Continuous electroencephalography (cEEG) and quantitative analysis of EEG (qEEG) are used in various circumstances such as detecting seizures, identifying acute or delayed cerebral ischemia, monitoring sedative therapy, or assessing prognosis. The authors report 2 cases: (1) Case #1 was a patient with unilateral cerebral edema and uncal herniation with asymmetric cEEG and qEEG changes detected an hour before clinical examination changes were noted and (2) Case #2 was a patient with diffuse cerebral edema and trans-tentorial herniation with symmetric cEEG and qEEG changes detected an hour before clinical examination changes were noted. These cases demonstrate the ability of cEEG and qEEG in early detection of different types of cerebral herniation. qEEG can be utilized by intensive care unit (ICU) staff not trained in EEG interpretation as a surveillance method to detect cerebral herniation, which may provide an opportunity for early intervention in high-risk patients.


Photoionization of Rydberg atoms is considered in the quasi-classical (WKB) approach. The total nonlinear strong-field ionization rate is found and investigated. The time of ionization, as a function of a growing field-strength amplitude, is shown to approach asymptotically the Kepler period tK. Interference stabilization of Rydberg atoms is confirmed to exist in the case of short pulses (shorter than the Kepler period).


The Marine Living Resources Act (MLRA), which was enacted in 1998, is the primary legislation addressing South Africa's marine fisheries. In June 2012, another important instrument, the Policy for the Small Scale Fisheries Sector (SSFP) in South Africa, was adopted to rectify the exclusion of many small-scale fishers from access to resources, that had resulted from weaknesses in the MLRA. This paper assesses the MLRA, aspects of the SSFP and selected other subsidiary policies and regulations in relation to current best-practices, especially the extent to which they support an ecosystem approach to fisheries (EAF). The study concludes that there are some serious gaps and shortcomings in the MLRA that should be addressed. These include, among others, the need to: (i) revise the MLRA so as to incorporate requirements for open and transparent management and governance; (ii) entrench the principles of co-management, emphasised in the SSFP, for all fisheries; and (iii) include a legal requirement for detailed management plans for all fisheries. Despite these shortcomings, there has been considerable progress in implementation of EAF, at least in the country's bigger fisheries. However, this should not be seen as a justification for avoiding or delaying a revision of the MLRA to bring it into line with modern best-practices as encompassed by EAF.


Protein C and S, vitamin K-dependent proteins, are blood coagulation inhibitors. Their deficiency causes systemic thrombosis. A 35-year-old man who developed superior mesenteric venous thrombosis and portal vein thrombosis showed markedly decreased protein C and S levels. The therapeutic modality of this thrombosis associated with protein C and S deficiency is still debated. We treated this patient with systemic anticoagulation and long term total parenteral nutrition without surgical intervention.


In a general practice observation study 11,476 patients with type 2 diabetes pretreated with oral antidiabetic drugs, mainly metformin, received an oral combination therapy of nateglinide with metformin. Mean age+/-SD of the participants was 61+/-10.3 years, range 19 to 97 years, the body mass index (mean+/-SD) was 29.4+/-4.5 kg/m2, range 14.9 to 68.7 kg/m2. The observation period lasted 3 to 4 months (mean 96 days). During this period the mean HbA1c decreased from 8.4 % to 7.2%, displaying a positive relation between initial value and degree of reduction. Postprandial glucose levels dropped from a mean of 210 to 152 mg/dl. At the beginning of the study the combination of the two target values for glucose control, HbAc <7% and postprandial glucose <180 mg/dl, was reached in only 5.8% of the participants, at the end in 44.9%. During the therapy, weight and blood pressure dropped slightly. Adverse events were reported in only 2.9% of the patients and involved a broad range of symptoms with mild gastrointestinal complaints being predominant (1.3%). This study demonstrated that the combination of nateglinide with metformin can be considered as an effective and safe option for treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes, with additional beneficial effects on body weight and blood pressure.


There have been recent advances in using queuing relationships to determine lot sizes that minimize mean flowtimes when multiple product types are being produced at capacity-constrained resources. However, these relationships assume lot interarrival times are independent, which is not the case in most manufacturing scenarios. This study examines the performance lot-sizing optimization relationships based on GI/G/1 relationships when lot interarrival times are auto-correlated. Simulation and response surface modeling are used to experimentally determine optimal lot sizes for a sample problem. The flowtimes for "optimal" lot sizes determined analytically are found to compare poorly with with the best flowtimes obtained experimentally. An approah is then developed that uses feedback during simulation to adjust parameters within queuing heuristics that support dynamic lot-size optimization. Performance using this approach compares well with the best performance obtained using the much more difficult experimental approach.


Pungentus pungens, the type species of its genus, is re-described and illustrated on the base of type material and recently collected specimens. It is characterised by a body 1.51-2.04 mm long and comparatively slender (a = 40-54), 9-12 μm broad lip region offset by weak but perceptible constriction, odontostyle 18-23 μm long, neck 343-395 μm long, pharyngeal expansion occupying 48-57% of total neck length, uterus simple and 34-54 μm long or 0.8-1.6 corresponding body diam., V = 45-52, tail short and rounded (21-29 μm, c = 66-86, c′ = 0.8-1.1) with abundant saccate bodies, spicules 47 μm long, and ten widely spaced ventromedian supplements lacking a hiatus. An emended diagnosis is proposed for Pungentus and its separation from the most similar genera is discussed. Sixteen valid species as well as one species inquirenda and three species incertae sedis are listed. Two new synonymies are proposed: Pungentus maorium of P. silvestris, and P. minnsi of P. pungens. Pungentus mosellae is herein considered species incertae sedis. A dichotomous key to species identification and a compendium of their morphometrics are also provided.


We have observed the azimuthal switching at the interface of nematic liquid crystals (LCs) and the aligning substrate, induced by the planar electric field of a fine comb electrode. Optical transmittance as a function of applied voltage was modeled by both the elastic theory with rigid anchoring and the Landau-de Gennes theory with the interfacial energy expression 1/2Wtr[(Q two down arrows -Q two down arrows (0))(2)], where Q two down arrows is the liquid crystal order parameter and Q two down arrows (0) is the surface order parameter induced by the aligning substrate. Optical data on the in-plane switching LC cells were found to differ qualitatively with the predictions of the rigid anchoring model but to agree well with those of the Landau-de Gennes theory. We obtain not only the strength W of the azimuthal anchoring, but also find the surface order parameter S(surface) to be 20-30 % less than that of the bulk. The optically measured azimuthal anchoring strength is in good agreement with the literature values determined through other means.


Polymer electrolyte systems consisting of poly (vinyl chloride) (PVC), poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO) as host polymers, lithium perchlorate (LiClO4) as inorganic salt and ethylene carbonate (EC) as plasticizer are prepared. The ionic conductivities of polymer electrolyte systems containing various salt concentrations are investigated by using impedance spectroscopy technique at various temperatures. The maximumionic conductivity is found to be 2.39 x 10-6 S cm-1 at room temperature for polymer electrolyte system containing 20 wt%of LiClO4 salt. Thermal stability of the various polymer electrolytes are examined by thermogravimetric/differential thermogravimetric analysis. The complex formation between polymer and salt has been confirmed in the polymer electrolytes by using X-ray diffraction studies.


This paper proposes a new user interface based on a maneuver recognition system, which models the surgeon behavior. This interface includes three different modules: data acquisition and coding, training system and on-line recognition system. The aim is defined as recognizing the surgeon movements while is performing a surgical maneuver, by using a 3D surgical tool tracker. The obtained measurements are converted in to movement symbols by means of a Wavelet transform and a fuzzy clustering. These symbols are used both for training HMM and for recognizing the current maneuver. The system has been tested in some in-vitro experiments performing a fictitious surgical protocol.


Apolipoprotein D (Apo D) is a lipid binding protein whose expression is strongly induced in the mammalian brain during aging and age-dependent neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), where it can play an important function as a neuroprotective and antioxidant protein. Increasing evidence suggests that the gradual increase in free radicals and oxidative stress with age is the primary determinant to aging brain. The aim of this work is to study the effect of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in Apo D expression, in hippocampal cells, in order to investigate the relationship between oxidative stress and elevated levels of Apo D found in hippocampus during aging and AD and also elucidate the possible pathways that lead to this increase. In this study, we demonstrated that Apo D expression in hippocampal neurons of aged and AD brains directly correlates with age-related increase in oxidative stress. More importantly, our results in the HT22 cell line indicate that Apo D protein level increases in a concentration-dependent manner specifically at those H2O2 concentrations that caused oxidative damage and apoptotic cell death. These data support the idea that oxidative stress-induced apoptosis during aging and AD may be associated with the increment in the expression of Apo D in these situations.


Reducing petroleum consumption and GHG emissions from cars and light‐duty trucks in the United States over the next several decades requires that we implement a clear and coordinated set of policies now. This report describes a portfolio of policies which, in the view of the authors, is needed to put personal vehicle transportation on the road to sustainability in the longer term. To incentivize adoption of more fuel efficient vehicles, we propose coupling existing near‐term fuel economy standards with a feebate incentive program and gradual increases in fuel taxes. We further propose driver education initiatives that would give vehicle owners information on how to maximize fuel savings in their purchase and driving decisions. Finally, we underscore the need for a long‐term strategy for fuels that evaluates fuels‐related programs based on their contribution to reducing life‐cycle petroleum consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Together, these policies offer a robust plan of action that will focus and streamline current efforts to achieve these two important national goals. Perhaps most importantly, this plan lays a much‐needed foundation for a comprehensive, adaptable long‐term policy effort. A more detailed summary of the recommended set of policy measures can be found in Section 2.


BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Primary central nervous system (1° CNS) tumours represent 2% of cancers. They record the third highest mortality from cancer in the 18-35 age group in the UK today. Despite improving medical treatments, prognosis remains poor, with more patients experiencing residual complex functional deficits. Rehabilitation for these patients is scantily researched. Observational studies demonstrate improved function following inpatient and some outpatient multi-professional rehabilitation. Comparative recovery and functional improvement between patients with 1° CNS tumours and differing oncological and other neurological diagnoses is shown. Qualitative papers explore patient's values of medical treatment, demonstrating themes of hope and improved quality of life (QOL). No studies explore the significance of rehabilitation for these patients. The aim of this study was to discover the meaning of rehabilitation for people with this life-limiting illness through ethnographic enquiry.

METHODS
 Fieldwork data, primarily written narratives, field notes and interviews, were collected from 10 patients with 1° CNS tumours receiving physiotherapy at a UK specialist cancer hospital. They were asked what they thought the purpose of rehabilitation was in the context of their disease. Thematic analysis explored this data.

RESULTS
 Patient experience provided insightful perception of the beneficial role of rehabilitation in the context of their incurable disease. Main emergent themes included independence, confidence, 'professional talk' (the broader sense of communication through talk, touch and therapeutic handling) and hope. An analogy presents an analytical model of the themes. Incidental findings identified difficulty accessing services.

CONCLUSION
 Rehabilitation intervention offers positive contributions to patients with 1° CNS tumours improving QOL irrespective of the stage of their disease. With equal access to cancer services, a key aim advocated in national directives in health-care today, it is essential that patients receiving treatment for this life-limiting disease have timely access to rehabilitation services in conjunction with holistic medical management.


Photon attenuation is one of the most important factors degrading the quantitative accuracy of single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) images. The precise information of attenuation distribution is needed for accurate attenuation compensation. Recently, a lot of methods to measure attenuation distribution using transmission computed tomography (TCT) scans have been reported. The simultaneous SPECT and TCT scan with dual isotopes, which is possible in SPECT systems, but not PET, was investigated as a way to avoid the problems of misalignment and longer scan times for clinical applications. In simultaneous system, however, there are scatter from emission to transmission and from transmission to emission. These scatter must be compensated for quantitative SPECT. To obtain quantitative SPECT images the authors designed and built a simultaneous transmission/emission scan and scatter compensation system (based on a Toshiba GCA-9300A HG triple head SPECT camera) using the TEW method and fan beam collimator for brain SPECT. The analysis of the distribution of the scatter component using the regional energy spectrum is very useful for evaluating scatter compensation. Here, the authors describe the analysis of simulated and measured energy spectrums of TCT scans and three dimensional absolute activity measurement in brain phantoms.<<ETX>>


The data processing problems which arise in the provision of a modern haematology service are discussed in the light of available resources, and the basic requirements of any automated data processing system are defined. The differences between the needs of haematology and those of other pathology specialities are emphasized. A strategy for the development of a simple system which covers data capture, analysis, and retrieval is described. Separation of the short-and long-term functions of the system provides a relatively simple, inexpensive solution which can be modulated to meet the particular circumstances of each laboratory.


INTRODUCTION: Pregnancy and prenatal care follow-ups require frequent care visits. Studies show that excessive wait time can be a source of patient and employee dissatisfaction and are associated with lower patient satisfaction (P<.05). METHODS: From March 2013 to February 2015, the VMB was utilized as a Patient flow analysis (PFA) to track patient access in the women's clinic. RESULTS: By using VMB, the staff were able to identify inefficiencies in the patient visits, suggest areas in need of improvement, institute changes and test the effectiveness of clinic interventions. Mean wait time in the obstetrical clinic was decreased from 34 minutes to 33 minutes and in the gynecological clinic wait time decreased from 49 minutes to 28 minutes. The delay time before new obstetrical visits could be scheduled decreased from 11 to 7 days after changes were implemented. From January 2014 to August 2014, the volume of initial gynecologic visits increased by 38%, 739 to 1020 appointments), return gynecologic visits increased by 29%, 795 to 1026 appointments, initial obstetrical visits increased by 15%, 152 to 174, repeat obstetrical visits decreased by 2.4%, 1198 to 1169, and using a 10 point Likert-scale revealed that mean patient satisfaction scores increased from 67% to 84%. CONCLUSION: Patient flow analysis (PFA) via VMB is a simple, cost-effective method assesses function of ambulatory health care sites to measure patient flow, identify any inefficiency in the administrative and clinical processes and efficiently collect patient and provider flow data.


This study presents the development of a novel air-back polishing carrier with an integrated Linear Variable Differential Transformer Endpoint Detector (LVDT EPD). In the course of this study, uniformity evaluation was performed on blanket PETEOS oxide and blanket copper wafers and dishing/erosion multi-step polish on patterned wafers. Employment of an air-back polishing carrier resulted in non-uniformity <3% 1/spl sigma/. The LVDT EPD showed an excellent S/N ratio. The combination of LVDT EPD and air-back polishing carrier significantly enhanced the process performance in Cu CMP.


The study on the effects of different concentration (0, 10, 50, 100, 200 and 400 micromol x L(-1)) cadmium (Cd) on the antioxidative system in Ganoderma lucidum mycelia indicated that with increasing concentration of Cd, the fresh mass and the proline, total polysaccharides, and reduced polysaccharides contents of G. lucidum mycelia decreased, but non-protein thiol (NPT) content increased. At 400 micromol x L(-1) of Cd, the NPT content increased dramatically, being 5.7 times higher than control. Within the range of test Cd concentrations, the activities of CAT, GR and POD increased first and decreased then, with the peak at 100 micromol x L(-1) of Cd, while the activities of LOX and SOD increased with increasing Cd concentration, with the maximum at 400 micromol x L(-1) of Cd. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis revealed that 100-400 micromol x L(-1) of Cd induced two additional isozymes bands of Mn-SOD, 10-200 micromol x L(-1) of Cd increased the intensity of constitutive isozymes of CAT, POD, SOD and LOX, while 400 micromol x L(-1) of Cd decreased the intensity of isozymes of POD significantly.


Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the immediate impact of Percutaneous Transvenous Mitral Commissurotomy (PTMC) on RV function in patients with mitral stenosis (MS). Methods: This study was conducted in the National Institute Cardiovascular Diseases, Dhaka for a period of one year starting from October 2008 to September 2009. A total of 50 consecutive patients (Case group) with mitral stenosis were selected after considering inclusion and exclusion criteria that subsequently undergone PTMC. The control group (n=50) consisted of age and sex matched healthy individual (having no ECG or echocardiographic evidence of structural or functional cardiovascular disease). Healthy control group was taken because there was no data about RV function in our population. Control group used to compare with baseline characteristics of case group. Results: Immediately after PTMC (24 to 48 hours) mitral valve area increased from 0.8± 0.1 to 2.0 ± 0.2 (p <0.001) and RV outflow tract fractional shortening (RVOTfs % ) increased from 54.9 ± 4.6 to 74.9 ± 4.8% (p <0.001). There was a significant decrease in systolic pulmonary artery pressure from 47.7 ± 7.9mmHg to 28.2 ± 5.9 mmHg (p <0.001), in the RV Tei index from 0.5 ± 0.1 to 0.3 ± 0.1 (p <0.001 ), in myocardial acceleration during isovolumic contraction (IVA) at the lateral tricuspid annulus from 0.4 ± 0.1 m/s² to 0.3 ± 0.0 m/s² (p <0.001). The RVEF (%) did not exhibit any significant change from pre-PTMC figure (p = 0.538). Conclusion: After successful PTMC the parameters of infundibular and global RV function as assessed by RVOTfs and Tei index showed significant improvement and significant decrease in RV contractility as assessed by IVA was observed. Further work using larger numbers of patients is needed to confirm our findings and to assess their utility in patient follow-up and management. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/cardio.v5i1.12205 Cardiovasc. j. 2012; 5(1): 3-11


Our research considers the problem of enabling persistent execution of a multi-drone task under energy limitations. The drones are given a set of locations and their task is to ensure that at least one drone will be present, for example for monitoring, over each location at any given time. Because of energy limitations, drones must be replaced from time to time, and fly back home where their batteries can be replaced. Our goals are to identify the minimum number of spare drones needed to accomplish the task while no drone battery drains, and to provide a drone replacement strategy.


This investigation was undertaken to determine the reliability of a thick film resistor network, comprised of 4 matched 1.1 M \Omega resistors. The objectives of the program were: 1) to define any potential failure mechanism and 2) to determine the end-of-life (20 years) resistot properties. These objectives were achieved by a simulated life-testing of the resistor networks through the use of accelerated aging tests in various environments. Four resistor network properties were measured in this study: 1) resistance of individual resistor; 2) bridge imbalance voltage; 3) resistor noise; and 4) temperature coefficient of resistance. Evaluation of the data obtained in the present investigation resulted in the following conclusions. l)There is no potential failure mechanism that will cause the resistor network to degrade outside its end-of-life requirements during its lifetime. 2) The extrapolation of the high-temperature aging data to maximum operating temperature (70°C) indicates that the resistance value will not increase more than 0.5 percent in 20 years. 3) Other properties such as noise, stability against lightning surge, and temperature coefficient of resistance were insensitive to any aging treatments.


PURPOSE OF REVIEW
Costal cartilage has many advantages over other grafting materials because of its large quantity and high biocompatibility. As a result, it has been considered as a good option for Asian rhinoplasty. However, costal cartilage is difficult to use and is associated with a high complication rate. To avoid the disadvantages and complications of costal cartilage graft, several techniques have been proposed in the literature. This review addresses the conventional uses of costal cartilage in Asian rhinoplasty and recent updates.

