Among general population sub-clinical primary hypothyroidism is common. The cross sectional descriptive type of observational study was conducted in medicine and allied wards in Mymensingh Medical College Hospital, Mymensingh, Bangladesh from January 2010 to December 2010; among 230 purposively selected hospitalized pre-dialysis patients with chronic kidney disease. The purpose of the study was to find out the prevalence of sub-clinical hypothyroidism in hospitalized pre-dialysis patients with chronic kidney disease. Data were collected from the patients using a case record form by face to face interview, clinical examination and laboratory investigations. The collected data were entered into SPSS version 20.0 and analyzed accordingly. Mean age of the patients was 47.2 years with a SD of ±2.05 years. Maximum patients were male with a male female ratio of 5:1. A significant number of patients were smoker- 11.8% of sub-clinical hypothyroidism group and 13.6% of euthyroid group. Among the patients 40 (17.40%) had sub-clinical hypothyroidism while the majority 190 (82.60%) did not have it. Estimated prevalence of sub-clinical hypothyroidism in hospitalized pre-dialysis patients with chronic kidney disease was 17.40%. Co-morbidities found in the patients were hypertension, diabetes mellitus, chronic glomerulonephritis and obstructive uropathy. All the patients (40, 100.0%) with sub-clinical hypothyroidism were hypertensive. On the other hand, 184 (97.1%) patients without sub-clinical hypothyroidism were hypertensive. Presence of co-morbidities in patients with sub-clinical hypothyroidism did not differ significantly (p>0.05) from patients without sub-clinical hypothyroidism. Patients in group with sub-clinical hypothyroidism were more over weight in comparison to patients without sub-clinical hypothyroidism (p<0.05). Biochemical parameters of patients with sub-clinical hypothyroidism differed significantly (p<0.05) from those of patients without sub-clinical hypothyroidism. There was no significant difference between urinary albumin of two groups of patients (p>0.05). Stage 4 CKD patients were more in sub-clinical hypothyroidism group in comparison to euthyroid group. As this study may not reflect the actual picture, further large scale multi-centric study is recommended to explore the real situation of sub-clinical hypothyroidism in patients with chronic kidney disease.


An air pressure-assisted centrifugal dewatering unit was designed and fabricated for the dewatering of fine particles (−150 μm), such as clay, silica, and talc. The aim of this filtration unit is to increase the filtration rate during the drainage cycle and, hence produce drier filter cakes, which in turn could reduce the cost and emission problems of thermal dryers in the preparation plants. Several dewatering parameters, including applied pressure, centrifugal force (G-force), spin time, and cake thickness were tested to optimize the processing conditions. Test results showed that at higher air pressure and centrifugal force, the cake moisture reduction was more than 60% depending on the experimental conditions. As a result, it can be concluded that the novel filtration unit effectively works on the dewatering of fine particles and can open up new opportunities in the field.Copyright © 2011 by ASME


A method for selecting a forward error correcting (FEC) code for the Advanced Train Control System (ATCS) radio data link is described. The application of the ATCS and the performance issues involved in selecting a code are detailed. On the basis of the data, the ATCS Communications Component Specification Drafting Committee chose the Reed-Solomon 2 code as the FEC code for ATCS. This choice was based on best overall performance in providing throughput and good performance relative to other codes on other metrics. >


Based on the discussion of library's cultural connotation, this paper expounds the significance of digital libraries' cultural construction and mainly explores the related strategies of digital libraries' cultural construction.


The authors present a new and fully hierarchical approach to automatic test-pattern generation, for digital MOS VLSI circuits. The description of a VLSI circuit consists of several hierarchical levels of interconnected modules. Each module consists of one or more sub-modules are functionally described by ordered binary decision diagrams (OBDD). The OBDDs of its sub-modules, starting from the lowest-level modules. Test-patterns are generated for each module using previously generated test-patterns for its sub-modules, starting at the switch-level. Accurate fault models, like the line stuck-at and switch stuck-on/open models, are used to model physical defects. At higher levels, faults are modeled by the test-patterns covering the fault. Results on large combinatorial circuits confirm the feasibility of the new test-pattern generation approach, and its superiority over conventional non-hierarchical methods.<<ETX>>


This paper describes an application where multiple live audio/visual data streams are combined in MPEG-4 and streamed via RTP/RTSP. The scenario involves the video and audio of a classroom instructor, where the overhead foils the instructor may use are sent as an additional separate data stream. The three streams are encapsulated in MPEG-4 systems, which adds synchronization among the streams and a combined composition (positioning and sizing) into a single multimedia presentation. The MPEG-4 classroom presentation is multicast live using RTP/RTSP, which allows remote students to join the class at any time. Additionally, the live presentation is captured in an MPEG-4 file. This will allow for repeating the same class again over RTP/RTSP, or for later review via HTTP on request. The client is an MPEG-4 player written in pure Java, whereas the server is an extension of an existing IBM video server. The system has been implemented and a demonstration is given.


Phase-variable expression of different versions of the same gene, as in the case of opa genes, or of genes that contribute to the structure of the same macromolecule, as occurs with lipooligosaccharide (LOS) biosynthesis genes, results in reversible changes in the antigenic makeup of the bacterial surface. Pilin antigenic variation, the result of new genetic information recombining into the pilin gene, is perhaps the most fascinating example of true antigenic variation in Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Despite the experimental challenges inherent in studying this human-specific pathogen, evidence that variable expression of surface molecules plays a critical role in gonococcal pathogenesis is strong. The depth of variability created by the size of the pilin repertoire and the seemingly random manner by which cassettes are inserted make Neisseria pilus antigenic variation one of the most fascinating stories of genetic diversity in bacterial pathogenesis. The purpose of pilus phase variation in bacterial pathogenesis is less intuitive than that of antigenic variation. Experimental infection of mice may be a useful tool for investigating the kinetics of gonococcal opacity (Opa) expression in vivo. Recovery of Opa-positive variants occurs following vaginal inoculation of mice with a predominantly Opa-negative inoculum. Acquisition of iron for growth and as a cofactor of several key enzymes in the low-iron environment of the host is important for successful colonization by most microbes.


Tiletamine and zolazepam, the two constituents of Telazol, were evaluated independently to determine which agent was responsible for the nephrotoxicity caused by Telazol in New Zealand White rabbits. Five rabbits were injected i.m. with 32 mg/kg of tiletamine, four animals received 7.5 mg/kg of tiletamine, and five rabbits received 32 mg/kg of zolazepam. Urinalysis was performed and blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine were monitored for 7 days postinjection. In all five rabbits injected with the high dose of tiletamine, blood urea nitrogen and creatinine rose by 3 days postinjection and increased steadily throughout the week. By 4 days postinjection, urine protein and glucose were elevated and cellular and protein casts were present. No serum chemistry or urine abnormalities were detected in rabbits receiving low doses of tiletamine, zolazepam, or in the four control rabbits. All animals were euthanized and necropsied at 7 days postinjection. Histopathology showed severe renal tubular necrosis in all five rabbits injected with 32 mg/kg tiletamine. Mild nephrosis was present in three of four rabbits injected with 7.5 mg/kg of tiletamine. No lesions were present in the zolazepam-injected or control rabbits. The results of this study show that tiletamine is the constituent responsible for the nephrotoxicity of Telazol in rabbits. They further demonstrate that doses commonly used for anesthetic induction or restraint can produce renal lesions in rabbits.


The mitochondrial NADH‐ubiquinone reductase (complex I) is an assembly of approximately 26 different polypeptides. In vertebrates and invertebrates, seven of its subunits are the products of genes in the mitochondrial DNA, and homologues of these genes have been found previously in the chloroplast genomes of Marchantia polymorpha and Nicotiana tabacum, although their function in the chloroplast is unknown. The remainder of the subunits of the mitochondrial complex are nuclear gene products that are imported into the organelle, amongst them the 49 kd subunit, a component of the iron–sulphur subcomplex of the enzyme. In the present work, the N‐terminal sequence of this protein has been determined, and this has been used to design two mixtures of synthetic oligonucleotides, each containing 32 different sequences 17 bases long. These mixtures have been used as hybridization probes to isolate cDNA clones from a bovine library. The DNA sequences of these clones have been determined and they encode the mature 49 kd protein, with the exception of amino acids 1 and 2. The protein sequence of 430 amino acids is closely related to those of proteins that are encoded in open reading frames (ORFs) present in the chloroplast genomes of M.polymorpha and N.tabacum. Only one cysteine is conserved and the sequences provide no indication that the 49 kd protein contains iron–sulphur centres. These ORFs are found in the single copy regions of chloroplast DNA in close proximity to four of the homologues of the mammalian mitochondrial genes that encode subunits of complex I.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


The ocean's response to direct atmospheric effects of increased carbon dioxide's (CO2) radiative forcing is examined. These direct effects are defined as the climate changes that result from forcing on a fast time scale of about a year, independent of the slower surface warming that the forcing also provokes. To evaluate how these direct effects impact ocean heat uptake and circulation, output of atmospheric general circulation model (GCM) simulations are used to force an ocean GCM with comprehensive boundary conditions. Perturbation simulations with the prescribed response to a quadrupling of atmospheric CO2 include altered surface winds, freshwater fluxes, downwelling shortwave radiation, and downwelling longwave cloud radiative effect. The perturbation simulations show that the intensification and poleward shift of surface winds, particularly in the Southern Ocean, strengthen the shallow overturning circulation in the tropical Pacific and deep overturning in the Atlantic. This, in turn, has a cooling effect on the global ocean at shallow depths. A two‐layer energy balance model, designed to capture transient global mean climate change, is adapted to account for the altered ocean heat uptake from direct effects. The direct change in global mean ocean heat uptake is a decrease of about 0.3 W/m2 for quadrupling of CO2, offsetting about 5% of the surface longwave forcing.


