One of the main environmental problems in ports is Climate Change and its consequences. Since 1979, many international organizations have been working to control Climate Change. A literature review and a practical research were carried out to set up the basis to create a tool. These studies showed in recent years many ports have started to calculate their Carbon Footprint. However, there is no unified method in ports to do so. In addition, based on the results of the practical research, the development of a practicable tool for the calculation of Carbon Footprint in ports was highly demanded.
Therefore, a new standardized tool was developed and validated by 20 experts. This tool was tested with the existing results of the Port of Oslo and Ports de la Generalitat. The results obtained were in line. Finally, a case study model was created to test all the functionalities of the tool. The calculated emission values were compared with those obtained with the OCCC tool and MITECO tool. The outcomes were very similar with minor changes due to different emission factors. The results of this test process prove that the new tool is suitable to be used by ports around the world.


Massive upper gastrointestinal bleeding is a known complication of advanced sepsis in trauma patients and carries a grave prognosis. However, to our knowledge, an important cause of massive gastrointestinal bleeding, arterio-visceral fistula, has not been discussed in the literature. The most common cause of this unique clinical entity is penetrating high velocity abdominal injuries, although blunt trauma may also be responsible. Due to partial injury of the major intraabdominal vessels, a false aneurysm is formed. The in traabdominal false aneurysm, causing pressure necrosis in the intestinal wall, perforates into the gut with massive hemorrhage. Character istics of this hemorrhage include its massive and bright red nature, recurr ence, and curability with correct diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Our experience with sixteen cases, clinical presentation, diagnostic features and surgical treatment is discussed in this paper. MJ/RI, Vol. 4, No.3, 165-172, 1990 Volume 4


The aims of the experiment were to determine the coefficient of genetic diversity, heritability and correlation between these characters. The experiment was conducted in Palolo District of Donggala and Lore Regency of Poso, Central Sulawesi from May to August 2006. The experiment used a Randomized Block Design with five replicates. The treatment was six different villages: Baku-bakulu, Wuasa, Sigimpu, Bobo, Batumaeta and Winoanga, therefore, there were 30 experimental units used. The results of the experiment indicated that 11 characters showed a large diversity coefficient while the other six characters had a small coefficient. Plant height and leaf midrib length had a small heritability value while 15 other characters had a moderate value. Such characters as plant height, leaf midrib length, first formed female spadix length, length of female spadix, twist of female spadix stalk, number of fruit, length of first formed male spadix, length of male spadix, length of male spadix stalk and twist of male spadix stalk could be used as indicators for indirect selection to enhance palm sap yield.


The patient was a 47-year-old man who presented with diplopia and gait instability with a gradual onset over the course of three days. Neurological examinations showed ophthalmoplegia, diminished tendon reflexes, and truncal ataxia. Tests for anti-GQ1b antibodies and several other antibodies to ganglioside complex were positive. We made a diagnosis of Fisher syndrome. After administration of intravenous immunoglobulin, the patient's symptoms gradually improved. However, bilateral facial palsy appeared during the recovery phase. Brain MRI showed intensive contrast enhancement of bilateral facial nerves. During the onset phase of facial palsy, the amplitude of the compound muscle action potential (CMAP) in the facial nerves was preserved. During the peak phase, the facial CMAP amplitude was within the lower limit of normal values, or mildly decreased. During the recovery phase, the CMAP amplitude was normalized, and the R1 and R2 responses of the blink reflex were prolonged. The delayed facial nerve palsy improved spontaneously, and the enhancement on brain MRI disappeared. Serial neurophysiological and neuroradiological examinations suggested that the main lesions existed in the proximal part of the facial nerves and the mild lesions existed in the facial nerve terminals, probably due to reversible conduction failure.


Between 1980 and 1985 patients living in the Vosges mountains and admitted to the internal medicine department of a university hospital were systematically investigated for chronic lead poisoning. The delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydrase assay was used for screening, and when necessary confirmation was obtained with calcium EDTA-induced plumburia test and lead assays in domestic water. Among 366 patients with no suspicion of lead poisoning, the condition was proven in 52 cases and found probable in 15 cases, i.e. in 18 p. 100 of these patients. Obviously, figures cannot be extrapolated to the entire population of the Vosges, but they indicate that lead-induced morbidity is widespread and that saturnism constitutes a major health problem. In one-half of the cases, chronic lead poisoning affected people over 65 while patients of that age group accounted for only 14 p. 100 of non lead-poisoned patients. Prolonged tolerance to the intoxication explains why saturnism has for so long passed unnoticed in the Vosges region, and it may be feared that the same applies to other regions with the same geological features as the Vosges.


ABSTRACT Health professionals need linguistically and culturally correct tools with proven validity to effectively assess people in their native language. This study aimed to translate and validate the Westmead Post-traumatic Amnesia Scale (WPTAS) into a Spanish version to measure the progression and duration of post-traumatic amnesia (PTA) in Spanish-speaking populations. Seven native Spanish and English translators, 11 therapists and 15 people with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and nine people with non-traumatic acquired brain injury participated in the forward–backward translation method to adapt the WPTAS. Participants with a TBI in PTA (n = 20), out of PTA (n = 21), and controls without cognitive impairment (n = 21) participated in the validation test phase by completing the WPTAS, Selective Reminding Test, Short Portable Metal Status Questionnaire, Digit Span, and Agitated Behaviour Scale. The translated version of the WPTAS produced consistent responses and appropriate errors (2%) among all pre-test participants. Results from the validation phase showed that participants in PTA scored significantly lower in all tests (p < .05) when compared with those out of PTA and controls. The Spanish version of the WPTAS created and tested in this study is culturally and linguistically appropriate as well as valid for use with Spanish speakers.


In Rwanda, the initial school-based mapping of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections was completed in 2008. Despite the classification of low endemicity of intestinal schistosomiasis (Schistosoma mansoni) in Rusizi district, the Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) programme has received warnings two years after the mapping on high infection level on Nkombo Island located in this district. This study aims to report on prevalence of Schistosoma mansoni infection in an area which was the last to be investigated in Rwanda and provide some critics on current mapping guidelines. The study was done in January 2011 with a sample of 311 schoolchildren aged 10-19 years. Stool screening was performed by Kato-Katz technique. Overall prevalence of S. mansoni was found to be 62.1% (95%CI: 56.4-67.5), ranging from 28.6% (95%CI: 19.2-39.5) to 77.9% (95%CI: 67.0-86.6) across the schools. The prevalence of S. mansoni among the schoolchildren of Nkombo Island was found to be the highest in Rwanda. These findings confirm the extreme focality of schistosomiasis and the fact that the current mapping guidelines are likely to miss some hotspots. For the validation of schistosomiasis distribution at country level, there is need for new innovative mapping methodology that can provide to control programmes more accurate data for planning and undertaking control interventions at the district and the lowest implementation levels. When mapping units have to be designed they should give more priority to areas surrounding perennial water bodies that are considered high-risk zones.


In three patients with endocrine orbitopathy and motility disturbances the affected extraocular muscles were recessed under topical anesthesia, taking the degree of active motility, which was checked intraoperatively, into account. The advantages of the use of topical anesthesia in patients suffering from endocrine orbitopathy are discussed.


Continuous monitoring of Electro Cardio Gram (ECG) for long term in our living environment provides the necessary information for preventing the heart attack and other cardiac diseases. Real-time wearable ECG monitoring system with related cardiac arrhythmia classification of stepwise algorithms is implemented in this paper. But some disadvantages of those methods were hindered by the movements. The chips also have some restriction to detection of cardiac rates. For monitoring the status of heart we have a fully reconstructed wearing ECG module which is a medical friendly device for identifying these defects. Our device is less in weight and has reduced power consumption, long battery lifetime of one month to make the device suitable for primary care applications. Two metal electrodes have been used in this device activated by the user for the potential difference calculation across the wrists. The flexible ink has been used in the manufacture of electrodes and cannot be more difficult for pasting on the module case, designed for companion to all the users and can be adaptable for different shapes. On the R-R interval (peaks) basis calculation, the heart rate can be displayed in Beats Per Minute (BPM). The normal or abnormal condition (Tachycardia, Bradycardia ) of the heart can be found by the above criteria.


Purpose of reviewAcute invasive fungal rhinosinusitis (AIFR) is an aggressive and often fatal infection with wide variability of both presentation and survival rate across several published case reports and small case series. This review discusses treatment outcomes for this challenging disease. Recent findingsFor several decades, the use of medical therapy (consisting primarily of intravenous antifungals) combined with surgical resection and/or debridement has been widely recommended for the treatment of AIFR. Unfortunately, because of the rarity of AIFR, few large-scale studies have evaluated 'best options' for disease management. Most recent studies show few changes in either survival outcomes or management over time. SummaryAlthough overall survival rates remain below about 60%, outcomes are significantly more favorable for those patients undergoing surgical/endoscopic resection and who have reversible predisposing factors that can be rapidly managed (e.g., diabetes). The indications for orbital exenteration remain unclear, but recent studies suggest that this procedure may not change outcome in most patients.


Novel sialidase inhibitors 11 having an α-acylaminoamido group at the C-4 position of Neu5Ac2en 1 against human parainfluenza virus type 1 (hPIV-1) were synthesized using one-pot isocyanide-based four-component condensation, and their inhibitory activities against hPIV-1 sialidase were studied. Compound 11b showed inhibitory activity (IC(50)=5.1 mM) against hPIV-1 sialidase. The degree of inhibition of 11b was much weaker than that of 1 (IC(50)=0.3 mM).