RECENT FINDINGS
Different techniques have been reported for Asian rhinoplasty using costal cartilage. Solid-block costal cartilage and diced cartilage with or without wrapping materials are widely used for dorsal augmentation. Many different grafting techniques for the tip and septal reconstruction have been reported by numerous surgeons. When using costal cartilage graft, surgeons should pay attention to both graft complications, such as warping or infection, and donor-site morbidity. Several strategies have recently been developed to avoid these complications.

SUMMARY
This article summarises grafting options for Asian rhinoplasty using costal cartilage and possible complications. This information may assist with proper selection of appropriate techniques for harvesting, carving and grafting costal cartilage.


Recent studies in mouse models showed that Liraglutide can modulate gut microbiota suggesting this as one of the factors favoring the drug-induced weight loss. We here aimed to observationally evaluate the effect of Liraglutide on gut microbiota composition in obese diabetic humans. 11 obese diabetic subjects (age 59.6 ± 9.8; HbA1C 7.7 ± 2.7%; weight: 95.5 ± 17 kg), candidates to receive GLP-1-analogs, were included. All subjects underwent, before (B) and after 6 weeks of treatment (PT) with Liraglutide 1.2 mg, metabolic evaluation (BMI, glucose, HbA1c and LDL-cholesterol). Lactulose Breath Test (LBT) was performed to characterize gut microbiota, measuring hydrogen (H2) and methane (CH4) production; while gastric emptying time (t/2) was assessed by Octanoic Acid Breath Test. All subjects experienced a significant weight loss (BMI B: 33.9 ± 4.5 kg/m2, PT: 29.9 ± 4.2 kg/m2, p 0,001), and a significant reduction of fasting plasma glucose (FPG) (FPG B: 146.4 ± 31.5 mg/dl, PT: 118.6 ± 33.1 mg/dl p 0.02), Hb1Ac (HbA1C B: 7.7 ± 2.7%, PT: 6.2 ± 1% p 0.001) and LDL-cholesterol (LDL B: 89.5 ± 39.3 mg/dl; PT: 68.4 ± 35.9 mg/dl, p 0.006). Methane and Hydrogen production (AUC) were significantly reduced by Liraglutide in the post-treatment group (H2 B: 5093.8 ± 933 ppm, PT: 2495.5 ± 525 ppm, p 0.02; CH4 B: 1887.9 ± 286.3, PT: 1212.3 ± 334 ppm, p 0.02); moreover, the LBT revealed that Liraglutide is able to significantly slow down the Oro-cecal Transit Time (OTT). As expected, gastric emptying was significantly delayed after Liraglutide treatment (t/2 B: 72.6 ± 8.2 min, PT: 118.2 ± 25 min p 0.05). We, here, show that Liraglutide reduces intestinal gases production, which is an indirect measure of changes in gut microbiota. In conclusion, we highlight the close relationship between glucose lowering effect of Liraglutide and the intestinal microbiota composition, suggesting that the treatment effect may be potentially mediated by changes in gut microbiota, which could in turn represent a new therapeutic target for treatment of type 2 diabetes. Disclosure S. Moffa: None. V. Tesori: None. T. Mezza: None. C. Cefalo: None. F. Cinti: None. G. Sorice: None. A. Giaccari: Advisory Panel; Self; Sanofi. Board Member; Self; Novo Nordisk A/S. Speaker9s Bureau; Self; Amgen Inc., AstraZeneca, Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., Sanofi.


The nation's middle schools suffer from a shortage of qualified science and mathematics teachers. To address this need, one university in the southwest has developed the Modeling Institute, a master's degree program for in-service elementary educators interested in teaching science and mathematics at the middle school level. Identifying the profile of teachers interested in pursuing additional coursework in science and mathematics is necessary to more effectively attract candidates and to better facilitate the program. Thus, we administered an online survey to in-service teachers to uncover needs and influencing factors. Data revealed that the majority (60%) of 324 in-service teachers are interested in pursuing additional education, beyond that reflected on their current transcript, as a route to becoming more competent in teaching and integrating science and mathematics. The present study provides a plausible profile of K-8 certified teachers interested in pursuing a master's degree program or postbaccalaureate coursework to achieve content expertise in science and mathematics. Such a profile can assist universities in designing math- and science-related programs that meet the needs of in-service teachers and districts they serve by increasing the number of teachers who are qualified (by transcript and test scores) and competent in their content.


A 63-year-old female patient with obstruction of left main bronchus due to recurrent esophageal cancer was treated by emergency Nd-YAG laser therapy under bronchoscopy. Severe dyspnea subsided dramatically and she was the given radiotherapy with a total dose of 50 Gy (2 Gy/f and 25 f/5 wks). Concurrent chemotherapy was performed at the 3rd week of radiation therapy. In this chemotherapy of CDDP plus 5-FU, CDDP (10 mg/day) was given for 5 days by intravenous and 5-FU (500 mg/day) for 5 days by continuous infusion the same week. By this treatment, a partial response (PR) was obtained, and the patient returned to normal life. But after 4 months, she had a recurrent lesion at the same place, and underwent only palliative laser therapy. Nd-YAG laser therapy for obstructive lesion of trachea due to recurrent cancer is the most useful one, but some subsequent treatment is required.


Facing a more and more insecure environment, with a rising competition and with major technological changes, enterprises realize that adjusting to the environment and taking advantages of the opportunities it offers means a strategic approach of the actions that are to be taken in order to gain a good position on the market. The main objective of the flow analysis is to study the different flows of the activities of the enterprise, being helped by specific tables.


The present study is about the evaluation of the environmental degradation of the Uberaba river watershed situated in a region called Triângulo Mineiro. It possesses an area of 241,904.30 ha, which encloses the cities of Uberaba, Verissimo, Conceicao das Alagoas and a small portion of Planura. In this study the map of ambient degradation was produced containing four levels: low, moderate, accented and severe. The parameters used in this classification were: vegetation, topography, soil/geology, natural potential for erosion, mechanization, agricultural area, population density, cattle-raising and area of conflict for which it was attributed values. For "the low" level of degradation it was defined values 13 points. For "the moderate" level, values situated in the interval of 14 to 16. Values between 17 and 19 for "the accented" level, and "the severe" level with values 20 points. This study consolidates the consequences of the inadequate use of land when it is not respected its natural aptitude. The areas with moderate level of degradation represent 47%; however the areas of accented level (48%) and severe (4%) represent 52%, what discloses a strong indication in the advance of the destruction of natural resources. The areas classified with low level represent only 1%, sufficiently inexpressive, detaching the indifference in the preservation of natural resources.


OBJECTIVE
Adult growth hormone deficiency (AGHD) is associated with cardiometabolic risk factors. Given that cardiovascular disease (CVD) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in the AGHD population, there is a need for alternative, noninvasive methods of assessing cardiometabolic risk in this population. The Chinese visceral adiposity index (CVAI) is a new marker of visceral fat dysfunction based on age, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and metabolic parameters. CVAI is well correlated with insulin resistance (IR) and is better at predicting metabolic syndrome (MS) than BMI and WC. This study aims to examine the reliability of the lipid accumulation product (LAP), visceral adiposity index (VAI), and CVAI as cardiometabolic risk markers in AGHD patients.

METHODS
A total of 91 patients diagnosed with AGHD were divided into 4 groups according to CVAI quartile. We investigated the relationship between the patients' clinical and biochemical features, cardiometabolic risk assessed by cardiometabolic risk indices, the Framingham and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk scores, LAP, VAI, and CVAI.

RESULTS
The CVAI scores of patients were significantly higher than those of control patients. Increased CVAI significantly correlated with higher BMI, WC, waist-hip ratio (WHR), and triglycerides (TG), Framingham risk score and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease lifetime risk score ( P≤.001), with lower growth hormone (GH) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels ( P≤.001).

CONCLUSION
Our results suggest that CVAI may be a good marker of cardiometabolic risk in AGHD patients and could be used to diagnose CVD development and vascular accidents.

ABBREVIATIONS
AGHD = adult growth hormone deficiency; ASCVD = atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease; AUROC = area under the receiver operating characteristic curve; BMI = body mass index; CVAI = Chinese visceral adiposity index; CVD = cardiovascular disease; DBP = diastolic blood pressure; GH = growth hormone; GHRT = GH replacement therapy; HDL-C = high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; IGF-1 = insulin like factor-1; IGFBP-3 = insulin like factor binding protein-3; IR = insulin resistance; LAP = lipid accumulation product; MS = metabolic syndrome; SBP = systolic blood pressure; TC = total cholesterol; TG = triglycerides; VAI = visceral adiposity index; WC = waist circumference; WHR = waist-to-hip ratio.


