The purpose of the research is determine the feasibility of the student worksheet based on soft skills on the subject matter of colloids in terms of content validity and construct through the results of expert validation, practicality through student activities and student responses and effectiveness through student learning outcomes and the assessment of students' soft skills. This type of research is a 4-P model development research with stages, namely, defining, designing, developing, and dessiminate, which is limited to the development stage. A limited trial was conducted to 15 students of 11th grade in SMA Negeri 1 Bangsal Mojokerto. The results showed that the worksheet developed valid in terms of content validity obtained a percentage of 91.76% and construct validity obtained a percentage of 92.49%. Practical in terms of the results of student responses to the worksheet obtained a percentage of 97.16% and supported by observations of activities students get a percentage of 92.27%. Effectiveness in terms of student learning outcomes obtained a value of ≥ 70 with classical completeness of 100% and the assessment of soft skills of students gained a percentage of 92.41% so that students have the ability to entrepreneurship.


Spleen cells from a rat immunized with mouse cerebellar cells were fused with mouse myeloma cells. One of the hybridomas secreted a monoclonal antibody that reacts with a surface antigen on vascular endothelial cells. The antibody stained endothelial cells lining blood vessels in brain, heart, lung, kidney, and liver. It did not, however, stain endothelial cells lining hepatic sinusoids. Parenchymal cells were always negative. So far, an antigen of similar tissue distribution has not been described in the mouse and we have called it mouse endothelial surface antigen-1 (MESA-1). The antibody could be used as a highly specific usefulness for identifying endothelium-derived cells in culture has been demonstrated on cultures of dissociated mouse cerebellum, where it stained a subclass of fibronectin-expressing cells.


Design and implementation of a hybrid energy scavenging integrated circuit (IC) is presented which includes an asynchronous self-powered analog sensor-data-logger (SDL) unit and a 13.56 MHz radio-frequency (RF) programming interface. The SDL unit operates on an event-based analog self-powering technique where the energy for sensing, computation and non-volatile storage is harvested directly from the signal being sensed. By exploiting operational primitives inherent in a controlled hot-electron injection mechanism, the SDL unit eliminates the need for voltage regulation, energy storage, ADCs, MCUs and RAMs which are commonly used in traditional energy scavenging sensors. Remote programming and data interrogation of the SDL unit are performed using an integrated 13.56 MHz RF back-telemetry interface. The interface consists of a 6-instruction set digital command and control unit based on a token-ring architecture; a high-voltage generator for programming floating-gate (FG) transistors; and an RF front-end unit for communicating with an external reader. We show that the self-powered design is suitable for integration with electro-capacitive transducers (e.g., piezoelectric transducers) that can generate open-load voltages greater than 5 V and drive currents less than 200 nA. Measured results from prototypes fabricated in a 0.5-μ m standard CMOS process demonstrate that the IC consumes less than 90 nA in the self-powering mode and less than 200 μW of power in the RF-powering mode with an interrogation distance up to 40 mm. By combining self-powering and RF-powering, we show that the sensor experiences minimum down-time and can continuously monitor and record level-crossing statistics of different attributes of sensor signals.


Do students evaluate instruction differently depending on their understanding of the intended use of the results? Rating theory and results from related research led to the prediction that ratings would be more lenient when students were informed that the results would be used for tenure, salary, or promotion purposes, than when told that the results would be used only by the instructor for improvement. Data were collected in 16 classes in spring 1974, and from 25 classes the following fall semester. Every other student in each class received alternate directions. In general, the differences due to the different directions were not especially large or consistent.


Weeds are the most common pests, which interfere with turfgrass establishment and uniformity lowering functional and aesthetic quality of lawns. Killing weed seeds or suppressing their germination is necessary before establishing new lawn to prevent weeds from gaining a foothold hence, giving turfgrass a competitive advantage.  A field study was conducted at Bukura Agricultural College, Kenya, to explore the potential of biofumigation with African spider plant (Cleome gynandra) as an environmentally friendly alternative to use of synthetic herbicides for establishment of weed-free Paspalum notatum turfgrass. Biofumigation with chopped C. gynandra plants at flowering stage, incorporated into the soil at the rates of 4, 6 and 8 kg m-2, respectively, and was compared with Basamid® (97% Dazomet) at 0.029 kg m-2 and untreated negative control in a randomized complete block design experiment. C. gynandra at rates of 6 or 8 kg m-2 was as effective as Basamid® at 0.029 kg m-2 in significantly suppressing Galinsoga parviflora, Galinsoga ciliata and Bidens pilosa weed populations and reducing weed infestation. Other weed species occurred in the experimental plots in insignificant populations.  The results of this study demonstrated that C. gynandra has potential for use as a biofumigant against weeds during lawn establishment.

 Key words: Cleome gynandra, biofumigation, environmentally friendly, weeds, herbicides, lawn.


Background: Enzalutamide is a non-steroidal anti-androgen drug used to treat prostate cancer. It is a potent androgen receptor (AR) antagonist, with an in vitro Lowest Observed Effect Concentration (LOEC) of 0.05 μM. In this study, we wanted to assess its utility as a model compound for future mechanistic studies aimed at delineating mechanism-of-action of anti-androgenic effects in the developing fetus. Methods: Enzalutamide in vitro activity was tested using an Androgen receptor reporter assay (AR-EcoScreenTM) and a steroidogenesis assay (H295R assay). For in vivo characterization, pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to 10 mg/kg bw/day enzalutamide from gestational day 7-21. At gestational day 21, enzalutamide exposure concentrations were measured both in amniotic fluids and fetal plasma, alongside Anogenital distance (AGD). Fetal testes were collected and for testosterone measurements and gene expression profiling. Results: Enzalutamide was a strong AR antagonist in vitro and we also observed disrupted androgen synthesis in the H295R steroidogenic assay with a LOEC of 3.1 μM. In utero exposure resulted in about 20% shorter anogenital distance (AGD) in male fetuses., as well as signs of dysregulated expression of the steroidogenic genes Star, Cyp11a1 and Cyp17a1 in the fetal testes at gestational day 21. Intra-testicular testosterone levels were unaffected. Conclusions: Based on these observations, together with in vitro LOECs and the fetal plasma levels of enzalutamide, we propose that the effect on male AGD was caused by AR antagonism rather than suppressed androgen synthesis. Due to the characteristic mechanism of action of enzalutamide, we suggest to use it as a new model compound in research on anti-androgenic environmental chemicals.


OBJECTIVE AND IMPORTANCEThe ability to diagnose peripheral nerve disorders is dependent on knowledge of the anatomic course and function of the nerves in question. The classic teaching regarding the suprascapular nerve (SScN) is that it has no cutaneous branches, despite the fact that a cutaneous branch was first reported in the anatomic literature 20 years ago. CLINICAL PRESENTATIONWe describe a case of a 35-year-old male patient who presented with right shoulder pain and atrophy and weakness of the right supra- and infraspinatus muscles. During the examination, he was also noted to have an area of numbness involving the right upper lateral shoulder region. Electrical study results were consistent with SScN entrapment at the suprascapular notch. INTERVENTIONThe patient underwent surgical decompression 7 months after the onset of his symptoms. The patient noted resolution of his shoulder pain immediately after the procedure, and his shoulder sensory disturbance had improved by 2 weeks. At 9 months after surgery, he remained pain-free, his shoulder sensation was normal, and his motor abnormalities had improved significantly. CONCLUSIONThis case provides clinical evidence for the presence of a cutaneous branch of the SScN, as described in cadaveric studies. Although shoulder numbness demands a search for alternative diagnoses, it does not necessarily exclude the diagnosis of SScN entrapment.


This article traces how Mexican American Studies (MAS) scholar activists led and supported a statewide movement for MAS in Texas. As a Xicana feminist scholar activist, Saldaña draws from her retrospective memory and personal archive of organizational notes, movement documents, personal testimonies before the State Board of Education, and photos, to document her journey within this epistemic justice movement. In doing so, she narrates the processes of creation/resistance that led to change in a state that has historically excluded Black, Brown, and Indigenous histories from school curricula. As a scholar activist involved in various parts of this movement, Saldaña also examines the various interconnected layers of this movement—from local efforts in San Antonio, where she teaches, to statewide organizing—to chronicle the institutional and grassroots processes that led to this historic victory in Texas.


Project SMILE with a HEART in Research desires to improve and develop a positive attitude in making and implementing research in SDO Camarines Sur. SMILE, which stands for Share, Mentor, Initiate, Learn, and Excel, were strategies done by the Division Research and Development CI team, with a positive outlook and insights that a researcher should possess HEART- Hardworking, Enthusiastic, Authentic, Resourceful, and Transformational. This study aims to determine the impact of the project in the Action Research (AR) competencies and initiatives of personnel. A descriptive-quantitative method was employed in discussing the responses. Quantitative data were derived from the researcher-made questionnaire. Total enumeration of 18 CI Teams of Class III served as respondents. Analyzed data revealed that before the implementation of the project, the competency level of researchers on the AR process is moderately competent, with strengths and challenges encountered in the AR process. The AR project is fairly difficult. The activities and strategies implemented, such as training, mentoring and coaching, visual management, mistake proofing, and simplified process, were extremely accepted and demonstrated that it was very effective, with 100% approval of researches submitted. Thus, the project implemented improves the research competencies of personnel, and it develops a positive attitude towards research undertakings. This was funded under the Basic Education Research Fund (BERF) through the Division/Region Research Committee and PPRD Region V.