Abstract The African American church plays a fundamental role in imparting sexuality education to its members. This initiative seeks to delay adolescent sexual activity in the rural African American community through the development of a replicable curriculum. The curriculum documents appropriate processes of communicating health hazards and solutions to parents, adolescents, and ministers. One of the key components of this initiative is the inclusion of parents as change agents to facilitate the process.


Solid tumors are multicellular complexes where the tumor stroma that is comprised of endothelial cells, pericytes, fibroblasts and immune cells, all of which orchestrate to assist in cancer cell growth, angiogenesis and invasion. The tissue infiltration of immune cells is mediated by a multistep adhesion cascade and involves the selectin family of calcium-dependent cell surface glycoproteins Among this family, E-selectin (CD62E, ELAM-1 or LECAM-2) is exclusively expressed on the surface of endothelial cells in a highly inducible manner in response to inflammatory cytokines, and consequently an elevated E-selectin expression has been reported in many types of diseases including cancer. Endothelial E-selectin (eE-sel) assists in the initial adhesion of circulatory leukocytes to the surface of vascular endothelium by interacting with its ligands (sLeX, sLeA and CD44). The external domain of E-selectin can be cleaved off and shed into the circulation as soluble E-selectin (sE-sel). sE-sel is present in the serum of cancer patients and is associated with occurrence of metastases and poor survival in breast and colorectal cancers. However, the biological relevance of sE-sel is not clearly understood. In this study, we aim to identify the biological role of sE-sel in breast cancer growth. We have demonstrated that sE-sel enhances the adhesion and tissue migration of leukocytes into breast tumor both in vitro through the activation of PI3 kinase and its downstream signaling cascade. We have also demonstrated that 7 times more peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) migrate into breast tumor when pre-incubated with sE-sel as compared to untreated condition. Therefore, we conclude that sE-sel serves as a chemoattractant that enhances the tissue migration of leukocytes, which lead to the development of solid tumor stroma that enhances the growth of breast tumor and invasion. Citation Format: Celine A. Blache, Nafis Hasan, Jeehna Park, Stephen Suh, David G. Gorenstein, Hallgeir Rui, Takemi Tanaka. A novel role of soluble E-selectin as a chemoatractant to human leukocytes through the PI3kinase signaling pathway in breast cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4992. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-4992


: We report on a systematic investigation of selective etching of fs-laser inscribed microstructures in Y 3 Al 5 O 12 (YAG). The resulting microchannels are up to 8.9 mm long and exhibit cross sections from below 10 µm to more than 100 µm. Aspect ratios of up to 593 were achieved. Investigations with different structuring and etching parameters revealed that the etching process is mainly diffusion determined. The etching depth depends on the square root of time, similar to the well-known Brownian motion. In addition, we could enhance the etching diffusion constant by a factor of two, reducing the time to etch the longest channel by an order of magnitude, using a 1:1 mixture of sulfuric and phosphoric acid instead of pure phosphoric acid. The observed fundamental time dependence in conjunction with diffusion coefficients up to 160 µm/h 1 / 2 makes the etching behavior highly predictable and paves the way toward arbitrary three-dimensional micro- and nanostructuring over long distances in crystalline materials.


During recent years, due to technological advancements, many sophisticated techniques have been evolved for assuring fast recovery of the patients in hospitals. The need for good patient care in hospitals, assessment, and management of fluid and electrolyte is the most fundamental thing required. All most in all hospitals and assist/nurses are responsible for monitoring the electrolyte bottle level. But unfortunately most of the time, the observer may forget to change the bottle at the correct time due to their busy schedule. To overcome this critical situation, an IoT based automatic alerting and indicating the device is proposed where the sensor used here is a level sensor or weight sensor. It is based on the principle that the sensor output changes when fluid level/weight is below a certain limit. When Fluid level/weight is low, it will alert the observer through the website at the control room indicates the room number of the patient for quick recovery. Hospital uses simple electrolytes bottles with no indication, it may create a problem for the patient because the reverse flow will start, blood starts to flow from the body towards the bottle. In, Hospital ICU, CCU, OT, requires such kind of automatic monitoring and indication system. The proposed system consists of a sensor used for monitoring the critical level of the saline liquid in the saline bottle and a mechanism that will stop the saline flow automatically after the saline bottle is completely empty. Keyword : Load cell, IoT , Node MCU, and etc....


The question raised in this paper is whether changes over the last 20 years in the German financial accounting system signal a retreat of the nation state from this policy field. Using a comprehensive perspective on accountancy we consider the steps in the accounting process, i.e. standard setting, enforcement and disclosure, and analyse whether significant privatisation tendencies can be observed in accounting, whether and how the state safeguards its scope for interventions in the public interest and how these changes compare to the ongoing globalisation in accounting. We find that changes in all these areas are first of all driven by the application of European legislation, but also by voluntary harmonisation and an increased involvement of private actors. Altogether, a shift towards a (more) societal governance mode can be witnessed. However, the State increases its interventions at the same time by regulating arenas in which it was previously not active.


This report supplements our observations recorded inThe Journalin the fall of 1944.1In general, our enlarged experience has tended to confirm the initial impression that sodium penicillin given by intramuscular injection is very satisfactory treatment for the syphilitic pregnant woman to prevent congenital infection of the fetus and that it may rapidly become the treatment of choice in this condition. Considerable progress has also been made in arriving at a satisfactory regimen for the infant infected with syphilis. The latter problem has seemed considerably more complex to work out than has been the treatment of syphilis in the adult with penicillin, largely because of the severity of the disease frequently encountered in the newborn in contradistinction to the adult, and because of the theoretical dangers inherent in the injudicious use of a rapidly spirillicidal drug under such circumstances. This study is still in progress and much is


In this paper we design and implement an embedded surveillance system which is triggered by Pyroelectric Infrared sensors (PIRs). Our design uploads images or videos to Web pages in real time and allows the user to monitor the area through the Internet. To enhance the sensing probability, we use multiple sensors to construct a sensor group operating by means of a majority voting mechanism. To cover a large sensing area, we use multiple sensor groups which have a majority voting mechanism and are able to help each other. The signals from the sensors are input to the embedded surveillance system which counts the sensing states using the software of the majority voting mechanism. The result of the statistics decides whether the embedded surveillance system is to be triggered which then records the images of an intruder in an efficient way.


Abstract The real war of the future countries is not based on energy or markets, but on human capital. Therefore, the need for countries to develop the talents and abilities of knowledge, expertise, skills, and most importantly, the ability of creative thinking. The purpose of this study is to foster creativity by using the Creativity Matrix to fulfill organizational mission. This study designed a matrix consisting of a questionnaire that was identified by barriers and creativity experts and then evaluated their reliability / validity. In the second step, the creativity strategies questionnaire was completed using expert opinion and using the best-worst-case-importance method. And the position of each in the importance-performance matrix was identified. By analyzing the data, after determining the importance-performance of each strategy in terms of


Tin dioxide has huge potential and is widely studied and used in different fields, including as a sensitive material in semiconductor gas sensors. The specificity of the chemical activity of tin dioxide in its interaction with the gas phase is achieved via the immobilization of various modifiers on the SnO2 surface. The type of additive, its concentration, and the distribution between the surface and the volume of SnO2 crystallites have a significant effect on semiconductor gas sensor characteristics, namely sensitivity and selectivity. This review discusses the recent approaches to analyzing the composition of SnO2-based nanocomposites (the gross quantitative elemental composition, phase composition, surface composition, electronic state of additives, and mutual distribution of the components) and systematizes experimental data obtained using a set of analytical methods for studying the concentration of additives on the surface and in the volume of SnO2 nanocrystals. The benefits and drawbacks of new approaches to the high-accuracy analysis of SnO2-based nanocomposites by ICP MS and TXRF methods are discussed.


The Christian perspective on morality is examined under the rubric of "being like Jesus" and the "Jesus proposal for morality." The Peace People of Northern Ireland are examples of this proposal. Among the features of Christian moral thinking that are emphasized are: Jesus' concern for the future, the transformation that the future requires, human nature interpreted in terms of how it can undergo transformation, and self-giving love as the core of this transformation. Attention is given to the ways in which Jesus both radicalized and relativized the moral conventions of his day. Dialogue with sociobology comes into play when Jesus is viewed as a proposal for cultural evolution and a kind of biocultural mutation. Gerd Theissen's scholarship on Jesus' moral perspectives is given special attention.


The study aimed to assess the status of the coco geonet in Central Luzon, particularly Aurora, which comprises more than 90% of the region's production. The study utilized a participatory method, and a value chain analysis framework was used to examine the roles of different key players. The value chain comprises input provision, farm production, processing, and marketing. Based on the results of the study, coco geonet processors received the biggest share in terms of both value addition and total cost. Nearly all coconut farmers initially obtained planting materials from other coconut farmers whose farms exhibited high-quality characteristics. These farmers utilize simple farming methods that have not changed in many decades. Coco geonet production consists of two processing stages: coco-coir production and coco-geonet weaving. The primary constraint for coco geonets is the lack of access to the institutional market. Customers for the coco geonets produced by Aurora's value chain are currently scarce. Marketing links are necessary to add value to the husks. It is therefore recommended that the products be promoted, their market be developed, and their marketing potential be tapped to allow the industry to become lucrative. Inter-agency support is needed for the value chain to perform efficiently and effectively.


In the literature, there is a striking controversy concerning the basic physical properties of UIr2Zn20 crystals that have been recently measured by various research groups. One may suppose that the particular samples are not free of defects and this is the likely reason for the discrepancy between the reported key experimental results. Here, positron annihilation spectroscopy serves as a very sensitive tool to probe lattice perfection with respect to the presence of open‐volume defects. In the present work, we perform calculations of the electron density of states (DOS), positron distribution, and positron lifetime, τ, in the UIr2Zn20 perfect crystal of Fd‐3m cubic structure (according to our best knowledge, for the first time in the literature). The results are compared with their counterparts for the crystals containing an Ir and Zn1 monovacancy. Three sharp narrow peaks from 5f U electrons are observed in the DOS close to the Fermi energy, EF, both for the perfect crystal as well as for the one containing vacancies. These peaks are located below, above and just at the Fermi level. Two peaks originate from f5/2 and f7/2 states, while the existence of the remaining one may be interpreted in terms of the dual character of uranium f electrons. The presence of vacancies considerably redistributes the positron charge in the unit cell and, in consequence, increases the value of the positron lifetime as compared with the perfect material.


