A novel charge-retention circuit, which can deal with the issue of dead time occurring in the self-driving circuit for synchronous rectifier typically adopted on the secondary side of the following topologies: dual-switch forward converter, resonant reset forward converter, RCD reset forward converter, is presented in this paper. Comparing with the existing charge-retention driving circuit, it has the merits of simplified structure, shorter common conduction time, better immunity to interference and reduced driving loss. Finally, both the validity and practicability are verified by the experimental results.


Problem and goal. The effectiveness of the partnership of school teachers with parents of children with disabilities (hereinafter referred to as CHwD) in inclusive education is mediated by the extent to which the inclusive professional competencies that teachers possess correspond to parents' ideas about the nomenclature and comparative significance of these competencies. However, the evaluation position taken by parents of CHwD in relation to the list and hierarchy of inclusive professional competencies has not been the subject of special study. The purpose of the study was to investigate the paradigm of evaluation by parents of children with disabilities of inclusive professional competencies of a teacher. Materials and methods. To assess the importance of inclusive professional competencies of a teacher, parents were offered a list of 30 indicators of such competencies identified in the texts of 59 sample basic educational programs implemented by universities in the areas of training "Pedagogical Education", "Psychological and pedagogical education", "Special (defectological) education" and "Adaptive physical culture". The respondents were 127 parents with CHwD aged 3 to 16 years. In the course of the study, a meaningful and structural analysis of the hierarchy of importance of competence indicators and indicators of the importance of integral inclusive competencies of a teacher was carried out. Results. The study showed that parents of children with disabilities attach priority to the readiness and ability of the teacher to take into account the specifics of the physical and mental development of the child (M=3.96), to carry out an individual approach to him (M=3.99), to provide him with psychological and pedagogical support (M=3.98). The type of health disorder (F=5.05; p<0.0001) and the actual context of the child's education (F=2.81; p<0.0001) are significant factors mediating the paradigm of parents' assessment of inclusive teacher competencies of children with disabilities. Scientific novelty. The results obtained made it possible to consider the competence model of an inclusive education teacher from the point of view of the "parental request", to determine the specifics of this request depending on the type and nature of the child's developmental disorder, as well as the institutional conditions of his education. Practical significance. The conducted research makes it possible to determine the guidelines for adjusting the model of professional competencies of an inclusive teacher and improving the scientific and methodological support of the inclusive educational process in the context of psychological and pedagogical support and support of the student and his family.


This study is to comprehend indie fashion which pursues the realization of self-identity, values, freedom and a creation that deviates from conventional cultural flow. This study also aims to understand the definition and characteristics of indie fashion in Korean culture. A rigorous study on indie fashion has not yet been done; therefore, this study was conducted through both a literature study and empirical study. The empirical study asked individuals who engage in indie fashion to provide opinions on the definition and characteristics of indie fashion. The results are as follow. First, indie fashion does not impose conformity upon an individual nor does it pursue differentiation. Second, indie fashion based on self-identity is characterized by an individual``s consistent and unchanging style. Third, images (or styles of indie fashion) cannot be uniformly defined as styles different from one individual to another. Fourth, indie fashion can be defined as when an individual perceives themselves as pursuing indie spirit and its attitude. Next was an empirical study that showed in what position indie fashion is and who the fashion leader is in indie fashion. People who enjoy indie fashion said that (regarding indie fashion) it exists independent from the flow of trends as it regards personal values and identity as important.


A stroke is the basic limb movement that both humans and animals naturally and repetitiously perform. Having been introduced into gestural interaction, mid-air stroke gestures saw a wide application range and quite intuitive use. In this paper, we present an approach for building command-to-gesture mapping that exploits the semantic association between interactive commands and the directions of mid-air unistroke gestures. Directional unistroke gestures make use of the symmetry of the semantics of commands, which makes a more systematic gesture set for users' cognition and reduces the number of gestures users need to learn. However, the learnability of the directional unistroke gestures is varying with different commands. Through a user elicitation study, a gesture set containing eight directional mid-air unistroke gestures was selected by subjective ratings of the direction in respect to its association degree with the corresponding command. We evaluated this gesture set in a following study to investigate the learnability issue, and the directional mid-air unistroke gestures and user-preferred freehand gestures were compared. Our findings can offer preliminary evidence that "return", "save", "turn-off" and "mute" are the interaction commands more applicable to using directional mid-air unistrokes, which may have implication for the design of mid-air gestures in human–computer interaction.


The guanidine-induced unfolding of firefly (Photinus pyralis) luciferase involves two inactive equilibrium intermediates and is freely reversible at low protein concentration and low temperature. However, reactivation is exceedingly slow so that the equilibrium is attained only after several days of incubation and reactivation yields decrease strongly with increasing protein concentration, suggesting that aggregation is a competing side reaction [Herbst et al. (1997) J. Biol. Chem. 272, 7099-7105]. We investigated the role of the equilibrium intermediates in the aggregation process using size-exclusion chromatography and dynamic light scattering to monitor their association state. Although the more unfolded intermediate aggregated much more rapidly, both intermediates associated irreversibly without a conformational change visible by fluorescence or circular dichroism, forming small oligomers which remained soluble in the presence of the denaturant. The association kinetics are compatible with a nucleated polymerization mechanism. Unfolding kinetics at 1 M denaturant indicated the presence of a further inactive intermediate capable to reactivate rapidly with kinetics similar to those observed for luciferase reactivation in the presence of cell extracts. The data suggest a kinetic trap in luciferase refolding that is accessible from both equilibrium intermediate conformations and is avoided in the presence of molecular chaperones.


In this work, we report a nonaqueous one-step method to synthesize polystyrene macroporous magnetic nanocomposites through high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs) formulated with the deep eutectic solvent (DES) composed of urea:choline chloride (U:ChCl, in a 2:1 molar ratio) as the internal phase and co-stabilized with mixtures of Span 60 surfactant and non-functionalized magnetite nanoparticles (Fe3O4 NPs). The porous structure and the magnetic and lipophilic properties of the nanocomposite materials were easily tailored by varying the amount of Fe3O4 NPs (0, 2, 5 and 10 wt %) and the surfactant Span 60 (0, 5, 10, and 20 wt %) used in the precursor emulsion. The resultant nanocomposite polyHIPEs exhibit high sorption capacity toward different oils (hexane, gasoline, and vegetable oil) due to their high porosity, interconnectivity, and hydrophobic surface. It was observed that the oil sorption capacity was improved when the amount of surfactant decreased and Fe3O4 NPs increased in HIPE formulation. Therefore, polyHIPE formulated with 5 and 10 wt % Span 60 and Fe3O4 NPs, respectively, showed the highest oil sorption capacities of 4.151, 3.556, and 3.266 g g–1 for gasoline, hexane, and vegetable oil, respectively. In addition, the magnetic monoliths were reused for more than ten sorption/desorption cycles without losing their oil sorption capacity.


Two cases of double-outlet right ventricle in which surgical correction was successful are described. The diagnosis of this lesion should always be suspected in apparently large ventricular septal defects with pulmonary hypertension at systemic level, and further investigation by double catheterization or by angiography should be carried out. The catheterization data do not give accurate measurements of the pulmonary and systemic flows and resistances and are of no help in forecasting the results of surgical treatment.


The flow of magnetohydrodynamic Carreau liquid with the Brownian moment, thermophoresis and cross diffusion effects is investigated numerically. The buoyancy persuades on the flow is contemplated in such a way that the surface is neither perpendicular/horizontal nor wedge/cone. This is very helpful in the design of jet-engine. The equations govern the flow are transmuted using acceptable similarity variables and numerically solved by recruiting Runge-Kutta based Newtons method. The graphical results are obtained to discuss the stimulus of flow, thermal and concentration fields for different parameters of interest. The wall friction, local Nusselt and Sherwood numbers are examined with the assistance of tables. It is noticed that the parabolic flow is controlled by the buoyant forces developed by the temperature difference. Since the flow is laminar, the Reynolds number considered as <1000. This study has applicable in man-made products and various industries like pumps and oil purification, petroleum production, power engineering and chemical engineering processes.


Hypertension is one of the number one causes of death in the world, and is the third leading cause of death after stroke and tuberculosis. BMI is very influential in the incidence of hypertension, where excessive BMI or being overweight can lead to higher risk factors for hypertension than someone with a normal BMI. The purpose of this study was to analyze the Body Mass Index (BMI) with hypertension in the elderly in Gayungan Surabaya. This study was conducted using a cross sectional method, sample selection using purposive sampling. Sample was 47 respondents. Data collection was done by measuring blood pressure, weight and height. The collected data was processed using a computer program, being analyzed by the Spearman correlation test with a significance level of α = 0.05. In this study the highest interpretation of BMI in the elderly was a normal BMI and Obes I BMI which was 14 people (29.8%). The highest criteria for hypertension were hypertension level 1 (57.4%). The sample with the highest grade 1 hypertension was normal BMI (29.79%), while the second degree hypertension was the highest in Obes I BMI (29.79%). The results of the Spearman correlation test showed that there was a significant relationship between BMI and hypertension in the elderly where p = 0.001 (p <0.05). Conclusions of this study there is a significant relationship between the interpretation of BMI and hypertension in the elderly of Gayungan Surabaya.  Suggestions for older people to be more active and maintain their diet and lifestyle to prevent and control hypertension.


Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal is commonly called as Ashwagandha and it belongs to the family Solanaceae. It is an eminent medicinal plant widely used in the treatment of many clinical conditions in Indian subcontinent. It has natural source of withanolides (steroidal lactones) which are used as ingredients in many formulations prescribed for a variety of diseases. It has important medicinal capacity which has been used either single or in combination with other drugs in Unani as well as Ayurvedic system of medicine for centuries. Several therapeutic actions such as anti-inflammatory, neurostimulatory, hepatoprotective, anti-cancerous, immune-modulator and antioxidant activity. Observance in view the medicinal properties of Ashwagandha an effort has been made to explore various dimensions of the drug including phytochemical and pharmacological studies carried out on this herb. Pharmacological activity of W. somnifera needs number of scientific justification which would be helpful for the further future research.


