Background: The double burden of malnutrition (DBM) is a complex problem involving the coexistence of under- and overnutrition within the same individual, household, or population. Our study focused on double burden malnutrition at the household level, which happens when a mother is overweight or anemic, and a child is underweight in the same household. We characterized it as a household with an overweight or obese mother (OBM) and at least one child younger than the age of five who is malnourished. This double burden is assumed to have arisen as a result of low- and middle-income nations' nutritional transition, as well as due to rapid changes in food production, eating patterns, and physical activity. Despite the fact that being underweight has long been regarded a major issue, overweight and obesity have been identified as a growing problem. Objective: The primary goal of this study was to evaluate the DBM at the household level in Babylon governorate, as well as the significant factors that influence it. Materials and Methods: The study was carried in Iraq in 205 families in Babylon province at level of houses. The houses were chosen randomly. Selection geographical area and systemic random of sampling we choose the fifth house in each area, if there were no children or children with chronic diseases, we would pass it to the next fifth house. The study was conducted in urban and rural areas. In Al-Hilla Center choose (al mohandessein, al akrammeen, and al gamiaa) and in area rural of hilla included (Hamza Al-Dali Village, Karragol, and village fzaa) in north of Babylon choose Al-Musayyib District (almuealimin and AL-Sajjad District) rural to Al-Musayyib we choose (Al-Jilawiyeh Village and Hor Hussein) and Babylon hospital for women and children. Results: In this study, all families were included. Overweight or obesity was seen in 5.37% of mothers and stunted children, and in 3.41% of OBM and underweight children. In all families, there was an 8.78% prevalence of any concomitant DBM. Higher maternal age, households with more than two members, and a lower food diversity score were all found to have statistically significant positive relationships. Conclusions: Despite the small sample size, the prevalence of DBM is considered significant and alarming and may be higher in larger survey studies. In Babylon, higher maternal age and the presence of more than one kid younger than the age of 5 years were linked to greater odds of household DBM, and both played important roles in pushing the DBM trend upward.


Introduction Despite the fact that millions of scars affect individuals annually, little is known about their psychosocial impact and overall quality of life (QOL) on individuals. Scars from multiple aetiologies may cause psychiatric and emotional disturbances, can limit physical functioning and increase costs to the healthcare system. The purpose of this protocol is to describe the methodological considerations that will guide the completion of a scoping review that will summarise the extent, range and nature of psychosocial health outcomes and QOL of scars of all aetiologies. Methods and analysis A modified Arksey and O'Malley (2005) framework will be completed, namely having ongoing consultation between experts from the beginning of the process, then (1) identifying the research question/s, (2) identifying the relevant studies from electronic databases and grey literature, with (3) study selection and (4) charting of data by two independent coders, and (5) collating, summarising and reporting data. Experts will include a health information specialist (TAW), scar expert (JSF), scoping review consultant (SCK), as well as at least two independent coders (NZ, AM). Ethics and dissemination Ethics approval will not be sought for this scoping review. We plan to disseminate this research through publications, presentations and meetings with relevant stakeholders.


Male accessory gland secretory proteins in seven members of Drosophila nasuta subgroup were analyzed by SDS-PAGE in combination with different staining techniques such as CBB-R250, Silver, PAS, PAS-silver and zinc-imidazole reverse staining. Based on coomassie blue patterns the protein fractions could be classified in to 3 major groups namely group I, group II as well as group III; with high molecular weight fractions falling into group I and low molecular weight fractions into group III. All the three groups of fractions are post-translationally modified by way of glycosylation and group III fractions are found to be highly glycosylated. Fractions of groups I and II when localized with silver stain and group III fractions when localized with PAS-silver stain appear yellow; suggesting that they are sialoglycoproteins. A 40 kD fraction of group II shows differential staining property with zinc-imidazole stain in closely related species namely D. n. nasuta and D. n. albomicans. Analysis of this protein fraction in F1 males of an interspecific cross revealed that it is synthesized by X-chromosomal gene.


Hospital workers (509) in a health authority were surveyed, and asked if they were in contact with HIV positive or AIDS patients; about their perception of risk; of their knowledge about and attitudes towards HIV and AIDS problems at work; and their desire for more information about AIDS and HIV. Overall scores for level of knowledge and attitudes were calculated; clinical workers scored better than non-clinical workers. Following the first survey, an information booklet was distributed to all health authority staff and after distribution, 232 staff were surveyed again. In this group (the follow-up group), there was a reduction in perceived risk, an improvement in the level of knowledge and in attitudes, and a reduction in the desire for further information. The group who initially had the least level of knowledge and most unfavourable attitudes (non-clinical workers) were the group who improved most.


Telemedicine has seen a recent surge in utilization with the current global Coronavirus pandemic. Prior to this increase in use, its application has been proven to be both safe and effective in primary care and surgical medicine. Its value has been demonstrated for utilization in both initial consultation and post-operative evaluation of orthopedic surgery patients, especially those with pathology about the upper extremity. Telemedicine provides a unique opportunity to deliver health care to patients with limited access, whether it is due to location, cost, or restrictions during times of global crises. Emerging technologies employing smartphone cameras for digitalization of the limb are forthcoming and will allow for the remote delivery of custom fit or fully customized orthoses.


Forgery and counterfeiting are regulated by the Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981. Forgery overlaps with many other offences and tends to be committed in preparation for some other crime, usually one involving fraud. Although there are many available dishonesty offences, forgery is considered a separate offence because of its serious nature and because it warrants a particular label within the criminal code. It involves making, copying or using a false instrument as well as using a copy of a false instrument, having custody or control of specified kinds of false instrument and making or having custody or control of any means (eg paper, machines) for making false instruments.


We define submersions f : M → N between manifolds modelled on locally convex spaces. If N is finite-dimensional or a Banach manifold, then these coincide with the näıve notion of a submersion. We study pre-images of submanifolds under submersions and pre-images under mappings whose differentials have dense image. An infinitedimensional version of the constant rank theorem is provided. We also construct manifold structures on homogeneous spaces G/H of infinite-dimensional Lie groups. Some fundamentals of immersions between infinite-dimensional manifolds are developed as well. Classification. Primary ; 46G10; secondary 22A22; 22E65; 22F30; 58B56; 58C15


This paper presents the results of a case study to the feasibility of introducing ATM SVCs into the Dutch SURFnet research ATM network. The key issue that is examined are the implications of the Quality of Service support of ATM. QoS guarantees for a connection require a portion of the finite ATM network resource. Once all network resource is allocated to connections no new connections will be accepted, and users will start experiencing denial of service. The key research question here is if and how this denial of service probability can be kept to a minimum.


Gravitational drainage from thin vertical surfactant solution films and gravitational drainage in a settler column are used to study the behavior of foams based on two-surfactant mixtures. Namely, solutions of the anionic sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and nonionic superspreader SILWET L-77, and their mixtures at different mixing ratios, are studied. It is shown, for the first time, that solutions having a longer lifetime in the vertical film drainage process also possess a higher foamability. An additional and unexpected unique result is that when using a mixed surfactant system, the foamability can be much greater than the foamabilities of the individual components.


The project from which this paper derives addresses the emerging forms of Elizabethan poetry in the context of contemporary visual design, specifically the forms and shapes that characterize the arts and crafts in the period: architecture, interior decoration, painting, and many others. The form of the decasyllabic line, the medium for the greatest poetic achievements of the period, is a major product of a culture in which artisans from many disciplines devoted themselves to the rewards of arrangement and pattern. In various fields of craft, as in English thought generally, the values of similitude, contrast, equivalence, and symmetry become increasingly prominent as the sixteenth century proceeds. The conventions and principles that produced the great gardens of England and Europe are among the same principles that Elizabethan poets were exploiting to delight readers and audiences. In a crude analogy, we might say that language is the poet's material equivalent of the gardener's earth, and that sounded language is the medium onto which the poet imposes patterns to create the harmonious, composed poetic object. The intersecting vocabularies of horticulture and of poetry help us to document the appreciation for form that attends Tudor humanism and characterizes particularly the last decades of Elizabeth's reign. Keywords : Shakespeare, visual culture, early modern gardens, iambic pentameter, decasyllabic line, earth and language medium analogy


RATIONALE
Radical-directed dissociation techniques provide structural information which is complementary to that from conventional collision-induced dissociation (CID). The analysis of phosphopeptide anions is warranted due to their relatively acidic character. As femtosecond laser-induced ionization/dissociation tandem mass spectrometry (fsLID-MS/MS) is uniquely initiated by field ionization, an investigation is warranted to determine whether fsLID may provide novel analytical utility for phosphopeptide anions.

METHODS
Twenty-three synthetic deprotonated phosphopeptide anions were introduced into a three-dimensional quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer via electrospray ionization. The ion trap was interfaced with a near-IR (802 nm) ultrashort-pulsed (35 fs FWHM) ultrahigh-powered (peak power ~10(14)  W/cm(2)) laser system. Performance comparisons are made with other techniques applied to phosphopeptide anion analysis, including CID, electron detachment dissociation (EDD), negative electron transfer dissociation (NETD), activated electron photodetachment dissociation (activated-EPD), and ultraviolet photodissociation (UVPD).

RESULTS
FsLID-MS/MS of multiply deprotonated phosphopeptide anions provides sequence information via phosphorylation-intact a/x ions in addition to other sequence ions, satellite ions, and side-chain losses. Novel fragmentation processes include selective c-ion formation N-terminal to Ser/Thr and a phosphorylation-specific correlation between xn -98 ion abundances and phosphorylation at the n(th) residue. Sequencing-quality data required about 30 s of signal averaging. fsLID-MS/MS of singly deprotonated phosphopeptides did not yield product anions with stable trajectories, despite significant depletion of the precursor.

