In this letter, a magnetically controlled single-stage ac–dc converter is proposed for low-power application which has the following features. First, single-stage operation is achieved by sharing switches between LLC resonant converter and totem-pole bridgeless power factor corrector (PFC) converter. Second, the power factor correction function is inherently achieved by designing the PFC converter to operate in discontinuous conduction mode. Third, the dc-link voltage is almost constant. Fourth, fixed switching frequency and duty cycle can be implemented for the switches, which simplifies the magnetic component and driver circuit design. Fifth, the LLC resonant converter is designed to operate at series resonant frequency, the highest efficiency operating point, so the converter can always achieve the maximum efficiency operation. Meanwhile, at this operating point, the converter output voltage is independent of the load so that it is functioning as a dc transformer; and finally, soft switching for all semiconductors is achieved. A 75-W experimental prototype is built to validate the proposed magnetically controlled single-stage ac–dc converter


Tyrosine-imprinted polymeric beads with diameters in the range 120–140 mm were prepared in an aqueous system by seed swelling and suspension polymerization using trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate (TRIM) as the crosslinking agent and acrylamide (AM), 2-vinylpyridine (VP) and/or 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulphonic acid (AMPS), respectively, as functional monomers (FMs). The molecular recognition properties, dynamic adsorption behaviours and regeneration capabilities of the molecularly imprinted beads (MIBs) were investigated via a solid-phase extraction method. The functional monomers were found to be indispensable for preparing MIBs with highly specific molecular recognition properties. Irrespective of the choice of FM, when the FM/TRIM molar ratio was 4:15 the MIBs prepared exhibited the most desirable properties for the purposes of this study. When only one FM was used, it was found that AMPS provided the best solution as far as all the adsorption, recognition and regeneration capabilities of the MIBs were concerned. However, MIBs with the best molecular recognition and adsorption properties, and with only a slight sacrifice in their regeneration properties, were prepared using AMPS and VP as bifunctional monomers. For such MIBs, the initial separation factor, α, and static distribution coefficient, KD, were 2.01 and 2.15 ml/g, respectively.


Emotional and behavioral problems among children and adolescents may be studied using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, containing five subscales, based on ratings by parents, teachers, or adolescents themselves. We investigate two measurement issues using data from a longitudinal sample of 8,806 participants aged 7 to 9 years and 11 to 13 years from the Bergen Child Study in Bergen, Norway. First, convergent validity of parent and teacher ratings is studied using a multitrait–multimethod approach. Second, longitudinal measurement equivalence is studied using confirmatory factor analysis, which requires us to deal with the considerable attrition. The multitrait–multimethod indicates not only good convergent validity but also considerable method variance for parents and teachers. The reliability and validity of some subscales are relatively low. Attrition analysis indicates that attrition is not missing completely at random, but estimation assuming missing at random makes no real difference. We conclude that assuming missing completely at random is acceptable. Comparing ratings by parents and teachers results in partial scalar equivalence. In addition, all subscales exhibit (partial) longitudinal scalar measurement equivalence. We recommend using latent variable modeling and not summated scales for longitudinal modeling using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire.


Artificial neural networks (ANNs) are addressed in order to assess the electric and magnetic field radiating by electrostatic discharges (ESDs). Actual input and output data collected from hundreds of measurements carried out in the High Voltage Laboratory of the National Technical University of Athens are used in the training, validation and testing process. The developed ANN method is coded in a comprehensive software tool to be used by laboratories involved in ESD tests, which either face a lack of suitable measuring equipment or want to compare their own measurements. The electromagnetic field produced by radiating ESDs, can be assessed very easily and accurately by simply measuring and providing to the tool the discharge current. The authors strongly believe that the proposed ANN software tool can be extremely useful for laboratories involved in ESD tests according to the current IEC Standard, as the forthcoming revised version of this standard will almost certainly include measurements of the radiating electromagnetic field during the verification of ESD generators.


For this study two fertilisation assays were carried out in an experimental field. The first assay (F1) used a sheep manure amendment, following the stipulations of European regulations concerning organic agriculture practices, and the second assay (F2) followed conventional agricultural practices of the area using inorganic fertilizers (313; 37 and 566 kgha of N, P and K, respectively). Over a three-year period, samples of the arable soil layer were taken monthly in order to analyse the soil properties as indicators of soil quality (organic carbon, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, C:N ratio, Olsen P, electrical conductivity, pH in water and 1M KCl, cation exchangeable capacity, and exchangeable bases (Mg, K and Na). The experimental plot managed using organic agriculture techniques showed significantly better conditions for crop development than the conventionally managed plot: higher quantities of organic matter (22.4 and 17.4 gkg, respectively) and nitrogen ( 3.0 and 2.5 gkg, respectively), a higher cation exchange capacity(14.4 and 12.2 cmol(+)kg, respectively) and greater availability of phosphorus ( 45.4 and 27.1 mgkg ). No significant differences were observed as regards pH (8.0 in both plots) or the C/N ratio (7.7 and 7.1, respectively). Despite the short trial period of only three years, these results suggest that the agronomic model based on organic agriculture has a beneficial effect on soil properties and contributes to the function of soil as C sink. ©2012 Author(s) CC Attribution 3.0 Unsuported License.


A major challenge faced by all dental schools is the need to attract highly qualified student applicants. The purpose of this study was to use 2002-03 AADSAS data to identify and characterize feeder colleges and universities that are the major source of applicants to U.S. dental schools. Feeder schools were defined as any institutions with five or more applicants, and minority-feeder schools as those with two or more minority applicants. Feeder schools were ranked by their total numbers of applicants (Category 1) and by their ratio of applicants to total undergraduate enrollment (Category 2). Feeder institutions were compared using total enrollment, degree status, geographic distribution, religious affiliation, numbers of minority applicants, and college admissions selectivity criteria. The top fifty Category 1 schools had an average enrollment of over 19,000 students and an average of sixty-seven applicants. The top fifty Category 2 schools had an average enrollment of approximately 8,500 students and an average of forty-nine applicants. Less than 1 percent of applicants from the top feeder institutions attended the nation's most competitive schools. California and Utah accounted for 28 percent of the total applicants from feeder institutions, followed by Florida (6.2 percent) and New York (5.7 percent). Seventeen of the top twenty-five Category 2 schools (68 percent) were affiliated with or had student bodies associated with a particular religion, with the Seventh-Day Adventist and Mormon institutions accounting for 544 applicants. The majority of all applicants from feeder institutions attended schools in the Southwest. The majority of black and Hispanic feeder institutions were in Florida, Tennessee, Louisiana, and Puerto Rico. Results suggest that factors such as school size, geographic location, religious affiliation, and admissions selectivity criteria of colleges and universities may have a direct impact on the dental applicant pool.


Hashish is considered to be the most widely and commonly used drug (UNODC, 2013, p-31). Hashish looks to be in usage of university students as well. A significant number of students have been reported with the usage of hashish regularly during their studies at universities. The usage of hashish is badly affecting the psychological and physical health of the students. The addict students have been found in street crimes as well. Therefore, this paper identifies the parental and societal factors of hashish addiction in universities students. To provide the remedies to overcome the usage of hashish in students, unstructured interviews were used as a tool of research. Purposive sampling was used in the selection of participants. The study is an empirical addition in the knowledge for the comprehension of hashish addiction in the students. The findings revealed a need for school wide consistency to address the usage of hashish in the students. It was concluded that students learned the usage of hashish from their parents as well. Parental illiteracy and poverty were found major factors of hashish addiction in the students. Students adopted the usage of hashish from senior students at university climate. The study can assist the school administration to evaluate their current efforts to overcome usage of hashish in students. The recommendations of the study are supportive in launching prevention programs for the hashish addiction in the students.


The paper proposes a new method of dynamic VaR and CVaR (ES) risk measures forecasting. Quantile linear GARCH model is chosen as the main forecasting model for time series quantiles. To build a forecast, the values of quantiles are approximated by the metalog distribution, which makes it possible to use analytical formulas to evaluate risk measures. The method of VaR and CVaR forecasting is formulated as a step-by-step algorithm. At the first stage, an initial model is built to obtain variance estimates. The predicted variance values obtained from the constructed model are used at the second stage to find the QLGARCH model coefficients by solving the minimization problem. At the third stage, the QLGARCH models are estimated on a non uniform quantile grid. The obtained predicted values of quantiles are used to estimate the approximating metalog distribution. The investigated theory is applied to VaR and CVaR forecasting for time series of daily log return of the DJI index.


Terpenoids, especially sesquiterpene lactones (SLS) and furanocoumarins are diverse secondary metabolite groups which show a promising efficiency on different cancer cell lines. Therefore the screening of terpenoid and/or coumarin rich palnts from the plant kingdom remains still importance. Breast cancer and lung adenocarcinoma are the most common cancer types leading to cancer-related deaths in the world. To investigate the cytotoxic effects of some Asteraceae plants [Jurinea spec., Ptilostemon spec., Circium spec., Centaurea spec., Tanacetum spec., Tragopogon spec., Pulicaria spec., Cyanus spec.] and Apiaceae [Heracleum spec., Pastinaca spec.] plant extracts, real time cell analyzer xCELLigence system was used. A549 (12.500 cells/well) and MCF-7 (5000 cells/well) cells were seeded in E-plate then approximately 24 h post-seeding when the cells were in the log growth phase, the cells were treated with the samples. Cell viability was observed during 48 h after treatment and IC50 values have been calculated. According to results, Jurinea macrocephala, Tanacetum partheneum and Pulicaria dysenterica MeOH extracts showed significant cytotoxic effects on both two cell lines. The IC50 values of those extracts on MCF-7 cell line were calculated as 17 μg/mL, 21.47 μg/mL and 27.05 μg/mL respectively after the end of the 24 h. To understand the secondary metabolite profiles of the extracts; crude 1H NMR experiments were performed. For each active extracts the major compounds and/or group of compounds were discussed.