We present the fully relativistic multi-reference configuration interaction calculations of the ground and low-lying excited electronic states of IrO for individual spin-orbit component. The lowest-lying state is calculated for Ω = 1/2, 3/2, 5/2, and 7/2 in order to clarify the ground state of IrO. Our calculation suggests that the ground state is of Ω = 1/2, which is highly mixed with (4)Σ(-) and (2)Π states in Λ - S notation. The two low-lying states 5/2 and 7/2 are nearly degenerate with the ground state and locate only 234 and 260 cm(-1) above, respectively. The equilibrium bond length 1.712 Å and the harmonic vibrational frequency 903 cm(-1) of the 5/2 state are close to the experimental measurement of 1.724 Å and 909 cm(-1), which suggests that the 5/2 state should be the low-lying state that contributes to the experimental spectra. Moreover, the electronic states that give rise to the observed transition bands are assigned for Ω = 5/2 and 7/2 in terms of the obtained excited energies and oscillator strengths.


On October 14, 2010, John Kelly, Liz Magic Laser, David Levine, and Alix Pearlstein joined moderator Paul David Young at the apexart gallery space in New York to discuss the engagement in their work with the idea of theatre and the evolution of the performance aesthetic. The use of theatre within the art world raises a host of questions about the identity and body of the performer, the relationship of performance to the written text, the institutional and social conditions of performance, the relevance of the history of theatre and theatre criticism, and the political nature of art. The discussion continued by e-mail after that evening; these later questions and answers are appended at the end of the conversation.


We determined the energy cost during gait by measuring the oxygen consumption of twenty-six patients after treatment for osteosarcoma about the knee. Fourteen had had an en bloc resection of the distal end of the femur and proximal end of the tibia followed by segmental replacement with a custom-made knee prosthesis and twelve had had an above-the-knee amputation followed by fitting with an artificial limb. Comparisons of free-walking velocity, oxygen consumption per meter traveled, and per cent of maximum aerobic capacity used during walking demonstrated that patients with resection and prosthetic knee replacement had a lower energy cost during gait.


Background The anterior ethmoidal artery (AEA) branches from the ophthalmic artery in the superomedial intraconal space. The feasibility of management of lesions arising from the superomedial intraconal space via an endoscopic endonasal approach has not been sufficiently explored. Objective To yield a detailed anatomic description of the anterior ethmoidal neurovascular bundle and its variants to serve as the foundation for possible management of lesions in the superomedial intraconal space. Methods Eight cadaveric specimens (16 sides) were dissected using an endonasal approach, tracing the AEA proximally through the superomedial intraconal space. Furthermore, the anatomy of adjacent structures was noted, and distances from the anterior ethmoidal foramen to the origin of the AEA at the ophthalmic artery were measured. Results Supraorbital cells were found in 13/16 sides (81.25%), and a bony dehiscence of the anterior ethmoidal canal was observed in 5/16 sides (31.25%). The nasociliary nerve, ophthalmic artery, superior division of the oculomotor nerve, superior rectus muscle, and levator palpebrae superioris were routinely identified in the superomedial intraconal space. The AEA passed through a corridor between the medial rectus and superior oblique muscles after arising from the ophthalmic artery (lateral to the foramen) in all specimens. The average distance from its origin to the anterior ethmoidal foramen was 5.19 ± 0.98 mm. Conclusion Anatomically, it is feasible to access the superomedial intraconal space via an endoscopic endonasal approach. This study provides the anatomical basis for procedures in the superomedial intraconal space.


The data sets were used in studying the role of salt and soil pore on the freezing characteristic curve of frozen soils. In the laboratory, the soil moisture characteristic curve (SMC) of a silica sand was measured using a Hydraulic Property Analyzer (HYPROP). The soil freezing characteristic curve (SFC) of the same sand was measured using a series of column experiments with controlled total water content and pore-water salinity. In the field, data were collected from the St Denis National Wildlife Area (SDN), a mixed grassland cropped site in the Canadian prairies in Saskatchewan and the Boreal Ecosystem Research and Monitoring Sites (BERMS) Old Jack Pine (OJP) site in Saskatchewan, Canada. The data were used to validate the performance of three alternative SFC models (capillary, salt exclusion, and the combined capillary salt models).


The issue of technological time costs as applied to the manufacture of flaked stone artefacts is considered. Assuming a positive correlation exists between technological cost and improvements in resource capture, it is shown that the viability of costly technologies is constrained by the abundance of resources in a landscape such that more costly technologies would be likely to be pursued in resource-poor landscapes. This outcome mirrors the results of past assessments of ethnographic data concerning the relationship between subsistence risk and technological complexity. These hypothetical and ethnographic models are then compared to archaeological changes in technological costs at three sites occupied through the late Pleistocene in southern Africa. It is shown that while there is agreement in some respects, there are also times where archaeological outcomes differ dramatically from expectations. The results are taken to suggest that while costly technologies are generally pursued under conditions of increasing global cold, peak cold conditions at the height of Marine Isotope Stages 4 and 2 encouraged a reversion to least-cost technological systems. This may reflect a switch in the focus of optimisation from resource return rates to maximisation of early resource acquisition and/or maximisation of number of subsistence encounters.


FcγRIIIa plays a prominent role in the elimination of tumor cells by antibody-based cancer therapies. Non-fucosylated bisected IgGs bind this receptor with increased affinity and trigger FcγRIII-mediated effector functions more efficiently than native, fucosylated antibodies. In this study the contribution of the carbohydrates of both binding partners to the strength of the complex was analyzed. Glycoengineering of the antibody increased affinity for two polymorphic forms of soluble human FcγRIIIa (by up to 50-fold) but did not affect binding to the inhibitory FcγRIIb receptor. While the absence of carbohydrate at FcγRIIIa's Asn-162 increased affinity for native IgG, presumably due to the removal of steric hindrance caused by the bulky sugars, it unexpectedly reduced affinity for glycoengineered (GE) antibodies by over one order of magnitude, bringing the affinity down to the same level as for native IgG. We conclude that the high affinity between GE antibodies and FcγRIII is mediated by productive interactions formed between the receptor carbohydrate attached at Asn-162 and regions of the Fc that are only accessible when it is nonfucosylated. As FcγRIIIa and FcγRIIIb are the only human Fcγ receptors glycosylated at this position, the proposed interactions explain the observed selective affinity increase of GE antibodies for only these receptors. Furthermore, we predict from our structural model that only one of the two Fc-fucose residues needs to be absent for increased binding affinity toward FcγRIII. This information can be exploited for the design of new antibodies with altered Fc receptor binding affinity and enhanced therapeutic potential.


Objective: To evaluate quality and the effect of pay for performance among minority patient groups, during a pay-for-performance program in 22 primary care practice sites. Methods: Data were collected on 26 standardized measures of care for 2 measurement cycles. Proportions of recommended care received across 5 composite quality domains were analyzed by demographic group. Regression models including significant covariates were constructed. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) were derived to assess the effect of pay of performance within demographic groups. Results: Improvements were observed from 2007 to 2009 for all patients in each of 5 composite quality domains of diabetes, coronary artery disease, heart failure, screening and prevention, and all care. With the exception of heart failure care for Hispanic/Latino and Spanish language–preferring patients, improvement was observed in all domains for African American/black race, Hispanic/Latino ethnicity, and Spanish language–preferred groups. Following adjustment for covariates, pay for performance was associated with significant improvement in all-patient diabetes care (adjusted OR = 1.15; [95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09–1.22), screening and prevention (adjusted OR = 1.55; 95% CI, 1.41–1.69), and all care (adjusted OR = 1.27; 95% CI, 1.20–1.35). Significant improvements were also observed within the minority demographic groups noted earlier. Conclusions: Pay-for-performance programs structured as additional incentive monies for providers improved care for all patients and among minority groups, in whom disparities have historically been observed.


Peers are more likely to get exposed to malicious activities in P2P system due to its open nature, building the trust environment in P2P can mitigate these attacks. This paper is about the implementation of SORT model in peer to peer systems. The SORT model deals with the isolation of malicious and trusted peer in the LAN (Local Area Network). The isolation is done on the basis of the file uploaded by a peer, i.e. if he uploads an infected file in the proximity then the SORT model restricts the download of the infected file and thus protect the other peers from getting affected by the virus. File download is treated as an interaction. On each interaction there is calculation of some trust factor and the values are assigned by the downloader according to his satisfaction. Every peer calculates its own trust values regarding to other peers. These values are need to decide the further interactions in the network. Two types of attacks are mitigated by this model are Service based and Recommendation based. This project mainly deals with the security in the P2P system and acknowledges the peer whether the service he wants to use is clean or infected. This Project is implemented in Advanced JAVA and the MySQL database is used. The MVC architecture is used for building of this project. Peer calculate the trust metrics of each peer in its proximity they does this locally and do not tend to be global.


