Many organizations understand the importance of knowledge sharing among their employees. They are eager to introduce knowledge management paradigm to facilitate the sharing of knowledge in their organizations. However little is known about the determinants of the individual's knowledge sharing behavior. Taking knowledge management as an approach to e-learning, the purpose of this study is to understand the factors of knowledge sharing behavior through the investigation of individual's acceptance to an interactive web-based learning system in a training program. This study also examines the interactions in an e-learning platform in order to explore the motivators and inhibitors of the knowledge sharing process involved.


This study aims to analyse the importance of the disclosure of ANEEL's social and environmental report to the Level of Disclosure of Environmental Information of Brazilian companies in the electricity sector in the period from 2006 to 2009. The analysis was focused on 60 companies dedicated to various activities in the value chain of the electricity industry. The metric totals 90 indicators, including 34 from the global reporting initiative (GRI) and 56 from the National Agency of Electrical Energy. In this research content analysis and correspondence analysis in panel were the used techniques, respectively. As data collection and analysis technique, the research used content analysis and correspondence analysis in panel techniques, respectively. Results showed a significant evolution in the disclosure level of the entities under study, as a result of ANEEL's social and environmental report disclosure. Despite the growth in the voluntary disclosure of the GRI model, it does not reach the level of disclosure resulting from the Brazilian regulatory agency's guideline.


The aim of this study was to investigate the possible use and ultimate fate of anorganic xenogenic bone for the restoration of defects in the maxillae and mandibles of adult rabbits. Furthermore, anorganic xenogenic bone was compared with implanted autogenous bone particles with regard to the response of the surrounding connective tissue and possible resorption of these implants by multinucleated cells. Results showed that after 12 weeks, the implanted autogenous bone was actively resorbed by multinucleated cells, and new bone was formed in close apposition to the particles. In contrast, implanted anorganic xenogenic bone was degraded to a much lesser extent, and new bone was seen adjacent to the anorganic bone particles without signs of resorption. Further long-term studies are needed to determine whether anorganic xenogenic bone may be regarded as a resorbable material and whether any side effects occur as a result of this material's tendency to linger on in the recipient bed.


The plasma membrane of polarized cells consists of distinct domains, the apical and basolateral membrane, that are characterized by a distinct lipid and protein content. Apical protein transport is largely mediated by (glyco)sphingolipid--cholesterol enriched membrane microdomains, so called rafts. In addition changes in the direction of polarized sphingolipid transport appear instrumental in cell polarity development. Knowledge is therefore required of the mechanisms that mediate sphingolipid sorting and the complexity of the trafficking pathways that are involved in polarized transport of both sphingolipids and proteins. Here we summarize specific biophysical properties that underly mechanisms relevant to sphingolipid sorting, cargo recruitment and polarized trafficking, and discuss the central role of a subapical compartment, SAC or common endosome (CE), as a major intracellular site involved in polarized sorting of sphingolipids, and in development and maintenance of membrane polarity.


The number of voters in the elections post reform tends to decline. The reality has made the General Election Commission (KPU) take the policy of democracy Volunteers (relationships) that the management is located in the city level or districts. The main objective of the volunteer democracy policy is increasing voters participation. In Padang City, the Program policy is assessed successfully. This can be seen from voters ' participation in the 2013 election which is only about 52%, declining from the local 2008 elections where the community participation rate of Padang is around 56% and then at the election 2018 where there is a policy of volunteer democracy level Community participation increased by 12% with a participatory rate of 64%. It can be scientifically researched about how the implementation of the program of Democratic volunteers by the KPU in Padang city elections 2018 if viewed from the factors of success. The research method uses a qualitative descriptive approach. The results of the research gained that the implementation of the policy of Democratic Volunteer Program in KPU in Padang city elections there are factors of success such as effective communication, the resources of adequate democratic volunteers, even though the budget is limited, Disposition, where the volunteers of democracy have a strong commitment to run the program, and the bureaucracy structure, KPU has operational standards and a clear principal task. The purpose of the study was as one of the evaluations in the policy of KPU to increase voters participation in the elections.


With the increasing demand for medicinal plants and the increasing shortage of resources, improving the quality and yield of medicinal plants and making more effective use of medicinal plants has become an urgent problem to be solved. During the growth of medicinal plants, various adversities can lead to nutrient loss and yield decline. Using traditional chemical pesticides to control the stress resistance of plants will cause serious pollution to the environment and even endanger human health. Therefore, it is necessary to find suitable pesticide substitutes from natural ingredients. As an important part of the microecology of medicinal plants, endophytes can promote the growth of medicinal plants, improve the stress tolerance of hosts, and promote the accumulation of active components of hosts. Endophytes have a more positive and direct impact on the host and can metabolize rich medicinal ingredients, so researchers pay attention to them. This paper reviews the research in the past five years, aiming to provide ideas for improving the quality of medicinal plants, developing more microbial resources, exploring more medicinal natural products, and providing help for the development of research on medicinal plants and endophytes.


The depth at which magma chamber processes take place below magmatic arcs and the parameters controlling them are highly debated. These questions are fundamental for our understanding of the global magma differentiation as well as the formation of the continental crust at convergent margins, but also for evaluating the risks associated with volcanic eruptions.

In the Central Southern Volcanic Zone (Central-SVZ) of the Chilean Andes, a thin continental crust (30-40 km) and the occurrence of a major fault zone (Linquiñe-Ofqui) likely favor rapid magma ascent. This segment of the arc is as a consequence one of the most active in Chile with several recent eruptions (e.g. Llaima 2009, Cordon Caulle 2011, Calbuco 2015, Villarrica 2015 & 2019). The Central-SVZ is characterized by dominant mafic lavas (basalts, basaltic andesites), few rhyodacitic lavas, a noticeable compositional (Daly) gap in the intermediate compositions (andesites). Noteworthy, amphibole is usually absent, except in a few volcanoes (e.g. Calbuco) or only occurs as microliths in enclaves, which suggests rather low water contents. These observations contrast sharply with the Northern-SVZ where andesitic lavas are dominant and hydrous phases common.

We focused our research on the eruptive products of Osorno volcano (41°S, CSVZ) located between two volcanoes (Calbuco and Cordon Caulle) which recently showed very explosive eruptions and partly overlies an older Pleistocene eroded volcanic edifice (La Picada). A large series of samples were collected in four units spanning 200 kyr. They define a differentiation trend ranging from tholeiitic basalts to calk-alkaline dacites with a Daly Gap between 58 wt. % and 63 wt. % SiO2. Plagioclase and olivine are dominant before the gap while plagioclase and clino- and orthopyroxene dominate afterwards.

The use of recent thermobarometric models revealed two main storage regions: (1) at the MOHO interface (1-1.2GPa) and (2), at the upper/lower crust interface with rather low pressures (likely ≤0.3 Gpa). While at (1) primary magmas differentiate, (2) is interpreted as the depth of major differentiation and volatile exsolution. Thermodynamic simulations (Gualda et al., 2012; Ghiorso & Gualda, 2015) support these (2) depth estimates and reproduce the main paragenesis by simple fractional crystallization at 0.1-0.2 GPa. Our results may explain the recent seismic unrest below Osorno (from 2015 to 2019) with earthquakes mostly taking place between 0.1-0.3 GPa (4-10km below the summit). We suggest that Osorno is an important target to perform a comprehensive petrological study aiming at characterizing the Central-SVZ magmatic arc and the magmatic storage depths.


When entering the nursing home, elderly people are afraid of losing their independence and identity. That is why the entry into a nursing home turns out be a critical experience for the people affected. A systematic literature research on this topic illustrates that the impacts of a nursing home entry on the identity of these people have only scarcely been investigated so far. In the present study, 20 problem-centred interviews with residents of three different nursing homes were conducted and analysed according to the summarizing content analysis developed by Mayring (2007). The result shows that moving into a nursing home is accompanied by a strong emotional burden as these people have to leave behind their friends, families, pets, long-time neighbours and property. Moreover, other residents of the nursing home create fear through their need of care. The test persons participating in the present study do not want to have their decisions and actions imposed from outside because of their need of nursing care. They protest against it. They draw enough strength from the social network they maintain, from conversations and from their faith in order to fight for their independence. They develop a new identity close to their former identity by maintaining autonomy and mobility, and they stay future-oriented.


This article seeks to contribute to the study of the problem of the differentiation and reification of "State" and "society"-as dissociated spheres- by looking at historical, political, and daily processes that erase, at the same time than produce, this differentiation. To that end, the article draws into ethnographic situations in order to identify how census counting became routine procedures that created links between dwellers organized collectively and governmental officers in the Greater Buenos Aires area. The deployment of State-related census language is learnt in the enforcement of state policies, set in motion through collective actions, and elaborated by diverse social actorswhich include political and union militants and activists, Catholic priests, members of the Rank-andFile Ecclesiastical Communities, and professional experts (such as social workers, medical doctors, psychologists, and teachers) In contexts of variable "force relations," the censuses become technical evidence to support collective demands, to open up spaces for negotiation, and to accommodate the population to State programs. The empirical material for this article is drawn from long-term fieldwork conducted in La Matanza and San Fernando, geared to study the constitution of political spaces around unemployment and social housing.


INTRODUCTION
Among the increasing chronic degenerative diseases, chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major public health challenge facing the 21st century.

OBJECTIVES
To estimate the GFR by using the CKD-EPI formula among subjects aged 18-59 years, and to identify factors associated with glomerular filtration rate (GFR).

METHODS
A cross-sectional population-based study was conducted on adults between November 2011 and March 2012. We collected sociodemographic, anthropometric, clinical, and laboratory tests to build a database. The Pearson's chi-square test was used to assess the association between variables, and the Student's t -test was used for mean comparison at 95% confidence level.

