In this article we present a parametric estimation method for certain multiparameter heavy‐tailed Lévy‐driven moving averages. The theory relies on recent multivariate central limit theorems obtained via Malliavin calculus on Poisson spaces. Our minimal contrast approach is related to previous papers, which propose to use the marginal empirical characteristic function to estimate the one‐dimensional parameter of the kernel function and the stability index of the driving Lévy motion. We extend their work to allow for a multiparametric framework that in particular includes the important examples of the linear fractional stable motion, the stable Ornstein–Uhlenbeck process, certain CARMA(2, 1) models, and Ornstein–Uhlenbeck processes with a periodic component among other models. We present both the consistency and the associated central limit theorem of the minimal contrast estimator. Furthermore, we demonstrate numerical analysis to uncover the finite sample performance of our method.


Health risk of human exposure to microcystin-leucine arginine (MC-LR) has drawn more and more attention in recent years. In the present study, MC-LR inhibited miR-3473g expression of mouse granulosa cells both in vitro and in vivo. By dual-luciferase reporter assay, we confirmed miR-3473g is able to bind the 3'-untranslated region of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) mRNA and suppress StAR expression. Thus, down-regulation of miR-3473g after MC-LR exposure led to StAR overexpression. Excessive StAR probably transported much more cholesterol into the inner membrane of the mitochondria and finally resulted in overproduction of progesterone. Our results revealed that MC-LR exposure was associated with premature luteinization of granulosa cells and may adversely affect women's fertility.


A 2 μm electro-optically cavity-dumped semiconductor disk laser (SDL) with a pulse full width at half maximum of 3 ns, a pulse peak power of 30 W, and repetition rates adjustable between 87 kHz and 1 MHz is reported. For ns-pulse cavity dumping the SDL was set up with a 35-cm long cavity into which an intra-cavity Brewster-angled polarizer prism and a Pockels cell for rotation of the linear polarization were inserted. By means of internal total reflection in the birefringent polarizer, pulses are coupled out of the cavity sideways. This variant of ns-pulse 2-μm SDL is well suited for applications such as high-precision light detection and ranging or ns-pulse laser materials processing after further power amplification.


Deletion of the protein-protein interaction SH3 domain of the membrane remodeling amphiphysin 2 (BIN1) protein was found to lead to centronuclear myopathy in patients, yet only few interaction partners of BIN1 SH3 have been identified so far, precluding a better understanding of the pathomechanism. Here we used the holdup assay to proteome-wide measure steady-state affinity constants of BIN1 SH3 domain for thousands of full-length cellular proteins, as well as for hundreds of putative SH3-binding sites found within the identified BIN1 partners. Besides confirming known partners, such as dynamin 2 (DNM2), we also identified and affinity-characterized numerous others, like SMCHD1, which were previously implicated in different neuromuscular disorders. We also assessed the impact of a set of rare natural BIN1 SH3 domain variants on affinity interactomes and identified potentially harmful ones that exhibited perturbed affinity profiles, whose impacts were confirmed in a cellular assay for BIN1-mediated membrane remodeling, tentatively connecting them to neuromuscular disorders. In the study, we develop a new affinity-interactomic strategy, which can be generally applied to study the consequences of disease-associated genomic variants of any kind.


Abstract Regarding the sociology of religion and political science perspectives, this article attempts to examine the influence of religion on Kyrgyzstan's social and political life after her independence from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). This study addresses the following pieces of information before discussing the current circumstances. First, the historical background of how Islam has spread in Kyrgyzstan has different narratives and needs to be addressed before explaining the role of Islam in today's Kyrgyzstan. Also, to show how and when the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kyrgyzstan (SAMK), which is also called the Muftiyat of Kyrgyzstan, has emerged, it is necessary to examine the USSR era of Islam. In addition, since the first years of independence, religion and religious life have been given full freedom in Kyrgyzstan; however, the State Security Council in the meeting of February 2014 has decided that the prior religious freedom policy was wrong. In the following period, it was decided that the state would implement politics that would lead the religious structure and the religious life of society. In this study, religious tendencies and social sanctions for religion were studied in terms of sociology and political science in the post-independence period. Furthermore, the study focused on the work process and sanctions for the social and political stability of Kyrgyz society. This article also elaborates on the practices of the Kyrgyz state, which had a quarter-century past, on religion and shows that the practices are unstable and changing based on new circumstances. Summary Islamic elements are important in the daily life of the Kyrgyz people. Some of these are considered as traditions and customs by some people. The Kyrgyz were worshipping pre-Islamic Tengrism (Theism) and the elements of this faith. According to some researchers, Tengrism did not obstruct Islam, and it did not conflict with Islam, but rather made it easier for the Kyrgyz to embrace Islam. It has been suggested that various traditions are compatible with Islam and that they are accepted as Islamic. Tengrians keep this question in their agenda: "When did the Kyrgyz people accept Islam as a religion?" Even though they have just emerged with their current view, they claim that they have come from their ancestors. They try to portray Islam and Islamization as a distortion in society, whereas Islam has an ancient history and has become a national value and an integral part of life. The radical people identify Islam and Muslims as being Arab and disseminating this idea in society and portray the Kyrgyz Muslims as Arabized. Although they consider Kyrgyz and Islam as two different phenomena, it is clear that Kyrgyz people are Muslims from early times. Nobody can deny this fact. However, some events in the society and some practices are not accepted by some parts of the society in the name of Islam. For example, those who consider the Arab outfit as a symbol of Islam prefer to replace it with traditional or modern clothing. The clothing of the members of the Tabligh Jamaat, and some of the other radical groups, have led to this concern. Some people claim that there is no connection between Islam and Kyrgyz using these examples. During the Soviet period, there was no Islam along with the ideology of atheism. Although the understanding and ideas of these two are completely different, the clergy of the old Soviet-era expressed that there were no social problems during this period. After Kyrgyzstan gained its independence, atheism collapsed. But some issues related to Islamic misunderstanding have emerged. Since the early years of sovereignty, there have been many incidents and a new set of facts have emerged. Several ideas have emerged contradicting traditional understandings. These have led to the consolidation of Muslims. In 1993, an independent Muftiyat (Religious Affairs) was established in Kyrgyzstan under the name of "the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kyrgyzstan" apart from Tashkent. However, this institution remained very weak in religious and social matters, so it did not prevent the spread of different perceptions among the public. Even, it has led to the spread of some other perceptions. No innovations were introduced during the establishment of the Muftiyat. Just a branch of the Tashkent-based Muftiyat system during the former USSR was established in Kyrgyzstan. After the establishment of the Muftiyat, it has not been able to create a new system until today. The Muftiyat is a non-governmental organization, but they call themselves the religious administration of Muslims in Kyrgyzstan. Communities also accept it in the same way. So far, Muftiyat is the owner of mosques and madrasahs built within the borders of Kyrgyzstan. But it has no connection with the social organization and the state. Since independence, Religious Education has been carried out without a plan and system. Although so many madrasahs were opened, it was not able to spread traditional Islamic understanding. All the madrasahs are dependent on the Muftiyat. The opening of the madrasahs and the philosophy of education are generally dependent on the initiative of local religious people. In other words, if a person is a scholar then this man must have a madrasah. Even students are going to madrasah according to the name of this scholar. After independence, the state gave freedom to religion, yet tried to control it. However, the issue of religion did not play an important role in state policy. Five years after the independence, the State Commission for Religious Affairs was established by the Kyrgyz Government. At least, it is aimed to carry out the religion-related policies through this institution. This institution was not very strong in its early years. It only served to register religious institutions. The reason for the ineffectiveness of this institution was the freedom of religious belief and religious institutions, according to the law adopted in 1991. We can say that the State Commission for Religious Affairs and Muftiyat were unable to work together. These kinds of events in Kyrgyz society began to expand and spread the different misunderstanding of Islam, and of course, the state began to worry. Therefore, after 20 years of Independence, the state began to pay attention to the religious issues society. The state defines the policy towards religion in the past as wrong and tries to correct the situation in order not to fall again and make the same mistakes. The stability and continuous development of society depend on leaders and community engineers. Experts must work in this area. Unfortunately, not well-qualified experts are included in the working group in any case, we will try to examine the positive and negative aspects of this from the points of view of politics and sociology.