In this research, we have proposed and developed a web application as an evaluation tool for academic programs in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). The purpose of this tool is to explore and report strengths and weaknesses in different practices within academic programs based on specific standards. In addition, the tool proposes corrective actions to enhance the strengths, as well as interventions to overcome the weaknesses. This evaluation tool consolidates continuing improvement of academic performance and learning outcomes. The implementation of this web application has included weighting and scoring of indicators automatically in order to reduce time and efforts. It has utilized the AArU standards for programmatic evaluation. Internal or external reviewers or evaluation teams can use it. The responses to quantitative and qualitative indicators have been filled online by the relevant evaluation teams during data collection. Then, the weights and scores of each program in all domains have been computed using a novel mathematical model for weighting and scoring. The researchers have used a focus group discussion to explore the current situation regarding quality evaluation of academic programs in the Palestinian HEIs. Moreover, they have discussed the target situation and the actions required to bridge the gap between both situations. The focus group consists of directors of quality in these HEIs. The outcomes of the research highlights the necessity of having such a tool to evaluate the academic programs and propose corrective actions for improvement. After implementation of the web application and training its users, we have conducted a survey for testing and validation based on four dimensions, usability, performance, security and acceptance. Results show that the application has achieved very good scores in the four dimensions. According to users' suggestions and comments, we have improved the application's usability and fixed some security issues in the latest version.


A study on seasonal characteristics of phytoplankton dynamics and environmental factors was carried out at four stations including Mara-do and U-do located in the western and eastern coast of Jeju Island in southern Korea from April 2003 to March 2004. Out of 101 phytoplankton species identified, 84 belong to Bacillariophyceae, 9 Dinophyceae, 6 phytoflagellates and 2 coccolithophorids, and the highest value of species diversity was observed in April. Phytoplankton was more abundant at the western coast than at the eastern coast from March to September and its highest abundance was 49.24 10 cells L at Mara-do in July. The pennate diatoms were more abundant at the western coast than at the eastern coast with the highest abundance of 38.75 10 cells L at Mara-do in July, and during this period Nitzschia longissima contributed 68.5% of the total phytoplankton abundance. Naviculaceae was more abundant at Gosan (western coast) in November when Stauroneis membranacea represented 80.1% of the abundance. Leptocylindrus dances contributed 49.4% of the abundance at U-do in November. Dinophyceae was more abundant at U-do in August. Water temperature and pH fluctuated from 11.7 to 27.1 and from 7.31 to 8.70, respectively. Water temperature of Mara-do was about 1-2 higher than the other stations. Salinity varied from 30.4 to 35.0 psu with the minimum in rainy season and the maximum at the end of winter. The concentration of NH-N, NO-N, NO-N, PO-P and SiO-Si ranged 0.07-6.79, 1.0-62.0, 1.0-8.0, 1.0-7.0 and 7.0-191.0 g-at L, respectively. Chlorophyll a concentrations varied from 0.10 to 1.17 g L. NH-N concentrations were high at U-do from May to December, and at Mara-do from January to February. The high concentrations of NO-N were found at Mara-do from June to September and at U-do from January to May. The effects of various physicochemical parameters on the seasonal distribution and succession of phytoplankton population suggest that there is a classical pattern of phytoplankton dynamics in Jeju coastal waters.


We establish stochastic monotonicity of the event epoch sequences of generalized semi-Markov processes through the structure of the generalized semi-Markov schemes on which they are based. Our main condition states, roughly, that the occurrence of more events in the short run never leads to the activation of less events in the long run. We consider monotonicity with respect to two types of inputs: clock times which translate to, e.g., service and interarrival times in queueing systems, and structural parameters which translate to, e.g., buffer size, number of servers, and job population. For the second type of comparison, we replace a structural change with an equivalent change in clock times to reduce the comparison to one of the first type. When applied to queueing systems, our results yield new comparisons and also unify several existing results previously established using special properties of individual systems.


This glossary contains common terms found in the Laboratory Safety Manual and on Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) / Safety Data Sheets (SDSs). Another valuable source for information about MSDS/SDS entries can be found at the web site absolute A chemical substance that is not mixed; pure. For example Absolute Alcohol, ethyl alcohol, containing not more than one percent by weight of water. ACGIH American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, Incorporated. An organization of professional personnel in governmental agencies or educational institutions engaged in occupational safety and health programs. ACGIH develops and publishes recommended occupational exposure limits (see " TLV ") for hundreds of chemical substances and physical agents annually. acids Any chemical which undergoes dissociation in water with the formation of hydrogen ions. Acids have a sour taste and may cause severe skin burns. Acids turn litmus paper red and have pH values of 0 to 6. action level An exposure limit designated in a WAC, generally derived as an 8-hour time-weighted average, which requires the employer to initiate certain required activities such as exposure monitoring and medical surveillance. acute health effect An adverse effect on a human or animal body, with severe symptoms developing rapidly and coming quickly to a crisis. Also, see " chronic health effect. " acute toxicity The adverse (acute) effects resulting from a single dose of, or exposure to, a substance. Ordinarily used to denote effects in experimental animals. acutely hazardous A dangerous material as identified with a dangerous waste number beginning waste with " P " in WAC 173-303-9903. Contact EH&S at 206-616-5835 for current information. alkali Any chemical substances which forms soluble soaps with fatty acids. Alkalis are also referred to as bases. They may cause severe burns to skin. Alkalis turn litmus paper blue and pH values range from 8 to 14. alopecia Loss of hair. analgesia Loss of sensitivity to pain.


Interventional imaging with cone-beam C-arm CT often lacks sufficient sampling. Compressed sensing based reconstruction algorithms have shown promising results to improve image quality in this context using sparsity constraints. Compressed sensing theory by itself assumes random measurements and l1 penalties. In practice, benefits are seen with uniform subsampling patterns. Here, we investigate substituting l1 total variation with a nonlinear diffusion constraint and show on a clinical data set that image quality is also improved. This result adds flexibility to the design of CS-based algorithms as C-arm CT images may not be so well approximated by piecewise constant functions.


Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the renal effects of the glucose-lowering SGLT2 inhibitors in Japanese type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with chronic kidney disease. Methods: The Kanagawa Physicians Association maintains a registry of patients who visit their 31 clinics. Clinical data of type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with chronic kidney disease, who were prescribed SGLT2 inhibitors in addition to other treatments, were collected and analysed. Results: SGLT2i was associated with a fall in HbA1c from 64.1 ± 16.7 mmol/mol (8.0 ± 1.5%) to 56.5 ± 12.9 mmol/mol (7.3 ± 1.2%) (p < 0.01) in 869 analysed cases, a decrease in urine albumin-creatinine ratio from a median of 47.1 to 41.1 mg/gCr, and decrease in estimated glomerular filtration rate from 77.7 ± 23.9 to 75.0 ± 23.9 mL/min/1.73 m2 (p < 0.01). The effect on albumin-creatinine ratio was independent of age or stage of estimated glomerular filtration; however, there was a significant negative correlation between albumin-creatinine ratio at the initiation of SGLT2 inhibitor and change in ACR. Multiple linear regression analysis identified use of empagliflozin, β-blockers, and sulphonylureas, Δsystolic blood pressure at office, serum Cr and albumin-creatinine ratio value at initiation of SGLT2 inhibitor as independent and significant determinants of change in ACR. Conclusions: This study confirmed that the beneficial renal effects of SGLT2 inhibitor in Japanese type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with chronic kidney disease, similar to those reported in large-scale clinical trials conducted in Western countries.


Over the years, attempts have been made to measure cell adhesion by several techniques, including, most recently, laser tweezers. Such tests have been used to interpret molecular theories of cell attachment and aggregation. However, the connection between adhering cells and molecular interactions is not fully understood. Here we define a new definition of cell adhesion which is exact and absolute at low cell concentrations. The idea is based on the statistical mechanics argument that particle bonding is directly related to the number of doublets existing in an ensemble. The theory is extended by computer modelling to high cell volume fractions. The benefit of this new theory is that it can be used in conjunction with cell counting machines, such as the Coulter counter, to obtain adhesion parameters directly, without applying any forces to the cells themselves. Experiments fitted the theory for human cells. The theory was also tested using surface molecular treatments to alter the adhesive character of the cell suspension. Glutaraldehyde reduced adhesion, whereas dextran and fibronection increased adhesion of the red cells.


Background: The role of lifestyle related practices on Sexual and Reproductive health (SRH) in rural areas; appears to be an emerging issue as indicated by literature. But its effect on Eligible Couples (ECs) is unknown. Therefore exploration of the role of effects of various life style related factors on ECs sexual and reproductive health; needs to be studied, as addressed by this study. Methods: A Cross Sectional Study was done in the catchment area of a Rural Health Training Centre;in Village –Sikhera by simple random sampling technique, in Muzaffarnagar district of state Uttar Pradesh in India. Total 428 Eligible Couples (ECs) from this Village were studied. Among them 214 ECs were further selected by simple random sampling; for subsequent in-depth interview for their perceptions on effects of 3 lifestyle related factors such as Tobacco usage, Alcohol Usage & Mobile Phones usage on their Sexual & Reproductive health. Results: The overall Prevalence of SRH disorders was more among Alcohol users( 49%), as compared to Tobacco Users(46.4%) among ECs significantly(p


Throughout history, societies have been beset by disasters that took them by surprise, often with widespread and devastating consequences. When crops, animals, or people began dying with unusual frequency, especially when the causes were not observable, people often failed to respond, responded very slowly, or responded in surprisingly misdirected ways. In this essay, we focus on the role of leadership in addressing or failing to address such crises, paying special attention to the responses to the Covid-19 crisis during 2020. Our central thesis is that leadership hubris was a central (though not the only) culprit in poor responses, and we introduce the problem of inaction as a symptom of hubris. We conclude with some reflections for practitioners and researchers, suggesting a few areas worthy of examination to better understand how societies and business organizations may construct defenses against the dangers of leadership hubris. JEL CLASSIFICATION M14; L26; D70; N00


Recent writing on the cultural history of nineteenth-century British imperialism has tended to concentrate on questions of difference and identity. Cannadine's Ornamentalism, however, focuses less on difference than on commonality. Both his critique of the literature and his methodology are flawed. Ornamentalism also suggests the limitations of cultural history. Late Victorian Holocausts, by Mike Davis, offers new possibilities for the study of imperialism, by combining a history of ideas with an analysis of famine and global environmental change. His romanticization of the state detracts from what is otherwise a provocative work. Both books point to the urgent need to revitalize the social history of empire.


unit for the catchment area for the population studied. We have no reason to believe that the incidences of suspected infection are underreported, though we question the diagnosis of pelvic infection in many cases. A long-term postabortion follow-up study (14-2 years) has assessed the frequency of possible delayed sequelae of prostaglandin-induced abortion, either postconception or midtrimester, when prophylactic antibiotics were not given. Data for 579 women, 58% of the original study group sent questionnaires, indicate that many patients have not attempted a further conception at the time of the follow-up, only one patient (02 %) has experienced any subsequent subfertility, and 115 (19.9%) have had a further pregnancy. Four patients (0 7%) reported symptoms possibly due to chronic pelvic infection: whether this possible infection was due to the previous abortion, however, remains uncertain. A previous study of late abortions induced with prostaglandins and subsequent fertility has produced very similar results.3 The incidences of suspected postabortion infection and secondary subfertility are probably similar to those to be expected following spontaneous abortion and full-term delivery and thus do not justify the wholesale use of prophylactic antibiotics.