. Synchronous release of gametes or larvae by marine animals may be controlled by as many as four environmental cycles thereby enabling an array of reproductive timing patterns. Cohesive scenarios that account for the diversity of reproductive patterns are rare and tests of their adaptive significance have been even rarer. By exploiting plasticity in the timing of larval release, we isolated proximate factors regulating reproductive synchrony and provided evidence that predation ultimately may best explain the diversity of hatching patterns by brachyuran crabs. Tides entrain reproductive rhythms by many crabs, and therefore spatial and temporal variation in tides produces intraspecific variation in reproductive patterns. This was demonstrated by determining the timing of larval release of the same or sibling species of intertidal crabs in Pacific semidiurnal and Caribbean mixed semidiurnal tidal regimes on the two coasts of the Republic of Panama. The time of larval release varied during the year in the Caribbean, where entraining physical cycles exhibited complicated changes in phase, but not along the Pacific coast, where the phase relationships among physical cycles varied little year-round. Crabs timed larval release relative to the light-dark, tidal phase, and tidal amplitude cycles, but not the lunar cycle, suggesting that three rhythms determined when larvae were released. For each species we ranked these rhythms by the degree to which larval release kept phase with their entraining physical cycles. The species-specific hierarchies of rhythms we observed match those expected if the time of larval release minimizes predation on females, embryos, and newly hatched larvae. Such hierarchies enable crabs to track phase shifts of cycles in variable tidal en- vironments and may enhance reproductive success across tidal regimes. However, larval release may be timed better in some tidal regimes than others due to differences in the phasing of environmental cycles. In some tidal regimes, larval release cannot be synchro- nized with all three physical cycles during the year, and hierarchies of rhythms may determine the timing and


Abstract. Evapotranspiration (ET) influences land–climate interactions, regulates the
hydrological cycle, and contributes to the Earth's energy balance. Due to
its feedback to large-scale hydrological processes and its impact on
atmospheric dynamics, ET is one of the drivers of droughts and heatwaves.
Existing land surface models differ substantially, both in their estimates
of current ET fluxes and in their projections of how ET will evolve in the
future. Any bias in estimated ET fluxes will affect the partitioning between sensible and latent heat and thus alter model predictions of temperature and precipitation. One potential source of bias is the so-called "aggregation bias" that arises whenever nonlinear processes, such as those that regulate ET fluxes, are modeled using averages of heterogeneous inputs. Here we demonstrate a general mathematical approach to quantifying and correcting for this aggregation bias, using the GLEAM land evaporation model as a relatively simple example. We demonstrate that this aggregation bias can lead to substantial overestimates in ET fluxes in a typical large-scale land surface model when sub-grid heterogeneities in land surface properties are averaged out. Using Switzerland as a test case, we examine the scale dependence of this aggregation bias and show that it can lead to an average overestimation of daily ET fluxes by as much as 10 % across the whole country (calculated as the median of the daily bias over the growing season). We show how our approach can be used to identify the dominant drivers of aggregation bias and to estimate sub-grid closure relationships that can correct for aggregation biases in ET estimates, without explicitly representing sub-grid heterogeneities in large-scale land surface models.


It is essential for Energy Management Systems (EMS) applications and control centre technologies that the measurements allow monitoring of the power system. An important tool for the EMS is state estimation which makes it possible to estimate the state variables of the power system based on these measurements. The measurements should allow observability of the power system which means they can be used to describe the system. The objective of the paper is to develop an algorithm for placement of PMUs in order to make the system observable. The novelty is that a limit on the number of measurements each PMU can make is introduced. The number of PMUs needed to make the network observable will therefore depend on the maximum number of measurements each PMU can make. The algorithm is tested on three IEEE test networks.


Purpose
This study aimed to develop an industry-specific, original, valid and reliable scale for measuring hotel employees' perceptions of CSR activities undertaken by their organizations.

Design/methodology/approach
Based on the solid grounding of a conceptual framework and a systematic scale development process, both qualitative and quantitative research approaches were used. Data were collected from 18 in-depth interviews with CSR/HR managers and employees working in world-renowned international hotel companies and local hotel groups in Hong Kong. A pilot study of 204 employee samples was subjected to exploratory factor analysis to determine the underlying factorial structure of the scale. A further 732 usable samples in the main survey were used to assess the latent structure and validity of the scale using confirmatory factor analysis.

Findings
The scale revealed sound psychometric properties based on the findings from reliability and validity tests. The results of the analysis validated previous research that employees' perceptions of CSR are a multidimensional construct and the five-dimensional model for the hotel industry consists of employees, guests, local community, the natural environment and owners/investors.

Practical implications
The developed scale can help organizational behavior researchers to examine the causal relationship between an organization's CSR activities and employees' outcomes, thereby enhancing further development of predictive and prescriptive studies that provide prescription to hotel managers with instrumental reason to pursue CSR in an organizational setting.

Originality/value
This study is one of the first scale development studies of employees' perceptions in the context of the hotel industry.


We explore how environmental contingencies determine the way resources are accumulated in young technology-based firms and argue that growth paths are critically shaped at the nexus between resource management and the competitive environment, defined along its most important dimensions, 'stability' and 'complexity.' We also build propositions about the way environmental conditions affect resource portfolio development or acquisition. We show how particular high-growth paths result from structuring resource portfolios in accordance with environmental demands and provide insights into why, based on six case studies of young technology-based high-growth firms, involving 27 interviews, 121 press releases, 605 press articles, and archival data. Copyright © 2011 Strategic Management Society.


Storytelling is a form of expression through which the narrator seeks to better understand not just the world around but also his or her self. That implies the narration of the self is often related to the construction or deconstruction of the self as the subject. In many literary works from both China and Western Europe, writers often examine self-formation in relation to the socio-cultural milieu, which immediately puts the individual at odds with the rational, collective, or political group. Such concerns have been the focal point of many writers of the twentieth century whose experimentations with the narrative mode reflect not only their artistic inclinations and conscious attempts to break from existing paradigms to reach new frontiers, but also their ardent desire to make sense of their experience and to position themselves and understand their selves in the flux of change. Influenced by their European counterparts, many Chinese writers such as Yu Dafu, Lu Yin and Ding Ling in the 1920s, and Zhang Xinxin and Gao Xingjian in the 1980s and 1990s have all attempted to break from prevailing/dominant modes of narrative that tend to treat literature as personal testimonies or socio-moral manifestoes. They consciously look for alternate modes of expression-new modes that allow them to address the personal and the psycho-cultural aspects of existence. Presented in their writings are individuals caught in conflicts between traditional and modern culture, and between Chinese and Western values. Their conscious quest for a new identity and their attempts to (de) construct their individual selves reveal the cultural disorientation in China. Viewed in this light, the significance of the selected texts lies not so much in their comments on culture, sexuality, politics and history as in their modes of narrative. The writers' experimentations with the narrative mode enable them to fully explore the essence of self as understood by the Chinese, the process of construction or deconstruction of the self, their general concerns over cultural issues, including issues pertaining to role identity and the formation of cultural identity, as well as their inquiry into the impact of Westernization and/or modernization on the individual.


Road roughness can be described by two dimensional profiles in the direction of travel. These profiles are used for driving actuators for vehicle testing and dynamic computer simulations. Road roughness affects primarily ride quality and dynamic wheel loads. The effects of dynamic wheel loads on the stresses in the pavement and subsequent effect on pavement life are the subject of current research at the FHWA (Federal Highway Administration). This paper presents a review of the extensive work done over the years in the Pavement Division of the Office of Research of FHWA and some recent results on road roughness profiling and on pavement response to dynamic loads. Current and planned work is described in some detail. The current interest is on the interactions between rough pavements and heavy trucks. Field and laboratory measurements, and computer simulations to predict the interaction forces are discussed. Distribution of strains and deflections under passing truck wheels are shown for different test conditions.


This paper describes a simple low-cost method of obtaining overhead views of accident scenes and damaged vehicles. The camera is elevated above the subject vehicle/scene using a 30-foot telescopic fiberglass pole. The camera, a light-weight 35mm, autowind, with infrared remote control, is mounted with a camera quick shoe adapter. Techniques of operation of the pole and camera are described, and optimum settings for camera angle versus field of view are provided. Because the camera operator cannot physically see what is being photographed, techniques to ensure adequate coverage of the subject are also discussed. To ensure that the error of measurements subsequently taken from photographs are minimized, parallax errors must be assessed. Sources of parallax error and ways to minimize them are discussed. The photographic boundaries using this camera technique were established by photographing a 30 x 40 foot grid at various pole heights and focal lengths of camera lens. By examining the elements of the grid, any lens distortion could also be assessed. Finally, an actual example is given to illustrate the utility of the technique and the advantages that it offers when compared to conventional measurement techniques.


Purple sweet potato starch is a potential resource for resistant starch production. The effects of heat-moisture treatment (HMT) and enzyme debranching combined heat-moisture treatment (EHMT) on the morphological, crystallinity and thermal properties of PSP starches were investigated. The results indicated that, after HMT or EHMT treatments, native starch granules with smooth surface was destroyed to form a more compact, irregular and sheet-like structure. The crystalline pattern was transformed from C-type to B-type with decreasing relative crystallinity. Due to stronger crystallites formed in modified starches, the swelling power and solubility of HMT and EHMT starch were decreased, while the transition temperatures and gelatinization enthalpy were significantly increased. In addition, HMT and EHMT exhibited greater effects on the proliferation of bifidobacteria compared with either glucose or high amylose maize starch.


AIMS
This study aims to understand the factors that contribute to supervisory nurse performance in long-term care facilities.

BACKGROUND
Long-term care facilities have been faced with staffing challenges and increasing resident care needs, resulting in suboptimal quality of care. Nursing leadership has been identified as a key factor in the provision of high-quality care.

METHODS
The comparative case study employed a complexity science framework to compare two facilities. The facilities were chosen based on the level of perceived supervisory support staff received from their supervisors, and 10 participants were recruited from each facility at various levels of management and staff (n = 20). Data were collected in 2015 using semi-structured interviews.

FINDINGS
The quality and quantity of supervisory relationships was central to shaping the effectiveness of the supervision. Effective supervisory support was characterized by frequent and high-quality supervisor-staff interactions. Effective nurse supervisors acknowledged self-organisation as beneficial, and worked in environments that encouraged fluidity of roles.

CONCLUSIONS
The findings suggest that effective nurse supervisors and supervisory support fosters improved work environments and the staff's ability to respond to residents' needs in a timely, effective and compassionate manner.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT
Nurse managers who provide effective supervisory support can improve the quality of care provided to their residents.


Chromosomal breaks are seen in the peripheral blood lymphocytes of irradiated patients long after the original exposure. This is confirmed in our present investigation. We found 141 (20%) chromosomal breaks in 707 metaphases from 18 thymus-irradiated patients and only 26 (6.3%) in 410 metaphases from six of their normal siblings. Sister chromatid exchange (SCE) has been used to test the mutagen-carcinogen agents. However, radiation, a well-known mutagen-carcinogen agent, has no effect upon SCE. This suggests that the SCE and chromosomal breakage mechanisms may be quite different; study of them may help us to understand chromosomal breakage and healing.


