People of Haitian descent in the Dominican Republic are at high risk of violence, including interpersonal violence, and experience multiple levels of structural oppression. However, limited research exists specifically about women of Haitian descent in this context, who are at unique risk for violence and marginalization given intersectional oppression related to antiblackness, xenophobia, and misogyny. It is unclear what resources and supports exist for women of Haitian descent living in the Dominican Republic, and whether women can effectively meet their needs through available supports. This study analyzed 25 life history interviews to understand help-seeking patterns to address self-defined needs among women of Haitian descent. Analysis focused on narratives of interpersonal violence, as most research on this issue focuses on experiences of women in the global north. Thematic analysis demonstrated that women navigate a variety of informal supports, primarily with other women in their kinship networks, to address different needs, including material, emotional, and interpersonal—but primarily to address needs related to pregnancy and childcare, interpersonal violence, and housing. Women also sought help from male family members and formal institutions, though less frequently compared to help-seeking from other women. Outcomes of help-seeking, including who provided effective help, conditions of support, and negative reactions varied. Implications of women's patterns of help-seeking in this context, and how they compare to patterns within the larger help-seeking literature are discussed.


Networking is a system whereby selected and trained volunteers leave an organization to establish their own companies using micro-computer technology for communication and data processing. They provide services to the parent organization, usually related to the jobs they were themselves doing. The objective is to save substantial overhead costs while retaining the services of valuable employees. The book sets out the origin and philosophy of networking, and shows how networkers are selected and trained and how relevant jobs can be identified and structured. There are accounts of the practical problems involved in developing new patterns of work. Finally there


Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative brain disorder that mainly affects the elderly population and currently has no cure, only palliative treatments. Recently, spinal cord stimulation (SCS) showed great promise in the treatment of certain PD symptoms. In this semi-invasive technique, pulses of current are delivered to the spinal cord via electrodes implanted in the epidural space. However, the effects of SCS in the brain are poorly understood. In this work, we developed a method for detection of electrophysiological events in the brain evoked by SCS pulses, and analyzed the latency of such events under different experimental conditions. We performed in vivo recordings of local field potentials using 64 microelectrodes implanted in different brain areas of a rat model of PD, and during active and inactive states, and with and without administration of L-dopa. The signals were pre-processed and divided into windows centered around the stimulation pulses, in which we detected the evoked events using two approaches: the Hampel identifier and the wavelet transform. Next, we measured the latency of the response evoked in the brain with respect to the applied pulse. The Hampel method detected events in about 31% of trials, and the wavelet method in about 42% of trials. In addition, we found that movement had a statistical significant effect on the measured latency but only when L-dopa was administered to the animal. The differences in latency suggest that there may be a trajectory of neuronal activation in the brain in response of SCS. Our results may have implications in the design of more effective SCS strategies for the treatment of PD.


. A three-layer microstrip resonator is introduced to measure complex permittivities of medium loss liquids. The device is configured such that the first layer containing the liquid under test; a sheet of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is embedded in the middle layer, and the third layer functions as the base on which the patch is printed. The base layer is inverted on PTFE layer, and reflection coefficient is measured from 2.5 GHz to 5 GHz. The complex permittivities are extracted from the resonant frequency and the 10-dB bandwidth of S-parameter for different combinations of ethanol and methanol. Indeed, a three-layer microstrip resonator allows us to possess an affordable, and yet, high-accuracy electrical device to measure complex permittivities of medium loss liquids. FDTD method is used for analysing the structure and the results obtained by using FDTD method and the experimental data indicate a high degree of similarity.


Abstract This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between the fiber distribution and the permeability properties of the hydroentangled nonwoven fabrics in terms of air permeability and porosity. The fiber distribution and web properties of the hydroentangled nonwoven fabrics have significant influence on mechanical and physical performance of the finished products. Control of these properties during production, without physical testing, plays an important role in reducing response time to change the process parameters as well as production costs and material waste. In this study, an artificial intelligence method has been developed to predict the porosity and air permeability properties of hydroentangled nonwoven fabrics from their texture features. For this aim, two image processing algorithms were developed in order to measure the fabric porosity and to extract texture statistical features. For the prediction of the investigated fabric properties, an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model was built. The investigated samples were composed of Polyester (PES) and Viscose (CV) fiber with different areal weights. High regression values were obtained between predicted and actual values for both porosity and air-permeability properties. According to ANN results, it was revealed that the air permeability and porosity properties of hydroentangled nonwovens can be predicted with high accuracy from their texture images.


Expressions for the magnetic scalar potential, the magnetic field vector and the magnetic gradient tensor due to a uniformly magnetised semi-infinite right circular vertical cylinder are presented based on an application of Poisson's relation to the gravity gradient tensor. The superposition principle allows for the theory to be extended to finite length and concentrically zoned right circular cylinders. This formulation provides an accurate and computationally efficient means of modelling the magnetic response of vertical or plunging right circular cylinders or pipes in which the total magnetisation is assumed to be homogeneous. This modelling technique lends itself to inversion applications in magnetic exploration. Furthermore, the theory presented here considers some important special cases including expressions for the magnetic gradient tensor on the axis of a vertical cylinder or pipe. This leads to expressions for estimating the direction of magnetisation within a uniformly magnetised pipe. This theory provides a basis for mapping magnetisation directions over quasi-vertical pipe-like bodies.


The present work shows observational evidence of changes in atmospheric teleconnections of West Africa (WA) and the Euro-Mediterranean (EM) areas with remote regions. We show that the impact of the tropical Sea Surface Temperature (SST) anomalies over the WA precipitation has changed in the late 1970s, which is relevant for seasonal predictions in this area. These changes coincide with a nonstationary link between the interannual variability of the tropical Atlantic and Pacific basins. Also, the link between the Pacific El Nino and the EM rainfall in late winter-spring has changed throughout the 20th century. Our results give evidence of nonstationarities of both types, atmospheric and oceanic, occurring during negative phase periods of the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO). Hence, the results obtained here point out a physical coherent modulation of interannual variability by multidecadal variability. These multidecadal modes also appear to influence the variability of explosive cyclones (EC) over the EM region. Finally, to further understand the AMO and its possible influence over the interannual variability, the ability to reproduce a coherent AMO in General Circulation Models (GCMs) has been analysed. Results show that both the simulated and observed AMO patterns are consistent.


Within academia there is ongoing discussion over what constitutes natural disaster or what does not. Floods, which in recent years have taken the world by surprise, come into the discussion too. While that is the case, its impact on education systems is least discussed, if ever, yet literature acknowledges floods as one of the most devastating disasters ever recorded in human history. This Chapter, while attempting to examine the impact flooding has on education systems in Africa, it also explores whether flood sits well in the category of natural disaster. Furthermore, the writers also critically examine and interrogates adequacy of states responses to prevent flooding affecting education systems. The Chapter further explores whether flooding and its related impact on the education system is a disaster risk governance failure.


Enantioselective conjugate radical addition to alpha'-hydroxy alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones, compounds containing bidentate donors, has been investigated. It has been found that radical additions to alpha'-hydroxy alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones in the presence of Mg(NTf2)2 and bisoxazoline ligand 5a proceeded cleanly, yielding the addition products in high chemical yields and good enantiomeric excesses.


Background Many cats in the UK are not neutered before reaching potential breeding age. The purpose of this investigation was to understand the prevalence of veterinarians' behaviours around neutering cats at four months of age and to identify any needs of the veterinary profession on this. Methods A sample of 483 veterinarians that completed a cross-sectional online questionnaire were included in quantitative and qualitative analyses. Results Almost 70 per cent of veterinarians indicated they were comfortable carrying out neutering on cats of four months of age, and approximately half of veterinarians indicated they would recommend neutering client-owned cats at four months of age if practice policy permitted. There was no association found between these practices and geographic risk factors. Instead, neutering at four months was associated with the gender of the veterinarian, their practice policy and whether they routinely neuter unowned cats. Veterinarians have contrasting beliefs on similar themes, depending on whether they neuter kittens at four months or not, including differing opinions on general anaesthetic, surgery risks, owner compliance and their perceptions of neutering practices within the wider profession. Conclusion Familiarity and experience with the procedure, alongside perceived norms, are central to beliefs. We also highlight informational and learning barriers.


High-dimensional and sparse (HiDS) matrices are frequently found in various industrial applications. A latent factor analysis (LFA) model is commonly adopted to extract useful knowledge from an HiDS matrix, whose parameter training mostly relies on a stochastic gradient descent (SGD) algorithm. However, an SGD-based LFA model's learning rate is hard to tune in real applications, making it vital to implement its self-adaptation. To address this critical issue, this study firstly investigates the evolution process of a particle swarm optimization algorithm with care, and then proposes to incorporate more dynamic information into it for avoiding accuracy loss caused by premature convergence without extra computation burden, thereby innovatively achieving a novel position-transitional particle swarm optimization (P2SO) algorithm. It is subsequently adopted to implement a P2SO-based LFA (PLFA) model that builds a learning rate swarm applied to the same group of LFs. Thus, a PLFA model implements highly efficient learning rate adaptation as well as represents an HiDS matrix precisely. Experimental results on four HiDS matrices emerging from real applications demonstrate that compared with an SGD-based LFA model, a PLFA model no longer suffers from a tedious and expensive tuning process of its learning rate, and it can achieve even higher prediction accuracy for missing data of an HiDS matrix. On the other hand, compared with state-of-the-art adaptive LFA models, a PLFA model's prediction accuracy and computational efficiency are highly competitive. Hence, it has high potential in addressing real industrial issues.


