automatic method is needed for ontology evolution. In this paper, an instance-driven ontology evolution approach is proposed to cope with the dynamic changes in ontology evolution. The proposed approach suggests changing directions to users to control the process of evolution. Then the changes of ontology are formalized with elementary and composite changes which are considered as the basis of evolution. Moreover, the identification of changes is realized by instances analyzing. Finally, the approach is tested in a hospital database. The result shows instance-driven ontology evolution is an efficient method to cope with data conception changes in enterprise data management.


Background: Patients presenting with multiple chronic conditions have complex healthcare needs that are challenging to manage in primary care. This paper aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a patient-centred medical home (PCMH) model for improving clinical outcomes in high risk patients in Sydney, Australia. Methods: A cohort study design with a comparison group and a case-series study design were used to evaluate 'between-group' and 'within-group' effectiveness of a 12-month PCMH treatment called 'WellNet' delivered across several general practices in Sydney, Australia. The intervention group consists of 636 eligible participants who had been diagnosed with one or more chronic diseases and/or one or more elevated clinical risk factors; and had a Hospital Admission Risk Profile (HARP) score of greater than 10 at study enrolment between October 2016 and October 2017. The comparison group consists of 7750 randomly selected and well-matched patients receiving usual general practice (GP) care at four geographically comparable general practices in Sydney. Data collected from the general practices include socio-demographics; clinical measures; and self-completed health surveys. Outcomes include 12-month changes in clinical outcomes and patient reported general and disease-specific health assessments. Paired sample t-test and independent samples t-test will be used to determine significant 'within-group' and 'between-group' differences respectively. In addition, analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and repeated measures ANCOVA will be used to determine any differences in the clinical measures and assessments after adjusting for covariates such as age, gender and baseline values. Discussion: To our knowledge, the WellNet study is the first study in Australia to generate evidence on the feasibility of recruitment, retention, and adherence into, as well as effectiveness of a comprehensive PCMH model using GP-based data. Baseline findings show that mean age of the study participants was 70.05 years with nearly even gender distribution of males and females. The most prevalent chronic diseases in descending order were: circulatory system disorders (69.8%), diabetes (47.4%), musculoskeletal disorders (43.5%), respiratory diseases (28.7%), mental illness (18.8%), and cancer (13.6%). Findings of this study may be beneficial to both patients and providers in terms of improved health outcomes, shared-decision making, and increased satisfaction in delivery of care respectively.


As the ASEAN Economic Community's (AEC) inception has promoted and continues to promote deeper regional integration competition. Indonesia, as an AEC member enjoying significant commercial potential, represents a prospective marketplace for other ASEAN countries. Commercial competition between micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) is increasingly fierce because they constitute one of the business sectors that significantly enhance Indonesia's internal economic growth. Thus, MSMEs within the country must exploit their potential more fully by, among other things, improving their intellectual capital (IC) in order to prove competitive. IC is one means of achieving a knowledge-based economy. This study aims to identify the existing conditions of IC in the Cibuntu Tofu Industrial Center of Bandung, one of the leading players in the Indonesian MSME sector. Those conditions will be the basis of IC model design, one of the means of creating competitive advantage. The research methodology presented here consists of several components. The data used in this study is primary in nature, being collected through semi-structured interviews with various respondents. The data analysis technique employed the intellectual capital statement as a tool to describe and evaluate IC using quantitative, qualitative and systematic assessment and impact factors, with the results of the analysis expressed in the IC management portfolio. These showed that there were 15 IC factors in the Cibuntu Tofu Industrial Center. This study's results indicated that the company's human capital component falls within quadrant two (stabilise), structural capital within quadrant four (analyse), and relational capital within quadrant two (stabilise).