Patients with different cancers, induced mostly by numerous mutagenic factors, present increased genetic susceptibility to mutagenic agents known as "hidden chromosomal instability". This type of genetic instability can be detected in vitro after treating chromosomes with clastogenic substances, for example by using "bleomycine test". The purpouse of our study was to evaluate a hidden chromosome instability in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of larynx (SCCL) and to establish correlations between genetic results and both histological grade of the tumor and clinical progression of disease. Cytogenetic analysis of 126 of patients diagnosed with SCCL and 98 of controls was performed in vitro on peripheral blood lymphocytes. The analysis of sensitivity to bleomycine of larynx cancer patients in relation to histological grade of the tumor proved, that increased numbers of chromosome breaks as well as and percentage of aberrant metaphases are correlated with the tumor grading. Mean number of chromosome breaks per cell (b/c) in patients with larynx cancer was 1,01 (+/- 0.43), while in the control group was 0.74 (+/- 0.29) per cell (chi2 p < 0.001). Percentage of aberrant metaphases (% am) in patients with SCCL was 42.18 (+/- 11.61) and 36.05 (+/- 10.22) in the control (chi2 p < 0.001). The group of hypersensitive patients (b/c > 1) consisted of 51.5% percent of larynx cancer patients, while in the control, hypersensitivity occurred only in 20.4% of subjects (chi2 p < 0.001). Possible chromosome instability (0.8 < b/c < 1) was found 11.9% patients with SCCL and in 20.4% of controls (not statistically significant). Increased sensitivity to bleomycine in patients with SCCL in comparison to the control group was found. Most sensitive to bleomycine was the group of patients diagnosed with SCCL graded G2 (Scheffe's test p < 0.05)


Mutations in GJB2, the gene encoding the protein Connexin 26, have been shown to account for as much as 50% of autosomal recessive, non-syndromic childhood hearing loss (ARNSHL). Early, correct diagnosis and intervention have greatly improved the possibilities for these children in learning and developing language skills. In recent years, many reports from varied parts of the world have described the local scene of mutations in Connexin 26. The prevalence differs with geographic location and assessment procedures. Mutations in Connexin 26 have until recently been identified in very few cases in Sweden, Norway and Denmark, and nationwide population samples have not been studied in the Scandinavian countries. In this study we present the results of a large nationwide and a regional study of the prevalence of the 35delG, L90P and 167delT mutations of the GJB2 gene in Sweden. A total of 2052 samples (dried blood spots) were analysed. 1501 samples were collected representing all of Sweden and 551 samples from northern Sweden. The allele frequencies in Sweden were found to be 35delG, 0.83%; L90P, 0.30%; and 167delT, 0%. The prevalence of mutations in Connexin 26 in Sweden seems to be comparable to that in other northern European countries.


Standing and de novo genetic variants can both drive adaptation to environmental changes, but their relative contributions and interplay remain poorly understood. Here we investigated the dynamics of drug adaptation in yeast populations with different levels of standing variation by experimental evolution coupled with time-resolved sequencing and phenotyping. We found a doubling of standing variation alone boost the adaptation by 64.1% and 51.5% in hydroxyuea and rapamycin respectively. The causative standing and de novo variants were selected on shared targets of RNR4 in hydroxyurea and TOR1, TOR2 in rapamycin. The standing and de novo TOR variants map to different functional domains and act via distinct mechanisms. Interestingly, standing TOR variants from two domesticated strains exhibited opposite resistance effects, reflecting lineage-specific functional divergence. This study provides a dynamic view on how standing and de novo variants interactively drive adaptation and deepens our understanding of clonally evolving diseases.


PURPOSE
To investigate the types and frequency of workplace violence experienced by radiologic technologists and to identify which technologists using specific imaging modalities are at increased risk.

METHODS
A mixed-methods approach was employed using a research electronic data capture (REDCap; Vanderbilt University) survey designed to establish information on radiologic technologists' self-reported experiences with workplace violence. The survey was distributed to a random sample of 10 000 radiologic technologists working with various imaging disciplines. Participants (N = 193) were asked questions regarding personal and employment demographics, experiences with violence, and reporting and education practices.

RESULTS
Radiologic technologists were shown to have experienced most workplace violence from patients or visitors. Among those surveyed, 50% or more reported being hit, bitten, called names, harassed, threatened, or having hair pulled by a patient. Verbal intimidation by patients, visitors, and others also was reported, with more than 50% experienced from visitors and more than 40% from patients, coworkers, radiologists, other physicians, or other health care providers. Statistical tests to evaluate a relationship between types of workplace violence and imaging modalities showed an association between name-calling by visitors and modality (P < .001). Results indicated that technologists performing computed tomography imaging, adult diagnostic imaging in the emergency department, and magnetic resonance imaging experienced the most frequent occurrences of name-calling by visitors.

DISCUSSION
Workplace violence, which can affect a person mentally, physically, and emotionally, might occur in any work environment. In the health care setting, radiologic technologists might experience workplace violence originating from coworkers, other health care professionals, patients, visitors, or a combination of these sources. Therefore, a health care organization's acknowledgment of workplace violence and their resolve to prevent or reduce its occurrence is important. Providing sufficient human resources and adequate workplace violence education courses might be the first steps in eliminating workplace violence in the health care environment.

CONCLUSION
Workplace violence creates an undesirable working environment, leading to negative implications for the health care worker and the patient. Education that details possible types of workplace violence and best practices for handling each type is key to protecting employees. This study provides a foundation for future quality improvement studies aimed at protecting the mental and physical health of imaging professionals.


Thermal expansion behavior was investigated for tangusten zirconium phosphate (Zr2(WO4)(PO4)2 (ZWP)) particulate filled poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK) composite. ZWP is known as ceramic filler with a negative thermal expansion. By incorporating ZWP with 40 volume %, the linear thermal expansion coefficient of the PEEK composite was reduced to almost same value (2.53 X 10-5 K-1) with that of aluminum. This decrease was found to be quite effective for the decrease of the residual stress at the interface between aluminum plate and the composite.


Face recognition remains a challenging problem especially when the face is occluded. Here we are using a new classification method termed Sparse Representation based Classification (SRC) to accurately recognize expressions under these conditions. A test vector is presentable as a linear combination of vectors from its own class and so its representation as a linear combination of all available training vectors is sparse. Efficient methods have been developed in the area of compressed sensing to recover this sparse representation. SRC gives state of the art performance on clean and noise corrupted images matching the recognition Crate obtained using Gabor based features. When test images are occluded by square black blocks, SRC improves significantly on the performance obtained using Gabor features; SRC increases the recognition rate by 6.6% when the block occlusion length is 30 and by 11.2% when the block length is 40.


Physical activity is believed to have the greatest effect on the skeleton if exerted early in life, but whether or not possible benefits of physical activity on bone microstructure or geometry remain at old age has not been investigated in women. The aim of this study was to investigate if physical activity during skeletal growth and young adulthood or at old age was associated with cortical geometry and trabecular microarchitecture in weight‐bearing and non–weight‐bearing bone, and areal bone mineral density (aBMD) in elderly women. In this population‐based cross‐sectional study 1013 women, 78.2 ± 1.6 (mean ± SD) years old, were included. Using high‐resolution 3D pQCT (XtremeCT), cortical cross‐sectional area (Ct.CSA), cortical thickness (Ct.Th), cortical periosteal perimeter (Ct.Pm), volumetric cortical bone density (D.Ct), trabecular bone volume fraction (BV/TV), trabecular number (Tb.N), trabecular thickness (Tb.Th), and trabecular separation (Tb.Sp) were measured at the distal (14% level) and ultra‐distal tibia and radius, respectively. aBMD was assessed using DXA (Hologic Discovery A) of the spine and hip. A standardized questionnaire was used to collect information about previous exercise and the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE) was used for current physical activity. A linear regression model (including levels of exercise during skeletal growth and young adulthood [10 to 30 years of age], PASE score, and covariates) revealed that level of current physical activity was independently associated with Ct.CSA (β = 0.18, p < 0.001) and Ct.Th (β = 0.15, p < 0.001) at the distal tibia, Tb.Th (β = 0.11, p < 0.001) and BV/TV (β = 0.10, p = 0.001) at the ultra‐distal tibia, and total hip aBMD (β = 0.10, p < 0.001). Current physical activity was independently associated with cortical bone size, in terms of thicker cortex but not larger periosteal circumference, and higher bone strength at the distal tibia on elderly women, indicating that physical activity at old age may decrease cortical bone loss in weight‐bearing bone in elderly women. © 2016 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.


This text takes online studies ''Ethics of the entry of Artificial
Intelligences in End-of- Life Sciences for a Programmed Death''.
All inter human encounters belong to the medical field of sensory
physics. It is defined from the sensory spheres, sensitive beings
crossing other sensitive humans, both being intuitive: hearing,
sight, touch and finally smell (olfaction, cf: Alain Corbin) and
taste. With DATAS and all A.I. where the «encounter effect» does
not give rise to apparent changes, the field of modifying effects is
almost real. The fact remains that any perception - regardless of
its space-time - gives rise to impressions recorded somewhere in
a body schema. And this is what we need to overcome by moving
from the «biological body» to a «virtual body» in order to establish
reliable data.


The forces of interaction between a silver-coated particle and a flat silver surface in an aqueous medium were measured in the presence of a series of organic amines of varying concentrations. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to quantify the replacement rate of adsorbed citrate molecules on the silver surfaces by a variety of amines, under conditions where the time scale of the amine adsorption was significantly slower than the time scale of the AFM measurements. The decay length of the electrostatic double-layer interaction between the silver surfaces was found to be time independent; thus, the change in surface change density (determined from the interaction forces) was used to quantify the replacement rate of adsorbed citrate by amine. In the absence of amine, the interaction force between the silver surfaces exhibited evidence of a multilayer structure of adsorbed citrate molecules on each silver surface. Upon addition of the amine, a decrease in the interaction force was always observed, where the dynamics of the force were dependent on both concentration and the molecular structure of the amine. These results are discussed with respect to formation of colloidal particles in synthesis routes where particle aggregation has a significant impact on the control of particle morphology and size.