The pre-declaring of way points - necessary for the recognition of Badges, Diplomas and certain World Records by IGC/FAI, and also necessary for getting more points at the Barron Hilton Cup or DMSt (German decentralized competition) - has six features common with games such as Roulette, Lotto, Toto, betting on the football pools, and any other betting and gambling game, suggesting pre-declaring not to be a sporting, but a betting game.  Betting on a sporting performance is not considered to be a form of sport.  Normally, betting and sporting activities are separated by strict rules and in some cases (e.g. football and the betting on the football pools or horse racing) the performing of both activities at the same time may be seen as a criminal act.  Therefore, from a philosophical point of view, pre-declaring is suggested to be a fundamental problem for IGC/FAI because the basic intention of FAI/ IGC to be a sporting organization.


Purpose of reviewTo summarize the existing literature on the genetics of athletic performance, with particular consideration for the relevance to young athletes. Recent findingsTwo gene variants, ACE I/D and ACTN3 R577X, have been consistently associated with endurance (ACE I/I) and power-related (ACTN3 R/R) performance, though neither can be considered predictive. The role of genetic variation in injury risk and outcomes is more sparsely studied, but genetic testing for injury susceptibility could be beneficial in protecting young athletes from serious injury. Little information on the association of genetic variation with athletic performance in young athletes is available; however, genetic testing is becoming more popular as a means of talent identification. Despite this increase in the use of such testing, evidence is lacking for the usefulness of genetic testing over traditional talent selection techniques in predicting athletic ability, and careful consideration should be given to the ethical issues surrounding such testing in children. SummaryA favorable genetic profile, when combined with an optimal training environment, is important for elite athletic performance; however, few genes are consistently associated with elite athletic performance, and none are linked strongly enough to warrant their use in predicting athletic success.


PT. Jaya Sempurna Sakti construction service company is a service company that
handle kinds of construction project like road construction. This company sells its product
in the form of asphalt hot mix by credit. But the credit selling system is different with
other common system.
This research emphasize on the selling system problem and the strength and
weakness of the system that is applied by the company.
The aim of this research is to know general description deal with the selling
system of PT. Jaya Sempurna Sakti. The advantage for the reader is to give them
knowledge about accounting information system (SIA in Indonesia) especially on the
selling system of PT. Jaya Sempurna Sakti and also as input description and consideration
that useful for the company to repair and improve work affectivity, especially on activity
planning and product selling policy.
The conclusion of this research is that the sales system is applied in PT. Jaya
Sempurna Sakti is good. This can be seen from the existence of clear function divisions,
adequate document, and suitable accountant report with the transaction evidence and
also good ordered procedure net. But there is weakness on function and divisions that
they do the duty that is not their authority, and untreated document storage.
According to this research the writer only give recommendation to give authority
to certain divisions to do their own duty. The recording and storing of the document
should be guarded care to prevent document losing and to make easier document
searching if there is any document that is needed on the other day.


External-cavity birefringence feedback effects of the microchip Nd: YAG laser are presented. When a birefringence element is placed in the external feedback cavity of the laser, two orthogonally polarized laser beams with a phase difference are output. The phase difference is twice as large as the phase retardation in the external cavity along the two orthogonal directions. The variable extra-cavity birefringence, caused by rotation of the external-cavity birefringence element, results in tunable phase difference between the two orthogonally polarized beams. This means that the roll angle information has been translated to phase difference of two output laser beams. A theoretical analysis based on the Fabry–Perot cavity equivalent model and refractive index ellipsoid is presented, which is in good agreement with the experimental results. This phenomenon has potential applications for roll angle measurement.


Call for Papers: Passive Optical Network Architectures and Technologies Guest Feature Editors Pat Iannone, AT&T Labs--Research Yun Chung, KAIST Submission deadline: 15 December 2006 For over 20 years, passive optical networks (PON) have been proposed and experimentally demonstrated as a broadband access solution. The recent availability of standardized TDM PON systems such as APON, BPON, GPON and EPON, along with local facilities-based competition and increasing demand for bandwidth, have resulted in a flurry of PON deployments worldwide. This commercial interest in PON is driving increased research activity in next-generation TDM and WDM PON architectures, subsystems, components and related enabling technologies, which will be the focus of this Journal of Optical Networking (JON) feature issue. Scope of SubmissionThe guest editors are soliciting high-quality original research papers related to passive optical network (PON) architectures and technologies. Among the topics suitable for inclusion in this feature issue are: Proposed upgrades to existing standardized PONs (EPON, GPON, etc.) Extended-reach (enhanced optical budget) PONs PON transceivers Passive components for PON Outside plant testing for PON Protection and restoration for PON Performance modeling and analysis Experimental field trials To submit to this special issue, follow the normal procedure for submission to JON and select


: 2nd trimester pregnancy termination techniques are reviewed in this discussion, and attention is directed to some of the special needs of couples with a genetically abnormal fetus. Focus is on the psychological considerations, the medical techniques (prostaglandins, hypertonic saline, and hypertonic urea), and surgical techniques (dilatation and evacuation and abdominal operations). Patients who present for genetic diagnosis are generally older, more often married, and desirous of a healthy pregnancy outcome. The grief response is common and understandable when one considers that amniocentesis results are not known until after quickening and that patients have seen the ultrasonic image of their living fetuses at the time of amniocentesis. Patients differ in their manner of dealing with the loss of their hoped for healthy children, and the physician must be sufficiently sensitive to assess the individual patient's needs rather than give the same advice when counseling every patient. The patient and her partner may want to vent their immediate feelings or concentrate on the objective details of the termination procedure. In any case, the various available methods of terminating the pregnancy should be reviewed along with their advantages and disadvantages. Prostaglandins should be used with caution and are contraindicated for the following conditions: hypersensitivity; pelvic inflammatory disease; unfavorable fetal position; and placenta previa. Careful monitoring of uterine contractions should be done. The primary advantage of prostaglandins in terminating a pregnancy with a malformed or genetically abnormal fetus is the removal of an intact fetus for morphologic examination and for other diagnostic tests to confirm the antenatal diagnosis. Hypertonic saline promotes uterine contractions by drawing fluid from the vascular and extravascular space. 100 milliliters of amniotic fluid is removed with a 20 gauge spinal needle, and 200 ml of a 20% saline solution instilled over 10-20 minutes. Hypertonic saline offers the advantage of the strong likelihood of stillbirth and a higher percentage of complete urine evacuation. Hypertonic solutions of urea are used as an abortifacient. Their disadvantages, as with hypertonic saline, include intravascular instillation or myonecrosis if the injection is in the uterine muscle. The proper surgical technique calls for considerable cervical dilatation for adequate uterine evacuation. Before 16 weeks' gestation surgical termination is safer than an instillation procedure. After 16 weeks there is no difference in maternal mortality. The primary advantage of surgical termination for a patient with an abnormal fetus is the speed and painlessness with which the procedure can be performed. A hysterectomy or hysterotomy is unnecessary unless there is another gynecologic complication or if other methods of pregnancy termination are unavailable or unsuccessful. Uterine evacuation using vaginal prostaglandin suppositories is preferred.


Little research has been conducted in Australia on the experiences and lives of postoperative trans people. This project grew out of one conducted in 2011 and was conducted from 2012 to 2016. The first author completed an Honors project, supervised by the second author, undertaking a qualitative study using a narrative approach, on the social functioning and daily lives of trans people who had undergone sex reassignment surgery and the influence the surgery had on their lives. That study, entitled Sex reassignment surgery: Panacea, placebo or Pandora's box?-A narrative inquiry, had methodological significance in that it steered away from a quantitative approach to exploring the lived experience of people undergoing sex reassignment surgery. That research suggested that following sex reassignment surgery, trans people have complex psychosocial issues, not the least of which are feelings of grief and loss associated with the procedure and the development of personal identities. As a result of the complexity of the issues and the first author's own recollections of the surgical process, a PhD study was undertaken addressing how trans people who have undergone sex reassignment surgery navigate this life-changing event, whether they considered their needs had been met, and how systems could be improved to cater for those needs. Individuals who identify as transgender are often discriminated against and marginalized by society, based on challenges to heteronormativity and/or an assumed psychiatric condition called gender dysphoria. In terms of research, these circumstances place trans people in the "vulnerable population" category. This case study explores how research involving transgender people involves certain methodological challenges, including issues surrounding sampling and recruitment, ethical considerations, and the relationship between the researcher and the researched when the principal researcher is a member of the target population.


Introduction: Escherichia coli O157:H7, as a pathogenic agent, can be transmitted through the foods including meat, meat products, dairy products, vegetables and water. The World Health Organization has recommended that all countries in the world, especially developing countries, should consider the investigation of E. coli O157:H7 as a research priority. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of E. coli O157:H7 in meat of cow, sheep, goat, and camel in Kerman province of Iran using culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods. Methods: In this study, 280 meat samples consisting of sheep (90 specimens), cow (80 specimens), goat (60 specimens) and camel (50 specimens) meats were randomly separated from carcasses from April to July 2018. After the sampling, microbial culture was performed on the samples. Then, suspected E. coli O157:H7 colonies were evaluated by PCR assay. Results: Out of the 280 samples, 73 samples (26%) were contaminated with E. coli. based on bacteriological tests, and 28 samples were identified as suspected E. coli O157:H7 serotype based on the lack of sorbitol fermentation. Subsequently, sorbitol-negative samples were tested by PCR procedure using specific primers. The results revealed that out of 28 cases, 21 cases (7.5%) were E. coli O157:H7. Conclusion: As can be deduced from the observations of this study, to detect the E. coli O157, PCR as an accurate, fast, and reliable procedure can be used along with the culture method.