RESULTS
A cohort of 371 adults was surveyed (63.8% women; 86.3% Whites). The mean age was 40.4 years (SD ± 12.3). Of the total, 76.8% had normal GFR; 21.8% showed a slight decline, 1.1% a moderate decline, and 0.3% a significant decline in GFR. There were significant differences related to age and obesity, because the greater the age or the higher the body mass index, the lower the GFR of participants. Individuals with systemic hypertension showed a tendency towards a reduction in GFR compared to non-hypertensive population (p < 0.06).

CONCLUSION
This study concluded that the vast majority of the surveyed subjects had normal GFR levels, and that only 1.4% (95% CI: 0.3 - 2.4) had moderate or severe dysfunction.


The effect of drug binding on the geometry of DNA duplex (plasmid pBR322) has been examined using topoisomerase I relaxation followed by gel electrophoresis. The binding of one molecule of aclacinomycin A was found to cause an unwinding of the DNA double helix by an angle of 8 +/- 2 degrees in aqueous solution at 37 degrees C. The unwinding angle of daunomycin was 12 +/- 2 degrees, and that of ethidium bromide 15 +/- 3 degrees. To determine the unwinding angle, precise determination of the equilibrium constant of drug-DNA binding-dissociation reaction in the same buffer as that for the topoisomerase reaction (at 37 degrees C) was indispensable. This determination was made by ultraviolet absorption measurement of the same plasmid-drug system, followed by a Scatchard plot and analysis using McGhee-von Hippel's excluded site model. For the aclacinomycin-pBR322 system, the binding constant (K) was 7.2 x 10(4) M-1, and the number of base pairs in the single site of drug binding (n) was 4.0. For daunomycin-pBR322, K = 7.1 x 10(4) M-1 and n = 3.4, and for ethidium-pBR322, K = 4.0 x 10(4) M-1 and n = 3.3. On the basis of these experimental results, the possible role of the sugar moieties of these antitumour drugs, as well as that of intercalating chromophores, was discussed.


A simplified elastic hand-method of analysis for asymmetric multi-bent structures with cores subjected to horizontal loading is presented. The structures may consist of combinations of framed structures such as coupled walls, rigid frames and braced frames with planar and non-planar shear walls. Results for structures that are uniform with height compare closely with results from stiffness matrix analyses. The method is developed from coupled-wall deflection theory which is expressed in non-dimensional structural parameters. It accounts for bending deformations in all individual members, axial deformations in the vertical members as well as torsion and warping in nonplanar walls. A closed solution of coupled differential equations for deflection and rotation gives the deflected shape along the height of the building from which all internal forces can be obtained. The proposed method of analysis offers a relatively simple and rapid means of comparing the deformations and internal forces of different stability systems for a proposed tall building in the preliminary stages of the design. The derivation of equations for analysis shown in this paper are for unisymmetric stability systems only, but the method is also applicable to general asymmetric structures with cores. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Something odd is going on in political theory: the politicization of neuroscience. One result is to render depth psychology irrelevant, or rather simply wrong. Another result, even more puzzling, is the self-destruction of political theory by some of its leading lights. Political theory is about power relationships among people who live in communities, societies, and nations. Once the individual is lifted out of society and community, and seen instead as a neuro-physiological system, there is no need or place for political theory.


Convolutional neural network (CNN) has been widely applied in hyperspectral image (HSI) classification exhibiting excellent performance. Weak generalization of CNN models to different datasets is a common issue in this domain largely because of limited amount of labeled training samples. In this article, we propose a fully group convolutional neural network (FGCNN) method that integrates cascades of shuffled group convolutions tailored to different network stages. To our knowledge, this is the first reported full-group CNN model in general, and we design it in particular for robust spectral–spatial classification of HSI. In the primary feature extraction stage, we develop an original multiscale spectral feature extraction approach based on a novel concept of multikernel depthwise convolution that we define in terms of shuffled and importance-weighted group convolution. In the subsequent stage, we introduce a discriminative spectral–spatial feature extraction method with a novel group competition block to capture informative features with relatively few parameters. The final feature fusion stage is defined as a novel lightweight group feature fusion method that sharply reduces fusion weights compared to traditional methods with fully connected layers. Experimental results on three datasets show that the proposed FGCNN yields robust classification accuracy under the same hyperparameter settings compared to the current state-of-the-art.


In this paper, we study and present a management and orchestration framework for vehicular communications, which enables service continuity for the vehicle via an optimized application-context relocation approach. To optimize the transfer of the application-context for Connected and Automated Mobility (CAM) services, our MEC orchestrator performs prediction of resource availability in the edge infrastructure based on the Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) model, and it makes a final decision on relocation by calculating the outcome of a Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) algorithm, taking into account the i) resource prediction, ii) latency and bandwidth on the communication links, and iii) geographical locations of the vehicle and edge hosts in the network infrastructure. Furthermore, we have built a proof-of-concept for the orchestration framework in a real-life distributed testbed environment, to showcase the efficiency in optimizing the edge host selection and application context relocation towards achieving continuity of a service that informs vehicle about the driving conditions on the road.


Audio Packet Loss Concealment (PLC) is the hiding of gaps in audio streams caused by data transmission failures in packet switched networks. This is a common problem, and of increasing importance as end-to-end VoIP telephony and teleconference systems become the default and ever more widely used form of communication in business as well as in personal usage. This paper presents the INTERSPEECH 2022 Audio Deep Packet Loss Concealment challenge. We first give an overview of the PLC problem, and introduce some classical approaches to PLC as well as recent work. We then present the open source dataset released as part of this challenge as well as the evaluation methods and metrics used to determine the winner. We also briefly introduce PLCMOS, a novel data-driven metric that can be used to quickly evaluate the performance PLC systems. Finally, we present the results of the INTERSPEECH 2022 Audio Deep PLC Challenge, and provide a summary of important takeaways.


Anion exchanger 2 (AE2, SLC4A2) is a ubiquitously expressed membrane solute carrier that regulates intracellular pH (pHi) by exchanging cytosolic bicarbonate for extracellular chloride. We used fibroblasts from Ae2-deficient (Ae2a,b–/–) mice to study the effects of an alkaline shift in resting intracellular pH (pHi) on the activation of cAMP signaling and gene expression. Ae2a,b–/– fibroblasts show increased pHi (by 0.22 ± 0.03 unit) compared with wild type cells at extracellular pH (pHo) 7.4 and 37 °C. This shift in resting pHi is associated with an up-regulation of bicarbonate-activated soluble adenylyl cyclase expression, increased cAMP production, Creb phosphorylation, inducible cAMP early repressor 1 mRNA expression, and impaired activation of c-Fos transcription by forskolin. These results highlight the importance of bicarbonate transport via Ae2 in maintaining pHi homeostasis in cultured mouse fibroblasts and unveil the role of cAMP in the cellular response to chronic alkalization, which putatively includes an inducible cAMP early repressor 1-mediated attenuation of phosphorylated Creb activity.


Coronary stenosis is one of the major causes of death from heart disease. The gold standard of coronary stenosis diagnosis is established with angiography, however it is invasively, complicated and expensive. Serum Amyloid A (SAA) is an acute phase protein that appears as chronic and acute inflammatory agent that is specific to the process of stenosis development. Serum Amyloidal A test method is noninvasive, relatively easy and affordable. The aim of this study was to know the differences of Serum Amyloid A levels in patients with nonstenosis and coronary stenosis in Dr. Sardjito General Hospital Yogyakarta by determination. The study is a case control study. The samples were selected consecutively with typical chest pain, were divided into two (2) groups of nonstenosis and stenosis by coronary angiography test. The principal of the Serum Amyloid A test is ELISA method. Nonstenosis and coronary stenosis groups were analyzed by mean of Serum Amyloid A level based on the angiography test. The data were analyzed with Independent t-test, odds ratio with a significancy of p <0.05 and confidence interval 95%. The samples of this study consisted of 60 patients, divided into nonstenosis and coronary stenosis. The analysis of Independent t tests showed significant differences between the subject SAA levels of nonstenosis and stenosis (4.35 ug/mL vs 21.75 mg/mL, p=0.001, with an odds ratio 9.84 (CI 95% 2.38 to 40.73). Based on this study, it can be conclued that the results indicate significantly higher level of Amyloid A Serum among the coronary stenosis compared to the nonstenosis.


We are developing an axial flow blood pump with Nimbus Inc. (AxiPump). For in vivo evaluation the AxiPump has been used as a left ventricular assist device with a left ventricular and descending aorta cannulation and implantation in a small pocket on the left lateral abdominal wall just posterior to the costal margin. Electrical and flow probe leads exit the body transcutaneously. A purge line that delivers the purge fluid for lubrication of the seal between the rotor and stator bodies in the purge fluid bearing system is tunneled with the other leads. Following acute animal studies, 3 animals have been supported for over 1 month with this AxiPump system. All laboratory results were within normal limits except during a recovery period from surgical damage. Hemolysis was not a serious problem. In the first case, the purge system failed at 28 days, and in the second and third cases, the nonpurge bearing system worked well for 57 and 52 days, respectively. Bearings are still under development in this kind of pump. However, this success encourages us to improve the AxiPump as a long-term assist device.


Colon cancer is the result of a multi-step process involving the accumulation of genetic and epigenetic alterations leading to the transformation of normal colon epithelium to adenocarcinoma. Identification of characteristic genetic alterations is of critical importance to increase our understanding of the transformation process. We focused our analysis on the most common molecular sub-type of colon cancers, microsatellite stable (MSS) and CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP)-negative, to identify characteristic copy number alteration (CNA) events and associated gene expression profiles using high-resolution genome-wide microarrays. DNA and RNA were extracted from 41 fresh-frozen paired colon tumors and adjacent normal tissue collected by the Colon Cancer Family Registry. Genomic profiles, such as CNAs and loss of heterozygosity (LOH), were identified with the Affymetrix Genome-Wide Human SNP 6.0 array for both tumor and adjacent normal tissue. Gene expression profiles of tumors and adjacent normal tissue were identified with the Affymetrix GeneChip Human Exon 1.0 ST array. Partek Genomics Suite software was used for analysis and data integration. We identified recurrent (>25%) CNAs in several chromosomal regions: gain in 1q, 7p, 7q, 8q, 13q, 20p, 20q, Xp, Xq and loss in 5q, 8p, 14q, 16p, 17p, 18p, and 18q. In addition, based on the allele information from the SNP arrays, we found a subset of these recurrent CNAs were associated with LOH. Preliminary results from the integration of CNA and gene expression data in tumors indicate that a subset of these recurrent CNAs is associated with the disruption of gene expression. For example, we observed recurrent copy number gain in 8q24.21, the genomic region containing the c-MYC gene, and associated up-regulation of c-MYC gene expression in tumors compared to adjacent normal tissue. In another example, recurrent copy number loss at 5q22.2 was associated with down-regulation of APC gene expression; loss of function of this tumor suppressor is associated with both hereditary and sporadic colon cancer. This genome-wide characterization of both genomic alterations and gene expression may help identify key genes and pathways that are disrupted in this common molecular subtype of colon cancer. We will present detailed results from this integrated and comprehensive genetic profiling of MSS and CIMP-negative colon cancers. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2145.


Thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) in renal transplant recipients is commonly associated with calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs), though several factors such as vascular rejection, viral infections and other drugs may play a contributory role. We report a series of 29 patients with TMA, all of whom were on CNIs. Though plasma exchange (PEx) is widely used to treat TMA, therapeutic guidelines are not well defined. All our patients were treated with PEx and discontinuation of CNIs. Thrombotic microangiopathy was diagnosed at a median of 7 days post‐transplant. The mean decrease in Hgb and platelets during TMA was 66% and 64%, respectively, and peak serum creatinine during TMA was 7.4 ± 2.9 mg%. Mean duration of PEx therapy was 8.5 (range 5–23) days. Recovery of platelet count to 150K/mcL and Hgb to 8–10 g/dL were used as endpoints for PEx. Twenty‐three/29 (80%) patients recovered graft function after PEx. Twenty/23 (87%) patients who recovered were placed back on CNl. Nineteen/20 (95%) patients tolerated reinstitution of CNl without recurrence of TMA. In post‐transplant TMA, PEx was associated with a graft salvage rate of 80%, reversal of hematological changes can be used as the endpoint for PEx therapy and CNl can be reintroduced without risk of recurrence in the majority of patients.


To the Editor.— In a recent issue ofThe Journal, a query by Adalberto Mendoza, MD (243:1275, 1980), regarding availability of blood digoxin levels is answered appropriately by Jay N. Cohn, MD. There is one point deserving emphasis that is at variance with the statement in reply that serious cases of arrhythmia would likely receive the same treatment regardless of whether digitalis is present. This point is that a major hazard for the patient is the likelihood of receiving digitalis for supraventricular arrhythmias when, in fact, the arrhythmia could be digitalis induced; if the clinician knows that the patient has received digitalis (ie, a detectable blood level is present), clinical judgment would dictate the use of alternative therapy. Knowing the exact level of digoxin in the blood is somewhat less helpful in making this distinction, although a general correlation with high levels and toxic effects is well established. A specific


Abstract: One of the uses of language to convey messageis through written language, including printed media such as newspapers or magazines. The word choices in news, both oral and written communication, are very essentialin order that the message can beconveyedwell, even they prevail beauty. With a qualitative approach, this study was aimed to uncover the types of figurative language how it functions and its utilization in Gatra magazine and on students of PGMI STAIN Ponorogo. Based on the research result, it revealed figurative language in the news titles ofGatra magazine in 2013 to 2015. The figurative language used was (1) a simile used as many as 5 times, (2) metaphor 23 times, (3) metonymy 25 times, (4) anthropomorphisms 25 times, (5) Symbolic 17 times, (6) hyperbole 21 times, (7) allegory 92 times, (8) periphrasis 25 times, (9) personification 22 times, (10) Innuendo, (11) sarcasm first time, (12) synecdoche 16 times, (13) synesthesia 9 times, and (14) proverb 2 times. Thus, the total of figurative words used in the headlines inGatra magazineon 2013 to 2015 are as many as 267 times consisting of 14 types of figurative language form. If it was ranged, the use of figurative language wasdominated with the allegory type that was 86 times. Next, it is followed with metaphor and metonymy, which appeared 23 times of use respectively. The third rank was the use ofperiphrasis that was about 22 times, personification 20 times, followedwith the forth rank that was synecdoche as many as 15 times. Then, the sequential low uses of figurative language were Innuendo and sarcasm only once, proverb 4 times, simile 5 times, and synesthesia 8 times. Meanwhile, the function varied from one type of figurative language to others. The use of figurative language was revealed to function variously, i.e.,to awaken, shorten, beautify, explain, illustrate, visualize,enliven and stressed.


The cause of good governance, integrity, transparency, and anticorruption is vital for facilitating private sector led growth and development throughout the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. There are many different ways in which weak governance can impede development. It compromises the delivery of public goods and services to the citizens, particularly to the poor and the vulnerable. It complicates the task of regulating markets and creating an enabling environment for private-sector led growth. It undermines meritocracy in the public sector, as well as a government's ability to allocate resources efficiently to achieve its desired ends.


This paper is concerned with the detection and correction of sub-sentential English text errors. Previous spelling programs, unless restricted to a very small set of words, have operated as post-processors. And to date, grammar checkers and other programs which deal with ill-formed input usually step directly from spelling considerations to a full-scale parse, assuming a complete sentence. Work described below is aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of shallow (sub-sentential) processing and the feasibility of cooperative error checking, through building and testing appropriately an error-processing system. A system under construction is outlined which incorporates morphological checks (using new two-level error rules) over a directed letter graph, tag positional trigrams and partial parsing. Intended testing is discussed.


Since the emergence and growing popularity of digital technologies and social media platforms, the relationship between professional and citizen journalism has been challenging. In recent years, however, this critical relationship has de-escalated due to a growing collaboration in shaping a complemental news repertoire. This study examines how social and traditional news use and users' perceptions on professional journalism affect citizens' news content creation. Based on survey data from Spain, we first find that social media use for news and users' positive perceptions on professional journalism predict citizens' news production behavior. Second, social media use for news and traditional media consumption are explored as additive moderators over the relationship of users' perceptions on professional journalism on citizens' news content creation, showing a positive significant effect. This study contributes to current conversations on the potential symbiotic association between professional and citizens journalism, arguing that citizens' perceptual appraisals on professional journalism are key in fostering public's participation through news content creation.


During the final growth phase of giant planets, accretion is thought to be controlled by a surrounding circumplanetary disk. Current astrophysical accretion disk models rely on hydromagnetic turbulence or gravitoturbulence as the source of effective viscosity within the disk. However, the magnetically-coupled accreting region in these models is so limited that the disk may not support inflow at all radii, or at the required rate. Here, we examine the conditions needed for self-consistent accretion, in which the disk is susceptible to accretion driven by magnetic fields or gravitational instability. We model the disk as a Shakura-Sunyaev $\alpha$ disk and calculate the level of ionisation, the strength of coupling between the field and disk using Ohmic, Hall and Ambipolar diffusevities for both an MRI and vertical field, and the strength of gravitational instability. We find that the standard constant-$\alpha$ disk is only coupled to the field by thermal ionisation within $30\,R_J$ with strong magnetic diffusivity prohibiting accretion through the bulk of the midplane. In light of the failure of the constant-$\alpha$ disk to produce accretion consistent with its viscosity we drop the assumption of constant-$\alpha$ and present an alternate model in which $\alpha$ varies radially according to the level magnetic turbulence or gravitoturbulence. We find that a vertical field may drive accretion across the entire disk, whereas MRI can drive accretion out to $\sim200\,R_J$, beyond which Toomre's $Q=1$ and gravitoturbulence dominates. The disks are relatively hot ($T\gtrsim800\,$K), and consequently massive ($M_{\text{disk}}\sim0.5\,M_J$).


Production of staple food occupies an important part in Sub-Saharan Africa's agricultural production. Maize crop in particular is the most important staple food in this area. The article mainly examines households' socio-economic characteristics affecting maize production in Rukwa in the context of the market reforms carried out in Tanzania in the mid 1980's. Rukwa region is one of Tanzania's most reliant maize producers. The article explores the importance of maize to household's crop production, its production levels and the determinants of its productivity. A number of specific issues are explored including the importance of factors such as farm size, education, and access to key inputs such as seeds, fertilizers and agricultural extension services. The study on which the article is based uses data collected from three districts of Rukwa. The findings showed that maize crop continues to play an important role in most households' livelihood. However, the crop production levels were low. Education was observed to be an important factor in raising yields, suggesting that non-agriculture policies may also be important for improving productivity and welfare of farmers. Despite the importance of maize crop to household livelihoods, several constraints were reported to hinder its productivity including access to fertilizers, improved seeds and other chemical inputs necessary for higher production, and extension services. Therefore, efforts need to be taken by both the local and central government to raise households maize productivity and hence increase the possibility of improving their well-being.

 Key words: Zea mays, productivity and farm households.


Accelerated vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation contributes to the formation of atherosclerotic lesions. To investigate protein kinase C (PKC)-betaII functions with regard to glucose-induced VSMC proliferation, human VSMC from aorta (AoSMC), a clonal VSMC line of rat aorta (A10), and A10 cells overexpressing PKC-betaI (betaI-A10) and PKC-betaII (betaII-A10) were studied with the use of three techniques to evaluate glucose effects on aspects affecting proliferation. High glucose (25 mM) increased DNA synthesis and accelerated cell proliferation compared with normal glucose (5.5 mM) in AoSMC and A10 cells, but not in betaI-A10 and betaII-A10 cells. The PKC-betaII specific inhibitor CGP-53353 inhibited glucose-induced cell proliferation and DNA synthesis in AoSMC and A10 cells. In flow cytometry analysis, high glucose increased the percentage of A10 cells at 12 h after cell cycle initiation but did not increase the percentage of betaI-A10 or betaII-A10 cells entering S phase. PKC-betaII protein levels decreased before the peak of DNA synthesis, and high glucose further decreased PKC-betaII mRNA and protein levels in AoSMC and A10 cells. These results suggest that high glucose downregulates endogenous PKC-betaII, which then alters the normal inhibitory role of PKC-betaII in cell cycle progression, resulting in the stimulation of VSMC proliferation through acceleration of the cell cycle.