The 0.99Bi0.5(Na0.78K0.22)0.5TiO3–0.01LaAlO3, 0.01LaMnO3 or 0.01LaFeO3 (0.99BNKT–0.01LA, 0.01LM or 0.01LF) ceramics were prepared by a conventional mixed mothod. The structure and morphology of the lead free ceramics were characterized by XRD (X-ray diffraction) and FE-SEM (field emission scanning electron microscopy). XRD results indicated that the BNKT ceramics modified by LA, LM or LF induced a transition from a ferroelectric tetragonal to a non-polar pseudo-cubic phase, leading to decrease in the remnant polarization (Pr) and coercive field (Ec) in the P-E hysterisis loops. The effects of the BNKT ceramics modified by La-based ABO3 pervskite structure on the electric-field induced strain were investigated, and the largest normalized unipolar strain (Smax/Emax) was found in BNKT-0.01LF ceramic.


Meloxicam 15 mg once daily (n = 128) was compared with piroxicam 20 mg (n = 127) in this 6 week, double-blind, parallel-group, randomized, multicentre study in out-patients with symptomatic osteoarthritis (OA) of the hip. Assessments of pain, global efficacy and global tolerance were made on a 10 cm horizontal visual analogue scale; severity of OA was evaluated by Lequesne's index. Efficacy results showed significant improvement compared with baseline, with no significant difference between meloxicam 15 mg and piroxicam 20 mg. The type and frequency of adverse events were comparable for the two drugs. The most frequent events reported were gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, occurring in 21 and 23% of meloxicam and piroxicam patients respectively. The global tolerance assessment by patients at the end of treatment favoured meloxicam. In conclusion, meloxicam at a dose of 15 mg/day is comparable in efficacy and safety to piroxicam 20 mg.


For developing model-based online applications such as condition monitoring and condition-based maintenance or real-time optimization, highly representative and yet simple physical models of centrifugal compressors are necessary. Previous investigations have shown that in this context meanline models represent a valid alternative to the commonly used empirical based modelling methodologies such as polynomial regression models or artificial neural networks.This paper provides a methodology for tailoring meanline models to multistage centrifugal compressors by appropriate selection and adaptation of loss correlations. Guidelines for the selection of the boundary conditions are also provided.The potential of the methodology is demonstrated in the Proof-of-concept section using two sets of data obtained from an air multistage centrifugal compressor operated in BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. The first set of data was used to calibrate the model whereas the second one was used for validation. The model results show that the predictions of stagnation temperature and pressure at the outlet of the stage deviate from the measurements respectively 0.15–3% and of 0.66–1.1% respectively. The results are discussed in the current paper.Copyright © 2013 by ASME


Abstract Interactions between environmental variables in anthropogenically disturbed environments and physiological traits of invasive species may help explain reasons for invasive species' establishment in new areas. Here we analyze how soil contamination along roadsides may influence the establishment of Conium maculatum (poison hemlock) in Cook County, IL, USA. We combine analyses that: (1) characterize the soil and measure concentrations of heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) where Conium is growing; (2) assess the genetic diversity and structure of individuals among nine known populations; and (3) test for tolerance to heavy metals and evidence for local soil growth advantage with greenhouse establishment experiments. We found elevated levels of metals and PAHs in the soil where Conium was growing. Specifically, arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) were found at elevated levels relative to U.S. EPA ecological contamination thresholds. In a greenhouse study we found that Conium is more tolerant of soils containing heavy metals (As, Cd, Pb) than two native species. For the genetic analysis a total of 217 individuals (approximately 20–30 per population) were scored with 5 ISSR primers, yielding 114 variable loci. We found high levels of genetic diversity in all populations but little genetic structure or differentiation among populations. Although Conium shows a general tolerance to contamination, we found few significant associations between genetic diversity metrics and a suite of measured environmental and spatial parameters. Soil contamination is not driving the peculiar spatial distribution of Conium in Cook County, but these findings indicate that Conium is likely establishing in the Chicago region partially due to its ability to tolerate high levels of metal contamination.


Free jejunal transfer is a useful alternative for the reconstruction of defects of the pharynx and cervical esophagus. We describe 17 patients who received free jejunal grafts between 1980 and 1984 at the Eastern Virginia Medical School. The rationale and indications for the procedure are discussed. We emphasize certain technical considerations and improvements.


We studied the plasmid profiles of 136 Shigella isolates in Bangladesh to determine whether plasmid profiles could be used for differentiation of strains for epidemiological studies. Many different plasmid patterns were observed within each species, indicating that many genetically different strains of Shigella are responsible for illness in Bangladesh.


The paper analyzes the institutional framework and the implementation of the European concept of sustainable development within migration flows. The key research method is factor analysis which is applied to describe the functioning of institutional and market initiatives in the course of establishing a sustainable development regime that absorbs migration flows. The main obstacles in this regard were: poor construction of today's market, the current public system of economic development regulation and low efficiency in absorption of migrant flows. Small countries will have to turn to macro- and microreforms and policies. The framework of sustainable development requires a new approach in the context of the Agenda 2030 will improve: (1) the socioeconomic climate for productive entrepreneurship and employment growth, (2) development of the innovation system under 3T, and (3) development of the economy overall.


INTRODUCTION :
The human small intestine is the site of digestion and absorption of major macro and micronutrients. Any abnormality which affects this part of bowel may lead to nutritional deficiencies as well as malabsorption syndrome. An important cause of malabsorption syndrome is Small Intestinal bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO). The bacterial count is extremely low in the stomach and small intestine. The normal count in stomach is 102-103 CFU/ml, in duodenum is 103 CFU/ml, in jejunum the count is < 104 CFU/ml and in ileum it's upto 107-109 CFU/ml.
SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) is defined as increased bacterial counts in the proximal small bowel ( jejunum and ileum). It is also defined as the replacement of normal small bowel bacteria with the colonic bacteria. SIBO is diagnosed by jejunal aspiration (gold standard) and various breath tests ( Hydrogen breath tests, C breath tests, lactulose breath tests, methane breath tests etc. ) The clinical manifestations of SIBO may range from asymptomatic stage to malabsorption syndrome.
Chronic pancreatitis has been defined as a clinical condition associated with morphological (fibrosis/calcification) of pancreas and/ or functional (exocrine and endocrine) insufficiency of the pancreas. SIBO has been reported in chronic pancreatitis and may be due to drugs (Proton pump inhibitors / analgesics), deficiency of pancreatic enzymes, impaired small bowel motility or surgery.
AIMS :
1. To determine the frequency of SIBO (Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) in chronic pancreatitis.
2. To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of GHBT (Glucose Hydrogen Breath Test) in SIBO (Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) by comparing it to jejunal aspirate culture (Gold standard).
CONCLUSION : SIBO was not uncommon in patients with chronic pancreatitis. SIBO was diagnosed in 1/3rd of patients with chronic pancreatitis.. GHBT can be used for diagnosis of SIBO and with a sensitivity of 62% and a specificity of 92% respectively.


We consider the problem of segmenting unformatted text and transcripts linearly based on their topical structure. While prior approaches explicitly train to predict segment boundaries, our proposed approach solves this task by inferring the hierarchical segmentation structure associated with the input text fragment. Given the lack of a large annotated dataset for this task, we propose a data curation strategy and create a corpus of over 700K Wikipedia articles with their hierarchical structures. We then propose the first supervised approach to generating hierarchical segmentation structures based on these annotations. Our method, in particular, is based on a neural conditional random field (CRF), which explicitly models the statistical dependency between a node and its constituent child nodes. We introduce a new data augmentation scheme as part of our model training strategy, which involves sampling a variety of node aggregations, permutations, and removals, all of which help capture fine-grained and coarse topical shifts in the data and improve model performance. Extensive experiments show that our model outperforms or achieves competitive performance when compared to previous state-of-the-art algorithms in the following settings: rich-resource, cross-domain transferability, few-shot supervision, and segmentation when topic label annotations are provided.


It has been recently realized that strong interactions in topological Bloch bands give rise to the appearance of novel states of matter. Here we study connections between these systems—fractional Chern insulators and the fractional quantum Hall states—via generalization of a gauge-fixed Wannier-Qi construction in the cylinder geometry. Our setup offers a number of important advantages compared to the earlier exact diagonalization studies on a torus. Most notably, it gives access to edge states and to a single-cut orbital entanglement spectrum, hence to the physics of bulk-edge correspondence. It is also readily implemented in the state-of-the-art density matrix renormalization group method that allows for numerical simulations of significantly larger systems. We demonstrate our general approach on examples of flat-band models on ruby and kagome lattices at bosonic filling fractions ν = 1/ 2a ndν = 1, which show the signatures of (non)-Abelian phases, and establish the correspondence between the physics of edge states and the entanglement in the bulk. Notably, we find that the non-Abelian ν = 1 phase can be stabilized by purely on-site interactions in the presence of a confining potential.


Traditional relational data interfaces require precise structured queries over potentially complex schemas. These rigid data retrieval mechanisms pose hurdles for non-expert users, who typically lack language expertise and are unfamiliar with the details of the schema.
 Query by Example
 (QBE) methods offer an alternative mechanism: users provide examples of their intended query output and the QBE system needs to infer the intended query. However, these approaches focus on the structural similarity of the examples and ignore the richer context present in the data. As a result, they typically produce queries that are too general, and fail to capture the user's intent effectively. In this paper, we present SQuID, a system that performs
 semantic similarity-aware query intent discovery
 . Our work makes the following contributions: (1) We design an end-to-end system that automatically formulates select-project-join queries in an
 open-world
 setting, with optional group-by aggregation and intersection operators; a much larger class than prior QBE techniques. (2) We express the problem of query intent discovery using a
 probabilistic abduction model
 , that infers a query as the most likely explanation of the provided examples. (3) We introduce the notion of an
 abduction-ready
 database, which precomputes semantic properties and related statistics, allowing SQuID to achieve real-time performance. (4) We present an extensive empirical evaluation on three real-world datasets, including user-intent case studies, demonstrating that SQuID is efficient and effective, and outperforms machine learning methods, as well as the state-of-the-art in the related query reverse engineering problem.