Abstract It is well established that at low Rossby and Froude numbers modes possessing potential vorticity behave differently from gavity-inertial wave modes. Wave energy cascades relatively more efficiently downscale to the dissipation, resulting in a geostrophic adjustment. For this reason, it has been suggested that wave energy be subjected to relatively stronger dissipation via "divergence damping." This study reports separate measurements of the effective eddy damping acting on wave and rotational modes in simulations of nonhydrostatic Boussinesq flow. The method employs an arbitrary cutoff wavenumber, kc, within the simulation's range of resolved scales, in order to calculate explicitly the effect of the smaller-scale motion on wavenumbers below kc. It is found that the rotational-mode eddy viscosity resembles that found in studies of 2D turbulence, with a significant negative range, while it is positive at all wavenumbers for the wave modes.


In this paper, we propose a time difference of arrival (TDOA) measurement algorithm resistant to multipath interference in estimating direction of arrival (DOA) of an underwater sound source. In strong multipath interference, the pseudo-peaks caused by reflected affect the correlation function, which makes it difficult to detect the peak with correct time position and leads to a large TDOA measurement error. The proposed method detects the arrival time difference by cross-correlating two impulse responses measured using a reference signal, and realizes a TDOA measurement that is resistant to multipath interference. We discuss the effectiveness of the proposed method by using an underwater acoustic reflection model, and report its performance by comparing the conventional method and the proposed method by our simulation and experiment.


Abstract Five novel Pt(II) complexes with some 2-cycloalkyl-substituted benzimidazole carrier-ligands were synthesized and evaluated for their in vitro cytotoxic activities against HeLa and OVCAR-3 cell lines. A cell viability test revealed that [dichloro-bis(2-cycloheptylbenzimidazole) platinum(II)] is less cytotoxic than cisplatin, and its cytotoxic effect can be compared with that of carboplatin. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that this complex at 117 μM concentration causes apoptosis in approx. 72 % of the OVCAR-3 cell population. In addition, the complex was found to cause an increase in the SubG1 population of both OVCAR-3 and HeLa cells and to cause less apoptosis in HeLa cells than cisplatin.


OBJECTIVE
Aseptic prosthesis loosening (APL) is related to the formation and aggressive growth of a synovial-like interface membrane (SLIM) between prosthesis and bone. However, investigation of the early phases of SLIM development in humans presents major difficulties. This study was undertaken to develop and characterize the usefulness of a novel animal model of APL that is based on an established model of defined exercise in a running wheel by Wistar rats that have been subjected to intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS).

METHODS
Cemented tibial hemiarthroplasties were implanted into the left knees of 7 male Wistar rats. After 2 weeks, exercise in a running wheel was started in all rats, with a running-load of 2 hours/day for 5 days/week. Six months postoperatively, the knee joints were removed, decalcified, and embedded in paraffin. Histologic evaluation on hematoxylin and eosin-stained sections was performed to investigate the development of a SLIM and the presence of cement debris particles. To characterize the SLIM on a molecular level and investigate growth-regulating factors, the expression of transforming growth factor beta (TGFbeta) and the anti-apoptotic molecule Bcl-2 was analyzed by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS
Although the prostheses appeared mechanically stable after 6 months, the development of SLIM with areas of bone resorption was seen in all samples. Resembling human SLIM, these membranes consisted of loose fibrous tissue, with cement debris particles located particularly at sites originally attached to the prostheses. Immunohistochemistry studies revealed the expression of TGFbeta and Bcl-2 in all specimens. Interestingly, staining for TGFbeta and Bcl-2 was restricted to areas where the SLIM were attached to bone. In contrast, there was only negligible expression of both proteins at sites adjacent to the prostheses.

CONCLUSION
Our findings demonstrate that the ICSS Wistar rat model constitutes a feasible tool for studying early stages of APL, and specifically the effect of defined running exercise on SLIM formation. The results further suggest that both cellular proliferation, as stimulated by TGFbeta, and altered apoptosis contribute to early stages of SLIM formation. The expression patterns of TGFbeta and Bcl-2 indicate that the growth of the SLIM is initiated and promoted from the bone rather than from the prosthesis.


When we listen to music, we perceive regularities that drive our expectations. This is reflected in beat perception, in which a listener infers a regular pulse from a rhythm. However, it is still an open question whether attention to the music is necessary to establish the perception of a hierarchy of stronger and weaker beats, or meter. In addition, to what extent beat perception is dependent on musical expertise is still unknown. We addressed these questions by measuring the pupillary response to omissions at different metrical positions in drum rhythms, while participants attended to another task. We found that the omission of the most salient first beat elicited a larger pupil dilation than the omission of the less salient second beat. These results show that participants perceived stronger and weaker beats without explicit attention to the music, suggesting that hierarchical beat perception is an automatic process that requires minimal attentional resources. In addition, we found that this perception of meter was independent of musical expertise. Finally, our results show that pupil dilation reflects surprise without explicit attention, demonstrating that the pupil is an accessible index to unattentive processing.


Recent studies have shown that ice duration in lakes and rivers over the Northern Hemisphere has decreased over the 19th and 20th centuries in response to global warming. However, lake ice trends have not been well documented in Canada. Because of its size, considerable variability may exist in both freeze‐up and break‐up dates across the country. In this paper, results of the analysis of recent trends (1951–2000) in freeze‐up and break‐up dates across Canada are presented. Trends toward earlier break‐up dates are observed for most lakes during the time periods of analysis which encompass the 1990s. Freeze‐up dates, on the other hand, show few significant trends and a low degree of temporal coherence when compared with break‐up dates. These results are compared with trends in autumn and spring 0 °C isotherm dates over the time period 1966–95. Similar spatial and temporal patterns are observed, with generally significant trends toward earlier springs/break‐up dates over most of western Canada and little change in isotherm and freeze‐up dates over the majority of the country in autumn. Strong correlations (r > 0·5) between 0 °C isotherm dates and freeze‐up/break‐up dates at many locations across the country reveal the high synchrony of these variables. These results are also consistent with more recent observations of other cryospheric and atmospheric variables that indicate, in particular, a general trend toward earlier springs in the latter part of the 20th century. The results of this study provide further evidence of the robustness of lake ice as a proxy indicator of climate variability and change. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


One of the main purposes for adopting the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) is the quest for comparability between financial statements within the same country, over time, and between different countries. IFRS have the feature of allowing accounting choices in most of their standards. However, the existence of such flexibility in the process for recognizing, measuring, and disclosing assets and liabilities may impact on comparability. IFRS have been criticized both due to their accounting choices and the adoption of the fair value paradigm. This article examines these two issues, investigating the choice of the cost model versus the choice of the fair value model for investment properties (IPs), an option guaranteed under the terms of the International Accounting Standard (IAS) 40. This research aimed to identify the comparability degree and the factors that determine the accounting choices made by managers of IPs, in Brazilian and Portuguese listed companies, within the periods from 2010 to 2012. Comparability, within and between countries, was identified by the T-index and the search for the determining factors of accounting choices made by managers was performed by means of a logistic regression analysis. As a result, it was found that, despite the accounting choices allowed by IAS 40, there was a mean comparability between the accounting practices of firms in these countries, but showing a decrease in the index over the years. The explanatory factors identified were auditing by one of the big four (PricewaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, KPMG, or Ernst & Young), companies' indebtedness, relative importance of IPs' balance, net profit, and less experience of Brazil in using the fair value method to appraise IPs.


The Oligocene Vicksburg formation of South Texas was deposited as a coarse clastic delta system on the fringe of the uplifted Sierra Madre mountains in Mexico. Earliest Vicksburg sediments were initially deposited in a simple delta lobe, which detached due to gravity from underlying Eocene formations and crept seaward as a block, creating a depositional center. The upper Early Vicksburg contains expanded sets of deltaic sediments which infilled a depression formed by the initial movement. Downlap surfaces indicate that the expansion was oriented northeast-southwest.

Middle Vicksburg uplift in the Sierra Madre mountains to the south caused erosion and a change in strike direction to northeast-southwest and a significant change in structural style. West to easterly oriented ridges formed in conjunction with significant north-south, en-echelon, counter-regional growth faults. The ridges later accumulated hydrocarbons in deformed sandstones. Counter-regional faults formed as a deeper detachment within the underlying Eocene during Late Vicksburg time. This resulted in formation of two different structural provinces. The Slick Ranch Field province illustrates a complex extensional zone dominated by horst and graben structures. In contrast, the McAllen Ranch Field province is simpler, without Late Vicksburg extension.

One of the keys to successful exploitation of the Vicksburg is unraveling extensive, low angle, discontinuous fault sets that dominate the majority of rotated fault blocks. These faults formed during growth and rotation of individual slump structures. Faulting occurred when curvature on listric fault planes was reduced and the slump rotated to a horizontal position. When rotation was complete, all the curvature from the base of the slump was transposed to the upper surface. Subsequent low angle faults dissected the crest of the slumps.

The study area, in Starr and Hidalgo counties, South Texas (Figure 1), borders the Rio Grande River and Mexico. More than six trillion ft3 of gas and …


The objective of this trial was to evaluate the effect of starch sources and processing used in diets on performance and nitrogen metabolism of lactating Holstein dairy cows fed sugar cane as forage. Five multiparous lactating Holstein cows, cannulated in the rumen and proximal duodenum, were used in a 5 × 5 Latin square. Cows were fed a 40:60 forage concentrate ration (40% fresh sugar cane and 60% concentrate) and differ only on processing or mainly starch source: cracked corn; finely ground corn; flaked corn at 310 g/L; flaked corn at 360 g/L or cassava scrapings. The in vitro starch hydrolysis rate of cassava scrapings was higher than others sources of starch in this trial. The flaked corn showed higher hydrolysis rate of starch than ground corn. Average values for total percentage of hydrolyzed starch were 93.5, 85.6, 83.7 and 37.8% for the cassava scrapings, flaked corn at 310 g/L, flaked corn at 360 g/L and ground corn, respectively. There was no difference for dry matter intake, milk protein and fat contents, microbial synthesis and plasma glucose concentration. Cassava scrapings decrease daily fat and protein productions and fat corrected milk production, with mean values of 0.40, 0.45 and 12.48 kg/day; 0.68, 0.64 and 19.74 kg/day; 0.57, 0.62 and 17.37 kg for cassava scrapings, flaked corn and ground corn, respectively. Average values of ruminal ammonia were lower with flaked corn or cassava scrapings, showing more active fermentation of these starch sources. Although of highest rate of starch hydrolysis, cassava scrapings altered protein metabolism with a reduction in microbial protein synthesis.


