The abnormal sodium content of many cataracts suggests Na,K‐ATPase is vital for maintenance of eye lens transparency. Since tyrosine phosphorylation is considered a possible regulatory mechanism for Na,K‐ATPase, experiments were conducted to test the influence of protein tyrosine phosphatase‐1B (PTP‐1B) on Na,K‐ATPase activity. Membrane material was isolated separately from porcine lens epithelium and fiber cells. Tyrosine phosphoproteins, Na,K‐ATPase α1 polypeptide and PTP‐1B were examined by Western blot. Na,K‐ATPase activity was determined by measuring ATP hydrolysis in the presence or absence of ouabain. Western blot analysis revealed tyrosine phosphorylation of multiple membrane proteins in both lens cell types, the differentiated fiber cells and non‐differentiated epithelium. When membrane material was subjected to immunoprecipitation using an antibody directed against Na,K‐ATPase α1, a colocalized phosphotyrosine band was detected in lens fibers but not epithelium. Incubation with PTP‐1B caused a ∼50% increase of Na,K‐ATPase activity in fiber membrane material. Na,K‐ATPase activity in lens epithelium membrane material was not significantly altered by PTP‐1B treatment even though PTP‐1B was demonstrated to cause dephosphorylation of multiple membrane proteins in the epithelium as well as fibers. While endogenous PTP‐1B was detected in both cell types, endogenous tyrosine phosphatase activity was low in both epithelium and fiber membrane material. The results illustrate endogenous tyrosine phosphorylation of Na,K‐ATPase α1 polypeptide in fibers. Na,K‐ATPase α1 in lens fibers may be a potential target for PTP‐1B. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


Background: Indications for breast reduction surgery include neck pain, back pain, shoulder pain, and an intertriginous rash. Previous studies have established that bilateral breast reduction surgery is highly effective in relieving these symptoms. Third-party payers may refuse to cover breast reduction surgery for obese patients. In addition, some surgeons turn down obese breast reduction candidates, perhaps fearing that they will not achieve symptom relief or that the complication rate will be prohibitive. It is common for insurers to require an arbitrary minimum volume to be resected in order for them to reimburse for the procedure. This study was conducted to see whether patients with varying levels of obesity had any difference in surgical outcomes compared with nonobese patients with regard to symptom relief and complication rate. The authors also studied the relationship between volume of tissue resected and symptom relief and complication rate. Methods: One hundred eighty-six consecutive patients underwent bilateral breast reduction surgery performed by a single surgeon using the inferior pedicle Wise pattern technique or the free nipple graft technique. Body mass index was calculated for each patient. Results: Significant postoperative symptom relief occurred in 97 percent of patients. Statistical analysis demonstrated no difference among the various body mass index groups in terms of symptom relief or development of complications, nor was there any correlation between volume of tissue resected and relief of symptoms or complications. Conclusions: The authors conclude that there is no justification for discriminating against obese patients in either the performance of breast reduction surgery or the provision of insurance coverage for the same. The authors find no justification for denial of insurance coverage for patients in whom lesser tissue volumes are to be resected.


Over the past decade, numerous Deweyan philosophers have been arguing that Deweyan Pragmatism and Confucianism have significantly similar philosophical underpinnings and thus a Deweynised Confucian society is highly plausible. This article examines the social and historical backdrops against which Deweyan and Confucian thoughts were developed. It then explores the starkly contrasting and oftconflicting views of Dewey and Confucius on the purpose of education, the curriculum in schools, and the respective roles of teachers and students, morality, individuality, sociality as well as politics. The conclusion of this paper is that Deweyan Pragmatism is a context-specific, anti-dualist, and egalitarian theory whereas Confucianism is a transcendental virtue-oriented, universalist, and elitist philosophy. Therefore, any effort to promote the co-optation of Confucianism in Deweyan applications within Confucian civilisations, no matter how well intentioned, blocks the path to truth.


Several species in Aspergillus section Nigri have been reported to produce sclerotia on well-known growth media, such as Czapek yeast autolysate (CYA) agar, with sclerotia considered to be an important prerequisite for sexual development. However Aspergillus niger sensu stricto has not been reported to produce sclerotia, and is thought to be a purely asexual organism. Here we report, for the first time, the production of sclerotia by certain strains of Aspergillus niger when grown on CYA agar with raisins, or on other fruits or on rice. Up to 11 apolar indoloterpenes of the aflavinine type were detected by liquid chromatography and diode array and mass spectrometric detection where sclerotia were formed, including 10,23-dihydro-24,25-dehydroaflavinine. Sclerotium induction can thus be a way of inducing the production of new secondary metabolites from previously silent gene clusters. Cultivation of other species of the black aspergilli showed that raisins induced sclerotium formation by A. brasiliensis, A. floridensis A. ibericus, A. luchuensis, A. neoniger, A. trinidadensis and A. saccharolyticus for the first time.


Myrtus communis L. essential oil (EO), mainly composed of myrtenyl acetate (30.6%), linalool (14.9%), α-pinene (11.10%) and 1,8-cineole or eucalyptol (9.9%), was microencapsulated with maltodextrin by emulsification and spray-drying, reaching a yield and efficiency of 43.7 and 48.7%, respectively. The microencapsulated myrtle EO (MMEO) was then evaluated regarding its gastroprotective activity in a model of ethanol/HCl-induced acute gastric ulcer in Wistar rats. Pretreatment with MMEO induced a remarkable inhibition of gastric lesions and acidity, correlated to high healing and protection percentages. Moreover, it exerted a potent anti-inflammatory effect on the gastric mucosa, counteracting EtOH-induced gastric lipoperoxidation and preventing the depletion of the antioxidant enzyme activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). Taken together, the gastroprotective action of encapsulated MMEO may be multi-factorial, and ascribable, at least in parts, to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.


Smart disclosure initiatives and new regulations such as GDPR in the EU increase the interest for Personal Data Management Systems (PDMS) being provided to individuals to preserve their entire digital life. Consequently, the thorny issue of data security becomes more and more prominent, but highly differs from traditional privacy issues in outsourced corporate databases. Concurrently, the emergence of Trusted Execution Environments (TEE) changes the game in privacy-preserving data management with novel security models. This tutorial offers a global perspective of the current state of work at the confluence of these two rapidly growing areas. The goal is threefold: (1) review and categorize PDMS solutions and identify existing privacy threats and countermeasures; (2) review new security models capitalizing on TEEs and related privacy-preserving data management solutions relevant to the personal context; (3) discuss new challenges at the intersection of PDMS security and TEE-based data management.


PCT No. PCT/SE82/00339 Sec. 371 Date Jun. 20, 1983 Sec. 102(e) Date Jun. 20, 1983 PCT Filed Oct. 20, 1982 PCT Pub. No. WO83/01526 PCT Pub. Date Apr. 28, 1983.A method and apparatus for determining concordance between an analysis signal with at least one reference signal. The smoothed signals or envelopes are formed of a signal which is to be examined and at least one reference signal. A pulse train is generated for each of the smoothed signals or envelopes, and comprises pulses present during the time for a predetermined polarity of the smoothed signal or envelopes relative a threshold signal. The pulse trains are compared at regular intervals with each other, simultaneous coincidence of pulses in both trains at a predetermined number of consecutive comparisons constituting the criterion that the signals which are to be examined are in concordance with the reference signal. For carrying out this signal examination there are circuits means (2, 4) adapted for forming the smoothed signals or envelopes of the signals. The outputs from said means are connected to one input of a comparator (6) for each signal. A threshold signal (URef1, URef2) is applied to the second input of the comparators for generating an output pulse train comprising pulses generated at a predetermined polarity of said smoothed signals or envelopes relative the threshold signals. Circuits (12, 14, 16, 18) are further adapted for comparing the pulse trains and registering simultaneous coincidence of pulses in the two trains for a predetermined number of consecutive comparisons as the criterion that the examined signal and a given reference signal are in concordance. The invention is primarily intended for utilizing in automatic debiting of utilized video service in a hotel or the like. The invention may also be used for monitoring processes or machines which have specific sound spectra for faults.


A simple method of producing a timed beam of variable energy positrons has been developed which utilizes secondary electrons liberated by beta + impact on a positron moderator to generate the timing pick-off. The slow positron flux has been timed with an efficiency greater than 20% and with a signal-to-background level much higher than that encountered in traditional thin plastic scintillator techniques.


Analyses of previous data have confirmed the contribution of the IRF6 gene to susceptibility to non- syndromic oral clefts (NSOC) in some populations. We tested for associations between the rs2013162, rs2235375, and rs2235371 polymorphisms in IRF6 and the risk of NSOC, using both case-parent trio and case-control designs on samples from western China. Our study group consisted of 332 persons with NSOC, their parents (289 mothers and 243 fathers for 206 complete trios for these three SNPs), and 174 control individuals. We found strong evidence of over- and under-transmission of the C allele (the Val allele) at rs2235371, and the C allele at rs2235375 in cleft case-parent trios (P = 0.013 and P = 0.000, respectively). There were significant differences in the frequency distributions of both genotypes and alleles when cases were compared with control infants at rs2235371 and rs2235375. Five specific haplotypes showed significant over- and under-transmission. These results further support a role for IRF6 variants in western Chinese populations.


OBJECTIVE
To explore the impact of Toxoplasma gondii infection on pregnancy outcomes in early pregnancy women.

METHODS
Toxoplasma gondii IgM and IgG antibodies in the peripheral blood of 2 993 early pregnant women were detected by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). According to the test results, the infected ones were divided into an acute infection group, a previous infection group, and an active infection group, and 200 pregnant women without Toxoplasma infection were randomly chosen as a control group, and the pregnancy outcomes of the four groups were followed up and the results were compared.