In this paper, we study the generation quality of interpolation-based retrieval-augmented language models (LMs). These methods, best exemplified by the KNN-LM, interpolate the LM's predicted distribution of the next word with a distribution formed from the most relevant retrievals for a given prefix. While the KNN-LM and related methods yield impressive decreases in perplexity, we discover that they do not exhibit corresponding improvements in open-ended generation quality, as measured by both automatic evaluation metrics (e.g., MAUVE) and human evaluations. Digging deeper, we find that interpolating with a retrieval distribution actually increases perplexity compared to a baseline Transformer LM for the majority of tokens in the WikiText-103 test set, even though the overall perplexity is lower due to a smaller number of tokens for which perplexity dramatically decreases after interpolation. However, when decoding a long sequence at inference time, significant improvements on this smaller subset of tokens are washed out by slightly worse predictions on most tokens. Furthermore, we discover that the entropy of the retrieval distribution increases faster than that of the base LM as the generated sequence becomes longer, which indicates that retrieval is less reliable when using model-generated text as queries (i.e., is subject to exposure bias). We hope that our analysis spurs future work on improved decoding algorithms and interpolation strategies for retrieval-augmented language models.


Monte Carlo simulations of oxygen ordering in the YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub {ital z}} system have been performed using a two-dimensional anisotropic Ising model. In agreement with experimental findings, transient phases are obtained at low temperatures. Observed structures are investigated, and the kinetics of their domain formation is described. The convergence of the system is seen to be exceptionally slow, and the rate of domain evolution is found to increase with decreasing oxygen content. The implications of these findings on the development of a complete theoretical ordering model for this system are discussed.


The synthesis of isothiocyanate-substituted kappa-selective opioid ligands derived from N-methyl-N-[(1S)-1-phenyl-2-(1-pyrrolidinyl)ethyl]ethyl]phenylacetami de (8) and their effects in radioligand displacement assays are reported. Ligands 3-5 with the S-absolute configuration were prepared with the isothiocyanate functionality at the 2-, 3-, and 4-positions in the phenylacetamide aromatic ring. The 2-isothiocyanato-4,5-dichlorophenylacetamide 6 was prepared to evaluate the effect of 4,5-dichloro substitution in the same aromatic ring as the 2-isothiocyanate function. N-Methyl-N-[(1S)-1-(4-isothiocyanatophenyl)-2-(1-pyrrolidinyl) ethyl]-3,4-dichlorophenylacetamide (7), with the 4-isothiocyanate function in the 1-phenyl ring, was prepared for comparison with the other compounds in the series. Of the prepared ligands, 7 and 8 (IC50s congruent to 1.4-1.8 nM) were approximately equal in affinity with 2 (ICI-199,441), followed by 3 and 6. All of these compounds were more kappa-selective than 2, as well. The binding characteristics of 8 show that the previously reported 4,5-dichloro substitution is not required for high affinity and kappa-selectivity. All of the synthesized isothiocyanate-substituted ligands irreversibly inhibited radioligand binding to guinea pig brain membrane preparations, including compound 2 (ICI-199,441) which had no isothiocyanate functionality.


Like the design of fixed-wing aircraft the design of rotorcraft is generally divided into the three consecutive phases of conceptual, preliminary and detailed design. During each phase the acquired results in turn serve as input for new calculations, thus increasing the detail level and information about the new concept while uncertainties about the new design are reduced. An important aspect of the overall design process is the weight estimation in early design stages. The weight of the rotorcraft drives the design of many important components, such as the rotor(s), the propulsion system and, therefore, the required fuel. The fuselage is considered as the central structural part since it connects all other components to each other and serves as protection of the occupants but in the past it often turned out to also be the heaviest part of all rotorcraft components. This paper shows an approach to estimate rotorcraft component weights using statistical methods based on existing rotorcraft but also an approach to use finite element methods that determine the structural airframe weight based on mission profiles respectively bearable load cases.


