This paper studies the determinants of private capital flows to developing countries during the last two episodes of large inflows, the late 1970s-early 1980s and the 1990s. The paper also tests for contagion effects in capital flows among recipient countries, and tries to identify specific channels through which such effects can occur. It tests for neighborhood effects, trade-related effects, and for contagion based on the countries having similar macroeconomic indicators. The results show strong evidence for the first two effects during the 1990s, and indicate that the third effect varies depending on the type of capital flow.


Eosinophilic fasciitis (EF), defined as diffuse fasciitis with eosinophilia by Shulman in 1974, is a disease with unknown etiology and whose pathogenesis is still being researched. The diagnosis is based on the clinical aspects (skin induration with an "orange peel" appearance), the lab results (eosinophilia, increased inflammatory markers), the skin biopsy with the pathognomonic histopathological result, as well as the typical MRI changes. The treatment includes glucocorticoids and immunosuppressive drugs. Due to severe refractory cases, the treatment remains a challenge. EF is still a disease with potential for further research.


In discussing the laboratory aspects of Trichomonas infections, I hope to show that it is often possible to obtain valuable information about one strain by inference from the behaviour of others, and that studies of other members of the group may, in the end, increase our knowledge of T. vaginalis. The majority of workers studying the trichomonads have concentrated their attention on the species known to be pathogenic: T. vaginalis, T. foetus, and T. columbae (or T. gallinae). A fourth species which deserves more attention is T. hominis, which is found in the bowel, and is sometimes present in large numbers in the stools of patients with mild diarrhoea, particularly in the tropics. There is no evidence that it is pathogenic in the bowel, nor indeed, although sometimes held to be responsible, is there any evidence that it can cause vaginitis. There are, however, some curious contradictions in the literature on this species to which I should like to draw your attention later. In the last few years I have maintained cultures of the four strains mentioned above, and have gained some familiarity with their behaviour, similarities, and differences. To start with T. vaginalis itself, it is about 10 years since the cultivation of this organism without bacteria became a relatively simple matter, thanks to the antibiotics and to improved media. In that time a great deal has been achieved. Media have been improved still further, and probably the best medium at present available is that described by Feinberg (1953). These improved media not only provide for the rapid growth of the protozoa and the development of a very large final population, but will also permit the survival and growth of very small inocula. Thus I have found that even as few as an estimated 5 to 10 organisms, when inoculated into tubes containing 10 ml. medium, will grow and give a macroscopically detectable


Four resonant states of He/sup -/ with all three electrons in the n = 2 shell are accessible by electron impact from the He ground state. These resonances have the structure of an electron attached to an autoionizing state He**. A discussion is given of the influence of these resonances on electron scattering processes. A theoretical model is proposed that includes the recently postulated post-collision interaction as the second step of a two-step decay process for these resonances. This model is shown to account qualitatively for properties of excitation structures observed in the energy range 57--61 eV, including the apparent selectivity of L values in Rydberg-state excitation. Energies of the He/sup -/ resonances are computed variationally and are found to be consistent with earlier results for the three lowest resonances. A fourth broad resonance is predicted to occur near 60.4 eV. Experimental evidence for this resonance is discussed. (AIP)


Europeanization and globalization are frequently held to undermine national democracy. What are then the prospects for democracy in the multi-level constellation that makes up the contemporary European political order? The European debate has taken the question of democracy beyond the nation state. But can there be democracy without nation and state? The authors present three different models for how democracy can be reconstituted within the multileveled European context. It can be reconstituted at the national level, as delegated democracy with a concomitant reframing of the EU as a functional regulatory regime. Democracy can be reconstituted through establishing the EU as a multi-national state based on a common identity(ies) and solidaristic allegiance strong enough to undertake collective action. Democracy can also be reconstituted through the development of a post-national Union with an explicit cosmopolitan imprint. This entails an EU with some governmental functions, and which actively takes measures to become a regional cosmopolitan entity in a reformed world order. These are the only viable models of European democracy, as these are the only ones that can ensure equal membership in a self-governing polity. They differ however with regard to both applicability and robustness.


Cartilage is of vital importance for the function of joints. It is characterized by a prominent extracellular matrix (ECM) that is produced and maintained by relatively few cells of one type, the chondrocyte. The cartilage ECM consists of collagen fibrillar networks, proteoglycan aggregates, and a number of other molecules united in numerous interactions. This work focused at identifying catabolic events leading to cartilage destruction and functional impairment and developing tools to detect such events in patients. In the first part, using a model for cartilage degradation in disease, N-terminal fragments of type IX collagen was found to be released at an intermediate time point. The two most abundant fragments were further studied and their novel C-terminals identified. These two fragments comprise most of the NC4 domain and the combined NC4 + COL3 domains, respectively. Furthermore, the identified cleavage sites were shown to be induced by matrix metalloproteinase 13 (MMP-13). In the second part, the potential degradation of type IX collagen in human cartilage was investigated. It was shown that two similar type IX collagen fragments were released from cartilage explants upon MMP-13 digestion. The novel C-terminal of the fragment comprising the NC4 domain was identified. The cleavage site was found to differ between human and bovine type IX collagen. An antiserum raised against the human C-terminal neoepitope confirmed the cleavage and was used to develop an immunoassay (inhibition ELISA). This assay was used to detect elevated levels of the neoepitope in sera from arthritis patients compared to controls, indicating that this cleavage occurs in joint pathology. (Less)


Spatial behaviour and habitat selection at stopover sites have a strong influence on the foraging and fuelling performance of migrating birds and hence are important aspects of stopover ecology. The aim of this study was to analyse the spatial behaviour and habitat use of reed warblers Acrocephalus scirpaceus during the autumn migration. We used radio tracking data from reed warblers surveyed at a stopover site in northern Iberia and assigned to three different groups: (1) local adult birds which were still at their breeding site, (2) migrating first-year birds (originating from beyond Iberian peninsula) and (3) migrating adult birds. Overall, migrating first-year birds tended to have larger home ranges than both local and migrating adults and to move more widely in the study area. They also showed lower fat deposition rates than adults. The proportion of habitats in home ranges (reed-beds and tidal flats being the most abundant habitats) was similar amongst groups. The spatial distribution and habitat use of organisms have been theorised to follow an ideal-free or ideal-despotic distribution. However, according to our results, other complex underlying mechanisms may play an important role in shaping the spatial behaviour of birds at stopover sites.


Time domain simulation is an essential technique in multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO). Unfortunately it can be time consuming and cause memory saturation problems when systems get large, sampling rates are high and input time histories are long. In this paper, an efficient simulation scheme is presented to simulate large order continuous-time linear time-invariant (LTI) systems. The A matrix (assumed to be block-diagonalizable) of the system is first diagonalized. Then, subsystems of manageable dimensions and bandwidth are formed and multiple sampling rates can be chosen to associate with the subsystems. Each subsystem is then discretized using a O(ns) discretization scheme, where ns is the number of state variables. Next, a sparse matrix recognizable O(ns) discrete-time system solver (i.e. matrix-vector product solver) is employed to compute the history of the state and the output. Finally, the response of the original system is obtained by superposition and interpolation of the subsystem responses. In practical engineering applications, closing feedback loops, cascading filters (shaping filters or other feedforward compensators) and other structures can hinder the efficient use of the simulation scheme (e.g. by destroying the block diagonal structure of the A matrix). Solutions to these problems are also addressed in the latter part of the paper. The simulation scheme, implemented as a MATLAB script newlsim.m, is compared with the established LTI system simulator lsim.m in MATLAB and is shown to be superior in the case of medium and large order systems. The 2184 state variable Space Interferometry Mission (SIM v2.2) simulation is enabled with the proposed technique (standard simulation fails due to excessive memory requirements) and a computer time savings factor of ≈ 50 is demonstrated without loss of accuracy. Aside from handling realistic applications the simulator brings time domain simulation on par with frequency domain and Lyapunov analyses, while allowing transient response computation.


Previous studies have shown that both height and weight are associated with wages. However, by focusing on interpreting the partial effects of either height or weight on wages while holding all else constant, some gaps in our understanding of the complex relationship between body size and wages remain. Utilizing a semi-parametric spline approach, we first establish that a flexible analysis of height and weight provides a useful and meaningful proxy for beauty. A similar flexible analysis of height, weight and wages reveals that some combinations of anthropometric measurements attract higher wage premiums than others and that the optimal combination varies over the life cycle. A main contribution of the paper is in suggesting a novel and practical way of examining the returns to looks in the labor market based on objective anthropometric measurements.


BACKGROUND
Bilingualism is considered a cognitive reserve (CR) factor, due to the delay in the onset of dementia in bilinguals compared to monolinguals. Two neural mechanisms have been suggested to underlie CR: neural reserve and neural compensation. However, it is still unclear how bilingualism contributes to these mechanisms.

METHODS
In this study, we used cognitive tests, functional connectivity (FC), regional homogeneity, and fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF) measures to study resting-state brain patterns in a sample of bilingual and monolingual subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

RESULTS
We found no significant differences between the groups in age, sex, education, or cognitive level, but bilinguals showed higher FC than monolinguals between the posterior part of the superior temporal gyrus and the precuneus, positively correlated with Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores, and higher fALFF in the thalamus bilaterally.

CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that bilingualism may act as a CR factor that protects against dementia through neural compensation.