With the proliferation of software agents and smart hardware devices there is a growing realization that large-scale problems can be addressed by integration of such standalone systems. This has led to an increasing interest in integration architectures that enable a heterogeneous variety of agents and humans to work together. These agents and humans differ in their capabilities, preferences, the level of autonomy they are willing to grant the integration architecture and their information requirements and performance. The challenge in coordinating such a diverse agent set is that potentially a large number of domain-specific and agent specific coordination plans may be required. We present a novel two-tiered approach to address this coordination problem. We first provide the integration architecture with general purpose teamwork coordination capabilities, but then enable adaptation of such capabilities for the needs or requirements of specific individuals. A key novel aspect of this adaptation is that it takes place in the context of other heterogeneous team members. We are realizing this approach in an implemented distributed agent integration architecture called Teamcore. Experimental results from two different domains are presented.


Participation enhances democracy and at the same time allows people to decide their own fate. A renewed concern with rights, power and difference in debates about participation in development has focused greater attention on the institutions at the interface between publics, providers and policy makers. This book deals with the extent of people's participation in the social forestry (SF) policy of Bangladesh. The roles of the main stakeholders: bureaucrats, Union Parishad and NGOs in ensuring the expected level of people's participation are the main focus of the discussion. Theoretical framework of the book is guided by the concept of political and classical bureaucrats, patron-client relationship and social capital. In this book the author has drawn in depth analysis to illustrate the dissonance between myths and reality of the SF policy. A number of common institutional and social problems are discussed to shape the performance of the policy. Patron-client relationship among the stakeholders is identified as the most dominate factor because this vicious network impede the extent of people's participation from the very beginning of the SF project to the last and demolish the main objective of the policy dreadfully.


While lithium battery electrodes are constantly being improved in terms of their properties, discovering new materials with alternative energy carriers like Mg are important to lower the cost of
production and to enhance the energy density. MXenes are a type of highly investigated materials
with promising energy applications due to their excellent electronic conductivity and good mechanical and dynamical stability. Experimentally realized Janus MoSSe nanosheets provided promising
results for battery electrodes. It is known that the surface terminations of MXenes highly affect
on the electrochemical properties and the diffusion barriers of ions. Inspired by this, we studied
Ti2CSO and Ti2CSSe Janus MXenes for Li and Mg electrodes. Our density functional theory-based,
first-principles calculations indicate that both monolayers are thermodynamically, mechanically, and
dynamically stable. We calculated that the average voltages for Li and Mg adsorbed Ti2CST (T = O,
Se) MXenes are approximately 0.95 and 0.2 V, respectively. The maximum voltage for Ti2CSTLix is
about 2 V, and that for Ti2CSTMgx is around 0.45 V. The Mg adsorbed Ti2CSO monolayer exhibits
the highest gravimetric capacity (524.54 mAh/g) compared to that of other Janus MXenes considered
in this paper. For Ti2CSSeLix, we obtained a higher capacity (230.45 mAh/g) and a lower diffusion
barrier (0.191 eV) than that of most of the Li adsorbed S-functionalized MXenes.


Menarche is the first experience of menstruation would cause anxiety among teenagers, fear, discomfort, and affect the quality of life of teenage. This condition was caused by the taboo assumption to discuss menstruation with family and their environment. Therefore, this study was conducted to identify urban teenagers' readiness toward menarche. This study was conducted with the process of searching, collecting and analyzing articles. The search sources used were Cinahl, Scopus, Cochrane, Pubmed, and Cengage databases. The keywords used were menarche, readiness, and urban teenagers. The inclusion criteria used were 2013 - 2018 research articles, full text, and English articles. The exclusion criteria used was non-urban teenagers. According to the keyword was found 124 articles. After being selected based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 7 articles were analyzed. The result showed urban teenagers' readiness consisted of internal and external readiness. Internal readiness consists of age and knowledge. Internal readiness can affect self-acceptance, maturity of mind, and views on the stages of growth and development that are being faced. External readiness consists of social support. Social support for urban teenagers is useful to get information and attention when menarche. External readiness for urban teenagers was already good but lack of internal readiness. Therefore, counseling and health education related to menarche was needed starting from elementary school.Keywords: Menarche, readiness, urban teenager.


Since the introduction of the Doppler effect into clinical practice for the diagnosis of vascular and cardiac diseases, the technology has developed considerably. From the pencil probe (CW Doppler) to black and white duplex, PW Doppler, which was incorporated into a B-mode image, to colour duplex ultrasound (CDU) and beyond to more recent developments, such as power duplex and B-mode flow imaging. These terms are frequently confused with each other and medical reports refer to CDU as "venous Doppler" or "ultrasound of the leg veins". This short outline attempts to clarify each term briefly in words and images.


2 ABSTRACT: Temperature is an essential and fluctuating environmental factor influencing all life activities which dominate remarkable changes on hematological parameters of aquatic animals.The present investigation deals with temperature dependent influence on Haematology of freshwater cultivable fish Oreochromis mossambicus. The fishes were exposed to different temperatures such as 20°C, 25°C, 30°C 35°C and 40°C for 96 hr exposure. The result reveals that the RBC and WBC count were steadily decreased at higher temperature as compared to control.


Background N. gonorrhoeae(Ng) has developed resistance to most antimicrobial used for treatment. The report of the first resistant isolates of Ceftriaxone (CRO) in Japan, France and Spain, highlighted the lack of alternatives for syndromic treatment of Ng. In Argentina, although no resistance has been reported, the first isolates with decreased susceptibility to CRO (CROLS) appear in 2011. Materials and Methods: We studied 5649 Ng isolates since 1993 derived from Argentine Gonococcal Antimicrobial-Susceptibility Network. MIC was determined by agar dilution according to CLSI recommendations. We studied extended spectrum cephalosporins (ESCs) resistance determinant ( mtr, penA, porB) by sequencing and carry out the molecular typing by Ng multi-antigen sequence typing (NG-MAST). Results We detected 10 CROLS isolates, 4 showed a CRO MICs of 0.064 μg/ml and 6 of them of 0.125 μg/ml. All isolates were also resistant to two or more antimicrobial agents (Penicilin and Tetracycline and/or Ciprofloxacin) and showed decreased susceptibility to Cefixime with MICs between 0.125 and 0.5 µg/ml. Six NG-MAST sequence types (STs) were detected, with ST925 (n = 3) and ST1407 (n = 3) being most common. Also found ST225, ST3620 and two new STs: ST8508 and ST8509. The penA gene analysis revealed three different no mosaic alleles patterns: V (n = 1), IX (n = 1) and XII (n = 1) and two mosaic alleles patterns: XXXIV (n = 4) and X (n = 3). Nine isolates showed mutations in G120 and A121 positions in porB1b allele and one isolate revealed A121G substitution in allele porB1a, both previously described. All isolates carried a nucleotide (A) deletion in the inverted region of mtrR gene. Conclusion The evidence of the first isolates with decreased susceptibility to ESC in Argentina and the presence of ST1407 involved in the extensively drug resistant Ng raise the need for emphasise surveillance studies to ESC and know the distribution of ST1407 in our Region and its associated resistance.


Teleoperations is an important field in robotics. From surgical robots to space robots, it has found applications in different areas. This paper discusses the development of master side user interface and video encoder for video compression and transmission. It is a single robot, single user but multiple collaborator system. The master interface is developed using Adobe Flash and is cross operating system compatible. For video broadcasting purposes, a H.264/AVC encoder is developed using Intel IPP which uses latest multicore capabilities of new processors and can encode and transmit high definition videos over internet in real time. Encoder is designed to be used for video with slow moving objects in it. Use of Intel IPP provides better compression ratio, shorter encoding time and improved PSNR than existing video encoders. The results of our compression algorithm have been verified using PSNR analysis and human perception survey.