Research into online heavy metal spaces has shown that there exists a distinct reliance on themes of hyper-masculinity. These themes seem to reflect heteronormative assumptions about the dominance of men over women held in wider society more generally. This paper will examine the sources of some of the themes of masculinity that exist in online heavy metal spaces. A suggestion will be made that the underlying notions of patriarchy inherent in social media technologies and heavy metal culture more generally appear to come together to contribute to an amplified reliance on heteronormativity that is typified by hyper-masculine dominance in the majority of these spaces.


Disputes in construction industry are normal and sometimes cannot be avoided. Disputes arise from the interpretation and/or application of any part of building or engineering contract documents that are ambiguous, unplanned and conflicting at any time during the execution of the contract. There are many methods/techniques have been introduced in order to resolve the disputes and arbitration is one of the popular recommended method. This study examines the concept of arbitration and its acceptance by the Malaysia construction industry. Questionnaires have been sent to the selected contractors to collect information, data and views regarding to arbitration process, procedures and award. The survey reveals that arbitration still fails to impress Malaysian contractors. Lengthy time and high expenses are the common reasons given. Improvement must be made in order to improve the efficiency and the effectiveness of arbitration. New techniques of dispute resolution can be introduced by taking into account the problems existing in the recent techniques available and come out with better techniques that can guaranty satisfaction


In 2010, in the wake of the Financial Crisis, Congress passed the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which established a new whistleblower program for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to more effectively detect, investigate and prosecute the kind of financial misconduct that has caused repeated and substantial harm to securities investors. At their core, Dodd-Frank's whistleblower provisions implement three incentives designed to encourage whistleblowers to report securities fraud to the SEC: the opportunity for whistleblowers to receive substantial monetary awards after they report; the ability to remain anonymous when they report to the SEC; and broad protection from employment retaliation. The basic idea behind this incentive structure is simple: rewarding and protecting whistleblowers will motivate more individuals to report potentially relevant information about securities violations. In response, some companies now appear to be seeking to "counter-act" Dodd-Frank by drafting and enforcing a variety of agreements with their employees that significantly reduce or eliminate the incentives created by Congress to promote SEC whistleblowing. These agreements – which seek to alter the statutory risks and rewards of whistleblowing – have profound potential consequences not only for current and prospective whistleblowers, but also for the success of the Dodd-Frank whistleblower program itself, which depends heavily on the willingness of employees to come forward with information about their current or former employers. The stakes are just as high for employers, who may find themselves facing civil – or in extreme cases, even criminal – liability if they are too aggressive in their attempts to shield information from government authorities. This Article will discuss the enforceability of these increasingly prevalent contractual restrictions on whistleblowing, which we label "de facto gag clauses." While no court has yet opined on the legality of de facto gag clauses in the Dodd-Frank whistleblower context (at least as of July 2014), this Article argues that SEC rules and key principles of contract, qui tam, employment and securities law strongly suggest that courts will, and should, refuse to enforce agreements that preclude voluntary cooperation with the SEC or materially diminish the incentives created by Congress to promote SEC whistleblowing.


Sphingolipid metabolites are important regulators of cell growth and differentiation. Recent studies have suggested that sphingosine-1-phosphate, a biologically active sphingolipid metabolite, acts as a crucial messenger in apoptosis. In the present work, we examined the expression levels of the members of the bcl-2-related gene family to determine their roles in sphingosine-1-phosphate-induced apoptosis is human hepatoma cells. Our results indicate that sphinogosine-1-phosphate-induced apoptosis is associated with enhanced expression of Bax protein. Moreover, the regulation of bax gene expression by sphingosine-1-phosphate is independent of the p53 tumor suppressor.


Discusses the concept of hnau as developed in Out of the Silent Planet. Identifies Platonic and medieval ideas of the Rational Soul (and its faculties of intellectus and ratio) as applied to Malacandra. Sees Out of the Silent Planet as expressive of the apprehension of spiritual truth through Reason; Revelation is saved for Perelandra.


The Australian species of the Polyrhachis subgenus Myrmhopla are revised. A total of eight Australian species are recognised in four species-groups; four species in the sexspinosagroup, two species in the bicolor-group and single species in each of the divesand mucronata-groups. A new subgenus Hirtomyrma is proposed to house ten species formerly included within the P. viehmeyeri-group of the subgenus Myrmhopla. Polyrhachis dispar sp. nov. is described and placed in the sexspinosa-group. Polyrhachis bicolor nigripes is raised to specific status and reported from Australia for the first time. The extralimital species P. cyrtomyrmoides Donisthorpe is considered synonymous with P. mucronata Fr. Smith. A neotype for P. sexspinosa (Latreillei) and lectotype for P. reclinata Emery are designated. All species are illustrated and their distribution and nesting habits are summarised. Keys to the subgenera of Australian Polyrhachis and to species of Myrmhopla and Hirtomyrma are included.  Polyrhachis, Myrmhopla, Hirtomyrma, bicolor-group, dives-group, mucronata-group, sexspinosa-group, Australia, distribution. Myrmhopla was established by Forel (1915) as a subgenus of Polyrhachis Fr. Smith, 1857, with Formica armata (Le Guillou, 1842) as the type species. Forel did not define his new subgenus but Emery (1925) later delimited Myrmhopla as follows (translation): "Worker. Dorsum of thorax rounded, that is to say not marginate, except in some species (groups cryptoceroides and viehmeyeri); pronotal spines shorter than propodeal, some times absent; metanotal groove variable. Petiole variable amongst the groups and species; body of petiole in form of an elongate node, angled anterodorsally in profile or, to the contrary, forming a thick scale, higher than long, angular or rounded in front; generally bearing single pair of spines very variable in form, size and direction; rarely the spines are hook-like; in many species where they form a gaster embracing arc, there is between spines also a pair of teeth or small vertical spines. First gastral segment large. Female. Very similar to the worker, with spines usually stronger and


The conventional Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (C-SHPB) technique with aluminum pressure bars to achieve a closer impedance match between the pressure bars and the specimen materials such as hot temperature degraded POM (Poly Oxy Methylene) and PP (Poly Propylene) to obtain more distinguishable experimental signals is used to obtain a dynamic behavior of material deformation under a high strain rate loading condition. An experimental modification with Pulse shaper is introduced to reduce the nonequilibrium on the dynamic material response during a short test period to increase the rise time of the incident pulse for two polymeric materials. For the dynamic stress strain curve obtained from SHPB experiment under high strain rate, the Johnson-Cook model is applied as a constitutive equation, and we verify the applicability of this constitutive equation to the probabilistic reliability estimation method. The methodology to estimate the reliability using the probabilistic method such as the FORM and the SORM has been proposed, after compose the limit state function using Johnson-Cook model. It is found that the failure probability estimated by using the SORM is more reliable than those of the FORM, and the failure probability increases with the increase of applied stress. Moreover, it is noted that the parameters of Johnson-Cook model such as A and n, and applied stress affect the failure probability more than the other random variables according to the sensitivity analysis.


With defeat in the Pacific War in 1945, the very notion of 'community' (as described by Benedict Anderson) in Japan was under threat, the future of the nation dependent, as never before, on the response of the international community. Viewed in a different light, however, the slate was clean—the possibilities, indeed the need, for revised terms of reference for this 'imagined community' now of paramount importance. The ensuing attempts to define the parameters of the emerging national identity were far-reaching and multi-faceted, seeking as they did to encompass the memories of loss and devastation through the realm of everyday culture as well as through political discourse. The focus of this paper will be on the contribution to this radical reassessment of the relationship between the nation and the individual made by the group of authors collectively known as the Sengoha (après guerre literary coterie). More specifically, I shall be examining the novellas, Shin'ya no shuen (The midnight banquet, 1947) and Eien naru josho (The eternal preface, 1948), two early texts by the author, Shiina Rinzō, arguably the most representative Sengoha writer, for evidence of the extent to which this literature helped to shape and modify the 'imagined community' of Japan.


This study traces the route by which the city of Los Angeles came to be called by that name. Late in life St. Francis retired to a tiny hut on "a little piece of property," una porziuncola near Assisi. Because angels were frequently heard singing there, the area around his hut was known as "La Valle di Nostra Donna degli Angeli." Here, Francis experienced two appearances of Mary and her Son, during which he obtained the revolutionary plenary indulgence known as Il Perdono d'Assisi. The Porziuncola became a pilgrims' shrine, and Francis's hut was transformed into a huge basilica dedicated to Santa Maria degli Angeli. Reception of the indulgence slowly spread throughout Europe, and most particularly in Spain. Columbus, who was a Franciscan Tertiary, after a stay in the monastery of Our Lady of the Angels at La Rabida, set sail on his momentous journey on the feast of the Perdono (2 August). The indulgence was carried to the New World by the Franciscans where the devotion developed a wide-spread cult. Three hundred years later, the Spanish king's army, accompanied by Franciscan friars, journeyed up the western coast and came upon a clear stream, which they called la Porciuncula. In 1781, the New World City of the Angels was founded in the cult's honor.


In the modern power system, smart grid structures is getting admiration and edify a path of complete greener way of energy generation. This paper highlights the each aspects of this framework to justify the energy demand in a sheltered, economical, trustworthy and environmental manner even the absence of storage structure at large level. It also facilitates the simultaneous objectives of demand monitoring and control with the amalgamation of renewable distributed generation having smart devices and storage system. A comprehensive review has been demonstrated with the smart operations unlike traditional power grid even the presence of some limitations for the establishment of advanced grid based power network. The analysis presented in this paper is driven by the eventuality of relic fuel calamity, ecological contamination, diminution of electrical energy, enlargement necessity of power system, newness to emergent trends in proficient energy utilization and regularly increasing electricity bill. Objective of this presentation is to review and examine the different aspects of smart grid framework for the progression of generation companies and consumer with reference to its development and advancement report, techno-economical contests, conceivable benefits and future scope.