On the Palmyra Atoll in the central Pacific Ocean, conservation biologists are in the midst of a massive, unprecedented experiment. They are trying to rid this remote island of all but a few coconut palms (Cocos nucifera). The gangly tree is an icon of idyllic tropical islands, but also an aggressive invasive species that crowds out native plants and animals. By removing 99% of Palmyra9s millions of palms, biologists hope to create more room on the atoll9s three dozen islets for indigenous forests and seabirds, including the world9s second largest colony of red-footed boobies. The island is a nature reserve, managed by both the nonprofit Nature Conservancy and the U.S. government. But Palmyra9s transformation into a laboratory for ecological restoration marks yet another twist in its rich history, which has included serving as a U.S. Navy base during World War II and a coconut plantation. More recently it was eyed as the potential home of a tropical nudist colony, a nuclear waste dump, and a launch pad to shoot rockets into space.


It is known that significant saving of nitrogen fertilizers are due to perennial legume-cereal grasses use in crop rotations. From 2013 to 2018in the Mari El Republic six-field grass-grain fodder crop rotations were compared on sod-podzolic soils with a very high level of phosphorus and potassium. In the third rotation their productivity and bioenergetic efficiency, changes in several important soil fertility indicators, and crud protein content in the produced fodder were evaluated. The main difference between the crop rotations was based on the duration of the clover-alfalfa-timothy grass mixture (CAG) use: from one year to three years. In given experiment there was also studied the effect of mineral nitrogen (variants N 0 , N 60 ) against Р 60 К 60 background on the yield of crop rotations. During six years, there was no significant soil acidification in the variants. Each additional year of clover-alfalfa-timothy grass mixture use raised the energy efficiency ratio of crop rotations by 24-47 % (from 1.13-1.24 by one-year use to 2.08-2.25 by three years of use). Three-year CAG use as compared with one- and two-years has given to the crop rotation significant advantages in energy efficiency (up to two times) and productivity (approximately 40-80 %) of cultivated crops. After refusing to apply nitrogen fertilizations in such crop rotation, average crop productivity, soil humus and nitrogen content in the soil were better preserved. The average crude protein content in dry matter of the obtained fodder increased from 12.7 % to 14.6 % when prolonging theca use up to two years. The average energy value of the yield per rotation was recorded low (8.4-8.7 MJ/kg) and did not depend on the studied factors.


THE EVALUATION of a new therapy for chronic leukemias is difficult because of the diverse course of untreated patients, the differing stages of the disease when patients are first seen by a physician, the frequent uncertainty concerning the correct date of onset and the presence of other variables making comparison with published data on other series of patients less satisfactory than the ideally designed experiment. Yet, with a treatment that seems to be giving comfort and years of essentially normal living, the use of alternate or randomly selected, untreated controls in so serious a disease seems unjustified. It is the purpose of this paper to present the principles of a treatment in use since 1941 in sufficient detail that others may be able to use it and to present enough of the evidence of its merits that others may choose to aid in its final evaluation. This of necessity will


The present paper utilises a short-run theoretical macroeconomic model of a small open economy to look at the impact of macroeconomic policies and financial deepening upon poverty through sectoral changes. This is because an expansion in certain sectors may cause greater poverty reduction. The model involves a non-traded and a traded sector on the formal side of the economy. The former is more capital intensive and the latter more unskilled labour intensive. Increased employment in the traded sector is more pro-poor compared to a similar rise in the non-traded sector as the former draws workers out of poverty in the informal sector. The model in our paper analyses short-run effects of devaluation, a rise in the money supply induced by financial deepening, and taxation to discourage non-traded goods consumption. Financial deepening can induce greater output and reduce poverty. Other results are mixed and taxonomic. We also attempt to differentiate between the stylised experiences of East Asia and Latin America. East Asian economies have relied more heavily on labour-intensive manufactured exports, whereas Latin America has had a relatively greater share of capital intensive and natural resource based exports. In recent decades countries in these two regions have had differing experiences in poverty reduction, with poverty arguably declining more in East Asia.


In this work we argue that in Human-Robot Collaboration (HRC) tasks, the Perception-Action cycle in HRC tasks can not fully explain the collaborative behaviour of the human and robot and it has to be extended to Perception-Intention-Action cycle, where Intention is a key topic. In some cases, agent Intention can be perceived or inferred by the other agent, but in others, it has to be explicitly informed to the other agent to succeed the goal of the HRC task. The Perception-Intention-Action cycle includes three basic functional procedures: Perception-Intention, Situation Awareness and Action. The Perception and the Intention are the input of the Situation Awareness, which evaluates the current situation and projects it, into the future situation. The agents receive this information, plans and agree with the actions to be executed and modify their action roles while perform the HRC task. In this work, we validate the Perception-Intention-Action cycle in a joint object transportation task, modeling the Perception-Intention-Action cycle through a force model which uses real life and social forces. The perceived world is projected into a force world and the human intention (perceived or informed) is also modelled as a force that acts in the HRC task. Finally, we show that the action roles (master-slave, collaborative, neutral or adversary) are intrinsic to any HRC task and they appear in the different steps of a collaborative sequence of actions performed during the task.


BACKGROUND
The current means of evaluating the quality of life (QoL) of cancer patients, generally employ a multidimensional approach involving validated self-administered questionnaires. In measuring QoL, as well as in interpreting the results of an assessment, the patient, questionnaire, and setting of administration may all give rise to problems.

DESIGN
Based on our experience and review of a large number of published papers, the most relevant problems in evaluating QoL of cancer patients are highlighted.

RESULTS
The difficulties that patients have with the most frequently used psychometric questionnaires are demonstrated by the fact that more than 10% of patients who gave their consent to be enrolled in a longitudinal study measuring QoL did not fill out the first questionnaire. This percentage is higher among older patients having a low level of education. in patients with disseminated disease, and among those with a low performance status. Moreover, in longitudinal studies, there is a very high incidence of drop-outs, often correlated with the progression of disease, so that the results are sometimes inconsistent.

CONCLUSIONS
Quality of life, depending not only on the type and stage of disease, and the administered treatment, but also on patient characteristics, should be assessed only in a randomised clinical trial. In any case, the most relevant problem is connected to the selection bias due to drop-outs. Reasons for this should be sought in the apparent complexity of the questionnaire and inadequate information given to the patient. Simpler instruments, which can be filled out in a shorter period of time, and specific training by research nurses could help minimize this excessive phenomenon.


The paper is based on the talk with the same name given at the International scientific conference on mechanics "The Ninth Polyakhov's Reading" dedicated to the 200th anniversary of the birth of the prominent Russian scientist Pafnuty Lvovich Chebyshev. The generalized Chebyshev problem is formulated, in which the motion of a system in the presence of given generalized forces should satisfy an additional system of linear differential equations in which the order of each equation exceeds three. These problems constitute a new class of control problems in which the motion program is given in the form of the above additional system of differential equations. These equations can be considered as linear nonholonomic constraints of high order, whose reactions are the desired control forces. To solve such problems, two theories were developed at the Department of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics of St. Petersburg University. In the first theory, we construct a consistent system of differential equations for the generalized coordinates and the Lagrange multipliers, which are considered as equitable unknown functions of time. The second theory is based on the generalized Gauss principle. The application of the theory is illustrated by the solution of a real space mechanics problem about the motion of an Earth satellite after fixing the value of its acceleration at some point in time. Especially efficient is the application of the second theory to the determination of the optimal control force for transferring a mechanical system with a finite number of degrees of freedom from an existing phase state to a new specified state within a specified period of time. The new method is used to solve the model problem of controlled horizontal motion of a cart bearing the axes of several mathematical pendulums. It is shown that the use of the generalized Gauss principle for solving this problem is undoubtedly superior to that of the classical Pontryagin maximum principle.


The Circum-Pacific, and particularly the Central and South American, subduction zones are complex structures that are subject to frequent, large-magnitude earthquakes, volcanic activity tsunamis, and geological hazards. Among these natural hazards, earthquakes produce the most significant social and economic impacts in Latin America, and the subduction zones therefore demand constant vigilance and intensive study The American continent has witnessed several earthquakes that rank among the most destructive in the world. Earthquakes such as the ones that occurred in Colombia-Ecuador (Mw = 8.9, 1906), Chile (Mw = 9.6, 1960; Mw = 8.9, 1995), Mexico (Mw = 8.1, 1985), and Peru (Mw = 8.0, 2001), as well as a number of destructive events related to crustal fault systems and volcanic eruptions (e.g.,Soufriere, El Ruiz, Galeras, etc.), have produced significant human and economic loss. The latent seismic hazards in the Caribbean, and Central and South America demand from the regional Earth sciences community accurate models to explain the mechanisms of these natural phenomena.


The viscosity coefficient (B) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) coefficient (B') of CuCl2 and CuSO4 and their effects on the 17O NMR chemical shift (δ) of water were determined at low concentrations. From these B and B' values, individual ion's B and B' values were further calculated. These coefficients and the relationship between aqueous solution concentrations and δ(17OH2) represented the effect of ions on water structure and the median water cluster size in aqueous solutions. CuCl2 and CuSO4 were both "structure-makers". The effect of CuSO4 on water structure and median water cluster size was more powerful than that of CuCl2. Cl-broke more water clusters than SO(superscript 2- subscript 4). Cu(superscript 2+) had an obvious effect on shortening the proton spin-lattice relaxation time in water and broadening the line width of the NMR spectrum during the NMR relaxation process.