RESULTS
There were 286 women infected with Toxoplasma gondii, with the infection rate of 9.56% (286/2 993), in which 43 cases were diagnosed as acute infection, 156 were previous cases, and the other 87 were active infection ones. The incidences of adverse pregnancy outcomes in the above 3 groups and the control group were 13.95% (6/43), 1.92% (3/156), 5.75% (5/87) and 1.50% (3/200), respectively. The incidences of adverse pregnancy outcomes in the acute infection group and active infection group were both higher than that in the control group, the differences were statistically significant (both P < 0.05), while there was no significant difference between the previous infection group and control group (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION
Acute and active Toxoplasma gondii infections are closely associated with the occurrence of adverse pregnancy outcomes in early pregnant women; therefore, Toxoplasma gondii IgM antibody should be included in the routine inspection items of the pre-pregnancy physical examination for child-bearing age women.


Second-harmonic generation (SHG) is highly sensitive to the net, average orientation of SH-active molecules on surfaces and has recently emerged as a technique for detecting biomolecules and their conformational changes. As most biomolecules are not intrinsically SH-active, they must be labeled with probes to render them detectable. To date, exogenous probes have been used to do this, but second-harmonic-active unnatural amino acids offer important advantages for the long-range goal of precisely and directly determining structural changes in real time and may be used for both buried and surface sites. Results of the first known SH-active unnatural amino acid, Aladan, are presented here. Aladan is found to be SH-active by detecting it at an interface, both alone and incorporated into the B1 domain of protein G (GB1), a globular immunoglobulin-binding protein, at both buried and exposed sites. The tilt angle of Aladan alone adsorbed on a mica surface is determined by polarization experiments, and its nonlinear polarizability alpha((2)) is found to be ca. 10(-30) esu. Aladan GB1 mutants are detectable by SHG, either when coupled covalently to a derivatized glass surface or bound to IgG immobilized via protein A. Addition of an Fc domain to this GB1 complex causes a small but defined change in the SH signal when Aladan is incorporated at site Ala(24), but not at Leu(7), consistent with a local conformational change of GB1. This structural change is not apparent in either X-ray crystallography or fluorescence studies, demonstrating that SHG can detect subtle orientational changes, including protein-protein interactions in which no significant rearrangements occur.


JUST over a year ago health minster Brian Mawhinney, speaking to the Royal College of Physicians, sowed a seed which could eventually lead to the nation's nurses branching out and playing the lead role in health care purchasing.


New Urbanism and traditional neighbourhood development (TND) have been championed as solutions to the problems associated with post-war suburban sprawl. However, they have yet to capture a substantial share of the US housing market. The market context for TND is not well understood as the paucity of TND makes it difficult to study directly. This paper takes a novel approach by focusing on the market for 'traditional' development itself, defined as subdivisions recorded prior to World War II, in the sprawling Tucson, Arizona, MSA. The results of the hedonic analysis demonstrate that home buyers value the features embodied in traditional development, as homes in subdivisions platted before 1940 command premiums over those in their modern counterparts, even after carefully controlling for locational and structural characteristics. Moreover, the analysis finds that the premiums have increased through time, which suggests growing demand for traditionally designed subdivisions.


This work unveils a fish collagen drink for improvement of skin aging. Previous studies frequently discussed the skin aging from the angle of the representative characteristics of collagen loss and the oxidative-induced expression of proteolytic enzymes matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), but few groups comprehensively investigated the efficacy of oral hydrolyzed collagen for enhancing protein folding and DNA repair as well as improving notable cell behaviors. To delineate the broad perspective on delaying skin aging, we inspected the collagen drink-treated fibroblast cells from the molecular and cellular aspects. The results show that the collagen drink could perform the compact antiaging effects on ROS inhibition, the facilitation of the synthesis of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, the increase of mitochondrial activity, and improvement of the gene expression regarding correct protein folding, DNA mismatch repair (MMR) and base excision repair (BER). Although the experimental results are built on the cellular models, we believe that the positive outcomes can provide more details on the influence of oral hydrolyzed collagen supplement for antiaging. In short, we have successfully proved that the synergistic effect of the collagen drink could not only reduce the oxidative damage but also ameliorate the cell functionality to compensate the harmful effects induced by UVA.


Discrimination, signal detection, and estimation in the context of Weibull-type nonhomogeneous Poisson processes are considered for four different sampling plans: Type I and Type II censoring and same-shape and equal-distance sampling. Procedures based on likelihood functions and on extensions of the Kolmogorov-Smirnov statistic are developed. The results are pertinent to signal detection problems in biomedicine (e.g., EKG and EEG monitoring) and engineering. >


The national guidelines for the diagnosis and management of asthma published in April of 1997 emphasized patient education in asthma management. It is unclear how often patient education is included in asthma management clinics. We sought to determine how often education programs are available by surveying teaching hospitals with training programs in pulmonary and critical care medicine. Using this survey, we also determined the reason programs are not offered and whether computer resources are outinely available to utilize computer-delivered patient educational materials. We sent mail questionnaires to 163 training programs in the United States. We had a response rate of 72% (117 of 163). Of the 117 programs responding, 75 (64%) reported having a formal asthma patient education program. Most (72%) were in university teaching hospitals. A majority of respondents (84%) believed that compensation for their efforts was inadequate, and those hospitals with no formal asthma education program reported that financial cost and time requirements were the primary reasons for not having such a program. Despite the fact that many programs did not have a patient education component, 96% (72 of 75) of respondents with an educational program viewed patient education as an effective patient self-management tool. Of all programs surveyed, 85% reported they would use a high-quality computer-based asthma education program if one was available. Implementation of such a program is feasible, with 69% of programs surveyed having a personal computer in their clinic and 60% having Internet access. We conclude that most training directors believe that patient asthma education is important and effective; however, cost and time issues remain barriers to its implementation. Computer-based educational programs delivered over the Internet are feasible, could address some of these limitations, and are acceptable to most programs.


Recently, Salmonella hadar has been isolated and identified from goat in Iraq. The purpose of the present study was to examine ultrastructural changes in the ileum epithelial cells of BALB/c mice experimentally infected with S. hadar. Mice were used as follows: Group A: 20 mice inoculated orally with phosphate buffer saline and considered as a control group. Group B: 20 mice inoculated orally with (100ID) by drenching the mice about 1 ml of the bacterial suspension which contain (1.5×10 9 cells) of Salmonella hadar and the ileum epithelial cells were examined by transmission electron microscopy at 24, 48, 72, 96 and 120 hours after infection. The ultra structural changes seen in the ileum of infected mouse at 24 hours were disorganization of the microvilli with severe cytoplasmic vacuolization, enlargement of the mitochondria and presence of intracellular Salmonella . Changes at 48 hours post infection, were detachments of many microvilli especially at the site of bacterial entry. Similar changes were observed after 72 hours but more severe; there was marked dilatation and proliferation of the endoplasmic reticulum with cytoplasmic vacuolization of the infected enterocytes. After 96 hours there were severe cytoplasmic vacuolization with accumulation of the bacteria within phagosomes and there was marked damage to the microvilli of the ileum. After 120 hours there was hypertrophy of goblet cell and thickening of the nuclear membrane and there was several Salmonella containing vacuoles.


Toshiyuki Yonezawa, an AGU member for 30 years, died in Tokyo, Japan, on 6 April 2001 at the age of 86. He became an AGU member in 1960 (Planetary Sciences).

Born on 14 February 1915 in Tokyo, he graduated from the physics department of the Faculty of Science, University of Tokyo, in 1942 and entered the Radio Physics Laboratory of the Ministry of Education in Tokyo (Kokubunji). This establishment was later reorganized to become the Radio Research Laboratory, Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, and it was here that he followed his distinguished career in ionospheric physics until his retirement in 1974.


Background Bioelectrical impedance analysis provides information on body composition and nutritional status. However, it's unclear whether the preoperative edema index or phase angle predicts postoperative complication or mortality in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Thus, we investigated whether preoperative bioelectrical impedance analysis could predict postoperative complications and survival in patients with HCC. Methods Seventy-nine patients who underwent hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma were prospectively enrolled and bioelectrical impedance analysis was performed before surgery. Postoperative ascites or acute kidney injury and patients' survival were monitored after surgery. Results Among 79 patients, 35 (44.3%) developed ascites or acute kidney injury after hepatectomy. In multivariate analysis, a high preoperative edema index (extracellular water/total body water) (>0.384) (odds ratio 3.96; 95% confidence interval: 1.03–15.17; P=0.045) and higher fluid infusion during surgery (odds ratio 1.36; 95% confidence interval: 1.04–1.79; P=0.026) were identified as significant risk factors for ascites or acute kidney injury after hepatectomy. Subgroup analyses showed that the edema index was a significant predictor of ascites or acute kidney injury in patients with cirrhosis. Tumor size was the only significant predictive factor for short-term survival after hepatectomy. Conclusions The preoperative edema index using bioelectrical impedance analysis can be used as a predictor of post-hepatectomy complication, especially in patients with liver cirrhosis.


Three porphyritic dacite plugs from the western Absaroka volcanic belt in northwestern Wyoming have been studied, and their petrography, chemistry, and ages are treated in terms of the regional igneous geology of the Absaroka volcanic field. The dacite from the northernmost plug studied, Bunsen Peak, is 47.6 ± 1.9 m.y. old, as dated by the fission-track method on apatite; the Birch Hills dacite is 40.5 ± 2.6 m.y. old, as dated by the fission-track method on apatite; and the dacite from the southernmost plug, Washakie Needles, is 38.8 ± 1.6 m.y. old, as dated by the fission-track method on sphene. It appears from the dates available that the oldest igneous activity in the Absaroka volcanic field occurred at the northwestern end about 53.5 m.y. ago. The activity migrated to the southeast, ending about 38.8 m.y. ago at the Washakie Needles. The Absaroka volcanic field has been subdivided into two belts. The western belt is composed of normal calc-alkalic igneous rocks, and the eastern belt is composed of potassium-rich rocks. When the available analyses of the province are treated in terms of the system quartz-plagioclase-orthoclase, it becomes apparent that the rocks of the two belts lie on two distinct differentiation trends. The trend for rocks of the western belt is best explained by fractional crystallization of plagioclase from an intermediate magma. The trend for rocks of the eastern belt is best explained by crystallization of both plagioclase and potassium feldspars. The mafic members of the eastern belt rocks are similar to shoshonitic rocks.