To evaluate the timing of surgical treatment in infective endocarditis and to determine the relationship between the risk of mortality and the species of infectious organism, we reviewed a consecutive series of 65 cases involving patients with infective endocarditis who had been treated over a 17-year period. The patients included 41 males and 24 females, who ranged in age from 6 to 85 years (mean, 39.3 years). Forty-five had native valve endocarditis, 14 had prosthetic valve endocarditis, and six had endocarditis associated with congenital heart defects. Fifty-two patients underwent valve replacement, which was associated with an overall operative mortality of 19%. Those who underwent valve replacement during the early active stage (first 3 weeks) of infection had a higher mortality rate than those who had surgery either during the late active stage (second 3 weeks) of infection or after 6 weeks of antibiotic therapy. S. aureus and Pseudomonas organisms were responsible for the most deaths. On the basis of this study, we recommend that, when cardiovascular function permits, patients who are hemodynamically stable and free of emboli should receive 4 to 6 weeks of antibiotic therapy before undergoing surgical treatment. In contrast, patients with high-risk organisms are more likely to survive if subjected to early surgical intervention.


Software-controlled cache prefetching and data forwarding are widely used techniques for tolerating memory latency in shared memory multiprocessors. However, some previous studies show that cache prefetching is not so effective on bus-based multiprocessors, while the effectiveness of data forwarding has not been explored in this environment, yet. In this paper, a novel technique called cache injection is proposed. Cache injection, tuned to the properties of bus-based architectures, combines advantages of both cache prefetching and data forwarding. Some preliminary experiments show that the proposed solution can significantly help in reducing the overall miss ratio and bus traffic in applications where write-shared data prevails.


World Trade Organisation Ministerial conferences provide a platform for member states to
discuss issues that affect international trade. Since the inception of WTO up to date nine
ministerial conferences have been conducted. Out of eight of these Ministerial conferences the
Bali Ministerial conference which was held in Indonesia from the 3rd to the 6th of December
2013, has been hailed as the most successful initiative due to the ability of member states to
reach a consensus during the negotiations. The Bali initiative covers four key issues that affect
international trade mainly Trade facilitation, Technology, Agriculture and Development issues.
These areas also known as the Bali issues have been applauded by most scholars as key to
economic development and smooth flow of trade. Scholars such as Bendini (2013) predicted an
estimate of four trillion US Dollars' worth of export gains if initiatives like TF would be
implemented and reduction of cost of trade in developing countries by 13 to 15 percent. However
there has been another crop of analysts who argue that the Bali package serves more the interest
of the developed countries as compared to the Developing and the least developed countries.
According to these scholars Bali initiatives such as TF will strengthen the economic hegemony
of the rich countries as it will further open markets for their products whilst enlarging the
begging bowels for the least developed countries. These arguments have been presented in detail
in chapter two of this research. Given this background this dissertation sought to examine the
relevance of the Bali package to the economic development of African counties with special
reference to Zimbabwe. The study also aimed at scrutinising the implications for ratification and
non-ratification of the deal to the least developed countries like Zimbabwe. A cost and benefit
analysis that is associated with the implementation of the deal was done as well as identification
of various stakeholders that are affected by the package. Through the use of both qualitative and
quantitative methods of data collection in-depth information about the importance of the Bali
package on the economic development of Zimbabwe was collected. The researcher employed
various research methods that entail key informant interviews with relevant ministries and
organisations, documentary search, e-mail and self- administered interviews to increase validity
of the findings. These findings would be presented in detail in chapter four. As it is going to be
noted in the presentation below, most respondents identified various defects that are associated
with the implementation of the Bali package. However, there was a general consensus from the
findings that emerged that it is impossible for Developing countries such as Zimbabwe to
insulate their economies from the effects of the Bali package. The researcher also gathered that,
whether Zimbabwe ratifies the Bali initiative or not, the country will be affected equally by
international economic shocks that will emanate from the implementation of the Bali package
due to rapid globalisation. As a result the study also provides for relevant recommendations that
could contribute to the economic development of Zimbabwe as well as minimising the
vulnerability of Zimbabwean economy from the effects of the package particularly TF. It is
believed that this will revive the country's position as an active player in international trade