Entrepreneurship is widely recognized by many scholars and the governments around the world as an essential driver of the economic prosperity. Over the past decades, entrepreneurship research has sought to understand the creation and execution of the entrepreneurial activity, with entrepreneurial intention becoming recognized as an excellent predictor of entrepreneurship activity and its subsequent consequences. As such, the researchers delved into how an entrepreneur's intention is affected by their educational process, with the role of opportunity evaluation examined by the use of Experiential Learning Theory [ELT]. Liñán's Entrepreneurial Intention [EI] Model was used to help with the evaluation of the study's perceived desirability and perceived feasibility as the sources of entrepreneurial intention. From this process, an innovative learning method named 'opportunity evaluation through experiential learning [OETEL]' was developed and applied, from which it was hypothesized that OETEL would mediate perceived desirability, perceived feasibility, and entrepreneurial intention. This was subsequently followed by the participation of 160 Thai university students who participated in the OETEL experiment through their entrepreneurship activities. From the use of the SPSS PROCESS macro, results revealed that the OETEL process affected perceived desirability, perceived feasibility, and entrepreneurial intention significantly. Furthermore, the results revealed how the innovative learning application of experiential learning theory affects entrepreneurial intention. Practitioners can adapt this teaching method in entrepreneurial classrooms and policymakers can strategically encourage experiential learning in entrepreneurship education programs.


Helicopter rotor system consists of a large number of dynamic components, and works in a single-channel and complex environment, which is a critical system that ensures the helicopter reliability and security. Because the data on the rotating parts is not easy to measure, and the noise environment is complex, the rotor fault detection capacity is limited, thus seriously affecting the reliability and safety of the helicopter as a whole. This paper firstly presents the simulation of neural network prognostic method based on the rotor system failure mechanism and failure mode analysis (FMA), which can effectively use the failure mode for the modeling of the prediction method combined with the test and simulation data of key components, and greatly improved the effectiveness of fault detection. Besides, a general, open architecture of an advanced health usage and management system (A-HUMS) is proposed, and the overall structure, hierarchy and functions are elaborated. Finally, taking the helicopter rotor system components as the research object, the validation system of the helicopter HUMS system has been planned and designed. The analysis results show that the proposed method can effectively predict to preset a variety of fault conditions and solve the low predictive ability of key components of the rotor system failure problems.


The push for high performing electronic devices with long battery lives has rapidly advanced the field of energy storage systems. Niobium oxides have stood out as promising candidates to improve the storage and rate performance of anodes in lithium- and especially sodium-ion batteries due to their larger interplanar lattice spacing and patulous framework. Herein, we report the first synthesis of a nanosized metal/metal oxide hybrid composite coated by N-doped carbon and anchored onto reduced graphene oxide (NbO/Cu@NC-RGO) through in situ carbonizing of Cu-doped polyoxoniobate precursors. The strong synergistic effects between the uniformly distributed NbO/Cu hybrid nanoparticles, the N-doped carbon coating layer, and graphene substrates not only ensure efficient electron and ion transport, but also boost pseudocapacitive charge storage. The resulting composite exhibits a maximum reversible charge capacity of 580 mA h g−1 after 100 cycles at a current density of 100 mA g−1 when utilized in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), and 203 mA h g−1 when utilized in sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). For SIBs in particular, a long-lifetime of 1012 cycles is observed when cycled at a high current density of 800 mA g−1. This work represents a promising step forward in the design and preparation of metal oxide composite anodes for LIBs and SIBs.


The use of antimicrobial prophylaxis is the most extensively studied, though probably also the most controversial, method to prevent the development of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). Selective decontamination of the digestive tract (SDD) includes the application of topical nonabsorbable antibiotics in the oropharynx, stomach, and intestines in combination with systemic antibiotics during the first days of ventilation. Multiple individual studies as well as seven meta-analyses have demonstrated that antimicrobial prophylaxis effectively reduces the incidence of VAP. However, oral decontamination may be as effective as the full SDD regimen in reducing the incidence of late-onset VAP. Moreover, the significant reductions in incidences of VAP have, so far, not resulted in reductions of duration of ventilation and ICU-stay, and reductions in ICU-mortality were found only in meta-analysis. Selection of resistant bacteria is the most important drawback of antimicrobial prophylaxis, and the demonstrated benefits of antimicrobial prophylaxis should be carefully balanced with this potential risk.


This chapter highlights the important contributions of case study research to the evaluation of student‐centered programs and broader STEM initiatives in higher education. We summarize the Diversity Program Consortium's case study evaluation of the Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity (BUILD) initiative, funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), with aims to enhance diversity in the NIH‐funded workforce. We describe lessons learned from the case study design used for the evaluation of BUILD that applies to administrators of STEM initiatives who are interested in case study methods and to evaluators who are familiar with case studies and tasked with program evaluation of a multisite STEM program. These lessons include practical considerations for logistics and the importance of clarifying the goals of the case study design within the larger program evaluation, fostering the continuation of knowledge within the evaluation team, and embedding trust building and collaboration throughout all stages of the case study.


A severe form of hypersensitivity to para-aminosalicylic acid in patients with tuberculosis was studied. The blood picture, lymph node biopsies, and imprints are described. The similarities between this hypersensitivity to a simple chemical and infectious mononucleosis and infectious hepatitis are discussed. The possibility is suggested that some of the findings in viral diseases are due to hypersensitivity to chemical substances derived from the virus rather than to infection per se.


This research aims to understand the mediating roles of learning engagement, learning process and learning experience in influencing students' outcomes through case study pedagogy. It gathered students' responses to localised real case studies discussed in Information Systems classes. Case knowledge and perception were used to measure students' learning outcomes in order to determine the degree to which students induced course concepts and how they felt the cases impacted their understanding of the course. Revised student engagement questionnaire was used to measure various forms of engagement such as skills, emotion, participation, and performance while revised study process questionnaire served to assess the extent to which students used deep or surface approach to learning. Additionally, seven roles of feedback were used to analyse students' learning experience. Finally, group performance and individual's positive perceptions of group learning were tested to measure students' learning outcomes. Structural equation modelling was used to test the causal model. Analysis revealed that case knowledge and case perception had positive influence on students' skill engagement and emotional engagement but only case knowledge had a positive impact on the functions of feedback.


Over a 15 month period, all the scripts written by doctors in the Episkopi Garrison Medical Centre, Cyprus, were analysed. A formulary was produced by using the most popular items in that 15 month period and tested in a one month trial period. The idea was to find a practical and efficient method of producing a 'basic' formulary to which items could be added or removed after discussion with colleagues.


Paying attention to particular aspects of the world or being more vigilant in general can be interpreted as forms of 'internal' action. Such arousal-related choices come with the benefit of increasing the quality and situational appropriateness of information acquisition and processing, but incur potentially expensive energetic and opportunity costs. One implementational route for these choices is widespread ascending neuromodulation, including by acetylcholine (ACh). The key computational question that elective attention poses for sensory processing is when it is worthwhile paying these costs, and this includes consideration of whether sufficient information has yet been collected to justify the higher signal-to-noise ratio afforded by greater attention and, particularly if a change in attentional state is more expensive than its maintenance, when states of heightened attention ought to persist. We offer a partially observable Markov decision-process treatment of optional attention in a detection task, and use it to provide a qualitative model of the results of studies using modern techniques to measure and manipulate ACh in rodents performing a similar task.


This study used both analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and geographic information systems (GIS) to make a land-use suitability analysis for the village of Dümrek, NW Turkey. Primarily, alternative land uses for agriculture, meadow–pasture and forest were determined along with criteria for these alternatives and a hierarchical structure was produced and used to determine the weights of the criteria. Spatial data were identified by means of GIS and calculations were made using the suitability values specified and weights obtained from AHP. Suitability maps were then produced for the above land use alternatives. Subsequently, a synthesized suitability map was formed from these maps. According to the weights specified by AHP, the order of land use preferences among the alternatives for rural development of Dümrek was agriculture, forest and meadow. The synthesized suitability map showed that the areas allocated for forest and agriculture were close to the present ratios of use; however, meadow land, which does not exist at present, should be allocated as a land use to constitute 12.5% of the study area. Achieving sustainability in land use is possible by planners and administrators considering results obtained from land suitability mapping studies at the stage of allocating land uses. The method applied in this research is considered useful when taking policy decisions covering the evaluation of rural land use, particularly for subunits of the state administration.


Resonance Ultrasonic vibrations (RUV) methodology was developed and applied to access mechanical quality of crystalline silicon wafers and solar cells. RUV approach is based on fast non-destructive measurement of specific resonance vibration mode generated in the tested object using external ultrasonic transducer. Crack introduced into the object alters the resonance properties of the mode and allows sensitive diagnostics of the crack appearance. The paper describes our recent results of applying RUV method at industrial environment with objective to reduce a breakage rate in solar cell and solar module lines.


The diploma was in Russian, it was never published. Recently Faddeev found a reference to my result by an editor in Feynman's lectures on gravitation [1] (the reference is on page xxxvii of the book). The scan of original diploma can be found in the first line of the webpage [2]. The result was obtained simultaneously with G. t'Hooft M. Veltman, see [3] . The translation of the diploma follows [17].


Feeding responses of Manduca sexta larvae reared on artificial diet, a host plant (jimsonweed) and a non-host plant (cowpea) were tested with leaves of 4 selected non-host plants and compared. Larvae reared on diet and the host plant fed equally on collard, dandelion and cowpea while the diet-reared larvae found mullein more acceptable than did the jimsonweed-reared larvae. Both groups of larvae found mullein and collard significantly more acceptable than cowpea or dandelion. Larvae reared on the non-host plant readily ate all 4 test plants. Acceptance of non-host plants increased the longer the larvae fed on cowpea. Larvae were fed initially on cowpea for varying lengths of time and then transferred to either diet or jimsonweed. Acceptance of the test plants was not as great and took place more slowly in larvae transferred to jimsonweed. The possible chemosensory basis of this feeding behavior is discussed.