This book places modern mental health services in their historical context, describes the range of methods and programs used to provide such services, and emphasizes integration between service components and the use of multi-disciplinary teams. It provides an introduction to the basic knowledge underlying the practice of modern community psychiatry in epidemiology, administration, and mental health services research. Community psychiatry does not deal only with the interaction between a patient and a doctor, but with the system of services and interactions that is needed to treat a variety of patients and to provide long-term care, support and rehabilitation. Modern community psychiatry is pragmatic; it measures its success in cost effectiveness rather than by fidelity to any theoretical model. It stresses interdisciplinary teamwork and involvement of consumers. These lessons are now being applied in the private sector as better organised, managed systems of care are evolving.


By analyzing two landslides in the New Madrid seismic zone, we develop an approach for judging if a landslide or group of landslides of unknown origin was more likely to have formed as a result of earthquake shaking or in aseismic conditions. The two landslides analyzed are representative of two groups of land-slides that previous research on the geomorphology and regional distribution of landslides in this region indicates may have been triggered by the 1811-1812 New Madrid earthquakes. Slope-stability models of aseismic conditions show that neither landslide is likely to have formed aseismically even in unrealistically high ground-water conditions. Dynamic stability analysis using Newmark's method shows that both slides probably would have experienced large inertial displacements during earthquake shaking similar to that which occurred in 1811-1812; these displacements are large enough that catastrophic failure is highly probable. Thus, the stability analyses are consistent with other lines of evidence that these landslides formed as a result of strong earthquake shaking during the 1811-1812 earthquakes.

Our analysis yields a general relationship between Newmark landslide displacement, earthquake shaking intensity, and the critical acceleration of a landslide. Using this relationship, we estimate the minimum shaking intensities required to trigger the types of landslides studied: an mb = 5.8 or M = 5.9 earthquake is the lower bound threshold at zero epicentral distance that could trigger catastrophic movement of typical block slides in the New Madrid seismic zone; for earth flows, mb = 5.4 or M = 5.3 is the threshold earthquake.


ABSTRACT We used problematic integration theory to examine challenging conversations between the hospice inter-disciplinary group (IDG) and hospice patients/families. The research questions guiding the study were (1) What are the underlying reasons for IDG team members' PI experiences when they interact with patients and their caregivers?, and (2) how do IDG members communicatively negotiate problematic integration when interacting with patients and their caregivers? In-depth focus group interviews with four IDGs and two certified nurse assistant teams revealed IDG members seem to experience the PI forms of ambivalence and certainty. There are two underlying reasons for IDGs' PI experiences: value conflicts and process conflicts. IDG members try to negotiate PI via the theme of verbal dance, or the direct and indirect ways IDG members educated family and caregivers. This education process includes disclaimers, following the lead of the family, trust building and using personal life experiences. Problematic integration theory helps shed light on the communicative nature of interactional dilemmas IDG members experience and how they negotiate these dilemmas in order to effectively support and care for hospice patients.


Smoking initiation and cessation: the influence of education, parents and partners in an eventhistory analysis In this article, I study the influence of own education and parents' and partner's educational level and smoking behaviour on smoking initiation and cessation. Hypotheses are formulated about the influence of parents on smoking initiation and of partners on quitting smoking. These hypotheses are tested with unique retrospective longitudinal data for the general Dutch population. The analyses show that lower educated people are more likely to start smoking than higher educated people and that those with only primary education are less likely to quit smoking. Parents' education has no effect on the chance to start smoking, but parental smoking increases the likelihood of initiation. Partners appear to be important for cessation. Having a partner increases the chance of cessation among women compared to being single. Partner's smoking behaviour affects the chance to quit smoking for both men and women. Living with a smoker reduces the chance to stop smoking, whereas having a partner who has quit smoking increases the likelihood of cessation. This last effect wears off over time, but the negative effect of a smoking partner persists. Partner's education does not have a significant effect. Some of the effects changed over birth-cohorts.


The purpose of this note is to demonstrate that a unified study of quantization and delay effects in nonlinear control systems is possible by merging the quantized feedback control methodology recently developed by the author and the small-gain approach to the analysis of functional differential equations with disturbances proposed earlier by Teel. We prove that under the action of a robustly stabilizing feedback controller in the presence of quantization and time delays satisfying suitable conditions, solutions of the closed-loop system starting in a given region remain bounded and eventually enter a smaller region. We present several versions of this result and show how it enables global asymptotic stabilization via a dynamic quantization strategy.


Research regarding stress in the workplace and its potential impact upon forensic expert decision-making and wellbeing is scarce. In this study, 41 forensic examiners were surveyed about the sources of their stress, the support they receive, and the potential influence of stress on their decisions. Stress from managers, supervisors and case backlogs were identified as significant factors that contributed to stress in the workplace. Neither the type of case nor working in high-profile cases were reported to be major sources of stress. Crime scene examiners reported feeling higher levels of stress from personal reasons and from the nature of their cases than analytical examiners. Female examiners reported feeling more stressed than male examiners from both general stressors and workplace stressors. Examiners in the 11 – 15 years of experience group felt more pressure as a result of circumstances at work than examiners in the 7 – 10 years group. The level of management support was not associated with either the feelings of general stress or stress in the workplace. Examiners varied in their perceptions of whether stress affected their judgements: 39% felt that their judgments were influenced by stress, while 22% did not and 39% were unsure.


A comparison of various time domain numerical techniques to model material dispersion is presented. Methods that model the material dispersion via a convolution integral as well as those that use a differential equation representation are considered. We have shown how the convolution integral arising in the electromagnetic constitutive relation can be approximated by the trapezoidal rule of numerical integration and implemented using a newly derived one-time-step recursion relation. The superiority of the new method, in terms of accuracy and computer resources, over four previously published techniques is demonstrated on the problem of a transient electromagnetic plane wave propagating in a dispersive media. All of the methods considered are easily incorporated into 3-D codes where the requirement for efficiency is very important.


Abstract The article questions the assumption of Conditional Cash Transfer programmes that conditional school attendance – attendance depending on payments – will decrease future poverty. In fact, part of the literature conveys that school attendance should not be the main focus of policies. In the same line of thought, we argue that the priority is not students being at school, but improving the quality of education. Findings from a qualitative fieldwork study on the Argentinean CCT Programme Asignacion Universal por Hijo para Proteccion Social are used to reflect upon this issue. Teachers' views on the ability of education to help their students out of poverty underline the need of other types of investment, more related to enhancing quality in the Argentinean educational system.


This paper will communicate preliminary findings from applied research exploring how to ensure that serious games are cost effective and engaging components of future training solutions. The applied research is part of a multimillion pound program for the Department of Trade and Industry, and involves a partnership between UK industry and academia to determine how bespoke serious games should be used to best satisfy learning needs in a range of contexts. The main objective of this project is to produce a minimum of three serious games prototypes for clients from different sectors (e.g., military, medical and business) each prototype addressing a learning need or learning outcome that helps solve a priority business problem or fulfill a specific training need. This paper will describe a development process that aims to encompass learner specifics and targeted learning outcomes in order to ensure that the serious game is successful. A framework for describing game-based learning scenarios is introduced, and an approach to the analysis that effectively profiles the learner within the learner group with respect to game-based learning is outlined. The proposed solution also takes account of relevant findings from serious games research on particular learner groups that might support the selection and specification of a game. A case study on infection control will be used to show how this approach to the analysis is being applied for a healthcare issue.


We have sequenced the heavy and light chain genes from 365 IgG(+) B cells and found that 24 (6.5 %) contain somatically introduced insertions or deletions. These insertions and deletions are clustered at "hot-spots" in the antigen-binding site and frequently result in the creation of new combinations of canonical loop structures or entirely new loops that are not present in the human germline repertoire, but are similar to those seen in other species. Somatic insertion and deletion therefore provides a further mechanism for introducing structural diversity into antibodies in addition to somatic point mutation and receptor editing, which have small (single amino acid changes) and large (chain replacement) impacts on structural diversity, respectively.


A prospective, randomized, multicenter study of patients with oropharyngeal and pharyngolaryngeal tumors compared locoregional treatment alone with neoadjuvant chemotherapy with carboplatin/5-fluorouracil (5-FU) followed by locoregional treatment. The aim of the study was to evaluate the role of chemotherapy on survival and on the need for mutilating surgery. Since 1988, 219 patients (105 with oropharyngeal and 114 with pharyngolaryngeal tumors) have entered the study. All patients randomized to neoadjuvant chemotherapy received three cycles of carboplatin 400 mg/m2 day 1 and 5-FU 1 g/m2/d as a continuous infusion days 1 through 5 every 3 weeks. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was given to 108 patients. The 268 evaluable courses induced a low rate of grade 3 or 4 toxicity. Four patients (3.6%) died of major complications. The complete response (CR) rate was 31%, which represented a decrease in mutilating surgery of 30%. (Patients with CRs had radiotherapy alone instead of radiosurgical treatment as originally planned.) The objective response rate was 61%. Survival curves for the chemotherapy and chemotherapy-naive groups were not significantly different. The rate of nodal recurrence was significantly higher in the chemotherapy group, however, and chemotherapy did not decrease the rate of second primary tumors or distant metastases. Thus, the justification for neoadjuvant chemotherapy may be a decreased rate of mutilating surgery. These preliminary results are encouraging, but follow-up is as yet too short to allow definite conclusions.


In this paper we study the holomorphic Euler characteristics of determinant line bundles on moduli spaces of rank 2 semistable sheaves on an algebraic surface X, which can be viewed as K-theoretic versions of the Donaldson invariants. In particular if X is a smooth projective toric surface, we determine these invariants and their wallcrossing in terms of the K-theoretic version of the Nekrasov partition function (called 5-dimensional supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory compactified on a circle in the physics literature). Using the results of [43] we give an explicit generating function for the wallcrossing of these invariants in terms of elliptic functions and modular forms.