A N INFANT was born by spontaneous vaginal delivery after an uneventful pregnancy. Maternal serology screening was nonreactive for syphilis, negative for hepatitis B surface antigen, and showed immunity for rubella. Maternal rectovaginal culture grew group B streptococcus, and the mother received 2 doses of antibiotics before delivery. Labor and delivery were uncomplicated, and his birth weight was 3.5 kg. Apgar scores were 8 and 9 at 1 and 5 minutes, respectively. Initial vital signs and physical examination findings were normal. With the first bottle feeding, he regurgitated all the formula through his nostrils. Despite suctioning of the nasopharynx, his airway remained congested, and he had difficulty clearing nasal secretions. Sterile water feeding was attempted, but instant reflux of water occurred through the nostrils. Findings from complete blood cell count, C-reactive protein, and chest radiograph were normal. He received a sepsis workup and antibiotics for 3 days until blood culture had negative findings. Investigation for nasopharyngeal reflux was initiated with barium esophagram, which showed reflux of contrast from the oropharynx into the nasopharynx and through the nostrils (Figure 1). Some contrast passed down the esophagus into the stomach, and an aspiration episode into the trachea was visualized (Figure 2). The infant underwent direct laryngoscopy, esophagoscopy, and bronchoscopy. No structural anomalies of nasopharynx, larynx, esophagus, or bronchi were present. Computed tomographic scans of the brain, neck, and chest were normal, showing no intrinsic or extrinsic structural obstruction to the esophagus or trachea. A 2-dimensional echocardiogram with Doppler flow study of the heart and major blood vessels did not reveal abnormal vessels or structural anomalies.


Hybrid electric vehicles are currently one of the most effective ways to increase the efficiency and reduce the pollutant emissions of internal combustion engines. Green hydrogen, produced with renewable energies, is an excellent alternative to fossil fuels in order to drastically reduce engine pollutant emissions. In this work, the author proposes the implementation of a hydrogen-fueled engine in a hybrid vehicle; the investigated hybrid powertrain is the power-split type in which the engine, two electric motor/generators and the drive shaft are coupled together by a planetary gear set; this arrangement allows the engine to operate independently from the wheels and, thus, to exploit the best efficiency operating points. A set of numeric simulations were performed in order to compare the gasoline-fueled engine with the hydrogen-fueled one in terms of the thermal efficiency and total energy consumed during a driving cycle. The simulation results show a mean engine efficiency increase of around 17% when fueled with hydrogen with respect to gasoline and an energy consumption reduction of around 15% in a driving cycle.


The work is devoted to investigations aiming at developing special type of radiating antennas which are known as Harmuth's large current radiator. Physical and technical problems encountered when radiators designed and ways for their overcoming are discussed


Lysyl oxidase-like 2 (LOXL2) is a member of the scavenger-receptor cysteine-rich (SRCR) repeat carrying LOX family. Although LOXL2 is suspected to be involved in histone association and chromatin modification, the role of LOXL2 in epigenetic regulation during tumorigenesis and cancer progression remains unclear. Here, we report that nuclear LOXL2 associates with histone H3 and catalyzes H3K36ac deacetylation and deacetylimination. Both the N-terminal SRCR repeats and the C-terminal catalytic domain of LOXL2 carry redundant deacetylase catalytic activity. Overexpression of LOXL2 markedly reduced H3K36 acetylation and blocked H3K36ac-dependent transcription of genes, including c-MYC, CCND1, HIF1A, and CD44. Consequently, LOXL2 overexpression reduced cancer cell proliferation in vitro and inhibited xenograft tumor growth in vivo. In contrast, LOXL2 deficiency resulted in increased H3K36 acetylation and aberrant expression of H3K36ac-dependent genes involved in multiple oncogenic signaling pathways. Female LOXL2 deficient mice spontaneously developed uterine hypertrophy and uterine carcinoma. Moreover, silencing LOXL2 in cancer cells enhanced tumor progression and reduced the efficacy of cisplatin and anti-programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) combination therapy. Clinically, low nuclear LOXL2 expression and high H3K36ac levels corresponded to poor prognosis in uterine endometrial carcinoma patients. These results suggest that nuclear LOXL2 restricts cancer development in the female reproductive system via regulation of H3K36ac deacetylation.


