Socially optimal cost-reducing R&D with product durability is studied. Results show that the first period optimal R&D and output with durability exceed the respective levels without durability. The second period R&D and output are identical to the no durability case.


The emergence of personal assistants in the form of smart speakers has begun to significantly alter people's everyday experiences with technology. The rate at which household Intelligent Personal Assistants such as Amazon's Echo and Google Home emerged in household spaces has been rapid. They have begun to move human–computer interaction from text-based to voice-activated input, offering a multiplicity of features through speech. The supporting infrastructure connects with artificial intelligence and the internet of things, allowing digital interfaces with domestic appliances, lighting systems, thermostats, media devices and more. Yet this also constitutes a significant new production of situated and sensitive data. This study focuses on how (potential) users negotiate and make choices about household Intelligent Personal Assistant use in connection with their data. This study is based on empirical research in Europe with early adopters in Germany and potential users in the Netherlands. This examination of users' early stage technology acceptance considerations highlights particular practices and choices of users to either preserve their privacy or determine what is acceptable use for their data. Drawing on a simplified version of Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2, a quantitative model for technology acceptance, we demonstrate how acceptance of a household Intelligent Personal Assistants does not imply access to all household data, how users see usefulness in relation to a proliferation of devices, and note the recognition by users regarding the efforts needed for full use and acceptance. The study highlights the complexity of data production at a household level and how these devices produce myopic views of users for platforms.


This paper studies the causes and consequences of civil service reforms creating an independent bureaucracy – that is, moving from a spoils system (where the civil service is controlled by politicians) to a merit system (where bureaucrats are more independent). We first demonstrate theoretically that divided government is a key trigger of civil service reform: legislators have a stronger incentive to establish an independent bureaucracy when their interests diverge from the governor's. Taking this idea to comprehensive civil service reforms in U.S. states in the second half of the 20th century, we find that states tended to introduce stronger merit systems when there was divided government. Next, we examine the impact of these reforms on legislation using new methods from computational linguistics. We find that after civil service reform, legislators start writing more detailed statutes that contain more legal provisions. This is consistent with an agency cost model where a more independent bureaucracy requires more specific instructions to avoid bureaucratic drift, rather than an expertise model where a more professionalized bureaucracy should be given more discretion.


Massive multiple-input–multiple-output (massive MIMO)-based low Earth orbit (LEO) intersatellite link communications is a promising research topic for the fifth generation (5G) and forthcoming sixth generation (6G) wireless networks. However, due to the fast relative movement between the transmitter and receiver in LEO satellites, intersatellite link communication is facing serious Doppler shifts and delays, which makes it difficult to obtain the accurate channel state information (CSI). Therefore, this article proposes an improved channel prediction method, that is, spatial-delay domain-based Prony (SDD-Prony) prediction, which not only realizes the accurate CSI acquisition for massive MIMO-based LEO intersatellite link systems but also substantially reduces the computational complexity. In particular, it is shown that the prediction error of the proposed method can converge to zero with the increase in antenna number and bandwidth. In addition, we combine the SDD-Prony prediction method with the total least squares method to reduce the influence of the noise and error components on the prediction accuracy, which further improves the prediction performance. The effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated by a theoretical proof and simulation results.


A physician receives the following unsolicited e-mail message: Dear Sir or Madam: I am in search of someone who can help me. My wife is 35 years old and has stage III ovarian, cervix, and bowel cancer. I know that somewhere, somehow we will find technology or procedures that can help. I understand Russia uses something called hydrazine sulfate, France is using Taxotere, and Cuba has used shark cartilage, but I feel other countries also might have something with a good success rate. I am looking for the top cancer institutes or doctors' names and e-mail addresses or telephone numbers in your country. If you please can help, it would be appreciated more than you know. If you don't have any answers, could you pass this message along to someone who might be able to help? The physician refers the sender to the National Cancer


The Prevalence of Community support and engagement for different domains in the tech industry has changed and evolved throughout the years. In this study, we aim to understand, analyze and predict the trends of technology in a scientific manner, having collected data on numerous topics and their growth throughout the years in the past decade. We apply machine learning models on collected data, to understand, analyze and forecast the trends in the advancement of different fields. We show that certain technical concepts such as python, machine learning, and Keras have an undisputed uptrend, finally concluding that the Stackindex model forecasts with high accuracy and can be a viable tool for forecasting different tech domains.


This article details the findings from a qualitative study that explored the ways individuals who work with early childhood education (ECE) practitioners in professional development settings influenced those practitioners' understandings of early childhood policy and early childhood systems. Defined as individuals who work in the professional development and early childhood policy, the professional development specialists in this study influenced ECE practitioners in ways that caused a shift in their thinking about ECE policy as well as their conceptualization of ECE systems.


Keywords: Modified rice cultivation, Water-saving, Farm typology, Technology adoption, Policy interventions, Farmers livelihoods, Resource use efficiency and Linear programming. The looming water crisis and water-intensive nature of rice cultivation are driving the search for alternative management methods to increase water productivity in rice cultivation. Solely reducing water use in rice resulted in proportional reduction in yield, hence various management practices of rice cultivation have to change simultaneously to enhance water productivity, without reducing the productivity of other factors, primarily land (i.e. yield), labour and fertilizer. Experiments were conducted under on-station and on-farm conditions to compare rice production using modified methods of planting, irrigation, weeding, and nutrient management with conventional methods of cultivation. An yield advantage of up to 1.5 t ha–1 was achieved with a water-saving of 40% for the combination of modified methods over conventional methods. However, adoption by farmers remained limited due to the increased labour demand for modified planting, unwillingness of agricultural labourers to change practices, difficulties with modified nursery preparation and gender issues related to mechanical weeding. Potential for adoption of novel cultivation practices depends on the structure and functioning of the farm, hence four rice-based farm types were identified based on biophysical and socio-economic characteristics of the farms using principal component analysis. Opportunities exists in all four farm types to adopt one or more components of modified rice cultivation, but change in government policies are needed to improve adoption such as rules and regulations, pricing, institution building and infrastructure development, as well as training and education to farmers. An identical set of policy interventions cannot be applicable in all farm types since current resource use efficiencies and adaptability to changes differed substantially. Hence, we quantified current use efficiency of water, labour, nutrient and capital in all four farm types both at crop and farm level and qualitatively assessed the possible impact of different policy measures differentiated per farm type. A multi objective linear programming (MGLP) model was developed to explore quantitatively the impact of government policies introducing water pricing and water quota on adoption of modified rice cultivation including water-saving irrigation and related impact on farm profit. The combination of modifying rice cultivation and water pricing was effective in achieving both the objectives of farmers (i.e. maximizing income) and the society at large (i.e. increasing the use efficiency of water resources through inclusion of modified rice cultivation in the farming plan). The required degree of water pricing has to be kept low since higher prices lead to decrease in farm profit. Impact differed across farm types and affected poor resource endowed farmers most. Providing water quota can be an option to protect the livelihoods of poor resource endowed farmers. Apart from government water pricing and quota, policy instruments such as training and education in modified rice cultivation practices, development of irrigation infrastructure and organised cooperative management of commonly available water resources could have impact on the adoption of modified rice cultivation but this remains to be clarified.


In various connective tissue disorders, a depressed fibrinolytic activity of the blood, attributed a contributory role in the development of disease, has been reported. We have determined selected fibrinolysis variables of the blood in 16 patients (7 patients with mixed connective tissue disease, 4 with systemic lupus erythematosus, 3 with rheumatoid arthritis and 2 with systemic sclerosis) and in 16 apparently healthy, age- and sex-matched controls. A significantly reduced mean activity of the intrinsic derived, urokinase-like plasminogen activator was found in the patient group. None of the other variables, including the extrinsic plasminogen activator (t-PA), differed from the control group. Possible implications of our findings in relation to the patho-physiology of these connective tissue diseases are discussed.


When a disaster occurred, people try to acquire information through social media such as electronic bulletin boards, SNSs, and video services. Their decision-making tend to be affected by social media information. Sometimes, social media information is useful, so people can get valuable knowledge. On the other hand, social media information is occasionally unreliable. Harmful rumors spread and cause people to panic. In today's information oriented society, a mechanism to detect rumor information in social media has become very important. This paper proposes a framework to detect the rumor information in social media. Our proposed framework clarifies topics in social media, visualizes topic structures in time series variation. Then it extracts rumor candidates and seeks related information from other media such as TV program, newspapers and so on in order to confirm the reliability of rumor candidates. By our framework, potential rumors will be shown.


Abstract : Historically, sea mines warfare have played an important role in warfare, which a naval officer cannot afford to neglect. During the recent mine campaign in the Middle East involving Iran an Iraq, commanders delayed decisions on whether or not to deploy mine countermeasure (MCM) forces. As a result, damage occurred to ships in a minefield that could have been prevented by the speedy application of MCM. Before the operational mission commenced, there are several uncertain questions in the mind of the commander: Do the mine-fields exist? Which country laid the mines? What type of delivery platform laid the mines? Where are the mines? What kind of mines are they? Do we need to deploy the MCM forces? Previously, these kinds of fuzzy questions were very difficult to answer by a tactical principle. In this thesis, the probabilistic inference network in the expert system environment is used to answer the above questions. The probabilistic inference network method is supported by the certainty factors. Calculations involving quantitative probabilities for answers to the above questions could enable the MCM experts to offer suggestions to the commander for reducing the ship's vulnerability at sea during wartime.