In this paper we analyze the capacity of a mixed-mode slow frequency-hopped TDMA-based cellular system for three different antenna diversity schemes. Namely, maximal ratio combining, equal gain combining and selection combining. Capacity is analyzed using a theoretical development of outage probability. Expressions of outage probability are provided for each diversity scheme. Considering mobile to base transmission, voice activity, power control and Reed-Solomon coding. The outage probabilities are expressed as functions of mobile locations. Capacity (users/MHz/cell) is evaluated from the outage probability expressions by simulating mobile locations for a system with 37 hexagonal cells. The capacities obtained for the different diversity schemes are compared and the effects of power control error and variation in voice activity factor are analyzed.<<ETX>>


What are the elementary constituents of matter? How is matter built up? How many states of matter are there? Our attempt to answer such fundamental questions depends, the author ascertains, on our approach to and our perception of the problems, emphasizing the role of our operational thinking and the conceptual models or images which are used to idealize or simplify the structure of matter. Thus, the author presents in this book the philosophy of scientific models in the physics of matter rather than the exact scientific knowledge of materials. The book does not use any mathematical equations and does not require any prior physical and mathematical knowledge, illustrating some particular points by amusing cartoons. This approach can be very approachable for newcomers to the subject of materials science and the physics of condensed matter. The author starts from terminology and fundamental notions and ideas, then goes through the constituent particles (electron, proton, neutron, atoms, molecules), before describing the macroscopic agglomeration of particles (gases, liquids, solutions, solids, mixed matter, interfaces, soft matter) and finally taking us from very large molecules to biological living matter and the matter of the Universe. Each problem is discussed using contemporary, up-to date knowledge, including some recent `hot topics,' and taking both classical and quantum approaches in a very correct and properly comprehensible way. However, the careful reader can formulate some slightly critical remarks. To emphasize language problems developed by scientific modellers (chapter 2), I would add, to the examples given by the author, the new term `atomic laser' which causes many misunderstandings. The discussion of limits and dimensions, citing Benoit Mandelbrot, would have been a good opporunity to mention fractal dimensions. It might have been better to formulate the first law of thermodynamics as the statement which determines the nature of internal energy changes according to the energy conservation principle. The absolute zero state and unattainability of that temperature could be explained in a more convincing way. In chapter 6 it would be worthwhile to mention the problem of matter interaction between crystalline layers with mismatch (different lattice constant), which is of great importance in the modern technologies used for the fabrication of quantum-type many-layered low-dimensional nanostructures. Section 7.3 might well have made reference to a Coulomb blockade effect and a single electron transistor. The electron in a box (section 7.4) could be described in more detail. In section 7.6 it should be pointed out that semiconductors (intrinsic and at low temperatures) have qualitatively the same energy band structure as insulators, differing only in the value of the energy gap, and that doping does not always reduce the width of the energy gap. Discussing high-temperature superconductors (page 289) the author states `The in-plane resistivity is similar to that of a metal, while in the perpendicular direction it is more like that of a semiconductor (increasing when the temperature rises)', but should have written `decreasing' instead of `increasing'. There is no mention of such important materials as superionic conductors (fast ion conductors), various kinds of semiconductors with very different and specific properties that are important for applications, and new optoelectronic (photonic) materials. Magnetic materials (section 13.9) should be described more extensively. There is no information on very important elementary model excitations in condensed matter like anyones, skyrmions, composite fermions, etc. And, while discussing the electron, it would have been useful to compare electrons in free space with the different states of electrons in condensed matter, particularly in solids. I can agree with the opinion of publishers, as given on the back cover, only to a limited extent. The book is really interesting and of great value for students, science graduates and science teachers, but it is not sufficient for `scientists in other areas to update their knowledge of materials'. Nevertheless, this is a very nice bedside book, so I encourage everyone to try and read it. You just try! You will not be disappointed.


Background: Evidence for an association between the amount of ambient fine particulate matter (PM) in the atmosphere and vitamin D status of pregnant women is limited. We aimed to examine the independent association between ambient fine PM and maternal levels of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) during the second trimester and to explore possible modifications to the association by meteorological factors. Methods: 27,768 pregnant women presenting for prenatal examination who were tested for serum 25OHD concentration during the second trimester between January 1, 2016, and 31 December, 2020, were included in this retrospective analysis. Exposure to PM was evaluated based on daily average PM with an aerodynamic diameter of ≤2.5 μm (PM2.5) and PM with an aerodynamic diameter of ≤10 μm (PM10). Corresponding meteorological data for daily average atmospheric temperature, atmospheric pressure, relative humidity, sunshine duration, and wind speed, were collected. Results: Vitamin D deficiency (<12 ng/mL), inadequacy (12-20 ng/mL), and adequacy (≥20 ng/mL) were respectively present in 23.5%, 41.3%, and 35.2% of pregnant women during their second trimester. The maximum cumulative effects of PM2.5 occurred at lag 45 days, and the maximum cumulative effects of PM10 occurred at lag 60 days. In crude models, 45-day moving daily average PM2.5 concentrations were negatively associated with 25OHD levels (β, −0.200; 95% CI, −0.206 to −0.193), as were 60-day moving daily average PM10 concentrations (β, −0.142; 95% CI, −0.146 to −0.137). After adjusting for temporal and meteorological factors, the effect values were drastically reduced (adjusted β of PM2.5, −0.032; 95% CI, −0.046 to −0.018; adjusted β of PM10, −0.039; 95% CI, −0.049 to −0.028). Conclusions: Our study showed an independent negative association between ambient fine PM in the atmosphere and maternal serum 25OHD levels during the second trimester of pregnancy. However, the effect values were small after adjusting for temporal and/or meteorological factors, which indicates that ambient fine PM may have a limited influence on maternal serum 25OHD levels.


A library of novel phosphonic acid analogues of homophenylalanine and phenylalanine, containing fluorine and bromine atoms in the phenyl ring, have been synthesized. Their inhibitory properties against two important alanine aminopeptidases, of human (hAPN, CD13) and porcine (pAPN) origin, were evaluated. Enzymatic studies and comparison with literature data indicated the higher inhibitory potential of the homophenylalanine over phenylalanine derivatives towards both enzymes. Their inhibition constants were in the submicromolar range for hAPN and the micromolar range for pAPN, with 1-amino-3-(3-fluorophenyl) propylphosphonic acid (compound 15c) being one of the best low-molecular inhibitors of both enzymes. To the best of our knowledge, P1 homophenylalanine analogues are the most active inhibitors of the APN among phosphonic and phosphinic derivatives described in the literature. Therefore, they constitute interesting building blocks for the further design of chemically more complex inhibitors. Based on molecular modeling simulations and SAR (structure-activity relationship) analysis, the optimal architecture of enzyme-inhibitor complexes for hAPN and pAPN were determined.


The microhardness of three sets of Ti-N films containing the epsilon -Ti2N phase is investigated. Experiments show that Ti-N films with highest microhardness do not have to contain the epsilon -Ti2N phase, as has usually been reported previously. The hardest films always contain the delta -TiNx phase only.


Movie recommendation systems provide users with ranked lists of movies based on individual's preferences and constraints. Two types of models are commonly used to generate ranking results: long-term models and session-based models. While long-term models represent the interactions between users and movies that are supposed to change slowly across time, session-based models encode the information of users' interests and changing dynamics of movies' attributes in short terms. In this paper, we propose an LSIC model, leveraging Long and Short-term Information in Content-aware movie recommendation using adversarial training. In the adversarial process, we train a generator as an agent of reinforcement learning which recommends the next movie to a user sequentially. We also train a discriminator which attempts to distinguish the generated list of movies from the real records. The poster information of movies is integrated to further improve the performance of movie recommendation, which is specifically essential when few ratings are available. The experiments demonstrate that the proposed model has robust superiority over competitors and sets the state-of-the-art. We will release the source code of this work after publication.


Pteropid bats ( Pteropus spp ) are considered to be the main reservoir of Nipah virus (NiV) that was first identified in Malaysia in 1998 after it emerged in pigs and in hu mans causing 265 cases with 105 deaths. The virus has been re - emerging on a seasonal pattern in Bangladesh where over 200 sporadic human cases have been identified since 2001 caused by food - borne and some person - to - person transmission, with an overall case fatality exceeding 70%. In Cambodia, NiV circulation in Flying Foxes population was documented in 2000 but little is known about the epidemiology of the virus. Seasonality in infectious disease circulation can be induced by multiple climatic, environment al or host - related factors. In particular, juveniles - susceptible individuals in the absence of maternal antibodies - may amplify pathogens circulation when massively entering in contact with the general population. Therefore, a synchronized reproduction of Pteropid bats in South East Asia may trigger a peak circulation of NiV due to a pulse of juvenile after the breeding season. We monitored the reproduction phenology of a population of Lyle's flying foxes ( Pteropus Lylei ) using two different census metho ds to target the surveillance of NiV. Based on these censuses, we tested urine samples collected when a pulse of juveniles was recorded. Interviews of the local population around the roosts were also conducted to assess the potential route of transmission of the virus from the bats to humans and domestic animals. Our results showed a synchronized reproduction of the flying foxes population at our study site with a pulse of juveniles in April - May. A first batch of 129 samples collected in these months was te sted for NiV and two samples were positive. We thus detected NiV in Pteropid bats with a limited number of samples tested, showing that ecologically - targeted surveillance may help optimize the detection of emerging pathogens in wildlife. Our study suggests a peak of NiV circulation in Flying Foxes between April and June. We discuss the risk of emergence of Nipah in humans and domestic animals during that period of increased risk of transmission in relation with the potential route of transmission identifie d such as hunting, fruit contamination, market contamination or palm sap drinking. (Resume d'auteur)


One of the more common causes of enucleation is the so-called blind, painful eye. Most of the eyes removed with this diagnosis have a previous history of trauma or surgery, following which the eye becomes blind. Later, the eye will develop episodes of pain which lead to its removal. The most common cause of these painful episodes is recurrent intraocular hemorrhage, but this is frequently not realized by the ophthalmologist. A number of factors are listed as possible causes for these episodes on the pathology sheets sent in with the eyes, the most common being glaucoma, iritis, and possible tumor. Hemorrhage is almost never listed as a possible diagnosis, so it was felt worthwhile calling attention to the frequency of this phenomenon. The specimens received over a two-year period at the Estelle Doheny Eye Foundation were studied. In this period, there were 1,324 specimens of which 606 were globes. Of


RATIONALE, AIMS, AND OBJECTIVES
The complexity of an electronic medication administration record (eMAR) has been underestimated by most designers in the past. Usability issues, such as poorly designed user application flow in eMAR, are therefore of vital importance, since they can have a negative impact on nursing activities and result in poor outcomes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usability of an eMAR application during its development.