Background: There are limited contemporary data on the prevalence and progression of diabetic retinopathy (DR) in urban-dwelling Aboriginal Australians. We therefore compared the prevalence of DR and cumulative incidence of new/worsening DR (NWDR) between Aboriginal and Anglo-Celt Australians with type 2 diabetes (T2D) in the representative community-based Fremantle Diabetes Study Phase II (FDS2). Methods: From 2008 to 2011, 932 Anglo-Celt and Aboriginal FDS2 participants with T2D underwent comprehensive baseline assessments and were invited to biennial reviews. Ethnic status was based on self-selection, country/countries of birth and parents' birth, language(s) spoken at home, and country of grandparents' birth. Fundus photographs were graded according to the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study protocol. Prevalence of DR and cumulative incidence of NWDR for each ethnic group, and unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios (ORs), were calculated. Results: Baseline DR data was available for 911 (97.7%) participants (mean age 66.0 years, median T2D duration 8.4 years, 49.7% males). There were 817 Anglo-Celt and 94 Aboriginal participants. Of these, 56% had follow-up data. Baseline prevalence of any DR was 33.0% in Anglo-Celts and 52.1% in Aboriginals (P Conclusions: Urban dwelling Aboriginal Australians have substantial DR prevalence and progression, highlighting the need for better access to culturally appropriate management. Disclosure J.J. Drinkwater: None. W.A. Davis: Advisory Panel; Spouse/Partner; Lilly Diabetes, Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., Novo Nordisk A/S. Speaker's Bureau; Self; Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH. Speaker's Bureau; Spouse/Partner; Lilly Diabetes, Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., Mylan, Novo Nordisk A/S, Sanofi-Aventis. Other Relationship; Self; Proteomics International. Other Relationship; Spouse/Partner; Proteomics International. A.W. Turner: None. T. Davis: Advisory Panel; Self; Lilly Diabetes, Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., Novo Nordisk A/S. Speaker's Bureau; Spouse/Partner; Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH. Speaker's Bureau; Self; Lilly Diabetes, Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., Mylan, Novo Nordisk A/S, Sanofi-Aventis. Other Relationship; Self; Protemics International. Other Relationship; Spouse/Partner; Protemics International. Funding University of Western Australia; Australian Government Training Program; National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia


Juvenile arthritis with unknown disease etiology is also known as juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Symptoms include joint pain, swelling, and stiffness, and standard treatment involves immunosuppressant medication. Here we present a case of juvenile idiopathic arthritis with severe malnutrition and worsening of symptoms, which restrained a nine-year-old girl to a wheelchair with minimal movement capacity and low energy during standard immunosuppressant therapies over the course of three years. Our innovative Pathogen Blood Test combining cytology-based microscopy and genetic analysis using a pan-fungal primer assay and sequencing identified a systemic fungal infection with Sagenomella species, closely related to Aspergillus, and a soil-dwelling highly pathogenic fungus, which had previously been linked to a fatal veterinary case of arthritis and malnutrition. Our test results encouraged a radical change of the patient's treatment plan, including cessation of the regular immunosuppressants, including steroids, over six months. The patient made a progressive recovery, including complete reversion of the previously swollen and painful joints, development of a good appetite, and return to liveliness. Within the year of change from immunosuppressants to immune-supportive integrative nutritional therapies, including regular intravenous vitamin C, and oral vitamin D, as well as gentle aqua- and physiotherapy, the patient started to gain weight including muscle mass and regained strength and movement in the hands, arms, and legs. She was able to walk again within 18 months. Her mood and energy levels continued to improve and she was able to return to school full-time.


Abstract For decades Singapore's ruling elite has sought to legitimate its rule by claiming to be a talented and competent elite that has made Singapore an exception among its neighbours – an exemplar of success and progress in a sea of mediocrity. In this article it is contended that this basis of legitimation has been irreversibly damaged. In essence, it is suggested that the governing People's Action Party has lost control of the national narrative, and its achievements are increasingly regarded as being "ordinary" by the electorate. The mystique of exceptionalism, which was the basis on which the government was widely presumed to be above the need for close scrutiny and accountability, has collapsed. This collapse has substantially levelled the political playing field, at least in terms of expectations and assumptions. The government can and probably will continue to win elections and rule through its control of the instruments of institutional power, but the genie of scepticism and accountability has been released from its bottle, and it is hard to see how it can be put back in. This fundamentally changes the condition of Singapore politics: the narrative of exceptionalism is dead and the Singapore elite finds itself struggling to cope in a new and critical political environment.