Among other common forms of government financial control, caps on interest rates have been declining over the past several decades as most industrialized countries and a rising number of developing countries continue liberalizing their financial policies. However, in several countries the last financial crisis reopened the debate on interest rate controls as a tool for consumer protection. This paper undertakes a stock-taking exercise to determine the number of countries currently capping interest rates on loans. The paper looks at the main characteristics of the regimes countries have used, including the source of rate-setting authority, the methodology, and the criteria for establishing the cap. The paper finds at least 76 countries around the world currently use some form of interest rate caps on loans -- all with varying degrees of effects, including the withdrawal of financial institutions from the poor or from specific segments of the market, an increase in the total cost of the loan through additional fees and commissions, among others. The paper concludes that there are more effective ways of reducing interest rates on loans over the long run and of improving access to finance: measures that enhance competition and product innovation, improve financial consumer protection frameworks, increase financial literacy, promote credit bureaus, enforce disclosure of interest rates, and promote microcredit products. Such measures should be implemented in an integrated manner. However, if caps are still considered a useful policy tool for reducing interest rates on loans and increasing access to finance, they should be implemented in accord with the caveats described in the paper.


The Deltas in Times of Climate Change Conference II, taking place in September 2014, Rotterdam, presented a suitable occasion to discuss both delta challenges and interesting approaches to how 'delta dynamics' are being dealt with worldwide.1 Delta dynamics include here both environmental (including climatic) and socio-economic processes, and since relatively recent 'long term delta planning' is taking shape as an approach addressing these in an integrated manner. The long term delta planning projects taking shape in, amongst other deltas, Bangladesh, Vietnam (Mekong) and the Netherlands, bring up highly relevant (water) governance questions. During the conference's 'Bangladesh Delta Session' centered around the Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 project, two particular issues were discussed: first, how the BDP2100 works towards practical implementation of the long term vision, and second, which lessons learned in the field of institutional coordination and stakeholder participation can be drawn from delta planning in Vietnam and the Netherlands. Representatives from the three countries, all heavily involved in long term delta planning projects in their respective deltas, presented the state of affairs of the delta plan initiatives and shared their views.


A method is described for high-resolution remote three-dimensional mapping of an unknown and arbitrarily complex surface by rapidly determining the three-dimensional locations of M x N sample points on that surface. Digital three-dimensional (3-D) locations defining a surface are acquired by (1) optically transforming a single laser beam into an (expanded) array of M x N individual laser beams, (2) illuminating the surface of interest with this array of M x N (simultaneous) laser beams, (3) using a programmable electro-optic modulator to very rapidly switch on and off specified subsets of laser beams, thereby illuminating the surface of interest with a rapid sequence of mathematical patterns (space code), (4) image recording each of the mathematical patterns as they reflect off the surface using (a) a wavelength-specific optically filtered video camera positioned at a suitable perspective angulation and (b) appropriate image memory devices, (5) analyzing the stored im-ages to obtain the 3-D locations of each of the M x N illuminated points on the surface which are visible to the camera or imaging device, and (6) determining which of the laser beams in the array do not provide reflec-tions visible to the imaging device. Space coding of the light beams allows automatic correlation of the camera image (of the reflected spot pattern from the surface) with the projected laser beam array, thus enabling triangulation of each illuminated surface point. Whereas ordinary laser rangefinders aim and project one laser beam at a time and expect to receive one laser beam reflection (bright dot image) at a time, the pres-ent system is optical (nonmechanical and vibration-free) and can collect all the data needed for high-resolution 3-D topographic mapping (of an M x N sample of surface points) with the projection of as few as 1 + log2N light patterns. In some applications involving a rapidly changing time-dependent environment, these 1 + log2N patterns can be projected simultaneously in different wavelengths to allow virtually


The two-prime generator of order 2 has several desirable randomness properties if the two primes are chosen properly. In particular, Ding deduced exact formulas for the (periodic) autocorrelation and the linear complexity of these sequences. In this note, we analyze parts of the period of the two-prime generator of order 2 and obtain bounds on the aperiodic autocorrelation and linear complexity profile.


Problem. As a result of automobile traffic every year 20-30% of the territory of cities are subject to electromagnetic pollution in cities and settlements. This is due to the increase in power and number of electrical equipment of each individual car. The urgency of the problem of electromagnetic pollution is an important step in determining the impact of electromagnetic radiation on humans in the rapid development of hybrid cars. Goal. The aim of this work is to determine the effect of electromagnetic radiation on humans in the conditions of rapid development of hybrid cars. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to solve the following tasks: review anthropogenic electromagnetic fields; find the elements of the electromagnetic field in a hybrid car; consider the most common methods of protection against electromagnetic fields. Methodology. The article presents a general classification of electromagnetic radiation to humans arising in hybrid vehicles. It is extremely important to reveal the phenomena occurring in hybrid cars in the research work to find the truth and the processes of occurrence of electromagnetic radiation. This issue is given primary importance, because finding effective technical, environmental and other methods and means of protecting people in hybrid and other vehicles is extremely necessary and in demand at the present stage. Thus, based on the characteristics of the material and aspects of its analysis determined the structure of the text in which some of the facts are given using the information available in the attached literature. Results. The result of the work were the proposed methods of shielding high-frequency and low-frequency levels based on physical properties – the reflection and absorption of electromagnetic waves during the transition from one medium to another. Originality. Methods of studying the effect of electromagnetic radiation on a person in vehicles (automotive, hybrid, electric) and especially on the reaction of a biological cell, its vital activity, require in-depth research to determine criteria, acceptable standards and optimal methods of protection against EMF and EMI. Practical value. The practical significance of this study is focused on readers and researchers of vehicles (automotive, hybrid, electric) which are interested in the negative effects of electromagnetic radiation, protection of passengers and drivers from them. The impact of electromagnetic radiation from hybrid and other types of vehicles on humans is a necessary task not only for scientists but also for manufacturers of these modes of transport, who for unknown reasons are trying to "freeze" the proposals and technical solutions offered by the World Scientific Society.


Introduction Previous studies described impaired microvascular perfusion and tissue oxygenation as reliable predictors of Multiple Organ Failure in major trauma. However, this relationship has been incompletely investigated. The objective of this analysis is to further evaluate the association between organ dysfunction and microcirculation after trauma. Materials and methods This is a retrospective subgroup analysis on 28 trauma patients enrolled for the Microcirculation DAIly MONitoring in critically ill patients study (NCT 02649088). Patients were divided in two groups according with their Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score at day 4. At admission and every 24 hours, the sublingual microcirculation was evaluated with Sidestream Darkfield Imaging (SDF) and peripheral tissue perfusion was assessed with Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) and Vascular Occlusion Test (VOT). Simultaneously, hemodynamic, clinical/laboratory parameters and main organ supports were collected. Results Median SOFA score at Day 4 was 6.5. Accordingly, patients were divided in two groups: D4-SOFA ≤6.5 and D4-SOFA >6.5. The Length of Stay in Intensive Care was significantly higher in patients with D4-SOFA>6.5 compared to D4-SOFA≤6.5 (p = 0.013). Total Vessel Density of small vessels was significantly lower in patients with high D4-SOFA score at Day 1 (p = 0.002) and Day 2 (p = 0.006) after admission; the Perfused Vessel Density was lower in patients with high D4-SOFA score at Day 1 (p = 0.007) and Day 2 (p = 0.033). At Day 1, NIRS monitoring with VOT showed significantly faster tissue oxygen saturation downslope (p = 0.018) and slower upslope (p = 0.04) in patients with high D4-SOFA. Discussion In our cohort of major traumas, sublingual microcirculation and peripheral microvascular reactivity were significantly more impaired early after trauma in those patients who developed more severe organ dysfunctions. Our data would support the hypothesis that restoration of macrocirculation can be dissociated from restoration of peripheral and tissue perfusion, and that microvascular alterations can be associated with organ failure.


This chapter uses Gramscian approaches to evaluate how early Greek poetry propagates cultural and political values, with particular reference to Homer, Hesiod, and Archilochus, authors selected because they held particular cultural authority in the Hellenic tradition. It argues that the Gramscian notion of 'common sense' is a fruitful way to think about how Greek poetry expresses social norms. The chapter investigates how the texts present the interplay of consent and coercion in the maintenance of hegemonic power, and in particular the relationship between dominant and subaltern groups. It uses as case studies Hesiod's fable of the hawk and nightingale, the depiction of the relationship between hero and laos in the Iliadic army, and Archilochus' Fox and Eagle Epode. It argues that the poets should not be understood straightforwardly as 'promoting' or challenging' a value system. Rather, they present a set of normative behaviours, while also demonstrating how these benefit or marginalise different groupings. A Gramscian approach thus offers a sensitive reading of the power balance of early Greek society, and shows us how capable the poets are of exploring the framework in which they operate in a nuanced way.