Microstructure, chemical and phase composition of the hard layer formed on the Ti-6Al-4V alloy after duplex surface treatment were investigated by light microscopy (LM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and analytical scanning, transmission and scanning transmission electron microscopy (SEM, TEM, STEM), electron diffraction and focused ion beam (FIB). Advanced electron microscopy techniques used for unambiguous identification of phases present in the surface multilayer are critically discussed. The relationship between multilayer micro/nanostructure containing several phases from the Ni-Ti-P-Al system and improved mechanical and tribological properties is established.


This paper presents a simple and novel sensorless scheme for five-phase induction motor control. The power measurement is used for speed computation. The drive is controlled using direct torque control (DTC). Speed sensorless control scheme is tested under speed variation and load changes. The control method is simulated and implemented in real time on the DS1103 board.


Previous studies have shown the presence of nitrated alpha-synuclein (alpha-syn) in human Lewy bodies and other alpha-syn inclusions. Herein, the effects of tyrosine nitration on alpha-syn fibril formation, lipid binding, chaperone-like function, and proteolytic degradation were systematically examined by employing chromatographically isolated nitrated monomeric, dimeric, and oligomeric alpha-syn. Nitrated alpha-syn monomers and dimers but not oligomers accelerated the rate of fibril formation of unmodified alpha-syn when present at low concentrations. Immunoelectron microscopy revealed that nitrated monomers and dimers are incorporated into the fibrils. However, the purified nitrated alpha-syn monomer by itself was unable to form fibrils. Nitration of the tyrosine residue at position 39 was largely responsible for decreased binding of nitrated monomeric alpha-syn to synthetic vesicles, which correlated with an impairment of the nitrated protein to adopt alpha-helical conformation in the presence of liposomes. The chaperone-like activity of alpha-syn was not inhibited by nitration or oxidation. Furthermore, the 20 S proteasome and calpain I degraded nitrated monomeric alpha-syn, although at a slower rate compared with control alpha-syn. Collectively, these data suggest that post-translational modification of alpha-syn by nitration can promote the formation of intracytoplasmic inclusions that constitute the hallmark of Parkinson disease and other synucleinopathies.


I read with interest the recent article by Ludgate et al, who reported on a large series of atypical Spitz tumors (ASTs), a subgroup of ambiguous tumors that have histologic features of Spitz nevi mixed with features of melanoma and, thus, are difficult to diagnose. In such patients, sentinel node biopsy has been proposed with the hypothesis that, if any metastasis is detected, then it represents proof that the lesion was malignant. To date, 117 patients with ASTs who underwent sentinel node biopsy have been reported, and 50 of those patients had lymph node lesions. Such melanocytic deposits have been interpreted mostly as micrometastases; however, because the possibility that they represent only benign nevi also was considered, the consequent discussion developed by the authors on this topic risks diminishing the possible diagnostic value of sentinel node biopsy in patients with these tumors. Undoubtedly, the incidence of melanocytic deposits in sentinel lymph nodes from patients with ASTs (42.7%) differs dramatically from that of lymph node nevi in sentinel lymph nodes from patients with melanoma (3.9%). However, because diagnostic criteria with which to differentiate lymph node micrometastases from lymph node nevi exist and seem to work, all lymph node lesions should be diagnosed using the same histologic criteria, irrespective of the diagnoses made on synchronous cutaneous tumors. In fact, it does not seem reasonable to diagnose a lymph node lesion as metastasis if the cutaneous lesion was labeled as melanoma and to diagnose a lymph node lesion that has the same characteristics differently if the cutaneous tumor was classified otherwise. If to diagnose a cutaneous tumor using data derived from a lymph node is illogical, then, in the same way, it must be illogical to use data derived from a cutaneous tumor to diagnose a lymph node lesion.


The aim of an observer (virtual sensor) is to estimate a special variable from available information and a system model. The vehicle sideslip angle and velocity of the centre of gravity (Vg) are the important parameters in the vehicle stability control system. Extended Luenberger observer, extended Kalman filter and sliding-mode observer (SMO) are the widely used to observe the two parameters. Chattering is usually caused by a sign function in the SMO, so a hyperbolic tangent switching function is used instead of the sign function to overcome the chattering problem in this paper. The SMO with the hyperbolic tangent switching function is used to estimate the tire-road forces, and then the sideslip angle and Vg are calculated using the single-track model. The accuracy and robustness of the proposed observer are proved by the results of the simulator ve-DYNA under different conditions.


This article extends the critique of the boundaryless career concept by focusing on how organizational members may experience boundaries as ambiguous within contemporary career development in organizations. As an alternative to the concept of the boundaryless career, we introduce that of the liminal career. We consider a liminal career as occurring when the normal career path within an organization becomes a state of 'betwixt and between', wherein distinctions between social domains and work roles become diffuse, indeterminate and difficult to comprehend. We engage with this concept in relation to three boundaries that remain central within career development: organizational boundaries establishing a distinction between that which is internal and external to the organization, hierarchical boundaries separating employees and managers, and functional boundaries demarcating different work domains. Using a case that illustrates how employees experience ambiguous organizational, hierarchical and functional boundaries, we argue that the concept of the liminal career captures the essence of situations in which there is a lack of clear categories, trajectories and schemes from which to structure career paths in organizations.


In many supercell simulations, near-ground vortex formation results from the collapse of an elongated region of enhanced vertical vorticity. In this study, this "roll-up" mechanism is analyzed by investigating the behavior of several 2D elliptic vortex patches. The problem is treated as a nonlinear initial value problem, which is better suited to describe the roll-up mechanism than the more commonly employed normal-mode analysis. Using the Bryan Cloud Model 1, it is demonstrated that the condition for vortex formation is an initial finite-amplitude nonuniformity within the vortex patch. Vortex formation results from differential self-advection due to the flow induced by the patch itself. Background straining motion may either aid or suppress vortex-patch axisymmetrization depending on the initial orientation of the patch relative to the deformation axis. It is also found that in some cases numerical dispersion may lead to nonuniformities that serve as seed for axisymmetrization, thus resulting in unphysical vortex development.


Geology and all geological structures are three-dimensional in space. Geology can be easily shown as four-dimensional when time is considered. Therefore GIS, databases, and 3D visualization software are common tools used by geoscientists to view, analyse, create models, interpret and communicate geological data. The NGU (Geological Survey of Norway) is the national institution for the study of bedrock, mineral resources, surficial deposits and groundwater and marine geology. The interest in 3D mapping and modelling has been reflected by the increase of number of groups and researches dealing with 3D in geology within NGU. This paper highlights 3D geological modelling techniques and the usage of these tools in bedrock, geophysics, urban and groundwater studies at NGU, same as visualisation of 3D online. The examples show use of a wide range of data, methods, software and an increased focus on interpretation and communication of geology in 3D. The goal is to gradually expand the geospatial data infrastructure to include 3D data at the same level as 2D.


The benefits and problems of home visiting with agency-sponsored family day care providers are illuminated in a study of the perceptions of both agency visitors and the providers.


In these years, synthesis and self-assembly of nanoparticles with various sizes, geometries and compositions have aroused great interest due to their scientific significance and potential applications. The nanoparticles with asymmetric structures are able to self-assemble into hierarchical structures for constructing functional materials. To investigate the self-assembly behaviors of the nano-sized asymmetric polymer particles, synthesis and self-assembly of twin single-chain nanoparticles (TSCNPs), a type of covalently bonded SCNPs, are reported in this research. A block copolymer with pendant anthracene groups and bromines on two blocks were synthesized by two-step reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization. After two-step intramolecular cross-linking reactions, anthracene photodimerization and atom transfer radical coupling, TSCNPs were prepared. The amphiphilic TSCNPs possess surfactant properties. Upon addition of the TSCNPs, the surface tension of water is reduced. In aqueous solution, the TSCNPs self-assemble into vesicles with the hydrophobic particles in the inner walls and the hydrophilic particles on the surfaces.


Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection drives the development of some head and neck cancer squamous cell carcinomas (HNSC). This disease is rapidly increasing in incidence worldwide. Although these tumors are sensitive to treatment, ~10% of patients fail therapy. However, the mechanisms that underlie treatment failure remain unclear. Here, we show that the oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) pathway is enriched in recurrent HPV-associated HNSC and may contribute to treatment failure. Nrf2-enriched HNSC samples from the Cancer Genome Atlas with enrichment in OXPHOS, fatty acid metabolism, Myc, Mtor, ROS, and glycolytic signaling networks exhibited worse survival. HPV-positive HNSC cells demonstrated sensitivity to the OXPHOS inhibitor, IACS-010759, in a Nrf2-dependent manner. Further, using murine xenograft models, we identified Nrf2 as a driver of tumor growth. Mechanistically, Nrf2 drives ROS and mitochondrial respiration, and Nrf2 is a critical regulator of redox homeostasis that can be crippled by disruption of OXPHOS. Nrf2 also mediated cisplatin sensitivity in endogenously overexpressing primary HPV-related HNSC cells. Cisplatin treatment demonstrated Nrf2-dependent synergy with OXPHOS inhibition. These results unveil a paradigm shifting translational target harnessing Nrf2-mediated metabolic reprogramming in HPV-related HNSC.