Background Lupus nephritis (LuN) is the most common, severe manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We have previously shown that glomerulonephritis appears to be a manifestation of systemic autoimmunity while tubulointerstitial inflammation (TII) is associated with additional, in situ adaptive immune cell networks that might amplify local inflammation and tissue damage. Furthermore, patients with significant TII are more likely to fail conventional therapy and progress to renal failure. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms of in situ adaptive immunity in lupus TII might provide new therapeutic opportunities for treating LuN. In mice, BCL-2 family proteins are key regulators of immune cell apoptosis and forced expression of BCL-2 in B cells promotes a lupus-like nephritis. We hypothesized that dysregulated expression of the BCL-2 family proteins in human LuN TII might contribute to local adaptive immunity, inflammation and disease pathogenesis. Objectives To determine the expression of BCL2 family proteins in human LuN TII. Methods Frozen renal biopsy specimens from 26 patients with SLE (ISN/RPS Class III, IV or V LuN), 10 mixed cellular renal allograft rejection (MR) biopsy specimens and tonsil samples from healthy subjects were stained with antibodies specific for CD20, CD4, BCL-2, MCL-1 or BIM. Images were acquired using scanning laser confocal microscopy. IFNa-induced NZB/W F1 mice were treated daily with vehicle or 30 mg/kg of Venetoclax (ABT-199), a BCL-2 selective inhibitor, and analyzed for survival and the development of proteinuria. Results A recently developed imaging tool (Science Translational Medicine 2014, 6:230) was used to quantify the frequency of CD20+ B and CD4+ T cells expressing the anti-apoptotic molecules BCL-2, MCL-1 and the pro-apoptotic molecule BIM. In primary follicles of normal tonsils, both B and T cells frequently expressed BCL-2. However, upon entry into germinal centers (GC), BCL-2 was down-regulated and MCL-1 was induced. In marked contrast, in LuN and MR TII biopsies, the frequency of BCL-2+ cells was increased in B and T cells while MCL-1+ cells were rare. Observed differences between tonsil GC lymphocytes versus TII in LuN and MR for both BCL-2 and MCL-1 were highly significant (p<0.001). These expression differences were confirmed by laser capture microscopy coupled to qPCR. In contrast, the frequency of BIM+ cells did not significantly vary among tissues. Consistent with these findings, BCL-2, but not MCL-1 expressing cells were detected in the inflamed kidney in IFNa-induced NZB/W F1 lupus mice. Furthermore, administration of Venetoclax, prevented the development of lupus nephritis in these animals. Conclusions Frequent BCL-2 expressing cells were present in LuN, MR TII tissues and IFNa-induced NZB/W F1 lupus mice. Treatment of these mice with Venetoclax resulted in the preservation of renal function. These data indicate that BCL-2, which is dysregulated in TII, is an attractive therapeutic target in cases of lupus nephritis manifesting tubulointerstitial inflammation. Disclosure of Interest L. C. Wang Shareholder of: Abbvie Inc., K. Ko: None declared, D. Yanez: None declared, N. Kaverina: None declared, V. Liarski: None declared, Y. Peng: None declared, L. Lan: None declared, S. Perper Shareholder of: Abbvie Inc., A. Schwartz Shareholder of: Abbvie Inc., L. O'Connor Shareholder of: Abbvie Inc., A. Souers Shareholder of: Abbvie Inc., S. Elmore Shareholder of: Abbvie Inc., L. Olson Shareholder of: Abbvie Inc., M. Giger: None declared, M. Clark Grant/research support from: Abbvie Inc.


Delphi technique was developed in 1950 by researchers at the Rand Corporation led by Norman Delkey and Olaf Helmer and has since been used in hundreds of businesses forecasting in the public and private sectors. Delphi technique is a judgmental forecasting procedure for obtaining, exchanging, and developing an informed opinion about future events. Therefore, the Delphi technique is a systematic way to get a consensus of opinion among the experts who have related interests through a panel discussion. The objective of most Delphi is the reliable and creative exploration of ideas or the production of suitable information for decision making. The key features of the Delphi technique, namely: (1) systematic, (2) questionnaire, (3) expert judgment, (4) iteration process, and (5) feedback. Baseline characteristics of the Delphi technique (conventional) there are five, namely: (1) anonymity, (2) iteration, (3) controlled feedback, (4) statistical group response, and (5) expert consensus. While the characteristics of a policy Delphi also five, namely: (1) selective anonymity, (2) informed multiple advocacies, (3) polarized statistical response, (4) structured conflict, and (5) computer conferencing. Steps in the application of policy Delphi there are seven, namely: (1) issue specification, (2) selection advocates, (3) questionnaire design, (4) analysis of first-round results, (5) development of subsequent questionnaires, (6) organization of group meetings, and (7) preparation of final report.


When low-interaction honey net systems are not powerful enough and high-interaction honey net systems require a lot of resources, hybrid solutions offer the benefit's of both worlds. Affected by this trend, more and more hybrid honey net systems have been proposed to obtain wide coverage of attack traffic and high behavioral ideality in recent years. However, these system themselves contain some limitations such as the high latency, the lack of prevention method for compromised honey pots, the waste of resources and the finger printing problem of honey pot that hinder them to achieve their goals. To address these limitations, we propose a new honey net architecture called Efficient Elastic Hybrid Honey net. Utilizing the advantages of combining SDN and NFV technologies, this system can reduce the response time for attack traffic, isolate compromised honey pots effectively, defeat the finger printing problem of honey pots, and optimize the resources for maintenance and deployment. Testing our system with real attack traffic, the results have showed that Efficient Elastic-Hybrid Honey net system is not only practical, but also very efficient.


The Group B streptococcus has only recently been recognized as a cause of serious clinical disease, especially in infants under three months of age. These organisms are normally found in the female genital tract and also exist, at a lower rate, in male urethras. During labor and delivery, they are transmitted to the fetus in utero or during passage through the birth canal. Group B streptococcal infections in infants are associated with high mortality and sequelae rates despite antibiotic administration.


We consider a model for predicting the spatio-temporal distribution of a marine species based on zero-inflated count observation data that vary continuously over a specified survey region. The model is a mixture of two components; a one-point distribution at the origin and a Poisson distribution with spatio-temporal intensity, where both intensity and mixing proportions are related to some auxiliary information. We develop an efficient posterior computational algorithm for the model using a data augmentation strategy. An attractive feature of the modeling framework is that it accommodates scenarios where the auxiliary information is partially observed, or when the response variable is observed at spatially varying locations over non-uniform time intervals. We present results to show how utilizing the posterior distribution of the auxiliary information facilitates the successful prediction of future spatio-temporal distributions of an example marine species.


In frogs, multi-unit receptive fields (MURF) of rostral binocular tectal points (BTP) show a crossed disparity when mapped at a distance equal to the perimeter radius (i.e., 33 cm). The shape of the spatial surface where MURF of all BTP are in-register is investigated in two planes: (a) in the longitudinal plane, the locus of superimposition is a circumference passing through both eyes; (b) in the vertical plane, it corresponds to a straight line tilted towards the animal's head. This surface can be defined as the frog's horopter surface since it represents the spatial locus where objects can simultaneously stimulate corresponding retinal areas. Behavioural and electrophysiological correlations are discussed.


Anti staphylococcal activity by clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was tested by the reversed agar plate and the filter paper stamp methods. Almost 40% of Pseudomonas aeruginosa inhibited the growth of both Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Methicillin sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA). Green pigment (Pyocyanin) produced strains showed a strong inhibitory effect against MRSA and MSSA respectively. But some other pigment (Yellow, Red) strains also showed anti staphylococcal activity. These data suggest the colonization of Pseudomonas aeruginosa with anti staphylococcal activity may not be eradicated by the anti pseudomonic antibiotics.


Since at least 2005, a possibly introduced mealybug of the genus Phenacoccus has been causing serious damage to cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) over much of the Sindh and Punjab districts of Pakistan and in north-western India. Some short papers have been published locally giving details on the structure and biology of this species and suggesting the name Phenacoccus gossypiphilous Abbas, Arif & Saeed (2005) but without designating type specimens or depositories. This name is here considered a nomen nudum. A detailed morphological study has been unable to separate this species from many specimens of Phenacoccus from the Neotropics that are believed to be Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley. The material from the Indian subcontinent shows considerable morphological variation in the frequency of multilocular disc pores and oral collar tubular ducts on the ventral submargin of the abdomen; this appeared to be related to conditions under which this species was reared, with those cultured in a screen-house during the non-cotton-growing season being indistinguishable from P. solenopsis from the Neotropics . This paper re-describes the adult female of P. solenopsis Tinsley based on the type specimens from New Mexico, and designates a lectotype. The type material was compared with specimens considered to be P. solenopsis from elsewhere in the New World, and from West Africa and several areas in Asia, particularly Pakistan and India. Based of our present understanding of the morphology of adult female P. solenopsis, it is concluded that the species is rather variable, that this variability may be environmentally induced, and that the species currently causing widespread damage to cotton on the Indian subcontinent is referable to P. solenopsis. Adult male P. solenopsis from North America, Pakistan and India were also studied and again no significant differences were found. Descriptions are provided of the adult male and all the immature stages of P. solenopsis, based on material from India and Pakistan. Keys are provided to (a) separate P. solenopsis from similar species of Phenacoccus currently known from Asia and (b) to identify all instars. The morphological differences between P. solenopsis, P. solani Ferris and P. defectus Ferris are reviewed and, based on the morphological variation found in the Asian material, it is considered that there is some support for the suggestion that these three species might be environmentally induced variants of a single species. A few details are given of the biology of P. solenopsis on cotton in Pakistan.


Exercise is effective for the prevention and management of acute and chronic health conditions. Exercise prescription is sensible when supported by high-quality evidence of effectiveness, and it is likely that the design of an exercise programme (eg, how long a person exercises each day, the duration of a programme, the level of intensity of the exercise) influences programme effectiveness. A meta-epidemiological review of 73 systematic reviews (1216 trials) of exercises reported that only 30% of trial reports provided information required to replicate the investigated exercise programme.1

This means that researchers would, in most cases, be unable to replicate and validate trial outcomes for exercise programmes that have been reported to be effective. In addition, clinicians would be unable to accurately implement treatment based on the reported intervention.1 Furthermore, when trials of exercise are pooled in a meta-analysis, pooling of studies of unknown design may lead to incorrect conclusions regarding specific exercise effects.