The automobile industry in India is one of the speedily growing industry. Working Capital Management is important in this industry due to increasing demand and huge investment in this sector requires proper management. Working Capital Management perform a vital role in the success and failure of a business due to its effect on the performance and liquidity. Thereby this study has been undertaken to Comparative analyse working capital management of Tata Motors Limited and Maruti Suzuki India Limited for the period of seven years from 2013-14 to 2019-20.  In this study three objectives are set for research. The first one was to assess the impact of working capital on sales, second was to assess the impact of working capital on profitability and third was to evaluate the working capital performance of the companies under study through the use of various financial ratios. The study reflects that the efficiency of working capital management of the companies is influenced by the Liquidity Ratios, Debtor Turnover Ratio, Inventory Turnover Ratio and profitability Ratio.


A strategy for sustainable development is a significant milestone on the road to a more socially, economically and environmentally responsible society. It creates a framework within which the stakeholders can make a strong contribution to a better future. Because of the merits and growing interest in sustainable development, the race is on for researchers and stakeholders in the construction sector to initiate actions to reduce the negative impacts of development and sharpen their competitive edge. The cities should be created with a vision which supports harmonious communities and living conditions through sustainable urban development. The resources must be used efficiently while reducing the development impact on human health and environment during the buildings' life cycle. Environmental auditing and pressure-state response based models to monitor sustainable development in Malaysia should be developed. A data availability and sharing system should be developed and implemented to facilitate for the use in the establishment of sustainable development and low carbon society. Ideas which affect millions of people and guide the policies of nations must be accessible to all. Only thus can they permeate the institutions from the local to the global level. Creating sustainable development and low carbon societies depends on the knowledge and involvement of all stakeholders in the industry. So what is our level of understanding of GIS and its application? The development of geospatial data in Malaysia is important because the successful implementation of sustainable development and low carbon projects depend largely on the availability of geospatial information. It would facilitate the stakeholders and resolve some of the problems regarding the availability, quality, organisation, accessibility and sharing of spatial information. The introduction of GIS may change the way for better sustainable urban development and low carbon society performance. The use of GIS is to improve decision making to implement development methods, awareness for the need for sustainable development and in development control to provide the information on the distance from the proclaimed objective. Malaysia should not fall in its attitude on sustainable development, green design, sustainable construction and a low carbon society. Literature review on GIS is carried out to understand the philosophy, concept, principles, challenges and advantages of using GIS for sustainable urban development and low carbon societies. This paper would encourage our understanding about the state of geographical information system (GIS) in sustainable development and its application which would further stimulate actions and strategies towards a sustainable built environment.


Before the intifada began, Joost Hiltermann had already looked at local organizations in the Israeli- occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip and seen there the main elements that would eventually be used to mobilize the Palestinian masses. In the first comprehensive study of these organizations, Hiltermann shows how local organizers provided basic services unavailable under military rule, while recruiting for the cause of Palestinian nationalism.Before the intifada began, Joost Hiltermann had already looked at local organizations in the Israeli- occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip and seen there the main elements that would eventually be used to mobilize the Palestinian masses. In the first comprehensive study of these organizations, Hiltermann shows how local organizers provided basic services unavailable under military rule, while recruiting for the cause of Palestinian nationalism.


On June 19, 2022, the original monovalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccines were approved as a primary series for children aged 6 months-4 years (Pfizer-BioNTech) and 6 months-5 years (Moderna) based on safety, immunobridging, and limited efficacy data from clinical trials. On December 9, 2022, CDC expanded recommendations for use of updated bivalent vaccines to children aged ≥6 months. mRNA COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness (VE) against emergency department or urgent care (ED/UC) encounters was evaluated within the VISION Network during July 4, 2022-June 17, 2023, among children with COVID-19-like illness aged 6 months-5 years. Among children aged 6 months-5 years who received molecular SARS-CoV-2 testing during August 1, 2022-June 17, 2023, VE of 2 monovalent Moderna doses against ED/UC encounters was 29% (95% CI = 12%-42%) ≥14 days after dose 2 (median = 100 days after dose 2; IQR = 63-155 days). Among children aged 6 months-4 years with a COVID-19-like illness who received molecular testing during September 19, 2022-June 17, 2023, VE of 3 monovalent Pfizer-BioNTech doses was 43% (95% CI = 17%-61%) ≥14 days after dose 3 (median = 75 days after dose 3; IQR = 40-139 days). Effectiveness of ≥1 bivalent dose, comparing children with at least a complete primary series and ≥1 bivalent dose to unvaccinated children, irrespective of vaccine manufacturer, was 80% (95% CI = 42%-96%) among children aged 6 months-5 years a median of 58 days (IQR = 32-83 days) after the dose. All children should stay up to date with recommended COVID-19 vaccines, including initiation of COVID-19 vaccination immediately when they are eligible.


OBJECT
Reports of myxopapillary ependymomas (MPEs) of the spinal cord in pediatric patients are scarce. In the literature, various authors have shared their experiences with small groups of patients, which makes it difficult to create a consensus regarding the treatment approach for spinal MPEs in young patients. The aim of this study was to perform a survival analysis of patients in the first 2 decades of life whose cases were selected from the published studies, and to examine the influence of various factors on outcomes.

METHODS
A comprehensive search of studies published in English was performed on PubMed. Patients whose age was ≤ 20 years were included for integrative analysis. Information about age, treatment characteristics, critical events (progression, recurrence, and death), time to critical events, and follow-up duration was recorded. The degree of association of the various factors with the survival outcome was calculated by using Kaplan-Meier estimator and Cox proportional hazard model techniques.

RESULTS
A total of 95 patients were included in the analysis. The overall rate of recurrence (RR) was 34.7% (n = 33), with a median time to recurrence of 36 months (range 2-100 months). Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival rates at 5 years were 73.7% and 98.9%, respectively. Addition of radiotherapy (RT) following resection significantly improved PFS (log-rank test, p = 0.008). In patients who underwent subtotal resection (STR), administering RT (STR + RT) improved outcome with the lowest failure rates (10.3%), superior to patients who underwent gross-total resection (GTR) alone (RR 43.1%; log-rank test, p < 0.001). Addition of RT to patients who underwent GTR was not beneficial (log-rank test, p = 0.628). In patients who had disseminated tumor at presentation, adjuvant RT controlled the disease effectively. High-dose RT (≥ 50 Gy) did not change PFS (log-rank test, p = 0.710).

CONCLUSIONS
Routine inclusion of RT in the treatment protocol for spinal MPEs in young patients should be considered. Complete resection is always the goal of tumor resection. However, when complete resection does not seem to be possible in complex lesions, RT should be used as an adjunct to avoid aggressive resection and to minimize inadvertent injury to the surrounding neural tissues. High-dose RT (≥ 50 Gy) did not provide additional survival benefits, although this association needs to be evaluated by prospective studies.


Ferroelectric materials exhibit a wide spectrum of functional properties, including switchable polarization, piezoelectricity, high non-linear optical activity, pyroelectricity, and non-linear dielectric behaviour. These properties are crucial for application in electronic devices such as sensors, microactuators, infrared detectors, microwave phase filters and, non-volatile memories. This unique combination of properties of ferroelectric materials has attracted researchers and engineers for a long time. This book reviews a wide range of diverse topics related to the phenomenon of ferroelectricity (in the bulk as well as thin film form) and provides a forum for scientists, engineers, and students working in this field. The present book containing 24 chapters is a result of contributions of experts from international scientific community working in different aspects of ferroelectricity related to experimental and theoretical work aimed at the understanding of ferroelectricity and their utilization in devices. It provides an up-to-date insightful coverage to the recent advances in the synthesis, characterization, functional properties and potential device applications in specialized areas.


The processes of globalization that have characterized recent decades have prompted social psychology to rethink some everyday life concerns and local problems at a global level. This article presents an explanatory model of collective action aimed at fighting poverty with a proposal to integrate the Encapsulated Model of Social Identity in Collective Action (EMSICA) with some antecedents from both the psychology of volunteerism and authority relationship literature. A self-report questionnaire was administered to 783 Italian participants, and through structural equation modeling, we demonstrated that moral reasoning, engagement values, and prosocial disobedience function as antecedents of the EMSICA model and, thus, are elements in the global fight against poverty.


Today's competitive enviroment, together with huge developement of IP networks used for delivering high-bandwidth services, forced telecom operators to simplify network topology, reduce operating costs, and have secure, high quality convergent network which can be easily managed and adopted according to future requirements. As a logical step with IP network developement was introduction of Voice over IP. For green-field operators it was an easy way to get in the business quickly with deployment of IMS based network, but for old telecom operators migration started with adaptation of old TDM based network used for old customers to new, IP network, together with deployment of IMS network. One important, and we could almost say critical element of every VoIP network is Session Border Controler (SBC). In this article we will give a brief overview of major SBC functionalities and the way of implementation in next-generation networks (NGN).