CONCLUSIONS
Multiply deprotonated phosphopeptide anions were sequenced via negative-mode fsLID-MS/MS, with phosphosite localization facilitated by a/x ion series in addition to diagnostic x(n)-98 ions. fsLID-MS/MS is qualitatively competitive with other techniques. Further efficiency enhancements (e.g., implementation on a linear trap or/and higher pulse frequencies) may permit sequence analyses on chromatographic timescales.


Purpose: High-dimensional magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) is challenging, even with the state-of-art L1-sparsity based compressive reconstruction method. For example, the reconstructed spectroscopy quality deteriorates dramatically with 25% undersampled 2D MRS data. In this work, using the prior that the MRS consists of Lorentzian functions, we aim to develop a robust Lorentzian-function-sparsity based spectroscopy reconstruction method for high-dimensional MRS. Methods: The proposed method utilizes the sparsity via Lorentzian functions. That is, instead of reconstructing thousands of pixel-wise unknowns, the Lorentzian-function based approaches considers the parameter reconstruction with only tens of unknowns, i.e., the center, magnitude and the shape for each Lorentzian function. And the simulated annealing algorithm is developed to find a global minimizer for this small-scale nonlinear and nonconvex optimization problem, in which the 1D Fourier transform of the first k-line is used to identify the initial guesses of centers and magnitudes. Results: The proof-of-concept simulations were performed for 2D MRS. First we compared FFT method, L1-sparsity method and Lorentzian-function-sparsity method with 25% undersampled data for a simple single-peak case, during which FFT and L1 results contained severe artifacts while the Lorentzian method was able to provide nearly perfect reconstructed image. Then we tested a more practical case with seven peaks of widely ranged peak intensities, during which Lorentzian method was still able to provide almost perfect reconstruction Result even with 1% undersampled data. Conclusion: A new MRS reconstruction method is proposed using the Lorentzian-function-based sparsity, with significantly reduced number of unknown variables. The new method can achieve significantly better MRS reconstruction results than FFT method or L1-based sparsity method, e.g., even with 1% k-space data. Boyu Jiang and Hao Gao were partially supported by the NSFC (#11405105), the 973 Program (#2015CB856000) and the Shanghai Pujiang Talent Program (#14PJ1404500)


Abstract Let {X, X n , n ≥ 1} be a sequence of a strictly stationary φ-mixing positive random variables, which is in the domain of attraction of the normal law, and t n be a positive, integer random variable and denote , and E X = μ > 0. Under a general condition about t n and , we show that the self-normalized random products of the partial sums, , is still asymptotically lognormal.


This thesis tests the hypothesis that the ventilation systems installed in UK dwellings, constructed in 2003/04, are adequate to control indoor pollutants and provide acceptable indoor air quality. The debate regarding recommended levels of airtightness for UK dwellings, and the question 'can a limit be established', is also addressed. The theoretical requirements to achieve health, comfort and energy efficiency within dwellings, is reviewed and how the current strategy of 'Build tight and ventilate right' is being achieved in practise compared to theory. The thesis examines in detail the evidence that, in practice we are ventilating right, and explores the concept being applied: 'to control ventilation heat loss, by reducing uncontrollable air infiltration, at the same time as providing adequate indoor air quality by controllable background ventilation'. This study revisits this concept and questions the validity of building tighter buildings only to add 'designer holes' in the name of energy efficiency. The thesis examines the installed performance of the ventilation systems' component parts, as found in UK dwellings. In addition to questionnaires and interviews with residents, the ventilation system 'in-situ' is inspected and tests carried out. The operation of peoples' window habits is also monitored by visual inspection over a one year period. Laboratory measurements of the ventilation system are taken for both ideal installations, and as found in reality on site. The results of this empirical data are then entered into computer models representative of the dwellings, to discover the impact of how buildings really perform. Empirical evidence suggests that occupants control their windows predominantly in response to external temperatures. Installed extract fans can provide as little as 30% of the Building Regulation requirements when manufacturers data suggests that they should comply. This is primarily due to the poor installation of the fan into a real building system. Airflow through background (trickle) ventilators was also found to be compromised by 38%, due to inferior routing of the slot through the window system. Anti-weathering techniques applied by the window manufacturers further inhibited the air flow through the ventilators by as much as 46% compared to the ventilator manufacturers' performance data. The results from the software models indicated that tightly constructed dwellings would provide a reduction in ventilation heat loss, but at the expense of IAQ if ventilation systems were not performing as designed or used as intended. No evidence from either academic studies or from manufactures could be found which measured the installed performance of domestic ventilation systems, in particular the performance of the component parts used to form the basis of a natural ventilation system generally found in most UK dwellings. This thesis provides much needed information on the "real" performance of ventilation systems as "installed" in the UK. The study found there was a need for the installation and performance of ventilation systems to be tested 'in-situ'. There would appear to be a case to call for a legislative regime to inspect and if possible test the ventilation systems of new dwellings as they are completed.


Objective. To compare the absorption of carbohydrate in particular from a lower (10 mL/kg−1) quantity than that previously tested, of white grape juice and pear juice after a single feeding and after ingestion twice daily for 2 weeks, and determine their respective effects on stool water content, in healthy infants. Study Participants. Twelve healthy, well-nourished infants, 5 to 9 months of age, who were recruited from the general population. Design/Methods. Infants underwent a breath hydrogen test after a serving of pear juice. Three to 5 days later, the test was repeated after a serving of white grape juice. Infants were randomly assigned to receive a 10 mL/kg−1 serving of grape juice or pear juice twice daily for 2 weeks. The breath tests were repeated after the ingestion of the juices in the same sequence. With the second breath test with pear juice, a charcoal marker and 20 mg13C fructose, a stable, nonradioactive isotope, were mixed with the juice. Water content of the stools was compared before and after the 2-week feeding of the juice, and fecal samples were analyzed for 13C enrichment by mass spectrometry. Results. After the ingestion of the fruit juices, only 1 infant had an abnormal peak hydrogen (H2; ≥10 ppm), which followed the pear juice. That same infant was the only one who had H2 levels ≥10 ppm after grape juice. There was no significant difference in the peak breath H2 levels after grape juice and pear juice either at the beginning of the study or 2 weeks after taking the juice assigned (2.8 ppm ± 2.9 vs 6.2 ppm ± 9, respectively). The difference in breath H2response before and after the 2 weeks of fruit juice intake was not significant. Mean (±standard deviation) fecal 13C enrichment at baseline was 3.0 Δ%o (±2.4), which was not significantly different from after 2 weeks of juice intake (2.4 Δ%o [±1.5]), regardless of the juice assigned: 2.7 Δ%o (±1.6) for grape juice and 2.2 Δ%o (±1.5) for pear juice. Mean (±standard deviation) percentage of fecal water at baseline was 24.1% (±5.1), which was not significantly different from after 2 weeks of juice (22.5% [±6]), regardless of the juice received: 21.8% (±5.8) for grape juice and 23.2% (±6.7) for pear juice. Conclusion. When either grape or pear juice is administered in a dosage of 10 mL/kg/day, the carbohydrate is well absorbed, produces no adverse gastrointestinal symptoms, and has no effect on stool water in healthy infants.


The phenomenal growth of power system network both in terms of geographical sprawl as well as technological advancements, it requires tools for dealing with the system, wide disturbances that often cause widespread catastrophic blackouts in power system networks. When a major disturbance occurs, protection and control measures play the most important role to prevent further degradation of the system, to restore the system back to a normal state and minimize the impact of the disturbance. Continuous technological innovations in information and communication technology, novel sensors and measurement principles in general have promoted the advent of Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs). This paper describes the modelling and testing of Phasor Measurement Unit for two bus transmission line system for identification faults(like LG fault) using MATLAB/Simulink. Since PMUs are costly device therefore module wise testing and analysis are essential. For such modelling and testing, software based analysis is the best approach. This has been done through MATLAB and the results were analysed.


OBJECTIVES
To support knowledge application of evidence-based practices in mental health rehabilitation in Quebec, the Centre for Studies on Rehabilitation, Recovery and Social Inclusion (CÉRRIS--www.cerrisweb.com) has set up a community of practice and has organized online activities. In this article, the authors present the community of practice (457 members to date) and the results of a three-year experience aimed at evaluating their appreciation with two online activities of dissemination and knowledge exchange: Web conference and debate blog.

METHODS
The methodology used in this publication is part of a process of program evaluation. More specifically, a research mixed method was used (concurrent triangulation design). Qualitative data (from qualitative questionnaires) and quantitative data (from Google analytics -participation and attendance data) were collected in parallel and incorporated into analysis step. Forty qualitative questionnaires were completed to identify the benefits, barriers, challenges and facilitators encountered during their participation in the activity. The participants are members of the community of practice of the CÉRRIS and are people with mental illness, family members, practitioners, researchers, students, managers and policy makers in the field of mental health rehabilitation and come from different regions of Quebec, Canada and French speaking areas of Europe. Quantitative data on participation and attendance were collected and analyzed throughout the first three years of implementation of the CÉRRIS. Qualitative data from the questionnaires were analyzed following a content analysis process. Quantitative data were analyzed using Excel.

RESULTS
Since September 2010, 14,061 unique visitors navigated on the CÉRRIS website (23,391 visits) and 2,278 people visited the blog (10,393 visits). Ninety-nine members of the community of practice attended at least one of the 13 Web conferences. Web conference allows a) access to evidence-based practices, b) networking and contact between individuals of different areas and c) access to continuing education remotely. A total of 62 members of the community of practice have actively taken part in one of the 5 debates on the blog. The activity of debate blog a) promotes egalitarian exchanges between different actors in mental health sector, b) encourages diversity of viewpoints and c) create a forum for dialogue and reduce stigma towards people with mental illnesses. For both types of Web activities, technological barriers (network security, outdated computer equipment, etc.) restrained the full participation of the participants. However, the assistance received from organizations and their openness towards new technologies has facilitated the experience of participants in both activities.