This article aims to analyse the determinants of transport costs and to investigate their influence in international trade with a sample of disaggregate trade data. First, we estimate a transport-cost function using cross-section data on maritime and overland transport for four sectors: agro-industry, ceramic tiles, motor vehicle parts and accessories, and electrical and mechanical household appliances, obtained from interviews held with Spanish exporters and logistics operators in 2001. Second, we study the relationship between transport costs and trade and estimate the elasticity of trade with respect to transport costs for each sector. Important differences for high value- and low value-added sectors are observed. The trade-equation estimation shows that higher transport costs significantly deter trade, especially in high value-added sectors.


The aim of our study was to examine the influence of short-term (6h) hyperthermia (41.5 °C and 42.5 °C) on the developmental capacity of preimplantation rabbit embryos in vitro. Rabbit embryos were isolated from superovulated and inseminated rabbit females after slaughter by flushing from oviducts of 19 hpc. The embryos were cultured in k-DMEM medium with the addition of 10 % fetal calf serum. In each experiment morula stage embryos were divided to hyperthermia (HT) and control group (C). Embryos from HT group were cultured at 41.5 °C or 42.5 °C for 6 hours and then post-cultured at 37.5 °C for 20 h. Control embryos were cultured at 37.5 °C. Then the embryos were evaluated for developmental stages and parts of the embryos were analyzed for the detection of Hsp 70 proteins. It was observed that rabbit embryos were able to resist against hyperthermia at 41.5 °C and the development to the blastocyst stage was not negatively influenced. These embryos showed the presence of protective Hsp 70 proteins as a reaction on thermal stress. Oppositely, hyperthermia at 42.5 °C significantly altered embryo development, which resulted in complete developmental arrest of embryos at lower developmental stages, whilst not a single embryo developed to expanded or hatching blastocyst stage. The presence of Hsp 70 proteins in these embryos was not confirmed. These results demonstrate a threshold of thermotolerance of preimplantation rabbit embryos to thermal stress in vitro and support hypothesis about protective role of Hsp proteins in embryo thermotolerance.


The objective of current work is to study the effect of combination of macromolecules (polymers) of natural (Lannea coromandelica gum) and semi synthetic (HPMCK100M) origin on the drug release of Flavoxate.HCl from the Gastro retentive floating formulation.  Flavoxate.HCl, an antispasmodic agent. Mainly used for treating urinary incontinence, urgency of urination. Floating tablets of Flavoxate.HCl were prepared using variable composition of HPMCK100M, Lannea coromandelica gum (LCG) with effervescent mixtures by direct compression technique. 9 formulations were made and evaluated for quality control parameters. From the obtained results clears that all formulations passes the compendial limits.  Data obtained from the dissolution study fitted well to kinetic modeling, kinetic parameters were determined. GRFX5 composed of 40 mg of HPMCK100M & 40 mg of LCG, is the best formulation showing similarity f2=84.66, f1= 4.29 with the marketed product (URISPAS). Formulation GRFX5 follow first order, whereas release mechanism found to be nonfickian type (n= 0.77).


BACKGROUND
It has been hypothesized that areas with an unequal income distribution are less likely to invest in health and more likely to have a social environment that influences the development of ischaemic heart disease (IHD) METHODS: We used pooled data from two cohort studies conducted in Copenhagen to analyse the association between area income inequality and first admission to hospital or death from IHD in women and men while controlling for individual income and other IHD risk factors. A total of 11 685 women and 10 036 men, with initial health examinations between 1964 and 1992, were followed for a median of 13.8 years. Information on median income share at parish and municipality levels was obtained from population registers.

RESULTS
During follow-up 1700 men and 1204 women experienced an IHD event. At parish level income share was inversely associated with an increased risk of IHD in men (hazard ratio [HR](most versus least equal quartile) = 0.85 (95% CI: 0.73-0.98). Among women there was no relation between parish income inequality and IHD. Subject's household income was inversely related to IHD, and when this variable was controlled for, the association between income inequality at parish level and IHD in men attenuated slightly. When behavioural and biological risk factors were entered into the Cox model this relation attenuated further. However, some of these risk factors might mediate rather than confound the effect of income inequality. The association between income inequality at municipality level and IHD was insignificant for men, while in women the relation had a curved shape with those living in the least equal areas having the lowest risk.

CONCLUSIONS
This study provides no clear evidence for an association between income inequality measured at parish or municipality level and IHD in Danish adults. The associations were weak and varied between different strata and geographical levels.


Background: incidence of Colorectal cancer (CRC) is increasing globally. In Egypt, CRC ranks the sixth most common cancer in males and the fifth in females. Aim: To assess the expression of estrogen receptors (alpha and beta) in pre-malignant (adenomatous polyps and IBD), malignant colorectal lesions and normal colonic mucosa in group of Egyptian patients. Methods: This prospective study was done on 45 patients presenting with colonic symptoms, patients were divided into four groups; 15 CRC patients, 10 patients with adenomatous polyps, 10 IBD patients and 10 patients in the control group. Patients subjected to: Stool analysis, FOBT, CBC, CEA, Abdominal ultrasound & colonoscopy and biopsy (number = 80), Pathological, immunohistochemistry and RT- PCR quantification of ERα and ERβ were done. Results: Mean age: 39.2 (12 - 73), gender: M/F: 28/17. Bleeding per rectum was the commonest presentation; 29/45 (64.4%). CEA was significantly elevated in the CRC group compared with other studied groups (1692 mg/L vs. 4.0, 4.0 and 4.4 mg/L). Ultrasonography of the studied patients showed that metastatic CRC: 3/15 (20%); Colonic wall thickening: 5/15 (33.3%), 1/10 showed colonic polypoidal lesions in adenomatous polyps groups, in IBD group: 4/10 (40%) showed colonic and ileocecal thicknening. All the studied patients showed negative results for estrogen receptors (alpha and beta) by the use of immunohistochemistry staining and RT-PCR technique. Conclusion: Role of estrogen receptors in the colonic mucosa, precancerous and colorectal cancer is doubtful, contradictory results with some literature data could be due to racial and genetic difference in the studied population.


The main objectives of the present study were to explore whether emotional behavior, elicited by stimulation of the dorso-medial hypothalamus, can influence seizure development during self-sustained status epilepticus (SSSE). The study was conducted on animal models. The results suggest that increased inhibition in the hippocampal neurons during dorsomedial hypothalamic stimulation may trigger the mechanisms preventing the epileptiform activity and that hippocampal theta rhythm is a physiological state, which opposes its involvement into seizures. It was concluded that activation of the dorsomedial hypothalamus, as well as emotional behavior (anxiety/fear) retard development of the seizures experimentally induced SSSE by limbic stimulation.


Monocyclic fragment analogues of endothelin-1 (ET-1) were prepared by standard solid-phase peptide synthetic methods. The analogues were designed to determine the importance of the unique bicyclic structure of the endothelins, vasoactive intestinal contractor, and the sarafotoxins to their binding affinity and functional activity. The binding affinity of the monocyclic analogues to the endothelin receptor was examined in three tissue preparations: (a) rabbit pulmonary artery, (b) rabbit aorta, and (c) rat heart ventricle. Functional activity was assessed in two tissues: (a) rabbit pulmonary artery and (b) rat left atria. Binding was not observed for the disulfide bridged cyclic 3-11 loop of ET-1 at concentrations of up to 100 microM. Attachment of the weakly binding 16-21 C-terminal hexapeptide of ET-1 to the cyclic 3-11 loop did not significantly enhance the observed receptor binding over that of the hexapeptide. Monocyclic Cys-Ser-Aoc-Val-Tyr-Phe-Cys-His-Leu-Asp-Ile-Ile-Trp (Aoc = 8-aminooctanoic acid) exhibited the greatest binding affinity (1.0 to 1.6 microM) in all three tissues, but was still approximately 1,000-fold less effective than ET-1. At concentrations of up to 30 microM, none of the analogues exhibited any functional activity.


where irregular and bizarre ganglionic masses exist in the complete absence of myotomes. The reduction in the number of ganglia and spinal nerves following somite removal, and especially an increase following the interpolation of an additional somite, constitute strong experimental support of Lehmann's view that the normal segmentation of spinal ganglia and nerves is determined by the mesodermal metamerism. There is no support of the generally held view that nervous metamerism is intrinsic, at least in the spinal cords of the forms which we have studied. 1 Lehmann, F., Jour. Comp. Neur., 49 (1927). 2 Detwiler, S. R., Jour. Exp. Zool., 54 (1932). 3 Detwiler, S. R., op. cit. Lewis, W., Anat. Rec., 4 (1910). 5 The normal brachial nerves constitute the third, fourth and fifth spinal nerves. 6 Lehmann, F., op. cit.


We studied the relationship between tissue polyamine levels and malignancy in 146 primary brain tumors. Astrocytoma showed a consistent rise in levels of N1-acetylspermidine (N1-AcSpd) in tissue with increased grade of malignancy. Furthermore, in astrocytoma, the patients whose tumors contained high levels of N1-AcSpd (> or = 15 nmol/g) in tissue showed a far worse prognosis, a significantly lower recurrence-free survival rate, and a shorter survival rate than did the patients whose tumors contained lower levels of N1-AcSpd (< 15 nmol/g). High-grade astrocytoma contained N1-AcSpd at the level of 15 nmol/g or higher, and most of the benign brain tumors, including low-grade astrocytoma, meningioma, pituitary adenoma, and normal brain tissues contained much lower levels of N1-AcSpd. However, medulloblastoma, hemangiopericytoma, and neurinoma showed an inverse correlation between N1-AcSpd levels in tissue and biological malignancy. These results suggest that levels of N1-AcSpd in tissue can be a promising biochemical marker of malignancy in astrocytoma. In the other primary brain tumors, however, the relationship between levels of N1-AcSpd in tissue and biological malignancy should be examined in each histopathological type.