Objective: Noise can pose various detrimental effects that may put workers at high risk for occupational injuries and detrimental organisational consequences. This study aims to determine the effects of occupational noise exposure levels to psychological stress and sleep disturbance among manufacturing workers in Selangor. Method: A cross-sectional study was carried out involving 80 manufacturing workers who were exposed to noise levels of above 85dB. The response rate was 80%. Sound level meter (SLM) was used to measure workplace ambient noise level. O'Donnell Personal Stress Inventory was used to measure stress level and Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ) was used to measure psychosocial factors of stress. While the level of sleep disturbances was measured via Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Result: Thirty respondents (38%) were classified to be stressful and 57 respondents (71.3%) were having poor sleep. Noise was found to be insignificant in predicting stress level and sleep disturbances. Gender and interpersonal relationship significantly associated with stress levels. Work demand, marital status and income were significant in predicting sleep disturbances. Conclusion: Findings indicated that workers were protected from noise exposure by wearing ear plugs. However, the prevalence of sleep disturbance was high. Therefore intervention strategies to improve sleep quality should focus on those identified significant psychosocial work factors.


A new image enhancement tool ideally suited for the visualization of fine structures in extreme ultraviolet images of the corona is presented in this paper. The Noise Adaptive Fuzzy Equalization method is particularly suited for the exceptionally high dynamic range images from the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly instrument on the Solar Dynamics Observatory. This method produces artifact-free images and gives significantly better results than methods based on convolution or Fourier transform which are often used for that purpose.


Because few reports have addressed infections late (≥1 year) after liver transplantation (LT), we evaluated the incidence, risk factors and pathogens involved. Infection data were from the Finnish LT registry, with starting date, type and relevant pathogens for 501 Finnish adult LT patients surviving ≥1 year post‐transplant. Follow‐up end points were end of study, death or retransplantation. Logistic regression to assess risk factors was adjusted for age, gender and follow‐up time. With 3923 person‐years of follow‐up, overall infection incidence was 66/1000 person‐years; 155 (31%) suffered 259 infections, and two‐thirds experienced only one infection. Cholangitis (20%), pneumonia (19%) and sepsis (14%) were most common. The most frequent bacteria were Enterococcus spp. and Escherichia coli, and the most frequent viruses cytomegalovirus and varicella zoster virus. Fungal infections were rare (n = 7). With 13 fatal infections, 17% of all late deaths involved infection. Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) and Roux‐en‐Y‐type biliary anastomosis were associated with cholangitis; 18% of PSC patients suffered late cholangitis. Late acute rejection was associated with sepsis. Age, gender or cytomegalovirus did not significantly influence late infections. In conclusion, although infection risk under maintenance immunosuppression therapy is relatively low, particular vigilance regarding cholangitis, pneumonia and sepsis seems appropriate.


1. Eighty-five patients have been studied soon after a ligamentous injury at the foot or ankle. These patients were treated in one of three ways, and in fifty-six patients the results were evaluated six to fifteen months after injury. 2. It is concluded: a ) that ligamentous injuries at the foot and ankle frequently produce a proprioceptive deficit affecting the muscles of the injured leg; b ) that such a deficit is responsible for the symptom of "giving way" of the foot; and c ) that the incidence of both the proprioceptive deficit and the symptom of "giving way" can substantially be reduced by treatment after injury with the coordination exercises described in this study. 3. The mechanism of production of the proprioceptive defect is discussed.


Objectives: To assess internal dose and oxidative stress in male restaurant workers exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from cooking oil fumes (COFs) in Chinese restaurants. Methods: The study participants included 288 male restaurant workers (171 kitchen and 117 service staff) in Chinese restaurants in Taiwan. Airborne particulate PAHs were measured over 12 h on each of two consecutive work days and then identified using high performance liquid chromatography. Urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) measurements were used to indicate COF exposure, and urinary malondialdehyde (MDA) was adopted as an oxidative stress marker. Multiple regression models were used to assess the relationship between MDA and 1-OHP levels after adjusting for key personal covariates. Results: Summed particulate PAH levels in kitchens (median 23.9 ng/m3) were significantly higher than those in dining areas (median 4.9 ng/m3). For non-smoking kitchen staff, mean MDA and 1-OHP levels were 344.2 (SD 243.7) and 6.0 (SD 8.0) μmol/mol creatinine, respectively. These levels were significantly higher than those for non-smoking service staff, which were 244.2 (SD 164.4) and 2.4 (SD 4.3) μmol/mol creatinine, respectively. Urinary 1-OHP levels were significantly associated with work in kitchens (p<0.05). Furthermore, urinary MDA levels were significantly associated with urinary 1-OHP levels (p<0.001) and working hours per day (p<0.05). Conclusions: These findings indicate that urinary 1-OHP and MDA levels reflect occupational exposure to PAHs from COFs and oxidative stress in workers in Chinese restaurants.


A method is proposed to generate low emittance electron bunches from two color laser pulses in a laser-plasma accelerator. A two-region gas structure is used, containing a short region of a high-Z gas (e.g., krypton) for ionization injection, followed by a longer region of a low-Z gas for post-acceleration. A long-laser-wavelength (e.g., 5 μm) pump pulse excites plasma wake without triggering the inner-shell electron ionization of the high-Z gas due to low electric fields. A short-laser-wavelength (e.g., 0.4 μm) injection pulse, located at a trapping phase of the wake, ionizes the inner-shell electrons of the high-Z gas, resulting in ionization-induced trapping. Compared with a single-pulse ionization injection, this scheme offers an order of magnitude smaller residual transverse momentum of the electron bunch, which is a result of the smaller vector potential amplitude of the injection pulse.


This article presents an analysis of the electric field distribution and current transport in fluidic nanochannels fabricated by etching of a silicon chip. The channels were overcoated by a SiO2 layer. The analysis accounts for the current leaks across the SiO2 layer into the channel walls. Suitable voltage biasing of the Si substrate allows eliminating of the leaks or using them to modify the potential distribution of the fluid. Shaping the potential in the fluid can be utilized for solute focusing and separations in fluidic nanochannels.


Abstract Inhibition effects have been carried out on carbon steel in solutions containing different amines. These compounds were dissolved in some petroleum/ water corrosive mixtures containing of acetic acid and NaCl. Corrosion inhibition afforded by diethanolamine (DEA), 3-aminopropanol(1) (3-AP), 2-dimethylethanolamine (2-DEA), cyclohexylamine (CHA), N-methylcyclohexylamine (N-MCA) and dicyclohexylamine (DCHA) has been studied by cyclic polarization (CP) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) with a carbon steel rotating disk electrode at 25 °C. The best corrosion inhibition was obtained for the 4% of DEA, which is able to act as polarizing agent on the carbon steel surface. Thus, analysis of the change of inhibitor structure and its concentration in the solution allowed us to find the optimum parameters for obtaining the best inhibition. The observed difference in behavior of the additives can be attributed to the differing of solubility in various solvents ratio and to the differing of strict hindrance of the compounds to metal surface.


Solid-state nuclear track detectors (SSNTDs) find applications in many fields of science and technology. Polycarbonates like CR-39 or Lexan are most widely used for such applications. Pokalon is a relatively new member of the polycarbonate family of SSNTDs. It has the same monomer as that of Makrofol. In the present work we have studied the bulk etching characteristics of Pokalon at different temperatures and normalities of NaOH etchant with and without magnetic stirring. The effect of UV and gamma irradiation on the bulk etch rate has also been studied. From the bulk etch rate values at different temperatures, we have determined the corresponding activation energies. Measurable enhancement of the bulk etch rates with accompanying reduction in the activation energies following UV and gamma irradiation suggests chain scission and bond breaking as possible mechanisms for these changes in the etching characteristics.


This study aims to identify the critical factors for enhancing the government performance management system in Indonesia. The research was carried out in three major provinces: Yogyakarta, South Sumatra, and West Java Province. Employing a mixed-method approach, the study utilized descriptive research with both quantitative and qualitative analyses. The quantitative analysis involved multivariate regression analysis conducted using R-Studio, while the qualitative aspect included insights from selected key informants. The findings of the study highlight that leadership commitment and internal policy support are the most influential factors in sustaining the government performance management system in Indonesia. Additionally, such factors as organizational structure stability, working culture, conformity to national policies, clarity of performance cascading, and quality of human resources showed positive correlations. However, the use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) was found to have no comprehensive correlation in supporting performance management systems.

https://vgmu.hse.ru/data/2023/09/30/2061776684/Didid Noordiatmoko, Tommy Anggriawan, Aditya Eka Saputra.pdf


Background: Whole spine scanography (WSS) is a radiologic examination that requires whole body X-ray exposure. Consequently, the amount of patient radiation exposure is higher than the radiation dose following routine X-ray examination. Objectives: Several studies have evaluated the patient effective dose (ED) following single exposure film-screen WSS. The objective of this study was to evaluate patient ED during WSS, based on the automatic image pasting method for multiple exposure digital radiography (APMDR). Further, the calculated EDs were compared with the results of previous studies involving single exposure film-screen WSS. Patients and Methods: We evaluated the ED of 50 consecutive patients (M:F = 28:22) who underwent WSS using APMDR. The anterior-posterior (AP) and lateral (LAT) projection EDs were evaluated based on the Monte Carlo simulation. Results: Using APMDR, the mean number of exposures was 6.1 for AP and 6.5 for LAT projections. LAT projections required more exposures (6.55%) than AP projections. The mean ED was 0.6276 mSv (AP) and 0.6716 mSv (LAT). The mean ED for LAT projections was 0.6061 mSv in automatic exposure control (AEC) and 0.7694 mSv in manual mode. The relationship between dose-area-product (DAP) and ED revealed a proportional correlation (AP, R2 = 0.943; LAT, R2 = 0.773). Compared to prior research involving single exposure screen-film WSS, the patient ED following WSS using APMDR was lower on AP than on LAT projections. Conclusion: Despite multiple exposures, ED control is more effective if WSS is performed using APMDR in the AEC mode.