Purpose The dorsal bunion is a sagittal plane deformity of the first ray, characterized by dorsiflexion of the medial cuneiform and first metatarsal, plantar flexion of the hallux, and increased stiffness of the first metatarsal phalange joint (MTPJ). The purpose was to develop a cadaveric model of the dorsal bunion deformity using muscle imbalances and ligament attenuation. Methods The feet were dissected to expose the extrinsic muscle tendons. The plantar medial cuneiform-first metatarsal and Lis Francs ligaments were attenuated. Pins were placed into the bones of the foot, and Polhemus FastrakTM sensors were attached to measure positional information. A PedarTM insole measured plantar forces. The feet were then secured to a loading frame capable of manipulating the extrinsic tendons. Physiologic norms of ankle joint and MTPJ angles and muscle forces were established for four phases in the gait cycle (30%, 48%, 52%, and 62%). Data from the balanced condition were compared with data from the following conditions: condition 1, overpull of FHL; condition 2, overpull of TA and underpull of PL; condition 3, overpull of FHL and TA and underpull of PL. Results Condition 1 demonstrated increased plantar force under the hallux by 10.4 N (4.1 N), decreased plantar force under the head of the first metatarsal by −4.7 N (3.2 N), and a stiffness of 1.4 N/deg (1.9 N/deg). Condition 2 showed decreased force under the first metatarsal head by −7.1 N (3.7 N), plantar flexion of the hallux by 5° (4.5°). Condition 3 elicited increased force under the hallux by 6.3 N (5.5 N), decreased force under the first metatarsal head by −7.8 N (4.8 N), and an MTPJ stiffness of 1.2 N/deg (0.6 N/deg). Conclusions The different imbalances demonstrated changes in the first ray characteristics that are consistent with the dorsal bunion deformity, especially in condition 3.


To decrease the application dose of thiamethoxam (TMX) to control the pepper whitefly (Bemisia tabaci Q), the deposition, dissipation, metabolism, and field efficacy of TMX were investigated in a pepper (Capsicum annuum var. grossum)-planted ecosystem using eight types of nozzles at six concentrations (56.25, 41.25, 26.25, 21.0, 15.75, and 10.5 g a.i./hm2). The initial deposition amount of TMX in the pepper plant first increased and then decreased with increasing application dose. The optimum spray conditions of TMX were found to be a droplet size of 200 μm volume median diameter and a spray volume of 350 L/hm2. Moreover, three metabolites, TMX-dm, clothianidin (CLO), and C5H8O2N3SCl, were detected in the pepper-planted system. The dissipation rate of TMX in the pepper-field ecosystem was leaves > stems > fruits > roots > soils. The results revealed the deposition and fate of TMX in the pepper-field ecosystem, and the application dose could be reduced by 20% based on the minimum recommended dose for controlling pepper whitefly.


A mobile ad hoc network can be described as a wireless network which is a collection of heterogeneous mobile devices and is self-organizing, self-configuring. The security in MANET is a highly preferred research area these days because it is susceptible to various attacks like multiple black hole attack which we are discussing in this paper. A Multiple Black Hole Attack is a type of DOS attack which effects network load, packet end to end delay and network throughput. This paper investigates the study of AODV protocol under Multiple Black Hole Attack. This approach can be used to detect multiple black hole nodes present in an ad hoc network. The purpose of the designed algorithm is to avail stability in the network when it is under attack by multiple malicious nodes, maintaining a reasonable level of packet end to end delay, packet loss & throughput. It will also help in maintaining a secure passage to destination. In this algorithm we make use of the knowledge based learning & Bogus RREQ to validate each node in its path thereby providing a direct negotiation for secure route.


intermittent solid food dysphagia and blockage was admitted because of chest pain, pyrosis, and fever (38.3 8C). The only medication she was on at the time of our evaluation was the inhaler Salbuta− mol−sulfate, which she used as needed. Symptoms started a few hours after a food blockage episode. Physical examina− tion was normal, except for tachycardia (135 bpm). Laboratory results showed: leukocytosis (17300/mm3), 11.59 " 109 neutrophils, a high C−reactive protein (180 mg/l), and erythrocyte sedimenta− tion rate of 74 mm/h. Chest radiograph was normal. Chest com− puted tomography scan (l" Fig. 1 a) showed a retroesophageal perforation, with periesophageal fluid collection. Ini− tial treatment consisted of fasting, intra− venous antibiotics (ceftriaxone 1.5 g/d, metronidazole 300 mg t. i.d, gentamicin 90 mg/d), and proton pump inhibitor (30 mg/d), with good evolution. Upper endoscopy (l" Fig. 1 b) 2 months later showed an upper esophageal resistance to the tube passage without stenosis, and normal mucosa. Biopsies demonstrated very many intraepithelial eosinophil ag− gregates > 20 eos/HPF (l" Fig. 1 c). Eosinophilic esophagitis is characterized by esophageal and/or upper gastrointesti− nal tract symptoms in association with an esophageal mucosal biopsy containing 3 15 intraepithelial eos/HPF in one or more biopsy specimen, without patho− logic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) [1]. Eosinophilic esophagitis is a rare chronic inflammatory disease, with a varied clinical and endoscopic spec− trum. Some age−related differences were noted between symptoms in children and adults. In children, feeding refusal or intolerance, GERD−like symptoms, eme− sis, abdominal pain, dysphagia, food im− paction, chest pain, and diarrhea have been described [1]. In adults, intermittent dysphagia and food impaction are more common [1]. Transmural inflammation has been reported in eosinophilic esopha− gitis. It significantly increases the risk of perforation. Mucosal laceration and transmural perforation have been report− ed after endoscopy or dilation in eosino− philic esophagitis [2, 3]. Spontaneous esophageal perforation was recently reported in three adults, asso− ciated with eosinophilic esophagitis [2± 4]. Until now, no reports of this unusual association and presentation have been reported in children, extending the clini− cal spectrum of eosinophilic esophagitis in this population.


Chiral Ru-BsDPEN, (1R,2R)-N-p-benzenesulfonyl-1,2-diphenylethylenediamine, catalyst has been immobilized on a mesoporous molecular sieve of MCM-41 type successfully. A hybrid mesoporous molecular sieve was synthesized using a precursor bearing benzene group, which in organosilica were sulfonylated and reacted with (1R,2R)-l,2-diphenylethylenediamine and [RuC1E(p-cymene)]2 successively to afford immobilized catalyst. The Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area and Barrett-Joyner-Halenda (BJH) pore size decreased after immobilization of catalyst onto the mesoporous material. Enantioselective transfer hydrogenation of ketones catalyzed by immobilized catalyst showed the highest yield of 22.36% and e.e. value of 31.47% by using acetophenone as substrate when reaction time was 48 and 16 h respectively.


Abstract Most of the Real systems shows chaotic behavior when they approach complex states. Especially in physical and chemical systems these behaviors define the character of the system. The control of these chaotic behaviors is of very high practical importance and hence mathematical models of these chaotic systems proves vital in deciding the control structures. One such model of chemical reactors is the Willamowski–Rössler system (WR). In this paper we derive a fractional order sliding mode control scheme where the states of the WR system are driven back to the defined equilibrium points. We have also synchronized master and slave fractional order WR system using sliding mode control. As the entire control law is defined in fractional order, we derived a new methodology to prove the stability of the controller. The numerical simulation and analysis are achieved with LabVIEW.


Accurate representation of fire emissions and smoke transport is crucial for current and future wildfire-smoke projections. We present a flexible modeling framework for emissions sourced from the First Street Foundation Wildfire Model (FSF-WFM) to provide a national map for near-surface smoke conditions exceeding the threshold for unhealthy concentrations of particulate matter at or less than 2.5 µm, or PM2.5. Smoke yield from simulated fires is converted to emissions transported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's HYSPLIT model. We present a strategy for sampling from a simulation of ~65 million individual fires, to depict the occurrence of "unhealthy smoke days" defined as 24-h average PM2.5 concentration greater than 35.4 µg/m3 from HYSPLIT. The comparison with historical smoke simulations finds reasonable agreement using only a small subset of simulated fires. The total amount of PM2.5 mass-released threshold of 1015 µg was found to be effective for simulating the occurrence of unhealthy days without significant computational burden.


Background. Women with high risk for breast cancer due to family history are offered genetic counseling and surveillance. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to characterize women at an oncogenetic counseling clinic in terms of socioeconomic status (SES) and health related quality of life (HRQOL) and to compare data with population based figures. Material and methods. All healthy women who had ever visited the Oncogenetic clinic, Department of Oncology, Sodersjukhuset, 1998–2004 were eligible. A total of 306 women consented to participate (82.5%). SES data were compared with official data for all women (n=277 783), in the same age, living in the same geographical area at the time the study was performed. HRQOL data (SF-36) were compared with Swedish normative data. Results. Significantly more women in the study group were cohabiting (74.2 vs. 43.8%), had the highest education level, (56.7 vs. 39.6%) and had the highest household income (36.9 vs. 12.9%) as compared to the reference population in the same catchment area. Study subjects report significant lower levels of HRQOL for subscales related to mental health and for general health compared to normative data, but similar levels on HRQOL subscales related to physical health. Discussion. Attendees at the oncogenetic clinic appears to have higher socioeconomic status and lower quality of life as compared to women living in the same area, although the genetic predisposition for breast cancer is considered to be evenly distributed in the population. Thus, efforts to reach women in lower socioeconomic groups should be elaborated.