BACKGROUND: Smoking tobacco is believed to be common among patients with psychiatric disorders like anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, and affective disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate the psychological symptoms of people without known psychiatric diseases who have freely decided to quit smoking. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was designed, and 124 healthy active-smokers (66 female) and 127 healthy non-smokers (61 female) were recruited. The symptom check list and Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) were used to assess psychological symptoms and nicotine addiction level. Smokers were divided into 3 groups: light smokers (0–9 cigarettes/d), moderate smokers (10–19 cigarettes/d), and heavy smokers (> 20 cigarettes/d). RESULTS: When subjects were compared by daily levels of cigarette consumption, somatic findings were more prominent in the mild smoker group (1.61 ± 0.72 vs 0.77 ± 0.56, P < .001), while depression and hostility were similar across all groups. When subjects were compared by nicotine addiction ratio, the general symptom index of the group with high-grade nicotine addiction was found to be significantly higher than that of the control group (1.34 ± 0.72 vs 0.79 ± 0.49, P < .001). In addition, the high-grade nicotine addiction group had higher scores than the other groups for somatization, anxiety, depression, paranoid symptoms, hostility, and other symptoms. CONCLUSION: This study examined the association between psychological symptoms and smokers' daily cigarette consumption and nicotine addiction levels. Psychiatric symptoms (ie, somatization, anxiety, depression, hostility, and paranoia) were observed more frequently in people with high-grade nicotine addiction (FTND score 7–10 points).


Alcohol and substance abuse has been linked with criminal behavior particularly recidivism.. Criminal recidivism is the act of re-offending or persistent involvement in criminal activities. The study investigated the effect of alcohol abuse on the recidivism risk levels, number of times convicted/imprisoned and nature of offence of prison inmates in Nigeria. The Self Appraisal Questionnaire (SAQ) was administered to 1200 inmates in six prisons across Nigeria. The results of the study revealed that alcohol/substance abuse has significant effect on the recidivism risk levels and the number of times convicted among inmates. However alcohol has no significant effect on the nature of inmates' offense. The study recommends the need for the Nigerian Prisons Service to commence programmes targeted towards treatment of alcohol /substance abuse,. Keywords: alcohol, criminal recidivism, prison inmates.


Providing a new insight into twentieth-century architecture, this is the first book in English on the work of French architect Fernand Pouillon (1912-1986). It includes Jacques Lucan's analysis of his post-war urbanism and its critique of mainstream modernism, a description of material construction by Adam Caruso, and Pouillon himself inspired by Aix-en-Provence and reflecting on the contemporary architect's position in a cultural continuum. At the book's heart lie survey drawings and photographs of Pouillon's key Parisian housing projects. This book is first in a series on 'The Limits of Modernism - a Forgotten Generation of European Architects'.


The involvement of transglutaminase C (TGase C) in morphogenesis and cytodifferentiation during glandular tubule formation was addressed by immunolocalization of the protein at different stages of prenatal human submandibular gland development in 100 fetuses and 20 adult salivary glands. Immunocytochemical detection was carried out using a monospecific antibody to TGase C. The results showed TGase C reactivity in both acini and ducts early in development (from 10 to 14 weeks), followed by a marked increase in ductal activity and a decline in acinar activity up to 32 weeks. During the peak of reactivity at 25 to 32 weeks, staining was concentrated in the apical ends of the columnar cells. In the adult, staining was weakly and diffusely distributed in the striated and excretory ducts. Western blot analysis of the cellular extracts of pooled samples from various stages of salivary gland development showed a single strong band at 76 kDa early in development. This band became weaker after 32 weeks of prenatal development and in the adult. These findings of transient high expression of TGase C, which coincide with the development of tubulo-alveolar structure, suggest that TGase C may play a role in morphogenesis in human salivary gland development.


We aim to explain the reason why Jupiter's upper atmosphere is hotter than initial theories predicted by employing a coupled magnetosphere, ionosphere and thermosphere model. We use this coupled model to study how changes in upstream solar wind dynamic pressure affect Jupiter's thermospheric dynamics, energy balance, aurora and magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling currents. The variation in solar wind pressure is investigated on long (_50 Jovian days) and short (3 hours) time scales, which we respectively refer to as steady state and transient state. We vary the solar wind pressure by changing the size of the magnetosphere, as these two parameters are inversely correlated.
In steady state, three different configurations are used: compressed, average and expanded magnetospheres. We find that the power dissipated by Joule heating and ion drag increases by —190% from a compressed to expanded magnetosphere. For transient modelling, the magnetosphere is compressed and expanded in a period of 3 hours. Compressions cause a reversal in momentum transfer between the thermosphere and magnetosphere. Compressions and expansions lead to at least a factor-of-two increase in ion drag and Joule heating, resulting in a —2000 TW increase in total power dissipated in the thermosphere and local temperature variations 25 K. Compressions also cause a —450% increase in auroral UV emission whilst expansions increase UV emission modestly by —37%.
While these analyses do not provide a definitive answer to the elevated Jovian thermospheric temperature, they show that, in moving from a steady-state to a time-dependent paradigm, the thermospheric response to magnetospheric reconfiguration is characterised by dramatically different distributions of temperature and wind. In particular, magnetospheric compressions produce extensive cells of equatorward flow emanating from the auroral zone, suggesting that a Jovian-like magnetosphere subject to adequately frequent, repeated episodes of contraction/expansion may possess elevated thermospheric temperatures, perhaps even at the level of those observed.


In this paper we theoretically and empirically model import demand and export supply behavior of firms for the U.S. economy from 1967-1982. A producer theoretic approach based on duality theory is used to derive econometric systems of producer supply and demand functions that are consistent with profit maximizing behavior. This system is then empirically implemented and the resulting estimates used to construct a full set of supply and demand elasticities characterizing import demand and export supply functions as well as domestic output supply and labor demand. These elasticities are in turn used to derive devaluation elasticities and some estimates of the equilibrium real exchange rate that would cause the U.S. trade surplus to reach zero.


Exercise offers many benefits to both mother and baby before, during
and after pregnancy. It is becoming increasingly accepted that the expectant
mother's level of physical health during pregnancy (Morris and Johnson,
2005) will influence their recovery post-partum.
Recent research also supports this hypothesis and official guidelines encourage
mothers experiencing low-risk, normal pregnancies, to take part in
daily exercise – albeit with modifications to their otherwise regular routine
as the foetus grows (AGOG 2015, Clapp, 2006) as the pregnancy progresses.
More than ever before, the emphasis of musculoskeletal health is in moving
pain free and continuing exercise to late on in the term of pregnancy to
prevent, reduce and manage discomfort. Many expectant women develop –
sometimes temporary – so-called upper and lower crossed syndromes (UCS
and LCS)– characteristic to the LCS is lumbar lordosis, which contributes to
the very high prevalence (<50%) of low back pain in pregnant women (Wang
et al, 2004). Balance may be affected by the changes of the body's centre of
gravity (COG), predisposing pregnant women to an increased risk of falling.
Another musculoskeletal change during pregnancy is increased ligamentous
joint laxity – thought to be secondary to the influence of the increased levels
of oestrogen and relaxin. Theoretically, this would pr edispose pregnant
women to increased incidence of strains and sprains (Artal and O'Toole,
2003), lower back pain and pelvic girdle pain (Gutke et al, 2008, Maclennan
et al., 1986).
In each and every case, the use of corrective and preventative functional
exercises are needed that mimic activities of daily living (ADL) in conjunction
with activating the pelvic floor muscles. It is imperative that the pelvic floor
regains its strength soon after birth to avoid post-pregnancy complications
such as incontinence. Postural changes can also be required to encourage
one's posture to return to its pre-pregnancy state and to thus avoid chronic
musculoskeletal problems.


The thermodynamic behavior of hydrogen fluoride when diluted with air, particularly moist air, is very different from that of a simple ideal gas. The gas-air mixture can, depending on conditions, be denser than ambient air or substantially less dense than air. This behavior of an HF cloud would have a major influence on the dispersion behavior of HF in the atmosphere if it were released accidentally. For gases such as LNG thermodynamic effects must be included in dispersion models in order to accurately simulate such releases. Because of the unique thermodynamic properties of HF, it was felt that those properties would be important in accurately simulating an HF release. This program identified three major areas in which substantial uncertainties existed in previous models: (1) the modeling of the complex thermodynamics of HF/H{sub 2}O/Air mixtures (including aerosol effects on cloud density); (2) the treatment of a wide range of surface roughness conditions (including possible multiple surface roughness conditions) and (3) jet flow and air entrainment for pressurized releases of HF, followed by transition to ground-based dense gas dispersion. Major objectives of this study were to develop and validate computer-based models to calculate the release properties in addition to simulating jet andmore » plume behavior downwind of an accidental release of HF. This report is the HGSYSTEM Program User`s Manual.« less


The field of Human Computer Interaction (HCI) has become increasingly concerned with user experience. A variety of theoretical accounts of what experience is have been articulated in recent years offering a number of important insights, but it can be unclear how they inform design. Whilst they stress the importance of certain aspects of experience, such as anticipation and reflection, they seldom offer data collection or analysis techniques, nor do they demonstrate how such data can be related to the design process. This paper examines several techniques to analyse and evaluate user's experiences of interactive technology and demonstrates how a grounded theory approach can be used to generate design ideas. The paper presents three evaluative cases studies of user experience with the Orange SPV E200 "Smartphone".


The term primary progressive aphasia (PPA) describes a group of neurodegenerative disorders with predominant speech and language dysfunction as their main feature. There are three main variants – the semantic variant, the nonfluent or agrammatic variant and the logopenic variant – each with specific linguistic deficits and different neuroanatomical involvement. There are currently no curative treatments or symptomatic pharmacological therapies. However, speech and language therapists have developed several impairment-based interventions and compensatory strategies for use in the clinic. Unfortunately, multiple barriers still need to be overcome to improve access to care for people with PPA, including increasing awareness among referring clinicians, improving training of speech and language therapists and developing evidence-based guidelines for therapeutic interventions. This review highlights this inequity and the reasons why neurologists should refer people with PPA to speech and language therapists.