Context. Close encounters with massive asteroids are known to be a mechanism of dynamical mobility that can significantly alter proper elements of minor bodies, and they are the main source of dynamical mobility for medium-sized and large asteroids (D > 20 km, approximately). Aims. Orbital mobility caused by close encounters with (4) Vesta has been studied in the past and could be a viable mechanism to produce the current orbital location of some of the V-type asteroids currently outside the Vesta family. It is well known, however, that the proper frequencies of precession of pericenter g and longitude of the node s of terrestrial planets change when one or more of the other planets is not considered in the integration scheme. For instance, the g4 and s4 frequencies are different when the full solar system is considered or when only Mars and the Jovian planets are accounted for. In this work we consider the effect that including one or more (up to 51) massive asteroids in the integration scheme has on the Vesta orbit, and, indirectly on the statistics of changes in semi-major axis caused by close encounters with this massive asteroid. Methods. By using chaos indicators such as the maximum Lyapunov exponent, and integrations with symplectic integrators able to account for the interaction between a massive asteroid and a mass-less particle, we studied the problem of scattering caused by close encounters with (4) Vesta, when only (4) Vesta (and the eight planets) are considered, and when (4) Vesta and other massive main belt asteroids are also accounted for. Results. We find that (4) Vesta proper frequencies are dependent on the number of other massive asteroids considered in the integration scheme and that, as a result, the whole statistics of encounters with (4) Vesta is also affected. Variances of the change in proper a caused by the four most massive asteroids varied up to 36.3% in the five integration schemes that we used, and the number of encounters that caused the strongest changes in semi-major axis varied up to a factor 2. The indirect effect caused by the presence of other massive asteroids therefore introduces an additional source of uncertainty in estimating the long-term effect of close encounters with massive asteroids that was not accounted for in previous works on the subject, and that strongly affects estimates of its Hurst exponent.


The current study is a piece from the original project entitled "Diagnosis of the Artistic Gymnastics Development Program in Brazil". Among others issues, the coaching philosophy of coaches who are developing gymnasts that may be representative of the national team was a matter of analysis. We interviewed 46 coaches from 29 sports institutions in Brazil. As data collection we used a semi-structured interview and for data treatment we adopted the content analysis method of Bardin (2010). We have found out that there is an inconsistent philosophical basis, and in many institutions this has been mixed up with the objectives of the training program or just doesn't exist. This fact needs consideration and criticism, but we know that the coaching philosophy is not developed during the coaching education courses.


Introduction: A comprehensive, inter-disciplinary treatment of the mouth involves the following aspects: assessment of facial characteristics and muscle activity as well as existing relationship between visible dentition and soft tissues to improve patients´ aesthetics and function. There are some physiological and/or pathological conditions which result in excessive exposition of the gums. This causes a negative appearance and limits facial expression. Altered or delayed eruption is one of the main causes of gummy smile. In restorative procedures, crown elongation is considered a very valuable surgical technique. This technique has the aim of lengthening the size of the clinical crown. As part of an inter-disciplinary treatment, dental implants represent an option in cases where there are missing teeth. Clinical case: 56 year old female patient attended the Implantology and Periodontics Department complaining of not liking the appearance of her teeth and smile. Clinical exploration disclosed thick biotype, irregular gingival margins, short and uneven clinical crowns, missing teeth as well as decreased vertical dimension. X ray assessment revealed bony margin at the level of enamel and cement junction. Emitted diagnosis was: Altered Passive Eruption. Based on diagnostic waxup and after consultation with the Oral Prosthesis Department, treatment selected was crown elongation with bone surgery in upper and lower front teeth, implant placement in areas of teeth 36 and 46 as well as rehabilitation following the Captek system. Results: Results were favorable. Dentofacial and dental-periodontal harmony were achieved, as well as function, aesthetics and the patient's satisfaction. RESUMEN


OBJECTIVES
In this study, multilocus sequence typing (MLST) was used to describe the genetic backgrounds of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) and carbapenem-susceptible A. baumannii (CSAB) from multiple cities of China.

METHODS
One hundred and fifty-two CRAB and 74 CSAB isolates obtained from 16 cities of China were selected for molecular characterization by MLST. eBURST was used to cluster sequence types (STs) into clonal complex (CCs) and infer evolutionary descent. PCR was used to detect carbapenemase-encoding genes and bla(AmpC) with the upstream element ISAba1.

RESULTS
CSAB showed more diverse genetic backgrounds than CRAB since 36 distinct STs were identified in CSAB while only 8 STs were identified in CRAB. ST22 and its three single-locus variants, all clustered into CC22, were the most prominent STs, accounting for 86.8% of CRAB and 45.9% of CSAB, distributed in all 16 cities and possessing more noticeable antibiotic resistance than other STs. PCR amplification was positive for bla(OXA-23) in most CRAB isolates but negative in CSAB isolates. The presence of ISAba1 upstream of bla(AmpC) was variable in distinct STs of CRAB. eBURST reveals that CC22 is the largest group in the Pubmlst database, which also contains ST6 previously identified in a European clone II isolate as a member of a subgroup of CC22.

CONCLUSIONS
We describe the wide dissemination of CRAB CC22 in China. The close relatedness between CC22 and European clone II implies the probable global spread of CC22. It is inferred that ST22-CSAB evolves to ST22-CRAB through acquiring bla(OXA-23) as a determinative factor.


The Process Industry has Corporate Safety Policies, codes of practice, skilled engineers and safety specialists and powerful techniques for Hazard Identification, Assessment and Control. Despite the above and a strong commitment to safety, accidents still occur. Many accidents appear to be due to "gaps" in the management systems rather than to failures of professional skills or to a lack of commitment. This paper will review the many stages in designing, constructing and operating a facility between the initial appraisal of a potential project and the final taking out of service of a facility. The "primary" and "secondary" safety checks will be described. The paper will give examples of gaps in management systems which have led to problems. Finally the paper will suggest ways in which these gaps can be minimized.


Mycobacterium abscessus (Mab) is a rapidly-growing nontuberculous mycobacterium that is a growing health concern among both immunocompetent and immunocompromised patient populations. It most commonly causes skin and soft tissue or pulmonary infection. As an emerging health issue there is much that still needs to be understood about the infection and its progression to disease. In the context of pulmonary infection, an in vivo system of Mab infection that permits investigation of host-microbe interactions that result in Mab infection and the transition to pathogenesis, and also the evaluation of treatments, is an essential tool that is currently lacking. Here, we describe a system of pulmonary Mab infection in the C3HeB/FeJ mouse strain under corticosteroid immunosuppressive therapy that progresses to pathology.


Given i.i.d samples from some unknown continuous density on hyper-rectangle $[0, 1]^d$, we attempt to learn a piecewise constant function that approximates this underlying density non-parametrically. Our density estimate is defined on a binary split of $[0, 1]^d$ and built up sequentially according to discrepancy criteria; the key ingredient is to control the discrepancy adaptively in each sub-rectangle to achieve overall bound. We prove that the estimate, even though simple as it appears, preserves most of the estimation power. By exploiting its structure, it can be directly applied to some important pattern recognition tasks such as mode seeking and density landscape exploration. We demonstrate its applicability through simulations and examples.


The environmental superiority of Total Intravenous Anaesthesia (TIVA) compared to inhaled agents has been recognised by ANZCA in a 2019 statement. Yet what about cost? Little current data has been published on this topic. We conducted a cost analysis and audit of propofol use in 71 endoscopy cases (colonoscopy/gastroscopy), taking into account the cost of adjuncts (syringes, tubing, and discarded propofol). We then compared these to calculated costs of the same cases performed with sevoflurane anaesthesia. In terms of the agent, propofol was 35% cheaper, costing $1.60 for an average endoscopy compared to a sevoflurane cost of $2.46. Including the cost of adjuncts (including a laryngeal mask airway for sevoflurane anaesthesia), endoscopy cases with propofol infusions were 80% cheaper than the same case performed under sevoflurane general anaesthesia ($3.08 vs $15.48). Although pricing may vary from hospital to hospital, our data suggests choosing propofol costs less in endoscopy.


In this paper, we consider the interference-mitigation based cognitive radio (CR) model where the CR and primary users can coexist at the same time and frequency bands, under the constraint that the primary rate remains the same with the single-user decoder. To meet such a coexistence constraint, the unidirectional cooperation from the CR user is performed by relaying the primary user's signal. We propose a new CR transmission scheme where both the CR transmitter and receiver help relaying the PR signals under the half-duplex constraints. Compared to the previous scheme with only CR transmitter cooperation, the additional cooperation from CR receiver not only provides diversity but a "clean" relaying without interference from the CR. The numerical examples show that the proposed scheme provides significant rate gains over that with only CR transmitter cooperation.


OBJECTIVES
The aim of this prospective study was to compare the impact of using two-dimensional (2D) panoramic radiographs and three-dimensional (3D) cone beam CT for the surgical treatment planning of impacted maxillary canines.

METHODS
This study consisted of 32 subjects (19 females, 13 males) with a mean age of 25 years, referred for surgical intervention of 39 maxillary impacted canines. Initial 2D panoramic radiography was available, and 3D cone beam CT imaging was obtained upon clinical indication. Both 2D and 3D pre-operative radiographic diagnostic sets were subsequently analysed by six observers. Perioperative evaluations were conducted by the treating surgeon. McNemar tests, hierarchical logistic regression and linear mixed models were used to explore the differences in evaluations between imaging modalities.

RESULTS
Significantly higher confidence levels were observed for 3D image-based treatment plans than for 2D image-based plans (p < 0.001). The evaluations of canine crown position, contact relationship and lateral incisor root resorption were significantly different between the 2D and 3D images. By contrast, pre- and perioperative evaluations were not significantly different between the two image modalities.