Recent catastrophes in environmental management, such as population collapses in oceanic fisheries, have led environmental activists and scholars to invoke the precautionary principle (PP). In its strong form, PP demands that no human-initiated change in an ecosystem be permitted unless it is certain it will do no harm; while, in its weak form, PP holds that if an action might be environmentally harmful, regulators may, on best evidence, limit human activities to avoid damaging ecosystem perturbations. Implementing PP, however, presents epistemological, logical and practical difficulties. This paper compares the function of PP to that of the Biblical Wisdom literature in encouraging ecological prudence, and argues that PP should be replaced by a series of guiding concepts, dealing with the limitations of ecological knowledge and the flaws in human character most likely to result in environmental disaster. The environmental cases analysed are from oceanic fisheries management.


This report provides a comparative overview of the analysis of research results established in work packages 1 to 7 of the CEASEVAL project and formulates, which and how, alternative forms of asylum policies ensue. After presenting the theoretical basis for this report, which builds on an earlier project's publication (Doomernik & Ardon 2018) and is enriched by the empirical findings of the CEASEVAL research that connects the relevance of a local perspective with an analysis and review of alternative forms of shaping the Common European Asylum System. To transform the CEAS into a sustainable and equitable common asylum and migration framework this report points towards three possiblefundamental changes that might make the CEAS more sustainable and foster equity. First, for local and regional authorities (LRAs) to follow their local logic and needs one might suggest that they could benefit from direct EU funding and more autonomy from the Member States in the field of asylum and refugee integration policies. Second, this might include discretionary powers to grant some (limited) form of citizenship based on the notion of 'jus domicile' regardless of formal legal status. Third, it might considerably increase the odds of effective inclusion of refugees and thus reduce societal costs, if the EU were to have a refugee status valid for all its member states or the right for refugees to have their protection status transferred from one Member State to the other.


We present two cases of uremic patients with poor medical control of their secondary hyperparathyroidism. They had to undergo surgery to control symptoms. A total parathyroidectomy with autotransplant in the forearm muscles was performed. After a symptom-free period, both showed a recurrence of their hyperparathyroidism. A double phase 99mTc-MIBI scintigraphy was essential in order to correctly locate hypertrophic parathyroid gland. In one case there was a cervical recurrence and in the second patient hyperplasia in a forearm gland autotransplant was found. Both patients remained asymptomatic with medication during their follow up.


Sport and physical activity are highly desirable components of normal development in children. They contribute towards health, fitness, achievement and the discipline required to learn and associate with peers. It is important to provide adequate supervision and skills coaching in order to avoid injuries and foster ongoing interest in exercise programmes. The child athlete is susceptible to several unique injuries due to the normal growth process and the practitioner needs to be aware of these and familiar with the diagnosis and management of such conditions in order to protect the wellbeing and development of his child athlete patients.


It is proved that the profinite completion of the mapping class group Mod (g,n) of a surface of genus g with n boundary components is isomorphic to such of the arithmetic group GL(6g-6+2n, Z). We establish a relation between the normal subgroups of Mod (g,n) and the absolute Galois group G(K) of a number field K. Using the Tits alternative, we prove the Shafarevich Conjecture saying that the group G(Q^ab) of the maximal abelian extension of the field of rationals is isomorphic to a free profinite group.


Adequate extravillous trophoblast (EVT) invasion is an essential step for placental formation. The aim of this study was to examine the possible role of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling in epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced EVT migration and to determine if the 70 kDa ribosomal S6 kinase (p70S6K) is involved in this process. In this study, EGF significantly stimulated HTR8/SVneo cell migration and the phosphorylation of AKT, ERK1/2 and p70S6K in a concentration-dependent manner. The MAPK inhibitor U0126 decreased cell migration and ERK phosphorylation, but it did not influence p70S6K phosphorylation in response to EGF. In the presence of PI3K inhibitors (Wortmannin), EGF-stimulated trophoblast migration and phosphorylation of AKT and P70S6K (Thr(389) and Thr(421)/Ser(424)) were decreased, while EGF-induced ERK phosphorylation was not affected. Expression of an activated AKT (Myr-AKT2) increased basal phospho-p70S6K (Thr(389) and Thr(421)/Ser(424)) content, but failed to stimulate cell migration. However, it induced cell migration in the presence of EGF and Wortmannin, in which both AKT and MAPK pathways were activated. In addition, there was a concentration-dependent inhibition of cell migration and p70S6K phosphorylation (Thr(389) and Thr(421)/Ser(424)) in the presence of Rapamycin, a specific inhibitor of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR, a downstream of AKT). Taken together, our data suggest that EGF-induced trophoblast migration involves the coordinated regulation of both PI3K/AKT and MAPK signalling pathways. mTOR/p70S6K is important in PI3K- but not MAPK-mediated trophoblast migration in response to EGF.


Existing localization algorithms which use Kalman filter for indoor environment fix noise covariance or change noise covariance by complicated filters. Since localization system does not reflect real environment around it, fixed noise covariance makes localization system unpractical. Also complicated filters limit the applications which localization algorithms can apply. In this paper, we propose a method that adaptively changes noise covariance. The proposed method recognizes changes of moving pattern based on results of localization, and then adjusts the noise covariance. In addition, the method varies localization period to catch up with changed mobile nodes's movement rapidly and reduce overhead caused by calculation of location when mobile node moves regular pattern. Simulation result from MATLAB shows the proposed method outperformed an algorithm which has constant localization period and noise covariance of Kalman filter by 30%.


We introduce a method based on the deflectometry principle for the inspection of transparent, rotation-symmetric objects with steep angles. Examples are intraocular or strongly curved, aspheric lenses. Usually, an additional reflection at the lens' back side occurs and disturbs the signal. The solution is to use ultraviolet light which does not penetrate the material. As a consequence, static masks have to be used to generate the fringe pattern. A key feature of our approach is the specification of a spiral pattern, that meets the requirements for ultraviolet deflectometry with static masks. The spiral patterns are decoded by a multi-frequency phase shifting algorithm. We explain the prin-ciples of pattern design and present first evaluation results. Fur-thermore, we introduce a straight forward approach to obtain the absolute coordinates of the screen directly without any unwrapping. This facilitates the reconstruction of the three-dimensional shape of the lens in a subsequent step.


An electronic component, notably one including, for example, a TFT, a storage capacitor, or a crossing between electrically conductive layers of a stack device is disclosed. The electronic component comprises a substrate whereon a first electrically conductive layer forming electrode is provided. A second electrode formed by a second electrically conductive layer is separated from the first electrode by at least a dielectric layer, comprising an interlayer of an electrically insulating material, preferably having high resistance against view (a) electrical breakdown and a further layer of a photo-patternable electrically insulating material.


Nifedipine acts as a calcium channel blocker which shows therapeutic values against Hypertension, Angina, and other Cardiac diseases. New Drug Delivery System recently applied in therapeutic use with the relevant formulation of microsphere for sustained release properties. Delivered drugs are absorbed uniformly safely and effective blood level of Nifedipine can be maintained for prolonged time. The present study is to investigate the possibility of developing fingerprinting characteristic of Nifedipine Microsphere by using combined polymer (Ethylcellulose, Polyvinylalcohol) in different proportions required in the formulation of Microsphere for Sustained Release Medication. Solvent evaporation method was used for preparation of Microsphere containing Nifedipine, taking Ethyl cellulose as polymer. The preformulation study was carried out through Uv-Visible spectrophotometer for the identification of maximum absorbance of the drug. Identification of functional group frequencies with the help of Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy has been made.


Background: Brain metastasis is a dreaded complication that significantly reduces the quality of life in breast cancer patients. The treatment options are limited by the inability of many chemotherapeutic agents to cross the blood–brain barrier. Surgery also has a limited role, except in few selected patients with oligometastasis. Therefore, whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) remains the available option that gives a gratifying result. However, the benefit of this treatment modality in our resource-poor environment needs to be investigated. Materials and Methods: The data of breast cancer patients with brain metastasis who were treated with WBRT using cobalt-60 equipment between 2005 and 2009 were retrospectively collected from the departmental medical record unit. The information extracted included biodata, presenting symptoms, imaging modality for confirmation of brain metastasis, treatment records, performance status pre-WBRT and 4 weeks post-WBRT, and other supportive treatments. Results: A total of 52 female patients were reviewed between 2005 and 2009. The mean age of patients was 44.7 years. The common clinical features on presentation were headache, nausea, and visual impairment in 30.8% of patients with the WHO performance status score ranging between 2 and 4. Patients with more than three brain deposits accounted for 71.2% of all the brain metastases. The mean radiation dose used for WBRT was 30 Gy in 10 fractions, and total responses recorded were 86.5% with 53.8% complete improvement in patients' performance status 4 weeks after WBRT treatment. Conclusion: WBRT is an effective treatment modality for patients with brain metastasis in our resource-poor environment. However, improvement of patients' performance status declined with advancing age.


We study the spectral function of a self-adjoint semibounded below differential operator on a Hilbert space and obtain the formulae for the spectral function of the operator with general boundary conditions at the zero. In particular, for the boundary conditions we find the explicit form of the spectral function on the diagonal for .