The purpose of the work is to the study the contemporary forms of cultural industries, namely the male group "Kozatski zabavy". We consider the activities of the group in the context of culture processes. The authors analyzes the concept of "band" in the musical-historical process. The methodological basis lies in the use of comparative, historical and logical methods and hypothetical-deductive method. It suggests consideration of the ensemble as a phenomenon of culture. The above methodological approach facilitates the analysis and formation of the music band phenomenon in the cultural space of creative industries. The research tries to find place and role of this band in the existing art forms. Scientific novelty consists in the positioning of the male group as a kind of cultural industry, which has a significant socio-psychological and educational potential. First creation and activity of male band "Kozatski zabavy" receives coverage in the scientific work as the embodiment of tradition and modernity, in particular the authors emphasize the archetypal principles in implementing the team concept. It studies specificity of composition and activity of this band repertoire as certain preserving of national traditions and culture. Conclusions. Understanding of musical bands as culture creative industries form the complex production process of spiritual culture of the nation, based on the dominant system of value orientations of Ukrainian traditions and their transformation in the modern context of the epoch.


PURPOSE
Electronic health records are expected to improve the quality of care provided to hospitalized patients. For nurses, use of electronic documentation sources becomes highly relevant because this is where they obtain the majority of necessary patient information.

METHODS
An integrative review of the literature examined the relationship between electronic nursing documentation and the quality of care provided to hospitalized patients. Donabedian's quality framework was used to organize empirical literature for review.

RESULTS
To date, the use of electronic nursing documentation to improve patient outcomes remains unclear.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS
Future research should investigate the day-to-day interactions between nurses and electronic nursing documentation for the provision of quality care to hospitalized patients.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE
The majority of U.S. hospital care units currently use paper-based nursing documentation to exchange patient information for quality care. However, by 2014, all U.S. hospitals are expected to use electronic nursing documentation on patient care units, with the anticipated benefit of improved quality. However, the extent to which electronic nursing documentation improves the quality of care to hospitalized patients remains unknown, in part due to the lack of effective comparisons with paper-based nursing documentation.


A radioimmunoassay as well as an enzyme immunoassay for the quantitation of fmol amounts of the alkaloid colchicine have been developed. The antiserum used for both assays was raised against a conjugate of colchicoside-bovine serum albumin. The crude serum was satisfactory for the performance of the radioimmunoassay. For the enzyme immunoassay, the antibodies had to be isolated and purified by Rivanol treatment with subsequent (NH4)2SO4 precipitation. The measuring range extends from 0.1 to 100 ng colchicine for the radioimmunoassay and from 0.05 to 350 ng for the enzyme immunoassay with detection limits of 125 fmol and 25 fmol, respectively. Both immunoassays cross reacted with colchicoside and 3-demethyl-colchicine up to 80%. The colchicine content in the newly established suspension culture of Colchicum variegatum as well as the influence of various culture media on the colchicine production of this cell culture were investigated with the radioimmunoassay. The enzyme immunoassay was well suited for the quantitation of colchicine in HPLC fractions of Gloriosa and Colchicum seed extracts allowing the rapid, sensitive, and precise determination of the substance under investigation. The preliminary experiments indicate that both colchicine immunoassays can be a useful tool for the analysis of colchicine in tissue and cell culture studies, for analysis of plant extracts as well as for biosynthetic investigations.


We propose a novel optical-regenerator based on two-transverse mode VCSEL with dual optical-injection locking. The nonlinear transfer function in input-output characteristics enables us to reshape the degraded input signal. In addition, the polarization state of the output signal can be tightly controlled. The CW assist light injected into the fundamental transverse mode increases the speed and stabilizes the polarization of the output light at the same time. A possibility of 4R (3R+Re-polarization) regeneration at 10 Gbps is suggested.


Shoot inversion in Pharbitis nil results in the enhancement of ethylene production and in the inhibition of elongation in the growth zone of the inverted shoot. The initial increase in ethylene production previously was detected within 2 to 2.75 hours after inversion. In the present study, the initial inhibition of shoot elongation was detected within 1.5 to 4 hours with a weighted mean of 2.4 hours. Ethylene treatment of upright shoots inhibited elongation in 1.5 hours. A cause and effect relationship between shoot inversion-enhanced ethylene production and inhibition of elongation cannot be excluded.


The Omicron BA.5/22B variant has been designated as a "variant of concern" by the World Health Organization. We describe, here, the first evidence in Monaco of infection with an Omicron BA.5/22B variant, probably imported from the Republic of Seychelles, harboring a rare combination of non-BA.5/22B signature amino acid changes. SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies were measured with a surrogate virus neutralization test. SARS-CoV-2 genotype screening was performed on nasopharyngeal samples with a multiplex qPCR assay. The SARS-CoV-2 genome was obtained by next-generation sequencing with the Illumina COVID-seq protocol, then assembly using bioinformatics pipelines and software was performed. The BA.5/22B spike protein structure was obtained by molecular modeling. Two spouses were SARS-CoV-2-diagnosed the day they returned from a one-week trip in the Republic of Seychelles. SARS-CoV-2 qPCR screening for variant-specific mutations identified an Omicron variant BA.1/21K, BA.4/22A, or BA.5/22B. A SARS-Co-2 BA.5/22B variant genome was recovered from one of the spouses. Aside from BA.5/22B-defining amino acid substitutions, four other amino acid changes were encoded including Q556K in ORF1a, K2557R in ORF1b, and A67V and A829T in spike; only 13 genomes in sequence databases harbored these four mutations concurrently. Structural analysis of this BA.5/22B variant predicted that A829T in spike may result in a compaction that may affect conformational plasticity. Overall, our findings warrant performing genome-based genotypic surveillance to survey accurately the emergence and circulation of SARS-CoV-2 variants worldwide and point out that their first occurrence in a country is often through international travel despite implemented countermeasures.


This chapter presents a comprehensive and systemic understanding of the challenges that ATM is facing today. In particular, we look at the case of Europe, where misaligned interests of the main actors have led to a trial-and-error approach, transforming European ATM into an interesting laboratory due to the elaborate system of Europe-wide rules and regulations. The chapter describes the history and main functions of ATM. It provides a conceptual framework that focuses on institutions and technology from a socio-technical perspective. The "European ATM laboratory†is presented along with the EC's SES initiative. Evolution in European ATM is discussed with the identification of major technological developments. Specifically, disruptive technologies are expected to shift the paradigm of European ATM from legacy systems to modern service-oriented architectures. Experimentation with these disruptions, complemented with EU rules and regulations, may eventually lead to a way out of the SES gridlock.


Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) detection in microfluidics is an interesting topic for its high sensitivity, miniaturization and online detection. In this work, a SERS detection in microfluidics with the help of the Ag nanowire aggregating based on dielectrophoresis (DEP) is reported. The Raman intensities of molecule in microfluidics is greatly enhanced in the naturally generated nanogaps of Ag nanowire aggregating modulated by DEP. Firstly, the influence of DEP voltage and time on Ag nanowire aggregating is investigated to figure out the optimal condition for SERS. And then, the SERS intensities of methylene blue and rhodamine6G at various concentration with high reproducibility and uniformity are studied. Furthermore, the experiment data demonstrate this DEP–SERS system could be repeated used for different molecule detections. At last, the SERS of melamine is measured to explore its application on food safety. Our work anticipates this nanowire assisted repeatable DEP–SERS detection in microfluidics with high sensitivity could meet the emerging needs in environmental pollution monitoring, food safety evaluation, and so on.


Objectives: Wide-field transcervical partial laryngectomy often precludes tracheotomy decannulation. It is done infrequently today, primarily because of the popularity of chemotherapy-radiotherapy treatment regimens and limited enthusiasm for using transcervical partial laryngectomy after failed radiotherapy. We sought to identify a new reconstructive technique that would provide an alternative to total laryngectomy in as many patients as possible. Methods: We performed a retrospective examination of 15 patients who underwent single-stage wide-field transcervical partial laryngectomy with cryopreserved aortic homograft reconstruction. Eight of the 15 patients had previously undergone failed radiotherapy. At least 40% of the cricoid circumference was resected in 8 patients. Results: All 15 patients had their tracheotomy tube removed and have laryngeal phonation, and 14 of the 15 resumed oral intake. There were no major surgical complications. Conclusions: Use of aortic homografts is a new, reliable, and versatile reconstructive option for performing conservation laryngeal cancer surgery that allows for airway, swallowing, and voice preservation.


This paper presents a high precision capacitive moisture sensor for polymers that is part of a compact, fast, and economic moisture analyzer capable of reaching similar precision than commercial moisture analyzers based on the Karl Fischer method. The design considerations are described in detail and simulation results are presented showing the relationships between the sensor's geometrical parameters and the sensor's performance. A capacitive moisture sensor prototype was fabricated and experimental results obtained during laboratory tests are reported.


The primary purpose of this study is to explore empirically the relationship between staff perceptions about organisational values and employee theft, with the intention of showing that the perception of strong organisational values in the workplace by employees minimises the occurrence of employee theft. The study focuses on a chain of supermarkets in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A total of 429 employees from the chosen supermarkets company have answered the questionnaire. Eight top executive staff including the chairman of the targeted company and 15 store managers were interviewed.Among the findings are that organisational values have been classified into six dimensions as a result of factor analysis and, generally, there are statistically significant relationships between these dimensions and employee theft. The general findings support the main hypotheses of the thesis. The findings also support the hypothesis that employee theft is affected by the level of economic and community pressures as controlling variables for organisational values.