CONCLUSIONS
Surgical treatment planning of impacted maxillary canines was not significantly different between panoramic and cone beam CT images.


We are in the conviction that the loss of modern world is education and educator due to the deficiency in the education methods or the methods that are not responding to the needs of the age. The current era is full of controversies one of the biggest is related with education. While Southeast hemisphere falls back to the necessary education methods and systems, the other hemisphere faces another drawback of departing from universal values with the struggle of responding the needs of modern era. All these current problems are reasoning from incorrectly interpreting the needs of century. However, the solution way is hidden in the problem itself – good education. Whenever the minds of young brains are not lit adequately, opinions and beliefs have met with constant dispute that followed hatred among generations and nations. Such vicious circles have reasoned from ignorance and not been educated well. The main source of solution for the future of globe lies in founding and opening schools at every corner of the world which are devoted to universal values and respectful to all humankind and opinions. With the help of these institutions and devoted educators, mobilization should be declared against ignorance, intolerance and unrespectfulness toward universal values and besides preconceived ideas should be subject to critics so as to give and acquire an innovative viewpoint in such concepts and sciences.


This paper presents a method of shoal motion with an effective leadership of autonomous virtual fish. Shoal motion is led by a leader and computed by five steering behavior vectors including cohesion, separation, velocity, escape and goal vectors. Through experiments, we demonstrate that a leader of the motion simulation has great effect in leadership and great accuracy to guide the group.


We explored the effect of high‐growth temperatures on a dominant North American boreal tree, black spruce [Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.]. In 2004 and 2005, we grew black spruce at either 22 °C/16 °C day/night temperatures [low temperature (LT)] or 30°/24 °C [high temperature (HT)] and determined how temperature affected growth, leaf morphology, photosynthesis, respiration and thermotolerance. HT spruce were 20% shorter, 58% lighter, and had a 58% lower root : shoot ratio than LT trees. Mortality was negligible in the LT treatment, but up to 14% of HT seedlings died by the end of the growing season. HT seedlings had a higher photosynthetic temperature optimum, but net photosynthesis at growth temperatures was 19–35% lower in HT than LT trees. HT seedlings had both a lower apparent maximum ribulose‐1,5‐bisphosphate carboxylation capacity (Vcmax) and a lower apparent maximum electron transport rate (Jmax) than LT trees, indicating reduced allocation to photosynthetic components. Consistently, HT needles had 26% lower leaf nitrogen content than LT needles. At each measurement temperature, HT seedlings had 20–25% lower respiration rates than LT trees; however, this did not compensate for reduced photosynthetic rates at growth temperature, leading to a greater ratio of dark respiration to net carbon dioxide assimilation rate in HT trees. HT needles had 16% lower concentrations of soluble sugars than LT needles, but similar starch content. Growth at high temperatures increased the thermotolerance of black spruce. HT trees showed less PSII inhibition than LT seedlings and no increase in electrolyte leakage when briefly exposed to 40–57 °C. While trees that develop at high temperatures have enhanced tolerance for brief, extreme heat events, the reduction in root allocation indicates that seedlings will be more susceptible to episodic soil drying and less competitive for belowground resources in future climates of the boreal region.


Modern Warehouse-Scale Computers (WSCs), composed of many generations of servers and a myriad of domain specific accelerators, are becoming increasingly heterogeneous. Meanwhile, WSC workloads are also becoming incredibly diverse with different communication patterns, latency requirements, and service level objectives (SLOs). Insufficient understanding of the interactions between workload characteristics and the underlying machine architecture leads to resource over-provisioning, thereby significantly impacting the utilization of WSCs.We present Autonomous Warehouse-Scale Computers, a new WSC design that leverages machine learning techniques and automation to improve job scheduling, resource management, and hardware-software co-optimization to address the increasing heterogeneity in WSC hardware and workloads. Our new design introduces two new layers in the WSC stack, namely: (a) a Software-Defined Server (SDS) Abstraction Layer which redefines the hardware-software boundary and provides greater control of the hardware to higher layers of the software stack through stable abstractions; and (b) a WSC Efficiency Layer which regularly monitors the resource usage of workloads on different hardware types, autonomously quantifies the performance sensitivity of workloads to key system configurations, and continuously improves scheduling decisions and hardware resource QoS policies to maximize cluster level performance. Our new WSC design has been successfully deployed across all WSCs at Google for several years now. The new WSC design improves throughput of workloads (by 7-10%, on average), increases utilization of hardware resources (up to 2x), and reduces performance variance for critical workloads (up to 25%).


This book review was written to endorse Legal Reference for Librarians: How and Where to Find the Answers by Paul D. Healey. In eight years of library experience I have witnessed how reference librarians handle legal questions. This book explains not only our legal system but also what constitutes legal advice and what does not with easy to understand examples. In addition, each state is included with helpful resources. As librarians, we can say we can't give legal advice but we should never just dismiss our patrons because we are unprepared for legal questions. I would make the argument that at the minimum every library should own this book.


Abstract A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to synthesize data on HIV prevalence in individuals with first-episode psychosis (FEP) and to provide an overview of the association of HIV with clinical variables of FEP. Electronic databases were searched for quantitative studies published from January 1986 to November 2019. Meta-analyses were undertaken to calculate the pooled HIV/FEP proportion based on random effects modeling with inverse variance method. Seven HIV/FEP studies from sub-Sahara Africa (SSA) met inclusion criteria. The prevalence of HIV in FEP ranged from 24% to 40%, and FEP in people living with HIV (PLWHIV) ranged from 17% to 29%. The pooled proportion of HIV in FEP was 26% (95% confidence interval [CI], 10%–43%), with significant heterogeneity (n = 3, I2 = 89%, p < 0.01), and of FEP in PLWHIV was 23% (95% CI, 15%–32%), without significant heterogeneity (n = 3, I2 = 0%, p = 0.43). There are concerning levels of HIV and FEP comorbidity in SSA, necessitating an integrated health care service.


The European power balancing markets undergo disruptive changes due to the new European regulations. The commission regulation "establishing a guideline for electricity balancing" (GLEB) gives guidance to integrate markets in Europe. Intermediate harmonization of products for balancing services is scheduled already in 2018. The situation for concerned system operators, balance service providers and balance responsible parties in Europe will change. This paper presents an investigation of current differences in national power balancing markets and potential barriers for the integration. A systematic comparison of market designs and reserve controller set-ups with the predefined choices of the upcoming guideline took place. Identified barriers for the harmonization are differences in reserve controller set-ups and activation strategies. The task is to agree on common power balancing products, full activation time of all reserve types, prequalification requirements for service provider and rules for cross-border balancing.


Coral trout grouper (Plectropomus leopardus) is the prospective aquaculture commodities with a high demand. Fingerling culture is the one of shortly rearing time methods for grow out in net-cages in order to produce continuously. Two hundred fishes with initial total length 16.6±0.5 cm and 72.2±7.6 g of body weight were stocked in each of three of concrete tanks of 4m3 seawater. Water replace as a treatment was applied i.e. A (200%/day), B (300%/day) and C (400%/day).respectively. Feeding frequency of pellet was done twice a day of about 3 - 5% of body weight. Survival and growth of fishes were monitored during two-month period. The result showed that the different percentage of water replace had a significant role in increasing the growth and survival rate of the fishes. Water replaced of 400% daily (treatment C) gave the best survival rate (97%) and growth performance (TL 21.61±0,54 cm; BW 156.84±1.05 g). In contrast, the treatment B (300%/day) and A (200%/day) resulted in a lower survival and growth , i.e. (SR 95.5%; TL 19.51±0.52 cm; BW 140.96±0.08 g) and A (SR 93%; TL 19.08±0.30 cm; BW 132.2±2.65 g)., respectively. Keywords: Coral trout grouper, growth, survival rate, water exchange


Flexible fixturing is a necessary aspect of FMS and CIMS. Computer–aided fixture design (CAFD) has become a research focus in implementing FMS and CIMS. Although modular fixtures have been used in industry as flexible fixtures, there are some limitations in large–batch and mass productions where dedicated fixtures are utilised. By combining CAFD with 3–D lithographic and/or CNC machining techniques, customised fixtures can be rapidly designed and fabricated to reduce manufacturing lead–time. In this paper, an automated customised fixture design system is introduced. Based on fixture structure analysis, fixtures are divided into functional components, fixture bases, and supporters of connections. A geometry–element generator is designed to adaptively generate fixture components with dimensions according to workpiece geometry and operational information. Locator/clamp selection is automatically conducted with connections to a fixture base. Once fixture units have been designed individually, the connections may be modified into combined units based on certain criteria. Interference checking and fixture unit modifications are also automatically performed in the system. Fixture design examples are given at the end of the paper.


Mangroves are recognized as a provider of a variety of products and essential ecosystem services that contribute significantly to the livelihood of local communities. However, over the past decades, mangroves in many tropical areas including the Takalar district, South Sulawesi have degraded and decreased mainly due to conversion to aquaculture. Currently, little is known about the economic benefits of commercialization of aquaculture as compared to those derived from mangroves in the form of products and services. Here, we estimate the Total Economic Value (TEV) of mangrove benefits in order to compare it with the benefit value of commercial aquaculture. Market prices, replacement costs, benefit transfer value and Cost-Benefit Analyses (CBA) have been used for value determination and comparison. The results show that the per year TEV of mangroves in the study area (Takalar district, South Sulawesi) was in the range of 4370 thousands USD (kUSD) to 10,597 kUSD or 4 kUSD to 8 kUSD per hectare (the highest value contribution derived from the indirect use value (94%)), whereas commercial aquaculture had a net benefit value of 228 kUSD or 3 kUSD per hectare. In addition, the comparison of Net Present Value (NPV) between the benefit value of mangroves and that of commercial aquaculture revealed that conversion of mangroves into commercial aquaculture was not economically beneficial when the analysis was expanded to cover the costs of environmental and forest rehabilitation.