We propose a method to perform adaptive transfer of visual category knowledge from labeled datasets acquired in one image domain to other environments. We learn a representation which minimizes the effect of shifting between source and target domains using a novel metric learning approach. The key idea of our approach to domain adaptation is to learn a metric that compensates for the transformation of the object representation that occurred due to the domain shift. In addition to being one of the first studies of domain adaptation for object recognition, this work develops a general adaptation technique that could be applied to non-image data. Another contribution is a new image database for studying the effects of visual domain shift on object recognition. We demonstrate the ability of our adaptation method to improve performance of classifiers on new domains that have very little labeled data.


Microfinance institutions (MFIs) serve more than 5 million households in developing countries. A crucial variable for MFI schemes is the interest rate to be charged from borrowers. This paper studies the behavioural impacts of the repayment burden on repayment performance. In a laboratory experiment, we vary the amount a borrower group has to repay and study how this affects free-riding behaviour. We can identify two counteracting effects: a higher repayment burden intensifies the incentives to free-ride as shirking saves more money. On the other hand, high-interest loans are less tolerant towards defaulters, which exerts a disciplining effect. Copyright 2006 Blackwell Publishing Ltd


We investigated the possible role of type-1 plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1) on success or failure of thrombolytic therapy with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) in 10 responders and 10 non-responders with acute myocardial infarction and early initiation of therapy within 2 h of onset using the common infusion scheme (100 mg rt-PA over 3 h). We determined plasma levels of t-PA (activity and antigen) as well as PAI-1 (activity and antigen) in samples obtained before, during and after thrombolytic treatment and compared the course of each of those parameters between responders and non-responders to therapy. Success or failure of treatment was determined by a combination of noninvasive methods and proven by coronary angiography within 5 days of initiation of thrombolysis. Thirty, 60, 90, and 120 min after initiation of rt-PA infusion, specific t-PA activities in plasma of responders were 0.62, 0.63, 0.62, and 0.57 (IU/ng/ml), respectively, as compared to 0.42, 0.42, 0.40, and 0.32 (IU/ng/ml) in nonresponders (p < 0.001). Between 4 and 8 h after initiation of therapy, a time span known to be critical for thrombotic reocclusion, specific activities were still significantly elevated in responders as compared to non-responders (p < 0.01). PAI-1 activity levels, which were not detectable during rt-PA infusion in either group, recovered to pre-treatment values 2 h earlier in non-responders.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


A number of recently published series were reviewed evaluating noninvasive localizing studies (ultrasound, thallium‐technetium subtraction scintigraphy, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging) in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism and no previous surgery. The average true positive (%) and false positive (%) rates were (1) ultrasound, 66 and 12; (2) Th/Tc scanning 55 and 13; (3) computed tomography, 63 and inadequately documented; (4) magnetic resonance imaging, 75 and 18. The success rate of initial operation in this group of patients is over 90%. There is no evidence that preoperative localizing studies shorten operating time or prevent surgical failures. For these reasons, noninvasive localization studies are not indicated in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism before initial surgery.


Responses of chinchilla auditory-nerve fibers to synthesized stop consonants differing in voice onset time (VOT) were obtained. The syllables, heard as /ga/-/ka/ or /da/-/ta/, were similar to those previously used by others in psychophysical experiments with human and with chinchilla subjects. Average discharge rates of neurons tuned to the frequency region near the first formant generally increased at the onset of voicing, for VOTs longer than 20 ms. These rate increases were closely related to spectral amplitude changes associated with the onset of voicing and with the activation of the first formant; as a result, they provided accurate information about VOT. Neurons tuned to frequency regions near the second and third formants did not encode VOT in their average discharge rates. Modulations in the average rates of these neurons reflected spectral variations that were independent of VOT. The results are compared to other measurements of the peripheral encoding of speech sounds and to psychophysical observations suggesting that syllables with large variations in VOT are heard as belonging to one of only two phonemic categories.


We show how the superintegrability of certain systems can be deduced from the presence of multiple parameters in the rational Lax matrix representation. This is also related to the fact that such systems admit a separation of variables in parametric families of coordinate systems.


Background: The nanoparticle technology, or nanotechnology is the science that studies the treatment of
matter on the atomic and molecular scale. Nanotechnology deals with measurements between 1 to 100
nanometers, i.e. deals with atomic clusters ranging from five atoms to a thousand atoms. They are much
smaller than bacteria and a living cell palsy.
Method: In this study, it involved the production of a new technique for diagnosing infection with Brucella
bacteria. This study included 45 samples of patients suffering from brucellosis (women and men), in addition
to 36 samples from other Brucella. All were diagnosed Injuries by hospital medical advisory staff using
various tests vitek, ELISA, API20C, Morphology, Brucella media test. The samples were examined using
the new technique compared to the routine method of diagnosis. We found that the new technique gave a
positive result to the samples infected with Brucella bacteria, while the rest of the samples without infection
with Brucella bacteria gave a negative result.
Results: It was found that the tests of Elisa and API20C, Vitek were more sensitive 100% and specialized
100% for the diagnosis of Brucella bacteria than other method morpholgy with allergic 44%and specialized
86%, Brucella mediaTest, with allergy 88 % And specialty 86%. The results of the ELISA kit test were the
nano-labs (the new technique) in this study to diagnose more successful bacteria compared to normal system
and more allergic and specialized because of the antigen-containing.
Conclusion: The new kit use in nanotechnology is more Sensitivity and Specificity for diagnosis to the
brucella, Roads routine to diagnose brucella is not effective compared with API, Vitek and ELISA .


Nowadays, anticoagulant therapy is one of the most common form of medical intervention.
Among others, it is the mainstay of prophylaxis and treatment of venous thromboembolism.
The most important representatives of anticoagulants are heparins (unfractionated heparin
and low-molecular-weight heparin) and coumarin derivatives (vitamin K antagonists). Newer
anticoagulants are represented by selective - indirect or antithrombin-dependent
(fondaparinux) and direct or antithrombin-independent (rivaroxaban) - inhibitors of clotting
factor Xa, and selective direct thrombin inhibitors (dabigatran). Besides numerous advantages
anticoagulants have also drawbacks. The aim of this paper is to discuss the
principles of management of anticoagulant-associated complications.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the multiple iron metabolism-related genes expression, its regulation by iron and the expression correlation among the genes in rat tissues.

METHODS
Two groups (n=30) of Sprague-Dawley female weanling rats were fed with a control diet and an iron deficient diet respectively for 4 weeks. All rats were then sacrificed, and blood and tissue samples were collected. The routine blood examination was performed with a veterinary automatic blood cell analyzer. Elemental iron levels in liver, spleen and serum were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The mRNA expression of genes was detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR.

RESULTS
After 4 weeks, the hemoglobin (Hb) level and red blood cell (RBC) count were significantly lower in the iron deficient group compared with those in the control group. The iron levels in liver, spleen and serum in the iron deficient group were significantly lower than those in the control group. In reference to small intestine, the relative expression of each iron-related gene varied in the different tissues. Under the iron deficiency, the expression of these genes changed in a tissue-specific manner. The expression of most of the genes significantly correlated in intestine, spleen and lung, but few correlated in liver, heart and kidney.

CONCLUSION
Findings from our study provides new understandings about the relative expression, regulation by iron and correlation among the mRNA expressions of transferrin receptors 1 and 2, divalent metal transporter 1, ferritin, iron regulation proteins 1 and 2, hereditary hemochromatosis protein, hepcidin, ferroportin 1 and hephaestin in intestine, liver, spleen, kidney, heart, and lung of rat.


An artificial neural network is configured for a specific application, such as pattern recognition or data classification, through a learning process. Just like biological systems involves adjustments to the synaptic connections that exist between the neurons, artificial neural network also works on the same principle. The work described in this research does not have the intention to compete with existing systems, but merely served to illustrate to the general public how an artificial neural network can be used to recognize handwritten digits.


This paper is concerned with the fatigue fracture of the clad plate between mild steel and high strength steel, which is considered to be one of the simple examples of the laminated inhomogeneous metals such as the induction hardening specimens, the carburized hardening specimens, the preliminary working specimens and other surface treated specimens. The results obtained are as follows: Although the static tensile strength of the clad plate can be expressed by the law of mixture, its fatigue strength can not. It is expected that the proper composite ratio exists in order to obtain the maximum fatigue limit of the clad plate which has high strength steel layers on the surfaces of the mild steel. (Received Sep. 3, 1973)


In the present study we have established that exposure of rat cardiac myoblasts (H9c2 cells) to 46°C for 1 hour (lethal heat shock) resulted in optimal cell injury as determined by lactate dehydrogenase release. Pretreatment of H9c2 cells for 24 hours with 17β-estradiol significantly protects myoblasts against subsequent lethal heat shock exposure in a concentration-dependent manner with maximum protection obtained at 1 μM of 17β-estradiol. With Western blotting, it was observed that 17β-estradiol-protected cells had significantly higher levels of the estrogen receptor α and inducible heat shock protein 70 (hsp70) as well as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) levels compared with lethal heat shock-exposed cells. In contrast, lethal heat shock-exposed cells had significantly higher levels of total cellular glucocorticoid receptors (GR), both cytoplasmic and nuclear, compared with 17β-estradiol-protected cells. Immunofluorescence technique using confocal microscopy revealed nuclear localization of the glucocorticoid receptors (GR) in lethal heat shock-exposed H9c2 cells while 17β-estradiol-protected cells had primarily extranuclear localization of GR. We conclude that (1) 17β-estradiol protects H9c2 cells against lethal heat shock insult by a receptor-independent mechanism, and (2) the protective effects are likely mediated by modulation of GR, hsp 70, and iNOS expression.