Erythema Gangrenosum (EG), is an infective lesion of skin, and mucous membranes typically occurring in patients with chronic disease or immunocompromised patients. It is a very rarely seen vasculitis with a potentially progressive and fatal course. An 8-year-old pediatric patient was referred to an external medical center with complaints of fever, abdominal pain, and skin rashes starting 2 days previously, and upon deterioration of his general health state, he was admitted into a surgical intensive care unit with manifestations of septic shock. In the treatment, all necrotic tissues including skin, and subcutaneous tissue were excised down to a healthy tissue after excision of all necrotic tissue. Vacuum Assisted Closure (VAC) was applied on this area for drainage. Herein, we aimed to indicate that definitive treatment of a neuropathic child with EG is surgery excision, and also emphasize critical importance of re-excision of newly developed necrotic tissue at an early stage, and close monetarization of the patient.


This paper considers how a topic such as Adaptations in the context of Australian National Curriculum: Literature on Screen, despite its contested beginnings within one tertiary environment, is nonetheless well-placed to serve the needs of tertiary education students in the humanities, as well as meet the new challenges opened up by the new nation-wide overhaul of the school sector in Australia. The developments in the English and History streams of the senior secondary section of the National Curriculum, in particular, invite contributions from the field of adaptation studies. The popularity of areas such as English and History, suggests that it may be time to examine more closely how these topics might more fruitfully overlap in future. Given the emphasis in the Australian National Curriculum on the combining of traditional literary genres with "multimodal texts such as film" (The National Curriculum Board 2009), the study of adaptations generally seems well poised to create a clearer dialogue between secondary and tertiary curriculum in Australia.


Nihilism – the belief that life is meaningless – is frequently associated with twentieth-century movements such as existentialism, postmodernism and Dadaism, and thought to result from the shocking experiences of the two World Wars and the Holocaust. In his rich and expansive new book, Jon Stewart shows that nihilism's beginnings in fact go back much further to the first half of the nineteenth century. He argues that the true origin of modern nihilism was the rapid development of Enlightenment science, which established a secular worldview. This radically diminished the importance of human beings so that, in the vastness of space and time, individuals now seemed completely insignificant within the universe. The author's panoramic exploration of how nihilism developed – not only in philosophy, but also in religion, poetry and literature – shows what an urgent topic it was for thinkers of all kinds, and how it has continued powerfully to shape intellectual debates ever since.


Vertical velocities obtained from uplifted river terrace dating near mountain fronts are commonly converted into overthrusting slip rates assuming simple geometry of the fault at depth. However, the lack of information on the dip angle of these shallow structures can lead to misinterpretation in the accommodation of convergence, and thus to erroneous conclusions on the transfer of shortening to the emergent thrust faults. Here, to assess the impact of fault geometry, we focus on the eastern Himalayan region in the south Central Bhutan, where the topographic frontal thrust (TFT) has been already documented by GPS, paleoseismic, geomorphic and geological studies. This study is based on high-resolution near-surface geophysical investigations, including electrical resistivity, seismic and gravity measurements. Using a similar stochastic inversion approach for all data sets, new quantitative constraints on both fault geometry and petrophysical parameters are obtained to image shallow depths, in the upper ca. 80 m. The combined results from both surface observations and geophysical measurement provide a TFT geometry that is dipping northwards with a shallow angle at the top (0–5 m), steeply dipping in the middle (5–40 m) and flattening at deeper depths (>40 m). Together, our new constraints on the fault geometry allow us to estimate a minimum overthrusting slip rate of 10 ± 2 mm yr−1, which is only a part of the ca. 17 mm yr−1 GPS convergence. This suggests that, in the study area, significant deformation partitioning on several faults including TFT and the Main Boundary Thrust cannot be ruled out. More importantly, assuming constant slip rate, the obtained dip angle variations lead to uplift rate changes with distance to the TFT. This underlines that taking into account uplift rate from terrace dating only at the front location and assuming a constant dip angle fault geometry based on surface observations may significantly bias the slip rate estimates.


Abstract Lean is usually associated with the 'operations' of a manufacturing enterprise; however, there is a growing awareness that these principles may be transferred readily to other functions and sectors. The application to knowledge-based activities such as engineering design is of particular relevance to UK plc. Hence, the purpose of this study has been to establish the state-of-the-art, in terms of the adoption of Lean in new product development, by carrying out a systematic review of the literature. The authors' findings confirm the view that Lean can be applied beneficially away from the factory; that an understanding and definition of value is key to success; that a set-based (or Toyota methodology) approach to design is favoured together with the strong leadership of a chief engineer; and that the successful implementation requires organization-wide changes to systems, practices, and behaviour. On this basis it is felt that this review paper provides a useful platform for further research in this topic.


Problems associated with global warming and energy supply are the issues that humankind century must overcome. Consumption of fossil fuels by consumers is affected by a steep rise in its prices, and that the reducing CO2 emissions as a greenhouse gas (GHGs) are solely dependent on the efforts of consumers who would not take radical measures. The key to resolving these problems lies in realizing "dramatic improvements in energy utilization efficiency" and "a transition to post-carbon energies." A technology that can accomplish them compatibly is "heat pump". Heat-pump heaters that utilize ground-source heat have already been available in Europe and North America. In Japan, water heaters that utilizing air-source heat are commercialized and one million units have already been introduced in the market. For heating and water heating, however, heat generated by combustion of fossil fuels is used in general, and it is hard to say that heat pumps have come into wide use as yet. Now, it's time to promote wide use of heat pumps through international cooperation hand in hand, so as to solve global warming issues.


The prediction of future financial condition of corporations has attracted the attention of financial researchers, and finding the alerting indexes of occurrence of financial distress has turned to be one of the most attractive and significant fields of financial and economic researches. Studying the history of researches shows that many of the researchers have focused on the financial ratios of the corporations to predict the financial distress. This article studies the logit models for one and two years before the occurrence of financial distress (T-1 and T-2) by making use of financial ratios and also by utilizing the analysis of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The analysis of ROC curve, among the models employed to compare the effectiveness of different statistical models, is often used in the fields of psychology and bio-medics in order to summarize the discriminatory of a diagnostic test and also to compare the performance of different models for binary outcomes. Regarding the accuracy of classification and prediction, the results of this research indicate that T-1 logit model is better than T-2 logit model. However, by considering the measurements done by ROC curve, it could be claimed that T-2 logit model operates more efficiently than T-1 logit model in the classification of distressed corporations.

 Key words: Financial distress prediction, logit, receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, area under ROC curve (AUC).


The study reports the first confirmed cases of equi ne ringworm in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) due to lack of reports on dermatophytoses. Extensiv e lesions of clinical ringworm in two horses were examined in the King Faisal University Veterinary T eaching Hospital equine clinic. Clinical examination showed scales, thick crusts and pruritu s on the flanks and back. At the time of presentation, isolated lesions coalesced to form ex tensive areas with grey, non-exudative and shining patches. Mycological studies were done on skin and hair scrapings using direct, cultural and biochemical methods. It was documented that the cau sative dermatophyte was Trichophyton mentagrophytes var. mentagrophytes by various confirmatory tests. This study demonstra tes ways for laboratory diagnosis, differential diagnosis an d confirmatory tests for horse ringworm dermatophytes. Implications of findings of the stud y of the zoonotic dermatophyte on Veterinary Health and Public Health are discussed.


This paper discusses the performance attributes of the open-slot, modular-wound, external-rotor, topology of electrical machine. Combinations of pole and slot numbers are presented for which the winding factor is maximal and torque ripple is minimal. An optimization of the magnetic circuit design of six promising pole-slot configurations is undertaken using a parametric finite element model (FEM) combined with a genetic algorithm (GA). These designs are benchmarked against a conventional 1.5 slots/pole external-rotor brushless dc machine. These candidate electrical machine versions are characterized by having the same external-rotor diameter, total slot area available for the winding and by equal volumes of permanent magnet (PM). Based on the analysis, the most promising motor structure was selected and a prototype wheel-hub motor has been built for application in a small electrical vehicle. Test data from the prototype is used to validate the findings of the initial analyses and practically demonstrate the attributes of the topology.


The harmful effects of processed food have seen a worldwide increase in the number of people falling prey to lifestyle-related diseases. The latest in the row of diseases striking humans has been the deadly COVID-19, which also we would like to critique as a consequence of reduced immunities besides compromised health and sanitation restrictions being exercised. Ironically, Indigenous people, despite their greater challenges with the natural elements, lower levels of infrastructural and medicinal access, we're able to garner their coping mechanisms to curb death counts in their communities. It was observed that support groups at the village level emerged along with traditional food choices as well as them choosing holistic ways of healing. This paper is an attempt to the forefront the idea of 'going back to basics along with our modern-day lifestyles, dietary preferences, and food consumption patterns.


Books reviewed: Kathryn Anderson-Levitt, (ed.), Local Meanings, Global Schooling: Anthropology and World Culture Theory. Ken Jones, Education in Britain 1944 to the Present. Colin Lankshear and Michele Knobel, New Literacies: Changing Knowledge and Classroom Learning. Morwenna Griffiths, Action for Social Justice in Education. S. Ali, S. Benjamin and M. Mauthner (eds), The Politics of Gender and Education: Critical Perspectives. David Buckingham, Media Education: Literacy, Learning and Contemporary Culture. Rosamund Sutherland, Guy Claxton and Andrew Pollard (eds), Learning and Teaching Where Worldviews Meet. Richard Taylor, Jean Barr and Tom Steele, For a Radical Higher Education: After Postmodernism. Terry Hyland and Barbara Merrill, The Changing Face of Further Education: Lifelong Learning, Inclusion and Community Values in Further Education. Jane Frances, Educating Children with Facial Disfigurement: Creating Inclusive School Communities. R. Rose and I. Grosvenor (eds), Doing Research in Special Education: Ideas into Practice. M. McNamee and D. Bridges (eds), The Ethics of Educational Research.