MAFB is a basic leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factor specifically expressed in macrophages. We have previously identified MAFB as a candidate marker for tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in human and mouse models. Here, we analyzed single-cell sequencing data of patients with lung adenocarcinoma obtained from the GEO database (GSE131907). Analyzed data showed that general macrophage marker CD68 and macrophage scavenger receptor 1 (CD204) were expressed in TAM and lung tissue macrophage clusters, while transcription factor MAFB was expressed specifically in TAM clusters. Clinical records of 120 patients with lung adenocarcinoma stage I (n = 57), II (n = 21), and III (n = 42) were retrieved from Tsukuba Human Tissue Biobank Center (THB) in the University of Tsukuba Hospital, Japan. Tumor tissues from these patients were extracted and stained with anti-human MAFB antibody, and then MAFB-positive cells relative to the tissue area (MAFB+ cells/tissue area) were morphometrically quantified. Our results indicated that higher numbers of MAFB+ cells significantly correlated to increased local lymph node metastasis (nodal involvement), high recurrence rate, poor pathological stage, increased lymphatic permeation, higher vascular invasion, and pleural infiltration. Moreover, increased amounts of MAFB+ cells were related to poor overall survival and disease-free survival, especially in smokers. These data indicate that MAFB may be a suitable prognostic biomarker for smoker lung cancer patients.


Eastern Thailand needs for water increases daily due to population growth, economic developments, and urbanization. The main source of water in the region is mainly from the rain. Therefore, understanding of rainfall pattern in this region is required to support the planning of water management. In this study, the patterns of rainfall in eastern Thailand are analyzed by using statistical analysis. The data used from 15 rain gauge stations (the period in 1969-2008) of Thai Meteorological Department (TMD). The 40year average of rainfall is found 1921mm.The region has abundant of rainfall during May to September due to Southwest monsoon, especially in windward location. The highest of rainfall and rain day found in August at Khlong Yai with exceeding 1000mm and exceed 25day, respectively. The results show yearly rainfall has been a tendency to decrease. The significant correlation between monthly rainfall and ENSO indices has the largest number in the transitional period (April, May, and October).


The main objective of this article is to examine the economic and social implications of the migration of female workers from a village in Sri Lanka to Western Asia. "The paper examines firstly, the new dependent village economy that has emerged during the past decade and its main characteristics and secondly, the nature of the new local social order that has come into being."


This study was carried out to establish the composition of an anti-freezing diluent (AFD) which can prevent the freezing of liquid disinfectants during winter. Freezing points of AFDs were measured to -30°C by varying the composition ratio of ethanol (EtOH) and propane-1,2-diol (PG), and the AFD composited with 15% EtOH and 30% PG did not freeze at -30°C. Additionally, the virucidal efficacy of nine commercially available disinfectants against foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) was evaluated at three different reaction temperatures and two contact times. At 4°C for 30 min, seven disinfectants were effective against FMDV (> 4 log10 reduction), while only one disinfectant belonging to the oxidizing agents was effective against FMDV at both -10 and -20°C for 15 minutes.


Different treatments were applied to Campylobacter jejuni-inoculated unpasteurized milk to identify means of enhancing the survival of the organism in refrigerated (4 degrees C) samples. The greatest survival occurred in milk supplemented with 0.01% sodium bisulfite and held under an atmosphere of 100% nitrogen (bisulfite-nitrogen), in most instances allowing isolation of C. jejuni from highly contaminated milk 15 or more days longer than from unsupplemented milk held in air (21% oxygen). Although a larger amount of Campylobacter was consistently recovered from milk treated with bisulfite-nitrogen, similar isolation rates (qualitative) resulted from milk stored in air and supplemented with 0.01% sodium bisulfite and 0.15% sodium thioglycolate when analyzed within 12 days after sampling. Milk samples to be transported and assayed at a later date would best be held refrigerated (4 degrees C) and supplemented with 0.01% sodium bisulfite and either 0.15% sodium thioglycolate or an atmosphere of 100% nitrogen.


In this paper a new equalizer for Single Carrier FDMA (SCFDMA)[1][2] is described. This signal is currently proposed for mobile radio uplink communications in 3G Long Term Evolution (3G LTE). In this system, equalization is performed thanks to the addition of a Cyclic Prefix (CP), as in OFDM system, and pilots regularly inserted for channel estimation which leads to the useful throughput degradation. To reduce this degradation a new structure of blind time domain equalizer, shared in two parts, is proposed in this paper : The filtering itself which is a linear time domain filtering performed before any demodulation device in the receiver side, and the MMSE criterion algorithm performed in the time domain after user selection and demodulation. The results are very convincing both in terms of Mean Square Error and in throughput gain compared to the performances of Zero-Forcing technique(ZF) used in literature.


In this note we analyse the Exceptional Component of the space of integrable forms of degree two, introduced by Cerveau-Lins Neto, in terms of the geometry of Veronese curves and classical invariant theory.


Synthesis of the three vitellogenin polypeptides (molecular weights of 44,000, 45,000, and 46,000) of Drosophila melanogaster has been analyzed in vivo and in a cell-free system. After labeling periods in vivo, the three vitellogenin polypeptides were made as the principal synthetic products of the female fat body. During a short (0.5 min) labeling period, they were identified as discrete species on two-dimensional gels. Two of the polypeptides have molecular weights of 45,000 and a third has a molecular weight of 44,000. After longer labeling periods (5-45 min) the three mature vitellogenins appeared. Both immunoprecipitation and peptide mapping confirmed that the species labeled at 0.5 min are immature forms of the vitellogenin polypeptides. In vitro translation of poly(A)-RNA from female fat body indicated another processing step in vitellogenin synthesis. Three polypeptides were obtained that were identified as precursors of the vitellogenins on the basis of immunoprecipitation and peptide mapping. Two of the translation products have a molecular weight of 46,000 and the third has a molecular weight of 45,000. Because the vitellogenins are secreted proteins, we interpret the higher molecular weight of the in vitro translation products as being due to signal peptides.


Fast and effectively disposable fashion has seen clothing reduced to transient items, worn for a short period of time then discarded. This has pushed down prices, moving textile and clothing production to low-cost labour countries and decimating the traditional Scottish
 textile economy. Fast fashion drives consumer demand for newness and uses finite resources that are damaging to the environment. In 2019, the pressure to move towards a more sustainable fashion and textile industry is intense. Traditional textile manufacture using natural, renewable sources
 that are inherently long-lasting offers a slow fashion alternative, epitomized by the Harris Tweed handweaver community in Scotland. Fashion has embraced digital, with growing online sales and increasing focus on digital content. This presents an opportunity to redress the balance by
 using technology to shape a sustainable future for traditional textiles. Utilizing an interpretive paradigm and inductive approach, an Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) funded networking grant is presented as a qualitative case study, investigating how immersive technologies can
 be used to safeguard the future of traditional textile products, to educate contemporary, global audiences on the provenance and human hand behind manufacturing processes and to encourage consumption of products with longevity. This explanatory case study finds that fashion brands are using
 immersive technologies for virtual changing rooms or creative customer experiences but are not exploiting the possibilities of immersive technologies in engendering a sense of place or people behind the product. Findings also reveal that the Harris Tweed Authority and Harris
 Tweed Hebrides brand successfully use landscape to convey a sense of place, but are under-utilizing the handwoven value and sustainable, slow fashion credentials of Harris Tweed. China is identified as a potential place for Harris Tweed to gain valuable market share, with increasingly
 wealthy Chinese Generation Z consumers seeking individual exclusivity and sustainability in their clothing purchases, criteria that embody Harris Tweed.


Aim: To find the association of postmenopausal bleeding with endometrial carcinoma. Study design: Cross-sectional analytical study Place and duration of study: Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Sahiwal Teaching Hospital and Medical College, Sahiwal from 1st January 2019 to 31 December 2021. Methodology: One hundred women suffering from post-menopausal bleeding were enrolled. An endometrial biopsy was used for removing a piece of the tissue from the inner lining of the uterus and was conducted in suspicious women for confirming endometrial carcinoma by microscopic histopathological reporting.The frequency of endometrial carcinoma in post-menopausal women was analyzed. Results: The mean age was 56.2+0.5 years. The recurrent bleeding was observed in 7% cases and obesity was seen in 50 cases. Transvaginal ultrasonography was performed on women due to high suspicions. Out of the total 8 cases, 87.5% had a uterine thickness >5mm with no history of hormone replacement therapy. Incidence of endometrial carcinoma was 7% among postmenopausal women. Conclusion: Postmenopausal bleeding was commonly observed in obese women and in those who were on hormonal replacement therapy. Incidence of endometrial carcinoma was 7% in postmenopausal bleeding females. Keywords: Endometrial carcinoma; Women; Diagnosis; Developed countries


Emulsions containing shrimp oil (SO) at varying amounts were prepared in the presence of red kidney bean protein isolate (KBPI) and κ-carrageenan (KC) at a ratio of 1:0.1 (w/w). The emulsions were subjected to ultrasonication and high-pressure microfluidization to assist the encapsulation process. For each sample, ultrasonication was carried out for 15 min in continuous mode at 80% amplitude, whereas high-pressure microfluidization was operated at 7000 psi for 10 min. Ultrasonicated and microfluidized emulsions were finally spray-dried to prepare KBPI-KC-SO microcapsules. Moderate to high encapsulation efficiency (EE) ranging from 43.99 to 89.25% of SO in KPBI-KC-SO microcapsules was obtained and the microcapsules had good flowability. Particle size, PDI and zeta potential of KBPI-KC-SO microcapsules were 2.58–6.41 µm, 0.32–0.40 and −35.95–−58.77 mV, respectively. Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) images visually demonstrated that the wall material/SO ratio and the emulsification method (ultrasonication vs microfluidization) had an impact on the size, shape and surface of the KBPI-KC-SO microcapsules. Encapsulation of SO in microcapsules was validated empirically using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis. Encapsulation of SO in KBPI-KC microcapsules imparted superior protection against oxidative deterioration of SO as witnessed by the higher retention of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and astaxanthin when compared to unencapsulated SO during extended storage at room temperature.