CONCLUSION
Online activities as Web conference and debate blog are interesting avenues to facilitate access to knowledge and support exchanges between clinical, academic, community-based communities, people who use mental health services and their families.


Seoul hantavirus (SEOV) has recently raised concern by causing geographic range expansion of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). SEOV infections in humans are significantly underestimated worldwide and epidemic dynamics of SEOV-related HFRS are poorly understood because of a lack of field data and empirically validated models. Here, we use mathematical models to examine both intrinsic and extrinsic drivers of disease transmission from animal (the Norway rat) to humans in a SEOV-endemic area in China. We found that rat eradication schemes and vaccination campaigns, but below the local elimination threshold, could diminish the amplitude of the HFRS epidemic but did not modify its seasonality. Models demonstrate population dynamics of the rodent host were insensitive to climate variations in urban settings, while relative humidity had a negative effect on the seasonality in transmission. Our study contributes to a better understanding of the epidemiology of SEOV-related HFRS, demonstrates asynchronies between rodent population dynamics and transmission rate, and identifies potential drivers of the SEOV seasonality.


Cholecystokinin (CCK)/gastrin receptors were characterized in calf pancreatic plasma membranes from newborns, 28- and 119-day-old milk-fed preruminants, and 119-day-old weaned ruminants. Scatchard analysis of [125I]Bolton-Hunter reagent-[Thr28,Nle31]CCK-(25-33) binding indicated two classes of binding sites: high affinity sites exhibited significant higher affinity and binding capacity (P < 0.05) in 119-day-old ruminants than in 119-day-old preruminants (Kd = 0.13 +/- 0.02 vs. 0.35 +/- 0.08 nM; binding capacity (Bmax) = 53 +/- 12 vs. 18 +/- 5 fmol/mg protein). Pharmacological analysis using selective agonists and antagonists indicated the expression of the CCK-A receptor at birth, whereas the CCK-B receptor predominated at postnatal stages. At all stages, the binding was inhibited by guanosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate. Binding site identification by photoaffinity labeling showed that at birth, the labeling occurred mainly on a 78- to 96-kilodalton (kDa) component. In milk-fed animals, aged 28 and 119 days, two membrane-binding components were labeled at 78-96 and 43-52 kDa. In 119-day-old ruminants, labeling occurred mainly on a 40- to 47-kDa protein. Deglycosylation by endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase-F of the 40- to 47- and 43- to 52-kDa components resulted in the formation of a 37-kDa membrane protein. Consequently, this study demonstrated 1) the differential expression of CCK-A and -B receptors in developing calf pancreas, 2) the predominance of CCK-B receptors in normal pancreas, and 3) the maturation of CCK-B receptors during the weaning period, which includes the glycosylation level. These results suggest that CCK may play a predominant role during the early postnatal development, while gastrin and CCK-B receptors can function progressively to regulate proliferation and exocrine secretion in the calf pancreas, especially from the weaning period.


Given the very diverse ways in which political science has been structured at the national level and the lack of interaction among national fields, the creation of the European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR) in 1970 was on the face of it improbable. This article explains the genesis of this transnational scholarly organization by reference to two phases: first, by creating the International Political Science Association (IPSA), UNESCO encouraged growth in the transnational circulation of actors and knowledge involved in the study of politics; this circulation subsequently contributed to transforming the physiognomy of European national fields and created the conditions of emergence of a subversive project for a new scholarly organization. The present article thus reveals the hybrid structure of transnational spaces in terms of the knowledge and resources that are involved. ?


E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com Department of Psychiatry Division of Mental Health and Addiction Vestre Viken Hospital Trust He has contributed to the idea, collection and interpretation of the data and preparation of the manuscript, and has approved the submitted manuscript version. Jan Hammer (born 1978), specialist nurse, MSc, special advisor and project coordinator, including for the division's BET project (Basal Exposure Therapy). The author has completed the ICMJE form and declares no conflicts of interest.


Recent data from experimental studies and clinical trials of antihypertensive therapies serve to underline the need to achieve the following three objectives during hypertension management in order to minimise the risks of morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular disease:good blood pressure control, especially control of systolic blood pressure (SBP) and pulse pressure;optimal prevention of target-organ damage, particularly in the heart, brain and kidneys;action against underlying vascular disease, including reducing large artery stiffness and improving the structural and functional status of the microcirculation (resistance arteries, arterioles, capillaries and venules), which improves myocardial perfusion and reduces the risk of coronary insufficiency. It is therefore now important to assess the efficacy of any new antihypertensive strategy with regard to not only its ability to reduce blood pressure, but also its impact on structural and functional alterations to large and small blood vessels, and its ability to preserve cardiac and renal function in the hypertensive patient.


A robust routing protocol is an efficient way to deal with false behaviors generated by abnormal nodes in a wireless sensor network (WSN). In this paper, we propose a dynamic adaptive and robust routing protocol for wireless sensor network based on probability control algorithm (PCA). PCA is one of stochastic optimistic methods; it converts routing quality evaluation information into the probability which affects the routing selection. Modelling analysis and simulation results show that PCA is efficient and robust.


This study is a survey of residential houses, to evaluate residents' conscious imputs to qualitative and nature-sensitive housing environments in Ogbomoso. Three relative objects of the built environment are focused for the study. The first is the conscious provision of open space. Open space considered acceptable in this study should not be less than the 3.0, 1.5 and 3.0 metres, mandatory set backs at the front, to the property fence and to the next neighbour's outer wall, respectively; constituting the approval requirement for housing development by the Town Planning Authority - the development control agency in Nigeria. The second is the documentation of any evidence of residents' conscious attempt at landscape, indicated by any landscape deliberately located in the housing environment. The third is the overall state of the housing environment with respect to all landscape element by the reckoning/assessment of the households themselves-for the quality and nature-friendliness of their housing environment. The availability and resulting state of these three are noted in each and compared across the zones of the city. The results show that incidence of open space, conscious landscape elements and general nature-friendliness of housing environments are significantly better in the lower density residential zones of the city. Keywords: Landscape, consciousness, spatial, dimension, evaluation, resident


: Prior research has shown that organizational capabilities can help enhance competitive advantages. However, organizational capabilities are also required to develop in order to keep up with the dynamic environment or changing business environment. Over the last decade, data has been introduced as a new business resource in organizations, which brings both new opportunities and challenges in data-driven value creation in organizations. There is a need to understand what organizational capabilities are needed in achieving data-driven value creation for organizations. This study conducts an exploratory literature review to understand what organizational capabilities are related to data-driven value creation. Based on the selected 14 articles from the literature between years 2016 and 2020, the literature review shows that analytics capabilities are the most important capabilities in data-driven value creation together with other different capabilities. There is more room for research with regards to organizational capabilities in data-driven value creation, such as to examining what are the components of analytics capabilities and how organizations should combine different organizational capabilities for data-driven value creation.


The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of records management practices on service delivery at the Pensions Department in Kenya. The study was guided by the following objectives: To assess records management policies on service delivery at the Pension's department in Kenya, to establish the effect of staff capacity on service delivery at the Pension's Department, to determine the application of ICT in records management on service delivery at the Pension's Department and to find out the effect of records management practices on service delivery at the Pension Department.  The study was guided by the design and implementation of records keeping systems (DIRKS) theory. Mixed method descriptive survey research design was used. The target population was 112 employees where a sample of 88 was derived. A stratified sampling technique guided sample selection. Questionnaire, participant observation and personal interviews supported data collection. Pilot study was undertaken to determine research feasibility and to make improvements to the research instrument. Validity and reliability was achieved using content validity, expert opinion and Cronbach's alpha. Data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Content analysis was used to analyse qualitative data. Presentation of findings was through the application of pie charts, frequency tables and graphs. Ethical considerations in the entire research process was observed.  The study found a strong reliability above 0.70 with a response rate of 75%. The study established that respondents agreed that records management policy affected service delivery. It was also found that staff capacity affects service delivery. ICT application in records management was also found to affect service delivery. Finally, the study established that records management practices affect service delivery at the Pension Department.  All the four independent variables were found to have positive and strong relationship with service delivery. However, all the independent variables did not have significant effect on service delivery. The study concluded that records management practices affect service delivery at the Pension Department. The study also concluded that there were some written policies that staff were not aware of, security of records was not adequate, there were skill gaps among staff and there were cases of lost files. The study recommended the need to develop clear policies and sensitize the staff for more awareness. It also recommended more resource allocation not only for equipment purchase, but for staff training, acquisition of modern and bigger servers for more electronic records storage and implementation of modern finding aids for easy location and retrieval of records. The study recommended future research in other government agencies, use of different variables and outside Nairobi County.


This evidence brief shows that business's sustainability strategies that drive better financial performance do so through mediating factors, such as enhancing business reputation, increasing stakeholder partnerships, mitigating business risks, and strengthening innovation capacity. Recent empirical literature shows optimism that investing in RBC is a way to increase competitiveness, improve financial returns on investments and firm valuation, while reducing business costs. Empirical evidence also shows that RBC has potential to decrease systematic risk and improves firm value. When companies with a good sustainability profile are acquired, the market reaction is unanimously positive and a 'high-sustainability' portfolio often outperforms a 'low-sustainability' portfolio. However, there are still barriers which prevent faster uptake of responsible business practices, including lack of information on different aspects of business conduct and tensions between desire to demonstrate short-term improvements in practice, (typically for shareholders) and the need for longer-term planning.


The feedback control of nonlinear high-index differential-algebraic-equation systems for which the underlying algebraic constraints among the system variables involve the manipulated inputs is addressed in this work. A state-space realization of such systems cannot be derived independently of the controller design. In view of this fact, a two-step methodology is proposed for the control of such systems. The first step involves the derivation of a dynamic state-feedback compensator such that in the resulting system, the underlying constraints are independent of the new inputs. In the second step, a state-space realization of the feedback modified system is derived and used as the basis for a state-feedback controller synthesis. Application of the developed control methodology is demonstrated on an interconnection of a two-phase exothermic reactor and a condenser.