Stereo is a well-known technique for obtaining depth information from digital images. A technique for building textured 3D models form 2D Stereo image using image processing techniques like 2D image acquisition, block matching, Pixel matching is presented, dynamic programming and pyramid construction for better results and finally 3D image plotting. Registration step is necessary because the shape of most objects cannot be observed from only one view: we must scan the object from several directions and bring these scans into registration. But because frames can rarely be brought into exact registration, a merging phase is required to resolve these conflicts by forcing points to lie on a 2D manifold. Using correlation-based stereo yields significantly noisier range information than traditional range scanners, requiring model acquisition methods that take advantage of intensity information for alignment. Our gradient-based registration algorithm employs an efficient global registration technique that allows it to take into consideration all frames in the sequence simultaneously, improving registration significantly.


OBJECTIVE: To estimate the screening rate and prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and the screening rate and prevalence of postpartum diabetes, in a large, national sample of pregnant women. We also estimated the potential effects of the new International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups recommendations, which replace the 100-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) with the 75-g OGTT, on GDM prevalence and gestational plasma glucose testing practices. METHODS: We identified pregnant women who used the laboratory services of Quest Diagnostics and who were screened for GDM and were tested postpartum. Gestational diabetes mellitus prevalence was calculated according to the current American Diabetes Association/ Carpenter-Coustan criteria, and the new International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups criteria. RESULTS: Sixty-eight percent (632,820/924,873) of pregnant women aged 25 to 40 (ie, those not in a low-risk age group) who utilized the services of Quest Diagnostics during this study were screened for GDM. Of the entire adult pregnant population (ages 18–40) who received GDM screening, 5% (40,955/842,993) had positive test results under the current criteria. Nineteen percent (4,486/23,299) of those with GDM received postpartum diabetes testing within a 6-month period. Ninety percent (148,749/166,085) of all confirmatory GDM tests performed on pregnant women at Quest Diagnostics were the 100-g OGTT. The number of women with GDM after receiving the 75-g OGTT would have doubled under the International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups criteria. CONCLUSION: Many women may not be receiving GDM screening during pregnancy. Postpartum diabetes screening rates after pregnancy remain low. Adoption of the new International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups criteria would require a significant change in current clinical practice. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III


The oil platform is a social innovation, a new type of community. Formally, people work together on the oil installation, yet in reality they also live together, and cater for each other or not in a multitude of ways. Living away from their homes for long periods, usually two weeks, the offshore workers require someone to take care of their needs. This is done by the 1200 catering workers. A rising proportion (42 percent in 1985) of the caterers are women, working in an otherwise almost totally male environment. The present article concerns the often overlooked catering group and its role not only for the daily welfare of the offshore workers, but also in the reproduction of the North Sea installations as social communities. The institutionalization of new work and life patterns is the background theme of the article and the focus is on the professional caterers and their unique role in the work organization.


Oliver Heaviside (1850-1925) was a reclusive figure, who did most of his research at home. His recognition as a scientific figure came about from his work on an important scientific text: 'Maxwell's Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism'. Heaviside applied Maxwell's theories to the practical problem of sending an electric signal down a wire, central to the growing telecommunications industry. Over long distances, such as underwater cables, the speed and clarity of the signal was compromised due to the effects of induction. Heaviside proposed that distortion could be reduced by adding induction coils to 'load' the cable. Among Heaviside's many other scientific achievements, he correctly predicted the existence of a layer of ionised gas high in the Earth's atmosphere, which permits radio waves to follow the curvature of the Earth. In mathematics, he developed the Heaviside Step Function, equal to 0 for a negative argument, but 1 for a positive argument, whose characteristic step-like shape can be used to describe a current or signal being turned on.


This text emphasises applications over theory. It illustrates the importance of statistical methods and tools for today's managers and analysts, and how to apply them to business problems using real-world data. Using a proven three-step Identify-Compute-Interpret (ICI) approach to problem-solving, the text teaches students how to (1) Identify the correct statistical technique by focusing on the problem objective and data type; (2) Compute the statistics doing them by hand and using Excel; and (3) Interpret results in the context of the problem. This unique approach enhances students' comprehension and practical skills. The text's vast assortment of data-driven examples, exercises, and cases covers the various functional areas of business, demonstrating the statistical applications that marketing managers, financial analysts, accountants, economists, and others use. These comprehensive applications give students hands-on experience and practice, while solid pedagogical elements make the material more accessible and easy to apply to the day-to-day statistical problems students encounter in real life as well as in the business environment.


"A new simulation model has been constructed to estimate demographic processes of prehistoric human populations who migrated and dispersed, particularly to [uninhabited areas].... This model simultaneously treats fertility, mortality and migration, taking the carrying capacity of the land into account." (SUMMARY IN ENG)


Women in Latin America and the Caribbean face difficulties related to the patriarchal traits of their societies. In Colombia, the well-known conflict afflicting the country since 1948 has increased the risk for vulnerable groups. It is important to determine if recent efforts to improve the welfare of women have had a positive effect extending beyond the capital, Bogota. In an initial endeavor to shed light on this matter, we analyze cross-sectional data arising from the Demographic and Health Survey Program. Our aim is to study the relationship between baseline socio-demographic factors and variables associated to fertility, partnership patterns, and work activity. To best exploit the explanatory structure, we propose a Bayesian multivariate density regression model, which can capture nonlinear regression functions and allow for non-standard features in the errors, such as asymmetry or multi-modality. The model has interpretable covariate-dependent weights constructed through normalization, allowing for combinations of categorical and continuous covariates. It can also accommodate censoring in one or more of the responses. Computational difficulties for inference are overcome through an adaptive truncation algorithm combining adaptive Metropolis-Hastings and sequential Monte Carlo to create a sequence of automatically truncated posterior mixtures.


Abstract The distribution, density and percentage contribution of pack ice seals during ship-board censuses in the marginal sea ice zone beyond the Lazarev Sea in spring 2019 are presented. Adult/juvenile crabeater seals (n = 19), leopard seals (n = 3) and Ross seals (n = 10) were sighted during 582.2 nm of censuses along the ship's track line in the area bounded by 00°00'–22°E and 56°–60°S. Antarctic fur seals (n = 21) were only encountered on the outer fringes of the pack ice, and Weddell seals were absent due to their primary use of fast ice and inner pack ice habitats close to the coast. Crabeater seal sightings included juveniles (n = 2) and another four groups of 2–3 unclassified crabeater seals, singletons (n = 5), single mothers with pups (n = 3) and a family group (n = 1 triad). Only one leopard seal attended a pup, while no Ross seal pups were located. The survey was likely of insufficient effort, in both extent (north of 60°S) and duration (18 days), to locate seals in considerable numbers this early (late October/early November) in their austral spring breeding season.


The discovery of compounds possessing antiandrogenic activities has led to their utilization in the treatment of hirsutism of various aetiologies. Spironolactone generally lowers the plasma testosterone by altering its formation and metabolism as well as by decreasing its blood production rate; the medication also contributes to increase the peripheral conversion of testosterone to oestradiol. A major action is that spironolactone inhibits androgen binding to receptor molecules in the cytosol or the nucleus of target tissues such as the skin. During the last five years, we have studied over 450 cases of hirsutism. Approximately 80% of these women were treated with spironolactone alone or in association with dexamethasone (2.5%) or an oral contraceptive (15%). Hirsutism was classified according to Lorenzo (1970). Good to very good clinical results were observed in 80% of the patients who were under study for a minimum of 3 to 4 years. Adverse side-effects were recorded in less than 5% of our group of patients. On the basis of our data and our clinical experience, we conclude that spironolactone is an effective drug in the treatment of female hirsutism.


Species of the brown algae Sargassum have been targeted for use in the implementation of strategies to remediate toxic heavy metal contamination in effluents and drinking waters. This work focusses on some of the intrinsic physico-chemical properties of the algal material and aspects of the sorption mechanism, in particular: their maximal metal uptake, the influence of particle size and their resilience to leaching during equilibrium batch experiments. In addition to S. fluitans, the database on cadmium uptake capacities by Sargassum is extended to include S. thunbergii and S. oligocystum, and these are compared to those of two common brown algae. Results of our experiments demonstrate that cadmium sorption is independent of the range of particle sizes investigated (<2 and 3‐6 mm), thereby indicating that sorption is not a function of the specific surface area of the biomass exposed to the solution. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) analyses reveal that leaching to the cadmium solutions during the metal sorption reaction is independent of the biomass preparations used to obtain the two size fractions but decreases with increasing final cadmium concentration.