In wireless communications, the cooperative communication (CC) technology promises performance gains compared to traditional Single-Input Single Output (SISO) techniques. Therefore, the CC technique is one of the nominees for 5G networks. In the Decode-and-Forward (DF) relaying scheme which is one of the CC techniques, determination of the threshold value at the relay has a key role for the system performance and power usage. In this paper, we propose prediction of the optimal threshold values for the best relay selection scheme in cooperative communications, based on Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) for the first time in literature. The average link qualities and number of relays have been used as inputs in the prediction of optimal threshold values using Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs): Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP) and Radial Basis Function (RBF) networks. The MLP network has better performance from the RBF network on the prediction of optimal threshold value when the same number of neurons is used at the hidden layer for both networks. Besides, the optimal threshold values obtained using ANNs are verified by the optimal threshold values obtained numerically using the closed form expression derived for the system. The results show that the optimal threshold values obtained by ANNs on the best relay selection scheme provide a minimum Bit-Error-Rate (BER) because of the reduction of the probability that error propagation may occur. Also, for the same BER performance goal, prediction of optimal threshold values provides 2dB less power usage, which is great gain in terms of green communication.


The Rodgers Creek-Hayward-Calaveras-Northern Calaveras fault system in California dominates the hazard posed by active faults in the San Francisco Bay Area. Given that this fault system runs through a densely populated area, a large earthquake in this region is likely to affect millions of people. This study produced scenarios of large earthquakes in this fault system, using spontaneous (dynamic) rupture simulations. These types of physics-based computational simulations require information about the 3D fault geometry, physical rock properties, fault friction, and initial stress conditions. In terms of fault geometry, the well-connected multi-fault system includes the Hayward fault, at its southern end the Central and Northern Calaveras faults, and at its northern end the Rodgers Creek fault. Geodetic investigations of the fault system’s slip-rate pattern provide images of where the fault surfaces at depth are creeping or locked interseismically, and this helped us choose appropriate initial stress conditions for our simulations. A 3D geologic model of the fault system provides the 3D rock units and fault structure at depth, while field samples from rocks collected at Earth’s surface provide frictional parameters. We used this suite of information to investigate the behavior of large earthquake ruptures nucleating at various positions along this partially creeping fault system. We found that large earthquakes starting on the Hayward fault or on the Rodgers Creek fault may be slowed, stopped, or unaffected in their progress, depending on how much energy is released by the creeping regions of the Hayward and Central Calaveras faults during the time between large earthquakes. Large earthquakes starting on either the Hayward fault or the Rodgers Creek faults will likely not rupture the Northern Calaveras fault, and large earthquakes starting on either the Northern Calaveras fault or the Central Calaveras fault will likely remain confined to those fault segments.


PURPOSE: To study the radiation doses during cardiac catheterization. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thermoluminescents dosimeters were placed over a phantom's cardiac area, measuring both entrance and exit of the X-ray beam to check the absorbed dose. We could measure the doses in the examiner with dosimeters in frontal and hand's back regions. RESULTS: The average rate of exposure in the cinefilmstep increases in the 5.2 times the average rate measured in the fluoroscopy mode. The dose absorbed by the patient was of 114 mGy during a total of 20 min X-ray exposure time (e.g. 15 min of fluoroscopy and 1 min of film). Compared to the results obtained with the phantom's dose we have found a relative error of 20. Under the same exposure time we wave found a 0.68 mSv dose in the examiner's hands and a 0.40 mSv dose in his eyes. CONCLUSION: In this kind of procedure the examiner should have special concern as to observe the appropriate technical conditions besides having to make use of individual protection devices to minimize the radiation doses on his own behalf and behalf of his patient.


Objective: To explore the role of thrombus precursor protein (TpP) in assessment of anticoagulation and predict the risk of thromboembolism in the patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) after mechanical heart valve replacement. Methods: TpP plasma concentration and international normalization ratio (INR) were measured in 45 patients with atrial fibrillation and 45 patients with sinus rhythm both after mechanical heart valve replacement. Twenty patients with non-valvular heart diseases were selected as the control. Furthermore, the patients with AF were divided into groups based on different TpP plasma concentration and TpP plasma concentration and INR were analyzed. Results: After mechanical heart valve replacement, those with AF had higher TpP plasma concentration than those with sinus rhythm. It was found that discordancy existed between INR and TpP plasma concentration in the patients with AF. There were 28 AF patients with TpP plasma concentration lower than 6 μg/ml and without bleeding, who might be at the optimal anticoagulant state. The 95% confidence of the mean INR value was 1.90-2.30 in these patients and TpP plasma concentration was between 2.84-5.74 μg/ml. Conclusion: Patients with AF might face higher risk of thromboembolism after mechanical valve replacement; INR between 1.90-2.30 and TpP plasma concentration between 2.84-6 μg/ml might be the optimal anticoagulant range for patients with AF after mechanical valve replacement.


ABSTRACT Introduction Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (alloHCT) is the standard of care for many diseases. However, survivors often present with serious complications resulting from acute and chronic toxicities and it is crucial to increase consciousness from treating physicians. Areas covered We performed a comprehensive review of the literature and critically examined recent available data, mostly using the PubMed and Medline search engines for original articles published over the last decade. Better understanding of many alloHCT-related disorders has shown that endothelial injury and vascular damage plays a critical role. Expert opinion The most widely studied endothelial injury syndromes (EIS) are veno-occlusive disease/sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (SOS/VOD), graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD), and transplant-associated thrombotic microangiopathy (TA-TMA). TA-TMA, frequently underdiagnosed, needs to be clarified using certain criteria and, as a life-threatening condition, requires immediate and intensive treatment. The first-in-class complement inhibitor eculizumab has significantly improved outcomes in both the pediatric and adult population. Cardiovascular (CV) events are the second major cause of morbidity and mortality of alloHCT survivors, after GVHD. Long-term monitoring and management of CV risk is expected to also incorporate patient stratification with CV risk prediction models, early markers of vascular dysfunction or procoagulant activity, subclinical target organ damage, arterial stiffness, and subclinical atherosclerosis.


Background: Although the association of acquired isolated factor V (FV) deficiency with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) has been described, it has not been well characterized. Objective: To characterize the clinical and laboratory features of patients with MPN and isolated FV deficiency. Methods: After IRB approval, patients with MPN who underwent coagulation profile diagnostic testing from January 1980 to December 2012 were identified via the Mayo Clinic Special Coagulation Laboratory Registry. Medical records of those with MPN and concurrent isolated FV deficiency or those with mild coagulopathy who had at least 20% discordantly lower FV activity were reviewed. Excluded were patients with known inherited bleeding diathesis, clinically significant liver disease, or on concurrent warfarin treatment. Data on patient demographics, clinical features and laboratory data were abstracted. Results: Thirty three patients met our study criteria (median age 67 years; 55% males; median BMI 25 kg/m2). Twenty one (64%) patients had either primary or post-polycythemia vera (PV) or post-essential thrombocythemia (ET) myelofibrosis; five (15%) had PV; three (9%) had unclassified MPN; two (6%) had ET; and one (3%) each had chronic myeloid leukemia and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia. Majority of these patients had splenomegaly (85%), with a median palpable spleen size of 14.3 cm below the left costal margin. Nearly 40% had hepatomegaly (median 4 cm below the right costal margin). Twelve (36%) patients were being treated with hydroxyurea; nine (27%) with aspirin and seven (21%) with an investigational agent. Nearly two-thirds (n=21; 64%) of these individuals had bleeding episodes, nine (43%) of which were provoked either by a surgical intervention or trauma. Majority of the bleeding episodes (n=15; 71%) were clinically significant/major bleed, as defined by the standard International Society of Thrombosis Haemostasis criteria, of whom eight required red cell transfusion support. Most of the bleeding were from muco-cutaneous surfaces (45%), followed by excessive bleeding from surgical site (24%). Median time from MPN diagnosis to bleeding was 5.4 years (range: 0 – 25). Of note, 42% (n=14) of all patients had thrombotic events (5 ischemic stroke/ TIA; 4 peripheral artery disease; 1 myocardial infarction; 1 splenic artery thrombosis; 3 leg DVT; and 3 splanchnic vein thrombosis) prior to their bleeding episode. Median time from MPN diagnosis to thrombosis was 1.4 years (range: 0.1 – 19.7). The median (range) leukocyte and platelet count were 17.8 (3.6 – 212.7) x 1000/ mm3 and 315 (16 – 1284) x 1000/ mm3, respectively. The median (range) PT [reference range: 10.3 – 12.8 sec] and aPTT [reference range: 26 – 36 sec.] were 13.3 sec (10.1 – 18.7) and 38 sec (29 – 66), respectively. The median FV activity [reference range: 70 – 165%] was 44% (range: 18% - 60%). Seven of the 18 individuals (39%) tested for von Willebrand syndrome had ristocetin cofactor activity (RCoA)/von Willebrand antigen (vWF Ag) ratio of On univariate analysis, there was no significant correlation of FV activity with age, sex, BMI, myelofibrosis, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, WBC count, platelet count, or use of hydroxyurea or investigational drugs. Further, on univariate analysis, neither the aforementioned covariates, nor aspirin use, WBC count, platelet count, FV activity, abnormal platelet aggregation, RCoA/vWF Ag ratio Conclusions: Isolated FV deficiency associated with MPN often co-exists with platelet dysfunction and/or an acquired vWF abnormality, which together may contribute to a clinically significant bleeding diathesis. Our experience did not lead to identification of specific risk factors for MPN-associated isolated FV deficiency. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