Protozoan parasites Entamoeba histolytica and Entamoeba invadens formed a polarized phenotype, an elongated shape with a single leading edge and a trailing edge when treated with pentoxifylline. The leading edge of the polarized morphology was a spherical protrusion devoid of F-actin but with occasional F-actin scars, indicating the presence of bleb. The polarized form was stable bleb driven since the blebbing was limited to the leading edge. Pentoxifylline induced chemokinesis in Entamoeba as it switched the motility pattern from slow and random to fast and directionally persistent. Pentoxifylline speeded up the cell aggregation in E. invadens during growth and encystation due to enhanced chemotaxis of the polarized form. The transformation of non-polarized adherent trophozoites to nonadherent stable bleb driven form occurred via lamellipodial and bleb driven adherent intermediate phenotypes. The nonadherent polarized phenotype was highly motile under confinement and moved by rearward plasma membrane flow. In contrast to pentoxifylline, adenosine, the adenosine receptor agonist, stimulated the formation of multiple protrusions leading to random motility. Thus pentoxifylline might prevent lateral protrusions by inhibiting adenosine receptor, producing the monopodial polarized morphology. Summary statement Pentoxifylline, the adenosine receptor antagonist induced a stable bleb driven polarized morphology in Entamoeba characterized by fast, directionally persistent and highly chemotactic motility.


Uranium hydrometallurgy fixed bed is used to separate and extracting uranium compounds from the leaching of uranium ore. It is a very important equipment in the process of uranium purification. The distribution of the internal flow field of uranium hydrometallurgy fixed bed has great effect on the running efficiency of fixed bed. In this paper, on the basis of fluid mechanics, computational fluid dynamics software Fluent is used to numerical simulation for resin adsorption process in axial flow uranium hydrometallurgy, fixed bed that the diameter is 1600 mm and the height is 6800 mm and to research internal flow field distribution of the fixed bed. The results shows that the fluid distribution in the fixed bed is uneven in the process of adsorbent resin adsorption. The groove shunt filter plate at the exit is a powerful measure to realize the uniform distribution of fluid in the resin layer of fixed bed.


In India, people living with HIV are at a high risk of tobacco-related diseases and death (21.26%). People with HIV who smoke are more likely to suffer from several complications from HIV medications and long-term effects of HIV disease perse and other concomitant treatments. Prevalence of smoking in patients with HIV infection is doubles that seen in general population. This study aims to correlate the health consequences of tobacco use in HIV- positives on HAART and find out the association between the treatment of tobacco dependence and smoking cessation interventions in them. This is a Longitudinal descriptive study conducted at ART Centres of Bangalore city. Hundred HIV- infected patients were recruited with written consent who meet the inclusion criterion. Focus group and direct interviews were conducted at every follow up visit in relation to tobacco consumption and the level of success of cessation. Collected data was analysed by using SPSS -16.50 versions. Logistic regression and Poison probability distribution was employed to draw the significant inference. Mean age and mean duration of smoking was 35.35±6.26, 6.44±3.39 years respectively. The actual prevalence of smoking in our study group of HIV- infected- HAART patients was 64.33%. The probable chance of getting opportunistic infections and severity of cardiovascular complications was positively correlated. Clinicians should routinely assess HIV-infected patients' smoking status and readiness to quit and also should identify the barriers to quitting smoking in such people and those who are not interested in stopping in the immediate future, but may consider it at a later time.


Data on the regional geochemical background and threshold values of heavy metals are required to establish anomalies and assess soil pollution. As a rule, the background values are the average contents of elements in natural undisturbed soils, or the threshold values for the study area, obtained by statistical methods. The aim of the study is to obtain geochemical threshold values of heavy metals in the soils of the Lower Don and the Taganrog Bay coast using different statistical approaches. A total of 86 topsoil samples were collected from the study area. The concentrations of Cr, Mn, Ni, Сu, Zn, As, Cd, and Pb were analyzed by X-ray fluorescence. The median element concentrations in the soils of the study area were consistent with world soil average and metal concentrations in background soils of protected area. Using a 'geochemical' approach is not suitable for this dataset because it does not take into account the natural variability of concentrations in different soil types. The Tukey inner fence method delivers estimates that do not detect outliers for Ni, As, Cd, and Pb. The 'median + 2 median absolute deviations' method was the most appropriate, as it consistently provided the most conservative background values.


Background As the average life expectancy increases, more people are predicted to have strokes. Recent studies have shown an increasing incidence in certain types of cerebral infarction. We aimed to estimate time trends in incidence, prior risk factors, and use of preventive treatments for ischaemic stroke (IS) aetiological subtypes and to ascertain any demographic disparities. Methods and findings Population-based data from the South London Stroke Register (SLSR) between 2000 and 2015 were studied. IS was classified, based on the underlying mechanism, into large-artery atherosclerosis (LAA), cardio-embolism (CE), small-vessel occlusion (SVO), other determined aetiologies (OTH), and undetermined aetiologies (UND). After calculation of age-, sex-, and ethnicity-specific incidence rates by subtype for the 16-year period, we analysed trends using Cochran-Armitage tests, Poisson regression models, and locally estimated scatterplot smoothers (loess). A total of 3,088 patients with first IS were registered. Between 2000–2003 and 2012–2015, the age-adjusted incidence of IS decreased by 43% from 137.3 to 78.4/100,000/year (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 0.57, 95% CI 0.5–0.64). Significant declines were observed in all subtypes, particularly in SVO (37.4–18; p < 0.0001) and less in CE (39.3–25; p < 0.0001). Reductions were recorded in males and females, younger (<55 years old) and older (≥55 years old) individuals, and white and black ethnic groups, though not significantly in the latter (144.6–116.2; p = 0.31 for IS). A 4-fold increase in prior-to-stroke use of statins was found (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 4.39, 95% CI 3.29–5.86), and despite the increasing prevalence of hypertension (OR 1.54, 95% CI 1.21–1.96) and atrial fibrillation (OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.22–2.36), preventive use of antihypertensive and antiplatelet drugs was declining. A smaller number of participants in certain subgroup-specific analyses (e.g., black ethnicity and LAA subtype) could have limited the power to identify significant trends. Conclusions The incidence of ISs has been declining since 2000 in all age groups but to a lesser extent in the black population. The reported changes in medication use are unlikely to fully explain the reduction in stroke incidence; however, innovative prevention strategies and better management of risk factors may contribute further reduction.


We have newly developed [110]-surface strained-silicon-on-insulator (SOI) n- and p-MOSFETs on [110]-surface relaxed-SiGe-on-insulator substrates with the Ge content of 25%, fabricated by applying the Ge condensation technique to SiGe layers grown on [110]-surface SOI wafers. We have demonstrated that the electron and the hole mobility enhancement of [110]-surface strained-SOI devices amounts to 23% and 50%, respectively, against the mobilities of [110]-surface unstrained MOSFETs. As a result, the electron and the hole mobility ratios of [110]-surface strained-SOI MOSFETs to the universal mobility of (100)-surface bulk-MOSFETs increase up to 81% and 203%, respectively. Therefore, the current drive imbalance between n- and p-MOS can be reduced. Moreover, both the electron and the hole mobilities of the [110]-surface strained-SOIs strongly depend on the drain current flow direction, which is qualitatively explained by the anisotropic effective mass characteristics of the carriers on a [110]-surface Si. As a result, the [110]-surface strained-SOI technology with optimization of the current flow directions of n- and p-MOS is promising for realizing higher speed scaled CMOS.


This paper summarises recent activities on merging the geodetic, geologic, and neotectonic evidence of geodynamics in Croatia. The area of City of Zagreb which is the boundary zone of Eastern Alps, Dinnarides and Pannonian Basin is included as well.


Septicemia is one of the infectious diseases which have zoonotic and economic importance all over the world. Therefore, this study isolated and identified some of the aerobic, septicemic bacteria and then antimicrobial susceptibility test was done in the period November 2006 to May 2007 on 830 sick cattle of different age groups, which were brought to Sebeta veterinary clinic from Sebeta and its surrounding of parts Ethiopia. From these cattle, only 70 cattle found with sign of septicemia. Accordingly, the study was carried out on these 70 Septicemic cattle with objectives of isolation and identification of septicemic, aerobic bacteria and establishing of antimicrobial susceptibility test. Hence, from the study animals, whole blood samples were collected aseptically from jugular vein for bacteria culture. As a result, out of 70 blood samples, 42 (60%) cultures were found with aerobic gram positive and negative bacteria, which consists 28 (66.67%) gram positive and 14 (33.33%) gram negative bacteria. The isolated bacterial species were Staphylococcus aureus 5 (11.9%), other Staphylococcus species 14 (33.33%), Streptococcus species 2 (4.8%), Listeria monocytogenes 3 (7.1%), other Listeria species 2 (4.8%), B. anthracis 2 (4.8%), Escherichia coli 4 (9.5%), Pasteurella multocida 9 (21.4%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa 1 (2.4%). On the other hand, the in vitro antimicrobial susceptibility test showed that all bacterial isolates were susceptible to Novobiocin and Chloraphenenicol except P. aeruginosa. Generally, the bacterial isolates revealed various degree of susceptibility against gentamicin, trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole, methicillin, polymixin B, oxytetracycline, penicillin G and ampicillin. Conversely, from all isolates, Ps. aeruginosa showed highest resistance to all antimicrobials except to gentamicin. Also almost all bacterial isolates were resistant to bacitracin. Of course, further study is required to elucidate the true nature of septicemic agents and rational use of antimicrobial therapy.