We present CFA designs that faithfully capture images with specified luminance and chrominance bandwidths. Previous academic research has mostly been concerned with maximizing PSNR of reconstructed images without regard to chrominance bandwidth and cross-talk. Commercial systems, on the other hand, pay close attention to both these parameters as well as to the visual quality of reconstructed images. They commonly sacrifice resolution by using a sufficiently aggressive OLPF to achieve low cross-talk and artifact free images. In this paper, we present the so called Chrominance Bandwidth Ratio, r, model in an attempt to capture both the chrominance bandwidth and the cross-talk between the various signals. Next, we examine the effect of tuning photosite aspect ratio, a hitherto neglected design parameter, and show the benefit of setting it at a different value than the pixel aspect ratio of the display. We derive panchromatic CFA patterns that provably minimize the photo-site count for all values of r. An interesting outcome is a CFA design that captures full chrominance bandwidth, yet uses fewer photosites than the venerable color-stripe design. Another interesting outcome is a low cost practical CFA design that captures chrominance at half the resolution of luminance using only 4 unique filter colors, that lends itself to efficient linear demosaicking, and yet vastly outperforms the Bayer CFA with identical number of photosites demosaicked with state of the art compute-intensive nonlinear algorithms.


Background/Aim: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS CoV-2) has deeply affected life all over the World. The World Health Organization named this disease as COVID-19. The most important factor in the transmission of the disease is asymptomatic carriers. We've tested all oncology patients, that receive anti-cancer therapy, for COVİD-19 to prevent asymptomatic oncology patients from spreading infection and to make the decision to postpone chemotherapy in infected patients. Then, we analyzed the clinical and radiological findings of infected patients.Materials and Methods: Oncology patients who have indications of receiving anti-cancer treatment in the hospital were tested for COVID-19, two day prior to their treatment even if they were asymptomatic by collecting nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swab specimens for RT-PCR for viral RNA detection. Positive patients, underwent inspiratory phase of chest computed tomography (CT) examination. Infected patients were given the recommended treatment for COVID-19. Anti-cancer treatment of all patients that had positive PCR results was delayed for 14 days.Results: PCR test was positive in 28 of 312 patients that we tested, and the positivity rate was 8.9%. Three patients (10.7%) had symptoms; 2 of whom had dyspnea and cough, and 1 had headache, and 25 patients (89.3%) had no symptoms.Conclusion: In oncology patients, who are receiving anti-cancer treatment, we have to recognize the asymptomatic COVID-19 infection. We recommend testing for COVID-19 in oncology patients receiving chemotherapy, periodically or before each anti-cancer treatment, in order to continue their treatment without any problems and to prevent the risk of transmission.


The UK Defence Medical Services are currently supporting contingency operations following a period of intensive activity in relatively mature trauma systems in Iraq and Afghanistan. Among the key lessons identified, human factors or non-technical skills played an important role in the improvement of patient care. This article describes the importance of human factors on Role 2 Afloat, one of the Royal Navy's maritime contingency capabilities, and illustrates how they are vital to ensuring that correct decisions are made for patient care in a timely manner. Teamwork and communication are particularly important to ensure that limited resources such as blood products and other consumables are best used and that patients are evacuated promptly, allowing the facility to accept further casualties and therefore maintain operational capability. These ideas may be transferred to any small specialist team given a particular role to perform.


: An off-site consequence analysis is used to calculate the risks when hazardous chemicals that is being used on-site has been exposed off-site; the biggest factor that impacts the risk is the risks of accident scenarios. This study seeks to calculate risks according to accident scenarios by applying OGP/LOPA risk calculating methods for similar facilities, calculate risk reduction ratio by inspecting applicable IPL for incidents, and propose an appropriate risk standard for different risk calculating methods. Considering all applicable IPL when estimating the safety improvement of accident scenarios, the risk of OGP is 8.05E-04 and the risk of LOPA is 1.00E-04, According to the case of IPL, the risk is 1.34E-02. The optimal risk level for accident scenarios using LOPA was 10 -2 , but the appropriate risk criteria for accident scenarios in foreign similar studies were 10 -3 ~10 -4 , the risk of a scenario can be determined at an unacceptable level. When OGP is applied, it is analyzed as acceptable level, but in case of applying LOPA, all applicable IPL should be applied in order to satisfy the acceptable risk level. Compared to OGP, the risk is high when LOPA is applied. Therefore, the acceptable risk level should be set differently for each risk method.


The recognition of bronchioloalveolar carcinoma (BAC) as distinct from adenocarcinoma of the lung, is controversial. Using strict pathologic criteria, 43 consecutive patients with BAC were matched by year of diagnosis and compared with a similar number of patients with adenocarcinoma, and for contrast, with those with squamous and oat cell carcinoma of the lung. We demonstrated that BAC is not sex related, and is not as smoking related as the other neoplasms. Unlike epidermoid carcinoma, BAC does not show a predilection for those occupations requiring manual labor. Also, BAC is frequently distinguishable radiologically from the other three by being smaller and peripheral. A pleural tag and an air bronchogram in a mass are rather specific, and BAC is less likely to have large airway involvement and adenopathy. The percentage of patients who were free of tumor after 2 yr was greater in the BAC group than in the others, but the overall survival rate between the BAC group and the adenocarcinoma group was not. Based on inter-observer variability, there is some overlap pathologically between these 2 groups. However, when the overlap between the adenocarcinoma and the BAC groups is compared with that between the adenocarcinoma and the squamous cell carcinoma groups, the difference is not significant. We conclude that BAC should be considered a distinct clinical entity.


The digital divide at its heart is a social divide. The two share many of the same fault lines. If we look just at the digital divide's technological face, we see that "computer use is related to race and ethnicity, educational attainment, gender, basic household composition, and, most dramatically, income." (Bishop, et al., 1999, page 363). Public libraries, as part of its esprit de corps, are already doing much to help connect disadvantaged groups to the infosphere, including providing information that is health-related and life-saving. (Cabello and Butler, 2017) In the absence of a universal basic income and a strong education system in the US and UK, libraries are taking the lead. The aim of librarians is not to eradicate the digital divide but to mitigate its effects, (Van Dijk, 2020) and to give libraries the tools to do so. This essay will explore reasons for the digital divide in the US and the UK and consider approaches to remedy it. Like most research, there are many instances here supporting correlation over causation. What emerges again and again in the research are the fault lines aforementioned. From this list of factors, we will pay particular attention to age as a guide post in the digital divide and look at how resources, or lack thereof, play a role in the digital divide.


Decreasing the pollution level is now the main aim for many. Pollution is in many forms; almost every natural thing is now affected by the term pollution. Not only land, water, air, but each and every thing belongs to the planet is now in danger levels of pollution. Already human civilizations woke up to reduce this danger but are not into many things one of such is air. Air pollution is one of the hardest challenges to the humans as it is beyond our hand limits. So there must be a technology for that to decrease the alarming levels of air pollution. The discussed method also aims to bring the increased levels of pollution back to the bottom. In this method the air is being purified by the use of distilled water only, without the use of any synthetic material and/or chemical substance. Here, the air is made passed through the water so by reaction with water, pollutants stay in it results in clean air. In this method air is being purified by polluting water, but the fact is cleaning water is easy and there are many methods for this but cleaning air needs some boost up in the technology level.


There is increasing interest among the user communities for using satellite data products from multiple sensors for improved environmental monitoring. Spectral vegetation indices (VIs) are one of the more important products in observing spatial and temporal variations of vegetation biophysical properties and photosynthetic activities as well as in biogeochemical cycle modeling. To accomplish this goal, VIs from multiple sensors need to be normalized for differences in sensor characteristics and algorithms. In this study, we evaluated several empirical strategies in cross-calibrating VIs from different sensors for the spectral band pass filter differences. A satellite-borne hyperspectral image was obtained with the Earth Observing-1 (EO-1) Hyperion sensor over a tropical forest-savanna transitional area in South America. The image was first spectrally convolved to simulate Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR), Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), and Landsat-7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) band passes and corrected for atmospheric effects. Data were then extracted from six land cover types with a wide range of biogeophysical conditions and used to empirically derive cross-calibration (translation) equations for the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). The empirical strategies examined included: cross-calibration at the VI level using the NDVI as a predictor variable, cross-calibration at the reflectance level using the reflectance as a predictor variable, and cross-calibration at the reflectance level using the NDVI as a predictor variable. We also examined a two-steps approach in which the cross-calibrations were performed first at the reflectance level and then at the NDVI level. Overall, all of the cross-calibration methods performed well, resulting in root mean square errors less than .05 NDVI units. In nearly all the cases, however, the translations resulted in large residual bias errors with their values reaching .16 units for dark, little or non-vegetated land targets. Depending on cross-calibration methods used, both the magnitudes and directions of bias errors varied significantly. Although the NDVI-based cross-calibration of the NDVI produced the best results with small RMSE values (< .01 unit), there still existed small bias errors. These results indicate that data continuity studies require a theoretical basis in developing a mechanistic understanding of discontinuity and that cross-calibration results need to be evaluated from a real application point of view in order to assess the impact of persistent bias errors and to establish acceptable difference, or error levels in multi-sensor data sets.