A logical solution …


Background: The emergence of immune checkpoint inhibitors has greatly changed the treatment outcome of advanced malignant tumors. The basic medication for patients with advanced solid tumors may affect the efficacy of immunotherapy. The use of proton pump inhibitors may change the acidic environment and inhibit intestinal flora, thereby affecting the efficacy of immunotherapy. To clarify the correlation between PPI administration and the prognosis of solid cancer patients treated with ICI, we conducted a meta-analysis.Method: Before February 12th, 2021, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science and EMBASE databases were used to search for eligible documents. The association of PPI administration with overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS), hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were determined.Results: This study included 10 studies, a total of 4072 patients with solid cancer who received ICI treatment. Overall, the PPI administered with OS (HR=1.31 (1.11-1.52), P = 0.001) deteriorate significantly associated. In the subgroup analysis based on cancer type, PPI administration was associated with worsening of PFS in NSCLC, and better results of PFS in melanoma patients. In addition, between 30 days before the occurrence of ICI and 30 days after the occurrence of ICI, PPI administration may reduce the efficacy of ICI. Conclusion: Patients with solid cancer receiving ICI should use PPI with caution. However, only poor statistical results are observed on the OS, and further verification is still essential. This study was registered in PROSPERO with registration number CRD42021243707.


By its central concept (Spaltung), the Bleulerian notion of schizophrenia is connected with the associationist psychology. It theorizes the apparent nonsense of psychotic symptoms. On the contrary, an anthropological approach theorizes as well the meaning of psychotic experience as the subversion it provides. Based on a network of symbols, culture shapes both the social life and the identity of everybody, but it rests on some arbitrariness which the psychotic experience denounces. In traditional cultures, several coherent nosographies are being described. They are used as "treatises on grammar", succeeding more or less in telling the functioning of the "nosological idiom". In our own culture, the concept of schizophrenia seems to allow a better understanding of our cultural setting than of the mental disease(s) to which it gave a name.


Intravenous injection of the gastro-intestinal hormone secretin elicits an increase in the insulin concentration in the cubital vein. In 10 normal weight non-diabetics and 10 obese non-diabetics the latter group gave a hypernormal insulin response. By the simultaneous determination of the insulin concentration in the cubital and portal veins and also by an investigation of 2 pancreatectomized patients, it was demonstrated that an increase in the cubital insulin concentration following intravenous injection of secretin was due to an altered secretion from the pancreas and not to an altered elimination of insulin.


Smiths Group (formerly Smiths Industries), part of the UK FTSE 100 index, is a global engineering company with a market capitalisation over L5bn. Evolving from beginnings in the Victorian jewellery trade, to significant market presences in the twentieth century motor accessory, clock and watch industries, it has reinvented itself again as a diversified international company, operating in the medical, communications, security and engineered components sectors. Its narrative history, illuminating the reasons for its survival and adaptability, offers useful data and information to aid wider research into questions such as the legitimacy of conglomerates as a business model, the creation and maintenance of corporate culture, issues of succession, the effects of mergers and the questionable value placed upon targeted synergies-even the role of serendipity. The story begins with several generations of the Smith family amassing a fortune in retail, and then, following a 1914 stock-market flotation, describes the transition from family run business to the development of a professionally-run managerial enterprise. Since the 1970s it has had to face the decline of major markets and competitive pressures, leading to the adoption of new business lines, globalisation, and the internationalisation of its workforce. It now has 23,000 employees across more than 50 countries-along the way shocking the markets by abandoning core businesses and undergoing a controversial merger. Unfettered access to company records, and interviews with former staff members, provide insights into the strategy and management of the firm, illuminating the rich culture of Smiths, characterised by the frequent fostering of technical brilliance and a cast of larger than life characters.


The purpose of this research is to identify and determine the influence of halal factors on Purchase Intention through Subjective Norms. It also investigated which one factor among all variables that are investigated have the strongest influence. The study was taken from 139 respondents of Muslim consumers of halal culinary fast food, KFC. The collected data is measured by five-point Likert scale. Used Structural Equation Model (SEM) with IBM AMOS version 24 as analytical tool, this research was divided into 5 variables which are measured. The variables are Halal Awareness, Halal Certification, Halal Marketing Word of Mouth (WOM), Subjective Norms and Purchase Intention. The measurement is based on Theory Planned of Behavior by Ajzen (1991) with modification. Result shows that Subjective Norms has high connection with Purchase Intention. It caused by indirect effect from Halal Certification and Halal Marketing WOM. But direct effect from Halal Awareness and Halal Marketing WOM is not significant. Thereby, the study suggests that customers are influenced by Subjective Norms or Muslim consumers' preference as they are being influenced by halal label or Halal Certification and also word of mouth marketing system. The study suggests KFC or food manufactures have to pay attention to halal marketing strategy. Based from the finding, it can be concluded that, consumer did not look for about halal by themselves, but pay attention to the halal label and WOM marketing strategy.


This literature review investigates the perception of secondary teachers about their role of supporting and promoting students' mental health and whether teachers feel equipped to fulfil the requirements of this role. Analysis of 13 research articles published between 2008–2022 indicated that most secondary teachers, across five countries, understand the role they play in their students' lives and that supporting students' mental health is an aspect of their role. However, it was also found that many teachers do not feel well-prepared to adequately support students' mental health due to a lack of adequate mental health training. Implications for practice, training, and future research within an Aotearoa New Zealand context are discussed in relation to schools and teachers providing support to students with mental health concerns and the promotion of positive mental health.


1. Fault meta-instability is a key observable deformation stage to identify seismic precursor information. 2. Local preslips or micro-ruptures happen in few segments of fault, but there is only one nucleation zone. 3. The preslip areas first occur in the segments of low volume strain, but fast instability of the fault starts in the high volume strain area. ABSTRACT. According to the steady state of fault and energy balance, we provided a new idea to observe the precursors for a stressed fault. The meta-instability (or sub-instability) state of a fault is defined as the transition phase from peak stress to critical stress of fast instability (earthquake generation) during a full period of slow loading and fast unloading. The accumulative deformation energy begins to release in this stage. Identifying its deformation before fast instability would be beneficial to obtain premonitory information, and to evaluate the seismic risks of tectonic regions. In this study, we emphasized to analyze deformation process of the meta-instable stage with stain tensor data from a straight precut fault in granite at a slow loading rate, and observed the tempo-spatial features during the full deformation process of the fault. Two types of tectonic zones and instabilities occur on the stick-slip fault. The low- and high-value segments in the volume strain component appear along the fault strike with a load increment. The former first weakens and then becomes initial energy release segments; the latter forms strong stress-interlocking areas and finally turns into the initial region of fast instability. And there are two stages in the entire instable process of the fault: the initial stage is associated with the release of the low volume strain segments, which means fault pre-slips, slow earthquakes or weak earthquakes. The second one characterizes a strong earthquake through the release of high volume strain parts. The rupture acceleration in the first stage promotes the generation of the second. Moreover, fault instability contains two types of strain adjustments along the fault: the front-like strain change along the transition segments from low- to high- strain portions with volume strain release, and the compressive strain pulse of fault instability after the volume strain release extends to a certain range with loading increment. In laboratory experiments, the front-type strain occurs about 12 seconds before fast fault instability; the compressive pulse initiates within less than 0.1 second, and then the fault turns quickly into a dynamic strain adjustment, which appears quasi-synchronously between different measurement points, and, finally, an earthquake is generated.


After the government issued policy conversion kerosene to LPG gas, many home fires occur in result due to leakage of LPG gas. This is because a lot of gas cylinders that have been damaged and installation errors. The development of digital technologies provides solutions in an early warning system in case of gas leaks and fires. This system uses two sensors to alert, there is smoke detector sensor for the detection of fires and TGS2610 sensor for LPG gas leaks. Danger signs of the sensor will send a unique SMS to the user's mobile. This system uses a microcontroller ATMega8535 to manage all activities of the assembled systems, and interface with sensors that have been installed.


Mineral Trioxide Aggregate (MTA) has been a material of revolution in the field of dentistry since its introduction in the 1990s. It is being extensively used for perforation repairs, apexification, root-end filling, obturation, tooth fracture repair, regenerative procedures, apexogenesis, pulpotomies, and as a pulp-capping material because of its desired features such as biocompatibility, bioactivity, hydrophilicity, sealing ability, and low solubility. Even though its application is wide, it has its own drawbacks that prevent it from reaching its full potential as a comprehensive replacement material, including a long setting time, discoloration, mud-like consistency, and poor handling characteristics. MTA is a material of research interest currently, and many ongoing studies are still in process. In this review, the newer advancements of this versatile material by modification of its physical, chemical, and biological properties, such as change in its setting time, addressing the discoloration issue, inclusion of antimicrobial property, improved strength, regenerative ability, and biocompatibility will be discussed. Hence, it is important to have knowledge of the traditional and newer advancements of MTA to fulfill the shortcomings associated with the material.


Abstract We consider the implications of a nonuniform turbulent diffusion due to the IOM saturation of a gravity wave via convective instabilities. It is found that both wave and turbulence fluxes of heat can be reduced dramatically, depending on the amplitude of the wave motion and the extent to which the turbulent diffusion is localized. These results suggest that previous studies that assumed a uniform turbulent diffusion may have overestimated the beat and constituent fluxes due to gravity wave saturation.


Background and purposeSecondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) is a frequent and challenging issue in patients undergoing dialysis for chronic kidney disease. Surgical intervention in the form of parathyroidectomy is generally considered only in cases of severe SHPT. However, identification of the exact location of the parathyroid glands (PTGs) before parathyroidectomy is a challenge. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of 99mTc sestamibi single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/computed tomography (CT) in the detection of parathyroids to guide operative therapy in patients with SHPT. Patients and methodsNinety patients with SHPT who were on hemodialysis were evaluated preoperatively with double-phase 99mTc sestamibi static planar and SPECT/CT parathyroid scintigraphy to evaluate for parathyroids before parathyroidectomy. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 99mTc sestamibi static planar and SPECT/CT scintigraphy were determined. ResultsCompared with static planar scintigraphy, 99mTc sestamibi SPECT/CT was able to detect a larger number of PTGs per study, as well as PTGs of smaller diameter and PTGs of smaller size. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 99mTc sestamibi SPECT/CT in detecting PTGs were 78.9, 100, and 78.9%, respectively, compared with 55.6, 100, and 55.6% for static planar 99mTc sestamibi. ConclusionOur study indicates that 99mTc sestamibi SPECT/CT has a higher sensitivity compared with static planar scintigraphy in the preoperative evaluation of hemodialysis patients with SHPT because of chronic kidney disease. SPECT/CT can not only detect a larger number of PTGs but can also depict the precise location of PTGs more accurately when compared with static planar scintigraphy.