Low back pain (LBP) is a major public health issue. There is lack of research on this disorder affecting urban cleaning workers. A cross-sectional study was conducted to describe the prevalence of LBP, occupational and extra-occupational characteristics, as well as associated factors in these workers. A census was performed with 624 workers in Salvador, Brazil, using a questionnaire administered by an interviewer in 2010. Cases of LBP were defined by reported symptoms of pain in the previous 12 months, lasting more than a week or with monthly minimum frequency, which led to restrictions at work or to seeking medical attention, or in cases when respondents had a severity score > 3 on a numerical scale from 0 to 5. Physical demands at work were measured on a numerical 6-point scale with 14 variables. Psychosocial demands were measured using the Job Content Questionnaire. Sociodemographic factors, lifestyle habits and domestic work were evaluated. Multiple logistic regression (LR) was used to identify factors associated with LBP, for which the prevalence was 37.0%. Among them, 62.8% of workers felt pain in the last 7 days. LBP was associated with longer working hours, flexion and trunk rotation, psychosocial demands, working directly in collection and low schooling. Dynamic work (walking, running) served as a protective factor. It was concluded that many workers develop their activity at the presence of pain. The results emphasize the need for preventive measures through multifactorial approach encompassing adaptations in physical environment and changes in work organization.


Forty lactating Holstein cows in early to midlactation were used in a randomized complete block design to measure the effects of the following diets on milk casein. Treatments were four complete rations fed for ad libitum intake consisting of 1) 60% concentrate, 10% alfalfa hay, and 30% corn silage; 2) 45% concentrate, 10% alfalfa hay, 30% corn silage, and 15% whole cottonseed; 3) 60% concentrate, 5% alfalfa hay, 20% corn silage, and 15% whole cottonseed; and 4) 45% concentrate, 10% alfalfa hay, 30% corn silage, and 15% rice bran. Least squares means for daily DM intake all were significantly different and were 3.51, 3.90, 3.28, and 3.74% BW, respectively. Cows fed diet 3 had higher arterial glucose and insulin and venous insulin. Least squares means were significantly different for milk yield, 30.1, 31.4, 28.4, and 31.6 kg/d; for milk protein, 3.30, 3.13, 3.48, and 3.12%; and for casein N, .376, .358, 3.73, and .330, respectively. However, milk protein and casein N yields were similar for all cows. The diet that contained the highest percentage of starch did not result in a significantly higher percentage of casein N in the milk but had the lowest milk production. Both whole cottonseed and rice bran, substituted for concentrate, depressed milk protein percentage.


This book provides an empirical test of the effects of fiscal decentralization and horizontal fiscal equalization on economic growth and examines the potential trade-off between horizontal fiscal equalization and economic growth in both China and India. A comparative study of these two neighbours in Asia has shown that the degree of fiscal decentralization in both countries is far from the point where its effect on economic growth becomes positive. Despite the dangers of widening disparities in terms of interregional fiscal resource distribution from further decentralization, no substantial evidence shows a trade-off between horizontal fiscal equalization and growth in either country. In addition, both the 1994 Tax Sharing System (TSS) reform in China and the 1991 economic reforms in India have contributed to economic growth. An in-depth and more thorough going fiscal decentralization with greater emphasis on equalization of fiscal disparities are required in order to assure sustainable economic growth as well as social harmony in these two Asian countries.


Introduction

Our objective was to identify parameters to identify Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) patients at risk of acute respiratory failure after enteral feeding tube (EFT) insertion.
Methods

Retrospective single-site, IRB-exempt review of 17 patients identified by procedure code 43246 (Esophagogastroduodenoscopy) and ALS (ICD9-335, ICD10-G12.2) between 2015–2019. Spirometry, pre/post-procedure VC, use of non-invasive ventilation, procedure type and type of sedation were reviewed. Statistical significance determined at P ≤ .05. Cohen's d effect size was done to address impact of the small sample size.
Results

Procedure selection followed the American Academy of Neurology recommendations using pre-procedure FVC; lowest risk (FVC > 50%) patients were referred for percutaneous enteral gastrostomy (PEG), whereas moderate risk (FVC 30–50%) and high risk (FVC < 30%) patients were referred for radiographically inserted gastrostomy or PEG with endotracheal intubation. Despite appropriate pre-operative risk stratification by FVC, post-procedure vital capacity (VC) acutely and significantly declined in 35% of patients, (mean decline 56%, SD 33), that impacted all procedure types.
Conclusion

In our case series, 35% of ALS patients developed acute respiratory failure with a marked acute drop in VC after enteral feeding tube placement. Pre-procedure FVC risk stratification into low, moderate or high risk did not identify patients who developed acute procedural respiratory failure, as this was not limited to those patients identified pre-operatively as moderate or high-risk. Post-procedure VC and change from pre-procedure measurements did identify patients who needed increased, inpatient post-procedure respiratory support. Implication of these observations drawn from a retrospective review support the need for additional research, to both confirm the initial findings in a larger sample size, difficult in single center trials with a low prevalence disease; further explore the impact of the type of sedation on post procedure respiratory failure, and determine if this is unique to ALS, or more broadly impacts patients with all forms of neuromuscular respiratory insufficiency.


This paper measures how much households dislike density in their immediate surroundings. Using transaction and administrative data in Singapore, and exploiting the introduction of a regulation that restricted the number of housing units for certain land lots, we find that households do indeed discount density: a 10% increase in within-development density decreases price per square meter by up to 4%. Further, we find that the mean price per square meter of the average development increased by 1 to 3% after the regulation was introduced, while the amount of built-up space remained constant. The increase in total revenue suggests that developers may underestimate the externality caused by density. Our results are particularly relevant during the lockdowns and social distancing of the coronavirus pandemic.


■ The intracellular and intramembrane profiles of fatty acids mirror those of dietary fat intake. ■ The properties of transporter and receptor proteins embedded within cell membranes are influenced by the composition of the phospholipid membrane of cells. ■ Many cell-signalling pathways involve lipids or lipid-derived molecules. ■ Specific fatty acids are increasingly being identified as key regulators of gene expression and tissue differentiation.