As an island nation, beach and coastline activities play a significant role in daily life in New Zealand. In promoting independent and productive lives for amputees, the New Zealand Artificial Limb Service (NZALS) encourages accessing these environments. However, carbon fibre foot prosthetics can be easily compromised by these conditions, as a result of abrasion and corrosion caused by sand and saltwater. To deliver on their mission statement 2017-2021 the NZALS seeks solutions to this issue (NZALS, 2016).  In response this research project explores the possibility of offering a range of customised lifestyle-specific prosthetics that can be interchanged easily with a carbon-fibre prosthetic, to accommodate different recreational activities and thereby offer greater choice and independence for their patients.   The project focuses on a case study for low-cost durable coastline prosthetic produced through Additive Manufacturing (AM) with Nylon PA-12 using design for additive manufacturing (DFAM) principles to facilitate a product that has a human form and dynamic three-dimensionality. This will be supported by the development of a quick-release coupling system allowing amputees to easily switch between prosthetic foot types for different uses. This incorporates height adjustment, ease of customising foot and fairing combinations and improved usability.   This project has been undertaken in collaboration with the NZALS and uses a two-part design research methodology. Research 'for' design has been conducted by summarising, collating, and/or synthesising existing research. This was done through literature reviews, product autopsies and context scenarios. This was followed by a research 'through' design approach. The methods used are body storming which enabled research on how the foot functions in the scenario, analogue and digital sketching, CAD modelling, and rapid prototyping through AM.  The project provides future reference points for the NZALS to improve and expand their product offerings and to facilitate their goal of remote service provision.


Gene silencing through hypermethylation is common in cancer cells and may contribute to chemoresistance and poor patient outcomes. To investigate this mechanism in leukemia, OCI-AML2 leukemia cells were screened for methylated genes. Among the genes identified using Cpg arrays was caspase-8. Levels of mRNA and protein of caspase-8 were decreased in OCI-AML2 cells compared to control cell lines (Jurkat cells). In contrast, levels of FLIP, caspase-3 and XIAP did not differ between both cell lines. As further evidence of caspase-8 hypermethylation, treatment of OCI-AML2 cells with the demethylating agent 5-Aza-2′-Deoxycytidine (AzaD) increased expression of caspase-8 protein to levels similar to Jurkat cells. To determine whether the silencing of caspase-8 occurs in primary patient samples, levels of caspase-8 were measured by immunoblots in 16 samples from patients with AML. Compared to normal peripheral blood mononuclear stem cells, caspase-8 was reduced in five of 16 (31%) samples. To determine whether the low caspase 8 was a functional consequence, OCI-AML2 cells were treated with CH-11 anti-FAS antibody (100 ng/mL) for 24 hours. Despite the cells expressing the FAS receptor on the surface, less than 5% of apoptosis occurred. In contrast, an equal concentration of CH-11 induced 80% apoptosis in Jurkat cells. To test the status of the death receptor pathway downstream of caspase-8, cytosolic lysates from OCI-AML2 cells were stimulated with recombinant active caspase-8 to directly activate effector caspases. Stimulation of OCI-AML2 lysates with recombinant active caspase-8 increased the maximal rate of effector caspase hydrolysis of Ac-DEVD-AFC 8 fold above buffer treated control, comparable to treatment of Jurkat lysates. These results indicate that OCI-AML2 cells have defects above the level of the effector casapses that renders them resistant to death receptor ligands. To determine if silencing of casp-8 is sufficient to explain these defects, OCI-AML2 cells were cultured with AzaD and CH-11 anti-FAS antibody. Despite restoration of caspase-8 protein levels, AzaD did not restore sensitivity to CH-11. Likewise, transfection of caspase-8 into OCI-AML2 did not restore sensitivity. Therefore, casp-8 is silenced in OCI-AML2 cells and primary patient samples. However, the events indicate the presence of additional defects in the death receptor pathway that cannot be reversed by demethylation. These results suggest that blockade of apoptosis throughout the death receptor pathway may occur at several points and that in some cases, simple reversal of demethylation may not be sufficient.


Background The side-hop test by Gustavsson et al. (2006) helps with return to play decision making after lower extremity injury. Objective Determine whether a reduced width of 30cm (compared with 40cm) may be more suitable for use in developmental athletes. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting School gymnasium. Participants 18 developmental athletes, mean age 13.93±1.37 years, (range 11.9–16.3 years), all members of an elite athletics project. Assessment Each participant performed a 40cm and a 30cm side-hop test for each leg. Athletes were tested during a regular training session, sufficient resting time (≥ 4min) granted after each trial. All tests conducted within 10 days. Tests were supervised and evaluated by two coaches, one counting number of jumps during the trial with a customary hand-held mechanical clicker, the other one filming each attempt with a latest generation smartphone high-speed camera. Errors click-counted on home PC with videos running at half speed and error-rate calculated. Main outcome measurements Comparison of total number of jumps and error-rates for both distances. Evaluation of correlations with time to/from peak height velocity (PHV), height, and chronological age. Results Lower number of jumps for 40cm (59.33±8.66) vs. 30cm (66.8±9.91), but higher error-rate for 40cm (0.27±0.13) compared with 30cm (0.22±0.12). Paired t-tests show significant differences (p<0.02) for both. Based on cohen's d, effect is large for comparing number of hops (d=0.81), but small when comparing error-rates (d=0.40). Pearsons's correlations of error-rates with age, height, and PHV are stronger for 30cm (rage=-0.664; rheight=-0.344; rPHV=-0.351), than for 40cm (rage=-0.537; rheight=-0.145; rPHV=-0.155), however, respective effect sizes based on cohen's q are small (qage=0.201; qheight=0.213; qPHV=0.210). Conclusions While results remain statistically inconclusive when comparing 40 cm and 30 cm hop-tests in developmental athletes, 30 cm width may be favourable in a clinical context due to higher number of jumps and lower error rates. Further research is warranted to provide clarity.


OBJECTIVE
To explore the correlation of cytochrome B-245 alpha chain (CYBA) rs4673 and cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) rs12720922 polymorphisms with the susceptibility of gene-ralized aggressive periodontitis (GAgP).

METHODS
The study was a case-control trial. A total of 372 GAgP patients and 133 periodontally healthy controls were recruited. The CYBA rs4673 and CETP rs12720922 polymorphisms were detected by matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). Logistic regression models were used to analyze the correlation of CYBA rs4673 and CETP rs12720922 variants with the susceptibility of GAgP. The interaction between the two gene polymorphisms to the susceptibility of GAgP was analyzed by the likelihood ratio test. The interaction model adopted was the multiplication model.

RESULTS
The mean age of GAgP group and control group was (27.5±5.2) years and (28.8±7.1) years respectively. There was significant difference in age between the two groups (P < 0.05). The gender distribution (male/female) was 152/220 and 53/80 respectively, and there was no significant difference between GAgP group and controls (P>0.05). For CYBA rs4673, the frequency of CT/TT genotype in the GAgP group was significantly higher than that in the controls [18.0% (66/366) vs. 10.6% (14/132), P < 0.05]. After adjusting age and gender, the individuals with CT/TT genotype had a higher risk of GAgP (OR=1.86, 95%CI: 1.01-3.45, P < 0.05), compared with CC genotype. There was no statistically significant difference in distributions of the CETP rs12720922 genotypes (GG, AA/AG) between GAgP patients and healthy controls (P>0.05). A significant interaction between CYBA rs4673 and CETP rs12720922 in the susceptibility to GAgP was observed. The GAgP risk of the individuals with CYBA rs4673 CT/TT and CETP rs12720922 GG genotypes was significantly increased (OR=3.25, 95%CI: 1.36-7.75, P < 0.01), compared with those carrying CC and AA/AG genotypes.

CONCLUSION
CYBA rs4673 CT/TT genotype is associated with GAgP susceptibility. There is a significant interaction between CYBA rs4673 CT/TT genotype and CETP rs12720922 GG genotype in the susceptibility of GAgP.


The electrical parameters (barrier resistance, barrier capacity, and spreading resistance) of a crystal diode are quantitatively related to its fundamental physical properties and geometrical construction. The effects of these parameters on conversion loss at uhf and microwave frequencies are discussed, with particular reference to diodes made from n-type germanium and p-type silicon. Semiconductor materials may be compared for their mixer sensitivity potentialities, by use of the figure of merit N1/2b/ϵl/2 (N is carrier concentration in cm-3, b is carrier mobility in cm2/volt sec, ϵ is the dielectric constant) which is herein derived. It shows that n-type germanium is a better mixer material than p-type silicon. A method for minimizing the conversion loss of any given semiconductor is developed. Application of the above method produced germanium diodes having conversion losses which attained the theoretical minimum and silicon diodes having losses 0.8 db above the minimum. It is pointed out that the noise temperature of a mixer is dependent on the conversion loss, and that it rapidly becomes less important as conversion loss is decreased. The optimum receiver noise figure is shown to occur quite close to the operating conditions which minimize conversion loss. It is shown also that the temperature dependency of germanium and silicon mixer diodes are nearly the same. The experimental application of the information in this paper resulted in an X-band receiver with an over-all noise figure of 6 db.