We propose an improved chaotic associative memory using distributed patterns for image retrieval. This model is based on our previous work, chaotic associative memory using distributed patterns that is based on the chaotic associative memory which can separate superimposed patterns and the multi winners self-organizing neural network which has the ability to generate distributed representation patterns corresponding to input in a self-organizing manner.


The surface protein of the archaebacterium Pyrodictium occultum forms two-dimensional periodic arrays of extremely poor order. Two variants of correlation averaging have been applied in order to retrieve the unit cell structure from electron micrographs of negatively stained samples: straightforward correlation averaging correcting for lateral displacements only and a more elaborate approach, including a partial compensation for rotational disorder. Surprisingly, both routes yield virtually identical structures. Inclusion of molecular motifs from highly disordered domains, which are rejected in the "straightforward" approach, appears not to improve resolution, possibly because the high local strain tends to distort the individual molecules.


Aims: The cornea is a tough, transparent tissue providing the primary refractive element of the eye. The stroma consists of specially arranged collagen required for corneal transparency. Correct stromal hydration is important in the maintenance of transparency, a feature controlled by the endothelial cells on the posterior surface of the cornea. The aims of this research were firstly to investigate the morphology of corneal endothelial cells and their expression of the sodium bicarbonate cotransporter during avian embryonic development and secondly, to clarify the effect of disease, surgery and drugs on the posterior cornea including in particular the corneal endothelium.

Methods: The corneal endothelial cell morphology and posterior stroma were examined using transmission electron microscopy to determine the ultrastructure of the cells and collagen fibril arrangement in the stroma in all results chapters. Immunohistochemistry and A-scan ultrasonography were employed to identify the presence of the Na+HCO3- cotransporter and to determine the thickness changes in embryonic chick cornea, respectively. Electron tomography was also used to determine the collagen arrangement in Descemet's membrane.

Results: The expression of the Na+HCO3- cotransporter was identified in the endothelial layer of the embryonic chicks at all stages imaged. Central corneal thickness increased in the initial stages of development before a plateau between the E12-E15 developmental period followed by a steady thickness decrease. The ultrastructure of Descemet's membrane was determined using electron tomography of transverse and en face resin embedded sections from which a model was produced. Polygonal and elongated structures were observed with proteoglycans present at the intermodal regions of the collagenous structures. The polygonal lattice visualised in en face sections appeared to be composed of stacked globular domains which were integrated into the collagen type VIII model. Predominant changes in the Col8a2 knock-in mouse models were observed in the posterior cornea. Differences included increased proteoglycans at the Descemet's endothelial interface, dilated rough endoplasmic reticulum and focal posterior oedema. This animal model exhibits features similar to those seen in the human form of early-onset Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy, unlike previous models reported. The final chapter is concerned with regeneration of the corneal endothelial cells. Tissue from posterior corneal surgery examined using electron microscopy revealed the presence of the host endothelial cells and fibrous tissue at the interface in non-Descemet's membrane stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty and interface haze in Descemet's membrane stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty. However, these features did not appear to interfere with the adhesion of the graft nor the clarity. Finally, ultrastructural analysis of Rho-kinase inhibited cells showed cells with typical morphology when compared with the untreated group

Conclusions: 1) The Na+HCO3- cotransporter is present in the embryonic cornea. It is possible that the cotransporter is involved in the developmental stages and probably the thickness changes we observe during this period. 2) The ultrastructure of Descemet's membrane appears to be composed of stacked globular domains arranged in a polygonal lattice alongside more elongated structures interspersed with proteoglycans within the internodal regions. 3) Our studies have helped validate Col4a2 mice as a promising Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy model. 4) Our investigation into posterior corneal surgery revealed ultrastructural changes that occur post-surgery at the graft interface.


Purpose Cervical cancer is a major cause of death among women in Eastern Africa, and the distribution of human papillomavirus (HPV) according to HIV status is inadequately characterised in this region. In order to guide future cervical cancer preventive strategies that involve HPV testing, the Comprehensive Cervical Cancer Prevention in Tanzania (CONCEPT) study was established in 2015. The CONCEPT cohort aims to investigate the natural history of HPV and determine acquisition and persistence patterns of high-risk (HR) HPV among HIV-positive and HIV-negative women. Further, the influence of lifestyle and sexual/reproductive factors will be investigated. The main objective of this article is to describe how the CONCEPT cohort was established. Participants Women aged 25–60 years were enrolled from cervical cancer screening clinics in Dar-es-Salaam and Moshi, Tanzania. Data were collected at baseline, at 14 months (first follow-up) and at 28 months (second follow-up). Biological samples included two cervical swabs for careHPV DNA testing, cytology, Hybrid Capture 2, genotyping and blood samples for HIV. Visual inspection with acetic acid was performed, and sociodemographic, lifestyle and sexual/reproductive characteristics were collected through a standardised questionnaire. Findings to date 4043 women were included in the cohort from August 2015 to May 2017. At baseline, 696 (17.1%) women were HR HPV positive, and among these, 31.6% were HIV positive; 139 women (3.4%) had high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions. 3074 women (81%) attended the first follow-up. The majority attended after receiving a phone call reminder (35%) or from home via self-samples (41%). At first follow-up, 438 (14.4%) were HR HPV positive and 30.4% of these were HIV positive. Future plans A second follow-up is underway (17 December 2018–October 2020). We plan to integrate our data with a previous cross-sectional HPV study from Tanzania to increase the power of our findings. Researchers interested in collaborating are welcomed, either by extracting data or jointly requesting further investigation from the cohort.


Country-level indicators such as gross domestic product, bureaucratic quality, and military spending are frequently used to approximate state capacity. These factors capture the aggregate level of state capacity, but do not adequately approximate the actual distribution of capacity within states. Intra-state variations in state capacity are critical to understanding the relationship between state capacity and civil war. We offer nighttime light emissions as a measure of state capacity to differentiate its impact on civil war onset within the country from its effect at the country level. We articulate pathways linking the distribution of nighttime light with the expansion of state capacity, and validate our indicator against other measures at different levels of disaggregation across multiple contexts. Contrary to conventional wisdom, we find that civil wars are more likely to erupt where the state exercises more control. We advance three mechanisms accounting for this counterintuitive finding: rebel gravitation, elite fragmentation, and expansion reaction. In the first scenario, state presence attracts insurgent activities. In the second, insurgents emerge as a result of the fragmentation of political elites. In the third, anti-state groups react violently to the state penetrating into a given territory. Finally, we validate these mechanisms using evidence from sub-Saharan Africa.


The morphologic aspects of complement-mediated and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytolysis (ADCC) of human fibroblasts (HuFs) infected by herpes simplex virus (HSV) is described. Human antiviral antibody (antiHSV) was shown by transmission and scanning electron microscopy (TEM and SEM) to cause the deposition of an amorphous material over the surface of infected cells and virus particles. Associated with antiHSV treatment, the HuFs underwent endocytosis, with the appearance of pinocytotic vesicles immediately beneath the plasma membrane. The addition of complement resulted in lysis of the infected HuFs and massive dilatation of the perinuclear cisternae, but the virus particles associated with the cell surface did not appear lysed. Instead, an additional deposit was noted on the enveloped particles after the addition of complement (C). Human peripheral blood mononuclear leukocytes (MNLs) also lysed the antibody-coated, infected HuFs. Lymphocytes formed broad-based areas of attachment to the antiHSV-treated cells. Beneath these areas of contact occurred focal cytoplasmic changes that preceded cell lysis. Monocytes showed multiple points of binding and sent cytoplasmic projections over the surface of the infected HuFs. Virus particles and segments of target cell cytoplasm were gathered into vacuoles of the monocyte. In accord with the above morphologic findings, the relative roles that antibody, C, and leukocytes may play in human viral diseases is discussed.


We have investigated factors that affect the efficiency of single apheresis (SA) before transplant and define groups of patients that may require more than one collection for hematologic support. A consecutive series of 56 patients with hematologic malignancies and solid tumours had peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) collected following mobilization with colony-stimulating factors (CSF) alone or after conventional chemotherapy (CHE) or high-dose cytoxan (HD.CY) followed by CSF. The efficiency of SA was assessed by total mononuclear cell number (MNC) in the harvest, CD34+ cells and colony-forming units (CFU). Linear regression analysis was performed to determine factors that affect SA yield as assessed by the above parameters. Thirty-five patients were mobilized once, 13 patients twice, six patients required three, one required four and one required five aphereses. Suboptimal mobilization and collection by SA occurred in patients with extended previous radiotherapy (RT) and patients older than 50 years. The number of CHE cycles given in the past also had an adverse effect on SA efficiency. In contrast, disease status, bone marrow infiltration by malignant cells, type of CHE, time since last CHE and mobilization regimen used were not significantly related to the collection efficiency by SA. Age, extent of previous RT and amount of CHE given prior to mobilization define the patients who require more than one SA course for support regardless of the underlying disease, BM status or mobilization regimen used. In such patients a plan for multiple aphereses should be scheduled in advance.


Successful application of matrix-assisted laser
desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI TOF) mass
spectrometry imaging (MSI) at biomarker discovery, drug and
metabolites distribution analysis and neural network studies
provided this technique with an influential position among
imaging techniques. Using label-free approach, MSI is able to
detect and localize a wide range of ionizable substances in
biological tissues. A disadvantage of this technique is speed
of the analysis. Since the very beginning, a single acquisition
of a high-resolution MS image could take even days. Recent
commercial mass spectrometers employing high-repetition rate
solid-state desorption lasers significantly improved MALDI MSI
throughput, but the analysis time is still in the order of
hours. Here we introduce a novel sampling approach taking
advantage of incorporation of a high-speed precision scanning
mirror redirecting the desorption laser beam across the imaged
sample area. Thus the scanning mirror partially substitutes a
few order slower sample holder stages translation. A
laboratory-built instrument equipped with 2 kHz 355 nm Nd:YAG
laser and the fast scanning mirror recorded 10 000 pixel MS
image with 100 laser shots per pixel in 13 minutes, an order of
magnitude faster compared to a recent commercial instrument
with 1 kHz laser.