Introduction SmartPill® (Given Imaging Corp., Yoqneam, Israel) is an ingestible, wireless, non-imaging capsule device that records physiological data including contractions, pH and temperature throughout the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.1 There are currently scarce data looking at SmartPill® assessment of patients with known or suspected small-bowel Crohn's Disease(CD).2 We designed this pilot study to investigate feasibility and safety of SmartPill® assessment of gut motility in this group (local ethics committee approval ref.12/SS/0013). Methods Over one year (2012), patients with known or suspected CD, referred for small-bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE), were invited to participate. Patients underwent hydrogen breath test to exclude small-bowel bacterial overgrowth, patency capsule (Agile®) to confirm luminal patency and provided stool samples for faecal calprotectin (FC). Patients ingested PillCam®SB2, then SmartPill®4 h afterwards. Thirty-three healthy controls were obtained from unpublished data. For statistical analysis, P < 0.05 was considered significant. Results Over the aforementioned period, 12 patients were recruited (7 F/5 M, mean age 44.2 ±16.6 years). 10 underwent complete SmartPill® examination (1 stomach retention, 1 dropout). Pillcam®SB2 was complete in 10 (1 stomach retention, 1 dropout). Mean FC was 340 ±307.7 μg/g. The study group had longer transit times and lower gut motility index (MI) compared to controls, where MI = Ln (sum of pressure amplitudes × number of contractions + 1). The difference in motility appears statistically significant (P < 0.05). Transit times for SmartPill® were longer than PillCam®SB2 (not statistically significant), possibly due to differences in capsule specifications. Limitations: signal loss from SmartPill® (5/10 studies), possibly due to radiofrequency interference. Conclusion This study is the first pilot to attempt combining SBCE and SmartPill® in clinical assessment of small-bowel CD. Current data on motility in CD is scarce. Multimodal information could provide a clearer clinical picture.3–5 Furthermore, despite concerns about capsule retention in CD patients, our study suggests SmartPill® appears safe for use if a patency capsule is employed beforehand. References 1 Tran K, Brun R, Kuo B. Evaluation of regional and whole gut motility using the wireless motility capsule: relevance in clinical practice. Therap Adv Gastroenterol 2012;5:249–260. 2 Rao SSC, Camilleri M, Haler WL, et al. Evaluation of gastrointestinal transit in clinical practice: position paper of the American and European Neurogastroenterology and Motility Societies. Neurogastroenterol Motil 2011;23:8–23. 3 Koulaouzidis A, Iakovidis DK, Karargyris A, et al. Wireless endoscopy in 2020: Will it still be a capsule? World J Gastroenterol 2015;21:5119–30. 4 Dignass A, Van Assche G, Lindsay JO, Lémann M, Söderholm J, et al. The second European evidence-based consensus on the diagnosis and management of Crohn's disease: current management. J Crohns Colitis 2010;4:28–62. 5 Fireman Z, Mahajna E, Broide E, Shapiro M, Fich L, et al. Diagnosing small bowel Crohn's disease with wireless capsule endoscopy. Gut 2003;52:390–92. Disclosure of Interest D. Yung: None Declared, J. Plevris: None Declared, A. Koulaouzidis Grant/research support from: ESGE- Given®Imaging Research grant 2011


A high-trans 1,4-butadiene/isoprene copolymer (TBIP) was synthesized in a 5-L autoclave with hydrogen as an effective molecular weight modifier. The effects of hydrogen on the catalyst efficiency and molecular weight of the copolymers were investigated. The processability and physicomechanical properties of TBIP and their relationship to the composition, composition distribution, and molecular weight of TBIP were examined in detail. Increasing the H2 pressure effectively reduced the molecular weight of TBIP. The optimum Mooney viscosity of TBIP and the 1,4-butadiene molar content in the feed were 30–50 and 5–25%, respectively. No cis–trans isomerization was observed during the roll processing procedure for TBIP. The vulcanization characteristics of TBIP were similar to those of general rubbers, and no reverse vulcanization was observed for TBIP. A high green strength was the typical characteristic of TBIP. Vulcanized TBIP (TBIR) with an optimum composition and molecular weight presented outstanding antifatigue properties and low heat buildup in comparison with general rubbers. Compared with general sidewall stock [natural rubber (NR)/butadiene rubber (BR) = 50/50], TBIR exhibited a greater than 15-fold increase in its crack-initiation resistance. The other mechanical properties of TBIR were similar to those of 50/50 NR/BR. The heat-aging mechanism of TBIR was crosslinking aging. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 92: 2941-2948, 2004


Four factors make it challenging to manage semiconductor fabrication facility ~"fabs" ! projects: technical complexity of the product design, need to compress the project duration, need to reduce upfront costs, and unexpected project changes. The strategies employed by practitioners to cope with these challenges form an intricate puzzle. We empirically develop a framework that provides a structure for helping to solve this puzzle, which comprises two principles: investing upfront in a flexible product design and structuring a flexible process. Empirical findings reveal that project teams make commitments early on by overdesigning but also postpone critical decisions by differentiating the scope of their work. Project teams employ other strategies such as increasing communication, using modular architectures, engaging in four-dimensional computer-based modeling, and fabricating components and subsystems off-site. Our analysis yields understanding on the purposes and performance tradeoffs of these strategies, and on how they embody the two principles. Project managers may find the framework useful when deciding which strategies best suit other equally challenging projects.


Using a 2D generalization of Kent's model-independent decomposition method, we extract the K-band light profiles of the bulges of a sample of field galaxies with morphological types ranging from S0 to Sbc. We then examine the shape of the bulge profiles, by means of fitting a seeing-convolved power law of the form mu(r) proportional to r(1/n) where the exponent n is allowed to vary. The best-fitting exponent n is found to vary systematically from values around 1 (exponential) to 6 from late- to early-type bulges; the profiles tend to fall off more steeply in the outer parts for the later types. The same trend is seen as a function of bulge to disc ratio. Application of the method to artificial data proves that this result is not caused by disc-light contamination. There are also indications that n becomes larger with increasing total luminosity and radius of the bulge. A similar relation has recently been found for elliptical galaxies. The smooth trend of n with morphological type shows that the formation of or interaction with the disc has affected the density distribution of the bulge.