AIM
The aim of this study is to evaluate medical malpractice cases arising from aesthetic services based on the decisions of the Supreme Court.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
In the study, compensation and criminal lawsuits finalized by the civil and penal courts of the Supreme Court were examined retrospectively. All the case law decisions were obtained from the official website of the Supreme Court: www.yargitay.gov.tr. Nine hundred and eighty-one decisions were obtained after performing a keyword search in the website; after duplicates and unrelated cases were removed, 81 decisions (N = 81) were evaluated.

RESULTS
The analysis showed that lawsuits related to medical malpractice involving aesthetic interventions are mostly finalized by the civil courts, which decide claims for compensation. Malpractice primarily occurred in private hospitals and beauty centers, and operations were found to be commonly performed by physicians and beauty experts. Malpractice cases were found to be mostly caused by poor medical intervention, a lack of attention/care, and faulty/incorrect treatment. The average compensation amount provided by the civil courts is 55 558 ± 50 014 TL (14 209 ± 12 318 USD).

CONCLUSION
On the basis of these results, it is recommended that the awareness and training level of healthcare personnel should be increased, and precautions should be taken at both the institutional and the national levels.


Currently available models of one of the most intriguing types of unsteady rf solar emission, millisecond solar radio spikes, are discussed. A comparative analysis of the models' implications and of the body of existing data yields an outline of the most realistic radio spike model possible. The spikes are produced by the cyclotron maser mechanism. The cyclotron cone instability is caused by fast electrons distributed over energies according to a (piecewise) power law. The angular part of the distribution function (whose exact form is, as yet, undetermined) suffers fluctuations due to the magnetic field inhomogeneities that arise in the burst loop as a consequence of the original energy release. In some portions of the loop the distribution is not anisotropic enough to secure the development of a cyclotron instability; it is in these 'microtraps' where individual spikes form. Key areas of future theoretical and experimental research are suggested with a view to verifying the adequacy and realizing the diagnostic potential of the model.


In this study, we reported the analysis of Arabidopsis thaliana microarray gene expression profile of root tissues after the plant was challenged with fungal pathogen Fusarium solani f. sp. glycines (Fsg). Our microarray analysis showed that the infection caused 130 transcript abundances (TAs) to increase by more than 2 fold and 32 out of 130 TAs were increased by more than 3 fold in the root tissues. However, only nineteen ESTs were observed with a decrease in TAs by more than 2 fold and 13 of them went down more than 3 fold due to the pathogen infection. In addition, the number of the up-regulated genes was nearly seven times more than that of downregulated genes. The coordinate regulation of adjacent genes was detected and the distance distribution of the nearest neighbor genes was less likely to be randomly scattered in genome. The results of this study enabled us to decipher the resistance mechanism to Fsg through an integrated computational approach.


Prevailing economic theories predict that world market integration unleashes centrifugal forces from within and undermines domestic central political authority. Reversing the conventional bottom-up, demand-side approach, this article highlights the incentives of national-level political actors. It suggests that when institutionally empowered vis-a-vis the subnational units, the center will seek to enhance political control over regions thriving in the global market to extract revenues, remedy interregional disparity, and maintain central rule. Through analyzing pooled cross-sectional, time-series data for Chinese provinces during 1978 to 2002, it shows that the Chinese political center has manipulated its personnel monopoly power within the ruling Communist Party to exert a tighter grip over provincial party secretaries, the top officials in the provinces more exposed to the international market. Furthermore, provinces overseen by more controlled party secretaries actually received less favorable terms du...


Granules isolated from the snail Helix aspersa and the shore crab Carcinus maenas have been studied by using scanning electron microscopy, powder X-ray diffraction and solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). These amorphous deposits are largely based on pyrophosphate (P2O 74-) and orthophosphate (PO43-) respectively, NMR indicates that water is evenly distributed throughout the pyrophosphate granules and that the PO43- ions occupy distorted lattice sites. The 1H NMR spectra of the orthophosphate granules of desiccated and normal deposits indicate that water can move in and out of these solids. This movement is probably facilitated by the organic component, identified by 1H -13C NMR, particularly in the crab granules. The distorted lattice, the presence of hydrated ions and the interactions with the organic matrix probably account for many of the properties of these solids and are relevant to the interpretation of their biological significance.


Objective: To study the clinical characteristics of childhood- and adolescent- onset hypoparathyroidism. Methods: The clinical data of 128 hypoparathyroidism patients with onset before the age of 18 years were collected and analyzed retrospectively. Results: The predominant features of the hypoparathyroidism were carpopedal spasm (89.3%, 108/121) and seizures (66.1%, 84/127). Intracranial calcification was identified in 89.4%(101/113) of the patients. Duration is an independent predictive factor (OR=1.483, P=0.011) for intracranial calcification. All the patients were treated with calcium and vitamin D or its metabolites. Hypercalciuria was associated with serum calcium (P=0.016). Conclusions: Carpopedal spasm and seizures were the main manifestations of childhood- and adolescent- onset hypoparathyroidism. Calcium and vitamin D or its metabolites are effective. Monitoring the concentration of serum and urinary calcium is of highly importance for the prevention of hypercalciuria.


AIM: To investigate the effects of methionine/valine-depleted enteral nutrition (EN) on RNA, DNA and protein metabolism in tumor-bearing (TB) rats.METHODS: Sprague-Dawlley (SD) rats underwent jejunostomy for nutritional support. A suspension of Walker256 carcinosarcoma cells was subcutaneously inoculated.48 TB rats were randomly divided in 4 groups: A, B, C and D. The TB rats had respectively received jejunal feedings supplemented with balanced amino acids, methioninedepleted, balanced amino acids and valine-depleted for 6days before injection of 740 KBq 3H- methionine/valine via jejunum. The 3H incorporation rate of the radioactivity into RNA, DNA and proteins in tumor tissues at 0.5, 1, 2, 4 h postinjection of tracers was assessed with liquid scintillation counter.RESULTS: Incorporation of 3H into proteins in groups B and D was (0.500±0.020) % to (3.670±0.110) % and (0.708±0.019) % to (3.813±0.076) % respectively, lower than in groups A [(0.659±0.055) % to (4.492±0.108) %]and C r(0.805±0.098) % to (4.180±0.018) %]. Incorporation of 3H into RNA, DNA in group B was (0.237±0.075) %and (0.231±0.052) % respectively, lower than in group A (P<0.01). There was no significant difference in uptake of 3H by RNA and DNA between group C and D (P>0.05).CONCLUSION: Protein synthesis was inhibited by methionine/valine starvation in TB rats and nucleic acid synthesis was reduced after methionine depletion, thus resulting in suppression of tumor growth.


Note that network coding allows immediate nodes to mix information from different data flows. On the basis of this observation, we prove that under suitable conditions, communicators can communicate with perfect secrecy over wiretap networks. Our method of secure communication over wiretap networks without keys is fundamentally distinct from cryptographic means. Furthermore, a linear network code with perfect secrecy is available for a given wiretap multicast network provided that the cardinality of the alphabet is larger than a constant. Comparing with other approaches, no network capacity is lost by our method.


Community-based tourism (CBT) considers one sustainable form of tourism to enhance tourists' and local communities' relationships. By investigating and studying the previous scientific production of the CBT field in general and, in particular, rural CBT, the researchers found that the local communities' roles in shaping this type of tourism have been given great importance. This literature mainly focuses on rural CBT from the academic researcher's perspective. This study aimed to understand the villager's view on rural sustainable CBT in Pampang Village, Indonesia. In our research, we used the triangulation method based on three kinds of data: in-depth structured interviews, non-participant field observations, and quantitative sustainability aspects of the local attractions. The research results helped us design a model for the formation of sustainable rural CBT activities in Indonesia, which depends on formal and informal leader figures in the community instead of only the community's solidarity, as much previous research has indicated.


Many problems in systems and control, such as controller synthesis and state estimation, are often formulated as optimization problems. In many cases, the cost function incorporates variables that are used to model uncertainty, in addition to optimization variables, and this article employs uncertainty described as probabilistic variables. In a probabilistic setup, a cost value can only be guaranteed with a certain probability. Like pulling down one end of a rope wrapped around a pulley lifts the other end, decreasing the probability improves the cost value. This article analyzes this trade-off and describes quantitative tools to drive the user's choice toward a suitable compromise.


The aim of this research is to determine the viewpoints and readiness of class, mathematics and science teachers on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Education. The other aims are to determine different between branches and seniority in the readiness of teachers on STEM Education. The review method was used in the study the sampling of the study consisted of 371 teachers, who were selected randomly from Siirt and Batman. A questionnaire was developed by the authors of the study to determine the readiness of the teachers on STEM Education. Frequencies, arithmetic averages and the Kruskal Wallis H was used in this research. The teachers who participated in the study believe that they are inadequate about implementing teaching designs that are inventive, use scientific methods, develop creative STEM products, and aim to raise students who critically examine these products. In addition, they do not see themselves adequately in terms of process evaluation, assisted education in information technology, development of engineering applications suitable for the student level, analysis according to Bloom taxonomy and activities related to higher skill levels. Among the issues that teachers see themselves as middle level and above it are project-based, probabilistic learning and structuring of knowledge.


Conventional methods of well development at the Savannah River Site generate significant volumes of investigative derived waste (IDW) which must be treated and disposed of at a regulated Treatment, Storage, or Disposal (TSD) facility. Pulse Wave technology is a commercial method of well development utilizing bursts of high pressure gas to create strong pressure waves through the well screen zone, extending out into the formation surrounding the well. The patented process is intended to reduce well development time and the amount of IDW generated as well as to micro-fracture the formation to improve well capacity.