Within the main research in the area of the wireless sensor networks (WSN's) performance values like throughput, energy consumption, network load, treatment time or memory usage become an important role. The early analysis of these values allows conclusions with regard to the realizability of the radio technology in relation to possible application areas. ZigBee as the best known representative of the WSN technologies is focused in this paper. Parts of the ZigBee specification are transformed in an abstract executable model. Using this model performance analyses can be done. As a technical platform for validation against model results ZEBRA2411-SM-modules1 are used for a series of field measurements.


Nowadays, embedded and cyber-physical systems are utilized in nearly all operational areas in order to support and enrich peoples' everyday life. To cope with the demands imposed by modern embedded systems, the employment of Multiprocessor System-on-Chip (MPSoC) devices is often the most profitable solution. However, many embedded applications are still written in a sequential way. In order to benefit from the multiple cores available on those devices, the application code has to be divided into concurrently executed tasks. Since performing this partitioning manually is an error-prone and also time-consuming job, many automatic parallelization approaches were developed in the past. Most of these existing approaches were developed in the context of high-performance and desktop computers so that their applicability to embedded devices is limited. Many new challenges arise if applications should be ported to embedded MPSoCs in an efficient way. Therefore, novel parallelization techniques were developed in the context of this thesis that are tailored towards special requirements demanded by embedded multi-core devices. All approaches presented in this thesis are based on sophisticated parallelization techniques employing high-level cost models to estimate the benefit of parallel execution. This enables the creation of well-balanced tasks, which is essential if applications should be parallelized efficiently. In addition, several other requirements of embedded devices are covered, like the consideration of multiple objectives simultaneously. As a result, beneficial trade-offs between several objectives, like, e.g., energy consumption and execution time can be found enabling the extraction of solutions which are highly optimized for a specific application scenario. To be applicable to many embedded application domains, approaches extracting different kinds of parallelism were also developed. The structure of the global parallelization approach facilitates the combination of different approaches in a plugand-play fashion. Thus, the advantages of multiple parallelization techniques can easily be combined. Finally, in addition to parallelization approaches for homogeneous MPSoCs, optimized ones for heterogeneous devices were also developed in this thesis since the trend towards heterogeneous multi-core architectures is inexorable. To the best of the author's knowledge, most of these objectives and especially their combination were not covered by existing parallelization frameworks, so far. By combining all of them, a parallelization framework that is well optimized for embedded multi-core devices was developed in the context of this thesis.


A new SONOS flash memory device with recess channel and side-gate was proposed and designed in terms of recess depth, doping profile, and side-gate length for sub-40nm flash memory technology. The key features of the devices were characterized through 3-dimensional device simulation. This cell structure can store 2 or more bits of data in a cell when it is applied to NOR flash memory. It was shown that channel doping profile is very important depending on NOR or NAND applications. In NOR flash memory application, the localized channel doping under the source/drain junction is very important in designing threshold voltage (Vth) and suppression of drain induced barrier lowering (DIBL). In our work, this cell structure is studied not only for NAND flash memory application but also for NOR flash application. The device design was performed in terms of electrical characteristics (Vth, DIBL and SS) by considering device structure and doping profile of the cell.


This paper describes a motion capture (mocap) data-driven digital museum roaming system with high walking reality. We focus on three main questions: the animation of avatars; the path planning; and the collision detection among avatars. We use only a few walking clips from mocap data to synthesize walking motions with natural transitions, any direction and any length. Let the avatars roam in the digital museum with its Voronoi skeleton path, shortest path or offset path. And also we use Voronoi diagram to do collision detection. Different users can set up their own avatars and roam along their own path. We modify the motion graph method by classify the original mocap data and set up their motion graph which can improve search efficiency greatly.


RF systems based on modular architectures have the potential of better re-use of technology, decreasing development time, and decreasing life cycle cost. Moreover, modular architectures provide scalability, allowing low cost upgrades and adaptability to different platforms. To achieve maximum benefit from modularity and scalability, the challenge is to define the front-end concept in such a way that it supports multiple functions and is applicable in multiple environments and platforms. This paper describes concepts for such modular systems that may be used for RF functions in maritime, airborne and land based systems. The first part discusses general scalability properties of various RF functions, the second part discusses example system concepts in a 'joint' scenario (land/sea/air). The focus of this paper is on X-Ku band systems: considering essential RF functions like radar and communication, and the types of platforms in maritime, land-based and airborne operations, this frequency range provides the highest potential for application in all these domains and platforms. Conceptual designs for weapon location radar, SAR/GMTI, surveillance radar and tactical data link are presented.


This report reviews how metals have been assessed within The Green Guide to Specification, including the application of the Environmental Profiles methodology, which underlies data. The way in which metals are addressed within building-level environmental assessment schemes such as BREEAM and the Code for Sustainable Homes is also explained. The report will give manufacturers and specifiers a general understanding of the significant benefits and impacts of metal products over their whole life cycle and help to identify opportunities for improvements to their environmental performance. It is part of a series that provides comparable information on cladding, floor finishes, insulation, masonry and concrete, metals, timber and windows to assess the environmental impact of specific construction materials.


Many businesses crackers facing obstacles in meeting the market demand. Business doers must minimize time in the process so that market demand can be fulfilled. This study aims to minimize the time making process as well as getting the right optimal composition without damaging the quality of the product. Settlement problems using the Taguchi method in experimental design . Factor used is steaming (22 and 19 minutes), the first drying (7 and 6 hours), the second drying (10 and 9 hours) and frying (2 minutes 45 seconds and 2 minutes 30 seconds), as well as variables assessed from the experimental results in terms of taste, color and crunchiness with using organoleptic assessment by a not trained panelists. From the experimental results best factor level selected by SNR and the mean value in terms of taste, color and crunchiness. The composition of the optimal cracker manufacture process to produce the most preferred crackers elected steaming (19 minutes), the first drying (7 hours) , the second drying (9 hours) and frying (2 minutes 30 seconds). Optimal composition of the comparison results with the standard factory based T – test independent sampel the response of taste, color and crunchiness produce the same average, with the time difference for once the process is 310 minutes or 5 hours 10 minutes.


Does expertise have a place in ethics? As this question has been raised in moral philosophy and bioethics literatures over the past twenty years, skepticism has been a common theme, whether metaphysical (there is no such thing as ethics expertise), epistemological (we cannot know who has ethics expertise) or social-political (we should not treat anyone as having ethics expertise). Here I identify three common, contestable assumptions about ethics expertise which underwrite skepticism of one form or another: (1) a singular conception of ethics expertise constituted by a core property or unity among multiple properties, (2) equivocation of ethics expertise and ethicists' expertise, and (3) priority of moral deference as an unavoidable implication of ethics expertise. Taken separately, each assumption can have unpalatable implications for ethics expertise that make skepticism seem more attractive; taken together, the resulting picture of ethics expertise is that much worse. Each of these assumptions is vulnerable to criticism, however, and jettisoning them enables a pluralist approach to ethics expertise less prone to skepticism and better suited for the ranging functions of ethics expertise in healthcare and other contexts.


The ability to reason about a series of complex events over time is essential in analyzing physical systems. This paper discusses the role of continuity in qualitative physics and its application in a system for analyzing the behavior of Digital MOS circuits that exhibit analog behavior. The discussion begins with a brief overview of the reasoning steps necessary to perform a qualitative simulation using Temporal Qualitative (TQ) Analysis. The discussion then focuses in on the use of continuity and the relationship between quantities and their higher order derivatives in describing how physical quantities change over time.


Does a widely worded jurisdictional clause encompass competition law disputes? In Europe, the starting point for this analysis is Article 23 of Regulation No 44/2001 – i.e. the Brussels I Regulation – which allows parties to agree on the jurisdiction where to settle any disputes which have arisen or which may arise in connection with a particular legal relationship.

In CDC Hydrogen Peroxide, the ECJ held that a generally worded jurisdiction clause "can concern only disputes which have arisen or which may arise in connection with a particular legal relationship, which limits the scope of an agreement conferring jurisdiction solely to disputes which arise from the legal relationship in connection with which the agreement was entered into." It follows that generally worded jurisdiction clauses cannot extend to a dispute relating to the tortious liability that one party allegedly incurred as a result of its participation in an unlawful cartel because a cartel could not have been reasonably foreseen by the parties when they entered into such a clause, and such litigation cannot be regarded as stemming from a contractual relationship.

What if one party in a contract brings a claim against the other on the basis of another competition infringement, such as an abuse of a dominant position under Article 102 TFEU? This question arose in the recent Apple case reviewed in this note. It is argued that this decision creates a presumption that abuses by a supplier who holds a dominant position which have caused losses to its distributor will usually be sufficiently linked to the contractual relationship and would, in the context of distribution contracts, normally be in the reasonable contemplation of the parties. It is further argued that such a presumption merely specifies how the general principles governing the interpretation of jurisdictional clauses apply to competition law claims in the context of distribution – and potentially, other vertical – relationships.


The review presents data on the activity and some temperature characteristics of proteases in the potential food objects of fishes and some enteral microbiota representatives that provide induced autolysis and symbiotic digestion. It is shown that during the active feeding period the total protease activity in the prey tissues exceeds the total protease activity in the fish gastric mucosa by 5-10 times. At low temperature, the relative activity of the prey tissue lysosomal hydrolases (20-35%) and the enteral microbiota enzymes (up to 45%) may exceed that of proteases synthesized by the hepatopancreas and functioning in the consumers' intestinal mucosa (less than 10% maximal activity). The data presented indicate the important role of proteases of food objects and enteral microbiota in nutritive adaptations of the fish digestive system.