Second-degree price discrimination, that is, vertical differentiation, is widely practiced by firms selling physical goods to consumers with heterogeneous valuations. This strategy leads to market segmentation and has been shown to be optimal by many researchers. On the other hand, researchers have also demonstrated, under certain restrictive conditions, that vertical differentiation may not be optimal for information goods. We analyze vertical differentiation for a monopolist, continuing the practice of modeling consumer valuation as a linear function of product quality and consumer type but generalizing assumptions about marginal costs and consumer distributions. We show that the firm's optimal product line depends on the benefit-to-cost ratio of qualities in the choice vector. We find that a vertical differentiation strategy is not optimal when the highest quality product has the best benefitto-cost ratio. Many information goods satisfy this property.


ABSTRACT The need for nurses to become culturally competent is well documented in transcultural nursing literature. The subjective multidimensional nature of pain makes it imperative for nurses to use assessment methods that are culturally congruent. This study set out to explore the differences and similarities in conceptualization, experience, expression and management of pain between nurses and clients in the United Arab Emirates. The purpose of the study was to develop guidelines in the cultural pain assessment in the UAE context. The findings confirmed that nurses rely on biomedical approaches in assessment and relief of pain; clients were found to rely on the family for emotional support and on nurses for pharmacological interventions. Clients used sensory descriptors, and analogy when describing pain, nurses relied on the technical background and experience. Religious factors had a significant impact on clients' pain behavior. This study offers nurses new insights into cultural assessment of pain.


For the past few years, artificial intelligence (AI) technology has developed rapidly and has become frontier and hot topics in medical research. While the deep learning algorithm based on artificial neural networks is one of the most representative tool in this field. The advancement of ophthalmology is inseparable from a variety of imaging methods, and the pronounced convenience and high efficiency endow AI technology with promising applications in screening, diagnosis and follow-up of ophthalmic diseases. At present, related research on ophthalmologic AI technology has been carried out in terms of multiple diseases and multimodality. Many valuable results have been reported aiming at several common diseases of ophthalmology. It should be emphasized that ophthalmic AI products are still faced with some problems towards practical application. The regulatory mechanism and evaluation criteria have not yet integrated as a standardized system. There are still a number of aspects to be optimized before large-scale distribution in clinical utility. Briefly, the innovation of ophthalmologic AI technology is attributed to multidisciplinary cooperation, which is of great significance to China's public health undertakings, and will be bound to benefit patients in future clinical practice.

Key words:
Artificial intelligence; Diabetic retinopathy; Macular degeneration; Glaucoma; Editorial


Silicon-based MEMS devices are made from single-crystal silicon, LPCVD polysilicon films and other ceramic films (Bhushan, 1998). For high temperature applications, SiC films are being developed to replace polysilicon films. Tribology in the MEMS devices requiring relative motion is of importance. Atomic force/friction force microscopy (AFM/FFM) and nanoindentation techniques (Bhushan et al., 1995; Bhushan, 1995, 1998) have been used for tribological studies on micro- to nanoscale on materials of interest. These techniques have been used to study surface roughness, friction, scratching/wear, indentation and boundary lubrication of bulk and treated silicon, polysilicon films and SiC films (Bhushan, 1996a, b; Bhushan et al., 1994, 1997a, b, 1998; Koinkar and Bhushan, 1997; Li and Bhushan, 1998; Sundararajan and Bhushan, 1998; Zhao and Bhushan, 1998). Macroscale friction and wear tests have also been conducted using the ball-on-flat tribometer. (Bhushan and Venkatesan, 1993; Gupta et al., 1993, 1994a, b; Venkatesan and Bhushan, 1993, 1994). Measurements of microscale and macroscale friction forces show that friction values on both scales of all the silicon samples are about the same among different silicon materials and higher than that of SiC. The microscale values are lower than the macroscale values as there is less ploughing contribution in the microscale measurements. Surface roughness has an effect on friction. In microscale and macroscale tests, C+-implanted, oxidized and PECVD oxide-coated single-crystal silicon samples exhibit much larger scratching and wear resistance as compared to untreated samples. Polysilicon films and undoped single-crystal silicon show similar friction and wear characteristics. Doping of polysilicon film does not affect its tribological properties. Microscratching, microwear and nanoindentation, and macroscale friction and wear studies indicate that SiC films are superior when compared to the other materials currently used in MEMS devices. Higher hardness and fracture toughness of the SiC film is believed to be responsible for its superior mechanical integrity and lower friction. Chemically grafted self-assembled monolayers and chemically-bonded liquid lubricants show promising performance for boundary lubrication in MEMS devices.


Abstract Road freight transport in urban areas (city logistics) is under study worldwide, especially during the last years, mainly due to its negative impacts to the environment and to the efficient operation of the road network. The modern approach to deal with this rising issue includes the deployment of strategies and measures that take into consideration the conditions prevailing in each study area. In order the decision makers to adopt the proper measures and define the strategy, it is vital for them to have full knowledge of the way an Urban Road Freight Transportation (URFT) system is organized and functions in the field. For this to happen, the decision makers must have under their disposal reliable real time data. After all URFT systems evolve through time and space and it is s crucial that the necessary data not only will be collected correctly but also they will be accessible anytime and anywhere. In this paper a new approach is proposed in order to achieve real time monitoring for URFT systems in order to provide the decision makers with all the necessary data for the case of Greece.


BACKGROUND
Good-quality nursing care is usually associated with decreased risk of harms or adverse events and improved nutritional status in patients. It is important to prevent an increased risk of infection, mortality, and hospital costs in patients, along with a rework for the nursing team.

OBJECTIVE
To implement best evidence-based practices in the management of the nasogastric catheter in patients admitted to adult clinical intensive care.

METHOD
The methodology used for this study was based on that of the Joanna Briggs Institute, using the audit and feedback tools JBI Practice Application of Clinical Evidence System and Getting Research into Practice. A base audit was performed, which screened for the education of the nursing team aimed at the knowledge of the best practices, approaching the barriers related to nonadherence to the best practices and a follow-up audit.

RESULTS
The results of the base and follow-up audit showed positive variation in the percentage of adherence to the best practices proposed after the education of the nursing team. The implemented criteria that showed the greatest impact in practice (P < 0.001) were related to insertion and checking of the catheter and maintenance of the device with adequate lavage technique.