OF THESIS TESTING FOR SEDIMENTARY RECYCLING USING DETRITAL MONAZITE GEOCHRONOLOGY, ZIRCON "DOUBLE DATING", AND TEXTURES IN PENNSYLVANIAN ARENITES OF THE CENTRAL APPALACHIAN BASIN, EASTERN KENTUCKY: IMPLICATIONS FOR SINGLE MINERAL SEDIMENTARY PROVENANCE ANALYSIS Detrital monazite Th-Pb and detrital zircon U-Pb and U-Th/He double-dating coupled with sandstone petrography and exhumation rates can be used to test for sediment recycling in Pennsylvanian sandstones within the Alleghenian clastic wedge. The Alleghenian clastic wedge is a logical system in which to test for sediment recycling as four major collisional events (Grenville, Taconic, Acadian and Alleghenian orogenies) likely reworked the continental margin and recycled siliciclastic sediment. The combination of these geochronologic and thermochronologic methods provide a more accurate assessment of the proportion of recycled sediment in the Grundy Formation (sublitharenite) and the Corbin Sandstone (quartz arenite), which past studies and the use of standard zircon U-Pb alone could not distinguish. Recognition of sediment recycling is thus critical for sedimentary provenance studies, which assume a direct path from sediment source to depositional basin. Zircon U-Pb age modes for both formations include the dominant "Grenville doublet" along with a lesser component of GraniteRhyolite and Taconic age modes. The Corbin Sandstone is temporally more expansive, with age modes associated with the Yavapai-Mazatzal and Kenoran orogenies not present in the Grundy Formation. Monazite Th-Pb age modes are younger than zircon U-Pb for both samples, with dominant modes in the Taconic, Acadian, and Alleghenian, and only minor age modes associated with the Grenville Orogeny. The extent of sediment recycling was quantified by the difference in crystallization ages and exhumation/cooling ages of detrital zircon. This difference in time (∆t) becomes higher in the case of recycling (> ~300 Ma). A median 288 Ma ∆t cutoff value between first-cycle and multicycle Grenville aged zircons was calculated using post-Grenville exhumation rates. Furthermore, "detrital diagenetic monazite" grains older than the 312 Ma age of deposition are present in both the Grundy Formation and Corbin Sandstone and proves the occurrence of sediment recycling. In conclusion, most detrital grains of Grenville origin and older are likely multi-cycle, while detrital grains associated with the Taconic, Acadian, Neo-Acadian, and Alleghenian orogenies are likely first-cycle in origin.


BACKGROUND: Treatment may be safely deferred in asymptomatic patients with advanced stage, low tumor burden follicular lymphoma (FL) until onset of symptoms or organ failure without compromising overall survival (OS). A randomized trial comparing immediate rituximab vs. observation in this setting reported a Time to New Treatment benefit without a corresponding OS benefit (Ardeshna et al, Lancet Oncol 2014). This is a comparison of Time to 1st Treatment (TT1T, observation arm) vs. Time to 2nd Treatment (TT2T, rituximab arm) and thus biased to immediate intervention. TT2T might be a less biased primary endpoint for trials evaluating immediate intervention vs. observation. Time to Treatment n (TT(n)T) is a function of cumulative time spent from diagnosis in periods of observation, treatment, and remission, and TT(n)T approaches OS as n approaches the maximum number of therapies received, thus we also hypothesize that TT2T might be a surrogate for OS. We have therefore performed a comprehensive evaluation of standard endpoints (TT1T, OS, and EFS12), described TT2T as a novel endpoint for trials evaluating intervention vs. observation in asymptomatic patients with advanced stage, low tumor burden FL, and aimed to determine if TT2T is a reliable surrogate for OS. METHODS: We identified 246 consecutive patients at our institution, diagnosed from 1998 to 2007 with advanced stage, low tumor burden follicular lymphoma grade 1-3A, for whom physician intention at diagnosis was observation. Median time to event was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method for each event: TT1T, TT2T, and OS. Modified Kendall9s tau was used to assess the correlation between TT1T, TT2T, and OS, accounting for censoring in these quantities. Tests of modified Kendall9s tau against 0 (i.e. no correlation) were performed. EFS12 was defined as non-death event within 12 months of initiation of first treatment, and median OS for EFS12 analysis was calculated from end of first treatment. Of 69 patients who received chemoimmunotherapy as first therapy following initial observation, the log-rank test was used to compare survival distributions by EFS12. RESULTS: Of 246 patients with advanced stage, follicular lymphoma grade 1-3A for whom physician intention at diagnosis was observation, there was a slight female predominance (1.16:1), 34.6% were above age 60 with a median age of 56.1 years (range 25-88), and 11.8% (29/246) developed histologic transformation prior to 1st/2nd therapy, including 7.7% (19/246) prior to 1st treatment. At a median follow-up of 10.9 years: median TT1T was 43.5 months (3.5-217.4+, 179 events), median TT2T was 151.8 months (range 5.2-219.6+, 101 events), and median OS was not reached (range 5.2-219.6+, 48 events). The modified Kendall9s tau measuring correlation between TT1T and OS was 0.012 (p = 0.537), and was 0.078 (p Failure to achieve EFS12 was observed in 10.3% (7/68) and associated with inferior OS (p=0.001). Of 7 patients who failed to achieve EFS12, 3 had histologic transformation. CONCLUSIONS: TT2T is a preferred primary endpoint for clinical trials evaluating intervention vs. observation. In patients with advanced stage, low tumor burden FL who are initially observed, the median time from diagnosis to 2nd treatment is 12.7 years. Future trials evaluating the role of immediate therapy in low tumor burden FL might restrict eligibility to high risk patients expected to have inferior TT2T. Efforts are ongoing to develop biomarkers (e.g. m7-FLIPI) that identify a population enriched with high risk patients. Our data also suggest that TT2T might be a better surrogate for OS than TT1T, and analyses are ongoing to validate this finding. Disclosures Hamlin:Molecular Templates: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Research Funding; Portola: Research Funding; Gilead: Membership on an entity9s Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis: Research Funding; Xencor: Membership on an entity9s Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celgene: Membership on an entity9s Board of Directors or advisory committees. Horwitz:Spectrum: Consultancy, Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy; Huya: Consultancy; Infinity: Consultancy, Research Funding; Kyowa Hakka Kirin: Consultancy, Research Funding; Takeda: Consultancy, Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Consultancy, Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy; ADCT Therapeutics: Research Funding. Palomba:Pharmacyclics: Consultancy. Moskowitz:Merck: Membership on an entity9s Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Membership on an entity9s Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Membership on an entity9s Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding. Noy:Pharmacyclics, LLC, an AbbVie Company: Other: travel, accommodations, expenses, Research Funding. Kumar:Celgene: Research Funding; Pharmacyclics: Research Funding; Adaptive Biotechnologies: Research Funding; Seattle Genetics: Research Funding; Celgene: Honoraria, Other: Scientific Advisory Board. Zelenetz:Amgen: Consultancy; Takeda Pharma: Consultancy; Novartis: Consultancy; Nanostring Tech: Consultancy; Portola Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Adaptive Biotechnology: Consultancy; Bristol Myers: Research Funding; Boehringer Ingelheim: Other: DMC Membership; Janssen: Consultancy, Research Funding; Hospira: Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy; Gilead: Consultancy, Research Funding; GSK: Consultancy, Research Funding; Genentech/Roche: Consultancy, Research Funding.


ABSTRACT The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), which envisages stricter standards for the transnational enforcement of intellectual property rights, received strong support from business groups. Nevertheless, a campaign against the agreement that was initiated by a small number of citizen groups was successful in stopping its ratification in the European Union (EU). This result is puzzling because the anti-ACTA side controlled few material resources and should have found it difficult to have its voice heard on an issue negotiated at the international level. We explain the success of the anti-ACTA campaign by showing how interest groups managed to increase the public salience of the issue; how the increasing public salience motivated a growing number of interest groups to mobilize; and how the resulting dynamic made decision-makers opt against ratification of the agreement. The article advances scholarly understanding of the interaction between lobbying and public opinion and sheds light on the defeat of ACTA.


Recent advances in cyber-infrastructure have enabled digital data sharing and ubiquitous network connectivity between scientific instruments and cloud-based storage infrastructure for uploading, storing, curating, and correlating of large amounts of materials and semiconductor fabrication data and metadata. However, there is still a significant number of scientific instruments running on old operating systems that are taken offline and cannot connect to the cloud infrastructure, due to security and network performance concerns. In this paper, we propose BRACELET - an edge-cloud infrastructure that augments the existing cloud-based infrastructure with edge devices and helps to tackle the unique performance & security challenges that scientific instruments face when they are connected to the cloud through public network. With BRACELET, we put a networked edge device, called cloudlet, in between the scientific instruments and the cloud as the middle tier of a three-tier hierarchy. The cloudlet will shape and protect the data traffic from scientific instruments to the cloud, and will play a foundational role in keeping the instruments connected throughout its lifetime, and continuously providing the otherwise missing performance and security features for the instrument as its operating system ages.


Although benefits of intergenerational programs (IGP) have been identified for older adults, adults with dementia are rarely targeted for such programs. Characteristics of dementia challenge caregivers to find appropriate activities that successfully engage the adults. With consideration of participants' abilities and interests, beneficial IGP can be facilitated. A co-located program for children and seniors was assessed for effects of IGP on adults with dementia. Results indicate that affect was higher during IGP for treatment group members than during non-IGP activities for treatment and comparison group members. Behaviors supporting personhood were common during IGP and non-IGP activities for treatment and comparison group members. Cognitive ability was unassociated with participation in IGP and affect during IGP. Findings suggest IGPs are appropriate and effective for persons with dementia.


MaaS, with its user-centric vision aiming at more flexible, personalized, and on-demand mobility services, has a perspective to address the key sustainability challenges of the mobility of the future: transport solutions that are integrated, inclusive, and time-efficient, while containing the economic, social, and environmental costs. Civic engagement is a key success factor towards this objective: to fully embrace MaaS transformation, citizens need to feel part of the process. Gamification proved to be effective to raise citizens' awareness, encourage their participation, and promote a gradual but profound behavior change. These characteristics can be exploited by MaaS solutions to attract users and encourage the acceptance of tailored mobility plans. The chapter presents two successful cases of gamified systems aiming at promoting a more sustainable mobility, Play&Go and Kids Go Green; investigates the potential of gamified systems, in combination with MaaS solutions, in terms of citizens' engagement and behavior change; and discusses current limitations and future challenges.