Linoleate isomerase (EC 188.8.131.52) catalyzes the isomerization of linoleic acid to generate conjugated linoleic acid. Previously, we isolated a strain of Lactobacillus plantarum ZS2058 with great capacity for producing conjugated linoleic acid from fermented vegetables. This work aimed to purify the linoleate isomerase from L. plantarum ZS2058 and investigate its characteristics. Electrophoresis of the purified enzyme by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) showed a single band of protein with a molecular mass of 66 kDa. The purified linoleate isomerase was active, with a specific activity of 3.71 nmol/ [min· (mg·protein)] and a Km of 21.5 iM for linoleic acid. The optimal pH and temperature for enzyme activity were determined to be pH 6.5 and 35°C respectively. No external cofactors or energy sources were required for this activity. Metal chelators, ethylenediamine tetra-acetic acid (EDTA) and ethylene glycol tetraacetic acid and (EGTA), and metal ions had no effect on enzyme activity. Key words : Conjugated linoleic acid, Lactobacillus plantarum ZS2058, linoleate isomerase, purification, characterization.


An investigation was conducted into the clinical symptoms and causative agent associated with a whelk poisoning incident that occurred in March 2005 in Korea. The whelk consumed in the poisoning incident was identified as Neptunea intersculpta. All of the 17 patients suffered from eyeball pain, headache, dizziness, abdominal pain, and nausea but no diarrhea. The causative agent was identified as tetramine, based on results from liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Based on the tetramine concentration in the leftover whelk meat and the amount of meat consumed, the amount of tetramine ingested by the patients was estimated to be > or = 10 mg. This is the first report of the identification of tetramine as the causative agent in whelk poisoning in Korea. The anatomical distribution of tetramine in fresh and boiled N. intersculpta was examined. The toxin concentration in the meat was higher in specimens boiled in the shell than in fresh specimens collected on the same date. In meat boiled separately after removing the shell, the salivary gland, and the midgut gland, the tetramine concentration was much lower than that in fresh specimens or those boiled in the shell. This result suggests that boiling the meat after removing the salivary gland is a suitable way to prevent tetramine poisoning.


Robustness is an important feature required for embedded systems. This paper presents a methodology to test robustness of such systems. We investigate system behaviour aspects. We handle two formal specifications : a nominal one which describes the system behaviour in normal conditions and a degraded one which describes the behaviour in critical conditions. Both are described as Labelled Transition Systems for the untimed systems and as Timed Automata for timed systems. We extract test sequences from the nominal or from the degraded specification. We perform fault injection on these test sequences. Finally, we submit these sequences to the Implementation Under Test (IUT) and then we analyze its behaviour using adequate robustness relations.


This paper presents ways in teaching indigenous peace concepts from Visayan fisherfolks and farmers through their integration to the teaching of the Philosophy of the Human Person. This study aims to determine fisherfolks and farmers' notions of peace through the qualitative research method of hermeneutic phenomenology. This study finds out that the respondents understand peace through the concept of Kinabuhi sa Kinaiyahan , Gugma sa Isig ka Tawo  and Pagsalig ug Pagtuo sa Ginoo. These concepts are fit to be integrated in the four significant lessons of the course. This study concludes that this research has given marginalized people a chance to air their voices. This study also concludes that the integration of indigenous peace concepts has made the teaching of Philosophy more meaningful and relevant.


The racial divide in breast cancer outcomes is well known. Breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer in women in the United States, and the second leading cause of cancer death.1 Black race is associated with a worse prognosis in operable breast cancer2 and in other hormone dependent cancers such as uterine and prostate cancer, but generally not other cancer types.3,4 Black women are more likely to present with advanced stage disease5, have triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), exhibit greater non-adherence and poorer tolerance to chemotherapy6 and endocrine therapy7, and have more comorbidities8 and experience more disparities in care.9-11 Black race has also been associated with worse outcome in male breast cancer.12 Although breast cancer incidence and mortality have declined by about 35% in the United States since 1990, mortality rates have declined less in black women, contributing to a widening of the racial gap which has contributed to about a 35% higher mortality rate for black women compared with others.13 However, a widening racial gap has also been observed for women in the U.S. Department of Defense healthcare system, suggesting that factors other than disparities in care may be playing a role. 14 With regard to ethnicity, Hispanic women also exhibit higher rates of TNBC, but otherwise experience similar outcomes as non-Hispanic women. There is emerging evidence that differences in outcomes may be due in part due to factors other than disparities in care. In this review, we explore some of the biological factors that may be contributing to the racial divide in breast cancer. References: 1. Jemal A, Siegel R, Ward E, et al: Cancer statistics, 2009. CA Cancer J Clin 59:225-49, 2009 2. Newman LA, Mason J, Cote D, et al: African-American ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and breast cancer survival: a meta-analysis of 14 studies involving over 10,000 African-American and 40,000 White American patients with carcinoma of the breast. Cancer 94:2844-54, 2002 3. Albain KS, Unger JM, Crowley JJ, et al: Racial disparities in cancer survival among randomized clinical trials patients of the Southwest Oncology Group. J Natl Cancer Inst 101:984-92, 2009 4. Bach PB, Schrag D, Brawley OW, et al: Survival of blacks and whites after a cancer diagnosis. Jama 287:2106-13, 2002 5. Joslyn SA, West MM: Racial differences in breast carcinoma survival. Cancer 88:114-23, 2000 6. Hershman D, McBride R, Jacobson JS, et al: Racial disparities in treatment and survival among women with early-stage breast cancer. J Clin Oncol 23:6639-46, 2005 7. Partridge AH, Wang PS, Winer EP, et al: Nonadherence to adjuvant tamoxifen therapy in women with primary breast cancer. J Clin Oncol 21:602-6, 2003 8. Tammemagi CM, Nerenz D, Neslund-Dudas C, et al: Comorbidity and survival disparities among black and white patients with breast cancer. Jama 294:1765-72, 2005 9. Bhargava A, Du XL: Racial and socioeconomic disparities in adjuvant chemotherapy for older women with lymph node-positive, operable breast cancer. Cancer 115:2999-3008, 2009 10. Schneider EC, Zaslavsky AM, Epstein AM: Racial disparities in the quality of care for enrollees in medicare managed care. Jama 287:1288-94, 2002 11. Shavers VL, Brown ML: Racial and ethnic disparities in the receipt of cancer treatment. J Natl Cancer Inst 94:334-57, 2002 12. Crew KD, Neugut AI, Wang X, et al: Racial disparities in treatment and survival of male breast cancer. J Clin Oncol 25:1089-98, 2007 13. Menashe I, Anderson WF, Jatoi I, et al: Underlying causes of the black-white racial disparity in breast cancer mortality: a population-based analysis. J Natl Cancer Inst 101:993-1000, 2009 14. Jatoi I, Becher H, Leake CR: Widening disparity in survival between white and African-American patients with breast carcinoma treated in the U. S. Department of Defense Healthcare system. Cancer 98:894-9, 2003 Citation Format: Joseph Sparano. Race, ethnicity, and outcomes in breast cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Eighth AACR Conference on The Science of Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; Nov 13-16, 2015; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2016;25(3 Suppl):Abstract nr IA29.


Rapid changes are taking place in global business scenario. It has become a necessity for enterprises to adapt to these changes. Social media facilitates business enterprises to make use of the opportunities in the global market. Social media has become an important source of information for the stakeholders of business enterprises. Structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data from social media provide a good scope for developing business models for enterprises. This chapter mainly talks about developing the conceptual business models in the sectors such as automobiles, textiles and software developing companies. Further, this chapter explains making use of the concepts such as virtual reality, multimedia and cloud computing with the data from social media in developing conceptual business models.


Closed-circuit television (CCTV) systems are a growing phenomenon in most Western countries and a fixed item on security agendas in urban environments around the world. But while several authors have studied the proliferation of CCTV from a comparative perspective, in most cases the analysis is focused at the national level, assuming that local processes are no more than the locus of implementation of national agendas. Moreover, issues related to political configurations and reconfigurations, historical factors and internal dynamics of power have seldom been tackled, and some of the assumptions about proliferation patterns in the most widely researched areas have become general assumptions. The new empirical research findings presented in this article offer a detailed and empirically evidenced account of the political and policy environment surrounding the uptake of video surveillance in Catalonia and suggests that zooming in on local processes adds complexity to the understanding of the process of CCTV proliferation at the global level. Specifically, the article addresses: the role of local/global interaction in the emergence of CCTV as a new orthodoxy, the relationship between video surveillance and economic and commercial pressures on urban restructuring, the role of party politics and political ideologies in surveillance policy, and the specific articulation of the interaction between video surveillance and urban disorder. The article ends by exploring both local narratives and global-local policy dynamics, concluding that there is a need to conduct further research on the specific ways in which CCTV policy travels through borders and between the scales of government, and the processes by which it becomes embedded in diverse geographic, political and institutional settings.


Much is written about how difficult it is to deal with diabetes during adolescence, and rightly so. Less is understood as to how puberty may be an accelerator of vascular complications. With the increase in childhood diabetes, complication risks need to be revisited in relation to puberty and the secular increase in adiposity. Recent data suggest greater risk for severe vascular complications in those with diabetes during puberty, compared with young people who develop diabetes after puberty. It is also widely recognized that higher hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) results are often seen during the pubertal period. This article will review complication outcomes in relation to puberty and examine mechanisms by which puberty may modify risk above glycemic exposure, and possible gender disparities in the risk of complications in the adolescent period.