Let G be a simple graph with vertices v_1,..., v_n. The adjacency matrix of G denoted by A(G) is an n×n matrix whose the entry (i,j) is 1 if v_i and v_j are adjacent and is zero otherwise. By the eigenvalues of G we mean the eigenvalues of A(G). Let λ_1 (G)≥λ_2 (G)≥⋯≥λ_n (G) be the eigenvalues of G. In this paper we obtain some results related to graphs with at most three non-negative eigenvalues. We obtain all non-connected graphs with this property. In addition, we find some families of connected graphs with this property. In particular we study two following families of graphs:1. Graphs such as G with exactly two positive eigenvalues and one zero eigenvalues. In other words graphs such as G with λ_1 (G)>0 , λ_2 (G)>0 , λ_3 (G)=0 and λ_4 (G)0 , λ_2 (G)>0 , λ_3 (G)>0 and λ_4 (G)


As consumers' demand for low carbon products is growing, we develop a two-echelon supply chain with price-and-carbon-emission dependent demand consists of a dominant manufacturer and a retailer, and compare the optimal price and carbon emission and profit under the centralized and decentralized scenarios. Based on the manufacturer who wants to coordinate the whole supply chain, two different coordination contracts are proposed. We find that these two contracts not only improve profits of both sides, but also have the effect of carbon reduction. Finally we validate the effectiveness and environmental of these contracts through numerical examples.


Background. It was suggested that maintenance of tolerance to organ transplantation may depend on the formation of T regulatory cells. Methods. Lewis (LW) rats were made tolerant to a Brown Norway kidney by pretransplant donor peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) infusion. At greater than 90 days after transplantation, lymph node cells (LN) and graft-infiltrating leukocytes (GIL) alloreactivity was tested in mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR), coculture, and transwell experiments. GIL phenotype was analyzed by FACS. mRNA expression of cytokines and other markers was analyzed on CD4+ T cells from LN. The tolerogenic potential of tolerant cells in vivo was evaluated by adoptive transfer. Results. Tolerant LN cells showed a reduced proliferation against donor stimulators but a normal anti–third-party alloreactivity. In coculture, these cells inhibited antidonor but not antithird-party reactivity of naïve LN cells. Interleukin (IL)-10 and FasL mRNA expression was up-regulated in tolerant CD4+ T cells, but an anti–IL-10 monoclonal antibody (mAb) only partially reversed their inhibitory effect. Immunoregulatory activity was concentrated in the CD4+CD25+ T-cell subset. In a transwell system, tolerant T cells inhibited a naïve MLR to a lesser extent than in a standard coculture. Regulatory cells transferred tolerance after infusion into naïve LW recipients. CD4+ T cells isolated from tolerized grafts were hyporesponsive to donor stimulators and suppressed a naïve MLR against donor antigens. Conclusions. Donor-specific regulatory T cells play a role in tolerance induction by donor PBMC infusion. Regulatory activity is concentrated in the CD4+CD25+ subset and requires cell-to-cell contact. Regulatory CD4+ T cells accumulate in tolerized kidney grafts where they could exert a protective function against host immune response.


SUMMARY: In this paper I discuss Tugendhat's moral philosophy by focusing on his conception of moral justification and the role sentiments play in it. In order to understand, and to criticize, the relationship between reasons and sentiments in Tugendhat's moral philosophy, the correlation between judgment and affection is scrutinized. Furthermore, I argue that as far as the innermost structure of morality is concerned individuals have far less autonomy to accept or reject any moral system than Tugendhat is prepared to admit.


This longitudinal study assessed the contributions of psychosocial factors to symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) during pregnancy and at 7 and 13 months postpartum in a sample of 206 low-income Latinas receiving prenatal services. Bilingual interviewers administered semistructured interviews that assessed sociodemographic characteristics (income, age, marital status, acculturation) and psychosocial factors (intimate partner violence (IPV), other lifetime trauma, depressive symptoms, and social support). Hierarchical linear regression analyses were conducted at each of the 3 time points in pregnancy and postpartum to identify the best predictors of PTSD symptoms. Results revealed that low-income, depressive symptoms and a history of other lifetime trauma were associated with symptoms of PTSD during pregnancy. After controlling for PTSD symptoms at baseline, PTSD symptoms at 7 months postpartum were associated with depressive symptoms, low perceived social support, and IPV history, but not history of other trauma. After controlling for PTSD symptoms at 7 months postpartum, PTSD symptoms at 13 months were associated with depressive symptoms and IPV. Screening for depressive symptoms and noninterpersonal trauma history in early pregnancy and for depressive symptoms, IPV, and social support postpartum in low-income Latina women may aid in identifying those at heightened risk for mental distress.


We treated 17 patients who had moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease with oral tetrahydroaminoacridine (THA), a centrally active anticholinesterase, in a three-phase study. In the nonblinded first phase of the study, significant improvement occurred in subjects who received the drug, as compared with their pretreatment status, on the global assessment (P = 0.001), the Orientation Test (P = 0.001), and the more sophisticated Names Learning Test (P = 0.001). During the second phase, the subjects served as their own controls in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study in which the order of administration of the drug and placebo was randomly assigned. Among the 14 subjects completing Phase II, THA treatment produced significantly better results than placebo on the global assessment (P = 0.003), the Orientation Test (P = 0.004), the Alzheimer's Deficit Scale (P = 0.003), and the Names Learning Test (P = 0.001). Twelve subjects have entered Phase III, which involves long-term administration of oral THA. The average duration of treatment in these subjects at present is 12.6 months; symptomatic improvements have occurred, and no serious side effects attributable to THA have been observed. These encouraging initial results suggest that THA may be at least temporarily useful in the long-term palliative treatment of patients with Alzheimer's disease. We stress that further observations will be required before a clear assessment of the role of this agent can be made.


Before and during 1999 s general election, election area for Regency, Provincial, and Central People s Representative Council (DPRD & DPR RI) is based on regency and province, respectively. Whereas, in the 2004 general election, ther are changes in the election areas. Therefore, General Election Comission (KPU) as well as regional KPU need to understand the implication of this thoroughly. This article aims to be the reference for KPU/KPUD in determining election area and number of representatives so that it cannot be intervened by outsiders.


A case of brachial artery pseudoaneurysm in a premature infant is reported. The lesion was surgically resected, and arterial continuity restored by end to end anastomosis. The postoperative period and follow up were uneventful.


Quantum cryptography holds the promise to establish an information-theoretically secure global network. All field tests of metropolitan-scale quantum networks to date are based on trusted relays. The security critically relies on the accountability of the trusted relays, which will break down if the relay is dishonest or compromised. Here, we construct a measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (MDIQKD) network in a star topology over a 200 square kilometers metropolitan area, which is secure against untrustful relays and against all detection attacks. In the field test, our system continuously runs through one week with a secure key rate ten times larger than previous result. Our results demonstrate that the MDIQKD network, combining the best of both worlds --- security and practicality, constitutes an appealing solution to secure metropolitan communications.


Understanding the media effect on behavioral outcomes is critical during a health crisis. Mechanisms explaining the mediation effect of media induced risk perception on individual fears and preventive behavior adoption rarely attend to the assumptions and methods to make a causal inference, nor to explore how the effect differs by socioeconomic status. We applied a causal framework to estimate how differential media exposure motivates fear and behavioral reaction, and to what extent these effects can be explained by risk susceptibility and risk severity perceptions in Israel and China, and whether the effects are conditional on socioeconomic situation. Our results suggest that media consumptions are explanatory predictors for increased fear and behavior through provoked risk perceptions. Moreover, socioeconomic status is a pronounced moderator in differentiating the media effect. These findings emphasize the media effects in the context of pandemic and have potential implications for media campaign and policy making.


Data linking the production of value-added at the plant level to the individual employees provide an opportunity to deepen the understanding of how the labor force composition relates to productivity performance. In view of the anticipated aging of the workforce in industrialised economies a body of research has emerged that indicate that individual productivity has a more pronounced hump-shape than the wage profile. This paper studies these issues by examining the composition of the workforce at the plant level in relation to the productivity performance of the plants. Our data cover the Swedish mining and manufacturing industries 1985-1996. The fact that older workers selectively work with older capital may have biased results found in the literature. Endogeneity of workforce composition poses serious estimation problems, but our attempts to cope with these problems tend to indicate that biases in general go in the direction that productivity of the young is overestimated and the productivity of the old is underestimated.


The aim of this paper is to analyze the role of Troy in Geoffrey Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde. The paper is broadly divided into two parts. From historical and psychological perspectives, the first part addresses the multifaceted role Troy played in the medieval literary imagination. In the late Middle Ages, a host of European ruling houses embarked on inventing their foundation myths by claiming that they had a long and illustrious pedigree. In this political climate, Troy, because of its unique position in secular history, became a city with which many nations, England included, endeavored to form connections. Geoffrey of Monmouth's The History of the Kings of Britain, for example, is a typical case wherein the author strives to demonstrate that the British are directly descended from Brutus, a scion of Aeneas. On the other hand, psychoanalytic theories will be drawn on to illustrate why as an extinct city Troy could still entice medieval European nations into eagerly associating themselves with it. The second part surveys the way in which the destinies of some major figures in the Troilus and Criseyde are inextricably intertwined with that of Troy. In the case of Troilus, his fate is bound up with that of Troy and his death therefore augurs Troy's doom; on the other hand, after Pandarus learns of Criseyde's fickleness, the always glib matchmaker is rendered speechless. And Criseyde's departure proves to be a turning point in the destiny of Troy, for it leads to self-pity on the part of Troilus, one of the most important champions of Troy. This part also advances the argument that Chaucer's reworking of the Trojan saga not only bears eloquent testimony to the contemporary mania in both the Continent and England for the legendary city, but also reflects the extent to which he was informed by the literary conventions prevailing in the Continent.