Against environmental stresses, many bacteria utilize the alternate sigma factor RpoS that induces transcription of the specific set of genes helpful in promoting bacterial survival. Intracellular levels of RpoS are determined mainly by its turnover through proteolysis of ClpXP protease. Delivery of RpoS to ClpXP strictly requires the adaptor protein RssB. The two-component-type response regulator RssB constantly interacts with RpoS, but diverse environmental changes inhibit this interaction through modification of RssB activity, which increases RpoS levels in bacteria. This review discusses and summarizes recent findings on regulatory factors in RssB-RpoS interactions, including IraD, IraM, IraP anti-adaptor proteins of RssB and phosphorylation of N-terminal receiver domain of RssB. New information shows that the coordinated regulation of RssB activity in controlling RpoS turnover confers efficient bacterial defense against stresses.


The creep behavior of fine-grained yttria-stabilized zirconia with 25 mol% Y2O3 has been characterized as part of an investigation of kinetic demixing in solid-solution oxides which are subjected to a nonhydrostatic state of stress. At temperatures between 1400° and 1600°C, the steady-state strain rate of (Zr0.6Y0.4)O1.8 samples with average grain sizes between 2.5 and 14.5 μm can be summarized by the flow law ɛ= 6.5 × 10−7σ1.2 exp[−550 (kJ/mol)/RT]d−2.2 (s−1) for stresses in the range 8 to 60 MPa, where σ is in pascals and d is in meters. This flow law indicates that deformation occurs by a Nabarro-Herring creep mechanism in which the creep rate is limited by cation lattice diffusion. Kinetic demixing was not observed in deformed polycrystalline samples even though diffusional creep was rate limited by cation lattice diffusion. This result can be explained if the cation diffusivities are approximately equal or if extensive grain rotation occurs during diffusional creep.


Under acidic sol-gel polymerization conditions, 1,3-bis(triethoxysilyl)-propane 1 and 1,4-bis(triethoxysilyl)butane 2 were shown to preferentially form cyclic disilsesquioxanes 3 and 4 rather than the expected 1,3-propylene- and 1,4-butylene-bridged polysilsesquioxane gels. Formation of 3 and 4 is driven by a combination of an intramolecular cyclization to six and seven membered rings, and a pronounced reduction in reactivity under acidic conditions as a function of increasing degree of condensation. The stability of cyclic disilsesquioxanes was confirmed with the synthesis of 3 and 4 in gram quantities; the cyclic disilsesquioxanes react slowly to give tricyclic dimers containing a thermodynamically stable eight membered siloxane ring. Continued reactions were shown to perserve the cyclic structure, opening up the possibility of utilizing cyclic disilsesquioxanes as sol-gel monomers. Preliminary polymerization studies with these new, carbohydrate-like monomers revealed the formation of network poly(cyclic disilsesquioxanes) under acidic conditions and polymerization with ring-opening under basic conditions.


A constitutive equation for sintering is proposed. The sintering is described as the deformation process of viscous porous materials under the action of sintering stress, the virtual hydrostatic stress produced by the surface tension. The parameters for the constitutive equation are determined from the experimental results on the sintering of glass powder. The proposed constitutive equation is applied to the prediction of the deformation behavior of glass powder compacts during sintering using the viscoplastic finite element method. The effect of powder particle size on the shape of the sintered body is examined. The sintering rate of the glass powder compact composed of small particles is high and the shape of the sintered body is not significantly affected by its own weight. The predicted shapes of the sintered bodies show good agreement with those obtained by experiment.


The European Regulation n° 1286 of November 26, 2014 (PRIIPs regulation) will be effective from January 1st 2018 and will oblige products manufactures to produce a three-page document (the Key Investment Document or KID) for several products categories offered to retail investors. In 2020 the KID will also replace the KIID currently compulsory for UCITS funds. One of the key points intro-duced in the new regulatory document is the presence of ex-ante performance scenarios while in the KIID only past performances are represented. In this article, the methodology proposed in the level II of the RTS is analysed and backtested. In par-ticular, the aspect of the European legislator's willingness to quantify the expected returns of invest-ment in four market conditions - stress, unfavourable, moderate and favourable - and two variants of the model proposed by the European Commission were tested and compared with a model based on the simple normality of returns by adopting a backtesting procedure in a time window from 1980 to 2017 on a sample of over 9,000 assets. The work proves that the model proposed by the European Commission for the calculation of perfor-mance scenarios for category 2 PRIIPs (linear products) may not to be considered applicable for those products with a maturity less than one year (e.g. Forward/Future contracts with an underlying ex-change rate and expiration up to six months) when the calculated parameters are such that they do not allow the compliance of the bijectivity of the quantitles distribution function. Furthermore, the results of the backtesting show how the use of Cornish-Fisher's expansion to forecast future performance is compliant with the hypothesis of normality of returns and that between the two proposed variants. We have verified that the variant in which the underlying factors have a zero drift (described in the RTS modification proposals published on November 14th , 2016) is more reliable than the one that foresees a non-zero drift (described by the RTS of June 30th , 2016 and March 8th, 2017).


This paper presents a complete ultra-low power receiver with direct down conversion architecture. It is designed as Wake-up Receiver for wireless sensor nodes. The 130nm CMOS chip includes envelope detector, low noise baseband amplifier, PGA, mixed-signal correlation unit and auxiliaries for stand-alone operation. At 868MHz, a receiver sensitivity of −71dBm is achieved with total power consumption of 2.4µW at 1.0V supply by means of baseband correlation over 7ms with 64 bit pattern, 99% detection probability and a false wake-up rate of 10−3/s.


Psychological partner violence is a considerable problem, despite its invisible outcomes on victims' physical health. Focusing on mental health, the present study looked at differences in mental illness, such as depression, stress, and anxiety, among victims and non-victims of psychological violence. A convenience sample of women (n = 267) visiting health-care centres in refugee camps in Jordan provided data about their experiences of psychological violence and their mental health status. The results indicated that, compared to their non-victimized counterparts, women reporting psychological violence had significantly higher mean scores of depression (t = -4.92), stress (t = -3.73), and anxiety (t = -4.22), with P < 0.0001 for all results. It was suggested that factors that have significant roles in determining poor mental health status included victims' low self-esteem; poor socioeconomic profile, in terms of education level and income; and responsibilities associated with child and family requirements. The impacts of these factors on victims' mental health status are discussed.


Encephalitozoon cuniculi is a microsporidian parasite that infects a wide range of vertebrates, including primates. It has recently emerged as an opportunistic parasite of patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus. The blue fox (Alopex lagopus; also known as the arctic fox) is one of the most susceptible species for encephalitozoonosis. Here, we report an outbreak of encephalitozoonosis at a fox farm in China. The isolated parasites displayed the typical morphology of E. cuniculi as assessed by Masson's trichrome staining. Analysis of the internal transcribed spacer sequence indicated that the isolated parasite is a genotype III strain of E. cuniculi. Furthermore, phylogenetic analysis of the PTP1 gene verifies classification of this new strain (termed LN‐1) with other genotype III E. cuniculi strains, though the PTP3 and SWP1 sequences diverge from the reference strain. This is the first report of encephalitozoonosis in farmed blue foxes in China.


The paper describes the development of SoftBoard, a Web-based application sharing system that provides a convenient writing and sketching tool in delivering instructions and conducting virtual office hours for distance education over the Internet. It is a Web-based shared environment where students and instructors can participate in exchanging information in real time effectively. Similar systems in the form of whiteboards exist today but are quite different from SoftBoard. A SoftBoard system can be invoked by users equipped with a standard browser and Internet connection. A light pen can also be used with SoftBoard to provide a convenient way for creating non-textual contents freehand. Several experiments using different computer labs were conducted. Feedback from participants was very positive.


The response to heavy-ion irradiation of FinFET and Multi-Channel Nanowire MOSFET (MC-NWFET) operated with independent gates is investigated by 3-D numerical simulation. The bipolar amplification and charge collection of devices with independent gates are particularly investigated and compared to those of conventional devices having a single surrounding gate. We show that the independent-gate operation of both FinFET and MC-NWFET degrades the device immunity to heavy-ion irradiation.


Template-directed polymer assembly is a likely feature of prebiotic chemistry, but the product blocks further synthesis, preventing amplification and Darwinian selection. Nucleic acids are unusual because charge repulsion between opposing phosphates permits salt-dependent association and dissociation. It was postulated (Lathe, R. (2004). Fast tidal cycling and the origin of life. Icarus168, 18–22) that tides at ocean shores provide the driving force for amplification: evaporative concentration promoted association/assembly on drying, while charge repulsion on tidal dilution drove dissociation. This permits exponential amplification by a process termed here the tidal chain reaction (TCR). The process is not strictly contingent upon tidal ebb and flow: circadian dews and rainfalls can produce identical cycling. Ionic strength-dependent association and dissociation of nucleic acids and possible prebiotic precursors are reviewed. Polymer scavenging, chain assembly by the recruitment of pre-formed fragments, is proposed as the primary mechanism of reiterative chain assembly. Parameters determining prebiotic polymer structure and amplification by TCR are discussed, with the suggestion that Darwinian selection may have operated on families of related polymers rather than on individual molecules.


The concept of fault junction is proposed to describe the relationship between the two faults by the authors. The junction relationship between Ganjiang and Tanlu faults is analyzed in this paper, and this has been elucidated through numerical simulation about the tectonic stress field analysis. Numerical simulation of the tectonic stress field conducted for the major mineralization stage of the Jiujiang-Ruichang junction area reveals that the stress field of the junction structure at the major mineralization stage shows a relatively close relationship with the formation of the ore deposits (occurrences).