For a highway agency, it is not possible to take up the maintenance requirements for all road sections within a network at a time due to budget constraints. This makes a need for priority ranking model to select and schedule road sections for maintenance treatments according to their maintenance needs. The objective of this study is to use Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) for developing a priority ranking model for maintenance of urban roads. The priority model has also been developed using Direct Assessment (DA) method and results were compared with AHP model. In Direct Assessment method, the experts were asked to rate the importance of each parameter affecting the road maintenance, on a scale of 0 to 100 percent whereas in AHP the experts were asked to make a pair-wise comparison between the parameters based on Saaty's scale i.e. 1 to 9. The pair wise comparison matrix was prepared and evaluated for inconsistencies using Expert Choice version 11 software. Statistical tests were performed to show that the collected data exhibited good consistency and repeatability. The developed priority ranking models has been applied to an urban road network of Noida city, near Delhi, consisting of 21 urban road sections. DOI: 10.6135/ijprt.org.tw/2015.8(2).112


Background: Breast cancer (BC) in men is a rare disease accounting for 0.5–1% of all BC. The only available information on endocrine therapies derives from few retrospective case series and studies with small numbers of patients (pts). Treatment strategies are not based on data from prospective, randomised clinical studies and optimal therapy is unknown. Current clinical management is extrapolated from principles established for female BC. As 90% of male pts have hormone receptor positive BC, they receive tamoxifen 20mg as standard adjuvant therapy. Although women benefit from treatment with aromatase inhibitors (AI), only case reports exist of men treated with AI. Data from other entities show, that AI only suppresses oestradiol of 40–50% with an increase of testosterone. Among men on AIs, the hypothalamic-pituitary feedback loop results in an increase substrate for aromatisation. By adding a gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue (GnRH), the feedback loop would be interrupted and complete oestrogen suppression may be achieved. Patients and Methods: The MALE study is a prospective, randomized, phase II study in which 48 male pts will be included in the adjuvant, neoadjuvant and metastatic setting. In a 3-arm design, endocrine therapies are compared consisting of tamoxifen 20mg daily versus tamoxifen daily+GnRH on day 1 and after 3 months versus exemestane 25mg daily+GnRH on day 1 and after 3 months. The treatment duration is 6 months. The primary aim is to determine the oestradiol suppression after 3 months. Secondary endpoints are to compare the oestradiol suppression after 6 months and to assess the compliance (with standardized questionnaires as Aging Male Symptom Score, International Index of Erectile function and International Prostate Symptom Score), safety and toxicity profile. The determination of the predefined hormones at baseline and after 3 and 6 months will be measured centrally. After the antihormonal treatment, all pts should be treated according to local recommendations. Included can be men with primary or metastatic endocrine sensitive BC with an indication of an endocrine therapy who did not receive prior antihormonal therapy; prior chemotherapy is allowed. 16 evaluable pts per group are needed for the Kruskal-Wallis-Test to have 80% power to detect at the 5% significance level a difference. The translational research programme includes the determination of cytochrome P450 polymorphisms, the hormone receptor activity and aromatase expression of the tumour tissue. Results: The time of recruitment should not exceed 2 years with 36 recruiting sites in Germany. As no study specific treatment or investigation is planned after the end of treatment, surgery and follow up are not part of this study, however information on the health status of the pts will be collected. The trial has been opened in May 2012 and is currently recruiting. Conclusion: This is the first study randomizing men with BC to investigate the ability to suppress estradiol of different endocrine regimen. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2012;72(24 Suppl):Abstract nr OT2-2-05.


This article addresses the impact of corporal punishment and its imprints on the 'psychological being' of a student. Corporal punishment or physical punishment is a tool materialized for controlling the behavior of a student for displaying behavior that doesn't confirm to the govermentality of the institution in which he/she reads. Corporal punishment among children has become a norm of the society. It is also believed that spanking and slapping children are highly affected even if they are not approved. Straus (1991) found that 84% of adults agreed on that a good, hard spanking is sometimes necessary. Carson (1986) titles the parents who refuse to use corporal punishment as "poor parents". Almost all the parents use corporal punishment while the stress of it declines with the age factor. We tried to analyze (a) the effects of corporal punishment on the children resulting in the negativity and aggression in the behavior of the child (b) the consoling effects of psychological treatment to nurse the ailing psychology of the child with positive responses. A comparison between corporal punishment and psychological treatment is done demonstrating that the impact of corporal punishment is associated with impairment of psychology of the children and self negation. The interrelationship among physical punishment and aggression is brought to test with the aftereffects. The helping hand of psychological tools qualifies in soothing the ailing situation and maintaining harmony and peace in the development of the mind in various ways. The research is further supported by the facts and interpretations already given by critics in the past and are further elaborated. The main objective of this assignment is to offer alternative to avoid corporal punishment to achieve desired results and to provide feasible environment for learning process. Educational psychology has for ever been in the attempt to encourage measures to benefit teaching learning process with promising results. The point of views of both learners and instructors have been checked through interview and questionnaire either corporal punishment is good tool for learners and children or not.


A recent webinar entitled 'What to consider when making the buying decision about a heat transfer fluid (HTF) for your system', hosted by Process Heating, discussed the costs associated with the management of HTFs over and mentioned how HTFs could be protected through fluid and system preventative maintenance, which is more commonly referred to as routine sampling and chemical analysis. However, the presentation did not make it clear that sampling and chemical analysis needs to be conducted on a regular basis for each and every HTF. Indeed, there are common misconceptions / myths about the sampling of HTFs and such misunderstandings need to be avoided. The current article was written to address some commonly held misconceptions with the intention of busting the myths behind them. Herein, ten common myths are presented in an attempt to bust these myths.


In this study, a new droplet solidification test has been developed to simulate the process of sub-rapid solidification of 2205 duplex stainless steel (DSS) strip casting process. The results suggest that the maximum heat flux and amount of heat removed increase with the repeat of dropping tests. Furthermore, the final wetting angle between the solidified droplet and substrate decreases, and the bottom area of the droplet increases with the successive addition of solidifying material on prior film. The major composition of the films is detected mainly as oxides containing O, Fe, Si, Mn, Cr and Cu, which precipitate from DSS samples and substrate. The microstructure of the sub-rapid solidified DSS samples consists of δ -ferrite (60–65%) and Widmanstätten-like austenite (35–40%) phases. The element N mainly segregates in austenite phase and elements Si, Mo tend to stabilize ferrite phase. The finer microstructure in HS4 (the 12th droplet experiment with high superheat) sample implies that a higher interfacial heat flux (10.4360 MW m −2 ) brings a higher cooling rate, and the nucleation rate can be increased markedly, causing a less space for each grain to grow and further refine the as-cast grain size.


The small GTPases, Rab5 and Rab7, are key regulators at multiple stages of the endocytic/endolysosomal pathway, including fusion and maturation of endosomes. In yeast, Vps21p (Rab5 homolog) recruits a GEF for Rab7 and activates the downstream Ypt7p (Rab7 homolog) on endosomal membrane. Although the model of this sequential activation from Vps21p to Ypt7p in the endocytic pathway has been established, activation mechanism of Ypt7p in the Vps21p-independent pathway has not been completely clarified. Here we show that Ypt7p is activated and mediates vacuolar fusion in cells lacking all yeast Rab5 genes, VPS21, YPT52, and YPT53. We also demonstrate that deletion of both VPS21 and YPT7 genes cause severe defect in the AP-3 pathway as well as the CPY pathway although the AP-3 pathway is mostly intact in each vps21Δ or ypt7Δ mutant. Interestingly, in vps21Δ ypt7Δ mutant cargos trafficked via the VPS or endocytic pathway accumulate beside nucleus whereas cargo trafficked via the AP-3 pathway disperse in the cytosol. These findings suggest that Ypt7p is activated and plays a Rab5-independent role in the AP-3-mediated pathway.


This is a tutorial article. An introductory discussion of direct current gas discharges is presented. Beginning with basic ideas from kinetic theory, gas discharge plasmas are described in terms of phenomena observed in the laboratory. Various models are introduced to account for electrical breakdown, plasma boundaries and the longitudinal and transverse structure of discharges.


The special problems confronted by very small animals in nervous system design that may impose limitations on their behaviour and evolution are reviewed. Previous attempts to test for such behavioural limitations have suffered from lack of detail in behavioural observations of tiny species and unsatisfactory measurements of their behavioural capacities. This study presents partial solutions to both problems. The orb-web construction behaviour of spiders provided data on the comparative behavioural capabilities of tiny animals in heretofore unparalleled detail; species ranged about five orders of magnitude in weight, from approximately 50–100 mg down to some of the smallest spiders known (less than 0.005 mg), whose small size is a derived trait. Previous attempts to quantify the 'complexity' of behaviour were abandoned in favour of using comparisons of behavioural imprecision in performing the same task. The prediction of the size limitation hypothesis that very small spiders would have a reduced ability to repeat one particular behaviour pattern precisely was not confirmed. The anatomical and physiological mechanisms by which these tiny animals achieve this precision and the possibility that they are more limited in the performance of higher-order behaviour patterns await further investigation.


A new method for calculation of layer charge and charge distribution of smectites is proposed. The method is based on comparisons between X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of K-saturated, ethylene glycol-solvated, oriented samples and calculated XRD patterns for three-component, mixed-layer systems. For the calculated patterns it is assumed that the measured patterns can be modeled as random interstratifications of fully expanding 17.1 Å layers, partially expanding 13.5 Å layers and non-expanding 9.98 Å layers. The technique was tested using 29 well characterized smectites. According to their XRD patterns, smectites were classified as group 1 (low-charge smectites) and group 2 (high-charge smectites). The boundary between the two groups is at a layer charge of −0.46 equivalents per half unit-cell. Low-charge smectites are dominated by 17.1 Å layers, whereas high-charge smectites contain only 20% fully expandable layers on average. Smectite properties and industrial applications may be dictated by the proportion of 17.1 Å layers present. Non-expanding layers may control the behavior of smectites during weathering, facilitating the formation of illite layers after subsequent cycles of wetting and drying. The precision of the method is better than 3.5% at a layer charge of −0.50; therefore the method should be useful for basic research and for industrial purposes.