We propose a Petri-net-based approach for reliability prediction of composite service built on WS-CDL. To quantitatively investigate the reliability of composite services, we first give a set of translation rules to map WS-CDL elements into generalized-stochastic-petri-nets (GSPN). Based on the GSPN representation, we introduce the prediction algorithm to calculate the process-normal-completion probability of composite service. We also validate the accuracy of the approach in the experimental study by showing 95% confidence intervals obtained from experimental results cover corresponding theoretical prediction values.


In a study aiming to determine the structural elements essential to the antifungal activity of kakuol, we synthesized a series of 2‐hydroxy‐4,5‐methylenedioxyaryl ketones, and we assayed their in vitro antifungal activity. The most sensitive target organisms to the action of these class of compounds were Phytophthora infestans, Phytium ultimum, Cercospora beticola, Cladosporium cucumerinum, and Rhizoctonia solani. Most of the analogs showed a remarkable in vitro activity, and some of them appeared significantly more effective than the natural product. The biological activity was mainly affected by introducing structural modification on the carbonyl moiety of the natural‐product molecule. In particular, compound 5a, bearing a CC bond conjugated to the CO group, was found active with a MIC value of 10 μg ml−1 against Cladosporium cucumerinum. The results suggest that 2‐hydroxy‐4,5‐methylenedioxyaryl ketones can be considered promising candidates in the development of new antifungal compounds.


Exposure to air pollutants increases levels of circulating glucocorticoid stress hormones that exert profound effects relevant to health and disease. However, the nature and magnitude of tissue-level effects are modulated by factors that regulate local glucocorticoid activity; accordingly, inter-individual differences could contribute to susceptibility. In the present study, we characterized effects of ozone (O3) inhalation on glucocorticoid-regulating factors in the lungs of rat strains with contrasting hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal stress axis responses. Hyper-responsive Fischer (F344) and less responsive Lewis (LEW) rats were exposed to air or 0.8 ppm O3 for 4 h by nose-only inhalation. Levels of the high-specificity and -affinity corticosteroid-binding globulin protein increased in the lungs of both strains proportional to the rise in corticosterone levels following O3 exposure. Ozone reduced the ratio of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (HSDB1)/HSDB2 mRNA in the lungs of F344 but not LEW, indicating strain-specific transcriptional regulation of the major glucocorticoid metabolism factors that control tissue-level action. Intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1 and total elastase activity were increased by O3 in both strains, consistent with extravasation and tissue remodeling processes following injury. However, mRNA levels of inflammatory markers were significantly higher in the lungs of O3-exposed LEW compared to F344. The data show that strain differences in the glucocorticoid response to O3 are accompanied by corresponding changes in regulatory factors, and that these effects are collectively associated with a differential inflammatory response to O3. Innate differences in glucocorticoid regulatory factors may modulate the pulmonary effects of inhaled pollutants, thereby contributing to differential susceptibility.


The structure of the monoprotonated ion, 2, of 5-methyl-1,5,9-triazabicyclo[7.3.1]tridecane, 1, as a picrate shows an NMeH+ group engaged in a transannular hydrogen bond with one of the aminal nitrogen atoms and this, in turn, induces a small but measurable structural anomeric effect in the aminal functional group. Diprotonation of 1 in CF3CO2H yields an equilibrium mixture of two isomeric bicyclic dications which are interconverted via a monocyclic ion containing a H2CN+ group and further protonation by CF3SO3H traps the iminium ion as a monocyclic trication. The structure of the monoprotonated ion, 4, of 1,4,8,11-tetraazatricyclo[126.96.36.199,8]hexadecane, 3, as a perchlorate shows the cation with effective C2 symmetry, a nearly linear, and almost symmetrical, transannular hydrogen bond, and a more pronounced structural anomeric effect in both hexahydropyrimidine units. Diprotonation of 3 gives a dication, 5, and the structure of the bis(trifluoroacetate) shows measurable shortening of the aminal C–NR2 bond in spite of the fact that the lone pair and the C–N+ bond are close to gauche. The structural effects in 2, 4, and 5 are well-reproduced by Becke–Perdew density functional theory calculations, and a natural bond orbital analysis of the parent system H3N–H+· · ·NH2CH2NH2, based on SCF and MP2 ab initio calculations is described.


Background In many countries, the number of children hospitalized for alcohol intoxication is increasing. This study analyzed changes in the number of hospitalizations for alcohol intoxication in children aged 0–18 years at the Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of Split, from 2008 to 2015. Material/Methods Data were collected retrospectively from hospital medical records. Risk groups were classified according to sex, age, drinking habits, and possible benefits of early psychological or psychiatric interventions. Children were divided into 4 age groups: 0–5 years, 6–9 years, 10–13 years, and 14–18 years. Statistics 12.00 was used for statistical analyses, with P-value <0.05 considered as statistically significant. Results Out of 24 651 hospitalized children, 488 were treated for acute intoxication: 36.40% were girls and 63.60% were boys. Among them, 272 children (55.74%) were acutely intoxicated with alcohol, with the average age of 15.95 years and the average blood alcohol concentration of 2.00%. The proportion of children hospitalized for alcohol intoxication decreased from 1.33% in 2008 to 0.75% in 2015. Alcohol intoxications occurred in most cases outside children's homes (92.42%, P=0.001), and on weekends and holidays (81.62%). Among all intoxicated children, 17 children (6.25%) were positive for drugs. A total of 51.29% of children received psychological support (58.59% of girls and 47.09% of boys). Conclusions In this study, the number of children hospitalized for alcohol intoxication decreased, possibly as a result of preventive, educational, and psychotherapeutic measures or changing drinking habits. Acute alcohol intoxication was most common in the group of children aged 14 to 18 years, and a significant number of these children were positive for drugs, thus, further preventive interventions should be provided.


Various methods have been proposed for fault detection and fault tolerance in digital integrated circuits.

In the case of arithmetic circuits, the selection of an efficient method depends on several elements: type of operation, type(s) of operand(s), computation algorithms, internal representations of numbers, optimizations at architecture and circuit levels, and acceptable accuracy level (i.e. mathematical error) of the result(s) including both rounding errors and errors due to the faults.

High-level mathematical models are not sufficient to capture the effect of faults in arithmetic circuits. Simulation of intensive fault scenarios in all components of the arithmetic circuit (data-path, control, gates with important fan-out such as some partial products generation in large multipliers, etc.) is widely used. But cycle accurate and bit accurate software simulations at gate level are too slow for large circuits and numerous fault scenarios.

FPGA emulation is a popular method to speed-up fault simulation.

In the demo, we will present an hardware-software platform dedicated to fault emulation for ASIC arithmetic circuits. The platform is based on a parallel cluster of Zynq
FPGA cards and a Linux server. Various arithmetic circuits and fault models will be demonstrated in the context of digital signal and image processing.


The recent biotechnology breakthrough of cell reprogramming and generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), which has revolutionized the approaches to study the mechanisms of human diseases and to test new drugs, can be exploited to generate patient-specific models for the investigation of host–pathogen interactions and to develop new antimicrobial and antiviral therapies. Applications of iPSC technology to the study of viral infections in humans have included in vitro modeling of viral infections of neural, liver, and cardiac cells; modeling of human genetic susceptibility to severe viral infectious diseases, such as encephalitis and severe influenza; genetic engineering and genome editing of patient-specific iPSC-derived cells to confer antiviral resistance.


To provide speech output for a major demonstration project of sophisticated computer based instruction, the Microprogrammed Intoned Speech Synthesizer (MISS) utilizing linear predictive coding techniques was developed. In addition to simple resynthesis of preanalyzed recorded speech, the MISS system can apply procedures to modify the pitch, duration and amplitude of individual words so that they can be concatenated into natural sounding utterances. Text analysis programs provide the linguistic parameters that direct MISS to apply the appropriate manipulations. We evaluate the quality of reproduction and storage requirements for this system in comparison with other systems.