CONCLUSION
The results obtained from adherence to the best practices contributed to the enhancement of care related to catheter insertion, its maintenance, and withdrawal. Changes were made to the local care protocol, with care being taken to measure the exteriorized portion and to increase the frequency of catheter lavage. It is necessary to invest in the record in the chart of the care related to the management of the catheter to confirm the care provided and to assist in the clinical audit process. The results obtained can also be compared with the nutritional indicators.


One kind of communication device with an Internet communications device and a G3 facsimile image communication apparatus, comprising: a detector for during communication by G3 facsimile communication means, the communication partner's apparatus detected facsimile function; and a controller , according to, controlled by the facsimile function of the communication partner's apparatus detected by the detector means so that the G3 facsimile communication is disconnected G3 facsimile mode communication and transferred the communication by Internet facsimile communication means.


Soft-decision decoding algorithms of binary linear block codes require reordering of the received symbols within each block in decreasing reliability. Efficient decoding algorithms based on reordering have been devised. This paper presents different results related to the ordering of a sequence of N received symbols with respect to their reliability measure, for BPSK transmission over the AWGN channel model. First, a tight approximation of Pe(i; N), the probability that the hard decision associated with the ith symbol of the ordered sequence is in error, is derived. Then, it is shown that despite the fact that the random variables representing the noise at positions n/sub 1/, n/sub 2/,...,n/sub j/ of the ordering are no longer independent, the events of having a hard decision decoding error at these positions remain almost independent. Pe(n/sub 1/,n/sub 2/,...,n/sub j/; N), the probability that the hard decisions associated with the symbols at positions n/sub 1/, n/sub 2/,...n/sub j/ in the ordered sequence are in error, is thus well approximated from each of the Pe (n/sub i/; N), for i/spl isin/[1,j]. Finally, based on the independence of these events, the fully connected 2/sup N/-state BSC representing the channel after ordering is simplified by N independent time-shared 2-state BSCss. This new model allows one to easily and tightly approximate the capacity of the channel after ordering.


The effect of two irrigation levels and two N-fertilization practices on the growth and productivity of two Greek cotton varieties (e.g. Zeta-2, Korina) was investigated in a field experiment carried out in central Greece, in 1997. The irrigation levels are 320 mm/yr (I2) which is normal for the study area, and an amount by 20% lower, viz. 250 mm/yr (I1). The fertilization practices include a) classical dressing with 160 kg N/ha (F1) and b) same amount of total N applied by fertigation (F2). The experimental design was split-split plot with five blocks. The development and growth features of cotton were determined in five distracting samplings throughout the growing period. Fiber percentage and quality characteristics were also determined. It was found that the lower irrigation did not affect the final seedand lintcotton yield. Contrarily, the lower irrigation exhibited a significant positive effect on crop earliness, especially for the cultivar Zeta-2, which performed by about 500 kg/ha and 200 kg/ha greater yield respectively of seedand lint-cotton at the first pick. No effect of fertilization practice on the yield was found at any of the pickings. This was especially the case for "Zeta2" which performed identical yields for the two fertilization practices. The plants receiving the higher irrigation (I2) performed a leaf area index (LAI) rather greater than the I1 plants, viz. 4 vs. 3.1 at the beginning of August. Also the plants under the common fertilization practice exhibited higher LAI at the first stages but these differences were disappeared later. The fiber length was the only cotton quality character significantly affected by the treatments. The combination of low irrigation and fertigation gave the longest fiber length. The above results give evidence that irrigation and fertilization in cotton may be reduced in accordance to the imposed low input agriculture in the future without a serious variation in the cost/benefit ratio. This can be of particular importance especially for adverse years when an early crop is highly required.


15 cases of postoperative complications following tubal sterilization were examined and/or treated by laparoscopy. The clinical diagnosis was confirmend in 5 cases and corrected in 3 with this technique. In the remaining 7 in which the diagnosis was ambiguous a comprehensive evaluation of pelvic lesions was made possible by laparoscopy. After the procedure the symptoms disappeared in 6 cases and were patially alleviated in 7. Adhesions can be lysed during the operation which may save the patients from anotherwise inevitable laparotomy. In addition laparoscopy has proven useful in the diagnosis and subsequent treatment of poststerilization distension of the intestinal and pelvic varicosities. Therefore the authors believe laparoscopy is a useful procedure in the detection and treatment of complications following tubal sterilization. (authors modifed) (summary in ENG)


Plant growth is affected by various stresses leading to changes in metabolism. Stress conditions include a variety of biotic and abiotic factors such as pathogens, drought, high and low temperatures and heavy metals. Among multiple physiological responses to stress, there is an adaptive modification in membrane lipid constituents. In particular, the composition of membrane very-long-chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) changes both qualitatively and quantitatively. Here, we evaluate the current data on the effects of stress on plant VLCFAs composition. In summary, some stress conditions lead to an increase of the total amount of saturated and, in certain cases, unsaturated VLCFAs. Currently, it is not completely clear how these molecules participate in the biology of plant cell membranes. Their possible functional roles are discussed.


This workshop aimed at producing an optimized photon source concept with potential increase of scientific output at Jefferson Lab, and at refining the science for hadron physics experiments benefitting from such a high-intensity photon source. The workshop brought together the communities directly using such sources for photo-production experiments, or for conversion into $K_L$ beams. The combination of high precision calorimetry and high intensity photon sources greatly enhances scientific benefit to (deep) exclusive processes like wide-angle and time-like Compton scattering. Potential prospects of such a high-intensity source with modern polarized targets were also discussed. The availability of $K_L$ beams would open new avenues for hadron spectroscopy, for example for the investigation of "missing" hyperon resonances, with potential impact on QCD thermodynamics and on freeze-out both in heavy ion collisions and in the early universe.