One of the rolling stocks, low floor tram is recognized as the important alternative to improve traffic and environmental problems. There are many advantages of tram transportation system. It has, especially, low construction costs and easy accessibility. Trams operate with vehicles on roadways. The bogie configuration including traction motor of tramcar is different from that of conventional electric trains because tram has lower floor than train. In these reasons, the traction motors of tramcar are exposed to dusts, water and so on. Therefore, motors are designed by totally enclosed type. In this paper, we explain the design and test of totally enclosed traction motor for tramcar. Characteristic tests and temperature-rising tests were carried out in order to predict the performance of motor and the maximum temperature of coil.


Many natural assets can not be valued at market prices. Non-market valuations typically focus on the value of an individual asset to an individual user, ignoring macroeconomic spillovers. We estimate the contribution of a natural asset to aggregate economic activity by exploiting exogenous variation in the quality of surfing waves around the world, using a global dataset covering over 5,000 locations. Treating night-time light emissions as a proxy for economic activity we find that high quality surfing waves boost activity in the local area (<5km), relative to comparable locations with low quality waves, by 0.15-0.28 log points from 1992-2013. This amounts to between US$ 18-22 million (2011 PPP) per wave per year, or $50 billion globally. The effect is most pronounced in emerging economies. Surfing helps reduce extreme rural poverty, by encouraging people to nearby towns. When a wave is discovered by the international community, economic growth in the area rises by around 3%.


The long-term development of children after assisted reproduction, especially the physical, mental and social development, has attracted increasing interest. Most studies are focused on singletons after ART compared to those after spontaneous conception. A distinction is made between health, cognitive and psychosocial development. Studies report on hospital admissions of children after ART without a specific reason. ART children exhibit an increased manifestation of malformations, especially in the urogenital tract of the boys. The cognitive development of children does not differ fundamentally in singleton preschool children. Child behaviour and parental stress at the of age 5-8 years after ART did not differ significantly to those after spontaneous conception. In a small sample (n=87) after ICS some children were found to have an autistic spectrum disorder. Adolescents after ART were compared to adolescents after SC, no differences in psychosocial adjustment were apparent. Recent studies confirm that there are no fundamental differences in the development of children after ART in comparison to spontaneously conceived children.


Introduction The aim of parenteral nutrition (PN) is to meet the body's needs while avoiding complications of deficiency and toxicity.1Trace elements (Cu, Zn, Se) play an important role in many of the body's functions including metabolism, immunity and enzymes.1ESPGHAN/ ESPEN guidelines recommended that levels of trace elements should be checked at the commencement and frequently after starting PN.1Our aim was to review the current practice in our tertiary paediatric hospital. Method In-patients receiving PN were identified from the pharmacy database. All records from patients receiving PN on two randomly allocated days in December and January were analysed for demographic data and diagnosis. From the laboratory database we looked for Zinc (Zn), Copper (Cu) and Selenium (Se) levels at the commencement and 4–8 weeks after starting PN. We excluded patients with no available data on the start of PN. Results 72 patients receiving PN were identified on the two days. Data were available for 63 patients and 9 others were excluded as data was not available on starting PN. The 63 patients with available results were aged 1–16 years, median age of 4.5 years. 36 were males. Overall; Trace Elements (TE) were checked in 26/63 (41.2%) (Table1). TE results were available before or within one week of starting PN in 18/63 (28.5%). Thirteen had TE follow up. Table 3 shows the levels of TE within one week of starting PN and the follow up results. 5 patients had low initial Zn, Cu and Se. These were patients with Tufting enteropathy, early onset inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), one patient with IPEX, one patient with Intestinal obstruction and one with missing records. The latter two in addition to another patient with HLH also had low levels on follow up. Out of the whole cohort of 63, 27 (43%) patients have an underlying gastrointestinal disorder, 20 (74%) of whom had levels checked initially and 9 (33%) had levels done on follow up.Abstract PTH-216 Table 1 Levels at the start of PN Follow up levels TE Cu Zn Se Cu Zn Se Low 12 5 14 9 3 8 Normal 14 20 12 14 10 5 High - 1 - - 0 - Total 26 26 26 13 13 13 Conclusion Unfortunately determination of TE level is frequently missed in our institution. Although figures from the gastroenterology department were better than other departments, we recommended use of a proforma to be filled by the clinician before starting PN. We recommend TE to be checked at least once every 3 months for those with normal levels and once a month for those with low levels. A re-audit is planned later in the year. Disclosure of interest None Declared. Reference Koletzko B, et al. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2005;41(Suppl 2)