The Voting Rights Act is perhaps the most successful civil rights law ever. Yet while one set of scholars regards the legislation's success as evidence that it remains necessary and appropriate, another set of scholars regards that success as a sign that the VRA is obsolete and inappropriate. In this article, I argue that disagreement about the VRA stems from two fundamentally different analytical approaches. The antidiscrimination paradigm focuses on how key indicators of political empowerment have progressed since 1965. The nondiscrimination paradigm focuses on how far those indicators are from what would be observed in the absence of racial discrimination. By identifying these two perspectives, this analysis illuminates sources of scholarly disagreement about the Voting Rights Act and clears a path both to resolving related debates within Congress and the courts, and to investigating the empirical impact of each interpretation on the sustainability of the VRA.


This paper describes a global model for agriculture and bioenergy (GLOMAB) that incorporates biomass, biofuels and bioelectricity sectors into the GTAP-Energy model by expanding the global GTAP database, production and consumption structures. Biofuels are separated between first- generation (sugar ethanol, starch ethanol) and second- generation (cellulosic ethanol) biofuels and associated biomass feedstocks (maize, sugar cane, crop residues, woody biomass). Beside biofuels, the model also incorporates bioelectricity (as separate form conventional electricity) which competes for the same biomass feedstocks with cellulosic ethanol sector (agricultural residues, woody biomass). With this broad-based representation of the bioenergy system likely to prevail over the medium term (2010-2020), the model offers a useful framework for analyzing the growing influence of biofuels on agricultural markets, the implications biofuel subsidies and tariffs on trade in biofuels and biomass, and a comparative analysis of alternative policies to mitigate role of GHG emissions (mandates versus carbon taxes). In this paper, we apply the model to an analysis of biofuels and food security for two developing countries – Peru and Tanzania, and examine the implications on food security. Preliminary results for Tanzania show that the implications of ethanol expansion depend on the feedstock used with Cassava-ethanol draws more additional labor and land then sugar-cane based ethanol. Moreover, greater productivity of feedstocks can alleviate the pressure on new lands required to meet new biofuel needs. While sugar cane ethanol may be more efficient in terms of resource use compared to biodiesel, the latter may have better opportunities for food security in terms of labor employment. However, suggestions for further research are suggested including expanding the CGE analysis to include micro-simulations where the implications for food security are assessed for specific household types.


Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA

Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR2) inhibitors lead to the reduction of angiogenesis but are cytostatic, not tumoricidal. These inhibitors have shown significant promise in the clinic when used in combination with cytotoxic agents, and several clinical trials with such combinations are in progress. We have previously reported preclinical studies on AG119, a compound that inhibits both VEGFR2 and tubulin, thereby affording antiangiogenic and cytotoxic effects in a single agent. Structural modifications of AG119 afforded AG321, a unique compound with four separate mechanisms of action in a single agent. AG321 inhibits platelet derived growth factor receptor-β (PDGFRβ) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), in addition to VEGFR2 and tubulin. AG321 is a colchicine site binding agent with potency comparable with that of combretastatin A-4 against bovine brain tubulin assembly. AG321 has potency comparable with that of erlotinib in tumor cell lines overexpressing EGFR and potency comparable with those of erlotinib, PD153035 and DMBI and in cell lines overexpressing PDGFRβ. It also has potency comparable with those of sunitinib and semaxinib in cell lines overexpressing VEGFR2. AG321 reduced tumor size (control: 15.7 ± 2.9 mm3/day; AG321 treated: 5.7 ± 0.7 mm3/day; p < 0.01 by one way ANOVA with Tukey multiple comparisons post test) and the number of lung metastases in the 4T1 triple negative mouse breast cancer allograft model and was superior to docetaxel, without overt systemic toxicity. A range of potential therapies that target EGFR are currently in development or in clinical trials for the treatment of glioblastoma. Targeting both VEGFR2 and PDGFRβ, which are two key mediators of tumor angiogenesis, increases the antiangiogenic effect even in the often intractable late stage of solid tumors. Hence, AG321, a multiple receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) inhibitor which may also be effective against EGFR-amplified glioblastoma [AG119 reduced tumor size and vascularity in vivo in the U251 glioma model]. In summary, AG321 with antiangiogenic effects via multiple RTK inhibition and cytotoxic effects via tubulin inhibition in a single entity may delay or prevent tumor cell resistance, circumvent pharmacokinetic problems that can occur with multiple agents, avoid drug-drug interactions, be used at lower doses to alleviate toxicity and be and have reduced toxicity.

Citation Format: Aleem Gangjee, Roheeth K. Pavana, Michael Ihnat, Ernest Hamel. Design and preclinical evaluation of single agents with tubulin and multiple receptor tyrosine kinase inhibition. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 1622. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-1622


In the case of newly developed stud which has more performance of sound transmission loss, it is expected that sound would transmit through runner than stud. so we developed construction method of runner and stud. As a result, sound transmission loss is improved about 2 dB by using this method. But this construction method could be applied to only newly developed stud. In addition, sound leak of wall joint is about 2 dB, and it could be improved by using rubber gasket at joint.


Among the references used by Marx when he wrote his Mathematical Manuscripts, the book of Jean-Louis Boucharlat on Calculus is remarkable by its multiple editions till 1926. It was also criticized by Herman Laurent, an actuary and one of the first disciple of Leon Walras. The paper shows that the genetic method (history of the concepts) and dialectic (Marx scrutinized the transformations of the various approaches used in the calculus) deserves attention and highlights the history of calculus till the XXth century.


Under the hypotheses of analyticity, locality, Lorentz covariance, and Poincare invariance of the deformations, combined with the requirement that the interaction vertices contain at most two space-time derivatives of the fi elds, we investigate the consistent cross-couplings that can be added between a collection of massless tensor fields with the mixed symmetry (3,1) and a Pauli—Fierz field. The computations are done with the help of the deformation theory based on a cohomological approach, in the context of the antifield-BRST formalism. Our final result is that no crosscouplings are possible. PACS number: 11.10.Ef


The invitation arrives. You are invited to speak on the same programme as the Pope, Bill Clinton, and Madonna. Beside yourself with excitement, you forget that you've had these sort of invitations before—and that, for some strange reason, none of the famous people ever turn up. They are all replaced by people you've never heard of and who turn out to be even more boring than you. Having accepted the invitation, you get your own back by forgetting it completely. Two years later, 15 minutes before you are due to start speaking in Florence, you receive a telephone call in your office in London asking where you are.

"I'm sorry," you answer lamely, "I forgot."

"Don't worry," answers the cheery voice at the end, "We'll just ask Madonna to speak for 20 minutes longer. The audience of world leaders will be disappointed you're not here, but extra Madonna will be some compensation."

Far from ruining this presentation, you may have improved the world leaders' conference. But forgetting altogether that you agreed to speak is a good way to make a mess of your presentation. A variant is to arrive late. Don't arrive too late because they will simply have cancelled your session, probably sending a thrill of pleasure through an audience facing the prospect of five consecutive speakers.

One way to prepare for a bad presentation is not to prepare at all. Step up to the platform, open your mouth, and …


Abstract. Fiber-optic distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) data finds many applications in wellbore monitoring such as e.g. flow monitoring, formation evaluation, and well integrity studies. For horizontal or highly deviated wells, wellbore fiber-optic installations can be conducted by mounting the sensing cable to a rigid structure (casing/tubing) which allows for a controlled landing of the cable. We analyze a cold-water injection phase in a geothermal well with a 3.6 km long fiber-optic installation mounted to a ¾" sucker-rod by using both DAS and distributed temperature sensing (DTS) data. During cold-water injection, we observe distinct vibrational events (shock waves) which originate in the reservoir interval and migrate up- and downwards. We use temperature differences from the DTS data to determine the theoretical thermal contraction and integrated DAS data to estimate the actual deformation of the rod construction. The results suggest that the rod experiences thermal stresses along the installation length – partly in the compressional and partly in the extensional regime. We find strong evidence that the observed vibrational events originate from the release of the thermal stresses when the friction of the rod against the borehole wall is overcome. Within this study, we show the influence of temperature changes on the acquisition of distributed acoustic/strain sensing data along a fiber-optic cable suspended along a rigid but freely hanging rod. We show that observed vibrational events do not necessarily originate from induced seismicity in the reservoir, but instead, can originate from stick-slip behavior of the rod construction that holds the measurement equipment.


In a survey of the literature of the past six years on carcinoma of the lung, a great many articles were found dealing with its increasing frequency, and giving detailed statistical studies. There is also considerable literature concerning the possible etiology, the pathology and diagnosis of carcinoma of the lung, but little is mentioned about treatment, probably because few cases have been dealt with successfully. Surgical treatment is recommended by a number of men, but few successful cases are reported (Sauerbruch, Davies, Lilienthal, Lenhartz). Roentgen therapy has been attempted, but with the fear that fibrosis of the lung may accompany the shrinkage of the tumor, as it sometimes has done (Rolland, Schroeder). This therapy is perhaps used as a palliative measure, with the hope of some temporary relief. Radium has also been applied externally, but without success. There is still another manner of treatment which has been mentioned only occasionally.