METHODS
A usability evaluation was conducted during the development of the eMAR application. Two usability methods were used: a heuristic evaluation complemented by usability testing. Each eMAR application version provided by the vendor was evaluated by 2 hospital pharmacists, who applied the heuristic method. They reviewed the eMAR tasks, detected usability problems and their heuristic violations, and rated the severity of the usability problems. Usability testing was used to assess the final application version by observing how 3 nurses interacted with the application.

RESULTS
Thirty-four versions were assessed before the eMAR application was considered usable. During the heuristic evaluation, the usability problems decreased from 46 unique usability problems in version 1 (V1) to 9 in version 34 (V34). In V1, usability problems were categorized into 154 heuristic violations, which decreased to 27 in V34. The average severity rating also decreased from major usability problem (2.96) to no problem (0.23). During usability testing, the 3 nurses did not encounter new usability problems.

CONCLUSION
A thorough heuristic evaluation is a good method for obtaining a usable eMAR application. This evaluation points key areas for improvement and decreases usability problems and their severity.


Contextual physics learning with natural phenomena in the environment will be more meaningful for learners. One of the learning contexts that can be raised is the phenomenon of soil erosion in the river Batang Sinamar, West Sumatra. This study aims to describe the profile of physics literacy ability of learners about the erosion of river wall of Batang Sinamar in District of Lima Puluh City of West Sumatera Province. The method used is pre-experimental with one shoot test design. Data collection is done by disseminating instrument literacy consisting of four questions about the process, concept, context and best attitude of learners in response to the phenomenon. The results showed that there were significant differences in literacy ability of physics concepts between students attending school near the erosion site and students who went to school away from the erosion site. The average overall grade of the learners at the closest school is 2.66 and the furthest school is 2.14. The results of this study can be used as the initial reference in the preparation of enrichment materials about the physical matter related to the phenomenon of erosion of the Sinamar rod wall.


OBJECTIVE
Develop and evaluate a low-cost walker with trunk support for senior citizens.

METHOD
Two-stage descriptive study: development of a walker with trunk support and evaluation with fourth age senior citizens.

RESULTS
Twenty-three fourth age senior citizens were selected. The evaluated criteria were the immediate influence of the walker on the static stabilometry with baropodometer and the evaluation of gait with accelerometers monitoring time and amplitude of the hip movement. There was a significant decrease in the body oscillation of senior citizens with the use of the developed walker, and there were changes in the joint amplitudes of the hip, but they were not significant.

CONCLUSION
Using low-cost materials, it was possible to develop and equipment that met resistance and effectiveness requirements. The walker interfered in the balance of the senior citizens, reducing significantly the static body oscillation.


A case of a 41 years-old-man, who had undergone surgical intervention ten years previously for aortic valve replacement in ECC with the coronary perfusion technique, is reported. This patient was studied because of the appearance of angina pectoris three months after the intervention and its progressive development. Selective left coronary angiography showed an ostial subocclusive stenosis; the run-off from the right coronary artery provided distal blood supply to the left coronary artery. A venous bypass was implanted between the aorta and the left anterior descending branch; the prosthesis was substituted because it was altered and caused hemolysis' problems. In accordance with most Authors late ostial coronary stenosis is a complication of the coronary perfusion technique, which is adopted for myocardial protection during surgical interventions for aortic valve replacement.


Objective Neonates with seizures have a high risk of mortality and neurological morbidity. We aimed to describe the experience of parents caring for neonates with seizures. Design This prospective, observational and multicentre (Neonatal Seizure Registry) study enrolled parents of neonates with acute symptomatic seizures. At the time of hospital discharge, parents answered six open-ended response questions that targeted their experience. Responses were analysed using a conventional content analysis approach. Results 144 parents completed the open-ended questions (732 total comments). Four themes were identified. Sources of strength: families valued medical team consensus, opportunities to contribute to their child's care and bonding with their infant. Uncertainty: parents reported three primary types of uncertainty, all of which caused distress: (1) the daily uncertainty of the intensive care experience; (2) concerns about their child's uncertain future and (3) lack of consensus between members of the medical team. Adapting family life: parents described the many ways in which they anticipated their infant's condition would lead to adaptations in their family life, including adjusting their family's lifestyle, parenting approach and routine. Many parents described financial and work challenges due to caring for a child with medical needs. Emotional and physical toll: parents reported experiencing anxiety, fear, stress, helplessness and loss of sleep. Conclusions Parents of neonates with seizures face challenges as they adapt to and find meaning in their role as a parent of a child with medical needs. Future interventions should target facilitating parent involvement in clinical and developmental care, improving team consensus and reducing the burden associated with prognostic uncertainty.


Automated Essay Scoring (AES) has been quite popular and is being widely used. However, lack of appropriate methodology for rating nonnative English speakers' essays has meant a lopsided advancement in this field. In this paper, we report initial results of our experiments with nonnative AES that learns from manual evaluation of nonnative essays. For this purpose, we conducted an exercise in which essays written by nonnative English speakers in test environment were rated both manually and by the automated system designed for the experiment. In the process, we experimented with a few features to learn about nuances linked to nonnative evaluation. The proposed methodology of automated essay evaluation has yielded a correlation coefficient of 0.750 with the manual evaluation.


: The present study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of the extracts from the fruits of Garcinia gummi-gutta and Solanum betaceum using the standard Agar well diffusion method. Three concentrations (25, 50,and 75 µl/ml) of various extracts such as aqueous, ethanol, petroleum ether, and chloroform were tested against six fish pathogens such as Aeromonas hydrophila, Vibrio cholerae, Streptococcus agalactia, Streptococcus iniae Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Klebsiella pneumoniae . Amoxiclav 10 mcg was used as the positive control (Disc). Three major fungal species Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus , and Candida albicans were used to determine the fruit extracts' antifungal activity at three different concentrations (25, 50, 100 µl/ml). Amphotericin B (100 units) was used as a positive control. Both plant extracts showed dose-dependent antimicrobial activity against the tested pathogens. The crude ethanol and petroleum ether extracts of G. gummi-gutta and S. betaceum displayed more potential against all strains at higher concentrations. However, G. gummi-gutta showed better efficacy against microbes when compared to S. betaceum . The findings of present study will be valuable for future identification, quality control, and pharmacological studies of natural chemicals derived from these plants especially in aquaculture.


Purpose
Cities remain an understudied unit of analysis for understanding the motives of multinational enterprises' (MNE) foreign direct investment (FDI), with subnational locations in International Business (IB) research to date predominantly captured via the phenomenon of agglomeration. As regional integration projects, such as the European Union and to a lesser degree NAFTA, increasingly reduce the importance of national institutional environments, this paper argues regional and subnational levels become more important for studying MNE location choice. This paper aims to evaluate the explanatory contribution of regional and subnational levels of analysis to understanding MNE location choice.

Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative deductive bottom-up multiple-case study research design is adopted to study the city location choices and FDI motives of six automotive and six commercial banking companies. These purposefully sampled manufacturing and service MNEs have different home countries and regional orientations. Data on their foreign investments across the extended Triad of Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific were collected for the time period of 2000–2021.

Findings
Findings suggest that different classes of city tend to attract specific types of FDI and that these patterns might vary across sectors and be influenced by the regional strategic orientations of MNEs. Industry-specific findings reveal the importance of related and support industries and partners in a city location for the automotive MNEs, while the commercial banks seek investment opportunities in cities that allow acquisition targets that have an attractive customer based and will improve their local market knowledge.

Originality/value
The findings provide evidence in support of MNEs in manufacturing and service industries perceiving the attractiveness of three city types in different ways across the Triad regions.


During Carrington rotation (CR) 2107, a fast coronal mass ejection (CME; >2000 km s−1) occurred in active region NOAA 11164. This event is also associated with a solar energetic particle event. In this study, we present simulations of this CME with one-temperature (1T) and two-temperature (2T: coupled thermodynamics of the electron and proton populations) models. Both the 1T and 2T models start from the chromosphere with heat conduction and radiative cooling. The background solar wind is driven by Alfvén-wave pressure and heated by Alfvén-wave dissipation in which we have incorporated the balanced turbulence at the top of the closed field lines. The magnetic field of the inner boundary is set up using a synoptic map from Solar Dynamics Observatory/Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager. The Titov–Démoulin flux-rope model is used to initiate the CME event. We compare the propagation of fast CMEs and the thermodynamics of CME-driven shocks in both the 1T and 2T CME simulations. Also, the synthesized white light images are compared with the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory/Large Angle and Spectrometric Coronagraph observations. Because there is no distinction between electron and proton temperatures, heat conduction in the 1T model creates an unphysical temperature precursor in front of the CME-driven shock and makes the shock parameters (e.g., shock Mach number, compression ratio) incorrect. Our results demonstrate the importance of the electron heat conduction in conjunction with proton shock heating in order to produce the physically correct CME structures and CME-driven shocks.