In the United States, all food products have to be regulated to inform the consumers of the ingredients contained within. Some ingredients are not included on the label and yet are still found in the products. Presented is a Raman imaging technique for rapid, nondestructive, and spatially relevant localization of adulterants in powders. Raman spectroscopy followed by direct analyte-probed nanoextraction coupled to nanospray ionization-mass spectrometry allows rapid determination of the presence of each adulterant, leading to positive identifications such as melamine. The location and identification of these trace particles can then be extracted using a nanomanipulator. The nanomanipulation technique uses a solvent filled capillary tip which can be positioned on the particle of interest. Direct mass spectrometric analysis via nanospray of the particulate of interest eliminates time consuming chromatographic techniques prior to mass spectrometry analysis. This coupled technique combines rapid Raman spectroscopy techniques with direct mass spectrometry to confirm the presence of an adulterant. This technique was applied to an FDA supplied test sample, in which sibutramine, phenolphthalein, and melamine were confirmed to be present.


Plasticity circuits in the brain are known to be influenced by the distribution of the synaptic weights through the mechanisms of synaptic integration and local regulation of synaptic strength. However, the complex interplay of stimulation-dependent plasticity with local learning signals is disregarded by most of the artificial neural network training algorithms devised so far. Here, we propose a novel biologically inspired optimizer for artificial (ANNs) and spiking neural networks (SNNs) that incorporates key principles of synaptic integration observed in dendrites of cortical neurons: GRAPES (Group Responsibility for Adjusting the Propagation of Error Signals). GRAPES implements a weight-distribution dependent modulation of the error signal at each node of the neural network. We show that this biologically inspired mechanism leads to a systematic improvement of the convergence rate of the network, and substantially improves classification accuracy of ANNs and SNNs with both feedforward and recurrent architectures. Furthermore, we demonstrate that GRAPES supports performance scalability for models of increasing complexity and mitigates catastrophic forgetting by enabling networks to generalize to unseen tasks based on previously acquired knowledge. The local characteristics of GRAPES minimize the required memory resources, making it optimally suited for dedicated hardware implementations. Overall, our work indicates that reconciling neurophysiology insights with machine intelligence is key to boosting the performance of neural networks.


In the framework of classical field theory we consider some new topological effects in (2 + 1)-dimensional Einstein gravity. The investigation is based on the explicit expression for the Euclidean Green function for massless fields (scalar with minimal coupling or electrostatic) on the two-dimensional Riemannian surface. Expressions for the topological self-energy of a point charge and point dipole are obtained. These results are interpreted in electrostatics terms on the Euclidean plane. The applications to the cases of (2 + 1)-dimensional conical and multiconical spaces and to the spacetime of a circular dust string and spherical star in (2 + 1) dimensions are considered. We have found the existence of an additional interaction between charged particles which depends on the topology of the Riemannian surface. The same effect arises when we consider two uncharged gravitating particles in the presence of classical charged matter. Both these effects may be considered as a Casimir-like interaction in classical theory.


In this study, the writer investigated the kinds of reading skills that English Department of Petra Christian University (PCU)?s students have difficulty with and the most difficult reading skill for them. The theory of reading skills by Nuttall (1996) and McWhorter (2002) were used as the main theories of this research. In her study, the writer used descriptive-qualitative approach with quantitative data. She developed two reading tests which covered seventeen kinds of reading skills. The reading tests were administered to ten students from English Department of PCU batch 2003 to find out the answers of her research questions. The result of the analysis showed that each reading skill had different level of difficulty for the respondents. Recognizing text organization skill with difficulty level reaching 72.5 % was the most difficult reading skill for English Department of PCU?s students. Others two skills which had difficulty level more than 50% were paraphrasing (65%) and inference from context skill (57.5%). On the other hand, scanning skill in which the difficulty level reached 5 % was a reading skill which was least difficult for the students. In conclusion, this study showed that English Department of PCU?s batch 2003 students still had difficulties in activating some reading skills effectively.


The fact that doctors have a higher suicide rate than the general population is of great concern.1 Given the death of several doctors while under the General Medical Council (GMC) fitness to practise procedures, the internal review and report on this matter is very welcome.2 Contact with the GMC can result in significant anxiety for doctors.

What did the report reveal? The imbalance in resources for support in areas without access to services such as the Practitioner Health Programme (PHP) and Mednet was noted, and the suggestion of a national support service to provide doctors with confidential treatment is welcome. However, funding this service by increasing GMC fees could be perceived as a conflict of interest. Offers of support from the GMC are likely to be viewed at best in an ambivalent or distrustful light. Indeed, despite being run by the British Medical Association (BMA), doctors were concerned about revealing information to a GMC-funded helpline.2 Doctors under investigation are likely to be even more reluctant to discuss issues with someone from the GMC as they may perceive that any information shared could have an impact on the investigation, potentially resulting in them struggling to access the support that they desperately need and a lack of engagement. In this respect, a PHP-like service has the advantage of being considered confidential and accessible. It was disappointing that the report mentioned neither the Royal College of Psychiatrists nor their Psychiatrists' Support Service (www.rcpsych.ac.uk/pss), established in 2007 to allow psychiatrists to talk, via telephone, to another psychiatrist and receive advice and signposting, a unique provision among medical Royal Colleges.

Doctors undergoing investigation often feel a sense of accusation and blame. Indeed, in 2007 the GMC changed the burden of proof requirement to follow the civil standard, 'on the balance of probabilities', rather than the criminal standard, 'beyond all reasonable doubt', which may well lead to doctors feeling 'guilty until proven innocent'.3 The suggestion that doctors consider themselves 'innocent until proven guilty' is welcome; however, the report offers no suggestions as to how this could be achieved. It is worrying that the report did not mention any actions taken by the GMC in the six instances where doctors were known to be at risk of suicide. There was no indication that risk assessments were performed for these doctors, when psychiatric input was likely to have been beneficial. As most health referrals have a mental health component, it is vital to consider that doctors undergoing investigation may be unwell and the benefits of psychiatric expertise should be recognised. We echo the Faculty of Occupational Medicine's disappointment that the report failed to reference existing competencies for treating doctors effectively.4


OBJECTIVE
In some cases, sciatica-like symptoms radiating through the buttock, anterior thigh, or leg result from spinal root compression in an extraspinal location or from injury to the pelvic girdle. It has been suggested that adding a coronal STIR sequence dedicated to the lumbosacral plexus and pelvis to the routine MRI protocol can provide a good depiction of disorders of this type.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Two hundred nine patients with sciatica-like symptoms of suspected lumbar origin were included in the study. Disorders responsible for symptoms involving extraspinal compression of the lumbosacral plexus or pelvic girdle were retrospectively noted and correlated with age, sex, location of pain, referring physician, presence of discoradicular impingement liable to explain symptoms, and history of neoplasia.

RESULTS
An extraspinal cause of symptoms was depicted in 12 cases (5.7%), including three cases of extraspinal compression and nine differential diagnoses in the pelvic region. Prevalence of an extraspinal cause of pain was significantly correlated with the absence of discoradicular impingement in the spine (p=0.046). A higher prevalence of extraspinal compression of the lumbosacral plexus (p=0.029) was seen in patients 60 years old or older, whereas no other feature was statistically associated with an extraspinal cause of pain.

CONCLUSION
Because of its short acquisition time and subsequent low cost, the additional coronal STIR sequence should be performed in the routine MRI investigation of sciatica-like symptoms when no discoradicular impingement is seen in the spine to depict an extraspinal cause of symptoms.


This study examined the impact of sources of AIDS education on HIV-related behavioural changes, and its implications for HIV prevention and service delivery in Nigeria. We analysed cross-sectional data obtained from a structured face-to-face interview with 1,373 respondents aged 15-50, who have ever had sex in Ibadan, Nigeria. Knowledge of HIV/AIDS, its route of transmission and prevention strategies was high.  About 20 % of the respondents were exposed to the AIDS prevention campaigns. A majority reported sexual behavioral changes, which included restriction of sex partners, use of condoms, sexual abstinence and avoidance of casual sex. Thirty-nine percent took some steps to reduce risk of infection by avoiding transfusion with unscreened blood and testing for HIV status.  Using multiple logistic regressions, the factors affecting the reported changes were identified. The application of health belief model shows that the model cannot wholly explain the changes in behavior. The role of female powerlessness in safer sex decision-making is noted. Despite the limitations of the study, the need for a sustained AIDS prevention campaign is stressed. The implications of the study for AIDS programs and research are highlighted.


With the extending of the simulation scope, the complexity of the system is becoming larger and larger. Therefore, the request for the conceptual modeling is enhancing rapidly. This paper summarizes the existing methods of conceptual modeling, and puts forward the six-element modeling method. Then along with the mechanism of Ontology, it presents the Ontology-based six-element conceptual modeling method, and describes the modeling process.


BackgroundTracheal aspiration of gastric content among mechanically ventilated and tube-fed critically ill patients is of great concern. The mechanism leading to bacterial colonization of the lower respiratory tract in mechanically ventilated patients is tracheal aspiration of oral or gastric contents leading to Ventilator Associated Pneumonia (VAP). VAP is the most common nosocomial infection in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). ICU-VAP generates about half of the cases of hospital-acquired pneumonia. There are various nursing practices available to reduce the rate of aspiration, but their efficacy is limited and they are not strong enough to prevent aspiration and VAP in practice. In this clinical study we used the smARTrack System, by ART MEDICAL, to assess the frequency of gastro-esophageal reflux in 20 ventilated ICU patients and its' correlation to procedures during routine patient care. MethodsThe smARTrack System is comprised of a novel gastric tube and an electronic monitoring console, which contains the system's software. The tube contains a series of bio-impedance sensors that can detect the presence of fluid around them. We conducted a study on 20 ICU ventilated patients at the Rambam Health Care Campus in Haifa, Israel. Reflux events and their duration were recorded when the tube detected gastric content rising above the sensors located at the lower esophageal sphincterResultsOur main findings shows that gastro-esophageal reflux occurs on average three times per hour of mechanical ventilation. We have also recorded three common clinical scenarios that were associated with a high risk of reflux; patient position-change, enteral fluid bolus, tracheal suction and migration of the feeding tube tip during ongoing use. ConclusionsGasto-esophageal reflux is a common event in the ICU as shown by the smARTrack System and may be related to routine patient care procedures. This study provides an important insight into the consequences of these procedures and might suggest ways to further improve them in reducing the rate of gasto-esophageal reflux and the risk of VAP among mechanicaly ventilated ICU patients.https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02705781?term=smARTrack&draw=2&rank=1 registered 11.3.2016


The epidermis and the gill epithelium of larval intrauterine Salamandra salamandra were studied by the electron microscope. Both epithelia are bilayered. In the epidermis of the skin three cell types occur: pavement cells containing apical mucous granules, basal cells, Leydig cells and sporadically pea-shaped cells which obviously correspond to the Langerhans cells described by previous authors. The epithelium of the gills is composed of pavement-, basal-, pea-shaped, and ciliated cells. In the primary gill bar there are additional mitochondria-rich cells and single Leydig cells. In the secondary gill filament the thickness of the epithelium is reduced. There is no morphological evidence for the uptake of material by endocytosis in the apical plasmalemm of the pavement cells.