Performance of high-concentration Er/sup 3+/-Yb/sup 3+/-codoped phosphate fiber amplifiers in a copumping configuration is presented. Gain, noise figure, and output signal saturation power of fiber amplifiers with different lengths are reported. From a 3.6-cm-long fiber, 18-dB internal gain, i.e., 5 dB/cm, for small signal input at 1535 nm, was achieved. To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest gain per unit length for erbium-doped fiber amplifiers ever reported.


Abstract. As wind turbines in a wind farm interact with each other, a control problem arises that has been extensively studied in the literature: how can we optimize the power production of a wind farm as a whole? A traditional approach to this problem is called induction control, in which the power capture of an upstream turbine is lowered for the benefit of downstream machines. In recent simulation studies, an alternative approach, where the induction factor is varied over time, has shown promising results. In this paper, the potential of this dynamic induction control (DIC) approach is further investigated. Only periodic variations, where the input is a sinusoid, are studied. A proof of concept for this periodic DIC approach will be given by the execution of scaled wind tunnel experiments, showing for the first time that this approach can yield power gains in real-world wind farms. Furthermore, the effects on the damage equivalent loads (DEL) of the turbine are evaluated in a simulation environment. These indicate that the increase in DEL on the excited turbine is limited.


United States Pharmacopeia <795> states that to ensure accuracy and completeness, the compounder shall observe the finished preparation. One such verification method described in United States Pharmacopeia <1163> is weight assessment of final nonsterile compounded preparations. This article will focus on this weight-assessment technique and discuss common pitfalls and tools which can be used to better comply with current industry quality- control guidelines.


A tri(ethylene glycol)-containing lactide analogue was synthesized via thiol-ene chemistry between a bi-functional triethylene glycol and allyl lactide. Subsequent tin-octoate-catalyzed ring-opening polymerization yielded well-defined poly(lactide)-graft-poly(ethylene glycol) copolymers with molecular weights of 6000 g/mol and polydispersity indices of 1.6. The tri(ethylene glycol) chains along the copolymers contain azide termini that are capable of 'click'-type postpolymerization functionalization. The utility of this strategy was demonstrated via successful Staudinger ligation to install the Gly-Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser (GRGDS) peptide.


Clinical isolates of Mycoplasma hominis resistant to high levels of tetracycline contained DNA sequences homologous to the streptococcal tetracycline determinant, tetM. In contrast, none of the susceptible M. hominis isolates tested carried this determinant. This is the first description of tetM in an unrelated genus and suggests the spread of tetM from Streptococcus spp. to Mycoplasma spp.


In this study light-trap catch of three beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) species were examined in connection with the everyday function of the chemical air pollutants (SO2, NO, NO2, NOx, CO, PM10, O3). Between 2004 and 2012 light-traps were operating in Fejér County, Hungary, Europe). The data were processed following species: Rhizotrogus aequinoctialis Herbst, 1790; Rhizotrogus aestivus Olivier, 1789; Melolontha melolontha Linnaeus, 1758. The data from different years were combined. The number of the chemical air pollutants and the caught beetles were assigned into classes. The results obtained were plotted. We determined the regression equations, and the levels of significance. We found that the behaviour of the studied beetle species can be divided only into two types: if the air pollution increases, the catch increases or decreases.