The magnetic behaviour of the 58 K superconductor oxycarbonate thin film, which consists of an intergrowth of several members of a family with agreement composition (CaCuO2)m(Ba2CuCO3O2)n has been studied. Its pinning properties in terms of critical current densities and irreversibility line have been established using their hysteresis cycles. Typical Jc was calculated to approximately 105 A cm-2 at 5 K in zero field. Finally, the irreversibility line is compared to those obtained by Kumakura et al. (1994) on bulk oxycarbonate superconductors synthesized at high pressure.


The plant family Asteraceae: 4 Interesting growth forms and economic importance The plant family Asteraceae contains a wealth of different and interesting growth forms like annual or perennial herbs, dwarf shrubs, shrubs, trees, climbers, succulents, aquatic plants, rosette plants, cushion plants, ericoid, prostrate, grass-like and spinescent. The leaves also exhibit numerous different shapes and characters, e.g. alternate, opposite, fascicled, sessile, petiolate, simple, entire, dentate, lobed or pinnate, compound, with three to five main veins, reduced or absent, glabrous or densely hairy on upper or lower surface. Sometimes latex is present and some plants are aromatic. Certain members of the family are also economically important; some are edible or used as medicine while others are poisonous, some are utilised as grazing but others are weeds, and the wood of some was used in the past. INLEIDING


A detailed beta-decay study of Mn-61 is presented, yielding extended information on the level structure of Fe-61. Pure beams were obtained at ISOLDE, CERN, after selective laser ionization and mass separation of fission products from the bombardment of a UCx target by 1.4-GeV protons. The beta and gamma information was detected by two MiniBall clusters and three Delta E plastic scintillators. The new Mn-61 decay scheme reveals 48 gamma transitions, distributed over 20 excited states. A comparison to the decay scheme of Mn-59 and excited states in Fe-59 is made. Shell-model calculations with two different interactions are performed in order to compare the nuclear structure of the two neighboring odd-A iron isotopes. Tentative spin and parities of several excited states in Fe-61 are assigned on the basis of beta-decay feeding patterns in both Fe-59,Fe-61 and of results from the theoretical shell-model calculations.


Inducible gene expression has emerged as a powerful tool for plant functional genomics. The estrogen receptor-based, chemical-inducible system XVE has been used in many plant species, but the limited systemic movement of inducer β-estradiol in transgenic rice plants has prohibited a wide use of the XVE system in this important food crop. Here, we constructed an improved chemical-regulated, site-specific recombination system by employing the XVE transactivator in combination with a Cre/loxP-FRT system, and optimized a seed-soaking procedure for XVE induction in rice. By using a gus gene and an hpRNAi cassette targeted for OsPDS as reporters, we demonstrated that soaking transgenic seeds with estradiol solution could induce highly efficient site-specific recombination in germinating embryos, resulting in constitutive and high-level expression of target gene or RNAi cassette in intact rice plants from induced seeds. The strategy reported here thereby provides a useful gene activation approach for effectively regulating gene expression in rice.


This paper presents a new edge blunting method of the three screw pump rotor with an elliptic arc and equations of the rotor profile after edge blunting. Through comparisons of different geometrical parameters of the pump, i.e., flow area, contact line length per lobe, blow hole area, etc., the new profile is proved to be better than the existing profiles of the three screw pump. The new streamlined profile, with a significantly smaller blow hole area, is of reference significance for the optimization design and further improvement of three screw pump.


We present an overview of recent advances in photoconductive terahertz sources that utilize plasmonic nanostructures to significantly enhance optical-to-terahertz power conversion efficiency by enhancing light-matter interaction at nanoscale. We show that the impact of the plasmonic nanostructures on enhancing the optical-to-terahertz conversion efficiency of photoconductive terahertz sources is universal and can be employed in various types of photoconductive source designs under various operational settings.


Purpose: the article deals with the actual problem of practical medicine — professional emotional burnout in nurses. The importance of prevention of emotional (professional) burnout in nurses increases due to the increase in the level of chronic non-communicable diseases that require long-term care of patients in hospitals. The activity of nurses is associated with intensiveworkloads, high returns required in solving labor problems, professional and legal responsibility for the results of actions. Material and methods: training on the method of Balint Groups to prevent professional burnout in nurses, implemented in GBUZ «Psychiatric hospital No 3. V.A. Gilyarovsky DZM». A questionnaire test «Attitude to work and professional burnout» was developed, containing 137 statements reflecting certain emotional reactions and styles of attitude to work of «helping» professionals in the process of burnout development. Are included in the group of 6–15 people (ideally 8–10), working in the same or different medical or mental institutions, but non-service-related or hierarchical relationships. Results: аs a result of work with the average medical staff of psychiatric profile by the method of Balint Group, improvement of perception and understanding of communication with the patient, awareness of the therapeutic importance of interpersonal relationships and their boundaries was noted, the repertoire of communicative stereotypes was expanded, personal professional growth was achieved. Nurses who have been trained on the method of work in the Balint Group, began to better control their workand psycho-emotional load. Discussion: the Syndrome of professional emotional burnout in medicine is considered as a factor negatively affecting the quality and effectiveness of the performance of professional duties of nurses and their relationships with patients and colleagues. The article provides justification and evidence of the effectiveness of the method of Balint Groups for the prevention of the syndrome of professional emotional burnout in a psychiatric clinic.


In Pere-to-Peer network, trust and reputation mechanism can be used to build trust in peers for choosing the suitable peer to collaborate with. Aim at solving the problem that the traditional concentrated trust method can not be used in P2P networks, this paper proposed a new transaction history based global trust model, the model used an easy method to compute global reputation values according to historical transaction information and avoided the divergence of iteration for trust computation; proposed a new concept named global transaction table which was used to store the trust value; gave the formal definition of time decay factor and proved that it has the time decay feature. The simulation results show that the model has better performance than other trust models and can deal with some security problems, such as slander, exaggeration and impostor attack.


In this paper, Beverley McCulloch looks back on a decade as custodian of the Oxford English Dictionary archive, held at Oxford University Press Archives. The paper discusses the key duties and day to day responsibilities of the OED Archivist, as well as some of the challenges faced. Interesting items from within the collection are highlighted, as are some of the fascinating enquiries that are received. The work of the OUP Museum, run by the Archives Department, is also touched upon. Whilst reflecting on the past, the paper additionally considers the prospects for the future of the OED archive, and the Press archive as a whole, focusing on issues such as the impact of technology.


With the continue development and progress of computer and network technologies, network virtual laboratory gains more and more deployment. First of all, this paper introduces the roadmap and characters of network virtual lab. Second, we give out several key technologies that can implement network virtual lab, such as Java ,ActiveX , VRML and ASP. At the end, we discuss the implementation procedure of network virtual laboratory based on J2EE technology in deep.


ABSTRACT The most common complications of varicella are bacterial skin and soft tissue infections, generally due to Staphylococcus aureus and group A beta-hemolytic streptococci. The aim of this study was to characterize the toxin and antibiotic resistance profiles of S. aureus isolates involved in varicella complications. Between 2002 and 2007, the French Reference Centre for Staphylococci collected 58 S. aureus isolates involved in varicella superinfection. All the isolates were characterized by screening for 12 toxin genes, agr typing, and mecA gene detection; some isolates were also studied by spa typing, multilocus sequence typing (MLST), and resistance profiling. A major toxin gene was detected in 53% (31/58) of the isolates (genes for exfoliative toxins A and B, 17.2%; Panton-Valentine leukocidin gene, 8.6%; toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 gene, 27.6%). Most clinical manifestations were directly compatible with the classical activity of these toxins. Nineteen isolates (33%) were resistant to methicillin, and 12 of these isolates belonged to an emerging agr-2, ST5 clone that harbors the toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 gene. These data should be considered in the management and treatment of patients with varicella complicated by S. aureus superinfection. Antibiotics that decrease toxin production, such as clindamycin, may provide benefit, and their efficacy against bacterial superinfections in children with varicella should be studied.


Abstract This paper is concerned with the small-amplitude unsteady motion of an inviscid non-heat-conducting compressible fluid on a transversely sheared mean flow. It extends previous analyses (Goldstein, J. Fluid Mech., vol. 84, 1978b, pp. 305–329; Goldstein, J. Fluid Mech., vol. 91, 1979a, pp. 601–632), which show that the hydrodynamic component of the motion is determined by two arbitrary convected quantities in the absence of solid surfaces and hydrodynamic instabilities. These results can be used to specify appropriate upstream boundary conditions for unsteady surface interaction problems on transversely sheared mean flows in the same way that the vortical component of the Kovasznay (J. Aero. Sci., vol. 20, 1953, pp. 657–674) decomposition is used to specify these conditions for surface interaction problems on uniform mean flows. But unlike Kovasznay's result, the arbitrary convected quantities no longer bear a simple relation to the physical variables. A major purpose of this paper is to complete the formalism developed in Goldstein's earlier two papers by obtaining the necessary relations between these quantities and the measurable flow variables. The results are important because they enable the complete extension of non-homogeneous rapid distortion theory to transversely sheared mean flows. Another purpose of the paper is to derive a generalization of the famous Ffowcs Williams and Hall (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 40, 1970, pp. 657–670) formula for the sound produced by the interaction of turbulence with an edge, which is frequently used as a starting point for predicting sound generation by turbulence–solid surface interactions. We illustrate the utility of this result by using it to calculate the sound radiation produced by the interaction of a two-dimensional jet with the downstream edge of a flat plate.