If we look at a possibly speculative dystopic world in which all that remains is a single family invested in self-destruction through violence and incest, can we see a critique of the patriarchal narratives that have perpetuated discrimination and abuse in turn of the current century society? Maybe, maybe not. Maybe what we've got is just a story of one dysfunctional family at the end of time. But take two such contemporaneous plays from the dawn of the millennium that each recreate that same horrifying premise, one from Ireland, one from Argentina, and the viability of such a premise deepens. In the final sentiment of Lola Arias's play La escualida familia (2001), Luba says, They say that sibling-love engenders idiot-children. Then we'll start a family of idiots and we'll live happily ever after at the end of the snow. We'll have one, two, a thousand idiot children and we'll let them run, love, die. They'll get together, they'll have more idiots, and so on and so forth... (1) Similarly, in Marina Carr's play On Raftery's Hill (2000), Dinah tells her father, "Granny was talkin about gorillas earlier. Thah's whah we are, gorillas in clothes pretendin to be human." (2) Each of these statements suggests a society in which humanity has all but vanished, largely--but not entirely--because of incest and the savage behavior of the families. In one case, the idiots will take over the future; in the other, humans have regressed into gorillas, walking backwards from civilization into the wilderness. The plays examine how, in the absence of moral behavior, violence leads to havoc, rendering individuals powerless to own their destinies since their lives are marked by physical, spiritual, and emotional deprivation. Both plays are largely preoccupied with how to create communities that are moral and satisfying to all their members. Thus, in spite of an exhibited postmodern aesthetic, both writers seem to be operating from a deep ethical concern, reflecting on the conditions that might lead to the bleak scenarios portrayed in La escualida familia and On Raftery's Hill. In the face of drastic social change taking place in Argentina and Ireland at the time of these plays' staging, Arias and Carr seem to seek a path toward re/consideration and resistance, and to examine how patriarchal social structures contribute to the disenfranchising of many. Carr's and Arias's plays offer, in due concordance with postmodern aesthetics, not solutions but rather openings from which to rethink the failures of their respective nation-states: the failure to provide fundamental human rights (the right to safety, work, adequate food, health, housing provisions). The political stance of both plays is delivered, then, through a postmodern aesthetic. This postmodern aesthetic, which Lola Proano-Gomez defines as "an aesthetic of uncertainty" and which others like Jorge Dubatti and Osvaldo Pelletieri have respectively described as "el canon de la multiplicidad" or "teatro de la desintegracion," takes into account the fragmentation of master narratives in the postmodern era. (3) Nevertheless, Proano-Gomez finds in the postmodern plays of her study a "modern ethic." (4) This modern ethic is implicated in questions of human solidarity, the difficulty of creating community under the pressures of globalization, and the role history and language play in creating individuals' perceptions of themselves within a given time. The same structure of "modern" ethical content and postmodern form infuse the plays of my study. Both La escualida familia and On Raftery's Hill fall under what Richard Kearney has postulated as a postmodern imagination that is both ethical and poetical. (5) According to Kearney, the collapse of the ethical via deconstruction has resulted in a dilemma for postmodernism, one in which the other has become just an image without substance. His solution is to allow the postmodern imagination to play and deconstruct, to critique, but not to become nihilistic in the process. …


Abstract Disability assessments play a key role in welfare states but are increasingly contested, not least for their compatibility with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). This paper draws on evidence of global governance and assessment practices in 34 European countries, the largest international study to date. The paper reflects on the model of disability in the CRPD and its implications for disability assessment, drawing on the work of the CRPD Committee. The paper also examines examples of promising practice in assessment in European countries and concludes by identifying elements of a CRPD-compatible approach. Disability assessments must be underpinned by both a social-contextual concept of disability and a human rights approach. Administrative attribution of disability status based on categorical diagnosis or individual functioning alone is incompatible with this approach. This approach challenges the historic individualization of disability assessments and the knowledge relationships underpinning them.


We present an intensity based credit rating migration model and execute empirical analyses on forecasting the number of downgrades in some credit portfolios. The framework of the model is based on so-called top-down approach. We firstly model economy-wide rating migration intensity with a self-exciting stochastic process. Next, we characterize the downgrade intensity for the underlying sub-portfolio with some thinning model specified by the distribution of credit ratings in the sub-portfolio. The results of empirical analyses indicate that the model is to some extent consistent with downgrade data of Japanese firms in a sample period.


Five-phase permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSM) have special applications in which highly accurate speed and torque control of the motor are a strong requirement. Direct Torque Control (DTC) is a suitable method for the driver structure of these motors. If in this method, instead of using a common five-phase voltage source inverter, a three-phase to five-phase matrix converter is used, the low-frequency current harmonics and the high torque ripple are limited, and an improved input power factor is obtained. Because the input voltages of such converters are directly supplied by input three-phase supply voltages, an imbalance in the voltages will cause problems such as unbalanced stator currents and electromagnetic torque fluctuations. In this paper, a new method is introduced to remove speed and torque oscillator factors. For this purpose, motor torque equations were developed and the oscillation components created by the unbalanced source voltage, determined. Then, using the active and reactive power reference generator, the controller power reference was adjusted in such a way that the electromagnetic torque of the motor did not change. By this means, a number of features including speed, torque, and flux of the motor were improved in terms of the above-mentioned conditions. Simulations were analyzed using Matlab/Simulink software.


In this paper we consider the robust performance problem in H/sup /spl infin// with scalar perturbations. We illustrate how the worst case H/sup /spl infin// performance can be regarded as an H/sup /spl infin// norm of a function of several complex variables. Alternatively, a method is presented for computing the worst case performance by computing the H/sup /spl infin// norm of a single system. This system is constructed from the original nominal system with the perturbations replaced by certain all-pass functions. We show that as the order of the all-pass functions goes to infinity, this H/sup /spl infin// norm converges to the worst case performance. The implications of this characterization for computing the complex structured singular value and robust synthesis are discussed.


A calibrated method for the experimental determination of dynamic lateral force using a scanned probe in air has been applied to the measurement of force vs distance as the probe tip approaches a solid surface. The probe is a fused silica fiber vibrated with its axis perpendicular to the surface in a configuration commonly used for distance regulation in near‐field scanned optical microscopes. Quantitative agreement of a fluid‐dynamic model with the approach data demonstrates that the effects of fluids between the probe and the surface dominate the force on the probe in the optical far field. A two‐layer fluid model indicates that fluid‐dynamic effects must also be considered in lateral‐force determination in the optical near field.


[Nowadays, international trade with Islamic countries, specifically the Gulf States (GCC), is increasing and the Western World is beginning to show an interest in Islamic jurisprudence regarding commercial transactions, from which most rules on commercial laws in Islamic countries are derived. Such outside interest is associated with increasing calls from within Islamic countries in the Middle East for a return to Sharīah law as source of jurisdiction in all aspects of life. The most significant of such calls concerns individuals, proprieties and trade. Arbitration is an alternative method of resolving commercial conflicts that is rapid and peaceful. Arbitration is one of the concepts in Islamic law which Western jurisprudence has tried to understand in the context of Islamic jurisdiction philosophy: e.g., how it was referenced in past books on jurisprudence and how it has developed in recent times as shown in modern writing. Arbitration can be intermixed with other contracts; for example, arbitration and the reconciliatory ul contract are major concepts in Sharīah law that require study and profound analysis to distinguish clearly how Islamic scholars understand them and to eliminate what could cause confusion for non-Sharīah experts. This article explores the Sharīah notion of ul and arbitration in theory and practice by demonstrating how these two contracts are applied in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the country most likely to derive laws from the Sharīah at the present time., Nowadays, international trade with Islamic countries, specifically the Gulf States (GCC), is increasing and the Western World is beginning to show an interest in Islamic jurisprudence regarding commercial transactions, from which most rules on commercial laws in Islamic countries are derived. Such outside interest is associated with increasing calls from within Islamic countries in the Middle East for a return to Sharīah law as source of jurisdiction in all aspects of life. The most significant of such calls concerns individuals, proprieties and trade. Arbitration is an alternative method of resolving commercial conflicts that is rapid and peaceful. Arbitration is one of the concepts in Islamic law which Western jurisprudence has tried to understand in the context of Islamic jurisdiction philosophy: e.g., how it was referenced in past books on jurisprudence and how it has developed in recent times as shown in modern writing. Arbitration can be intermixed with other contracts; for example, arbitration and the reconciliatory ul contract are major concepts in Sharīah law that require study and profound analysis to distinguish clearly how Islamic scholars understand them and to eliminate what could cause confusion for non-Sharīah experts. This article explores the Sharīah notion of ul and arbitration in theory and practice by demonstrating how these two contracts are applied in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the country most likely to derive laws from the Sharīah at the present time.]


Background: The use of data mining techniques for the gene profile discovery of diseases, such as cancer, is becoming usual in many researches. These techniques do not usually analyze the relationships between genes in depth, depending on the different variety of manifestations of the disease (related to patients). This kind of analysis takes a considerable amount of time and is not always the focus of the research. However, it is crucial in order to generate personalized treatments to fight the disease. Thus, this research focuses on finding a mechanism for gene profile analysis to be used by the medical and biologist experts. Results: In this research, the MedVir framework is proposed. It is an intuitive mechanism based on the visualization of medical data such as gene profiles, patients, clinical data, etc. MedVir, which is based on an Evolutionary Optimization technique, is a Dimensionality Reduction (DR) approach that presents the data in a three dimensional space. Furthermore, thanks to Virtual Reality technology, MedVir allows the expert to interact with the data in order to tailor it to the experience and knowledge of the expert.


Objectives Assess the prevalence and associated factors of sexual coercion at sexual debut among young females in rural areas of Boset district, Oromia Region, Eastern Ethiopia. Methods Cross-sectional community based study design was conducted using both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods. A sample of 632 young females aged 10–24 years was taken from six rural Kebeles by systematic random sampling for quantitative and data were collected using a pre-tested structured questionnaire. The collected data was analyzed using SPSS version 23. Principally Binary Logistic regression model was fitted. Moreover, eight focus group discussions targeting different groups were held andanalyzed thematically. Results The prevalence of sexual coercion at sexual debut was 36.5% (95%CI: 34.6%–38.4%) among sexually active respondents. Married young female (AOR, 0.71; 95%CI: 0.42, 0.81), living away from their parents (AOR, 5.07; 95%CI: 1.07,24.01), age group of 15- 19 years (AOR, 0.19; 95%CI: 0. 06, 0.54), alcohol consumption (AOR, 2.44; 95%CI: 1.17, 5.08) and Khat chewing (AOR, 8.30; 95%CI: 1.89, 36.38) were factors predicting the likelihood of having sexual coercion at sexual debut. Conclusion Sexual coercion at sexual debut is a major public health problem among young females in the study community. The emerging program interventions need to take this problem into consideration.