Sanfilippo syndrome Type-B, also known as mucopolysaccharidosis IIIB (MPS IIIB), accounts for approximately one-third of all Sanfilippo syndrome patients and is characterized by a similar natural history as Type-A. Patients suffer from developmental regression, bone malformation, organomegaly, GI distress, and profound neurological deficits. Despite human trials of enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) (SBC-103, AX250) in MPS IIIB, there is currently no FDA approved treatment and a few palliative options. The major concerns of ERT and gene therapy for the treatment of bone malformation are the inadequate biodistribution of the missing enzyme, N-acetyl-α-glucosaminidase (NAGLU), and that the skeleton is a poorly hit target tissue in ERT and gene therapy. Each of the four known human types of MPS III (A, B, C, and D) is usually regarded as having mild bone manifestations, yet it remains poorly characterized. This study aimed to determine bone mineral content (BMC), volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD), and biomechanical properties in femurs MPS IIIB C57BL/6 mice compared to phenotypic control C57BL/6 mice. Significant differences were observed in MPS IIIB mice within various cortical and cancellous bone parameters for both males and females (p < 0.05). Here, we establish some osteogenic manifestations of MPS IIIB within the mouse model by radiographic and biomechanical tests, which are also differentially affected by age and sex. This suggests that some skeletal features of the MPS IIIB mouse model may be used as biomarkers of peripheral disease correction for preclinical treatment of MPS IIIB.


ABSTRACT Four master–dog dyads were studied to determine whether the language that is used in speaking to dogs (doggerel) resembles the language that is used in speaking to children (motherese). The structural properties of doggerel are strikingly similar to those that have been reported for motherese. Certain differences between motherese and doggerel may arise in functional and social areas. The similarities between the two language registers suggest that motherese is not elicited in response to either the linguistic level or the cognitive/intellectual level of the child. Rather, the social responsiveness of the listener may be sufficient to elicit the motherese register.


In this paper, we investigate quasi-maximum likelihood (QML) estimation for the parameters of a cointegrated solution of a continuous-time linear state space model observed at discrete time points. The class of cointegrated solutions of continuous-time linear state space models is equivalent to the class of cointegrated continuous-time ARMA (MCARMA) processes. As a start, some pseudo-innovations are constructed to be able to define a QML-function. Moreover, the parameter vector is divided appropriately in long-run and short-run parameters using a representation for cointegrated solutions of continuous-time linear state space models as a sum of a L\'evy process plus a stationary solution of a linear state space model. Then, we establish the consistency of our estimator in three steps. First, we show the consistency for the QML estimator of the long-run parameters. In the next step, we calculate its consistency rate. Finally, we use these results to prove the consistency for the QML estimator of the short-run parameters. After all, we derive the limiting distributions of the estimators. The long-run parameters are asymptotically mixed normally distributed, whereas the short-run parameters are asymptotically normally distributed. The performance of the QML estimator is demonstrated by a simulation study.


This paper proposes a modified dot-overlap printer model used in error diffusion. It can reduce the distortion due to the dot-overlap effect introduced in laser printers. In the modified model-based error diffusion, multipass is not required and the bias in the gray scale of the printed images can be entirely eliminated.


ABSTRACT Background: A consequence of pressure on hospitals to accommodate care needs of older patients is "boarding" or out-lying from their home ward. This may have greater adverse effects on older inpatients who are frail. Methods: A retrospective matched cohort study was conducted in an outer metropolitan general hospital. Randomly selected patients hospitalized between July 2012 and June 2013 under the care of an Older Person Evaluation Review and Assessment (OPERA) team (n = 300) were age and sex matched with patients under the care of general physicians (n = 300). Frequency of boarding and number of bed moves were recorded for all patients. For patients who had three or more moves, adverse outcomes were compared between the two groups. Results: A higher proportion of OPERA patients (n = 143; 47.7%) were out-lied from medical wards compared with 94 (31.3%) General Medicine patients (p < 0.001). Three or more bed moves were recorded for 67 (22.3%) OPERA and 24 (8%) General Medicine patients (p < 0.001). Of those with multiple moves, OPERA patients were more likely to have pre-morbid cognitive impairment (p = 0.005), to be moderately to severely frail (p = 0.016) and to suffer acute delirium and falls during admission (p = 0.03), compared with General Medicine patients. OPERA patients were also more at risk of adverse outcomes such as increased dependence, discharge to residential care or death (p = 0.023). Conclusion: Compared with age- and sex-matched General Medicine patients, OPERA patients were more likely to undergo multiple bed moves and out-lying, which may have contributed to negative outcomes for these patients.


Integrins alpha(1)beta(1) and alpha(2)beta(1) are two major collagen receptors on the surface of eukaryotic cells. Binding to collagen is primarily due to an A-domain near the N terminus of the alpha chains. Previously, we reported that recombinant A-domain of alpha(1)beta(1) (alpha(1)A) had at least two affinity classes of binding sites in type I collagen (Rich, R. L., et al. (1999) J. Biol. Chem. 274, 24906-24913). Here, we compared the binding of the recombinant A-domain of alpha(2)beta(1) (alpha(2)A) to type I collagen with that of alpha(1)A using surface plasmon resonance and showed that alpha(2)A exhibited only one detectable class of binding sites in type I collagen, with a K(D) of approximately 10 microm at approximately 3 binding sites per collagen molecule. We further demonstrated that alpha(1)A and alpha(2)A competed with each other for binding to type I collagen in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), suggesting that the binding sites in collagen for the two A-domains overlap or are adjacent to each other. By using rotary shadowing, the complexes of alpha(1)A- and alpha(2)A-procollagen were visualized. Morphometric analyses indicated three major binding regions (near the N terminus, in the central part, and near the C terminus) along the type I procollagen molecule for both A-domains. The positions of the respective binding regions for alpha(1)A and alpha(2)A were overlapping with or adjacent to each other, consistent with the ELISA results. Analysis of the sequences of type I collagen revealed that GER or GER-like motifs are present at each of the binding regions, and notably, the central region contains the GFOGER sequence, which was previously identified as a high affinity site for both alpha(1)A and alpha(2)A (Knight, C. G., et al. (2000) J. Biol. Chem. 275, 35-40). Peptides containing GLOGERGRO (peptide I, near the N terminus), GFOGERGVQ (peptide II, central), and GASGERGPO (peptide III, near the C terminus) were synthesized. Peptides I and II effectively inhibited the binding of alpha(1)A and alpha(2)A to type I collagen, while peptide III did so moderately. The N-terminal site in type I collagen has the sequence GLOGER in all three chains. Thus, it seems that peptide I represents a newly discovered native high affinity site for alpha(1)A and alpha(2)A.


Before 1990 environmental reporting in Sweden was a marginal and unsystematic activity undertaken by a small number of large companies in high-profile industries. The 1990's have witnessed a dramatic increase in environmental reporting practice, and today a large number of companies in almost all industries annually report considerable amounts of environmental information. Increasingly, companies are publishing this information in separate annual environmental reports. The thesis provides a detailed survey of Swedish listed companies' environmental reporting practices for the years 1990 through 1996. Following this survey the thesis presents a study of possible causes of the development of the environmental reporting trend, and a detailed analysis of financial environmental reporting concepts disclosed by companies. The study of concepts shows that this type of environmental reporting is uncommon in practice and confirms that it is highly problematic. In part, this is due to the difficulty in separating environmental activities from other business activities. The study also shows that these concepts may be disclosed and interpreted in a number of ways, thus limiting their usefulness. The study of possible causes shows that size and industry are prerequisites for environmental reporting during the early part of the period. Pressure by environmental groups has been a direct cause of disclosure in certain companies, but various internal organizational factors determine how a particular company reacts to such pressures. The rapid diffusion of environmental reporting practice may partly be explained by the tendency of companies to mimic the behaviour of their peers and competitors. In this sense, environmental reporting has become a reporting norm among listed companies. It is also an interesting example of how such norms develop through mimetic behaviour among report-makers, rather than as a result of professional debate among accounting regulators. (Less)


A synthesis of fossil gymnospermous woods from various Gondwana basins of India is presented, and characters of growth rings in the secondary wood, particularly tracheidal cell characters, are evaluated for possible palaeoclimatic signals. Permian fossil woods are mostly recorded from the Damuda, Wardha and Pranhita-Godavari basins. Growth rings are common in many of these species and suggest strong seasonality. Triassic woods are poorly known from the South Rewa Gondwana Basin; the paucity of growth rings suggests a lack of marked seasons. Available evidence on Jurassic woods from the Pranhita-Godavari Graben indicates lack of consistency in the growth ring distribution. Early Cretaceous fossil woods recorded from the Damuda, Pranhita-Godavari, East-Coast and Kutch basins mostly show growth rings, which suggest prevalence of distinct seasons. Ecological factors coupled with phenotypic plasticity, i.e., variation with the same genotype as a function of environmental differences (genetic flexibility) probably dictated wood accumulation patterns in Indian Gondwana woods. However, palaeo-latitudinal and palaeo-physiographic constraints influenced habitats, and subsequent taphonomic processes resulted in incomplete understanding of palaeoclimate. In the absence of contemporary meteorological data during Gondwana times on what is now on the Indian continent, fossil woods constitute an important tool for understanding the past impact of climate on tree growth.