Rapeseed-mustard crops in India comprise traditionally grown indigenous species, namely toria (Brassica campestris L. var. toria), brown sarson (Brassica campestris L. var. brown sarson), yellow sarson (Brassica campestris L. var. yellow sarson), Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L. Czern and Coss.), black mustard (Brassica nigra) and taramira (Eruca sativa/ vesicaria Mill.), which have been grown since about 3,500 BC along with non-traditional species like gobhi sarson (Brassica napus L.) and Ethiopian mustard or karan rai (Brassica carinata A. Braun).


Using microiontophoresis on unanesthetized head-restrained cats, we have found two distinct groups of neurones exhibiting tonic discharge specific to paradoxical sleep (PS) (PS-on neurones) in the mesopontine tegmentum, which contains both cholinergic and non-cholinergic neurones. One group is characterized by a broad action potential, slow conduction velocity and an inhibitory response to a potent cholinergic agonist, carbachol, applied iontophoretically during PS. The other is characterized by a short action potential, fast conduction velocity and an excitatory response to applied carbachol. All PS-on neurones were excited by glutamate. The present findings demonstrate the existence of two types of PS-on neurones and suggest their cholinergic and noncholinergic neurochemical properties.


Crizotinib is used for the treatment of advanced anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)‐rearranged nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Sinus bradycardia (SB) is a side effect listed in its package insert. We investigated the frequency and timing of SB, patient characteristics associated with SB during crizotinib treatment, and potential correlation between heart rate (HR) changes and clinical response to crizotinib.


Presettlement land surveys have been used throughout North America to reconstruct forest characteristics prior to major Euro-American settlement. The bearing tree record derived from these surveys is an example of a distance-based ecological inventory lacking strict selection rules. Such inventories pose a problem of potential selection bias if the nearest individuals are not always selected. The possibility of bias presents a major impediment to compositional analysis from bearing tree proportions. This article presents a modification to distance-based tests and correction formulas that utilize the corner-to-tree distances recorded in the General Land Office (GLO) and similar surveys. The proposed modification consists of replacing absolute with relative corner-to-tree distances to remove the effects of density variation. Monte Carlo simulation is conducted to assess the validity, power and effectiveness of the modified test and correction formula. The modified test is found to be robust in most forests that vary in density and aggregation pattern, but exhibits some statistical bias when density and composition vary simultaneously at local scales. The correction formulas accurately reflect the direction of surveyor bias, and adjusted estimates are consistently closer to the true values than unadjusted estimates. Based on a range of simulation results, upper bound limits on the effects of selection bias can be estimated. Application to the GLO bearing tree records for the state of Minnesota indicates that Minnesota surveyors favored Pinus resinosa, P. strobus and Quercus spp. and avoided five taxa including Salix spp. and Alnus spp. The magnitude of bias appears to be small, however, with an estimated upper bound of 5–6% dissimilarity between biased and unbiased bearing tree selection, some of which may be explained by size differences among taxa.


The atmospheric parameters and iron abundance of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) spectrophotometric standard star BD +17 4708 are critically examined using up-to-date Kurucz model atmospheres, LTE line formation calculations, and reliable atomic data. We find $T_{{\rm eff}}=6141$  ± 50 K, $\log g=3.87$  ± 0.08, and ${\rm [Fe/H]}=-1.74$  ± 0.09. The line-of-sight interstellar reddening, bolometric flux, limb-darkened angular diameter, stellar mass, and the abundances of Mg, Si, and Ca are also obtained: $E(B-V)=0.010$  ± 0.003, $f_{{\rm bol}}=(4.89\pm0.10)$ $\times$ 10 -9  erg cm -2  s -1 , $\theta=0.1016$  ± 0.0023 mas, $M=0.91$  ± $0.06~M_\odot$, ${\rm [Mg/Fe]}=0.40$  ± 0.10, ${\rm [Si/Fe]}=0.35$  ± 0.11, ${\rm [Ca/Fe]}=0.36$  ± 0.11. This star is a unique example of a moderately metal-poor star for which the effective temperature ($T_{{\rm eff}}$) can be accurately constrained from the observed spectral energy distribution (corrected for reddening). Such analysis leads to a value that is higher than most spectroscopic results previously reported in the literature (~5950 K). Interstellar reddening was estimated using various prescriptions, including an analysis of interstellar lines. The surface gravity of the star was inferred from the fitting of the wings of the $\ion{Mg}{i}$  b  lines. We used transition probabilities measured in the laboratory and reliable damping constants for unblended Fe lines to derive the iron abundance using both $\ion{Fe}{i}$ and $\ion{Fe}{ii}$ lines. We find that the ionization balance of Fe lines is satisfied only if a low $T_{{\rm eff}}$ (~5950 K) is adopted. The mean iron abundance we obtain from the $\ion{Fe}{ii}$ lines corresponds to $A_{\rm Fe}=5.77$  ± 0.09 (${\rm [Fe/H]}=-1.74$ for our derived $A_{{\rm Fe},\odot}=7.51$) while that from the $\ion{Fe}{i}$ lines is $A_{\rm Fe}=5.92$  ± 0.11, and therefore with our preferred $T_{{\rm eff}}$ (6141 K), the discrepancy between the mean iron abundance from $\ion{Fe}{i}$ and $\ion{Fe}{ii}$ lines cannot be explained by overionization by UV photons as the main non-LTE effect. Interestingly, the $\ion{Fe}{i}$ excitation balance is satisfied with a $T_{{\rm eff}}$ only slightly warmer than our preferred solution and not with the lower value of 5950 K. We also comment on non-LTE effects and the importance of inelastic collisions with neutral H atoms in the determination of oxygen abundances in metal-poor stars from the 7774 A $\ion{O}{i}$ triplet.


Computer based learning and laboratory-based learning are widely used nowadays mainly for teaching and learning of both teacher and students especially in teaching electrical circuits. This paper aims to review computer-based learning and laboratory-based learning, specifically other forms of CBL and LBL and how these methods are integrated in teaching and learning electrical circuits, and its advantages and disadvantages. In conducting this literature review, the researchers adapted the PRISMA method in which various journal articles are screened through different stages. Criterion was imposed to guide the researchers in the inclusion and exclusion process. It was found out that there are other forms of computer-based learning (CBL) such as the Java-based virtual laboratory and Grid computing laboratory. Also, integrating computer-based learning and laboratory-based learning would build a workable environment that helped in motivating students in exploring electrical circuits. There are various advantages of computer-based learning such as time saving and easy access to laboratory manuals. On the other hand, advantages of laboratory-based learning include the positive impact of interaction, group discussion, and collaboration that was delimited by the computer-based learning.


This note contains a simple example which does clearly indicate the differences in the Henstock-Kurzweil, McShane and strong McShane integrals for Banach space valued functions.


Abstract – E a r ly childhood education is a level of basic education  which  is  an educational effort aimed at children aged two years to six years, which is carried out through the provision of education to help growth, physical and spiritual development so that children have readiness to enter further education. Education is provided on the track formal, nonformal and informal. T his research will make actionscript based education applications. In making this application, observation or direct observation is needed to find out how far the children receive the material given by the teacher in the classroomand what obstacles affect children's concentration in the problem. So that the application can match what is needed. Adobe Flash player is software that functions to run various kinds of multimedia files created in the Adobe Flash platform. This application was originally available for a variety of computer or mobile operating systems, including Adobe Flash Player for Android. R esults of research produces educational  applications,as  a  means  to support the children's interest in learning outside of  school, at home. So that children do not miss the material given by  the  teacher  in  the  classroom. And material can be quickly accepted by children . Keywords : Learning Media, Letters and Numbers, Actionscrip


Can the recent decline in union density in Europe be attributed to specific economic, social or institutional causes? Can unions influence these causes and reverse decline? Using two data sources — a representative survey of Dutch employees and a data set for European countries between 1950 and 1997 — the author examines the determinants of union decline. The theoretical model is based on a social custom approach to unionization, integrating rational choice and social network theory. The empirical results show improbable small margins of union resurgence, that is, if institutional support for union representation can be maintained or regained within and beyond workplaces.


This is a work of 11 self-contained chapters, one for each day of September before the attack on the World Trade Center in New York, each containing one woman's story. The chapters reflect the broadest spectrum of women in order to reflect, by their differences, the worlds they inhabited and how the attack on 11 September affected their lives. Despite national and international policies aimed at securing equality for women, the sad fact is that throughout the world women have achieved at best an uneven and insecure equality, and in the case of Afghanistan no equality at all. With a new political and social order promised in Afghanistan, dare we hope that the situation will improve? Christopher Hilton has interviewed 11 very different women, some from the West, some from Afghanistan, to find out what the lives of women involved in the dramatic events of 11 September 2001 were like and how the attack changed their lives. In the stories that emerge we hear the voices of women whose ordinary loves were suddenly changed and who became actors in some of the most far-reaching events of the modern world.


assessed using the Fatigue Impact and Severity Self-Assessment (FISSA) scale1. The FISSA was created to identify individuals who are experiencing fatigue related to CP. Physical activity levels were objectively measured using an Actigraph GT3X accelerometer located at the hip level. A minimum criterion alpha level of p ≤ 0.05 was used to determine statistical significance. Results: Univariate regression analysis revealed a significant relationship between physical fatigue and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) level/hour (b = 0.315, p = 0.045), physical fatigue and body mass index (BMI) (b = 0.477, p = 0.002), and physical fatigue and age (b = 0.361, p = 0.02). There was no significant relationship between physical fatigue and GMFCS grouping. A backwards multiple regression model revealed that BMI was the strongest independent predictor of physical fatigue (b = 0.445, p = 0.03). Conclusions/Significance: A distinct relationship exists between physical fatigue and physical activity levels in adults with CP such that those with higher MVPA/hour levels experience less physical fatigue. However, BMI was the strongest independent predictor of physical fatigue in this cohort. These findings have great implications for future research and treatment in aging adults with CP, as increasing MVPA levels and reducing BMI may prevent deteriorations in gross motor function that have previously been attributed to fatigue and exhaustion. 1Brunton, Laura K., "Measuring Fatigue In Adolescents And Young Adults With Cerebral Palsy" (2014). University of Western Ontario Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository. Paper 2133. http://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd/2133."