Data borrowed from the All-Union Cancer Register on 42 small cell lung cancer survivors over 2.5 years are presented. The average age of patients was 56 years; the male/female ratio was 6:1. Seventeen patients survived over 5 years.


Local polynomial regression methods are put forward to aid in exploratory data analysis for largescale surveys. The proposed method relies on binning the data on the xvariable and calculating the appropriate survey estimates for the mean of the yvalues at each bin. When binning on x has been carried out to the precision of the recorded data, the method is the same as applying the survey weights to the standard criterion for obtaining local polynomial regression estimates. The alternative of using classical polynomial regression is also considered and a criterion is proposed to decide whether the nonparametric approach to modeling should be preferred over the classical approach. Illustrative examples are given from the 1990 Ontario Health Survey.


Media reports have recently given significant attention to the opt-out movement, an organized effort to refuse to take standardized tests. Although the narrative often told in early press accounts was of a viral grass-roots effort led by parents who object to state-mandated testing, the reality has turned out to be more complicated. Through a synthesis of news accounts, research studies, survey results, and state and federal education department documents, this paper examines the opt-out movement and some of the dynamics that appear to underlie it. Several topics are covered, including the movement's extent, the demographics of those participating in it, how much time students devote to tests, what other factors might be motivating the movement, and the level of public support for testing in general. The paper concludes with suggestions for how the assessment community might respond to the concerns raised by the movement and by the general public.


We study and characterize the breather-induced quantized superfluid vortex filaments which correspond to the Kuznetsov-Ma breather and super-regular breather excitations developing from localised perturbations. Such vortex filaments, emerging from an otherwise perturbed helical vortex, exhibit intriguing loop structures corresponding to the large amplitude of breathers due to the dual action of bending and twisting of the vortex. The loop induced by Kuznetsov-Ma breather emerges periodically as time increases, while the loop structure triggered by super-regular breather---the loop pair---exhibits striking symmetry breaking due to the broken reflection symmetry of the group velocities of super-regular breather. In particular, we identify explicitly the generation conditions of these loop excitations by introducing a physical quantity---the integral of the relative quadratic curvature---which corresponds to the effective energy of breathers. Although the nature of nonlinearity, it is demonstrated that this physical quantity shows a linear correlation with the loop size. These results will deepen our understanding of breather-induced vortex filaments and be helpful for controllable ring-like excitations on the vortices.


Analysis of natural product remain challenging issues for analytical chemist, since natural products are complicated system
of mixture. The most popular methods of choice used for quality control of raw material and finished product are high
performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), gas chromatography (GC) and mass spectrometry (MS). The utilization of
FTIR-ATR (Fourier Transform Infrared-Attenuated Total Reflectance) method in natural product analysis is still limited.
This study attempts to expand the use of FTIR spectroscopy in authenticating Indonesian coffee powder.The coffee
samples studied were taken from nine regions in Indonesia, namely Aceh Gayo, Flores, Kintamani, Mandheling, Papua,
Sidikalang, Toraja, Kerinci and Lampung.The samples in the form of coffee bean from various regions were powdered .
The next step conducted was to determine the spectrum using the FTIR-ATR (Attenuated Total Reflectance) using ZnSe
crystal of 8000 resolution. Spectrum samples, then, were analyzed using chemometrics. The utilized chemometric model
was the principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA). Based on the chemometric analysis, there are
similarities between Aceh Gayo coffee with Toraja coffee, Mandailing coffee, Kintamani coffee and Flores coffee.
Sidikalang coffee has a similarity to Flores coffee; Papua coffee has a similarity to Sidikalang coffee; Lampung coffee has
a similarity to Sidikalang coffee, while Kerinci coffee has a similarity to Papua coffee.


Philosophers and others have debated for centuries about the concept of "rights" -
what they are, where they came from, how they evolved, on what authority they
proceed, and in what formulations. Because rights express values and are not simply
rules governing an immutable status quo, there will always be debates over some
aspects of human rights. It is precisely because of this uncertainty that the
international community, in 1948, through the General Assembly of the United
Nations, drafted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a standard of
measurement for the formulation and interpretation of human rights and freedoms.
Acknowledged within the Declaration is the universal right to education. One reason
for its acknowledgment is the crucial role that education plays in the promotion of
equality and the full realization of all other human rights. A second reason concerns
the growing appreciation of the relationship that exists between education and
increased social and economic benefits. However, despite its pivotal role as a
multiplier of human rights and socio-economic benefits, little has actually been written
on the right to education to elaborate upon its direction or define its boundaries.
Most of what is documented on the right to education comes from legal and political
sources, through the voices of judges, lawyers, statesmen, and politicians. Educators,
who are generally held responsible for its actual promotion and implementation, have
to date contributed very little to our knowledge of the right to education. Clearly this
must change. To prevail in practice human rights require not only articulation but
interpretation, validation, legislation, enforcement by rule of law and, finally, to be
conceived of in a positive formulation. Thus, rights have to be made, and the purpose
of this study is to invite educators into the conversation to assist in the making of the
right to education by contributing to its interpretations and validating its claims.
This inquiry unfolds in twelve chapters. Chapter 1 sets an autobiographical context
and includes my own memories and experiences interpreting the right to education as
well as the research questions and methodology. Chapter 2 examines the concept of
human rights, their evolution, and the basis for their authority. Chapter 3 examines
existing interpretations of the right to education in the literature. Chapter 4 examines
the meaning of education in the right to education. Chapter 5 examines the
compulsory nature of the right to education and the basis for its distinct status among
other human rights. Chapters 6 through 8 examine the concepts of equality and equal
educational opportunity and their relationship to the promotion of human rights and
the right to education. Chapters 9 and 10 examine the ends of the right to education as
proclaimed in the Declaration, contrasting these ends with the goals set out by the
Ministry of Education in the Province of British Columbia. Chapter 11 examines
parental rights to choose the…


Abstract During a failed Eros orbit insertion maneuver on 20 December 1998, more than 28 kg of hydrazine were expended by attitude control jets on the NEAR Shoemaker spacecraft. Deposition of burn products on the outer optic of the multispectral imager, or MSI, resulted in a wavelength-dependent degradation of the system point-spread function (PSF). The scattered light is progressively worse in the shortest and longest wavelength filters, especially at 450 and 1050 nm. The degraded PSF was characterized using numerous images of Canopus acquired subsequent to the anomaly. There is no evidence for temporal change in the PSF since the burn abort incident. A fast Fourier transform-based image restoration method using the optimal filter recovers most of the spatial resolution of the original images while preserving radiometric accuracy for the 550- to 1000-nm images. This procedure has enabled nearly unimpeded monochrome imaging of asteroid morphology and select 5-color measurements at a scale of ∼5 pixels.


Background: Many libraries, archives and museums (LAMs) all over the world have begun digitising their collections, and with a good number of these institutions failing to sustain their digitisation projects because they cannot afford to, it is best to find ways to lessen the financial burden that comes with digitisation. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the possible benefits and challenges if LAMs in South Africa were to collaborate on digitisation efforts. Method: A mono-method qualitative study was undertaken. The objectives were addressed by making use of a literature review and by conducting non-standardised, semi-structured interviews with 21 interviewees located at different LAMs. Results: It was found that funding for digitisation projects was a major problem, while collaboration between LAMs would involve sharing the financial burden among several institutions. In addition, reasons preventing LAMs from forming collaborative partnerships for the purpose of digitisation were also identified. A lack of collaborative digitisation policies and funding, both internally and between LAMs, was found to be a major obstacle for the formation of such partnerships. In determining the relevance of the research, it was important to determine whether or not LAMs in South Africa were open to collaboration and responses to this question were positive. It can thus be concluded that the results of this study can be used to motivate and guide collaboration partnerships for the purpose of digitisation between South African LAMs. Conclusion: It was concluded that collaboration could indeed appreciably alleviate problems related to digitisation, the most prominent being the cost associated with such endeavours.


The properties of the lactate dehydrogenases, percent guanine plus cytosine in the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), and DNA/DNA hybridization studies have shown that three strains of group N streptococci do not belong to either Streptococcus lactis or Streptococcus cremoris. The biochemical properties of the three strains were published about 25 years ago, and at that time the strains were not assigned to any species. The three strains are here identified as members of Streptococcus raffinolactis Orla-Jensen and Hansen.


This book is the pioneering work in the search for new seasons in tropical locations. It could not have come at any other place than Bahia, land famous for its tourist potential and the greatness and beauty of its shore. Its contents are directed to the whole scientific community, from high school students who already understand the four astronomical positions of the planet Earth, originating the four seasons in temperate zones, to students and researchers of higher education in physics or geography and also for amateur and professional surfers in discussion forums on Astronomy and Astrophysics. As the work suggests the creation of new rules or standards for the seasons between the tropics without simply suggest the elimination of conventions for the issue is of interest also for science educators, Geography and educators in a general way to confront reality Current our teaching by Topic and positions of thinkers of Education, as Freire and Vygotsky. Never before has a book specifically approaches the seasons of the year in detail in tropical location, considering author's knowledge about climate of the city of Salvador. More details visit: www.veraodabahia.blogspot.com.br


The aerophilous diatom Frustulia cirisiae sp. nov. is described from the Subantarctic island He de la Possession (Crozet Archipelago). The detailed morphology of this species is examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The taxonomic position of the new taxon is discussed, comparing it with similar freshwater genera such as Frustulia, Amphipleura and Stauroneis. Based on the presence of a stauros, so far an unknown feature within the genus Frustulia, a new subgenus Staurofrustulia is described.