This article reflects on the role that Neotestamentica and colleagues of the New Testament Society of South Africa (NTSSA) have played in the academic life of the author. It began with the "Club of Ten" established with the aim of enabling attendance of international conferences. His research and broadening of interests were stimulated, more especially, through the cooperation in subgroups of the Society, resulting in the hosting of conference themes. Different phases in the changing scene of biblical interpretation are linked to publications, very often in Neotestamentica . As international contacts were actively cultivated by NTSSA members, increasing especially after 1994, collaboration between local and international colleagues (some of whom were in fact South Africans and members of the NTSSA teaching abroad) resulted in special conferences and dedicated publications.


The thesis deals with base station antennas and the environment they work in. Polarization diversity, dual band operation, and adaptive antenna systems are discussed with emphasis on how antennas for these applications should be designed.
We compare the polarization diversity performance of different types of dual polarized antenna elements. The scalar product of the far-field of the diversity channels is seen to be the key property of such antennas. Aperture coupled patches are seen to be superior to crossed dipoles because they provide more similar vertical and horizontal polarization patterns.
Measurements of radio propagation using a dual band base station antenna are presented. We show that a dual band antenna may provide similar coverage for 900 MHz and 1800 MHz, but with a fixed offset. This indicates that the same cell planning may be used for the two frequency bands. The spatio-temporal properties of a suburban and an urban radio channel are investigated using a dual polarized antenna array and a measurement bandwidth of 150 MHz. We use the measurement data to simulate adaptive up- and down-link beamforming.
Antenna element designs for dual polarization and dual band operation are presented. We also present dual polarized array designs for adaptive and multibeam applications. The array for adaptive antenna applications is evaluated by considering the error in direction-of-arrival estimation caused by its non-ideal characteristics.
We analyze an infinite planar array of rectangular patches in an arbitrarily composed multilayer media. A two-dimensional moment method is used together with a genetic algorithm to optimize the cross-section of dual polarized base station antennas with respect to the radiation pattern. Finally, we calculate mutual coupling in dual polarized aperture coupled patch elements on cylindrical structures. We compare our results with measurements and find good agreement.


Objectives: Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) may affect multiple systems, but few prenatal symptoms appear during pregnancy. With development of high-throughput DNA sequencing technology, two TSC genes have been proposed as an independent diagnostic standard. This study aimed to determine prenatal tubercular sclerosis diagnosis and counselling for high-risk groups of TSC using high-throughput DNA sequencing combined with fetal heart echocardiography (FE). Methods: FE was performed in 28 pregnant women with a family history of TSC or suspected familial tuberous sclerosis. Amniotic fluid and peripheral blood samples were collected from pregnant women or their family members. Fetuses and family members were further analysed for potential TSC1 and TSC2 mutations by next-generation DNA sequencing. Results: 28 families were selected. Twenty-seven families had members and/or probands with TSC gene abnormalities, of which five were family genetic mutations and 22 were caused by de novo mutations. For prenatal diagnosis, TSC gene abnormalities were detected in five of 28 fetal amniotic fluid samples. Among these samples, three had multiple cardiac rhabdomyoma (CR) by FE and the remaining samples were negative by FE. One special family, the proband was clinically diagnosed with TSC, but no target genes was identified in the whole family. Conclusions: For high-risk TSC population, target gene detection combined with FE for prenatal diagnosis of TSC is feasible. Counselling, prognosis and perinatal management are facilitated based on genetic analysis and FE.


The Marchenko redatuming method estimates surface-to-subsurface Green's functions. It has been employed to diminishthe effects of multiples in seismic data. Several such methods rely on an absolute scaling of the data; this is usually considered to be known in synthetic experiments, or is estimated using heuristic methods in real data. Here, we show using real ultrasonic laboratory data that the most common of these methods may be ill suited to the task, and that reliable ways to estimate scaling remains unavailable. Marchenko methods which rely on adaptive subtraction may therefore be more appropriate. We present two adaptive Marchenko methods: one is an extension of a current adaptive method, and the other is an adaptive implementation of a non-adaptive method. Our results show that Marchenko methods improve imaging compared to reverse-time migration, but less so than expected. This reveals that some Marchenko assumptions were violated in our experiment and likely are also in seismic data, showing that laboratory experiments contribute critical information to the development and testing of Marchenko-based methods.


Lenvatinib is a novel oral angiogenesis inhibitor approved in China for the treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) without prior systemic treatment. We described the population pharmacokinetics of lenvatinib in Chinese patients with advanced HCC and explore the potential patient characteristics associated with lenvatinib pharmacokinetics using real‐world data. A total of 266 samples, provided by 127 Chinese patients with advanced HCC, were analyzed by nonlinear mixed‐effects modeling. Monte Carlo simulation was conducted to assess impact of covariates on the exposure to lenvatinib. The clearance of lenvatinib in Chinese patients with advanced HCC was 5.3 L/h, and alkaline phosphatase, total bilirubin, and sex were identified as important covariates associated with it. The clearance of Child‐Pugh class B patients (4.82L/h) was significantly lower than that of Child‐Pugh class A patients (5.53 L/h), and the systemic exposure increased with the increase of alkaline phosphatase and total bilirubin. There were sex differences in the pharmacokinetic characteristics of lenvatinib. The clearance of women was significantly lower than that of men (4.61 vs 5.6 L/h; P < .001), and the area under the plasma concentration–time curve of women was ≈20% higher than that of men. In this study, a population pharmacokinetic model of lenvatinib was established, which can be used to simulate clinical trials or various dosing scenarios. Our findings provide important new insights for optimizing the use of lenvatinib in patients with advanced HCC.


Two separate experiments were conducted to assess the shed rate and duration of shed of S . typhimurium organisms from turkey poults orally infected with chlortetracycline-sensitive S. typhimurium in relation to chloretetracycline (CTC) given in the feed at 0, growth promotant, subtherapeutic and therapeutic levels; the emergence of resistant S. typhimurium organisms in reference to the diet given; in vitro transfer of drug resistance from thses resistant S. typhimurium donor cultures to multiply-sensitive E. coli recipients; and phage type changes, is any, of these S. typhimurium isolates. The results showed that increasing CTC in the diet from 0 to the three levels of antibiotic supplementation, appeared to (a) reduce shed and duration of shed corresponding to each level used; (b) cause a minimal development of drug resistance and its transfer (usually at sub-therapeutic levels of CTC supplementation) for the duration of the experiment; and (c) induce phage type changes in some of the S. typhimurium isolates. These phage type changes question the validity of using phage typing as a tool in epidemiological investigations.


The present invention relates to an autoclave and an apparatus for treating a panel assembly using the same that allows panel devices to put a laminated panel assembly in a chamber to heat and pressure the panel assembly in the chamber. The autoclave according to the present invention includes a sealing housing having a chamber installed on a table for supporting the panel assembly, a door support member installed to move up and down and separated from one open surface of the sealing housing, a door installed to move front and back to the door support member to seal the chamber and touching one open surface of the sealing housing, a door operation device moving the door support member up and down and installed on the outside of the sealing housing, a door pressuring unit installed in front of the door to pressure the open surface of the sealing housing while the door moves together, a gas supply device supplying gas to the chamber and connected to the sealing chamber, and a heater combined with the sealing housing to heat the gas supplied from the chamber.


IMPLEMENTING AND MANAGING change in clinical practice requires committed, skillful leaders to rise to the challenge and encourage their workforces to strive to deliver innovative, high quality health care. This is particularly evident in the area of sexual and reproductive health.


A variety of diagnostic and therapeutic protocols rely on locating in vivo target anatomical structures, which can be obtained from medical scans. However, organs move and deform as the patient changes his/her pose. In order to obtain accurate target location information, clinicians have to either conduct frequent intraoperative scans, resulting in higher exposition of patients to radiations, or adopt proxy procedures (e.g., creating and using custom molds to keep patients in the exact same pose during both preoperative organ scanning and subsequent treatment. Such custom proxy methods are typically sub-optimal, constraining the clinicians and costing precious time and money to the patients. To the best of our knowledge, this work is the first to present a learning-based approach to estimate the patient's internal organ deformation for arbitrary human poses in order to assist with radiotherapy and similar medical protocols. The underlying method first leverages medical scans to learn a patient-specific representation that potentially encodes the organ's shape and elastic properties. During inference, given the patient's current body pose information and the organ's representation extracted from previous medical scans, our method can estimate their current organ deformation to offer guidance to clinicians. We conduct experiments on a well-sized dataset which is augmented through real clinical data using finite element modeling. Our results suggest that pose-dependent organ deformation can be learned through a point cloud autoencoder conditioned on the parametric pose input. We hope that this work can be a starting point for future research towards closing the loop between human mesh recovery and anatomical reconstruction, with applications beyond the medical domain.


Objectives. To assess the patterns of use of handheld clinical decision support tools by internal medicine residents in clinical settings. Methods. Eighty-two internal medicine residents were given personal digital assistants (PDAs) containing a suite of clinical decision support (CDS) programs. A tracking program was used to prospectively track program use during the study period, and a follow-up survey regarding self-reported program use was administered after the study period. Patterns of program use from the tracking data were compared to the data from the self-report survey. Results. Sixty-eight residents were followed using the tracking data. Residents used an average of 1.81 CDS programs (SD: 1.57; range, 0—5) per month. Forty-nine residents completed the self-report survey. Residents reported using an average of 3.15 (SD: 1.61) and 3.92 (SD: 1.40) CDS programs during a typical clinic session and inpatient day, respectively. In both inpatient and outpatient settings and for both methods of assessing program use, 2 programs (Epocrates and MedCalc) were used more often than the other programs. No association was observed between age, gender, race, and PGY level with the use of handheld clinical decision support tools for either tracked or self-report data. The self-report data show higher estimates of CDS program use than the tracking data in the clinical setting. Conclusions. The data show that physicians prefer to use certain handheld CDS tools in clinical settings. Drug references and medical calculators have been consistently used more than clinical prediction rules and diagnostic systems. Self-report survey instruments may overestimate recorded use of CDS programs.