A 59-year-old man was referred for evaluation of nephrotic syndrome. The patient was diagnosed to have rheumatoid arthritis and had been treated for 10 years. Renal biopsy showed mesangial proliferation with small nodular formations, which were determined as fibrillary deposits (average diameter: 20 nm) by electromicroscopy. Congo-red stain was negative. The laboratory findings revealed hypocomplementemia and lambda type of Bence-Jones protein in urine without other systemic diseases including multiple myeloma. Immunosuppressive therapy did not attenuate the nephrotic-range proteinuria. Such a case of fibrillary glomerulonephritis with hypocomplementemia is rare.


Energy efficient Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) is the key to satisfying the future bandwidth requirements of datacentres. As the silicon photonics platform is regarded the only technology able to meet the required power and cost efficiency levels, the development of silicon photonics compatible narrow linewidth lasers is now crucial. We discuss the requirements for such laser systems and report the experimental demonstration of an external-cavity hybrid lasers consisting of a III-V Semiconductor Optical Amplifier and Photonic Crystal (PhC) based resonant reflector.


Video text provides important semantic information in video content analysis. However, video text with complex background has a poor recognition performance for OCR. Most of the previous approaches to extracting overlay text from videos are based on traditional binarization and give little attention on multi-information integration, especially fusing the background information. This paper presents an effective method to precisely extract characters from videos to enable it for OCR with a good recognition performance. The proposed method combines multi-information together including background information, edge information, and character's spatial information. Experimental results show that it is robust to complex background and various text appearances.


Have you ever felt nervous, inappropriate, insecure or worried when trying to communicate in a foreign language? Have you ever feared to make mistakes, being negatively judged or misunderstood when talking to foreigners? Do you know someone who has experienced those situations? If yes, please, keep on reading. All these negative feelings are common in many and diverse situations when using a foreign language. They are the result of experiencing Foreign Language Anxiety (FLA) a situational, dysphoric and debilitating anxiety coined by Horwitz, Horwitz and Cope in 1986. Nowadays, multiculturalism and multilingualism are part of our daily lives as well as communication in a foreign language and with foreigners. Hence, FLA is not a problem restricted to foreign language learning scenarios anymore. This innovative session aims to inform and raise awareness of FLA presence and effects in professional and educational contexts, beyond FL classrooms and learning settings.


Summary Chimpanzees are among the few mammals that engage in lethal coalitionary aggression between groups. Most attacks on neighbors occur when parties made up mostly of adult males patrol boundaries of their community' s range. Patrols have time, energy, and opportunity costs, and entail some risks despite the tendency of males to attack only when they greatly outnumber their targets. These factors may lead to a collective action problem. Potential benee ts include protection of community members, particularly infants; range expansion and increases in the amount and quality of food available; and incorporation of more females into the community. Males may not share these equally; for example, those able to obtain


Cold Vapor Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (CVAAS) was used to detect potential mercury contamination in sixteen natural waterways in Berks County, Pennsylvania. Four samples were collected from each site in mercury-free Nalgene containers. After collection, the samples were brought back to the lab, acidified, and refrigerated until analysis could proceed. For analysis, each sample was prepared by adding various reagents and by digesting each in a 95°C water bath for approximately two hours. The digested samples were analyzed using tin (II) chloride and the maximum absorbance of each sample was recorded. Calibration curves were developed using serial dilutions of the mercury standard; these curves allowed for calculation of detection limits for mercury and were also used to calculate the mercury concentration in the samples if any was present. The results showed that none of the waterways tested had significant amounts of mercury present.


The purpose of this research is to study the relationship between the principal's leadership behavior and job satisfaction among teachers. This study adopted the Path Goal Theory by House (1974) to study the leadership behavior and Maslow Need Theory (1954) to study job satisfaction. The studied leadership behaviors are directive, supportive, participative and achievement- oriented, while job satisfaction refers to physiological need, security, social need, self-esteem and self-actualization. This research involved 254 respondents from eight A secondary schools in Kubang Pasu district. Questionaires containing 35 question on leadership
behavior and 50 question on job satisfaction were distributed. The data obtained was analysed using the descriptive statistical method to determine the frequency,
percentage, mean and standard deviation and the inference statistical method which includes t-test, one-way Anova and Pearson correlation. The findings show that the most dominant leadership behavior is achievement-oriented, while directive behavior is the least practised by the
principals. Besides that, the findings also reveal that there is a significant difference on analysis made by man and woman teachers regarding supportive leadership behavior of the principal. In addition, it is also found that the analysis made by graduate and non-graduate teachers on directive, supportive and achievement-oriented leadership is different. As from the aspect of teaching
experience, it is found that there is a significant difference in the principal's leadership behavior based on the teacher's teaching experience. The findings on job satisfaction reveal that the satisfaction on physiological need is higher while the other needs in Maslow Theory are
moderate. Besides that, there is no significant difference on job satisfaction based on gender. Job satisfaction based on the category of service is significant in the aspect of physiological need. The findings also show that physiological need, security and self-esteem vary according to teachers' teaching experiences. Finally, the research also suggests that there is a correlation between the principal's leadership behavior and job satisfaction among teachers.


Vibration problems are still the major constraint in modern machining processes that seek higher material removal rate, shorter process time, longer tool life and better product quality. Depending on the process, the weaker structure element can be the tool/tool holder, workpiece/fixture or both. When the tool/tool holder is the main source of vibration, the stability limit is determined in most cases by the ratio of length-to-diameter. Regenerative chatter is the most significant dynamic phenomenon generated through the interaction between machine tool and machining process. As a rule of thumb, the ratio between the tool's overhang length and the tool's diameter shouldn't exceed 4 to maintain a stable machining process while using a conventional machining tool. While a longer tool overhang is needed for specific machining operations, vibration damping solutions are required to ensure a stable machining process. Vibration damping solutions include both active and passive damping solutions. In the passive damping solutions, damping medium such as viscoelastic material is used to transform the vibration strain energy into heat and thereby reduce vibration amplitude. For a typical cantilever tool, the highest oscillation displacement is near the anti-node regions of a vibration mode and the highest oscillation strain energy is concentrated at the node of a vibration mode. Viscoelastic materials have been successfully applied in these regions to exhibit their damping property. The node region of the 1st bending mode is at the joint interfaces where the cantilever tools are clamped. In this thesis, the general method that can be used to measure and characterize the joint interface stiffness and damping properties is developed and improved, joint interfaces' importance at optimizing the dynamic stiffness of the joint interface is studied, and a novel advancing material that is designed to possess both high young's modulus and high damping property is introduced. In the joint interface characterization model, a method that can measure the joint interface's stiffness and damping over the full frequency range with only the assembled structure is presented. With the influence of a joint interface's normal pressure on its stiffness and damping, an optimized joint interface normal pressure is selected for delivering a stable machining process against chatter with a boring bar setting at 6.5 times overhang length to diameter ratio in an internal turning process. The novel advancing material utilizes the carbon nano particles mixed in a metal matrix, and it can deliver both high damping property and high elastic stiffness to the mechanical structure.


Diabetes is a category of metabolic illnesses defined by a persistently high blood sugar level. This complication is caused by either the pancreas failing to create enough insulin or the body's cells failing to respond correctly to the insulin produced. Diabetes, if left untreated, can lead to a slew of health issues. Diabetic ketoacidosis, hyperosmolar hyperglycemia, and mortality are all examples of acute complications. There are numerous serious long-term consequences, including chronic renal disease, foot ulcers, as well as nerve and eye damage. This study aimed to extract carbonic anhydrase (CA) from human red blood cells and estimate the activity and specific activity of the enzyme and some biochemical parameters, including total protein, albumin, globulin, free amino acids, free amino acids/total protein (TP), thiol, thiol/TP, as well as carbonyl and carbonyl/TP levels in patients with diabetes complications, compared to the healthy subjects; moreover, it was attempted to investigate the correlation among the aforementioned variables. This study included 60 blood samples obtained from patients with diabetes complications and 40 healthy individuals as control. The results revealed a significant (P≤0.05) decrease in the TP levels, while the CA activity and specific activity were significantly (P≤0.05) increased. Moreover, there was a non-significant (P≥0.05) increase in the free amino levels; however, a significant (P≤0.05) increase was observed in albumin, free amino/TP, thiol, thiol/TP, as well as carbonyl and carbonyl/TP levels. On the other hand, a significant (P≤0.05) decrease was found in the levels of globulin and albumin/globulin ratio (AGR) in the patients, compared to the healthy subjects. The results also indicated a significant (P≤0.05) difference in all cases of diabetes mellitus (DM) complications for the measured parameters, except for the TP in DM nephropathy, albumin in cardiovascular disease, free amino in neuropathy and cardiovascular disease, and free amino/TP in retinopathy that showed a clear non-significant (P≥0.05) difference in the patients' groups, compared to the healthy subjects. The results of correlation indicated a significant (P≤0.05) positive correlation among free amino/TP, free amino/carbonyl, globulin/TP, and AGR/albumin. However, a significant negative correlation was noted between globulin/albumin and AGR/globulin. The results revealed that the protein oxidation markers and CA as antioxidant markers may play a role in monitoring diabetes complications.


Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the dynamics between banking penetration, infrastructure development and regional growth within a multivariate framework in 23 Indian states over the period 2000-2012.

Design/methodology/approach

The study employs the multivariate panel data framework to analyze the dynamics between banking penetration, infrastructure development and regional growth within the vector error correction model (VECM) framework.

Findings

The findings confirm the long-run equilibrium relationship between banking penetration, infrastructure and income for the panel. Long-run income elasticity of infrastructure, estimated using Panel dynamic ordinary least square, is positive, statistically significant and has a value of 0.1531. Further, results show bidirectional causality between income and aggregate infrastructure and unidirectional causality running from banking penetration to income and aggregate infrastructure in the long run. However, there is unidirectional causality running from income to banking penetration and aggregate infrastructure and from banking penetration to aggregate infrastructure in the short run.