To build recommender systems that not only consider user-item interactions represented as ordinal variables, but also exploit the social network describing the relationships between the users, we develop a hierarchical Bayesian model termed ordinal graph factor analysis (OGFA), which jointly models user-item and user-user interactions. OGFA not only achieves good recommendation performance, but also extracts interpretable latent factors corresponding to representative user preferences. We further extend OGFA to ordinal graph gamma belief network, which is a multi-stochastic-layer deep probabilistic model that captures the user preferences and social communities at multiple semantic levels. For efficient inference, we develop a parallel hybrid Gibbs-EM algorithm, which exploits the sparsity of the graphs and is scalable to large datasets. Our experimental results show that the proposed models not only outperform recent baselines on recommendation datasets with explicit or implicit feedback, but also provide interpretable latent representations.


Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is an autoimmune hemorrhagic disorder. Loss of peripheral immune tolerance in ITP patients leads to autoreactive T cells proliferation and production of auto-antibodies against platelet cell surface antigen. It was reported that the homeostasis of CD4+ T-cell subsets, including the balance of T helper1(Th1)/T helper2(Th2) and T helper17(Th17)/CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs), was disturbed in ITP patients.
 High-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), a non-histone nuclear protein, plays a critical role not only inside of the cell as a DNA chaperone, but also outside of the cell as the damage associated molecular pattern molecule (DAMP). In our previous studies, we found a significant increase of HMGB1 expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and blood plasma in ITP patients compared with healthy controls by q-PCR and ELISA analysis. (Fig. 1)
 18β-glycyrrhetinic acid (18β-GA) is a novel pharmacological inhibitor of HMGB1 cytokine activities, which attributed effects like antioxidant, anti-viral, and anti-cancer activities, clinically used for the treatment of allergic purpura, chronic urticaria, ulcerative colitis possibly by upregulating Tregs. However, whether 18β-GA could regulate the immune homeostasis in ITP is unknown.
 To examine whether 18β-GA could facilitate the development and function of Tregs in ITP, PBMCs were separated from ITP patients and healthy controls, and cultured with DMSO or different doses of 18β-GA (12.5μM/25μM/50μM/100μM). We observed a dose-dependent increase in the number of Tregs both in the culturing of PBMCs from ITP patients and healthy controls by flow cytometric analysis. (Fig. 2) And 18β-GA could significantly induce the apoptosis of PBMCs at high doses (50μM and 100μM), so we selected 25μM as the optimal dose in our in vitro study. In addition, we isolated the CD4+ naïve T cells to investigate whether 18β-GA could directly induce the development of Tregs. It was shown that 18β-GA could directly activate and induce the differentiation of Tregs from CD4+ naïve T cells. (Fig. 3)
 Furthermore, we isolated the CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ Tregs from ITP patients, and then cocultured with CD4+CD25- effector T cells from the same patient at a ratio of 1:4, with the administration of 25μM 18β-GA or DMSO, and stimulated with anti-CD3 antibodies, anti-CD28 antibodies, and rhIL-2. After incubation for 5 days, the proliferation of effector T cells was analyzed by flow cytometry. The results showed that Tregs significantly inhibited the proliferation of effector T cells, and the addition of 18β-GA could enhance the suppressive effect of Tregs.
 To survey whether 18β-GA could modulate the homeostasis of the CD4+ T-cell subsets and to explore the mechanism, we isolated the CD4+ T cells from ITP patients and cultured with 25μM 18β-GA or recombinant HMGB1 (rHMGB1) for 5 days. The levels of Th1, Th17 and Th22 showed significant decreases and the level of Tregs increased in the 18β-GA group, compared with the DMSO group by flow cytometry. (Fig. 4) However, this change was apparently attenuated in the rHMGB1 group. After incubation for 5 days, the culture supernatants were analyzed by ELISA, and the cells were used for analyses by q-PCR. We also observed a decrease in the level of HMGB1 expression from results of ELISA and q-PCR in the 18β-GA group, and the de-phosphorylation of NF-κB on the downstream pathway of HMGB1, as well as the decrease of mRNA levels of cytokines such as IL-1β, IL-6, and TNFα. We confirmed that 18β-GA could directly affect CD4+ T cells and modulate Th1/Th17/Th22/Tregs homeostasis by reducing the expression of HMGB1.
 Finally, we established a passive murine model of ITP by injecting anti-CD41 antibody every 36 hours and divided ITP mice randomly into two groups with intraperitoneal injection of 18β-GA or the same dose of phosphate buffered saline as a control group. After 7 days, we examined the expression of Tregs by flow cytometry. It was observed that 18β-GA increased the numbers of Tregs in the peripheral blood, lymph nodes and spleen, compared with the control group.
 Our findings demonstrated the regulatory role of 18β-GA in maintaining CD4+ T cells homeostasis in immune thrombocytopenia. 18β-GA could reduce the pro-inflammatory Th1, Th17 and Th22 cells whereas enhance the number and functions of Tregs by reducing the expression of HMGB1. Therefore, 18β-GA might be a promising therapeutic strategy for the management of ITP patients.

 No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


Objective:This study evaluated the effect of cobicistat (COBI) on glomerular filtration rate in subjects with normal renal function (RF) or with mild/moderate renal impairment, by comparing creatinine clearance [estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)] with actual GFR (aGFR) using iohexol, a probe drug excreted by glomerular filtration. COBI is a potent CYP3A inhibitor (pharmacoenhancer) currently in phase 3 testing with elvitegravir, atazanavir, and darunavir. Methods:Normal RF subjects received COBI 150 mg QD, ritonavir (RTV) 100 mg QD, or placebo for 7 days; subjects with mild/moderate renal impairment received COBI 150 mg QD. The eGFR and aGFR were measured on days 0, 7, and 14 and within-subject changes calculated relative to day 0. COBI and RTV pharmacokinetics were analyzed on day 7. Results:All 36 subjects in cohort 1 and 17 of 18 subjects in cohort 2 completed all study treatments. Study treatments were well tolerated. Small increases in serum creatinine with corresponding mean decreases in eGFR (∼10 mL/min or mL/min per 1.73 m2) were observed on day 7 relative to day 0 in subjects receiving COBI (P < 0.05). The decreases were reversible on COBI discontinuation; mean eGFR values returned to baseline on day 14 (P > 0.05). No statistically significant changes in aGFR on days 7 or 14 relative to day 0 were seen with COBI (P > 0.05). No statistically significant decreases in aGFR or eGFR were observed with RTV or placebo. Conclusions:COBI affects eGFR but not the actual GFR. The time to onset, magnitude, and time to resolution of changes in eGFR are consistent with altered proximal tubular secretion of creatinine through inhibition of drug transporters.


We present a statistical model for the dynamics of the envelope of the received signal in narrowband urban fixed wireless links, with applications to the performance evaluation of diversity receivers. The model is based on a straightforward analytical treatment based on simplifying assumptions. The assumptions are validated by an extensive empirical study of a broad range of urban settings representative of realistic deployment scenarios for fixed wireless service. The results are useful for system designers and for the efficient selection of error control mechanisms that need to adjust to the dynamics of the propagation channel. We find that in practice, the autocovariance of the combiner branch input signals are similar and also similar to the autocovariance of the output of the diversity combiners.


While acute appendicitis and acute cholecystitis are both common, they are only rarely seen simultaneously. The clinical presentation and hospital course of a 45-year-old female with concurrent acute appendicitis and acute cholecystitis is presented. The laparoscopic approach is ideal for dealing with multiple, simultaenous abdominal pathologies.


Collaborative virtual environments (CVEs) such as massive multi-user 3D games and military training environments can place strict requirements on network when participating users are sharing the 3D virtual environment through mobile devices in an ad-hoc network. This paper presents an optimization mechanism for Gnutella network to better meet the mobility and the network requirements of collaborative virtual environments (CVEs). With the rapidly increasing use of mobile personal devices, we are facing new challenges and opportunities for making efficient mobile collaborative virtual environments (MCVEs) applications based on Gnutella network. The proposed work comprises an enhancement of the Gnutella network through an efficient overlay formation protocol, and a novel caching optimization technique implemented in specific nodes selected through a Gnutella Ultrapeer system (GUS) mechanism. The resulting approach should overcome several problems including flooding and the limited capacity of mobile devices. In order to evaluate our designed protocols, we run the system over several ad-hoc routing protocols, simulation results shows that each ad-hoc routing protocol performs well only under specific simulation scenarios.