Due to the nature of the manufacturing and support activities associated with long life cycle products, the parts that products required need to be dependably and consistently available. However, the parts that comprise long lifetime products are susceptible to a variety of supply chain disruptions. In order to minimize the impact of these unavoidable disruptions to production, manufacturers can implement proactive mitigation strategies. Two mitigation strategies in particular have been proven to decrease the penalty costs associated with disruptions: second sourcing and buffering. Second sourcing involves selecting two distinct suppliers from which to purchase parts over the life of the part's use within a product or organization. Second sourcing reduces the probability of part unavailability (and its associated penalties), but at the expense of qualification and support costs for multiple suppliers. An alternative disruption mitigation strategy is buffering (also referred to as hoarding). Buffering involves stocking enough parts in inventory to satisfy the forecasted part demand (for both manufacturing and maintenance requirements) for a fixed future time period so as to offset the impact of disruptions. Careful selection of the mitigation strategy (second sourcing, buffering, or a combination of the two) is key, as it can dramatically impact a part's total cost of ownership.This paper studies the effectiveness of traditional analytical models compared to a simulation-based approach for the selection of an optimal disruption mitigation strategy. A verification case study was performed to check the accuracy and applicability of the simulation-based model. The case study results show that the simulation model is capable of replicating results from operations research models, and overcomes significant scenario restrictions that limit the usefulness of analytical models as decision-making tools. Four assumptions, in particular, severely limit the realism of most analytical models but do not constrain the simulation-based model. These limiting assumptions are: 1) no fixed costs associated with part orders, 2) infinite-horizon, 3) perfectly reliable backup supplier, and 4) disruptions lasting full ordering periods (as opposed to fractional periods).Copyright © 2014 by ASME


A technique for the closure of upper median sternotomy with absorbable polyglycolid acid sutures is described. In a consecutive series of 130 refixations, no major complications occurred. After a mean follow-up period of 66 +/- 61 months, the long-term results concerning sternotomy closure were determined in 86 patients: 84 (98%) sternotomies were completely consolidated, in 75 cases (87%) without any dislocation and in nine cases (11%) with a minor dislocation in the transverse osteotomy. In two patients (2%) who had received postoperative radio- and chemotherapy, an isolated pseudarthrosis of the transverse osteotomy was observed, whereas the median sternotomy was consolidated completely. As a result of our clinical experience, we consider the closure of partial upper sternotomy with absorbable polyglycoid acid sutures as a practical and safe technique.


This article presents the research context for a 2013 investigation of how discipline of study at undergraduate level contributes to the development of generic problem solving skills. Inspired by a number of recent higher education policy developments in Ireland, it takes a different approach to the utility debate that seems to plague discussions of the arts and humanities as disciplines of study, looking into the economic and policy research underpinning what we know about the outcomes that can be expected from these courses of study, as well as the very small amount of evidence for medium to long term success in career formation. As might be expected, it exposes significant gaps between the research evidence for utility, the opinions of employer representatives and the policy positions taken, suggesting that common perceptions of all disciplines require a reevaluation.


Standard theory predicts that financial integration leads to a lower degree of business cycle synchronization. Surprisingly, cross-country studies find the opposite. Our contribution is to document the theoretically predicted negative effect of financial integration on business cycle synchronization as a robust regularity. We use a confidential dataset on banks' international bilateral exposure over the past three decades in a panel of twenty developed countries. The rich panel structure allows us to control for time-invariant country-pair factors and global trends that affect both financial integration and business cycle patterns. In contrast to previous empirical work we find that a higher degree of financial integration is associated with less synchronized output cycles. We also employ two distinct instrumental variable approaches to identify the one-way effect of integration on synchronization. These specifications reveal that the component of banking integration predicted by legislative-regulatory harmonization policies and the nature of the bilateral exchange rate regime has a negative effect on output synchronization.


Today, communication networks are growing in terms of size and speed, delivering hundreds of megabits to tens of gigabits per second. This large amount of bandwidth leads to the definition of new kinds of distributed applications introducing multimedia. Nevertheless, current computer architectures are not well suited to process these delay guaranteed and cumbersome flows. This paper particularly focuses on the factory plant case where multimedia equipments could soon be integrated in the control of manufacturing processes. First, a novel real time distributed architecture based on a 155 Mbit/s ATM network is introduced. The main features of the communication board are an embedded ATM switch, and a processor coupled with a programmable gate array in order to provide efficient high level communication protocols. Then, a MMS-like multimedia application service element for integrated manufacturing services is introduced. It takes advantage of the particular architecture of the network interface board.


Teaching practice is very germane to the training of prospective teachers as it is a process of producing competent teachers. Rosemary, Richard and Ngara (2013) acknowledge that there are many mechanisms that are put in place to make the exercise (teaching practice) a beneficial experience to trainee-teachers' and supervisors' remarks is a part of one of such mechanisms. In the University of Cape Coast, supervision of the trainees (student-teachers) is done by the University lecturers who observe student-teachers and give their remarks on lessons taught by trainees. The remarks of supervisors, therefore, become critical in shaping trainees to turn out to be effective teachers. Given the relevance of supervisors' remarks, the researcher sought to examine the perspectives of History student-teachers on the remarks given by supervisors during teaching practice. A qualitative research method was followed. Focus group discussions with twenty-four (24) History student-teachers who were in the final and penultimate years of graduation were used to collect the data for the study. Data were presented qualitatively using thick descriptions. Regardless of differences in the reaction of participants on supervisors' remarks on their lessons, majority of them accepted the remarks given by their supervisors. By and large, participants regarded supervisors' remarks as indispensable element in their development as knowledgeable teachers. Nevertheless, conflicting remarks from supervisors on a lesson taught were viewed as affecting the effectiveness of the supervision exercise. Among other things, the study recommends that supervisors must have a sound knowledge of the subject matter they are supervising, and knowledge about subject-specific methodology which will enable them to provide useful remarks. Keywords: key words, Teaching practice, student-teachers' reactions, supervisors' remarks


BACKGROUND
The health condition and health-related behaviour of doctors are important to the doctors themselves as well as for their treatment of patients. The collegial support scheme is a county-based and easily accessible health and care service for doctors. We therefore wanted to describe the framework and functions of this scheme and examine its utility.

MATERIAL AND METHOD
Fourteen focus-group interviews with a total of 61 peer counsellors from all the counties were conducted. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed with the aid of systematic text condensation.

RESULTS
The framework--easy accessibility, a readily available offer of up to three sessions, a high degree of confidentiality and informal contact--was emphasised as crucial for doctors to make use of the scheme. The peer counsellors described their role as that of a listener and supportive helper. They helped bring clarity and discuss possible needs for further follow-up or treatment of numerous different and frequently complex issues. The peer counsellors highlighted three benefits in particular: the scheme helps raise awareness by legitimising help-seeking behaviour among doctors, it is a contingency scheme, and it eases the burden by lowering the threshold to seeking out further advice and treatment.

INTERPRETATION
A systematic evaluation of the collegial support scheme is important for an understanding of the totality of the collegial health and care services. The collegial support scheme may lower the threshold to seeking help, and encourage some doctors to seek necessary treatment.


AIM
To test an explanatory model of the relationships between the nursing work environment, job satisfaction, job stress and emotional exhaustion for haemodialysis nurses, drawing on Kanter's theory of organizational empowerment.

BACKGROUND
Understanding the organizational predictors of burnout (emotional exhaustion) in haemodialysis nurses is critical for staff retention and improving nurse and patient outcomes. Previous research has demonstrated high levels of emotional exhaustion among haemodialysis nurses, yet the relationships between nurses' work environment, job satisfaction, stress and emotional exhaustion in this population are poorly understood.

DESIGN
A cross-sectional online survey.

METHODS
417 nurses working in haemodialysis units completed an online survey between October 2011-April 2012 using validated measures of the work environment, job satisfaction, job stress and emotional exhaustion.

RESULTS
Overall, the structural equation model demonstrated adequate fit and we found partial support for the hypothesized relationships. Nurses' work environment had a direct positive effect on job satisfaction, explaining 88% of the variance. Greater job satisfaction, in turn, predicted lower job stress, explaining 82% of the variance. Job satisfaction also had an indirect effect on emotional exhaustion by mitigating job stress. However, job satisfaction did not have a direct effect on emotional exhaustion.

CONCLUSION
The work environment of haemodialysis nurses is pivotal to the development of job satisfaction. Nurses' job satisfaction also predicts their level of job stress and emotional exhaustion. Our findings suggest staff retention can be improved by creating empowering work environments that promote job satisfaction among haemodialysis nurses.


If the groundwater in rock joint is changed into ice, it induces the stress increment by volume increase. Also, if the ice is changed into groundwater again, the stress in joint decreases by volume decrease. The accumulated displacement and fatigues of joints are increased by the stress-hysterisis, induced from the continuous frost-thawing. Also the shear strength is decreased by them continuously. The stress-hysterisis is affected by the atmospheric temperature changes, whose behavior is visco-elasticity, usually. Therefore, Kelvin model could be used to analyze the frost-thawing behavior in winter. The measured data of total 5 points are examined, which are composed of 3 points of shallow joints and 2 points of deep joints. Because shallow weathered rocks have many joints, a lot of Kelvin model are connected and the behaviors are complicated. In case of deep joints, simple Kelvin model is applied and the behaviors are also simple.


In a rotating machine, imbalance of the rotor is formidable since it causes resonance synchronized with the rotation of the rotor. In order to suppress this unfavorable vibration, an active vibration control system, which accommodates changes of rotor dynamics, is desired. In this paper we propose a vibration control system on the active magnetic bearings to cope with a sudden sinusoidal disturbance, which simulates a turbine blade loss. Experimental results reveal that our vibration control system is effective enough to suppress the whirling motion of the rotor caused by a sudden disturbance.


Analytical models of the penetration process focus on estimating depth of penetration based on target density, target strength (sometimes associated with the unconfined compressive strength of the target for geological targets), the areal density of the penetrator (W/A), and the impact velocity. In this paper, an expression for work is used in conjunction with thermodynamic considerations to devise a simple estimate for mass lost by a high velocity projectile during the penetration process. The result shows that the mass loss is directly proportional to the tunnel length and the target shear strength. The constant of proportionality is not easy to deduce, however, in that it contains an unusual factor from the work analysis. A method for estimating target shear under high pressure from penetration experiments is introduced.