A new neural network technique, support vector regression (SVR), is applied to forecast the solar wind (SW) velocity. SVR is a non-linear efficient tool for high data processing based on statistical learning theory. Its advantage is that the input only requires several periods data (about four 27-d solar-rotation periods to SW velocity prediction in this study), and the prediction is quite reliable. In our work, we deliberately choose the typical SW data covering all main space weather conditions: the SW data during the 9 yr from 1998 to 2006, which includes the periods of the SW speed variation associated with high-speed streams from coronal hole and coronal mass ejections. The performance of the SVR is measured by calculating the absolute average fractional deviation and correlation coefficient between the SVR model and observed SW velocity. We find that the predicted velocity values are over 90 per cent of the observed ones, i.e. the new approach is accurate and reliable in forecasting SW velocity. Based on the error difference, it can be concluded that the SVR technique can lend itself to future space weather forecasting models.


A bank is a financial intermediary and creates money by lending money to a borrower, thereby creating a corresponding deposit on the bank's balance sheet. Lending activities can be performed directly by loaning or indirectly through capital markets. After the advent of technology and its penetration to all business fields, the responsibility of banks is enhanced to provide better, speedy, and ubiquitous service to the customers so that it can create more money and hence profit. Banks are formulating various strategies in order to attract more deposits and lend it to genuine customers to get a better return and hence make more profit. Based on such objective of a general banking system, the ideal concept of the banking system is developed. The ideal bank is a system with ideal banking characters.In this paper, a model of the ideal banking system is proposed by considering the ideal characteristics expected under input conditions, output conditions, system requirements, and environmental conditions. The factors affecting these characteristics are identified using a qualitative data collection instrument namely focus group method.


ABSTRACT The cell wall-less prokaryote Mycoplasma pneumoniae causes bronchitis and atypical pneumonia in humans. Mycoplasma attachment and gliding motility are required for colonization of the respiratory epithelium and are mediated largely by a differentiated terminal organelle. P30 is a membrane protein at the distal end of the terminal organelle and is required for cytadherence and gliding motility, but little is known about the functional role of its specific domains. In the current study, domain deletion and substitution derivatives of P30 were engineered and introduced into a P30 null mutant by transposon delivery to assess their ability to rescue P30 function. Domain deletions involving the extracellular region of P30 severely impacted protein stability and adherence and gliding function, as well as the capacity to stabilize terminal organelle protein P65. Amino acid substitutions in the transmembrane domain revealed specific residues uniquely required for P30 stability and function, perhaps to establish correct topography in the membrane for effective alignment with binding partners. Deletions within the predicted cytoplasmic domain did not affect P30 localization or its capacity to stabilize P65 but markedly impaired gliding motility and cytadherence. The larger of two cytoplasmic domain deletions also appeared to remove the P30 signal peptide processing site, suggesting a larger leader peptide than expected. We propose that the P30 cytoplasmic domain may be required to link P30 to the terminal organelle core, to enable the P30 extracellular domain to achieve a functional conformation, or perhaps both.


This paper deals with the vector control of a Permanent Magnet Synchronous motor (PMSM) employing Sinusoidal Pulse Width Modulation. These motors are becoming increasingly popular in industrial applications due to their high-efficiency, fast dynamic response and compact size. Until recently, programming and implementation costs of high-performance control algorithms for these motors have been prohibitive. However, great strides have been made by hardware manufacturers such as Microchip, Freescale, IRetc to facilitate these algorithms in the architecture of their processors. This has brought down the development costs significantly and opened up whole new avenues for PMSM. The paper details a drive system which utilizes a DSP to implement Field Oriented Control (FOC) of the motor. The mathematical model of a PMSM is discussed and a Simulink model of the entire drive system is illustrated. Simulation runs are conducted for different working conditions and compared with the practical results.


Background: Patients experience considerable pain during the first 24 hours after laparoscopic surgeries in spite of great progress in pain relief methods. Intraperitoneal local anesthetics in different doses have been used effectively to reduce this pain.The present study was conducted to compare whether moderate dose (75 mg) intraperitoneal and peri-portal bupivacaine or ropivacaine can produce effective pain relief after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Methodology: Eighty ASA I and II female patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy under general anesthesia were included in the study and were assigned to either of the two groups in a double blind randomized manner, Group B and Group R. At the end of the surgery, patients in Group B received 20 ml of 0.25% bupivacaine intraperitoneally and 10 ml was infiltrated in periportal area. Patients in Group R received 20 ml of inj. ropivacaine 0.25% intraperitoneally and 10 ml was infiltrated in periportal areas. Visual analogue score for pain and vital signs were recorded for 24 hours in the postoperative period. Injection of tramadol was administered as rescue analgesic. Total analgesic consumption in 24 hours and side effects were recorded. Results: Statistically significant difference (p<0.05) was found in pain intensity (visceral and parietal pain) within groups during the first 4-6 hrs in the postoperative period. The total number of rescue analgesic doses were similar in both groups and statistically insignificant. Variables of post operative recovery were similar in both groups. Conclusion: Moderate dose intraperitoneal analgesia with local anesthetic (ropivacaine and bupivacaine) is simple to use and effective method with minimal side effects.


Strobe photographs of a spinning, bouncing `superball' are analysed to determine whether observed reversals of spin during bouncing fit a model analogous to Newton's experimental law of restitution. Rough, but imperfect agreement is found.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the frequency of leukotriene C(4) synthase gene A (LTC(4)S A) -444 C polymorphism in asthmatics of Chinese Han nationality in Southwest China and to evaluate its relevance to clinical responsiveness to leukotriene receptor antagonist.

METHODS
A hundred and fifty asthmatics and 146 healthy blood donors were recruited. The genotype distribution of A/C polymorphism of LTC(4)S A(-444)C gene was analyzed by RELP (restriction fragment length polymorphism). Eighty asthmatics were randomly recruited for a 4 week prospective trial of montelukast and their clinical response to montelukast was evaluated by ACQ and pulmonary function. Urine LTE(4) was detected by ELISA (enzyme linked immunosorbent assay) in asthma patients before and after treatment.

RESULTS
In the 150 asthma patients, the frequencies of A and C alleles at -444 locus of LTC(4)S gene were 83.7% and 16.3%, respectively, and the genotype frequencies of AA and AC/CC were 70.7% and 29.3%, respectively. In the 146 healthy blood donors, the frequencies of A and C alleles at -444 locus of LTC(4)S gene were 87.0% and 13.0%, respectively, and the genotype frequencies of AA and AC/CC were 76.7% and 23.3%, respectively. There was no significant difference in LTC(4)S A(-444)C polymorphism between the asthmatics and the healthy controls (chi(2) = 1.393, 1.301, P = 0.238, 0.25 4, P > 0.05). The asthmatics with the C(-444) allele were younger than the asthmatics with AA with earlier onset age and longer duration of disease compared to those with AA (both P < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences between the two groups in clinical and lung function parameters. Four-week montelukast therapeutic trial demonstrated that asthmatic patients with AC/CC genotype had better response than those with AA genotype and this difference was related to urine LTE(4) level (F = 12.01, P = 0.011).

CONCLUSION
In a Southwest Chinese Han population LTC(4)S A(-444)C polymorphism might be a determinant factor in the clinical response of asthma to leukotriene receptor antagonists.


People travelling in public transportation vehicles are foreseen to be a relevant use case of future Digital Video Broadcast—Handhelds (DVB-H) systems. However, it is also one of the critical user cases, since, besides the vehicle penetration loss, the received signal quality is strongly affected by the high mobility of the users, which is accompanied by temporary shadowing and fast fading. On the other hand, mobility can be also beneficial thanks to the bursty character of DVB-H transmissions, as additional repair data can be sent in the time intervals between original service bursts in order to hide the coverage discontinuities from the users' perception. In this way, users which miss the original transmission have more chances to receive the information correctly. By managing the amount of repair data the network operator can trade system capacity and network latency for improved vehicular user satisfaction in a DVB-H network with imperfect coverage of the service area (as perceived by the vehicular users). To illustrate the potential of this approach, we evaluate the mentioned trade-off in a DVB-H system dimensioned for pedestrian outdoor users, for both streaming and filecasting services. To enable an easy and efficient implementation of the repair mechanisms, we adopt application layer forward error correction (FEC), as it can provide a multi-burst protection of the transmission. Copyright # 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Abstract. Lake Chad is a transboundary freshwater body located in the
extreme south of the Sahara Desert. Many centuries ago, the synergies
between nature and human activities in the basin were in harmony; and
nowadays, the manifestation of unsustainable human activities and drier
climate in the basin is now evident. This study assesses the water
insecurity and associated environmental issues in the area using the
combined Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) and
System-Approach-Framework (SAF) frameworks. In achieving this, we conducted
literature review to establish the major effects and possible consequences
of water scarcity in the area. The SAF defines the Lake boundaries and
eventually links the active stakeholders involved. On the other hand, the
DPSIR reveals that about 90 % of inhabitants depends on agriculture, with
warming (temperature) significantly increasing in the basin (0.22 ∘C per decade) – socio-economic and natural Drivers respectively – as well as
increase in population. Pressures include input from irrigation systems,
river–flow modification, limited rainfall, and prolonged drought periods.
These pressures have led to change in the state of Lake Chad, like
freshwater shortages and loss of ecological status. Impacts on human
welfares includes mass displacement, unemployment, paralyzed socio-economic
activities, and social unrest. The societal-Response has prompted various
measures like the launch of campaigns and awareness, planned
Inter-Basin-Water-Transfer (IBTW), and several policy changes for better
governance. Conclusively, the restoration of Lake Chad solely depends on
climate conditions and management policies. However, this study recommends
the prioritization of monitoring systems, water-allocation plans, ecological
plans, and modelling tools for better decision processes.