Research limitations/implications

The study mainly concentrates on the 2000-2012 period and includes transportation (roadways and railways), energy (including electricity) and telecommunication as indicators for infrastructure, as the data for these sectors are easily available at the state level. Second, this study employs the panel data technique as it has a shorter data count.

Practical implications

In order to minimize the existing regional disparity in a developing India, national infrastructure policies should be aimed toward improving the overall access to as well as the quality of infrastructure (existing as well as newly planned). Further, widening the banking outreach at the bottom level may further help the economy as well as the infrastructure sector in mobilizing long-term finances for productive investments, in order to have a balanced, more inclusive and faster growth in the long run.

Originality/value

The study employs panel unit root, cointegration and Granger causality tests within the panel VECM framework to explore the dynamics among the system variables. Further, the study creates a composite index of infrastructure with principle component analysis.


We report our experience (1987-1993) with Meniere's disease patients treated with a retrolabyrinthine vestibular neurectomy. The current literature was reviewed and our results have been compared with those of previous reports. The overall success rate for vertigo relief was 96.7%, with no serious or permanent complications resulting from the procedure. The technical elements of the operation, as they apply to our approach and those of others, have been analyzed, with special attention given to the anatomical features of the region and their influence on success or failure. We conclude that the retrolabyrinthine approach for vestibular nerve section remains a safe and highly successful technique which merits continued use.


The conformations of enzyme inhibitors in solution and bound to the enzyme thermolysin are investigated as a convenient model for understanding the relationship between the conformation of drugs in solution and at the receptor. The solution conformations of carbobenzoxy-L-phenylalanine (I) and beta-phenylpropionyl-L-phenylalanine (II) are determined using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. These studies show that I and II have essentially the same conformation about both the alpha-beta bond and the C alpha-N bond in Me2SO-d6, acetone-d6, methanol-d4, chloroform-d, and D2O. In addition, the conformations of I and II are similar to phenylalanine and other phenylalanine derivatives. Comparison of the lowest energy solution conformer to that bound by the enzyme thermolysin shows that the lowest energy conformer (in solution) of carbobenzoxy-L-phenylalanine is bound by thermolysin; on the other hand, it is the highest energy conformer (in solution) of beta-phenylpropionyl-L-phenylalanine which is bound to the enzyme. This, to our knowledge, is one of the first experimental conformations of the hypothesis that an enzyme does not always bind the lowest energy conformer of an inhibitor.


Transvaginal ultrasonography has an important role in assessing the endometrium. With 2DUS, a single measurement of endometrial thickness in the sagittal plane is widely used in assisted reproductive technology and in pregnancy prediction. Endometrial volume, measured with 3DUS, has been studied as a potentially more accurate parameter. The endometrial pattern was related to the likelihood of implantation. This pattern correlated in a positive fashion with subsequent implantation. 3D ultrasound and 3D power Doppler parameters have been applied to assisted reproductive techniques as outcome predictors, although studies are still scarce, they show very promising results.


The International Conference on Cognitive Modeling brings together researchers from around the world whose main goal is to build computational systems that reflect the internal processes of the mind. In this issue, we present the four best representative papers on this work from our 18th meeting, ICCM 2020, which was also the first meeting to be held virtually. Two of these papers develop novel techniques for building larger and more complex models using Reinforcement Learning and Learning By Instruction, respectively. The other two show how cognitive models connect to neuroscience, drawing on details of the hippocampus and cerebellum to constrain and explain the cognitive processes involved in memory and conditioning.


We use both an HI-selected and an optically-selected galaxy sample to directly measure the abundance of galaxies as a function of their "baryonic" mass (stars + atomic gas). Stellar masses are calculated based on optical data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and atomic gas masses are calculated using atomic hydrogen (HI) emission line data from the Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA (ALFALFA) survey. By using the technique of abundance matching, we combine the measured baryonic function (BMF) of galaxies with the dark matter halo mass function in a ΛCDM universe, in order to determine the galactic baryon fraction as a function of host halo mass. We find that the baryon fraction of lowmass halos is much smaller than the cosmic value, even when atomic gas is taken into account. We find that the galactic baryon deficit increases monotonically with decreasing halo mass, in contrast with previous studies which suggested an approximately constant baryon fraction at the low-mass end. We argue that the observed baryon fractions of low mass halos cannot be explained by reionization heating alone, and that additional feedback mechanisms (e.g. supernova blowout) must be invoked. However, the outflow rates needed to reproduce our result are not easily accommodated in the standard picture of galaxy formation in a ΛCDM universe.


This book grows out of a dissertation, and is based on extensive fieldwork, conducted periodically from 2001 to 2005 in several cities in Indonesia. As its title indicates, Van Heeren's account explores a variety of practices in contemporary Indonesian cinema, in which the legacy of the New Order's film policies and practices interferes with the spirit of the Reformation era. Exploring issues through the lens of cinematic practices, the author exposes elements of the struggle of Indonesian society to define its collective identity and social reality after the fall of the dictator Soeharto. Organized in three parts (plus an introduction and conclusion), each section consists of two chapters. The first part focuses on mediation practices, such as production, distribution, and exhibition, during and after the New Order period. In the first chapter, Van Heeren sketches the extent to which these practices were subject to the New Order's national and transnational politics of representation and imagination—what images and representations of Indonesian reality viewers were to be allowed to see. Pre-censorship, film format, film festival policies, and what she calls the 'cursive practices' (praktik miring) of films determined how or whether films were produced, promoted and distributed; films were expected to propagate and represent New Order values, state politics, and an idealized image of the Indonesian nation (p. 49). In the second chapter, she analyses how New Order film mediation practices both changed and continued after the fall of Soeharto. As she examines new, alternative genres and channels for distribution and exhibition, Van Heeren argues that, while new media technologies and changes on the political scene have led to the rise of sidestream film production and distribution channels, the New Order legacy has not entirely disappeared. Furthermore, these alternative practices are very much connected with the discourse of the Third World Cinema, and reflect the tension between the dominant power of the New Order and transnational, over against local culture and identity (p. 77). In the second part of the book, Van Heeren looks at what she calls 'modes of engagement', or at the ways particular generic features, narrative styles, and conventions of Indonesian cinema are used as part of the discourse about history and events in Indonesian society. Chapter three discusses


In clause the attention to the question on participation of municipalities in innovative updating the country is brought, necessity of creation of new poles of the innovative development which are based at a municipal level shows, directions of support of innovative business, including small and average are offered.


More than 250 W of peak output power (pulse width 64 mus, duty cycle 7%) is achieved with newly developed X-band solid-state power amplifier. The final stage of the SSPA consists of four 80 W class GaN power HEMTs and a low loss 4-way combiner. Compared with the conventional klystron tubes, our newly developed SSPAs are smaller, more reliable and require less amounts of occupied frequency bandwidth.


Health is a complex, resource-intensive domain where technologies raise important questions about value and values. AI-enabled technologies in particular show immense potential to shape both individual health care encounters and the broader organizational arrangements which comprise our health care systems. As such, it is important to engage critically with how these technologies might impact upon health care goals and functions, including privacy, clinical decision making, or health system resource allocation. One set of approaches to considering the role of values in the development of new technologies is design ethics. Design ethics is an applied ethics which aims to understand and identify ethical dilemmas arising through and from design. One of the main advantages of design-based approaches is the 'front-loading' of ethics – or going beyond ethical applications, uses, and impacts of technologies, to the 'constructive' incorporation of ethical considerations early in design and development phases. At the same time, debate remains about how exactly ethics ought to be incorporated into the design process, and who should be responsible for it. This submission represents the culmination of a recent 6-month research project conducted as part of the scholars program in AI ethics and health at the University of Toronto's Joint Centre for Bioethics. It will present a typology of 'ethics by design' approaches based on normative and descriptive claims, and will conclude with recommendations for future research and practice, including how these approaches may assist in the realization of fair, transparent, and inclusive AI for health, with implications for health system actors and society more broadly.


The Optimal Optical Coronagraph (OOC) Workshop held at the Lorentz Center in September 2017 in Leiden, the Netherlands, gathered a diverse group of 25 researchers working on exoplanet instrumentation to stimulate the emergence and sharing of new ideas. In this second installment of a series of three papers summarizing the outcomes of the OOC workshop, we present an overview of common path wavefront sensing/control and Coherent Differential Imaging techniques, highlight the latest results, and expose their relative strengths and weaknesses. We layout critical milestones for the field with the aim of enhancing future ground/space based high contrast imaging platforms. Techniques like these will help to bridge the daunting contrast gap required to image a terrestrial planet in the zone where it can retain liquid water, in reflected light around a G type star from space.