While big earthquakes typically wreack havoc for humankind, the biggest deep earthquake ever recorded—the magnitude 8.3 event that occurred 637 km beneath the surface of Bolivia on June 9, 1994—has brought enlightenment—of sorts.

Instead of bringing death and destruction, the recent Bolivian quake, the largest quake of any type in recent decades, has given scientists one of the best probes yet of the Earth's interior. Within several minutes of the deep rupture, the quake benignly shook the ground from Argentina to Canada. But more important, the quake shook the Earth like a bell for months thereafter, giving scientists a raw data set of the planet's free oscillations—like none other.


Chemical hydrolysis assisted by microwave irradiation has been proposed as an alternative method for the analysis of proteins in highly insoluble matrices. In this work, chemical hydrolysis was applied for the first time to detect degraded proteins from paintings and polychromies. To evaluate the performance of this approach, the number of identified peptides, protein sequence coverage (%), and PSMs were compared with those obtained using two trypsin-based proteomics procedures used for the analysis of samples from cultural heritage objects. It was found that chemical hydrolysis allowed the successful identification of all proteinaceous materials in all paint samples analyzed except for egg proteins in one extremely degraded sample. Moreover, in one sample, casein was only identified by chemical digestion. In general, chemical hydrolysis identified more peptides, more PSM's, and greater sequence coverage in the samples containing caseins, and often also in animal glue, highlighting the great potential of this approach for the rapid digestion and identification of insoluble and degraded proteins from the field of the cultural heritage.


Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is the bile duct cancer which constitutes one of the important public health problems in Thailand with high mortality rate, especially in the Opisthorchis viverrini (a parasite risk factor for CCA) endemic area of the northeastern region of the country. This study aimed to identify potential biomarkers from the plasma peptidome by CCA patients. Peptides were isolated using 10 kDa cut-off filter column and the flow-through was then used as a peptidome for LC-MS/MS analysis. A total of 209 peptides were obtained. Among these, 15 peptides were concerned with signaling pathways and 12 related to metabolic, regulatory, and biosynthesis of secondary metabolite pathways. Five exclusive peptides were identified as potential biomarkers, i.e. ETS domain-containing transcription factor ERF (P50548), KIAA0220 (Q92617), phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit beta isoform isoform 1 (P42338), LP2209 (Q6XYC0), and casein kinase II subunit alpha (P19784). Three of these biomarkers are signaling related molecules. A combination of these biomarkers for CCA diagnosis is proposed.


Introduction: Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL; also known as lipocalin 2), a member of the lipocalin family that transports small lipophilic ligands, has gained recent attention as both a potential biomarker and a modulator of human cancers including breast cancer. In this study, we examined the expression of NAGL in breast carcinoma and evaluated the prognostic value of its expression. Methods: Tissue microarray (TMA) blocks were made with formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues from 207 breast cancer patients and the immunohistochemical staining was done using an anti-NGAL antibody. The correlation between NGAL expression and the clinicopathologic parameters such as age, tumor size, lymph node status, Ki-67 labeling index, histologic grade, hormone receptors and HER2/neu expression as well as clinical outcome was evaluated. Results: NGAL was expressed in 60 breast carcinomas (21.9%). A higher NGAL expression was noted in the younger (p=0.018) and premenopausal women (p=0.036). NGAL expression correlated with a high Ki-67 labeling index (p=0.001) and poor histologic grade (p=0.002). No significant association between NGAL expression and hormone receptor status and HER2/neu overexpression. With a median follow-up of 63 months, NGAL expression was associated with decreased disease-free survival, especially for patients with estrogen receptor negative group (p=0.013) and lymph node positive group (p=0.005), but not associated with overall survival. Conclusion: NGAL is expressed in approximately one-fifth of the breast carcinomas and its expression is correlated with several poor prognostic markers and decreased disease-free survival. This results show that NGAL expression may be a predictor of poor prognosis in primary human breast cancer, especially with more aggressive clinical features Citation Format: Lee-Su Kim, Hae Sung Kim. The expression and prognostic significance of neutrophil gelatinase-asssociated lipocalin (NGAL) in primary breast cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3469. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-3469


Nowadays, great emphasis is placed on the relationship between forest and water because forests are considered as substantial sources of many water ecosystem services. The aim of this paper is to analyze the stakeholder opinions towards the relationship between forests and water and the potential development of water-related payments for ecosystem services (PES) schemes. The study is developed in the context of COST Action CA15206–PESFOR-W (Forests for Water) aimed at synthesizing current knowledge about the PES schemes across Europe. The stakeholder opinions were mapped out using a structured questionnaire consisting of 20 questions divided into four thematic sections. The data were collected through an online survey. The results showed opinions of 142 stakeholders from 23 countries, mainly from Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean Basin. In order to analyze the collected data, the stakeholders were grouped in buyers, sellers, intermediaries, and knowledge providers. The survey results indicated that the most important category of water ecosystem services according to our sample of stakeholders is regulating services followed by provisioning services. Further findings pointed out the highest importance that shared values and direct changes in land management can have when designing water-related PES schemes. The role of public authorities and collective collaboration of different stakeholders, with emphasis on local and expert knowledge, are also identified as of crucial importance. The results show that stakeholder opinions can serve as a starting point when designing PES schemes.


Conflicts exist in multi-agent systems for a number of reasons: agents have different interests and desires; agents hold different beliefs; agents make different assumptions. To resolve conflicts, agents need to better convey information to each other and facilitate fair negotiations yielding jointly agreeable outcomes. We present a two-agent, dialogical conflict resolution scheme developed with the Assumption-Based Argumentation (ABA) framework.


In this paper, we analyze the tradeoff between coding rate and asymptotic performance of a class of generalized low-density parity-check (GLDPC) codes constructed by including a certain fraction of generalized constraint (GC) nodes in the graph. The rate of the GLDPC ensemble is bounded using classical results on linear block codes, namely Hamming bound and Varshamov bound. We also study the impact of the decoding method used at GC nodes. To incorporate both bounded-distance (BD) and Maximum Likelihood (ML) decoding at GC nodes into our analysis without having to resort on multi-edge type of degree distributions (DDs), we propose the probabilistic peeling decoder (P-PD) algorithm, which models the decoding step at every GC node as an instance of a Bernoulli random variable with a success probability that depends on the GC block code and its decoding algorithm. The P-PD asymptotic performance over the BEC can be efficiently predicted using standard techniques for LDPC codes such as density evolution (DE) or the differential equation method. Furthermore, for a class of GLDPC ensembles, we demonstrate that the simulated P-PD performance accurately predicts the actual performance of the GLPDC code. We illustrate our analysis for GLDPC code ensembles using (2, 6) and (2,15) base DDs. In all cases, we show that a large fraction of GC nodes is required to reduce the original gap to capacity.


The interface geometry of Vycor porous glass was examined by adsorption of water in conjunction with small-angle scattering of X rays and neutrons. When the sample is dry, a fractal surface with a fractal dimension D approximately 2.5 was detected. When wet, a soft hydrogel is formed, resulting in a diffuse boundary. To observe a fractal surface, thorough drying of the sample is necessary, however. It was shown that a small amount of water, 3% w/w, is sufficient to render the surface smooth. Copyright 1997Academic Press


ObjectivePressure algometry is used for assessment of pain sensitivity. In this study the relation between tissue characteristics and pressure pain thresholds was investigated. MethodsThree-dimensional finite-element computer-models were developed to simulate the tissue stress and strain distribution during pressure stimulation on muscles with different hardness (I, II, III, IV (hardest)) and subcutaneous adipose tissue thickness (normal and thicker). The computer model was validated based on data recorded by computer-controlled pressure-induced muscle pain in 8 and 16 partecipants, respectively. ResultsThe experimental pressure-indentation curve fitted the outcome of the FE model (R2>0.73). Stress and strain were extracted from the models at a known painful pressure stimulation level. PPT and PPTO were not significantly different in subjects with normal and thick adipose tissue in accordance with the simulation model where the strain in muscle tissue was comparable in the two conditions. The strain in adipose tissue was larger in subjects with thick adipose tissue compared with normal adipose thickness. In relaxed muscle (hardness I) the principal strain peaked at 0.12 in the adipose tissue, was reduced to 0.07 in the muscle tissue and 0.05 in the harder muscle. Significantly higher PPT and PPTO were recorded in harder compared with softer muscles (P<0.02). DiscussionThe pressure pain sensitivity of the deep layer is related to the amount of muscle strain, which is affected by the muscle hardness and the thickness of adipose tissue. This is clinically relevant as these two factors are not taken into consideration when pressure pain assessments are performed in clinical routine.


Neuroimmune interactions have been revealed to be at the centre stage of tissue defence, organ homeostasis, and organismal physiology. Neuronal and immune cell subsets have been shown to colocalize in discrete tissue environments, forming neuroimmune cell units that constitute the basis for bidirectional interactions. These multitissue units drive coordinated neuroimmune responses to local and systemic signals, which represents an important challenge to our current views of mucosal physiology and immune regulation. In this review, we focus on the impact of reciprocal neuroimmune interactions, focusing on the anatomy of neuronal innervation and on the neuronal regulation of immune cells in peripheral tissues. Finally, we shed light on recent studies that explore how neuroimmune interactions maximise sensing and integration of environmental aggressions, modulating immune function in health and disease.