The commercial success of Venice hinged on her merchants' ability to do business with borrowed money. However, to raise other people's capital, merchants needed to commit not to embezzle the capital received. Despite this commitment problem, the evidence indicates an active financial market through which the Venetians, by and large, mobilized their savings to investments. What were the institutional foundations of this market? This paper claims that neither reputation-based institutions that did not rely on the state nor a coercive legal system provided such foundations. Instead, the state generated the rents and information required to induce merchants to refrain from acting opportunistically.


All methods presented in textbooks for computing inverse -transforms of rational functions have some limitation: 1) the direct division method does not, in general, provide enough information to derive an analytical expression for the time-domain sequence whose -transform is ; 2) computation using the inversion integral method becomes labored when has poles at the origin of the complex plane; 3) the partial-fraction expansion method, in spite of being acknowledged as the simplest and easiest one to compute the inverse -transform and being widely used in textbooks, lacks a standard procedure like its inverse Laplace transform counterpart. This paper addresses all the difficulties of the existing methods for computing inverse -transforms of rational functions, presents an easy and straightforward way to overcome the limitation of the inversion integral method when has poles at the origin, and derives five expressions for the pairs of time-domain sequences and corresponding -transforms that are actually needed in the computation of inverse -transform using partial-fraction expansion.


In Because They Were Jews, Meyer Weinberg examines the history of antisemitism in twelve representative countries from ancient times to the present. His selection includes the eight European countries with the largest number of Jews, as well as countries where Jews amounted to less than one percent of the population. He raises questions about traditional approaches to the study of antisemitism and chooses instead to analyze it as a systematic pattern emerging from particular political situation. A comprehensive discussion includes anti-Jewish actions in education, employment, housing, government and religion in each of the twelve countries. Concluding chapters integrate the material on each country and analyze similarities and differences. A bibliographic essay provides an exhaustive guide to the English-language references on this topic.


Pregnant rhesus monkeys were anesthetized, their uteri were exposed, and the interplacental vessels (fetal circulation) were cannulated without incision of the amnion. This procedure permitted simultaneous sampling of maternal blood, umbilical venous blood and umbilical arterial blood. I131-labeled insulin injected into the material circulation was detected in umbilical venous plasma, within 5 minutes after the injection, by the use of a chromatographic procedure which permits the separation of I131-insulin from other iodinated compounds. The concentration of I131-insulin in fetal plasma did not exceed 20% of that found concurrently in maternal plasma. A marked umbilical arterial-venous difference in I131-insulin concentration was consistently observed. The concentration of iodinated degradation products of I131-insulin was considerably higher in umbilical arterial plasma than in umbilical venous plasma, suggesting rapid degradation of the labeled hormone by the fetus. Conversely, the injection of I131-insulin into the fetal circulation was followed by the appearance of significant quantities of the labeled hormone in the maternal circulation. These experiments lead to the conclusion that insulin can cross the primate placenta.


An exploration of literature on second/foreign language (L2/FL) teaching suggests that the phenomenon in question has been investigated either by examining classroom processes or by exploring teachers' lived experiences. Situated in the latter area, this paper reports a qualitative study that understands how Pakistani primary school teachers learn to teach English—the subject mandated in recent curricular reforms—and develop their English teacher identity. The findings problematize the apprenticeship of observation concept and demonstrate that the teachers agentively draw upon their favorite English learning experiences. They teach English not the way they were taught, rather, they teach the way they loved learning English. Thus, they develop the English teacher identities they adored while they were students. The paper presents pertinent implications.


BACKGROUND
Asthma patients are frequently exposed to antiallergic and antitussive medications, in addition to their respiratory treatment. These medications interfere with inflammatory pathways common to all atopic diseases and could affect asthma.

OBJECTIVES
To investigate associations between antiallergic and antitussive medications and the occurrence of asthma exacerbations and to assess the extent of use of these medications in asthma.

METHODS
Regular users of anti-asthma medications were identified in a drug dispensing database. A base-cohort of asthma patients was identified using age and exposure criteria. A nested case-control study was performed within the base-cohort: the outcome was defined as a new dispensing of oral corticosteroids and matched cases and controls were compared regarding exposure to antiallergic medications. Odds ratios (OR) were computed by conditional logistic regression and adjustment incorporated markers for asthma severity.

RESULTS
680 asthma patients were followed in the base-cohort for an average duration of 1390 days. Antitussives, antihistamines and nasal corticosteroids were used by respectively 40, 30 and 13 per cent of the asthma population. Among the patients, 134 cases were pair matched with controls. In these pairs, antitussives showed a significant association with asthma exacerbations, with an OR of 3.1. The association had borderline significance for antihistamines and was not significant for nasal corticosteroids. The results were not modified by adjustment for disease severity.

CONCLUSIONS
This study confirms that antitussives and antihistamines are commonly used by asthmatics and indicates that both classes are associated with increased occurrence of asthma exacerbations; assessing causality from present data is, however, difficult. Nasal corticosteroids are used less often and are not associated with the outcome. Antihistamine and antitussive medications should be more thoroughly investigated in asthma patients.


Author(s): Dannecker, David James | Advisor(s): Kurle, Carolyn | Abstract: Overexploitation of Southern Ocean fish stocks has caused significant trophic restructuring in Antarctic marine ecosystems, forcing Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella) to forage on alternative prey. As a species that has faced near extinction in the recent past, it is important to have accurate data to monitor the effects ecosystem changes may have had on their diet, health, and behavior. Stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope analysis is a proven technique for reconstructing foraging ecology and migration patterns in marine mammals. Investigating whether the stable isotope values from Antarctic fur seal pup vibrissae grown in utero can provide valid data on their mothers' foraging ecology is useful as newborns are much more accessible research subjects than adults. Using samples collected at Cape Shirreff, Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands during November to December 2012, I compared stable isotope values from vibrissae of 1- or 2-day-old pups with those from their mothers' vibrissae. I determined whisker growth rates for all individual seals in the study, using known total gestational whisker growth for pups, and known annual growth for mothers. I used spatial data from some mothers to determine if isotopic data corresponded to known migration routes. No distinct patterns emerged for the δ13C values, whereas the δ15N data suggest a correlation with the Antarctic Polar Front. Pup and mother isotope data show the appearance of a correlation when normalized for individual growth rates, however further research with revised sample collection parameters would be ideal to conclusively establish this relationship.


Measurements of acceleration performance of crayfish (mean mass 0.018 kg) were made during lateral giant mediated tail flips (LG tail flips) and truncated tail flips at 15°C. The LG tail flip power stroke was composed of a lift-off phase, when crayfish accelerated vertically from the substrate, and a free swimming phase. The total duration of the power stroke was 44 ms, followed by a recovery stroke lasting 173 ms. Truncated tail flips were used in acceleration and swimming by crayfish free of the substrate. Power strokes had a mean duration of 36 ms, and recovery strokes 92 ms. Net velocities, acceleration rates, and distances travelled by the centre of mass were similar for both types of tail flips. Thrust was generated almost entirely by the uropods and telson. Velocities and angles of orientation to the horizontal of abdominal segments were similar for both types of tail flip. Angles of attack were large, varying from 30° to 90°. Pressure (drag) forces were considered negligible compared to inertial forces associated with the acceleration of added water mass. Thrust forces, energy and power were determined for exemplary tail flips. Thrust was 0.92 and 0.42 N for LG tail flip lift-off and swimming phases respectively, and 0.29 N for the swimming truncated tail flip. Rates of working were 0.39, 0.19, and 0.18 W respectively. The efficiency of converting muscle power to backward motion was estimated to be 0.5 for power strokes and 0.68 for complete swimming cycles. Comparisons with fish performance suggested fish would be less efficient (0.1-0.2). The low efficiency is attributed to energy lost in lateral recoil movements.


Shock related unsteadiness over axisymmetric spiked body configurations is experimentally investigated at a freestream supersonic Mach number of 2.0 at 0$^\circ$ angle of attack. Three different forebody configurations mounted with a sharp spike-tip ranging from blunt to streamlined (flat-face, hemispherical, and elliptical) are considered. Steady and unsteady pressure measurements, short-exposure high-speed shadowgraphy, shock footprint analysis from $x-t$ plots, and identification of dominant spatiotemporal modes through modal analysis are carried out to explain the unsteady flow physics. The present investigation tools are validated against the well-known events of `pulsation' associated with the flat-face case. The hemispherical case is characterized by the formation of a separated free shear layer and associated localized shock oscillations. The cycle of charging and ejection of fluid mass from the recirculation zone, confined between the separated shear layer and the spiked body, is identified to drive the flow unsteadiness. Such an event triggers the out-of-phase motion between the separated and reattachment shocks. In the elliptical case, the overall flow field resembles that of the hemispherical case, except with dampened unsteadiness. The value of the cone angle ($\lambda$) associated with the recirculation region is found to be responsible for the fluctuations from the charging and ejection of fluid mass. Thereby it controls the extent of out-of-shock phase motion. In the elliptical case, $\lambda$ is observed to be smaller and exhibits a reduction in shock unsteadiness. \hlt{Based on the gathered results and understanding, the reduction in unsteadiness associated with the aerodisk mounted on the hemispherical forebody is explained via the almost complete elimination of the out-of-phase shock motion.