Almost 8% to 14% of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) have significant internal carotid artery stenosis requiring treatment [1]. A carotid artery disease, especially when a high-risk plaque is present, represents an important risk factor for stroke after cardiac surgery, in particular after CABG. For these reasons carotid endarterectomy (CEA) before or concomitantly to cardiac surgery [1–4] has been proposed, but these procedures have been reported to carry a 10% to 12% cumulative risk of death, stroke, or myocardial infarction (MI) [5]. To date, no consensus exists for the best approach for the management of combined severe carotid and coronary or other than coronary cardiac disease. Carotid artery stenting (CAS) has been evolving in these last decades to be a valid alternative to traditional carotid endarterectomy for CABG patients in consideration of their high-risk profile [6,7]. CAS followed by CABG after several weeks has been proposed as a staged approach, but the increased risk of myocardial infarction in the interval [8,9] may represent a major limitation. Moreover, the need for dual antiplatelet aggregation therapy for 3 to 4 weeks after CAS increases the risk of bleeding if surgery is urgently required in the meantime [9].


Abstract Pt and Pt:Sn nanoparticles were prepared by sonochemical synthesis. Three different Pt:Sn ratios (1:1), (1:2), and (2:1) as well as two carbon supports (graphene oxide and Vulcan) were investigated on the electrochemical activity for methanol and ethanol oxidation reactions in acid medium. Characterization results indicated that the Pt:Sn composition modified the particle size and crystallinity. The oxygen content, morphology, and structure of graphene oxide support increased the Pt dispersion. The presence of Sn favors the methanol oxidation reaction reducing the formation of intermediates. Electrochemical results indicated that Pt:Sn/GO (2:1) with higher load of Pt presented superior specific activity for methanol and ethanol oxidation reactions compared to Pt/C and Pt/GO electrocatalysts. Graphic abstract (B. Ruiz-Camacho et al.)


Pain is a significant health issue in the paediatric oncology population. No study to date exists documenting the experience and characteristics of pain in Lebanese children with cancer. The primary aim of this research study is to identify the characteristics of the painful experience of paediatric cancer pain in Lebanese children and how pain is managed from the child?s own perspectives. A secondary aim is to assess the cross-cultural context of the Adolescent Paediatric Pain Tool (APPT) and the Functional Disability Inventory (FDI). The specific objectives that will be addressed are:1. To describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of Lebanese children experiencing cancer pain at the CCCL including: type of cancer, time since diagnosis, metastasis, and current treatment in outpatients and inpatients.2. To describe the characteristics of pain including: intensity, frequency, duration, location, and quality in Lebanese children with cancer at the CCCL. 3. To identify the major sources of pain (cancer-related, treatment-related, or procedure-related) in Lebanese children with cancer at the CCCL.4. To examine the impact of pain on activities of daily living in Lebanese children with cancer at the CCCL. 5. To determine the factors associated with the intensity of pain in Lebanese children with cancer at the CCCL. 6. To determine how pain is managed in Lebanese children with cancer at the CCCL from their own perspective. To meet the above aims and objectives a cross-sectional correlational design was used. A consecutive sample (n=62) was recruited from the Children Cancer Centre of Lebanon at the American University of Beirut Medical Centre (CCCL-AUBMC). Data was collected through face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. The mean age of participants was 12.3 (SD 2.9). The mother was the primary caregiver in the majority of cases (69.4%). The overall mean intensity rating was 5.06 (SD 1.87) on a 10 cm Word Graphic Rating Scale. The majority (57.4%) of children reported a frequency of ?sometimes?. The median duration of pain was two hours per pain episode. The most frequent locations were: the forehead, the abdomen, and lower back. Sensory words were most often used to qualify pain. The functional disability levels were moderate as measured by the FDI. Factors associated with overall pain intensity were: frequency, duration, location, affective words, and treatment-related pain. Time since diagnosis, treatment, surgery in the past, radiotherapy, pain duration and frequency of pain predicted pain intensity in the sample. Children reported receiving pharmacological help from nurses, and non-pharmacological measures from their mothers. The main self-initiated coping strategies used by children were behavioural avoidance and behavioural distraction. The most suggested coping strategy was stressor modification. The majority (56/62) did not expect to experience that much pain from cancer and treatment modalities.Pain assessment and management in Lebanese children with cancer are of concern. Health care professionals, policy makers, and institution stakeholders are urged to take action.


The inverse Toeplitz eigenvalue problem (ToIEP) concerns finding a vector that specifies the real-valued symmetric Toeplitz matrix with the prescribed set of eigenvalues. Since phase"calibration"errors in uniform linear antenna arrays (ULAs) do not change the covariance matrix eigenvalues and the moduli of the covariance matrix elements, we formulate a number of the new ToIEP problems of the Hermitian Toeplitz matrix reconstruction, given the moduli of the matrix elements and the matrix eigenvalues. We demonstrate that for the real-valued case, only two solutions to this problem exist, with the"non-physical"one that in most practical cases could be easily disregarded. The computational algorithm for the real-valued case is quite simple. For the complex-valued case, we demonstrate that the family of solutions is broader and includes solutions inappropriate for calibration. For this reason, we modified this ToIEP problem to match the covariance matrix of the uncalibrated ULA. We investigate the statistical convergence of the ad-hoc algorithm with the sample matrices instead of the true ones. The proposed ad-hoc algorithms require the so-called"strong"or"argumental"convergence, which means a large enough required sample volume that reduces the errors in the estimated covariance matrix elements. Along with the ULA arrays, we also considered the fully augmentable minimum redundancy arrays that generate the same (full) set of covariance lags as the uniform linear arrays, and we specified the conditions when the ULA Toeplitz covariance matrix may be reconstructed given the M-variate MRA covariance matrix.


Background: Robotic mitral valve (MV) repair is a new surgical technique that uses small incisions. Previous studies have demonstrated the importance of intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) for conventional MV surgery with the use of a median sternotomy incision. The aim of the present study was to delineate the utility of intraoperative TEE in robotic MV repair. Methods: Intraoperative TEE was performed in 22 consecutive patients undergoing robotic MV repair for severe degenerative mitral regurgitation (MR) over a period of 2 years. Before cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), TEE was used to define the lesions of degenerative MR and the localization of the prolapsed leaflets, and to evaluate the severity of MR. During establishment of peripheral CPB, TEE was used to guide placement of the cannulae in the inferior vena cava (IVC), superior vena cava (SVC), and ascending aorta (AAO). After weaning from CPB, TEE was used to assess immediately the competency of the surgical repair. Results: Agreement between TEE and surgical findings was excellent: 92.3% (kappa, 0.873) for the lesions of degenerative MR, and 98.5% (kappa, 0.943) for the localization of the prolapsed leaflets. Under TEE guidance, all the cannulae (100%) in the SVC, IVC, and AAO were placed correctly. TEE demonstrated all the patients (100%) had successful robotic MV repairs. Conclusions: Intraoperative TEE is a valuable adjunct in the assessment of robotic MV repair. (Echocardiography 2011;28:85‐91)


Inclusive education is enshrined in law and supported by the literature as best practice in education. Inclusive education has been shown to provide better academic, social and behavioural outcomes for children with disabilities than segregated learning environments. In the Northern Territory, Australia, however, the dual system of mainstream and special education persists and so too does segregation and exclusion. The Northern Territory education strategy commits to strengthening inclusion and empowering families in educational decision-making by listening to their voices. In this paper, we highlight some of these voices, examining the experiences and perspectives of caregivers of children with disabilities as they participate in education in the Northern Territory. Caregivers' experiences were coded into categories of inclusion and exclusion. Those that were not clearly inclusion nor exclusion were identified and the theme of non-inclusion was created. Non-inclusion was analysed thematically and is discussed as a nebulous space that exists for caregivers, presenting significant challenges that threaten their child's inclusion at school as they navigate this dual system. If Australian education systems are to provide genuine inclusive education, we need to understand the experiences of caregivers better so we can remediate the issues creating non-inclusion for children with disabilities and caregivers.


Abstract. The Arctic stratosphere throughout the late winter and early spring of 2011 was characterized by an unusually severe ozone loss, resulting in what has been described as an ozone hole. The 2011 ozone loss was made possible by unusually cold temperatures throughout the Arctic stratosphere. Here we consider the issue of what constitutes suitable environmental conditions for the formation and maintenance of a polar ozone hole. Our discussion focuses on the importance of the stratospheric wind field and, in particular, the importance of a high latitude zonal jet, which serves as a meridional transport barrier both prior to ozone hole formation and during the ozone hole maintenance phase. It is argued that stratospheric conditions in the boreal winter/spring of 2011 were highly unusual inasmuch as in that year Antarctic-like Lagrangian dynamics led to the formation of a boreal ozone hole.