An Act to make provision for preventing crime and disorder; to create certain raciallyaggravated offences; to abolish the rebuttable presumption that a child is doli incapax and to make provision as to the effect of a child's failure to give evidence at his trial; to abolish the death penalty for treason and piracy; to make changes to the criminal justice system; to make further provision for dealing with offenders; to make further provision with respect to remands and committals for trial and the release and recall of prisoners; to amend Chapter I of Part II of the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997 and to repeal Chapter I of Part III of the Crime and Punishment (Scotland) Act 1997; to make amendments designed to facilitate, or otherwise desirable in connection with, the consolidation of certain enactments; and for connected purposes. [31st July 1998]


The authors present methodologies for evaluating the performance of variable-bit-rate voice under the following conditions: at a fixed load when instantaneous fluctuations occur due to talker activity/inactivity, and (2) under variable load when variations occur due to call on/off. A Markov chain model is developed to describe the probabilistic bit-dropping pattern corresponding to any specific traffic conditions. The model is used in conjunction with a software tool to emulate packetized voice under various loading conditions. The results of the subjective testing show that, with prudential traffic engineering of the network, the voice quality would remain robust to temporal variations in bits per sample resulting from nominal load fluctuations.<<ETX>>


Pain Assessment in Neonatal has been discussed recently nowadays. A rapid research, equipment and pain course has yet been improved. However, the robustness, accurate and fast pain scheme is yet far beyond the schedule comparing to the pain assessment for the adult patient. Thus, an infant pain detection scheme is been proposed based on Autoregressive Model (AR Model) and Fuzzy k-NN. The accuracy result is quite promising around 90.77%.


The first part of the dissertation presents a study that implements micro and nano scale engineered surfaces for enhancement of evaporation and boiling phase change heat transfer in both capillary wick structures and pool boiling systems. Capillary wicking surfaces are integral components of heat pipes and vapor chamber thermal spreaders often used for thermal management of microelectronic devices. In addition, pool boiling systems can be encountered in immersion cooling systems which are becoming more commonly investigated for thermal management applications of microelectronic devices and even data centers. The latent heat associated with the change of state from liquid to vapor, and the small temperature differences required to drive this process yield great heat transfer characteristics. Additionally, since no external energy is required to drive the phase change process, these systems are great for portable devices and favorable for reduction of cost and energy consumption over alternate thermal management technologies.Most state of the art capillary wicks used in these devices are typically constructed from sintered copper media. These porous structures yield high surface areas of thin liquid film where evaporation occurs, thus promoting phase change heat transfer. However, thermal interfaces at particle point contacts formed during the sintering process and complex liquid/vapor flow within these wick structures yield high thermal and liquid flow resistances and limit the maximum heat flux they can dissipate. In capillary wicks the maximum heat flux is typically governed by the capillary or boiling limits and engineering surfaces that delay these limitations and yield structures with large surface areas of thin liquid film where phase change heat transfer is promoted is highly desired. In this study, biporous media consisting of microscale pin fins separated by microchannels are examined as candidate structures for the evaporator wick of a vapor chamber heat pipe. Smaller pores are used to generate high capillary suction, while larger microchannels are used to alleviate flow resistance. The heat transfer coefficient is found to depend on the area coverage of a liquid film with thickness on the order of a few microns near the meniscus of the triple phase contact line. We manipulate the area coverage and film thickness by varying the surface area-to-volume ratio through the use of microstructuring. In some samples, a transition from evaporative heat transfer to nucleate boiling is observed. While it is difficult to identify when the transition occurs, one can identify regimes where evaporation dominates over nucleate boiling and vice versa. Heat fluxes of 277.0 (± 9.7) W/cm 2 can be dissipated by wicks with heaters of area 1 cm 2 , while heat fluxes up to 733.1 (± 103.4) W/cm 2 can be dissipated by wicks with smaller heaters intended to simulate local hot-spots.In pool boiling systems that are encountered in immersion cooling applications, the heat transfer coefficient (HTC) is governed by the bubble nucleation site density and the agitation in the liquid/vapor flow these bubbles produce when they detach from the surface. The nucleation site density and release rate is usually determined by the surface morphology. Another important parameter in pool boiling systems is the maximum heat flux (CHF) that can safely be dissipated. In practice, this quantity is about two orders of magnitude smaller than limitations suggested by kinetic theory. For essentially infinite, smooth, well wetted surfaces, hydrodynamic instability theories capturing liquid/vapor interactions away from the heated surface have been successful in predicting CHF. On finite micro and nano structured surfaces where applying the hydrodynamic theory formulation is not easily justified, other effects may contribute to phase change heat transfer characteristics. Here, we also present a pool boiling study on biporous microstructured surfaces used in capillary wick experiments. Structures are manipulated by reduction of pore size to determine if increased capillary pressure can enhance rewetting from heater edges and delay CHF. A comparative study between the two experimental systems indicates that while the capillary limitation is significant in capillary wick experiments, for these well wetted microstructured surfaces used in pool boiling systems the hydrodynamic limitation defined based on heater size causes the occurrence of CHF. Other hierarchical nanowire surfaces containing periodic microscale cavities are investigated as well and are seen to yield a ~2.4 fold increase in heat transfer coefficient characteristics while not compromising CHF compared to surfaces where cavities are not present. These studies indicate pathways for enhancement of heat transfer coefficient via implementing hierarchical structures, while no clear method in increasing CHF is determined for finite size surfaces of various morphologies.In the second part of this dissertation, solar energy storage is sought in `phase change' of photochromic molecular systems: the storage of solar energy in the chemical bonds of photosensitive molecules (a photochemical reaction) and subsequent recovery of the energy in a back reaction in the form of heat, reversibly. These molecular systems are interesting alternatives to photovoltaic and solar thermal technologies which cannot satisfy the needs of load leveling, or for portable municipal heating applications. Typically made of organic compounds, these molecules have become known for rapid decomposition, short energy storage time scales and poor energy storing efficiencies. Thus, they have been abandoned as practical solar energy storage systems in the past several decades. On the other hand, organometallic molecular systems have not been extensively probed for these applications. Recent research has indicated that organometallic (fulvalene)diruthenium FvRu2 has demonstrated excellent energy storage characteristic and durability. Here, we report on a full cycle molecular solar thermal (MOST) microfluidic system based on a bis(1,1-dimethyltridecyl) substituted derivative of FvRu2 that allows for long term solar energy storage (110 J/g), and on demand energy release upon exposure to a catalyst. The microfluidic systems developed here are excellent for photoconversion characterization and scrutinizing potential catalysts and can be extended to studying many other molecular systems. The objective of the work presented here is to demonstrate that on demand solar energy storage and release in MOST systems is viable and motivate future research on other photochromic organometallic systems.


We consider a task of classifying normal and pathological brain networks. These networks (called connectomes) represent macroscale connections between predefined brain regions, hence, the nodes of connectomes are uniquely labeled and the set of labels (brain regions) is the same across different brains. We make use of this property and hypothesize that connectomes obtained from normal and pathological brains differ in how brain regions cluster into communities. We develop an algorithm that computes distances between brain networks based on similarity in their partitions and uses these distances to produce a kernel for a support vector machine (SVM) classifier. We demonstrate how the proposed model classifies brain networks of carriers and non-carriers of an allele associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease. The obtained classification quality is ROC AUC 0.7 which is higher than that of the baseline.


The National Health Service and specialist agencies within the UK are striving to ensure that they offer services that are inclusive, accessible and appropriate to all users seeking their services. As such, language interpreters will be required to work alongside health professionals to ensure that service users who are not fluent in the English language can gain full access to health and therapeutic provisions. In addition to reasons of governance, equity of service provision and national legislation there are also sound clinical practice reasons with respect to facilitating work with interpreters. Language is not merely a neutral, descriptive medium but has an active role in shaping and constructing how people view and experience the world. The range of meaning-making possibilities that lay or professional language opens up is always already greatly indebted to the speaker's local culture and has particular relevance in the therapeutic encounter. Working with an interpreter can be a challenging but enriching experience. The benefits of working in close partnership with an interpreter are discussed both at generic level when working as a therapist/clinician in any adult mental health setting and, more specifically, when working with sex and relationships problems using clinical material as illustrations.


A formal classification of primitive tasks for knowledge-based system applications in industrial automation is presented. The classification is based on a system theoretic perspective using the direction of temporal reasoning as the metric for classification. This classification is canonical with respect to time and can, therefore, be used to define primitive elements in constructing more complex tasks that are termed systems. Tasks and systems are used to define a multilayered architecture that provides both a problem decomposition, relating systems to tasks, and a set of generic knowledge-based tools, each satisfying a task description and determined by an epistemological analysis of the domain. A comparison between the architecture presented and other approaches to 'knowledge-level' analysis is given. >


SUMMARY: Growth parameters were studied in 397 specimens of the Atlantic bonito caught in the eastern Mediterranean Sea (Aegean and Ionian Seas) ranging from 7.2 to 72.5 cm in fork length and from 2 to 5400 g in total weight. The study of the growth bands in spine sections showed that one translucent ring is formed annually during the cold season. The growth parameters estimated (L ∞ = 82.99 cm, K = 0.24, t 0 = -0.77) express the growth of the species more realistically than previous studies in the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.


This study used the 'delivery paradox' (Blaug et al. 2006, p.6) as a catalyst to examine customer satisfaction with the public services. The 'delivery paradox' exists where the rise in the level of delivery improvements does not elicit a corresponding rise in public satisfaction with services (ibid). Expectancy Disconfirmation Theory underpins the measurement of customer satisfaction. However, a review of the literature by MORl (2002) concluded that whilst expectations are known to be shaped by many factors, the role of expectations in affecting satisfaction ratings was confused and over-simplified. This study explored the factors .that influence public service customers' expectations, how expectations changed over time and what effect this had on satisfaction. The study used the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) as a case study. The sample was drawn from users of Jobcentre Plus. The method used longitudinal interviews over a six-month period, to explore customers' experiences, expectations and satisfaction. Semi-structured telephone interviews with 20 DWP staff members were also carried out to examine how the DWP collects, collates and distributes information on customer satisfaction and complaints.
The study does not support the Expectancy Disconfirmation Theory as the dominant model of measurement of customer satisfaction. Although expectations were an important factor, particularly in the initial stages of the relationship with Jobcentre Plus, in isolation they were not the main driver of satisfaction over time. Instead it was an interplay of expectations and orientation towards motherhood or employment that indicated the likelihood of a satisfactory outcome or not. Customers defined themselves in negative, collective terms but demanded a service that reflected individuality. Misinterpretation of service terms, such as 'personal' adviser contributed to dissatisfaction with the service. Personal advisers delivered a service based on negative, collective preconceptions of what the customer desired. The findings indicate redefining service terms in order to eliminate misinterpretation. Furthermore, moving from a traditional expectation based model of customer satisfaction to a process based one, established on negotiated and agreed inputs, outputs and outcomes, is recommended. Overall this work supports and contributes to the development of personalized services within public sector organizations.