SIR,-Dr. P. Glees's plea (Jan. 29, p. 193) for co-operation between neurosurgeon and psychiatrist could not be better illustrated than in the problem of prefrontal activity. It is fairly certain that leucotomy by the standard or orbital approach, or by any other approach, is not the final answer tQ the surgical treatment of mental diseases. In all neurophysiological research the task of solving a particular problem often draws the attention and interest of many investigators, and the literature of to-day is full of their now discarded claims. A new approach is useful for giving a different line of thought, and its recognized weaknesses and dangers can only give stimulation for further research. The work of Freeman has followed on " older methods " of bilateral section and may possibly lead to further observations and experiments which will ultimately cause rejection or modification of the original. I consider that prefrontal activity can be controlled by regulation of local blood supply and that this procedure in the hands of the neurosurgeon may become the operation of choice. Whatever method is adopted or is subsequently fashionable, the selection of patients is best left to the psychiatrist, who will have the advantage of observing them for many years afterwards. Too often the experience of the neurosurgeon is limited to the post-operative sequelae. His interest in the patients ceases with their discharge from the ward. Neither is the psychiatrist fully equipped for their accurate study, as he has no knowledge of the exact pathways that have been severed in each case. Only when we have a precise method of interrupting clearly defined pathways will he be able to give a clear interpretation of its value.-I am, etc.,


No anatomical connections have yet been demonstrated from the ventromedial ("satiety") to the lateral ("feeding") areas of the hypothalamus. Lesions were induced with goldthioglucose in mice in the ventromedial region, including the arcuate and ventromedial nuclei. With the Fink-Heimer stain for degenerating axons, fiber connections between these two areas were demonstrated.


Contributors Preface 1. The political setting: 'business as usual' or a new departure? David Stephen Part I. The Global Perspective: 2. Latin America's financial crisis: causes and cures Jonathan Hakim 3. A comparison of macroeconomic strategies in South America John Williamson 4. Latin American and east Asian NICs: development strategies compared Gustav Ranis and Louise Orrock Part II. Case Studies: 5. Brazil's foreign debt: the national debate Julian M. Chacel 6. Mexico: learning to live with the crisis George Philip 7. The rise and fall of the Chilean economic miracle Tim Congdon 8. Venezuela: the oil boom and the debt crisis Ramon Escovar Salom 9. World recession and Central American depression: lessons from the 1930s for the 1980s Victor Bulmer-Thomas 10. Conclusion Esperanza Duran Index.


The study aims to assess the intersection of gender, education, socio-economic status and nomadism, and its influence on health behaviors and health care access of the "Gypsy" seminomadic Narikuravar community in Tamil Nadu, India. The research was conducted through interviewing 51 Narikuravar women, using a semistructured method. The results revealed that the low education level of women and their semi-nomadism negatively affect their access to information about accessing health services; although the community is open to allopathic treatments, it has a low rate of allopathic care utilization, which they almost never frequent for chronic and non-urgent medical situations; many women are familiar with the concept of health insurance, but the rates of enrollment and utilization are very low; a large part of Narikuravars prefer using private sector care over public sector one; and the community faces stigma and discrimination while accessing health care.


Two college students developed symptoms of poisoning following ingestion of a salt solution during a college physiology laboratory exercise. Symptoms included nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and altered consciousness. The ingested solution was identified as isotonic buffered saline containing sodium azide in a concentration of 1.0 g/L. The solution was commercially prepared for instrumentation use only and was used inadvertently for the exercise instead of freshly preparing sodium chloride in water. One student drank three sips of the solution and survived. The other student drank 700 to 800 mL and over several days became progressively ill, suffering myocardial damage and cardiac dysrhythmias, and, finally, died. Toxicologic studies confirmed the presence of azide in an antemortem urine sample from the deceased. Sodium azide is an uncommon but potent poison which can cause serious illness and death.


The cross section of the direct neutron capture reaction C-12(n,gamma)C-13(1/2(+)) is calculated with the asymptotic normalization coefficient method. The result is in good agreement with a recent experiment at low energy. An enormous enhancement of cross section is found for this direct neutron capture in which a p-wave neutron is captured into an 2s(1/2) orbit with neutron halo. The possible effect of the neutron halo structure presented in this reaction on the s-process in astrophysics is. discussed in general.


The fusions of receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) involving anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK), c-ros oncogene 1 (ROS1), and neurotrophic receptor tyrosine kinase (NTRK) represent the potential targets of therapeutic intervention for various types of solid tumors. Here, the genomic features of 180 Chinese solid tumor patients with ALK, ROS1, and NTRK fusions by next generation sequencing (NGS) were comprehensively characterized, and the data from 121 patients in Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) database were used to compare. We found that ALK, ROS1, and NTRK fusions were more common in younger female patients (p<0.001) and showed a higher expression of programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1). The gene-intergenic fusion and the fusion with rare formation directions accounted for a certain proportion in all samples and 62 novel fusions were discovered. Alterations in TP53 and MUC16 were common in patients with RTK fusions. The mutational signatures of patients were mainly distributed in COSMIC signature 1, 2, 3, 15 and 30, while had a higher frequency in copy number variations (CNVs) of individual genes, such as IL-7R. In the MSKCC cohort, patients with fusions and CNVs showed shorter overall survival than those with only fusions. Furthermore, the differentially mutated genes between fusion-positive and -negative patients mainly concentrated on MAPK signaling and FOXO signaling pathways. These results may provide genomic information for the personalized clinical management of solid tumor patients with ALK, ROS1, and NTRK fusions in the era of precision medicine.


Growth in the number of game farms and hunting lodges (operators) in South Africa has created fierce competition among these hunting operations. In order to remain competitive, it is important to determine what hunters regard as important in order to enjoy a memorable experience. The purpose of this study is to determine the aspects that contribute to a memorable hunting experience. In addition, the study also determines which socio-demographic and behavioural variables influence memorability of the hunting experience. This was achieved by conducting a structured survey under biltong hunters in South Africa. Complete sampling was used. The data analysis consisted of three analyses, namely Factor analysis, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and t-tests. Spearmen's correlation coefficient was calculated to determine the relationship between ranked variables. The main findings of this study are that socio-demographic and behavioural aspects do impact on the motives of hunters to hunt and enjoy a memorable hunting experience. Occupations, method of the hunt and to hunt alone or in groups, exert the greatest impact on the said motives of hunters. It is also the first time that such a study has been conducted among South African biltong hunters.


Saccharification is an energy intensive process of particular industrial interest in agribusiness. Considerable improvements to the energy costs of processing can be made by the elimination of multiple high temperature steps during liquefaction. To facilitate technology development for more energy efficient saccharification, the effectiveness of thermoseparating polymer-based aqueous two-phase reactor systems (ATPRS) in the enzymatic hydrolysis of starch was investigated. The partition behavior of pure α-amylase, and a recombinant, thermostable α-amylase (MJA1) from the hyperthermophile, Methanococcus jannaschii and amyloglucosidase in PEO-PPO/salt aqueous two-phase systems was evaluated. All of the studied enzymes partitioned unevenly in these systems. Hydrolysis of soluble starch and corn starch into glucose by thermostable α-amylase and amyloglucosidase was performed in an ATPRS coupled with temperature-induced phase separation. Use of the ATPRS reduced the hydrolysis time to half of that for single-phase processing, thus reducing energy inputs. The hydrolysis time was 18 hours for 20% soluble starch with an amyloglucosidase concentration of 2.18 unit mL−1 in the aqueous system, but only 11 hours in aqueous two-phase reactor system. The extent of product inhibition is greatly reduced. These results reveal the potential for polymer-enhanced extractive bioconversion of starch as a practical technology.


Seemingly stationary (pre-sliding) interfaces between different materials, parts, and components are major sources of compliance and damping in structures. Classical pre-sliding contact models assume smooth elastic contact and predict that frictional slip leads to a well-defined set of stiffness and damping nonlinearities. However, reported data deviate from those predictions, and literature lacks a conclusive evidence leading to those deviations. In this work, the authors measure tangential stiffness and damping capacities inside a scanning electron microscope (SEM) while monitoring contacts between a rigid spherical probe and two materials (high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polyurethane elastomer). Measured force, displacement, contact area, stiffness, and damping are then compared with predictions of classical models. In situ SEM images synchronized to the tangential force–displacement responses are utilized to relate the degree of plasticity and geometric alterations to stiffness and damping nonlinearities. In agreement with the classical models, increasing tangential loads cause softening in contacts under light normal preloads. In contrast, stiffness for HDPE increases with increasing tangential loads at heavy normal preloads due to plasticity and pileups over the contact. Material damping is prevalent for all loading cases in polyurethane samples thanks to nearly fully adhered contact, whereas for only light tangential loads in HDPE. With increasing tangential loading, specific damping capacity of HDPE contacts increases tenfold. This nonlinear increase is due to plastic shearing and frictional losses induced by tangential loading. Those findings suggest that predictive interface models should include geometric alterations of contact, plasticity, and material damping.


BACKGROUND
Abundant appearance of late potentials registered by high resolution ECG (HR-ECG) has been shown to predict a risk for cardiac arrhythmia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the appearance of normal and abnormal late potentials in a group of Finnish private and commercial pilots.

METHODS
Standard 12-lead ECG and 40-250 Hz band-pass filtered HR-ECG were recorded in 168 healthy male pilots. The following parameters were estimated: the root-mean-square voltage in the terminal 40 ms (RMS40), the total filtered QRS duration (FQRSD) and the duration of terminal high frequency low amplitude signal (HFLAD) of less than 40 microV in the filtered QRS.

RESULTS
Age (38 +/- 12 yr) and height (179 +/- 6 cm) had a significant (p < 0.005) and independent association with the total filtered QRS duration. No such correlations were observed for RMS40 or HFLAD. Mean +/- SD for RMS40 was 35.3 +/- 15.4 microV, for FQRSD 114.6 +/- 6.8 ms and for HFLAD 31.0 +/- 7.9 ms. Smokers tended to have longer late potentials (HFLAD) than non-smokers. Fasting blood glucose had a significant (p < 0.05) positive correlation with HFLAD. Serum cholesterol level had no correlation with the HR-ECG parameters. Age and height of the subject were associated with the total QRS duration as follows: FQRSD (ms) = -9.7* log age (yr) + 0.2*height (cm) + 94.6.