The isolated microvessel preparation is an ex vivo preparation that allows for examination of the different contributions of factors that control vessel diameter, and thus, perfusion resistance(1-5). This is a classic experimental preparation that was, in large measure, initially described by Uchida et al.(15) several decades ago. This initial description provided the basis for the techniques that was extensively modified and enhanced, primarily in the laboratory of Dr. Brian Duling at the University of Virginia(6-8), and we present a current approach in the following pages. This preparation will specifically refer to the gracilis arteriole in a rat as the microvessel of choice, but the basic preparation can readily be applied to vessels isolated from nearly any other tissue or organ across species(9-13). Mechanical (i.e., dimensional) changes in the isolated microvessels can easily be evaluated in response to a broad array of physiological (e.g., hypoxia, intravascular pressure, or shear) or pharmacological challenges, and can provide insight into mechanistic elements comprising integrated responses in an intact, although ex vivo, tissue. The significance of this method is that it allows for facile manipulation of the influences on the integrated regulation of microvessel diameter, while also allowing for the control of many of the contributions from other sources, including intravascular pressure (myogenic), autonomic innervation, hemodynamic (e.g., shear stress), endothelial dependent or independent stimuli, hormonal, and parenchymal influences, to provide a partial list. Under appropriate experimental conditions and with appropriate goals, this can serve as an advantage over in vivo or in situ tissue/organ preparations, which do not readily allow for the facile control of broader systemic variables. The major limitation of this preparation is essentially the consequence of its strengths. By definition, the behavior of these vessels is being studied under conditions where many of the most significant contributors to the regulation of vascular resistance have been removed, including neural, humoral, metabolic, etc. As such, the investigator is cautioned to avoid over-interpretation and extrapolation of the data that are collected utilizing this preparation. The other significant area of concern with regard to this preparation is that it can be very easy to damage cellular components such as the endothelial lining or the vascular smooth muscle, such that variable source of error can be introduced. It is strongly recommended that the individual investigator utilize appropriate measurements to ensure the quality of the preparation, both at the initiation of the experiment and periodically throughout the course of a protocol.


ABSTRACT In most introductory courses on electrodynamics, one is taught the electric charge is quantised but no theoretical explanation related to this law of nature is offered. Such an explanation is postponed to graduate courses on electrodynamics, quantum mechanics and quantum field theory, where the famous Dirac quantisation condition is introduced, which states that a single magnetic monopole in the Universe would explain the electric charge quantisation. Even when this condition assumes the existence of a not-yet-detected magnetic monopole, it provides the most accepted explanation for the observed quantisation of the electric charge. However, the usual derivation of the Dirac quantisation condition involves the subtle concept of an 'unobservable' semi-infinite magnetised line, the so-called 'Dirac string,' which may be difficult to grasp in a first view of the subject. The purpose of this review is to survey the concepts underlying the Dirac quantisation condition, in a way that may be accessible to advanced undergraduate and graduate students. Some of the discussed concepts are gauge invariance, singular potentials, single-valuedness of the wave function, undetectability of the Dirac string and quantisation of the electromagnetic angular momentum. Five quantum-mechanical and three semi-classical derivations of the Dirac quantisation condition are reviewed. In addition, a simple derivation of this condition involving heuristic and formal arguments is presented.


Mann and his best friend, Kee-lee, struggle to come to terms with the frequent shootings in their neighborhood, including that of Mann's little brother, by painting portraits of those they have lost on walls, sidewalks, and the undersides of tables to preserve their memories. Mann's father decides that he can't lose both sons to the street, so he draws on ancient African custom by taking the boys to a campground far from the city and leaving them to fi nd their own way back, in hopes that the experience will make them mature survivors. In actuality, it just leaves them feeling angry and abandoned. Unwilling to admit the failure of his plan, Mann's father turns them out into the urban wilderness when they return home, and Mann takes up all of the things that his father hoped he wouldn't—drugs, fi ghting, and running "errands" for Kee-lee's aunt. When Kee-lee is killed, Mann is left homeless and alone. He seeks refuge in a stable, where he tries desperately to keep the horses (who have been abandoned by their owner) and himself alive, and where his father and he eventually reconcile. Mann's fi rst-person narration of his tragic descent is achingly real, but the story itself is plagued by confusing gaps and unmotivated turns. His father's attempts to infuse tribal custom into contemporary urban life go largely unexplained, with only vague reference to a documentary and a book, and a sparse, defensive explanation that comes too late for both readers and characters. Likewise, Mann's forgiveness and reconciliation with his father is disturbingly abrupt, and it puts a strange stamp of approval on his misguided and paradoxical actions. The bumps in the narrative accentuate the fuzzy disconnections that raw and unresolved grief can cause, however, offering a grim but painfully realistic and unfortunately necessary glimpse into the human stories behind the headlines. KC


The Ogo 4 ultraviolet spectrometer measured the ultraviolet nightglow at tropical latitudes. The spectrum consists of the 1304- and 1356-A lines of atomic oxygen. The Lyman-Birge-Hopfield bands of molecular nitrogen and the ultraviolet lines of atomic nitrogen do not appear. The tropical ultraviolet airglow occurs in two bands north and south of the geomagnetic equator under satellite observation conditions that are best correlated with a local time of 2100 to 2130. When the intensity of this airglow is maximum, the ratio of the intensity of the 1304-A to the 1356-A line is 1.8. The most likely source of excitation of the tropical ultraviolet airglow appears to be an ionospheric recombination mechanism.


Summary The Olmstead decision declared unnecessary institutionalization as discrimination and triggered an expansion of community-based care for all people with disabilities including the elderly, thus accelerating integration. Setting a context for Olmstead and related social work interventions, this paper describes the evolution of definitions of disability and examines how social work has responded to the development of critical social policies aimed at increasing community integration.


method for unsupervised segmentation by incremental clustering is introduced. Inspired by incremental approach and correlation clustering, clusters are added and refined during segmentation process. Correlation clustering is to keep away from pre-definition for number of clusters and incremental approach is to avoid re-clustering that is needed in iterative methods. The Gaussian spatial kernel is involved like a part of similarity function to cover local image structure. Cluster representative is updated efficiently to satisfy the old and new similarity constraints rather than re-clustering the entire image. Experimental results are discussed and show that the algorithm requires reasonable computational complexity while gaining a comparable or better segmentation quality than standard methods.


The purpose of this research was to develop marketing communication strategy for building the brand image of halal tourism in Sambelia District of East Lombok Regency. The design used in this research based on qualitative approach. The results of this study indicated that marketing communication strategy already exists in building a brand image of halal tourism in Sambelia District, East Lombok Regency. Marketing communication strategy appropriately in accordance with the internal and external environmentalconditions used to build a brand image of halal tourism in Sambelia District, East Lombok Regency is a Strategy of Development and Communication of Halal Tourism Market and Maintaining Variety of Tourism Attraction in East Lombok, Promotion Strategy with Branding Pesona Halal Lombok Timur and Marketing Communication Strategy with branding of Halal tourism for East Lombok either through internet and tourism exhibition. Keywords:marketing communication strategy, brand image, halal tourism, Sambelia District, East Lombok Regency


Exposure to ethylene is one of the main factors compromising the quality and shelf life in the post-production phase of potted ornamental plants and flowers in general. In preliminary tests to determine the desirable characteristics of a potted ornamental pepper ( Capsicum annuum L.), the accession BGH 1039, from the Vegetable Germplasm Bank of the Federal University of Vicosa, was highlighted. However, this accession was sensitive to ethylene. Thus, this study aims to evaluate the influence of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) in extending the longevity of potted ornamental pepper. Potted peppers were placed in separate 60-L sealed chambers for the control, 1-MCP and ethylene treatments. To evaluate the quality and post-production shelf life, plants of all treatments were kept at 25 ± 1 °C under white fluorescent light with an intensity of 8-10 μmol s-1 m-2 and 60- 65% relative humidity and watered whenever necessary. In plants treated with 10 μL L-1 of ethylene for 48 h, there was a reduction in the content of chlorophyll a and in total chlorophyll. Pre-treatment with 1 µL L-1 of 1-MCP followed by the application of 10 µL L-1 of ethylene for 48 h was effective in maintaining the green coloration of the leaves and in reducing leaf and fruit abscission over the 18 days of shelf life, demonstrating the efficiency of this product in blocking the action of ethylene. 1-MCP improved the quality and commercial durability of potted BGH 1039 ornamental pepper.


Since the past decades, creative industry and innovation model have been introduced and implemented in manufacturing industry in developing our country's economy. However, the truth about the fact that innovation can affect the organizational performance has long been questioned. Therefore, there have been a substantial number of researchers that had studied the relationship between creativity and innovation with organizational performance in the industry. Although the number of studies investigating on this issue is growing, researches in determining the relationship between creativity factors and innovation moderated by environmental aspects in bringing profitable growth are very limited. This research attempted to investigate the factors that enhance the innovation in creating profitable growth among 54 manufacturing companies that act as the main key players in Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA). By using quantitative methods, the survey forms were distributed randomly to the employees who are working in the executive level and above for each company. The data were analyzed with the help of Statistical Process for Social Science software. The descriptive and inferential statistical analysis was used to achieve the research objectives. There are six factors of creativity adapted from KEYS instrument found by Amabile (1996) represented in this research namely organizational encouragement, supervisory encouragement, freedom, challenging work, resources and work group support. Besides that, the environmental aspects have also been discussed as giving the moderating effect between innovation and profitable growth. The findings also revealed strong influence of supervisory encouragement, challenging work and resources on innovation. In addition, the results have also proven that there is a positive relationship between innovation and profitable growth that is mediated by competitiveness factor.