Previously, we reported that the administration of a p62/SQSTM1-encoding plasmid demonstrates high safety and clinical benefits for human cancer patients, having also suppressed tumor growth and metastasis in dogs and mouse models. Here we investigated the mechanistic aspects of these effects. In mammary tumors bearing-dogs, p62 plasmid i.m. injections reduced tumor volumes, and reverted tumor grade to less aggressive lesions in 5 out of 6 animals, with one carcinoma switching to benign adenoma. The treatment increased levels of alpha-SMA in stroma cells and collagen 3 in the extracellular matrix, both of which correlate with a good clinical prognosis. p62 treatment also increased the abundance of intratumoral T-cell. To test the role of adaptive immunity, we compared protective effects of the plasmid against B16 melanoma in wild type C57BL/6J mice and in the corresponding SCID strain lacking lymphocytes. The plasmid was only protective in the wild type strain. Also, p62 plasmid amplified anti-tumor effect of adoptive T-cell transfer from tumor-bearing animals to animals challenged with the same tumors. We conclude that the plasmid acts indirectly via re-modeling of the tumor microenvironment, making it more favorable for increased anti-cancer immunity. Thus, the p62-encoding plasmid might be a new adjuvant for cancer treatments.


The efficacy, as oral vaccines, of hepta- and mono-valent, Klebsiella-containing bacterial lysates and a number of control preparations was tested in mice. The preparations were administered during two periods of four days each, interrupted by an interval of 3 days. Fourteen days after the first dose, the animals were challenged either intraperitoneally (i.p.; peritonitis/sepsis model) or intranasally (i.n.; pneumonia model). Animals treated with low doses of Klebsiella lysate, in the form of either a 7-valent lysate or a Klebsiella monolysate, showed enhanced survival in both the peritonitis/sepsis and the pneumonia models. Hexa- and tetra-valent preparations without Klebsiella were not protective in the models tested. Furthermore, it was found that the protection is accompanied by priming for Klebsiella-specific IgG responsiveness (probably at the T cell level) and by significant IgA anti-Klebsiella serum antibody levels in about one third of the animals. The oral efficacy of Klebsiella-containing lysates suggests the presence of an adjacent component that directs Klebsiella antigen(s) to follow a selective intestinal pathway which renders them immunogenic. The identity of this component is under investigation.


— Use case modelling is an industrial de-facto standard technique to express functional requirements. Security bad smells are design flaws that can potentially degrade the quality of software by affecting a system's ability to prevent malicious activities. The presence of security bad smells in a use case model is likely to propagate security vulnerabilities to other software artefacts. Therefore, the detection and refactoring of security bad smells in use case models is important for ensuring the overall quality of software systems. In this paper, we propose a genetic algorithm-based detection approach to detect security bad smells. A refactoring process is then applied to correct the security bad smells. Finally, the improvement to security is assessed through the statistical analysis of quality metrics. The practicality of the approach is demonstrated by applying it to a set of use case models. The results show that the proposed security bad smell detection and correction technique can significantly improve the quality of use case models.


The social sciences have faced discord by making their objectives become subjects &, unlike other disciplines, in taking on an added dimension of reflectivity. Until controversies arose between the resident theoretical school & the philosophical school, the social world was governed by its own power & rules. The controversies drew into the open the individuals who make up & maintain the social world, as well as the unions, the groups, organizations, institutions, & long range processes. This function of social institutions, resulting from decisions & actions of individuals, is called methodological individualism--an unadulterated form of reductionism. A paradox is perpetuated: institutions rise because men exist, & whenever men rise up institutions exist. E. Preston.


Currently, the training and education of outdoor leaders has mostly been directed towards instructing technical, educational and relationship skills (Priest & Gass, 2005). This approach often omits critical skills necessary to deal with the job demand stressors that come from working in outdoor education settings, including outdoor behavioral healthcare (OBH) programs that work with challenging youth. Some job demands stressors typically found in OBH programs include: a) psychological and emotional issues of clients, b) demanding work schedule, c) remote work areas and d) certain intervention strategies utilized to successfully help youth overcome their personal issues. (Marchand, Russell & Cross, 2009). Previous research has found that working in OBH requires support at various levels to sustain and help develop the individuals working in this unique area of outdoor education and human services. By assuring that programs provide employees with the specific tools necessary to deal with the unique job demand stressors, they will be better able to fulfill their mission and goals of providing quality outdoor educational and therapeutic services to clients. Improvements should also be made to understand the ideal length and content of these initial trainings (Davis-Berman & Berman, 1994; Russell, Gillis & Lewis, 2008). In the context of a larger study (Marchand, 2009), the initial training of field instructors in OBH was examined for prevalence, length, satisfaction and content. This focus was meant to increase the understanding of this overlooked aspect of OBH, review potential information that may give insight into the management of job demand stressors, and provide information for future studies on the subject.


WNT signaling pathway is implicated in carcinogenesis and embryogenesis. WNT signal is transduced to the beta-catenin - TCF pathway, the JNK pathway, or the Ca2+-releasing pathway through seven-transmembrane-type WNT receptors encoded by Frizzled (FZD) genes. Xenopus Strabismus (Stbm) is a tetra-spanning transmembrane protein interacting with Dishevelled, and is a negative regulator of the WNT - beta-catenin - TCF signaling pathway. STB1/KIAA1215/VANGL2 is a human orthologue of Xenopus Stbm (90.6% total-amino-acid identity). Here, STB2/VANGL1 gene fragments were identified in human genome draft sequences by using bioinformatics, and STB2 cDNAs were isolated by using cDNA-PCR. STB2 gene consisted of at lest 7 exons, and encoded a 524-amino-acid protein with 4 transmembrane domains and the C-terminal Ser/Thr-X-Val motif. Human STB2 was homologous to human STB1 (73.1% total-amino-acid identity) and Xenopus Stbm (72.7% total-amino-acid identity). STB2 gene was clustered with Calsequestrin 2 (CASQ2) gene in tail-to-tail manner (interval less than 5.0 kb), and CASQ2 gene is mapped to human chromosome 1p11-p13.3 or linked to human chromosome 1p13-p21. STB2 mRNAs of 4.8- and 6.8-kb in size were expressed almost ubiquitously in various normal tissues. STB2 mRNA was significantly up-regulated in gastric cancer cell lines MKN28, MKN74, pancreatic cancer cell lines BxPC-3, PSN-1 and Hs766T. On the other hand, STB2 mRNA was significantly down-regulated in a pancreatic cancer cell line AsPC-1. This is the first report on molecular cloning and characterization of STB2.


Cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease is primarily a disease of the small airways. We hypothesized that even in patients with normal lung function, a reduced surfactant function would be present and favor small airway obstruction. Bronchoalveolar lavages from 76 patients with CF (5-31 years, median 11) with well-conserved lung function (FEV1 94% predicted, range 78-121) and from 10 healthy control subjects were investigated. The deviation of the biophysical surfactant performance from normal, assessed in a bubble surfactometer, was small; however, the ability of the surfactant to maintain the patency of a narrow airway (% open) was significantly reduced. Surfactant protein (SP)-C level was increased, SP-B and SP-D were unchanged, whereas SP-A was decreased. Among the patients with CF, neutrophilic inflammation was modestly related to a poorer surfactant activity, but not to lung function. SP-D was reduced in proportion to the degree of inflammation and in the presence of bacteria. These findings in a large cohort of patients with CF with normal lung function show that the endobronchial airway inflammation is linked to early perturbations of the biophysical properties and immunologic components of pulmonary surfactant and opens fields for novel therapeutic interventions.


The debate on the future of Nuclear power in Sweden has increased with the discussion on global warming. The uncertainty of fossil fuel- and carbonprices the latest years has aroused considerable interest in Nuclear from power companies, industry and politicians. Nuclear power plants have negligible CO2 emissions and are not directly affected by increased price of emission rights and fossil fuels. The future power production needs to reduce its emissions of greenhouse gases to become sustainable.

The purpose of this study is to examine the value for power producers to have the option to invest in Nuclear power and how a Nuclear power venture would affect future electricity prices. The study uses two methods, a traditional cash flow model and real option analysis, to estimate the value of Nuclear power. Real option analysis is as a complement to traditional investment valuing methods and is considered to give a better foundation for decision-making because it captures the flexibility in an investment-decision. This study use a model where a power company should invest in either Nuclear Power or biofuel fired combined heat and power plant on two occasions, 2010 and 2015.

The result of the study shows that there is a value for the power companies to have the option to invest in Nuclear power. The value depends a lot of what requirement the investor have on the return of the project and taxes on Nuclear power in the future. A Nuclear Power venture would cause a smaller increase in the electricity price since it is the least costly alternative for new investments and it will not directly be affected by the trade in emission rights.


Abstract BACKGROUND. Computerized dynamic posturography is the most important battery test designed to assess the ability to use visual, vestibular and proprioceptive cues in the maintenance of posture. Foam posturography reduces the availability of proprioceptive inputs, which makes more difficult the balance control. OBJECTIVE. The objective of the study was to assess the clinical use of foam posturography in evaluating peripheral vestibular dysfunction. MATERIAL AND METHODS. We evaluated 41 patients with vestibular disorders and 41 normal patients by using the sensory organization test in eyes opened, eyes closed and mislead vision conditions with and without the foam. We measured several parameters: the position of the center of pressure, the displacement in the center of pressure in anteroposterior and mediolateral planes and Romberg's ratio on static and foam rubber. RESULTS. The values of all parameters were significantly higher in patients with peripheral vestibular disorders than in the control group (p<0.05). Also. comparing the Romberg test results, the foam surface used by the patient was larger than the static one. CONCLUSION. Foam posturography can be a reliable test in assessing patients with peripheral vestibulopathy, being also able to identify the visual and proprioceptive dependence levels.