Summary
Aedes sollicitans mosquitoes became infected with Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) from feeding upon an inoculated horse. These mosquitoes, after two weeks' incubation, transmitted infection by bite to a normal horse. Attempts to infect more mosquitoes by permitting them to feed upon this second horse met with failure. The virus which circulated in the blood of the inoculated horse titered as high as 10-5.5, a level not commonly attained in horses. The horse infected by mosquito bite had a lower, more usual concentration of virus in its blood, inadequate to infect mosquitoes. The results of these studies prove it possible for an occasional horse to serve as an EEE infection source for mosquitoes. It is believed, however, that horses rarely play an important role in EEE propagation.


Background Monocytes play a key role in the pathogenesis of the cardiovascular disease (CVD). Three monocyte subsets have been described based on their CD14 and CD16 profile, with different actions in the vascular pathology. The distribution of these monocytes subsets and their epigenetic profile associated with CVD in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) remain unravelled Objectives To functionally characterize the monocytes subsets in RA patients and analyze their role in the endothelial dysfunction, altered oxidative status and proinflammatory/prothrombotic profile associated to RA. Methods Fifty RA patients and 30 healthy donors were included. Endothelial function was measured through post occlusive hyperaemia using Laser-Doppler. Carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) was used as atherosclerosis marker. The monocyte subsets were characterized by flow cytometry and isolated by immuno-magnetic selection. Proinflammatory cytokines, peroxides levels and cellular activation markers were analyzed. NanoString nCounter miRNA Expression Array was used to profile 800 microRNAs in isolated CD14+ and CD16+ monocytes. PCR array gene expression was used to analyze the expression of 84 genes related to atherosclerosis. Target genes of the differentially expressed miRNAs were identified by using the Ingenuity Pathway Analysis Software (IPA). The predicted microRNA-mRNA interactions were characterized by the microRNA Target Filter tool of IPA. The resulting identified interactions were revalidated by RT-PCR on the whole cohort of RA patients Results CD16+ monocytes were significantly extended in RA patients. These subsets had increased protein and gene expression of proinflammatory cytokines, markers of atherosclerosis and peroxide levels. miRNA expression profiling showed that 38 miRNAs were significantly altered (≥2 fold) in CD14+ RA monocytes compared to CD16+ RA monocytes. Functional classification of those miRNAs showed a preponderance of targets mRNAs involved in the pathological process of RA such as inflammatory state, immune response and CVD. RA patients had impaired endothelial function, with a reduced perfusion value after ischemia. Increased CD16+ monocytes and reduced CD14+ cells percentage were associated with a pathologic CIMT. Clinical parameters strongly correlated with endothelial dysfunction, decreased percentage of CD14+ monocytes and increased number of CD16+ subsets. Conclusions 1) RA patients exhibit an increased number of CD16+ monocytes, which display a specific atherogenic and inflammatory pattern directly associated to the autoimmune profile, the progression of the disease and the altered microvascular function. This atherogenic profile might be associated with an altered epigenetic pattern. That data suggest that CD16+ subpopulation might play a key role in the CVD pathogenesis associated with RA. Acknowledgement Funded by CTS7940, PI15/01333, PI2013–0191, CP15/00158 Disclosure of Interest None declared


Three populations of the freshwater filamentous cyanobacterium Lyngbya wollei (Farlow ex Gomont) Speziale and Dyck have been putatively identified from north‐eastern Australia and found to produce the potent cyanotoxin cylindrospermopsin (CYN) and its analog deoxy‐cylindrospermopsin (deoxy‐CYN). We investigated the phylogeny and toxicology of strains and mats isolated from two of these populations using a combination of molecular and morphological techniques. Morphologically the strains corresponded to the type description, however, the frequency of false‐branching was low, and variable over time. Strains and mat samples from both sites were positive for the cyrF and cyrJ genes associated with CYN biosynthesis. Phylogenetic analysis of these genes from Australian L. wollei sequences and comparable cyanobacterial sequences revealed that the genes in L. wollei were more closely related to homologous genes in Oscillatoria sp. PCC 6506 than to homologs in Nostocalean CYN‐producers. These data suggest a common evolutionary origin of CYN biosynthesis in L. wollei and Oscillatoria. In both the 16S rRNA and nifH phylogenies, the Australian L. wollei strains formed well‐supported clades with United States L. wollei (= Plectonema wollei) strains. Pair‐wise sequence similarities within the 16S rRNA clade containing all eleven L. wollei strains were high, ranging from 97% to 100%. This group was distantly related (<92% nucleotide similarity) to other taxa within the group previously considered under the genus Lyngbya sensu lato (C. Agardh ex Gomont). Collectively, these results suggest that this toxigenic group is evolutionarily distinct and sufficiently distant as to be considered a separate genus, which we have described as Microseira gen. nov. and hence transfer to it the type M. wollei comb. nov.


Multi-armed bandit has been well-known for its efficiency in online decision-making in terms of minimizing the loss of the participants' welfare during experiments (i.e., the regret). In clinical trials and many other scenarios, the statistical power of inferring the treatment effects (i.e., the gaps between the mean outcomes of different arms) is also crucial. Nevertheless, minimizing the regret entails harming the statistical power of estimating the treatment effect, since the observations from some arms can be limited. In this paper, we investigate the trade-off between efficiency and statistical power by casting the multi-armed bandit experimental design into a minimax multi-objective optimization problem . We introduce the concept of Pareto optimality to mathematically characterize the situation in which neither the statistical power nor the efficiency can be improved without degrading the other. We derive a useful sufficient and necessary condition for the Pareto optimal solutions. Additionally, we design an effective Pareto optimal multi-armed bandit experiment that can be tailored to different levels of the trade-off between the two objectives.


Real time information about the current road surface (friction coefficient) would be of great help for most of the vehicle systems of today. Vehicle stability systems like ABS and ESP would perform considerable better with friction knowledge. Dynamic All Wheel Drive torque distributors would, with friction knowledge, substantially enhance the behavior of the vehicle. In this thesis an enhancement of vehicle dynamic control with Active Front Steering was looked upon. The vehicle dynamic control stabilizes the vehicle with electronic steering interventions at the vehicle's front axle. The thesis goal was to enhance the stabilization algorithm by using knowledge of the road-tire friction coefficient as a system input. Two types of friction estimation algorithms were investigated, implemented and tested in a prototype vehicle. The most promising result gave the approach called slip-slope based friction estimation. The hypothesis is that the friction curve's initial slope contains information about the road-tire friction coefficient. With a parallel running gravel/rough road detector, a distinction between three different friction levels is definitely possible. The second approach was friction estimation with the brush model. The brush model is a physical model for describing the tire forces generated during driving (or braking). The road-tire friction coefficient is explicitly included in the model and that makes it very suitable for different types of parameter estimation algorithms. The estimation result, when feeding the algorithm with "good" (perfectly matching estimation data with low noise levels) data, was very satisfying. But usually are the algorithm input data, during normal driving, not very good. Though, friction estimation using the brush model is an interesting approach for the future. Better sensor signals (less noise) and more work with the algorithm details could probably result in a good and reliable friction estimator.


A close examination of archival documents and other materials from the state-controlled press reveals there to have been at least five competing modes for organizing labor on public works projects in the Democratic Republic of Vietnam during the mid to late 1950s. Each of these modes is examined to illustrate how ideological concerns and bureaucratic struggles shaped not only the postwar reconstruction of infrastructure but also efforts to "build socialism" following the land reforms. The materials discussed indicate that disruptions, false starts, and counterproductive policy modifications, including fierce competition between different state agencies, were the norm rather than the exception.


The subject of the paper is the exploitation efficiency system of overhead type cranes operating in critical systems, results implementation the control risk management and maintenance scheduling processes. The study case of the paper is a hot rolling mills system of a steel plant with critical overhead cranes operating with hazard conditions and continuous operation. The model output is an optimal overhead cranes maintenance scheduling distribution minimizing the production line risk stopped and the model input is a digital database structure with historical information related with the operation, maintenance, logistics and management process of the overhead cranes in the hot rolling mills plant. The transfer function is a stochastic non-linear optimization model with bounded constraint that assess a risk global-system indicator based on Monte Carlo simulations.


This report discusses the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) comprising nine members, two ex officio members, and other members as appointed by the President representing major departments and agencies within the federal executive branch. While the group generally has operated in relative obscurity, the proposed acquisition of commercial operations at six U.S. ports by Dubai Ports World in 2006 placed the group's operations under intense scrutiny by Members of Congress and the public.


A series of Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) marine carbon cycle sensitivity experiments is conducted to test the effect of different physical processes, as simulated by two atmosphere-ocean general circulation model (AOGCM) experiments, on atmospheric p CO 2 . One AOGCM solution exhibits an increase in North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW) formation under glacial conditions, whereas the other mimics an increase in Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) associated with a weaker NADW. None of these sensitivity experiments reproduces the observed magnitude of glacial/interglacial p CO 2 changes. However, to explain the reconstructed vertical gradient of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) of 40 mmol m −3 a marked enhancement in AABW formation is required. Furthermore, for the enhanced AABW sensitivity experiment the simulated stable carbon isotope ratio (δ 13 C) decreases by 0.4‰ at intermediate depths in the South Atlantic in accordance with sedimentary evidence. The shift of deep and bottom water formation sites from the North Atlantic to the Southern Ocean increases the total preformed nutrient inventory, so that the lowered efficiency of Southern Ocean nutrient utilization in turn increases atmospheric p CO 2 . This change eventually offsets the effect of an increased abyssal carbon pool due to stronger AABW formation. The effects of interhemispheric glacial sea-ice changes on atmospheric p CO 2 oppose each other. Whereas, extended sea-ice coverage in the Southern Hemisphere reduces the air-sea gas exchange of CO 2 in agreement with previous theoretical considerations, glacial advances of sea-ice in the Northern Hemisphere lead to a weakening of the oceanic carbon uptake through the physical pump. Due to enhanced gas solubility associated with lower sea surface temperature, both glacial experiments generate a reduction of atmospheric p CO 2 by about 20–23 ppmv. The sensitivity experiments presented here demonstrate the presence of compensating effects of different physical processes in the ocean on glacial CO 2 and the difficulty of finding a simple explanation of the glacial CO 2 problem by invoking ocean dynamical changes.