Introduction: Penile curvature can be corrected by plication of the tunica albuginea. Recurrence of curvature can be due to the suture line tearing through the tunica with repeated erection among other factors. With the suture line aligned with and parallel to the stronger outer longitudinal fibers of the tunica albuginea, those fibers are prone to splitting, with subsequent erections. Aim of Study: The present work describes the principle behind and result of Shaeer's Double-8 plication technique for correction of penile curvature aiming at a lower recurrence rate. Patients and Methods: Sixty patients with congenital penile curvature were randomized into the study group (SG, n=22), with curvature corrected by the "Shaeer's Double-8 technique", and the control group (CG, n=38) with curvature corrected by the 16-dot technique. Results: Average angle of erection before correction of curvature in the SG was 39.1 ± 8.4, compared to 34 ± 9 in the CG, p=0.31. Following correction, intra-operatively, the penis was straight in all patients. At final follow up (1-6 years (mean 3 ± 1.2)), no recurrences were observed in the SD, compared to the CG where 4/38 patients (10.5%) had a mild degree of recurrence (average angle of curvature 24.5 ± 5.6 degrees.) Conclusion: Shaeer's Double-Eight Plication Technique is a simple and safe technique for correction of penile curvature, with double interlocking figure-of-eight sutures that decrease the likelihood of splitting the tougher longitudinal fibers of the tunica albuginea, with a lower recurrence rate than alternative plication techniques.


We have investigated the stability of doxorubicin and daunorubicin complexes with Fe(3+) in aqueous solution. Doxorubicin and daunorubicin are anthracycline chemotherapeutic agents that differ structurally by the presence of a hydroxymethylketone functionality in doxorubicin versus a methyl ketone moiety in daunorubicin. We demonstrate that the presence of the hydroxyl group in doxorubicin enhances its 1:1 complexation with Fe(3+) relative to that seen for daunorubicin. We utilize UV-visible absorbance, circular dichroism, fluorescence and EPR spectroscopies, molecular dynamics, and semiempirical calculations to understand how the presence of an additional hydroxyl group affects the interactions of anthracyclines with Fe(3+). Our data indicate that the binding mode of iron in the complex is different for doxorubicin and daunorubicin.


The paper examines the processes of recognition and legitimization of traditional medicine in Ghana and indicates that in Ghana, indigenous medicine has been used as an instrument to help develop political consensus and consciousness and in the building of a national identity. The Ghanaian government recognizes traditional medicine and has a policy for the integration of indigenous medicine; the paper shows that the policy limits traditional medicine almost exclusively to herbal products and the scientific elements of it without taking in to consideration its other dimensions of treating illnesses. Thus the policy leads to bureaucratization of traditional medicine. The paper calls for a policy of integration that will promote a parallel and full development of both orthodox and indigenous therapeutic traditions to enable them to continue to provide the health care needs of the people.


Abstracts: AACR Special Conference on Tumor Metastasis; November 30-December 3, 2015; Austin, TX

TGFβ is considered as a strong inducer of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of tumor cells, promoting metastasis. Whereas acute TGFβ exposure induces growth arrest, chronic TGFβ exposure provokes invasive properties with resistance to TGFβ-induced growth arrest. However, the effect of chronic TGFβ exposure on acquired invasive characteristics of tumor cells is not fully determined.

We established a trans-differentiated (TD) A549 cell model by chronic exposure of TGFβ1, with clear EMT phenotypes including high invasiveness. Of interest, elevated invasiveness of TD cells after additional TGFβ1 treatment was achieved even in the significantly downregulated Smad2/3 dependent signaling compared to control cells. We demonstrated that Snail and Slug, the expression of which was highly correlated with poor prognosis of lung cancer patients, were clearly increased in TD cells upon TGFβ1 stimulation due to high protein stability. The increased stability of Snail and Slug in TD cells was attributed to elevated inhibitory phosphorylation of GSK3β, which was caused by higher Akt activity. We demonstrated that dramatically increased integrin β3 by prolong TGFβ1 exposure was responsible for high activity of Akt and subsequent high protein stability of Snail and Slug. Thereby, our data suggest that targeting of integrin β3-mediated signaling would be a potential therapeutic strategy to inhibit invasive properties of TGFβ-stimulated lung cancer.

Citation Format: Gab-Yong Bae, Hyuk-Jin Cha. Sustained exposure to TGFβ1 increases the stability of Snail and Slug via integrin β3-Akt-GSK3β signaling, facilitating tumor cell invasion. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Tumor Metastasis; 2015 Nov 30-Dec 3; Austin, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(7 Suppl):Abstract nr B54.


This article deals with approaches to establishment of the collateral. Registration in public registers is a precondition to establish a mortgage and a commercial pledge, where the first one is recorded in the Land Register, while the second – in the Register of Commercial Pledges. Unlike the mortgages, execution of rights to a commercial pledge depends not only on registration, but also on whether a pledgee has taken actual possession of property. Taking of possession has not been expressly set forth by Latvian laws. It is necessary to specify the moment in legal acts when the pledged property was actually taken into possession. The subject of a mortgage is immovable property. The subject of a commercial pledge is movable property. Immovable property cannot be the subject of a commercial pledge. Distinction between movable and immovable property may lead to a situation when a holder of the commercial pledge loses the collateral due to the fact that the subject of pledge, once moveable, has turned into immovable property. The collateral is also endangered by the fact that public reliability is not necessarily always attributed to all public registers in all situations. Legal regulation of the register of commercial pledges more corresponds with the principle of public reliability. This principle, however, is not clearly defined for land registers and is variously interpreted by courts, thus leaving negative influence upon the stability of pledge rights. It is highlighted in Latvian law that existence of the collateral depends on whether there is a claim secured by a pledge (accessoriness). Current practise differs from that in the interwar period in Latvia. The difference lies within such secured claims that cannot be executed by force due to the limitation period or other reasons. Such changes in practise have led to the situation when secured claims may not be executed in case of insolvency of a debtor if the creditor has been in default to apply his claim within the term set by the insolvency administrator.


The observations of Harper (15, 16, 17) on Sphœrotheca, Erysiphe and Pyronema , have clearly shown that some at least of the Ascomycetes exhibit an ordinary sexual process. It is true that attempts have been made by Dangeard (10) to refute Harper's observations, and doubt has been cast on his work by Lindau (22), Holtermann (18), and other; but the recent very convincing work of Claussen (8a) on Boudiera , together with the strong circumstantial evidence obtained by Barker (1 and 2) in Monascus and Ryparobius , by Miss Dale (9) in Gymnoascus , and by Baur (3, 4), and Darbishire (10a) in lichens, and, also, the confirmation by ourselves (7) of Harper's work on Sphœrotheca , leave no doubt that the sexuality of the Ascomycetes is founded on a firm basis. The earlier non-cytological observations of a number of forms, however, have shown clearly that the existence of a normal sexual process can hardly be expected in all the Ascomycetes. For example, in Melanospora parasitica Kihlmann (20) observed the development of the archicarp into the perithecium without the intervention of an anteridium; in Chœtomium , Oltmanns (24) found that the anteridium was usually absent; in Ascobolus , the earlier observations of Woronin (25) and Janczewski (10), and the later observations of Harper (16), brought to light no definite anteridium. Again, among the lichens, according to the observations of Funfstuck (13), in Peltigera and Peltidea the ascogonia are without trichogynes; and Solorina saccata , according to Baur's (4) researches, seems clearly to develop without any ordinary fertilisation. It is obviously, then, very desirable that the cytology of some member of the Ascomycetes, the ascocarp of which develops without fertilisation by an anteridium, should be carefully investigated. The form here studied is of this type and hence is of peculiar interest.


The issue of public spaces in Congo-Brazzaville is at the heart of municipal political debates. At the level of public transport, the management of public spaces remains above all in the hands of the mayor's office and municipal councillors. The agreements between these authorities and the contractors running public transport only partially meet public service objectives. Certain public spaces appear as niches for public transport: parking lots. Two types of parking can be identified: the private parking lots of public and private administrations and public parking lots. The second case is the focus of this study. To date, the legal and regulatory void regarding the management of public spaces and the priority plan on public transport does not include the regulation of public parking lots in the major cities of Congo. Public spaces have become a locus for the development of economic activities. Public transport parking areas are privatized by social actors and increasingly appear as new forms of survival strategies. The occupation of the street (bus and taxi terminals and parking places) under various mobile and sedentary, temporary and permanent forms, makes parking lots a focus of study as a territory for informal activities and the continuity of traffic functions, as well as the failure to manage public spaces properly. Public transport management planning is not a matter of payment of road and parking taxes alone.


The main objective of this study was to use a wide range of selected variables to establish the drivers, as well as test the validity and adequacy of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and Procedural Justice Theory (PJT) in explaining tax compliance behavior among medium and large corporate taxpayers in Kenya. A Structural Equation Model was built using survey data on 142 business tax payers. The study examines the influence of measures of perceived behavioral control, subjective norms, procedural justice measures; tax system attributes (fairness, complexity, compliance costs as well as international compatibility) on tax compliance behavior, while controlling for hypothesized influence of firm size, age, sector and legal structure. The results indicate that tax compliance behavior significantly improves with increased perceived behavioral control, but declines significantly with increase in tax compliance costs. In addition, tax compliance increases as firm size increases. Keywords: Tax Compliance Behaviour, Theory of Planned Behaviour, Income Tax, Corporate Taxpayers, Kenya


Drugs administered for anesthesia can trigger seizure attacks in patients with epilepsy. Benzodiazepines have been consistently reported to be anticonvulsants, and a novel benzodiazepine, remimazolam, was recently introduced. We report a case of total intravenous anesthesia maintained with remimazolam in a patient with epilepsy who underwent deep brain stimulation of both anterior thalamic nuclei. Despite the administration of multiple anti-epileptic drugs, no tolerance to remimazolam was observed. Perioperative seizures were also not observed. Remimazolam can be considered the anesthetic of choice in patients with epilepsy.