Cellular Ca 2 (cid:1) signaling underlies diverse vital biological pro-cesses, including muscle contractility, memory encoding, fertilization, cell survival, and cell death. Despite extensive studies, the fundamental control mechanisms that regulate intracellular Ca 2 (cid:1) movement remain enigmatic. We have found recently that activation of the (Na (cid:1) (cid:1) K (cid:1) )-ATPase markedly potentiates intracellular Ca 2 (cid:1) transients and contractility of rat heart cells. Little is known about the pathway responsible for the activation of the (Na (cid:1) (cid:1) K (cid:1) )-ATPase-initi-ated Ca 2 (cid:1) signaling. Here, we demonstrate a novel mechanism in which activation of the (Na (cid:1) (cid:1) K (cid:1) )-ATPase is coupled to increased L-type Ca 2 (cid:1) channel function through a signaling cascade involving Src and ERK1/2 but not well estab- lished regulators of the channel, such as adrenergic receptor system or activation of PKA or CaMKII. We have also iden- tified Ser 1928 , a phosphorylation site for the (cid:1) 1 subunit of the L-type Ca 2 (cid:1) channel that may participate in the activation of the (Na (cid:1) (cid:1) K (cid:1) )-ATPase-mediated Ca 2 (cid:1) signaling. The findings reported here uncover a novel molecular cross-talk between activation of the (Na (cid:1) (cid:1) K (cid:1) )-ATPase and L-type Ca 2 (cid:1) channel and provide new insights into Ca 2 (cid:1) signaling mechanisms for deeper understanding of the nature of cel- lular Ca 2 (cid:1) handling in heart. adrenergic protein SSA412 Antibody and Western Blot Analysis. Polyclonal antibody SSA412 specifically recognizes the extracellular D–R region of the (cid:1) -subunit of NKA. Western blotting experiments performed to determine whether SSA412 interacts with LTCC or stimulates Src and Erk1/2 activity. Rat heart cell lysates SSA412 immunoprecipitates


Abstract Background Antibiotic stewardship is key to minimizing antibiotic resistance. To assist antibiotic stewards in dissecting population-level antibiotic use patterns, our study group developed a dashboard that displays consolidated patterns, supports data exploration, and compares facility-level antibiotic use to others. We report fuzzy set qualitative comparative analyses (QCA) of interviews designed to elicit user experiences to uncover different combinations of causal conditions supporting dashboard use. Methods Dashboards were iteratively designed based upon longitudinal feedback from stewards. Views include antibiotic use stratified by diagnoses and duration of therapy. Eight VAMCs, each with 0.5 to 2.0 FTE stewards, used the dashboard. One to 2 stewards from each site were interviewed using a structured script that focused on: 1) structure (i.e., program FTE) and functions of the local stewardship program; 2) critical incident or usage story; and 3) perceived knowledge and efficacy. Results Qualitative codes were developed from the interviews and were scaled in a fuzzy logic framework (i.e., between 0 and 1) to reflect the degree to which the qualitative theme was present in the stewardship program at participating clinical sites. The scaling was assigned using prior knowledge external to the data. The most parsimonious QCA solution identified just the absence of program structure (program FTE) a sufficient causal configuration to the frequency of dashboard use (coverage = 0.612, consistency = 0.813). Intermediate solutions added stewardship activities, dashboard self-efficacy, and trust in the data (coverage = 0.502, consistency = 0.952) as sufficient conditions. The coverage for both solutions exceeded 0.75, which was the lower bound of acceptability. Conclusion The dashboard may be successfully integrated into institutions based on the complicated interplay between program structure (e.g., # FTE) and dashboard self-efficacy, experience with data-activities, and trust of population data. Incorporating user-centered design of dashboards supports the development of fully functional teams and has the potential for important population health impact. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.


Objectives Positive autoantibody (AAB) titres are commonly encountered in autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) and in a proportion of drug-induced liver injury (DILI) patients. The underlying mechanism for selective AAB occurrence in DILI is unknown, but could be associated with variations in immune-associated genes. Hence, we aimed to analyse human leucocyte antigen (HLA) allele compositions in DILI with positive (+) and negative (−) AAB titres and in AIH patients. Methods High-resolution genotyping of HLA class I (A, B, C) and II (DRB1, DQB1) loci was performed on 207 DILI and 50 idiopathic AIH patients and compared with 885 healthy Spanish controls. Results Compared with controls, HLA-B*08:01 [44 vs. 9.7%, P=3.7E−13/corrected P-value (Pc)=1.0E−11], C*07:01 (46 vs. 24%, P=6.4E−04/Pc=0.012), DRB1*03:01 (58 vs. 21.5%, P=5.0E−09/Pc=1.0E−07) and DQB1*02:01 (56 vs. 22%, P=6.8E−08/Pc=9.0E−07) were significantly more frequent in AIH patients. The HLA-A*01:01 frequency was increased in the same population, but did not reach significance after Bonferroni's correction (34 vs. 19%, P=0.02/Pc=0.37). Fifty-eight of 207 DILI patients presented positive titres for at least one AAB (predominantly antinuclear antibody 76% and antismooth muscle antibody 28%). There was a tendency towards higher representation of DRB1*14:01 and DQB1*05:03 in DILI AAB+ compared with DILI AAB− (13.8 vs. 4.0%, P=0.02/Pc=0.5; 13.8 vs. 4.7%, P=0.04/Pc=0.5). Conclusion The presence of HLA alleles B*08:01, C*07:01, DRB1*03:01, DQB1*02:01 and possibly A*01:01 enhances the risk of AIH (type 1) in Spanish patients. These alleles form part of the ancestral haplotype 8.1. HLA-DRB1*14:01 and DQB1*05:03 could potentially increase the risk of positive AAB (particularly antinuclear antibody) in Spanish DILI patients.


The teeth with immature apices pose a problem during obturation of root canal system. This article presents a case report of failed endodontic treatment in maxillary central incisor with open apex. The obturating material was removed from root canal system, root canal was cleaned, shaped and packed with calcium hydroxide and left for one week. In the second visit, root canal system was thoroughly irrigated with sodium hypochlorite and a 3-4 mm of MTA plug was placed at the apical terminus. The root canal system was sealed with thermoplasticized guttapercha. The access cavity was restored with coronal radicular composite restoration. Six months follow up demonstrated clinically asymptomatic and adequately functional tooth with radiographic signs of healing.


OBJECTIVE
A qualitative exploration of the barriers and facilitators for people experiencing homelessness achieving good oral health.

PARTICIPANTS
Adults using two homeless centres in Leeds.

METHODS
Focus group discussions were convened with homeless people using support services. Both an inductive and deductive approach to data analysis was taken. Themes were identified and then a framework applied to analysis using Nvivo software.

RESULTS
Three focus group discussions with 16 participants were conducted with people experiencing homelessness. The barriers identified were insufficient information on local dental services, negative attitudes of oral health professionals, low priority of dental care, anxiety and cost of dental treatments. Facilitators included single dental appointments, accessible dental locations and being treated with respect.

CONCLUSIONS
Despite the barriers that prevent people experiencing homelessness from maintaining and improving their oral health, the participants were aware that they needed oral healthcare and requested that dental services were made available to them and were accessible in line with their socioeconomic status and needs.


ABSTRACT Sepsis and septic shock usually show a high mortality rate and frequently need of intensive care unit admissions. After fluid resuscitation, norepinephrine (NE) is the first-choice vasopressor in septic shock patients. However, high-NE doses are associated with increased rates of adverse effects and mortality. In this perspective, many authors have proposed the administration of non-adrenergic vasopressors (NAV). Selepressin is a selective vasopressin type 1A (V1A) receptor agonist and may be a valid option in this field, because it can decrease NE requirements and also limit the deleterious effects induced by high doses of catecholamines. Only few clinical data actually support selepressin administration in this setting. Here, we review the current literature on this topic analyzing some pathophysiological aspects, the rationale about the use of NAV, the possible use of selepressin differentiating animal, and human studies. Various issues remain unresolved and future trials should be focused on early interventions based on a multimodal activation of the vasopressive pathways using both alpha and V1A receptors pathways.


We have shown previously that myelin‐forming oligodendrocytes express the protein tyrosine phosphatase SHP‐1 and that myelin formation was decreased in SHP‐1‐deficient motheaten mice compared to that in normal littermates. These studies suggested a potential importance for SHP‐1 in oligodendrocyte and myelin development. To address further this possibility, we analyzed myelin formation by microscopy and myelin basic protein (MBP) gene expression in motheaten mice at ages when myelination occurs in the developing central nervous system (CNS). Furthermore, we correlate these findings with MBP gene expression in oligodendrocytes grown in vitro. We have found that CNS myelination was significantly reduced in SHP‐1‐deficient mice relative to their normal littermates at multiple times during the active period of myelination. Under electron microscopy, greater numbers of axons in spinal cords of motheaten mice were either unmyelinated or had thinner myelin sheathes compared to those in matched areas of normal littermates. Accordingly, MBP protein and mRNA levels were reduced in SHP‐1‐deficient mice compared to that in the CNS of normal littermates. In vitro, O1+ oligodendrocytes from motheaten mice expressed much less MBP than O1+ oligodendrocytes of normal littermates indicating an alteration in oligodendrocyte differentiation. The latter correlated with reduced MBP mRNA relative to cerebroside galactosyl transferase (CGT) gene mRNA in SHP‐1‐deficient oligodendrocytes in purified cultures. We propose that SHP‐1 is a critical regulator of developmental signals leading to terminal differentiation and myelin sheath formation by oligodendrocytes. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


This article critically reflects on the ethical issues that emerged from an intergenerational project in post-Apartheid South Africa. An international organization from outside the South African borders utilized Time Travel (TT) as an educational method to implement Historic Environment Education (HEE), by proposing to reenact historical events during the Apartheid struggle in 1986. The project was conducted in an informal settlement in the North West Province in South Africa. In preparation for the project, learners (between ages 15 and 19 years) had to interview older people (60+ years) on their experiences during Apartheid. The data obtained were to be used to reenact experiences on the basis of experiential learning principles. On completion of the TT project, researchers unrelated to the initial initiative were requested to critically reflect on the past project. In this subsequent follow-up evaluative exploration, additional reflections (on which this critical discussion is based) were obtained from the participants in the initial project by means of interviews, a questionnaire, and reports as they appeared in a local newspaper. Drawing on these perceptions, the aims of this article are to critically reflect on the ethical issues that emerged in this intergenerational project in post-Apartheid South Africa, to demonstrate the importance of an ethical approach to intergenerational interventions in vulnerable societies in transition, and to make suggestions for future research on intergenerational programming.


The colloid mill was found capable of disrupting bovine epididymal spermatozoa in such a way that even the very resistant sperm middle piece was opened. The homogenate thus produced was fractionated by both differential centrifugation and isopycnic density gradient centrifugation. The latter method was found very useful in producing homogenous fractions of cell components including in order of increasing density : mitochondrial fragments, acrosomes, membranes, tail principal pieces, middle pieces, middle piece exteriors, contractile fibres and denuded heads. The mitochondrial particles consumed oxygen while the cell membranes had hexokinase-like activity.