The classic Vickrey-Clarke-Groves (VCG) mechanism ensures incentive compatibility, i.e., that truth-telling of all agents is a dominant strategy, for a static one-shot game. However, in a dynamic environment that unfolds over time, the agents' intertemporal payoffs depend on the expected future controls and payments, and a direct extension of the VCG mechanism is not sufficient to guarantee incentive compatibility. In fact, it does not appear to be feasible to construct mechanisms that ensure the dominance of dynamic truth-telling for agents comprised of general stochastic dynamic systems. The contribution of this paper is to show that such a dynamic stochastic extension does exist for the special case of Linear-Quadratic-Gaussian (LQG) agents with a careful construction of a sequence of layered payments over time. We propose a layered version of a modified VCG mechanism for payments that decouples the intertemporal effect of current bids on future payoffs, and prove that truth-telling of dynamic states forms a dominant strategy if system parameters are known and agents are rational. An important example of a problem needing such optimal dynamic coordination of stochastic agents arises in power systems where an Independent System Operator (ISO) has to ensure balance of generation and consumption at all time instants, while ensuring social optimality (maximization of the sum of the utilities of all agents). Addressing strategic behavior is critical as the price-taking assumption on market participants may not hold in an electricity market. Agents, can lie or otherwise game the bidding system. The challenge is to determine a bidding scheme between all agents and the ISO that maximizes social welfare, while taking into account the stochastic dynamic models of agents, since renewable energy resources such as solar/wind are stochastic and dynamic in nature, as are consumptions by loads which are influenced by factors such as local temperatures and thermal inertias of facilities.


Citizen science is an approach that has become increasingly popular in recent years. Despite this growing popularity, there still is widespread scepticism in the academic world about the validity and quality of data from citizen science projects. And although there might be great potential, citizen science is a rarely used approach in the field of bioacoustics. To better understand the possibilities, but also the limitations, we here evaluated data generated in a citizen science project on nightingale song as a case study. We analysed the quantity and quality of song recordings made in a non-standardized way with a smartphone app by citizen scientists and the standardized recordings made with professional equipment by academic researchers. We made comparisons between the recordings of the two approaches and among the user types of the app to gain insights into the temporal recording patterns, the quantity and quality of the data. To compare the deviation of the acoustic parameters in the recordings with smartphones and professional devices from the original song recordings, we conducted a playback test. Our results showed that depending on the user group, citizen scientists produced many to a lot of recordings of valid quality for further bioacoustic research. Differences between the recordings provided by the citizen and the expert group were mainly caused by the technical quality of the devices used—and to a lesser extent by the citizen scientists themselves. Especially when differences in spectral parameters are to be investigated, our results demonstrate that the use of the same high-quality recording devices and calibrated external microphones would most likely improve data quality. We conclude that many bioacoustic research questions may be carried out with the recordings of citizen scientists. We want to encourage academic researchers to get more involved in participatory projects to harness the potential of citizen science—and to share scientific curiosity and discoveries more directly with society.


Method and apparatus for translating resource names in a wireless environment. A method is provided for translating a resource locator in a data network for transmission over a low bandwidth channel to a wireless device. The method includes steps of detecting a resource locator in a message transmitted to the wireless device, wherein the resource locator exceeds a selected length, and compressingthe resource locator to obtain a corresponding resource identifier that is shorter in length than the resource locator. The method also comprises steps of substituting the resource identifier for theresource locator in the message to form an updated message, and transmitting the updated message to the wireless device using the low bandwidth channel.


One method to achieve high capacity in cellular radio systems involves interference cancellation techniques at the receivers. To design and evaluate the performance of such interference cancellation receivers, it is essential to use realistic models of the co-channel interference. In the paper we study the ordered statistic of the relative co-channel interference, i.e. the ratio between the power level of i:th strongest interferer and the total co-channel interference power. Results from Monte-Carlo simulations show that for base stations on a symmetric grid, hexagonal cells or half-square Manhattan like street cells, the probability density functions (pdf) of the interference ratios are almost independent of the cluster size and of the base station activities. The results demonstrate the dominance of the strongest interference and show that this dominance is even more pronounced in those situations when the signal to interference ratio is low. The presented results provide a base for more realistic models for performance evaluation in cellular systems than the commonly used Gaussian interference model.


For the last decade of the Brezhnev regime, Western observers predicted a generational transfer of power to occur in the USSR.1 The Brezhnev generation demonstrated remarkable continuity and stability, resulting in long tenure in office and the aging of those not only in top leadership posts, but throughout the Party and state apparatuses. After Brezhnev's death in November 1982 many observers expected the generational shift to occur at last; however, the short-lived regimes of Iurii Andropov and Konstantin Chernenko precluded extensive personnel changes. With the succession of Mikhail Gorbachev to the post of General Secretary, the long-awaited generational change has at last occurred, perhaps more rapidly than many predicted. The personnel changes that have taken place to date in the Gorbachev reign, especially those within the USSR Council of Ministers, offer a unique opportunity to assess the process of leadership consolidation in the USSR and also provide some insights into Gorbachev's economic reform strategy.


Introduction: Prevalence of obesity can predispose children to development of fatty liver disease which, given the asymptomatic nature of this disease, may turn into cirrhosis at the end of adolescence if it is not treated. Objectives: This study aimed to compare overweight and obese children with normal weight ones in terms of prevalence of fatty liver disease. Patients and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from 2019 to 2020. A total of 952 children in the 6-18 years age group admitted to the Children medical and training center (Tabriz University of Medical Sciences) were enrolled using multistage cluster random sampling. The participants included 408 normal weight, 314 overweight, and 230 obese children. Chi-square and ANOVA tests were performed to compare the demographic information, anthropometric indices, and liver ultrasound results of the members in the three groups. P value less than 0.05 was considered significant. Results: The prevalence rate of fatty liver disease in all participants was 16.91%, whereas that in the overweight and obese children was 29.59%. The results suggested that the prevalence of fatty liver was increasing in normal weight, overweight, and obese children. Conclusion: Overweight and obesity in children led to the development of fatty liver. Preventive measures must be taken because one third of the studied obese and overweight children developed fatty liver disease.


The development of artificial intelligence (AI) allows for the construction of technologies capable of implementing functions that represent the human mind, senses, and problem-solving skills, leading to automation, rapid data analysis, and acceleration of tasks. These solutions has been initially implemented in medical fields relying on image analysis; however, technological development and interdisciplinary collaboration allows for the introduction of AI-based enhancements to further medical specialties. During the COVID-19 pandemic, novel technologies established on big data analysis experienced a rapid expansion. Yet, despite the possibilities of advancements with these AI technologies, there are number of shortcomings that need to be resolved to assert the highest and the safest level of performance, especially in the setting of the intensive care unit (ICU). Within the ICU, numerous factors and data affect clinical decision making and work management that could be managed by AI-based technologies. Early detection of a patient's deterioration, identification of unknown prognostic parameters, or even improvement of work organization are a few of many areas where patients and medical personnel can benefit from solutions developed with AI.