The nature of the receptors for T1 and T4 Neisseria gonorrhoeae on erythrocytes and other cells was investigated. In general, cells of nonprimate origin contained few receptors for gonococci. Receptors for T4 gonococci were only uncovered when host cells were pretreated with trypsin. Trypsinization, while unnecessary for T1 adherence to erythrocytes, enhanced attachment in inverse proportion to original erythrocyte sensitivity. Receptors for T1 and T4 organisms on trypsinized and trypsin-neuraminidase-treated erythrocytes were blocked by concanavalin A and peanut lectins, respectively, but a distinction could be made between them with wheat germ lectin and galactose oxidase. Of a number of sugars tested as inhibitors, only D-galactose blocked adherence of T4 but was without effect on T1. While the identity of erythrocyte receptors is uncertain, likely candidates are "band 3" protein and glycophorin, by virtue of their galactose content, lectin binding capacity, and partial exposure on the outer surface of the erythrocyte.


Absence of plasmid DNA sequences in non-tumorigenic (crown gall tumor) strains of Agrobacterium tumefaciens was confirmed by DNA-DNA hybridization between purified tumor-inducing (Ti) plasmid DNAs isolated from the progenitor tumorigenic strains and 3Hlabeled whole cell DNAs from tumorigenic strains and their non-tumorigenic derivatives. The genes controlling tumorigenicity in plant and utilizability of nopaline as their sole nitrogen source were confirmed to locate on Ti-plasmids.


The paper proposes a method for the imaging and rendering of art paintings using a multi-band camera system. The surface shape of an art painting is considered as a rough plane rather than a three-dimensional curved surface. First. we present an algorithm for estimating the surface normal at each pixel point, based on a photometric stereo without using a rangefinder. Next, an algorithm is presented for estimating the spectral reflectance function from a set of pixel values acquired at different illumination directions. Then, the surface reflectance and normal data are used for estimating the light reflection properties. The Torrance-Sparrow model is used for model fitting and parameter estimation. Finally, an experiment using an oil painting is executed for demonstrating the feasibility of the proposed method.


Abstract Graphdiyne (GDY) is a 2D carbon allotrope that features a one-atom-thick network of sp- and sp2-hybridized carbon atoms with high degrees of π conjugation. Due to its distinct electronic, chemical, mechanical, and magnetic properties, GDY has attracted great attention and shown great potential in various fields, such as catalysis, energy storage, and the environment. Preparation of GDY with various nanostructures, including 0D quantum dots, 1D nanotubes/nanowires/nanoribbons, 2D nanosheets/nanowalls/ordered stripe arrays, and 3D nanospheres, greatly improves its function and has propelled its applications forward. High biocompatibility and stability make GDY a promising candidate for biomedical applications. This review introduces the latest developments in fabrication of GDY-based nanomaterials with various morphologies and summarizes their propective use in the biomedical domain, specifically focusing on their potential advantages and applications for biosensing, cancer diagnosis and therapy, radiation protection, and tissue engineering.


We propose a novel atomic-layer epitaxy (ALE) method for group IV element semiconductors with which thermally cracked hydride molecules are applied as a precursor. We demonstrate for the first time that with thermally cracked Si2H6 as a precursor, monolayer-by-monolayer Si ALE growth is successfully realized on Ge(001). The results also indicate that Si ALE growth is realized on both Si(001) and Ge(001).


This article describes the architecture development process in an international ICT company, which is building a comprehensive e-business system for its customers. The implementation includes the integration of data and legacy systems from independent business units and the construction of a uniform Web-based customer interface. We followed the early process of architecture analysis and definition over a year. The research focuses on the creation of e-business architecture and observes that instead of guided by a prescribed method, the architecture emerges through somewhat non-deliberate actions obliged by the situation and its constraints, conflicts, compromises, and political decisions. The interview-based qualitative data is analyzed using grounded theory and a coherent story explaining the situation and its forces is extracted. Conclusions are drawn from the observations and possibilities and weaknesses of the support that UML and RUP provide for the process are pointed out.


The next generation of ground-based gravitational-wave detectors, Einstein Telescope (ET) and Cosmic Explorer (CE), present a unique opportunity to put constraints on dense matter, among many other groundbreaking scientific goals. In a recent study the science case of ET was further strengthened, studying in particular the performances of different detector designs. In this paper we present a more detailed study of the nuclear physics section of that work. In particular, focusing on two different detector configurations (the single-site triangular-shaped design and a design consisting of two widely separated"L-shaped"interferometers), we study the detection prospects of binary neutron star (BNS) mergers, and how they can reshape our understanding of the underlying equation of state (EoS) of dense matter. We employ several state-of-the-art EoS models and state-of-the-art synthetic BNS merger catalogs, and we make use of the Fisher information formalism (FIM) to quantify statistical errors on the astrophysical parameters describing individual BNS events. To check the reliability of the FIM method, we further perform a full parameter estimation for a few simulated events. Based on the uncertainties on the tidal deformabilities associated to these events, we outline a mechanism to extract the underlying injected EoS using a recently developed meta-modelling approach within a Bayesian framework. Our results suggest that with $\gtrsim 500$ events with signal-to-noise ratio greater than $12$, we will be able to pin down very precisely the underlying EoS governing the neutron star matter.


Objective. The work is aimed to analyze the biochemical and lipid blood profile of patient Z and to evaluate the effect of a long-term garlic (Allium sativum L.) — based diet on aging-associated processes and slowing down pathological processes in heart-vessels system. Materials and methods. Blood profiles of the patient Z are studied which represents seventythree years old physically active man with intellectual professional activity who played lawn tennis twice a week for the 45 years and followed a consistent vegetarian diet without any meat and milk products (for 32 years), and a garlic-based diet for the last 11 years. The garlic diet represents uptake of one head of raw garlic every day orally (totally 25–30 g, e.g., 1 g of raw garlic per 3 kg of body weight 5–6 days a week) for 11 years. General, biochemical and lipid blood tests were examined during 15 years. Results. Laboratory blood tests of 2003 are testified the ill-being at the level of lipid profile and heart-vessels system as a result of pathological conditions and aging. As a result of garlic intake starting from 2007, blood biochemical profile is started to testify that negative changes at the patient Z's organism are slowed, levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, lipoproteins, creatinine and endotoxin being normalized. As a result of long-term garlic intake the stabilization of indicators of his organism systems was found: namely, the molecular and cellular blood composition, the neck and head vessels, and a high adaptive and reproductive resource of the organism. Conclusion. After the introduction of the garlic diet in 2007, blood tests and ultrasound examinations of the body blood vessels indicate that, despite of age and refusal to take pharmaceuticals, the triglyceridemia and hypercholesterolemia diagnoses have been withdrawn; hypertension has stopped progressing, and arterial blood pressure is stabilized. It is assumed that the bioactive components of garlic exhibit bioantioxidant and geroprotective properties and enhance tissue regeneration. Thus, a garlic-based diet may be recommended to reduce the effects of environmental stressors and to slow down the aging-associated processes.


The concern for style in climbing has been a long-standing debate in the climbing community, ranging from discussions around the politics of bolting routes to what exactly constitutes a first ascent. These debates, when read through Lacanian psychoanalysis, illustrate a larger concern for the construction of identity within rock climbing. Style becomes a strategy of differentiation that works through the signifier of whiteness to promise wholeness to the identity of the climber. Descriptions of the events in August of 2000 when four American climbers on a North Face expedition in Kyrgyzstan were taken hostage by members of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan illustrate that whiteness only covers up deficiencies in the subject and creates a constant state of insecurity. Through the concept of whiteness as a logic of difference, it is possible to understand how this event illustrates the construction of whiteness, and specifically, the moments when whiteness fails to provide being to the subject.


The clinical course of smallpox infection and the current and future roles of vaccination and strategies for controlling smallpox outbreaks are reviewed. Close personal contact is required for transmission of variola, the DNA virus that causes smallpox. Following an incubation period, infected persons have prodromal symptoms that include high fever, back pain, malaise, and prostration. The eruptive stage is characterized by maculopapular rash that progresses to papules, then vesicles, and then pustules and scab lesions. The mortality rate for smallpox is approximately 30%. Patients having a fever and rash may be confused with having chickenpox. The most effective method for preventing smallpox epidemic progression is vaccination. Until recently, only 15 million doses of smallpox vaccine--manufactured 20 years ago--were available in the United States. The vaccine is a live vaccinia virus preparation administered by scarification with a bifurcated needle. The immune response is protective against orthopoxviruses, including variola. Vaccination is associated with moderate to severe complications, such as generalized vaccinia, eczema vaccinatum, progressive vaccinia, and postvaccinial encephalitis. Efforts for vaccine production are now focused on a live cell-culture-derived vaccinia virus vaccine. Although smallpox was eradicated in 1980, it remains a potential agent for bioterrorism. As a category A biological weapon, its potential to devastate populations causes concern among those in the public health community who have been actively developing plants to deal with smallpox and other potential agents of biological warfare. The only proven effective strategy against smallpox is vaccination.


Abstract This paper concerns the issues of senior cohousing with a particular emphasis on the residents' gender. Senior cohousing is an alternative way of living for older people in the 21th century. It is referred to as a community or cooperative, which is created by people aged 50+, who have already retired and those professionally active, who, for various reasons, want to live with people with similar views and co-decide about what their living environment looks like. Literature review shows the slight scope of the conducted studies on senior cohousing, in particular with regard to gender. The research methodology in this paper is based on the literature analysis, review of the current literature and own experiences from the participation in a workshops about cohousing, as well as experiences from the study visits in cohousing groups in the US and UK. The author of this paper has used the historical-interpretative method in the conducted studies, what resulted in the identification of the gender and age "lens" over the years in senior cohousing. This knowledge can be used in the future as the base to carry out the empirical research on concrete examples of the cohousing building.