A view-independent relational model (VIRM) used in a vision system for recognizing known 3-D objects from single monochromatic images of unknown scenes is described. The system inspects a CAD model from a number of different viewpoints, and a statistical interference is applied to identify relatively view-independent relationships among component parts of the object. These relations are stored as a relational model of the object, which is represented in the form of a hypergraph. Three-dimensional components of the object, which can be associated with extended image features obtained by grouping of primitive 2-D features are represented as nodes of the hypergraph. Covisibility of model features is represented by means of hyperedges of the hypergraph, and the pairwise view-independent relations form procedural constraints associated with the hypergraph edges. During the recognition phase, the covisibility measures allow a best-first search of the graph for acceptable matches. >


The rapid increase in amphetamine abuse for recreational purposes has created a need for fast analysis and detection methodologies. For the first time, we show the separation of six amphetamines by ESI-IMS/MS. A complete analysis can be performed in 70 s, which is faster than traditional chromatographic techniques. In addition, ESI-IMS/MS was found to provide low detection limits for the six compounds (15.4 ppb for ethylamphetamine). Charge competition between amphetamines was found to occur at high amphetamine concentrations. The degree of preferential ionization was dependent on the functional group placed on the amine. Both one-analyte and two-analyte calibration curves were evaluated on the basis of the ion evaporation model. Evaporation rates were determined for the six amphetamines, and the rates were correlated with the degree of selective ionization. Evaluation of three typical ESI solvent compositions showed that the addition of a modifier (acetic acid and formic acid) enhanced the degree of preferential ionization for some amphetamines and increased the effect of charge competition. The solvent studies show the complexity of ESI and provide possible strategies for altering the amount of charge competition between analytes. Overall, ESI-IMS/MS appears to be a promising technique because of its sensitivity and rapid separation times for the amphetamines in aqueous samples; however, further research employing biological samples is required before it can be recommended as a mainstream technique.


Multi-Agent Path Finding (MA-PF) finds collision-free paths for multiple agents from their respective start to goal locations. This paper investigates a generalization of MA-PF called Multi-Agent Teamwise Cooperative Path Finding (MA-TC-PF), where agents are grouped as multiple teams and each team has its own objective to minimize. In general, there is more than one team, and MA-TC-PF is thus a multi-objective planning problem with the goal of finding the entire Pareto-optimal front that represents all possible trade-offs among the objectives of the teams. We show that the existing CBS and M* for MA-PF can be modified to solve MA-TC-PF, which is verified with tests. We discuss the conditions under which the proposed algorithms are complete and are guaranteed to find the Pareto-optimal front for MA-TC-PF.


The problem of vibrations in civil structures is common; nevertheless, its negative effects can be significantly reduced using structural control methods with intention of maintaining structural welfare as much as possible. This work deals with the study of structural vibration control in a model of a civil-like structure, which consists of three-level building with a tuned mass damper implemented as a passive vibration absorber, mounted on the top of the structure, to attenuate the harmonic vibrations provided by an electromagnetic actuator connected at the base of the primary system. The action of the tuned mass damper is evaluated from an energy approach. The dissipation of energy in the overall system is conducted in an experimental way, where the passive control technique is designed to minimize the undesirable forced dynamic response of the main structure via the tuned mass damper. Experimental results are provided to show the effective performance of the proposed passive vibration absorption scheme to suppress resonant frequency harmonic excitations disturbing the primary system, evaluating the performance energy and contribution of the dissipative device for the energy release in the overall system.


This study aimed to identify the strategic responses of micro and small enterprises (MSEs) in the textile industry located in the western region of Santa Catarina to the institutional environment. Therefore, we proceed a multiple case study, conducted through semi-structured interviews with the managers of six companies in the textile industry, located in the western region of Santa Catarina, Brazil. The main contributions of this study are that the strategic responses of companies are basically reactive (acquiescence and compromise) tied with normative environmental and cultural-cognitive pressures. As they are under to similar pressures from the institutional environment, companies show similar structures and processes, and the adjustment process of these companies can be characterized as normative and mimetic isomorphism.


Clinical screening using the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) testing criteria may fail to identify all patients with hereditary breast and ovarian cancers. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the strategy of expanding target patients for genetic testing among Japanese patients. We reviewed the medical records of 91 breast cancer patients who underwent genetic testing. Among 91 patients, eight were diagnosed with pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants: BRCA1 (n = 4) and BRCA2 (n = 4). Among 50 patients meeting the testing criteria of the guidelines, 6 (12%) were diagnosed with pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants. The sensitivity and specificity of screening using the testing criteria were 75% and 47%, respectively. Expanding the NCCN criteria to include all women diagnosed with breast cancer aged ≤65 years achieved 88% sensitivity but 8% specificity. The expansion of the NCCN criteria could benefit Japanese patients; however, larger studies are necessary to change clinical practice.


Background: Many studies revealed association between gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Prevalence of symptomatic GERD in Thai people was 7-10%. No prior study of symptomatic GERD in Thai patients with OSA appears to have been published.

Methods: All patients underwent polysomnography within 18 months were reviewed. Telephone survey of symptoms-based GERD questions was introduced to all patients diagnosed with OSA. Unconnected patients were reviewed with chart and medication history.

Results: 413 patients were reviewed, 296 patients diagnosed with OSA. 196 patients were diagnosed with severe OSA. Baseline characteristics and sleep parameters were as follows: mean age 51.57 years (±13.96), body mass index (BMI) 28.05 kg/m2 (±7.13), neck circumference 15.37 inches (±1.74), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) 10.87 (±4.86), and respiratory disturbance index (RDI) 61.09 events/h (±41.32). Symptomatic GERD were reported in 53 (18%) patients. Prevalence of symptomatic GERD in severe OSA was 23% (46 from 196 patients), which was significantly different from that in mild-to-moderate OSA (7%, p 30 events/h) (OR 1.42, 95%CI 1.23-1.64), p<0.001). Multicollinearity revealed that these two factors was not correlated in this study.

Conclusion: Prevalence of symptomatic GERD in Thai OSA patients is higher than general Thai people. Obesity or severe OSA independently affect occurrences of symptomatic GERD in OSA patients.


The goal of this study is to investigate the potential effects that Artificial intelligence (AI) could have on education. The narrative and framework for investigating AI that emerged from the preliminary research served as the basis for the study's emphasis, which was narrowed down to the use of AI and its effects on administration, instruction, and student learning. According to the findings, artificial intelligence has seen widespread adoption and use in education, particularly by educational institutions and in various contexts and applications. The development of AI began with computers and technologies related to computers; it then progressed to web-based and online intelligent education systems; and finally, it applied embedded computer systems in conjunction with other technologies, humanoid robots, and web-based chatbots to execute instructor tasks and functions either independently or in partnership with instructors. By utilizing these platforms, educators have been able to accomplish a variety of administrative tasks. In addition, because the systems rely on machine learning and flexibility, the curriculum and content have been modified to match the needs of students. This has led to improved learning outcomes in the form of higher uptake and retention rates.


Using the case study of the Czech Republic, the article examines the link between the development of environmental policy and the more general social and economic development of a post-communist society. The initially progressive arrangement of environmental agencies and procedures of the early 1990s, which were in tune with the concurrent development in the West, was abandoned due to the arrested expansion and diversification of the policy community. The ethos of environmental policy-making of the early 1990s, which was a consequence of the special circumstances of that period, could not be maintained in the following years as there was no sufficiently strong social group underpinning and advocating these changes. This is documented on the inability of journalists to grasp and further communicate complex environmental issues, and on the non-existence of a social stratum corresponding to the 'new middle class', from which Western environmental groups draw their support.


Bothrops alternatus Dumeril, Bibron & Dumeril, 1854 snakebites are an important public health problem in Brazil. Such snakes are found from Mato Grosso do Sul (central Brazil) to southeastern Brazil, reaching even Argentina and Uruguay and thereby occupying different morphoclimatic domains. This work investigated venom variation occurring in adult specimens of B. alternatus specimens, according to their geographic distribution in Brazil. The standard venom pool (reference venom) produced by Instituto Butantan, which includes mostly venoms from B. alternatus specimens captured in Sao Paulo State, was also used for comparison. Lethal, myotoxic, proteolytic (on casein), and coagulant (on human plasma) activities, as well as the electrophoretic patterns of 61 individual venom samples, were evaluated and compared to those of the reference venom pool. Results showed that B. alternatus venom activities are less potent than those of other Bothrops Wagler, 1824 species. A great individual variation was noticed, which could not be correlated with either geographic distribution or morphoclimatic domains. Coagulant activity of venom samples obtained from specimens captured in the northeastern area of B. alternatus distribution was less intense if compared to those obtained from the central zone. Venoms from the peripheric area of B. alternatus distribution presented higher proteolytic and myotoxic activities, but no statistically significant difference was observed. In summary, individual variation predominated over geographic distribution.


1. Mammalian platelets were freshly isolated from human, rabbit, or rat blood. The whole‐cell and cell‐attached voltage‐clamp variations of the patch‐clamp technique were employed to study the passive electrical properties and ion channels of unstimulated platelets. 2. The input capacitance of a platelet measured by the phase‐sensitive detection method was about 128 fF, the input resistance of a platelet was about 59 G omega and the resting membrane potential was about ‐50 mV which was directly measured by a whole‐cell recording in the current‐clamp mode. 3. The predominant ion channel was a voltage‐gated K+ channel resembling the delayed rectifier K+ channel of nerve, muscle and T‐lymphocyte. There was no indication of any inward current in the platelet membrane. The activation of the K+ current could be fitted by n4 kinetics, and was half‐maximal at about ‐35 mV. 4. The time constant of K+ current inactivation was virtually independent of voltage and varied from cell to cell. Recovery from inactivation was slow and dependent on the size and duration of the preceding conditional voltage step. Steady‐state inactivation was half‐maximal at about ‐50 mV and was complete at positive potentials. 5. The predominant single‐K+‐channel conductance was 9 pS and the estimated number of K+ channels per platelet was about 325, corresponding to a density of 25/micron2 apparent membrane area.