Historical demography is in transition from a data-poor to a data-rich environment. Previous generations relied on demographic models to squeeze as much information as possible from the small amounts of data available. In this new era of large data sets, researchers are creating both regional and international historical data sets of unprecedented size and depth. When examined closely, however, the regression methods used today make the same simplifying assumptions that generated the key advances of earlier generations. These new methods require demographic insight to inform analyses and enrich conclusions.


This article provides an overview of the main drugs to treat autoinflammatory disorders focusing on the four emblematic diseases within this group which represent, to date, the vast majority of patients with monogenic SAID; i.e. familial Mediterranean fever, mevalonate kinase deficiency, TNF receptor 1 deficiency and cryopyrin-associated periodic syndrome. We will therefore resume the evolutionary risks of the four main IL-1 dependent SAID, there treatments and monitoring tools. After having exposed the general principles, we will detail specific guidelines for the management in everyday clinical practice of patients according to the four main pathologies based on both our expertise and international recommendations. We aim herein to guide practitioners in charge of patients with common SAID towards optimal follow-up with appropriate monitoring of anti-inflammatory drugs.


The benefits of inquiry-oriented learning (IOL) in undergraduate science courses have been validated through a considerable range of studies incorporating observation and examination data, as well as qualitative and quantitative feedback from students and employers. However, IOL initiatives often occur in single subject or discipline areas, meaning that students may experience IOL in isolated or disjunct forms, without the synergies made possible through interdisciplinary collaboration by educators. This paper reports on the progress of an interdisciplinary approach to develop, implement and evaluate IOL practicals in first year biology, chemistry and physics laboratory teaching programs. This initiative, founded on principles of collegiality and mentorship among the team members, has involved professional development of teaching associates (aka demonstrators), collaboration in the design and branding of inquiry-oriented practicals, and a degree of interdisciplinary alignment of practical assessments. The initiative has generated a more student-centred and coherent approach to enhancement of scientific literacy and a range of associated skills, provided greater clarity and transparency for students, and scaffolded inquiry-oriented approaches throughout the degree.


The article attempts to solve one of the problems of institutional Political Science, which is that modern research seldom appeals to the institution of parliament in the categories of its stability and efficiency, even though some scholars analyze different parameters of defining the institutional attributes of parliaments, including their variability and institutionalization. On this basis, the author put on the agenda of the study the issues of clarifying, filling in with the content and delimitation of some of the institutional attributes – stability, variability, dynamics and in- stitutionalization – of parliaments. As a result, some tendencies in the definition and significance of parliamentary dynamics and parliamentary variability were singled out and confirmed at the background of their separation from the stability and institutionalization of legislatures. The researcher proved that parliamentary dynamics in democratic countries is determined by both internal and external factors, including electoral volatility, type of electoral systems, and type of party systems and etc. It is also shown that parliamentary variability directly depends on the institutional and political changes that take place in relation to the nature of electoral institutions – types of electoral systems, frequency of elections, ability to run on different electoral lists, size of constituencies.


Delayed cutaneous hypersensitivity to DNCB was assessed in 56 patients who had epidermoid intraoral carcinoma, prior to therapy. They were followed for 44 months, and their skin reactivity correlated well with both a small tumor size and a favorable clinical prognosis. In a significant number of cases, however, lack of reactivity did not indicate a fatal outcome. Therefore, we recommend caution in the use of any skin test data in formulating therapy. When cured cancer patients were skin-tested, there was no correlation between the state of the disease and their skin reactivity.


Abstract Endothelial activation by proinflammatory cytokines is closely associated to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and other vascular diseases; however, the molecular mechanisms controlling endothelial activation are not fully understood. Here we identify TRIM14 as a new positive regulator of endothelial activation via activating NF-κB signal pathway. TRIM14 is highly expressed in human vascular endothelial cells (ECs) and markedly induced by inflammatory stimuli such as TNF-α, IL-1β, and LPS. Overexpression of TRIM14 significantly increased the expression of adhesion molecules such as VCAM-1, ICAM-1, E-selectin, and cytokines such as CCL2, IL-8, CXCL-1, and TNF-α in activated ECs and by which it facilitated monocyte adhesion to ECs. Conversely, knockdown of TRIM14 has opposite effect on endothelial activation. Upon TNF-α stimulation, TRIM14 is recruited to IKK complex via directly binding to NEMO and promotes the phosphorylation of IκBα and p65, which is dependent on its K63-linked ubiquitination. Meanwhile, p65 can directly bind to the promoter regions of human TRIM14 gene and control its mRNA transcription. Finally, TRIM14 protein level is significantly upregulated in mouse and human atheroma compared to normal arteries. Taken together, these results indicate that TRIM14–NF-κB forms a positive feedback loop to enhance EC activation and TRIM14 may be a potential therapeutic target for vascular inflammatory diseases such as atherosclerosis.


Abstract The population of this multicenter prospective cohort study comprised 180 women. Women who were admitted to the gynaecology department with any symptoms aged 18–40 years, whose ovarian reserve was tested, were prospectively enrolled in the study. The Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) survey was administered to all patients. Demographic parameters (age, body mass index), ovarian reserve tests and FSFI scores were analysed. FSFI scores were compared between the patients with diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) and normal ovarian reserve (NOR). Mean women age was 30.8 ± 5.1 years. Median (with quartiles) AFC was 15 (10–20) and anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) was 2.6 (1.3–4.3) ng/mL. Mean FSFI score was 27 ± 4.7. The FSFI score was positively correlated with AMH and AFC and negatively correlated with women age. FSFI score depending on ovarian reserve were; 24.7 ± 5.2 vs. 27.4 ± 4.3, p < .01 (Respectively; DOR group (n = 43) vs. NOR group (n = 132)). Threshold value for AMH to predict sexual hypofunction was 2.32 with 67% sensitivity – 62% specificity (AUC: 0.68 p < .01) and for AFC to predict sexual hypofunction was 15 with 65% sensitivity – 60% specificity (AUC: 0.67 p < .01). In conclusion, the ovarian reserve should be considered in reproductive aged women while assessing the exact aetiology of female sexual dysfunction. IMPACT STATEMENT What is already known on this subject? Sexual dysfunction is a common disorder and negatively affects the life quality of women. Its estimated prevalence is 40% in women worldwide. There are still unknown aetiologies for sexual dysfunction. What do the results of this study add? The female sexual function index is positively correlated with ovarian reserve. Decreasing sexual functions is related to decreased ovarian reserve. Lower AMH than 2.32 ng/dl and lower antral follicle count than 15 are associated with sexual hypofunction. What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? This pilot study showed the relationship between sexual functions and ovarian reserve. In daily practice, the ovarian reserve should be considered in reproductive-aged women while assessing the exact aetiology of the sexual dysfunction. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT04776902 Clinical Trials


Gelatinous zooplankton abundance and species composition were investigated at 3-h intervals for a 48-h period at a fringing reef in Malaysia. A total of 20 gelatinous zooplankton species were observed; the community was dominated by the calycophoran siphonophore Diphyes chamissonis (79.9%), followed by the trachymedusdae Aglaura hemistoma (5.6%) and Liriope tetraphylla (4.8%). The gelatinous zooplankton were not collected in the water column during most of the daytime hours (1200, 1500 and 1800 h) but were common during the night. However, an abrupt peak in abundance was found at 0900 h on the second day. The times of appearance at night were different depending on the species, and the number of species was also different depending on the hour of sampling. Sampling at 3-h intervals over a 48-h period revealed that the temporal variation (or sampling availability) was large in this study. Careful consideration should be given to the sampling variability in handling the gelatinous zooplankton samples in coral reef areas.


ABSTRACT In this work, hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) trimer based two urethane methacrylates were synthesized by reacting 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and a fluoroalcohol with HDI trimer. Due to the high viscosity of the fluorinated methacrylates, they were applied onto glass substrates after mixing with tripropylene glycol diacrylate (TPGDA). The performance of the fluorinated resins were compared to a fluorine free HDI trimer based trimethacrylate. The TPGDA diluted formulations were better in terms of surface wettability than the neat resins. TPGDA diluted fluorinated resins exhibited a water contact angle of 109°± 2. All coatings exhibited high surface hardness (4H and 5H) and good adhesion. Graphical Abstract


BACKGROUND
Specialty hospitals are a subset of acute-care hospitals that provide a narrower set of services than general medical hospitals (GMHs), predominantly in areas such as cardiac disease and surgery. Although specialty hospitals also advertise high patient satisfaction, this has not been examined using national data. We examined the differences in Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) satisfaction scores in a national sample.

METHODS
HCAHPS results were obtained for July 2007 to June 2010. Specialty hospitals were identified using the American Hospital Association's Annual Survey, the Physician Hospital Association's directory, a name search of hospitals on the HCAHPS database, contact with experts, and online searches. Multiple linear regression was performed to examine the relationship between overall satisfaction and hospital specialty status, survey response rate, and subdomains of patient satisfaction.

RESULTS
We identified 188 specialty hospitals and 4368 GMHs. Specialty hospitals were disproportionately located in states that do not require Certification Of Need (47.9%), and had a higher overall patient satisfaction score (86.6 vs 67.8%, P < 0.0001) and survey response rates (49.6% vs 32.2%, P < 0.0001). After adjusting for response rate, the difference in overall patient satisfaction decreased by >50% (from 18.5 to 8.7) but remained significantly higher (P < 0.0001). Similar results were obtained for patient satisfaction subdomains.

CONCLUSION
Specialty hospitals have a significantly higher overall HCAHPS patient satisfaction score than GMHs, although more than half of this difference disappears when adjusted for survey response rate. Comparisons among healthcare organizations should take into account survey response rates.