Learning information literacy reports on an empirical study that explores the qualitatively different ways students in an Australian university experience learning how to find and use information. Recognised as a generic skill and graduate attribute that enables independent and lifelong learning, information literacy is increasingly accepted as a broad and complex educational and social concept. The study uses phenomenography as its methodological and theoretical basis. Phenomenography is a qualitative research approach that originated in educational research, where it was developed to gain a greater insight into student learning in educational settings. It has received considerable recent support in information literacy research. This study is based on interviews with 15 education students. Seven of the participants were drawn from an undergraduate Technology Education program, while the remaining eight were a mixture of undergraduate and postgraduate students undertaking more traditional text-based courses. The study reveals that these students experienced learning information literacy in a range of inclusive ways. In order of increasing complexity, these were: 1. Learning to find information; 2. Learning a process to use information; 3. Learning to use information to create a product; 4. Learning to use information to build a personal knowledge base in a subject area; 5. Learning to use information to advance disciplinary knowledge; 6. Learning to use information to grow as a person and to contribute to others. 2 While there are no other studies that explore students' ways of experiencing learning information literacy, this study discusses the experiences of information literacy that are represented in key empirical studies that use the phenomenographic research approach and three information literacy curriculum models. Through juxtaposing the results with these studies and models, ways of experiencing information literacy and learning information literacy are illuminated. Implications for information literacy education are also discussed. Understanding the different ways that students experience learning information literacy will assist librarians, academics and other educators to design and deliver information literacy education across this range of experiences and facilitate more expansive experiences for students.


| Objective: To comprehend the importance of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) and identify factors that hinder this process. Methods: This is a systematic review. The databases used were the Latin American & Caribbean Health Sciences Literature, the Bibliographic Database Specialized in Nursing, the Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online, and the Scientific Electronic Library Online. Results: The search produced 28 papers and 11 of them matched the objectives of this study. Most factors found in the results (5) showed risk, such as the use of feeding-bottles, complementary feeding and pacifiers. They were followed by the mothers' education levels and socioeconomic factors (4). After those were the mothers' emotional states, the type of delivery, the mothers working outside the home and the lack of preparation of the professionals (3). Other factors were present in smaller number of occurrences. Conclusion: The success of EBF is achieved through a holistic and effective approach of the nursing professionals in every pregnancy stage: conception, prenatal and puerperium.


Abstract TSI certification is an authentication system for railway vehicles and parts which are applied in Europe. It is one of authentication that is applied globally. Part of the TSI is also applied to the national technical specifications. This paper was studied for the coupler head that is one of the components of the coupler system. Design and test requirements about coupler head were obtained according to analysis for the technical specifications and standards of domestic and foreign. In the future, this result is expected to be applied to verification and certification of the product to be developed.


This research effort addresses the role of social media marketing activities, the compatibility with latest technology availability and perceived ease of use of social media and technological applications and systems to influence the attitude towards adoption that further enhances the marketing performance. The hotel industry of UAE is required to adopt the social networking sites and online marketing approaches instead of traditional marketing pattern to attract the customers on large-scale worldwide specifically. In addition, Due to Covid19 pandemic era, the need for online applications has increased dramatically to avoid the physical contact. The study contributes to the body of knowledge by explaining the role of social media marketing, its compatibility and ease of use to predict the attitude towards adoption that further influences the marketing performance. The study reported that social media marketing efforts, the compatibility of online applications and perceived ease of use influence the attitude towards the adoption of social networking sites significantly, moreover the marketing performance is influenced by inclined attitude of adoption network related applications.


6155 BAY 43-9006 is the first oral Raf kinase inhibitor to undergo clinical testing. In cellular assays, BAY 43-9006 demonstrated inhibition of the MAPK pathway in colon, pancreatic, and breast tumor cell lines. In addition, BAY 43-9006 had significant activity against several receptor tyrosine kinases involved in neovascularization and tumor progression, including VEGFR-2, VEGFR-3, PDGFR-β, Flt-3, and c-KIT. The effects of BAY 43-9006 on Mcl-1, a potent anti-apoptotic protein of the Bcl-2 family, have been examined in multiple human malignant cell lines. Treatment of A549 NSCLC cells with BAY 43-9006 significantly reduces Mcl-1 levels in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Similarly, Mcl-1 down-regulation is seen in other cancer cell lines (ACHN, kidney; HT-29, colon; MDA-MB-231, breast; and K562, leukemia) with BAY 43-9006 treatment. There is, however, no change in Mcl-1 mRNA levels in cells exposed to BAY 43-9006, as measured by RT-PCR, indicating that the down-regulation of Mcl-1 is a result of a post-translational change. Mcl-1 over-expression markedly diminishes BAY 43-9006-induced apoptosis, a process which is accompanied by blockage of caspase cleavage and cytochrome c release to the cytosol, while Mcl-1 down-regulation sensitizes cells to BAY 43-9006-induced apoptosis. Finally, the pan-caspase inhibitor BOC-D-fmk completely blocks BAY 43-9006-induced apoptosis. BOC-D fmk failed to block cytochrome c release into the cytosolic S-100 fraction, but did abrogate caspase 3 and 8 cleavage, indicating that mitochondrial dysfunction is upstream of the caspase cascade. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that drug-induced Mcl-1 degradation contributes to the pro-apoptotic effects of BAY 43-9006.


BACKGROUND
The authors investigated correlates of depression in a general population sample of adolescents (15-19 years) and young adults (20-24 years).

METHODS
As part of the Finnish Health Care Survey a random sample of 509 adolescents (281 females, 228 males) and 433 young adults (224 females, 209 males) was interviewed in 1996. DSM-IIR major depressive episode (MDE) was assessed by the University of Michigan Composite International Diagnostic Interview Short Form (UM-CIDI SF).

RESULTS
In multivariable regression analysis, current smoking (odds ratio (OR) 5.54; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.44, 21.3) and chronic illness (OR 3.77; 95% CI: 1.04, 13.7) associated with MDE among adolescents. Among young adults, drunkenness at least twice a month (OR 4.48; 95% CI: 1.44, 14.0) or once a month (OR 2.79; 95% CI: 1.14, 6.83), not being married nor cohabiting (OR 3.50; 95% CI: 1.35, 9.08) and infrequent physical exercise (OR 4.01; 95% CI: 1.18, 14.0) were related to MDE. Female MDE associated with not being married nor cohabiting (OR 3.56; 95% CI: 1.23, 10.1) and living in southern Finland (OR 2.30; 95% CI: 1.06, 5.02). Drunkenness at least twice a month was related to MDE among males (OR 4.54; 95% CI: 1.27, 16.3).

CONCLUSIONS
Attention should be paid to compromised health and health-related behaviour associating with MDE in youth. Specifically, the association between smoking and major depression in early adolescence should be borne in mind, and drinking habits or frequency of drunkenness should be carefully noted.


The computer simulation presented here is the response to an industrial challenge about how the electric arc furnace, where the smelting process of magnesium oxide (MgO) takes place, should be charged to avoid shell overheating. If solid MgO is charged at a very high rate, the processing time becomes very long; on the other hand, if the feed rate is too slow, the external shell made of steel reaches temperatures above its melting point. Thus, it is necessary to reduce the electrode current or to charge more material to avoid shell overheating. With the aid of this model, a charge scheme for the furnace is proposed, having maximum production without shell overheating. Validation of the model has been carried out with temperature measurements along the external shell while the process was being conducted; the size and shape of the smelted zone after fusion were also compared with information obtained from the graphic results predicted by the model. Results from the model are in good agreement with the measurements. Calculation of the specific energy consumption can be provided with the input energy rate and the mass of the smelted MgO.


In a cross-sectional study of 130 patients (main diagnosis: rheumatoid arthritis, n = 41, osteoarthritis, n = 39; ankylosing spondylitis, n = 28) we measured the concentrations of hyaluronan (HA) and the N-terminal propeptide of type-III collagen (NP III P) in urine and evaluated the relationship with their serum levels. Increased HA levels in serum correlated with increased urinary excretion (r = 0.69 for patients with active rheumatoid arthritis). Only patients with rheumatoid arthritis showed significantly elevated HA concentrations in urine (mean = 1,493 micrograms/mmol creatinine). Because of relatively wide fluctuations in urinary HA in normals (mean = 944, standard deviation 818 micrograms/mmol creatinine) and only modest differences between groups, the diagnostic accuracy of urinary HA measurements is inferior to serum determinations. NP III P showed no significant differences between patients and controls (means 10.5 to 15 micrograms/mmol creatinine). Obviously, renal excretion is of minor importance in the metabolism of HA and NP III P. The possible diagnostic usefulness of determinations of these parameters in serum is not enhanced by measurements in urine.


Reinforcement learning deficits have been associated with schizophrenia (SZ). However, the pathophysiology that gives rise to these abnormalities remains unclear. To address this question, SZ patients (N = 58) and controls (CN; N = 36) completed a probabilistic reversal-learning paradigm during functional magnetic resonance imaging scanning. During the task, participants choose between 2 stimuli. Initially, 1 stimulus was frequently rewarded (80%); the other was infrequently rewarded (20%). The reward contingencies reversed periodically because the participant learned the more rewarded stimulus. The results indicated that SZ patients achieved fewer reversals than CN, and demonstrated decreased winstay-loseshift decision-making behavior. On loseshift compared to winstay trials, SZ patients showed reduced Blood Oxygen Level Dependent activation compared to CN in a network of brain regions widely associated with cognitive control, and striatal regions. Importantly, relationships between group membership and behavior were mediated by alterations in the activity of cognitive control regions, but not striatum. These findings indicate an important role for the cognitive control network in mediating the use and updating of value representations in SZ. Such results provide biological targets for further inquiry because researchers attempt to better characterize decision-making neural circuitry in SZ as a means to discover new pathways for interventions.