The chemical vapor deposition of superconducting ytterbium barium copper oxide thin films onto continuous lengths of ceramic fiber tows has been investigated. This project couples two areas of current interest in the materials field: continuous fiber coating and the deposition of one of the unique high temperature superconducting oxides. The YBa2Cu3Ox material has zero resistance at temperatures above 77 K (the boiling point of nitrogen), and the film form has been shown to have high critical current densities. By coating ceramic fiber tows, a strong, flexible superconducting material in the form of wire can be developed and used for several applications, including coils for magnets and transmission lines. Over 900 deposition runs were completed using a horizontal CVD furnace and over 150 continuous fiber coating experiments were completed. The deposition was performed on fiber tows, flat samples, and flexible tapes; the continuous substrates were moved and held stationary in the furnace.


Rankings of law schools and law journals are part of a trend towards more emphasis in academia on transparency and accountability with regard to the quality of research and education. Globalisation increases the need to compare law schools and law journals across borders, but this raises complicated questions due to differences in language, education systems, publishing style and so on. In this contribution, it is argued that ranking of law schools and law reviews runs the risk of driving us away from quality based on substance towards proceduralisation and quality assessment based on proxies favoured by managers of law schools, funding bodies and government agencies, instead of by the forum of legal scholars.


Author(s): Aztlan-James, Evelyn Angel | Advisor(s): Vlahov, David | Abstract: Factors Associated with Multiple Unintended Pregnancies in Fertile WomenE. Angel Aztlan-JamesUniversity of California, San Francisco, 2015AbstractBackground: Fifty-one percent of pregnancies in the United States (U.S.) are unintended and 40% of these unintended pregnancies end in abortion. Seventeen percent of all U.S. women report more than one unintended pregnancy in their lifetime. While there is much literature on unintended pregnancy, less is known about factors associated with multiple unintended pregnancies. The extant literature presents mixed findings on the association between abortion and multiple unintended pregnancies. Objectives: Specific aims of this dissertation were 1) to systematically assess the rate of abortion-related complications in the literature; 2) to cull from the literature a systematic view of the epidemiology of multiple unintended pregnancies for U.S. women; and 3) to investigate the association between abortion, and other factors, on the risk of multiple unintended pregnancies.Methods: Empirical studies were chosen from research databases for the systematic literature reviews and meta-analysis. Secondary analysis of data from a prospective study of U.S. women, who requested abortion, was performed using survival analysis.Results: A pooled abortion complication rate of 1.79% (95% CI 1.21 to 2.65) was estimated. Increasing age, being Black or Hispanic, non-voluntary first intercourse at a young age, and sex trade were associated with multiple unintended pregnancies. Analysis demonstrated neither receiving nor being denied a requested abortion were associated with an increased risk of subsequent unintended pregnancy. Women aged 35-46 years were less likely than women aged 20-24 years to have a subsequent unintended pregnancy (AHR=0.31, 95% CI=0.15-0.62). Latina women were at increased risk compared to white women (AHR=1.46, 95% CI=1.01-2.10), as were those who had two or more children at baseline compared to those who had none (AHR=1.58, 95% CI=1.06-2.34). When compared to women who did not report intimate partner violence in the past year, women who did (AHR=1.38, 95% CI=1.01-1.88) or who had a diagnosis of depression or anxiety when compared to women who did not (AHR=1.43, 95% CI=1.11, 1.85) were at increased risk.Conclusions: First-trimester aspiration abortion is a safe procedure when performed legally. Abortion does not increase risk for multiple unintended pregnancies. Prevention strategies aimed at multiple unintended pregnancies should focus on factors other than abortion.


These notes develop the theory of martingale pricing in a discrete-time, discrete-space framework. This theory is also important for the modern theory of portfolio optimization as the problems of pricing and portfolio optimization are now recognized as being intimately related. We choose to work in a discrete-time and discrete-space environment as this will allow us to quickly develop results using a minimal amount of mathematics: we will use only the basics of linear programming duality and martingale theory. Despite this restriction, the results we obtain hold more generally for continuous-time and continuous-space models once various technical conditions are satisfied. This is not too surprising as one can imagine approximating these latter models using our discrete-time, discrete-space models by simply keeping the time horizon fixed and letting the number of periods and states go to infinity in an appropriate manner.


The deconfinement phase transition is studied in the ensemble canonical with respect to triality. Since this ensemble implies a projection to the zero triality sector of the theory we introduce a quantity which is insensitive to $Z(N_c)$ symmetry but can reveal a critical behaviour in the theory with dynamical quarks. Further, we argue that in the canonical ensemble description of full QCD there exist domains of different $Z(N_c)$ phases which are degenerate and possess normal physical properties. This contradicts the predictions of the grand canonical ensemble. We propose a new order parameter to test the realization of the discrete $Z(N_c)$ symmetry at finite temperature and calculate it for the case of $Z(2)$ gauge fields coupled to fundamental fermions.


Large-scale multi-relational embedding refers to the task of learning the latent representations for entities and relations in large knowledge graphs. An effective and scalable solution for this problem is crucial for the true success of knowledge-based inference in a broad range of applications. This paper proposes a novel framework for optimizing the latent representations with respect to the \textit{analogical} properties of the embedded entities and relations. By formulating the learning objective in a differentiable fashion, our model enjoys both theoretical power and computational scalability, and significantly outperformed a large number of representative baseline methods on benchmark datasets. Furthermore, the model offers an elegant unification of several well-known methods in multi-relational embedding, which can be proven to be special instantiations of our framework.


For the last 15 years, teacher wellbeing has been a priority area of exploration within education and positive psychology literatures. However, increasing teacher wellbeing for those who educate students impacted by trauma has yet to be comprehensively explored despite repeated exposure of teachers to child trauma and their experiences of associated negative effects such as secondary traumatic stress, vicarious traumatisation, compassion fatigue and burnout. This study follows teachers' understandings and reflections upon their own wellbeing after learning the literatures supporting trauma-informed positive education. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used as the methodological approach to represent teachers (N = 18) in order to privilege the language, voices and experiences of participants. Results yielded a new set of domains of trauma-informed teacher wellbeing to assist teachers to increase their own wellbeing when working with students. The likely upsurge in students and teachers across the world experiencing trauma symptoms (primary and vicarious) arising from the COVID-19 global pandemic makes this research timely and relevant.


In the multinational Sartre project a vast number of interviews were conducted with European drivers to study their attitudes to traffic and traffic safety. The interviews consisted of about 200 questions each, and in the whole project 17430 interviews were carried out in about 16 countries in Western and Central Europe. The main topics were speeds, seat belts and alcohol, but the interviews also covered some more general traffic safety issues, as well as some questions concerning self-reported behaviour. As an introduction the report contains a very brief account of the Sartre project together with a number of comments regarding the limitations of the study and the obtained data. The major part of the report contains 144 tables, each giving the results of a single question of the interview. The results are presented as total response distributions for each participating country, supplemented with average or median results for male and female, young and old drivers of each country.


We obtain an integral representation for certain functionals arising in the context of optimal design and damage evolution problems under non-standard growth conditions and perimeter penalization. Under our hypotheses, the integral representation includes a term which is absolutely continuous with respect to the Lebesgue measure and a perimeter term, but no additional singular term.
We also provide an application to the modelling of thin films.


The problem of youth deviance is a concern to many people. Canadian youth justice legislation has changed dramatically in the past century; from a child-welfare approach under the Juvenile Delinquents Act (1908), to a more legalistic 'due process' paradigm under the Young Offenders Act (1984), to the current Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA, 2003) which promotes the rehabilitation and responsibility of young offenders. The following study examines cases to determine the manner in which a specific section of the YCJA, s. 39 (prohibitions on the use of custodial sentences) is being used in judges' decisions, and if so, if it is being used consistently and appropriately. Quantitative and qualitative analysis were used to examine related Canadian case law. The databases LexisNexis Quicklaw and WestlawECarswell, using the search terms "YOUTH CRIMINAL JUSTICE ACT," "YCJA," and "s. 39" were used to narrow down cases in which this section of the YCJA was mentioned. This search process yielded a total of 210 cases, seventy-seven of which were appeals. The appeals were analyzed qualitatively and the other cases were analyzed quantitatively. It was found that one problem in implementing s. 39 and using it consistently in sentencing appears to be judges' uncertainty about the appropriate use of the legislation resulting from the lack of clarity within the legislation itself. Parts of the legislation were left open for interpretation, such as the definition of a violent offence, or what was to be considered an exceptional case. It is argued in this study that for any legislation to work, it must be clearly written to reduce as much subjectivity and level interpretation as possible. While judges are often criticized for their decision-making in sentencing, they are limited by the legislation that is in place. Therefore, if there are problems in the practice of the court system, the solution lies in revamping the written law first.


This is a critical review of the literature on many-worlds interpretations, MWI, with arguments drawn partly from earlier critiques by Bell and Stein. The essential postulates involved in various MWI are extracted, and their consistency with the evident physical world is examined. Arguments are presented against MWI proposed by Everett, Graham and DeWitt. The relevance of frequency operators to MWI is examined; it is argued that frequency operator theorems of Hartle and Farhi-Goldstone-Gutmann do not in themselves provide a probability interpretation for quantum mechanics, and thus neither support existing MWI nor would be useful in constructing new MWI. Comments are made on papers by Geroch and Deutsch that advocate MWI. It is concluded that no plausible set of axioms exists for an MWI that describes known physics.


Abstract. Eastern Musk Turtles (Sternotherus odoratus) in a few populations exhibit megacephaly, including those from a population in Arkansas herein described. I initiated a growth experiment in the laboratory with hatchlings from a megacephalic population and those from a nearby normocephalic population in Arkansas, both fed on fish chow for 22 yrs. The experiment, although compromised, suggested that megacephaly in the Eastern Musk Turtle is a plastic, environmental response to diet rather than a genetically based adaptation.