Polyphenol chemistry-based surface modification has received extensive attention in membrane science for its simplicity and low-cost. However, the limited molecular structures combined with the generally time-consuming process have largely restricted their further applications. Herein, we report an ultrafast and universal surface modification strategy based on the co-deposition of a macrocycle polyphenol molecule, Noria, and polyethyleneimine (PEI), for which only several seconds are required to obtain a uniform coating. Moreover, nanofiltration membranes were fabricated by traditional interfacial polymerization (IP) using the Noria–PEI co-deposited coating as the interlayer. Interestingly, the host–guest heterogeneous interaction between anchored Noria on the support surface and amine monomers in the aqueous phase could significantly alter the IP process and contribute to a unique nanostrand-hybrid morphology for piperazine and trimesoyl chloride-based membranes. Consequently, such novel morphology-based nanofiltration membranes exhibited a high permeance of up to 28 L m−2 h−1 bar−1 while still maintaining comparable divalent salt (Na2SO4, MgSO4, MgCl2 and CaCl2) rejections of above 96.0%, which are among the best performances for nanofiltration membranes. In addition to membrane science, this ultrafast surface modification strategy could arouse intense interest in host–guest chemistry at interfaces for fabricating multifunctional materials.


We present and evaluate the idea of adaptive processor cache management. Specifically, we describe a novel and general scheme by which we can combine any two cache management algorithms (e.g., LRU, LFU, FIFO, Random) and adaptively switch between them, closely tracking the locality characteristics of a given program. The scheme is inspired by recent work in virtual memory management at the operating system level, which has shown that it is possible to adapt over two replacement policies to provide an aggregate policy that always performs within a constant factor of the better component policy. A hardware implementation of adaptivity requires very simple logic but duplicate tag structures. To reduce the overhead, we use partial tags, which achieve good performance with a small hardware cost. In particular, adapting between LRU and LFU replacement policies on an 8-way 512KB L2 cache yields a 12.7% improvement in average CPI on applications that exhibit a non-negligible L2 miss ratio. Our approach increases total cache storage by 4.0%, but it still provides slightly better performance than a conventional 10-way set-associative 640KB cache which requires 25% more storage


This paper examines post-adoption behavior (continued adoption versus discontinuance) within the context of online service use. Innovation diffusion theory is used as a theoretical framework to extend information technology adoption research to the case of post-adoption behavior. This theory is used to formulate 11 research hypotheses distinguishing discontinuers from continuing adopters and exploring reasons behind their discontinuance (replacement versus disenchantment). These hyp otheses were then empirically tested using data collected from a field survey of online service users. Our results indicate that potential discontinuers can be discriminated from continued adopters based on their sources of influence (external and interpe rsonal), perceived service attributes (usefulness and compatibility), service utilization, and network externality (complementary product usage), during their time of initial adoption. We also found that later adopters are more likely to discontinue due to disenchantment than replacement, and are more influenced by interpersonal sources and utilize the service less during their adoption period than replacement discontinuers. Implications for research and practice are drawn.


The issue of countries' competitiveness and sustainable economic growth is constantly at the centre of interest and represents the frequent object of research in economic theory as well as economic practice. The multi-criterial approach and the assessment methodologies relating to the global competitiveness have been dynamically adjusted over the recent years to reflect the current globalization trends in the world economy. The main objective of this study is to analyse the objectivity and resulting values' deviations of the Global competitiveness Index (GCI) and World Competitiveness Index (WCI) composite indexes that are currently considered to be the world's most respected and to identify the impact of key factors that affect the countries' competitive positions with a focus on Slovakia. The research study is realized within the group of EU (24) countries for the period 2006 – 2016. The partial objective is to summarize the main starting points of the World Economic Forum (WEF) and Institute for Management Development (IMD) composing these indices, to identify their common features and different approaches that create differences in the results achieved. Then we analyzed the differences between the resulting rankings and the resulting scores of the GCI and WCI rated countries. In the next part, we focused on analyzing the position of Slovakia using the correlation and multiple regression analysis and identifying the interrelationships between individual pillars and the GCI score in order to determine the impact of key factors that influence the competitive position and sustainable growth of Slovakia and improve or worsen its position. Our results highlighted the economic and statistical context of GCI Slovakia development and the impact of the following key pillars and key factors: pillar P1 (P1: Institutions – Public trust in politicians), pillar P3 (P3: Macroeconomic environment – Government debt) and pillar P11 (P11: Business sophistication – Nature of competitive advantage). All three pillars, identified as crucial to the development of the overall Slovakias' GCI scores, occupy unflattering positions in the comparison of pillar rankings. Therefore, we conclude that it is necessary to clarify the causes of their development and eliminate these identified factors as soon as possible. The results can be seen as beneficial to countries' economic policies in increasing global competitiveness.


The Bicentennial of the Jurisprudence of Original Intent, celebrated in 1996-less than one decade after the Bicentennial of the Constitution, launched a tidal wave of litigation. This wave as yet shows no signs of reaching its crest, let alone receding. An account of the bewildering events touched off by the so-called "Second Bicentennial" may be of interest to the readers of this journal, even though this account may become outdated almost immediately.1


BACKGROUND
Neurocysticercosis is the infection of the nervous system by the larvae of Taenia solium (T. solium). Despite continuous effort, the experimental diagnosis of neurocysticercosis remains unresolved. Since the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) contacts with the brain, dynamic information about pathological processes of the brain is likely to be reflected in CSF. Therefore, CSF may serve as a rich source of putative biomarkers related to neurocysticercosis. Comparative proteomic analysis of CSF of neurocysticercosis patients and control subjects may find differentially expressed proteins.

METHODS
Two-dimensional difference in gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) was used to investigate differentially expressed proteins in CSF of patients with neurocysticercosis by comparing the protein profile of CSF from neurocysticercosis patients with that from control subjects. The differentially expressed spots/proteins were recognized with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight-time of flight (MALDI-TOF-TOF) mass spectrometry.

RESULTS
Forty-four enzyme digested peptides were obtained from 4 neurocysticercotic patients. Twenty-three were identified through search of the NCBI protein database with Mascot software, showing 19 up-expressed and 4 down-expressed. Of these proteins, 26S proteosome related to ATP- and ubiquitin-dependent degradation of proteins and lipocalin type prostaglandin D synthase involved in PGD2-synthesis and extracellular transporter activities were up-expressed, while transferrin related to iron metabolism within the brain was down-expressed.

CONCLUSIONS
This study established the proteomic profile of pooled CSF from 4 patients with neurocysticercosis, suggesting the potential value of proteomic analysis for the study of candidate biomarkers involved in the diagnosis or pathogenesis of neurocysticercosis.


AIM
To report anatomical and functional outcomes after surgical repair of acute-onset vs delayed-onset rhegmatogenous retinal detachments (RDs) following acute posterior vitreous detachment (PVD).

METHODS
A retrospective, comparative interventional cohort study where patients presenting to a single-centre retina practice between October 2015 and March 2020 with delayed RDs (diagnosed ≥42 days after initial presentation of acute PVD) were compared with a 2:1 age-matched and gender-matched acute RD cohort (PVD and RD at initial presentation). The primary outcome was the final attachment rate and single surgery anatomic success (SSAS) at 3 months after RD repair.

RESULTS
A total of 210 eyes were analysed-70 in the delayed RD group and 140 in the acute RD group. SSAS was 58/70 (82.9%) for the delayed RD group and 112/140 (80%) for the acute RD group (p=0.71). At the time of RD diagnosis, mean (SD) logarithm of minimum angle of resolution visual acuity (VA) was 0.51 (0.70) (Snellen, 20/65) in the delayed RD group vs 1.04 (0.92) (Snellen, 20/219) in the acute RD group (p<0.001). Mean VA was better at 1 and 3 months post-repair in the delayed RD group (p=0.005 and 0.041, respectively) but similar by 6 months, 12 months and at the final visit post-repair (p=0.48, 0.27, and 0.23, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS
Delayed-onset RDs occurring ≥6 weeks after initial presentation to a retina specialist with an acute PVD generally had better VA at the time of RD diagnosis and faster post-surgical visual recovery compared with acute-onset RDs diagnosed at the initial presentation. No significant difference in anatomic outcomes was seen between the two groups.


This study analyzes the effect of fathers' parental leave-taking on the time fathers spend with their children and on mothers' and fathers' labor supply. Fathers' leave-taking is highly selective and the identification of causal effects relies on within-father differences in leave-taking for first and higher order children that were triggered by a policy reform promoting more gender equality in leave-taking. Results show that even short periods of fathers' parental leave may have long-lasting effects on fathers' involvement in childcare and housework. Effects on maternal labor supply are also significantly positive but do not persist over time. JEL classification: H31, J13, J22


Interfaces between tendon/ligament and bone ("entheses") are highly specialized tissues that allow for stress transfer between mechanically dissimilar materials. Entheses show very low regenerative capacity resulting in high incidences of failure after surgical repair. Tissue engineering is a promising approach to recover functionality of entheses. Here, we established a protocol to decellularize porcine entheses as scaffolds for enthesis tissue engineering. Chemical detergents as well as physical treatments were investigated with regard to their efficiency to decellularize 2 mm thick porcine Achilles tendon entheses. A two-phase approach was employed: study 1 investigated the effect of various concentrations of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and t-octylphenoxypolyethoxy-ethanol (Triton X-100) as decellularization agents. The most efficient combination of SDS and Triton was then carried forward into study 2, where different physical methods, including freeze-thaw cycles, ultrasound, perfusion, and hydrostatic washing were used to enhance the decellularization effect. Cell counts, DNA quantification, and histology showed that washing with 0.5% SDS + 1% Triton X-100 for 72 h at room temperature could remove ~ 98% cells from the interface. Further investigation of physical methods proved that washing under 200 mmHg hydrostatic pressure shortened the detergent exposing time from 72 h to 48 h. Biomechanical tensile testing showed that the biomechanical features of treated samples were preserved. Washing under 200 mmHg hydrostatic pressure with 0.5% SDS + 1% Triton X-100 for 48 h efficiently decellularized entheses with preservation of matrix structure and biomechanical features. This protocol can be used to efficiently decellularize entheses as scaffolds for tissue engineering.