Research by the American Association of Colleges and Universities has found that student learning improves when writing of various forms is embedded throughout the curriculum. Writing-intensive courses are particularly well suited for nonprofit management education because nonprofit leaders must produce a variety of types of writing products, including memos, case statements, strategic plans, grant proposals, grant reports, and annual reports. The purpose of this study was to test whether a writing-intensive pedagogy would improve students' ( n = 81) perceptions of nonprofit advocacy, including beliefs about their own future practices as emerging nonprofit leaders. Findings were statistically significant and indicate that writing is an effective pedagogy for nonprofit advocacy. We discuss how writing can be integrated throughout the nonprofit management curriculum and provide resources for instructors to replicate the assignment. Subscribe to JNEL


Free radicals are natural nanoparticles which are doing their part well defined in the human cell, but then they must be annihilated or eliminated to not destroy the cell or another part of our body. It has been shown that residual free radicals in the body are responsible for the aging. The role to annihilate them is ful-filled by the antioxidants. Antioxidants are a group of compounds produced by the organism or that occur naturally in many foods. Antioxidants work together in the human body to maintain health and vigor, especially during the last decades of life. They do this by protecting us from harm caused by free radicals that can destroy skin and tissues healthy cells of the organism. Antioxidants are chemical compounds with many and varied applications. Naturally present in our diet, through fruits, vegetables, tea or red wine, they are recognized to be good for health. In fact, antioxidants protect our body's proteins and nucleic acids from oxidation. In the industry, antioxidants are also used as food additives to increase the shelf life of food. They are also present in the packaging or the wheels of cars because they prevent synthetic materials from becoming crumbly and brittle. Finally, in the cosmetics industry, creams containing antioxidants are known for their anti-aging properties. An antioxidant is a molecule that decreases or prevents the oxidation of other chemicals. Oxidation is part of an oxidation-reduction reaction that transfers electrons from a substance to an oxidizing agent. This reaction can produce radicals that cause destructive chain reactions. However, whatever the field of application, the unstable nature of antioxidants is a problem: The molecules degrade rapidly and have a particularly limited power of action over time.


In Octopus, the caecum, the pancreas and the liver are involved in the absorption of 3H-glycine-labelled food. The caecum exhibits the highest specific activity while the liver absorbs the largest proportion of labelled material. The administration of stained food shows in vivo alternating phases of absorption and secretion in the liver and continuous absorption in the caecum.


This study aims to investigate the adhesion phenomena between glass and composite materials, which - if they work in synergy – can increase the performance of glass structures, as regard both structural elements and the manufacture of joints. The experimental programme consisted of shear traction tests on all samples: glass-glass singlelap shear adhesion, glass-GFRP double-lap shear adhesion and glass-SRP shear adhesion. Different types of adhesive and various interface geometries were also tested to evaluate the ultimate force and identify fracture patterns with different bonding lengths. It was possible to identify the effective bonding length for each type of resin used to prepare test samples, by taking fracture load and average peel stress into account. Bonding length variations were also recorded. This enabled the values of bonding length to be verified analytically. Based on experimental results, a formula for the evaluation of delamination resistance and the optimal bonding length is proposed.


Objective To describe the clinical characteristics, referral patterns and time to recovery in an acute sport-related concussion (SRC) clinic population. Design Prospective Case Series Setting Acute Sport Concussion Clinic (ASCC) Participants Patients aged 13-60 years seen within 4 weeks of SRC at the ASCC from September 2015–April 2016. Outcome measures Frequency, proportions, medians and interquartile ranges (IQR) were used to describe sex, age group, time from injury to assessment, referral sources, time to recovery (days), referrals to additional services, and attrition. Results ASCC assessments were requested by 111 patients a median of 9 days (IQR:4-17) post-concussion [33% female; 60 children [median age 15 years (IQR:14-16)], 51 adults [median age 31 years (IQR:21-42)]; attrition rate=10%]. Referral sources included: self-referral [n=94 (85%)], emergency department [n=9 (8%)], primary care physician [n=7 (5%)], and athletic therapist (n=1). Initial assessment occurred a median of 7 days (IQR:2-9) following the evaluation request. Patients underwent a standardised assessment including symptom scores, neurological, cervical spine and vestibulo-ocular screening a median of 17 days (IQR:9-25) post-concussion. There were 94 (85%) patients with clinical findings of cervical spine and/or vestibulo-ocular dysfunction. Treatment was received by 71/94 (76%) of patients with observed dysfunction. Medical clearance to return to play occurred a median of 30 days (IQR:21-107) post-concussion (n=51) . Conclusions A novel direct-access clinic specific to SRC assists in early triage, leading to expedited assessment, management and treatment in the early post-concussion period. Focused assessment assists in management and recovery with accelerated referral to appropriate services. Competing interests None.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the effectiveness of topical corticosteroids in the management of mycosis fungoides.

DESIGN
Prospective study.

SETTING
Academic referral center, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and private practice.

PATIENTS
Seventy-nine patients with patch or plaque stage of mycosis fungoides. Fifty-one were stage T1 (less than 10% of skin involved) and 28 were stage T2 (10% or more of skin involved). Seventy-five had patch-stage and 4 had plaque-stage disease as determined by histological examination.

INTERVENTION
Patients were treated with topical class I to III corticosteroids. Of the stage T1 patients, all used class I corticosteroids, and 4 (8%) also used class II or III corticosteroids. Of the stage T2 patients, 19 (68%) used class I and 12 (43%) used class II or III compounds. Some patients used more than 1 class of corticosteroid. Applications were almost always twice daily. Three stage T1 and 2 stage T2 patients used plastic film occlusion. Baseline and monthly morning serum cortisol levels were obtained during treatment.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Response to treatment and side effects.

RESULTS
The median follow-up period was 9 months. Thirty-two (63%) of stage T1 patients achieved complete remission and 16 (31%) achieved partial remission, for a total response rate of 48 (94%). The comparable figures for stage T2 patients were 7 (25%), 16 (57%), and 23 (82%), respectively. Responses were determined by clinical examination. Thirty-nine patients achieved clinical clearing. In 7 of these, posttreatment biopsy specimens were obtained, and all showed histological clearing. Reversible depression of serum cortisol levels occurred in 10 (13%). Minor skin irritation occurred in 2 patients and localized, reversible skin atrophy in 1.

CONCLUSION
Topical corticosteroids, especially class I compounds, are an effective treatment for patch-stage mycosis fungoides.


In this paper, we investigate the design and the implementation of dynamic optical bursts grooming in segmented-based traffic OBS networks. The objective is to aggregate into one burst, different overlapping short bursts which are transmitted to the same destination. This process is executed at the grooming unit of the core node. We propose a design and a physical implementation of this unit based on the Virtual Optical Memory (VOM©) component. The VOM is a RAM-like memory which is used for temporal storing of data segments. Moreover, a signaling scheme and a grooming control module are developed in order to manage the grooming operation. In addition, a dimensioning framework is carried out and a performance study is performed in order to evaluate the grooming process according the grooming factor, VOM capacity, and maximum storing period.


BACKGROUND
In clinical trials, the use of inhaled corticosteroids is associated with an increased risk of pneumonia in people with COPD, but whether the same is true for people with asthma is not known.

METHODS
With the use of primary care data from The Health Improvement Network, we identified people with asthma, and from this cohort, we identified patients with pneumonia or lower respiratory tract infection and age- and sex-matched control subjects. Conditional logistic regression was used to determine the association between the dose and type of inhaled corticosteroid and the risk of pneumonia or lower respiratory tract infection.

RESULTS
A dose-response relationship was found between the strength of inhaled corticosteroid dose and risk of pneumonia or lower respiratory tract infection (P < .001 for trend) such that after adjusting for confounders, people receiving the highest strength of inhaled corticosteroid (≥ 1,000 μg) had a 2.04 (95% CI, 1.59-2.64) increased risk of pneumonia or lower respiratory tract infection compared with those with asthma who did not have a prescription for inhaled corticosteroids within the previous 90 days.

CONCLUSIONS
People with asthma receiving inhaled corticosteroids are at an increased risk of pneumonia or lower respiratory infection, with those receiving higher doses being at greater risk. Pneumonia should be considered as a possible side effect of inhaled corticosteroids, and the lowest possible dose of inhaled corticosteroids should be used in the management of asthma.


The type of this study is a quasy-experiment study. The objective of this research is to know: "The students' mathematics achievement by using contextual teaching and learning (CTL) is higher than by using direct instruction ". The population of this research is all of students in SMPN 1 Tanjung Morawa with total of 972 students. The sampling technique applied was cluster random sampling. The control class that is chosen VIII-5 consisted of 36 students, meanwhile the experiment class that is chosen VIII-2 consisted of 36 students. The instruments are used to measure the students mathematics achievement was a multiple-choice test and the students learning style was questionnaire. The normality test used of Lillie for's test and the homogeneity test by using Fisher test. The data analysis technique was t- test at the level of significance α = 5%.The study result showed that: "The students mathematic achievement taught by contextual teaching and learning (CTL) is  higher than the students mathematics achievement taught by direct instruction , where t count (1.2349) <  t table (1.9944) and Sig. Contextual (0.015) < 0.05 and Sig. Direct Instruction (0.039) < 0.05". The level of learning mastery for student or KKM, If student gets a minimum score is greater than or equal 2.66 (KKM ≥ 2.66), so student obtain completeness of learning. The students score is 67.01% (moderate), cumulative learning is 93.06% (very good items questioner).  Based on the data analysis result of multiple comparisons by t-test , it can be conclude that the student's mathematics achievements not have different which is taught by contextual teaching and learning (CTL) with students by direct instruction.