A photo multiplier tube (PMT) array based spectroscopic diagnostic with fast time response of 10 μs and spatial resolution ∼3 cm has been developed and installed on Aditya tokamak to study the spatial and temporal behavior of Hα emissions from typical discharges. Collimated light has been collected from the plasma along 16 lines of sight passing through entire plasma poloidal cross section of Aditya and detected by two 8 channels PMT arrays after selecting Hα emission using interference filter. The studies are carried out during plasma formation phase of Aditya by changing vertical field and its delay with respect to loop voltage. It is observed that plasma initiated in the high field side in typical discharges of Aditya. The plasma formation position is matched with null field location estimated through simulation.


This study provides an analysis of survey data on student fear of gangs and gangrelated crime at school obtained from Hispanic high school students who reside in an area with a predominantly Hispanic and large immigrant population. Consistent with prior research on fear of crime, regression analyses of the data indicate that acculturation, gender, and victimization are significantly correlated with fear of gangs and/or fear of gang-related crime. Specifically, the analyses indicate that youths with limited acculturation are more fearful of gang-related school violence than well acculturated youths, that fear of gang members and gang-related theft is higher among females than among males, and that students who have been victimized are more concerned about gang-related victimization than are students who have not been victimized. The data also suggest there may be temporally and geographically specific dimensions to the relationship between victimization and fear of gang-related crime. The theoretical, methodological, and policy implications are discussed.


The exponential growth of web technologies makes Big Data a field of great interest for textual analysis. Twitter, among the social media, best suits the analysis of ideas and contents for its "openness" and "horizontality". However, extracting a textual corpus from Twitter is not an immediate task. The Big Data Sandbox project, promoted as part of the High Level Group at UNECE, aims to check the possibility of using Big Data in the official statistics. The project, started in 2014 and attended by about twenty national and international statistical organizations, focused in 2015 on the analysis of four different sources of Big Data. In particular one group focused on the collection of geo-located tweets. The public interface provided by Twitter is used to extract tweet generated within defined geographic coordinates. Within this project, all tweets generated in the territory of Rome starting from November 2015 are stored, to monitoring activities related to the Jubilee. The dramatic events of November 13 in Paris, quickly attracted the attention of users in Rome: in the context of the global threat of terrorist, the attack on a European city has deeply affected the imagination of Twitter users, also in view of the forthcoming Jubilee, which increased worldwide media exposure of the city. This suggested the opportunity to investigate the connections between Jubilee and terrorism to understand whether among Twitter's users the global threat of terrorism could affect the way of telling the Jubilee. The aim of this work is to apply some techniques of textual analysis on a corpus extracted from Twitter, to describe its contents and to investigate possible ties between technologies for Big Data analysis and Text Mining. Despite the selected corpus shows a poor connection between the two phenomena in the period of analysis, the analysis supplied interesting possibilities.


The ability to evaluate and accurately articulate the outcomes associated with leadership development programs is critical to their continued financial and administrative support. With calls for outcome-based accountability, the need for rigorous evaluation is particularly relevant for those programs administered through the Cooperative Extension Service (CES). Using Bandura's (1977) Social Learning Theory, a robust evaluation of agricultural leadership development programs administered through the CES in the southern region of the United States was conducted. Several key findings are examined, specifically: program participant demographics match parity requirements for CES programming; program participants are highly satisfied with their program experience; and program participants have held a large number of leadership roles within their communities and industries.


PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the role of other customers in explaining customers' relation with a brand. A conceptual model, which incorporates other customers along with atmospherics, food quality and service quality, is proposed to better understand how customers form their brand preference for fine dining restaurants.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative research methodology, using structural equation modeling, was adopted to understand the role of other customers along with other restaurant attributes. Data were collected from the customers of fine dining restaurants resulting in 324 usable surveys.FindingsThe findings supported the sequential link for: restaurant experience attributes – brand relationship and brand preference. While all restaurant attributes except other customers explain the satisfaction of customers, only service quality and other customers played a significant role in forming the brand image in the minds of restaurant guests. Overall, this study acknowledged the importance of both other customers and employees in fine dining restaurants' branding.Research limitations/implicationsThe results suggest that customers in servicescape have a significant role in creating a successful brand image for restaurants. Moreover, service quality is also key to achieve a unique image, thereby suggesting that employees could be a source of differentiation and competitive advantage by managing their brand related behaviors.Originality/valueThis research was one of the first to study the role of other customers in restaurant service experience along with other attributes to assess customers' brand relation and brand preference for fine dining restaurants.


The present study analyses the energy-budget of 'village ecosystems' in a dry tropical environment. These systems depend to a great extent on the surrounding natural forest/savanna ecosystems. Accordingly the objectives of the study were to quantify (i) the energy efficiency of rain-fed agriculture at the ecosystem level, and (ii) the indirect impact of agricultural activity on the surrounding forest/savanna ecosystems. Agronomic output from farming is not sufficient to meet the food-energy requirements of the villagers, hence 27.0 to 51.0% of the requirement is met from outside markets. Operation of the agro-ecosystems involved requires a considerable amount of subsidy from the surrounding forest/savanna ecosystems in terms of fodder and fuel-wood. About 81 to 100% of the fuel needs, and 80–87% of the fodder needs, are met from the natural forest/savanna ecosystems. Thus, for each unit of energy obtained in agronomic yield (including milk), 3.1 units of energy are expended from the surrounding natural ecosystems in the form of fodder and fuel-wood. The erratic and ill-distributed nature of monsoon rains results in moisture deficit which affects the crop production in dry-land farming, causing partial or total failure of the crops. For achieving increased and stable agronomic production under rain-fed conditions, improved dry-land farming techniques have to be applied. Some of these techniques are: (1) introduction of crops and varieties that would be capable of maturing in a period of 90–100 days, and adequate use of appropriate fertilizers; (2) planned rain-water management including storage of surface runoff; and (3) practices of intercropping with crops of longer duration than those currently grown, having slow growth-rates in the early part of their life-cycles.


Emergency medicine (EM) was recognized as a specialty by the Medical Council of India (MCI) in July 2009. As India undergoes urbanisation, cost‐effective transition from managing infectious diseases to emergency management of trauma and cardio‐respiratory diseases is crucial. Trained emergency healthcare workers are needed to respond effectively to these challenges. The objective was to determine the current status of academic EM training and related issues in India, and to discuss those that need to be addressed.


Copyright and Moral Rights for the articles on this site are retained by the individual authors and/or other copyright owners. For more information on Open Research Online's data policy on reuse of materials please consult the policies page. ABSTRACT In this paper we explore whether technology provides the teaching profession with a new form of pedagogy, often referred to as 'e-learning', or is merely an attempt to 'reinvent the wheel'. Salmon's e-tivities, Laurillard's conversational framework and others have helped to further the case in favour of a new pedagogy. Distance learning particularly has been has able to derive considerable benefit from the opportunities involved. However, is 'the Internet' nothing more than an all-embracing metaphor for a multitude of traditional teaching locations, for example the classroom, campus and the lecture theatre? We find these 'learning environments' can exist wherever we want them, as virtual, mobile, personal or even real locations. Has the online world bridged the gap for distance teaching, drawing it closer to traditional forms of teaching, and therefore traditional pedagogy? Does it mean that there are more opportunities for HEIs to move into distance learning provision?


The dimensions of the alveolar bone surrounding the tooth are not maintained post tooth-extraction probably as a consequence of the bone remodeling process and the biomechanical demands on bone. The use of biomaterials as bone substitutes in the post-tooth-extraction socket promotes bone repair, regardless of damage to bone structures during the surgical procedures. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of anorganic bovine bone matrix (ABBM) as a bone substitute, in an experimental model of post-tooth extraction bone healing in the rat. Radiographic follow-up was performed at 7, 14, and 30 days, and showed persistence of the biomaterial inside the experimental alveoli. At 14 and 30 days post-tooth extraction, particles surrounded by bone tissue were observed in the middle sector of the alveoli. The osteoconductive property of ABBM was demonstrated using the present experimental model of active osteogenesis, thus showing its usefulness as a bone substitute. Persistence of the particles at the studied experimental time points did not affect post-tooth extraction bone healing.


Summary This work demonstrates the assignment of multi-word expressions in print dictionaries to POS classes with minimal linguistic resources. In this application, 32,000 entries from the Worterbuch der deutschen Idiomatik (H. Schemann 1993) were classified using an inductive description of POS sequences in conjunction with a Brill Tagger trained on manually tagged idiomatic entries. This process assigned categories to 86% of entries with 88% accuracy. This classification supplies a meaningful preprocessing step for further applications: the resulting POS-sequences for all idiomatic entries might be used for the automatic recognition of multi-word lexemes in unrestricted text.