Toki-shakuyaku-san (TJ-23), a Japanese traditional herbal medicine, has a long history in Asia for the treatment of neurodegenerative, immune, and airway diseases. However, the effect of TJ-23 on heart function has not been elucidated. This study was designed to examine the effect of TJ-23 on ventricular contractile function at the single cardiomyocyte level. Ventricular cardiomyocytes from adult rat hearts were stimulated to contract at 0.5 Hz, and mechanical properties were evaluated using an IonOptix Myocam system. Contractile properties analyzed included peak shortening (PS), time-to-PS (TPS), time-to-90% relengthening (TR(90)), and maximal velocity of shortening/relengthening (+/-dL/dt). TJ-23 (10(-)(8) - 10(-)(5) mg/ml) exhibited significant augmentation in PS, with a maximal response of 27.2%. TJ-23 at 10(-)(7) - 10(-)(5) mg/ml also increased +/-dL/dt, shortened TR(90), while had no effect on TPS. Pretreatment with the Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase inhibitor ouabain (1 microM), removal of extracellular sodium from contractile buffer (which inhibits Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger), or both concurrently abolished the positive effect of TJ-23 in cell shortening without inhibiting the baseline cell shortening. This study demonstrated a direct cardiac stimulatory action of TJ-23 at the cardiomyocyte level, which may be related to, at least in part, a Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase and/or Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger-dependent mechanism.


With the increment of the complexity of structural systems and the span of spatial structures, the interactions between parts of the structures, especially between some flexible substructures, become too complex to be analyzed clearly. In this paper, taking an actual gymnasium of a long-span spatial steel-cable-membrane hybrid structure as the calculation model, the static and dynamic analyses of the hybrid structures are performed by employing the global analysis of the whole hybrid structure and the substructural analysis of the truss arch substructure, the cable-membrane substructure, etc. In addition, the comparison of stresses and displacements of structural members in the global and substructural analyses is made. The numerical results show that serious errors exist in the substructural analysis of the hybrid structure, and the global analysis is necessary for the hybrid structure under the excitation of static loads and seismic loads.


This study evaluated the relation between patency of the infarct related artery and the presence of ventricular late potentials (VLP) on the signal-averaged electrocardiogram (ECG). 44 patients (pts) after myocardial infarction (MI) (35 men, 9 women; mean age 50 years) were studied by coronary angiography. measurement of ejection fraction and signal-averaged ECG. The infarct-related artery was closed in 15 pts and open in 29 pts. There was no difference in age, previous MI and location of infarct between the two study groups. Thrombolytic therapy in acute stage of MI was significantly often (p less than 0.05) in pts with open (59%) than closed (13%). The incidence of VLP was significantly higher (p less than 0.05) in group of pts with closed (40%) than open artery (7%). These data indicate that patency of the infarct-related artery has a beneficial effect on the electrophysiologic substrate for serious ventricular arrhythmias.


The effect of increasing doses of dopamine (inhaled or infused) on pulmonary resistance (RL) was measured in 4 normal and in 4 asthmatic subjects. Dopamine, in doses sufficient to raise systolic blood pressure 25 mmHg, did not change RL. However, dopamine, inhaled and infused, significantly decreased histamine-induced bronchoconstriction both in normal and in asthmatic subjects. Thus, we conclude that if dopamine is released by the adrenal medulla during an asthmatic attack, it should have a beneficial rather than a deleterious effect.


AbstractHypothermia is a risk factor for death in intensive care unit (ICU) patients with severe sepsis and septic shock. In the present study, we investigated the association between body temperature (BT) on arrival at the emergency department (ED) and mortality in patients with bacterial infection.We conducted a retrospective cohort study in consecutive ED patients over 15 years of age with bacterial infection who were admitted to an urban teaching hospital in Japan between 2010 and 2012. The main outcome measure was 30-day in-hospital mortality. Each patient was assigned to 1 of 6 categories based on BT at ED admission. We conducted multivariable logistic regression analysis to adjust for predictors of death.A total of 913 patients were enrolled in the study. The BT categories were <36, 36 to 36.9, 37 to 37.9, 38 to 38.9, 39 to 39.9, and ≥40 °C, with respective mortalities of 32.5%, 14.1%, 8.7%, 8.2%, 5.7%, and 5.3%. Multivariable analysis showed that the risk of death was significantly low in patients with BT 37 to 37.9 °C (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 0.2; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.1–0.6, P = 0.003), 38–38.9 °C (AOR: 0.2; 95% CI 0.1–0.6, P = 0.002), 39–39.9 °C (AOR: 0.2; 95% CI 0.1–0.5, P = 0.001), and ≥40 °C (AOR: 0.1; 95% CI 0.02–0.4, P = 0.001), compared with hypothermic patients (BT <36 °C).The higher BT on arrival at ED, the better the outcomes observed in patients with bacterial infection were.


Background ITDP is an international NGO that promotes sustainable mobility, in Mexico we have been strongly promoting the use of the bicycle as a mode of transportation. This would help in cities that are highly congested and also where people have sedentary lifestyles. Continuously we face the same problem, people are afraid to use the bicycle due to the lack of road safety. The philosophy behind Vision Zero has been helping to develop an integrated strategy to promote safer streets and the conditions to increase the number of bicycle trips. Methods An international comparative study of different Vision Zero plans was developed, analysing the origin in Sweden, and looking at cases such as the one in New York and San Francisco. Interviews and field work has been developed with strategic actors of Mexico City with the support of international experts on road safety and street design. Results Vision Zero has been a philosophy which helps to gather efforts from civil society and the government that before were disconnected. The main idea "No loss of life is acceptable" is a strong argument to put the topic on the agenda. A coalition Vision Zero of different groups of civil society in Mexico City has been formed. The concept also brings flexibility to adapt to the contexts of Mexican cities. It has been identified components of street design, regulation, and mobility culture and road safety management. Vision Zero has been promoted from civil society, and now it is a discourse taken by the Mayor, the Ministry of Mobility and the one of Public Safety of Mexico City. It was accomplished the publication of the new transit regulation, where civil society worked together with the government to define better regulation for pedestrians and cyclists. Now, the coalition is defining next actions to advocate for, in order to have an integrated road safety policy with activities, timelines and responsible persons. Conclusions Vision Zero has gather efforts to reduce deaths in Mexico City from different actors. A Vision Zero Ranking at a national level could help to identify what needs to be done by civil society, the government and private sector in order to be able to say that the city has appropriated this strategy. It will also helped to avoid empty discourses from authority and also the provide elements to empower civil society.


Sexual conflict and intersexual arms races occur due to the differing evolutionary interests between the sexes. Under the model of sexual conflict it is predicted that this will lead to sexual dimorphism, common in diving beetles, where males have suckers which they use to attach to the females' dorsal surface to potentially increase their copulatory ability. These are often met by female counteradaptations in an attempt to avoid multiple and potentially costly matings. This can result in a cyclical battle of responses in both sexes. Within the widely distributed species, Agabus bipustulatus there is known variation in female sculpture from intensely matt individuals that are highly reticulated to smooth, shiny individuals where reticulation is highly obsolete. We investigate this quantitatively across three populations that differ in reticulation and we also quantitatively investigate whether there are differences in male attachment devices. We show that reticulation of females varies markedly across the three populations of A.bipustulatus and suggest that the degree of reticulation in females may correspond to variation in male attachment devices. We suggest that in populations of highly reticulated females more small and large suckers are selected for in males to presumably aid their ability to coerce the female to mate.

Keywords: Agabus - Sexual conflict - evolutionary arms race – dimorphism- counteradaptation - reticulation.


Abstract In many countries, authority for maintaining records of land ownership lies with national or state institutes, called 'cadastres' or 'land registries'. The emergence of volunteered geographic information (VGI) and crowdsourcing potentially challenges this state based authority, enabling the construction of 'neo'-cadastres (using the analogy of 'neo'geography). Individual citizens can themselves map and record land tenure rights. This paper explores if and how VGI and crowdsourcing may redefine the state based cadastres and land registries, and the roles of land users who claim land rights outside of the state based institutions. Using theories of institutions and isomorphism we hypothesise that a parallel exists between emerging open systems and situations where no state-based cadastre exists: participants in both situations will position themselves to protect their interests. Three cases from Ghana, Canada, and Indonesia demonstrate how land users indicate their land tenure right boundaries based on personal views (the neo-cadastre), rather than on rules stipulated by a national authority (the traditional cadastre). In each case land users root their behaviour partly in local dependency relations and social advocacy networks. These locally embedded rules may not necessarily coincide with hierarchical institutional relations. Even in participatory adjudication activities conducted under the authority of national cadastres, land users are not completely free in providing their land boundaries. Instead, they adhere to certain locally embedded microsocial conventions. We conclude that VGI and crowdsourced based neo-cadastres will likely redefine, from passive to active, the roles of land users in cadastres. This creates an opportunity for citizens, but also a potential risk. Where implicit rules of the neo-cadastre do not co-evolve with traditional cadastral institutions, conflicts of land information and access to land may emerge. Neo-cadastres will be an artefact of this dissatisfaction, and may reflect new directions for cadastral institutions. Neo-cadastres will not be a direct trigger for wider cadastral change, but a piece of evidence that change and resistance are occurring.