Background: Female is reported to be preferred CRT compared to male. However, precise effect of gender difference on clinical outcomes is not well known. Methods: We investigated 651 patients from CUBIC study and divided into two groups, 197 female (F group), 454 male (M group). Results: Mean follow up were 22+/15 months. F group was older (71 years vs. 68 years, p=0.01) and more likely to have wide QRS (155 ms vs. 148 ms, p=0.027) and non-ischemic etiology (83% vs. 62%, p<0.0001). M group was more likely to have diabetic (39% vs. 20%, p<0.0001), renal failure (32% vs. 17%, p<0.0001), AF (33% vs. 25%, p=0.036), VT/VF (19% vs. 12%, p=0.027) and larger LV (64 mm vs. 60 mm, p<0.0001). CRT-D were more common in M group (65% vs. 47%, p<0.0001). NYHA class (F group: 2.9 vs. M group: 2.9) and LVEF (F group: 29% vs. M group: 28%) were similar. There was no difference in NYHA class (2.0 vs. 2.2, p=ns) and responder rate (63% vs. 62%, p=ns) at 6-month. The event free survival rates from combined death and heart failure hospitalization, ventricular arrhythmic events were significantly higher in F group (71% vs. 60% at 2-year, Log-rank p=0.038, 79% vs. 67% at 2-year, Log-rank p=0.001, respectively). Conclusion: Female has fewer commodities and seems to have preferable clinical outcomes after CRT.


This article reports on a qualitative action research project which looked at the possibility that giving students an opportunity to explore their relationship with their essays through a range of creative writing techniques might enhance creativity in university writing. The project comprised a series of practical and experiential workshops, with questionnaires and follow-up interviews. The workshops are described, and themes arising from the different strands of the project discussed, using case study material from individual students. Drawing on a range of theoretical perspectives from psychoanalysis, literary theory and academic literacies, the discussion covers notions of genre, writer identity, creativity and play. We argue that approaches introduced in these workshops have implications for mainstream practice in ways that could enable students to feel freer, more empowered and more present in their university writing.


These experiments determined if supplemental vitamins A and/or E would enhance ovine antibody responses. All-rac-α-tocopheryl acetate was fed to lambs approximately 6 months old (30 to 40 kg) at levels of 33 (controls), 121, 276, 396, and 476 mg/kg of feed (which are total vitamin E levels). Primary and secondary immunizations with 10 mg keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) were given. A nonlinear dose response of serum antibody titers was observed and the 476 mg vitamin E/kg treatment significantly enhanced (P < 0.05) the peak primary response over controls. Retinyl acetate fed at five levels ranging from 7000 (the control level) to 97,400 IU/kg feed failed to influence antibody production to 10 mg KLH of lambs about 6 months old (29 to 41 kg). There was no detectable response to an ovalbumin antigen (100 mg). Neonatal lambs were injected with retinyl palmitate or the carrier of the injected vitamin. These lambs failed to raise antibody titers to either of the antigens administered (10 mg KLH, 100 mg ovalbumin). This was apparently due to a neonatal period of immune paralysis to certain antigens. A preliminary study showed that no KLH-specific antibodies are detectable in lambs immunized earlier than 7 weeks of age. Lambs in this age range were utilized in the last trial in which four treatments were applied: 3000 mg oral vitamin E, 400,000 IU injected vitamin A, 4 ml of the injectable vitamin A carrier, or no treatment. Half of the animals in each of these groups were immunized with 15 mg KLH and 1 ml Brucella ovis bacterin and the other half served as nonimmunized controls. No significant differences in titers to KLH were observed. Lambs receiving 3000 mg vitamin E or the carrier produced secondary peak anti-B. ovis titers higher (P < 0.05) than those of the untreated controls.


Modern mobile commerce enterprises of any format and dimension, due to their flexibility and technological efficiency, are able to adapt to the changing environmental conditions and form new areas of activity in accordance with the challenges of the time. Mobile commerce is a continuation of e-commerce, the transfer of e-commerce into the most diverse mobile forms. Forms of the implementation of mobile commerce and its innovative mobile communication technologies allow you to transfer the information flow to mobile gadgets of users of the latest generations, giving them complete freedom in their movements in space. The article discusses the objects of mobile commerce, provides a classification and analysis of market activities of subjects of mobile commerce. National peculiarities of entrepreneurship in the mobile commerce market of Russia are revealed. The author concentrated in the first part of the article on building a model of revenue from advertising activity of market players of mobile communication.


Abstract : My long-term goals are to identify and quantify the major mixing processes in the upper ocean and to relate them to the larger scale processes producing the mixing as quantitatively as possible. When successful, this will take the form of parameterizations that can be used in numerical models. My scientific objectives are to measure mixing directly with microstructure sensors and to relate these measurements to the larger scales producing the mixing in such a way that the results can be compared with either the large-scale changes resulting from the mixing or with theoretical predictions of mixing rates. My technological objectives are to develop instruments and sensors to measure the major mixing parameters. Because a first-order understanding of mixing in the open ocean is rapidly being developed, our approach has shifted to obtaining a similar understanding of mixing near coasts and in estuaries. Because dissipation rates are higher in these waters, we have also shifted our technological developments to improve the spatial resolution of microstructure sensors and to adapt open-ocean measurements of fine-scale velocity to shallow water. We demonstrated that sometimes flow in the Bosphorus is strongly quasi-steady. We were also able to estimate the surface slope along the strait from the observed mean density and velocity fields. The surface slopes most steeply where the zero-flow surface dips. The LIWI observations give the best evidence we know of to date for mixing in a tidal beam. Microstructure measurements were taken continuously along a fan ridge for five semidiurnal tidal periods. We observed a beam of enhanced turbulence mixing emanating from the shelf-break, extending for about four km. The vertical scale of the beam is about 50 m. The beam of enhanced turbulence follows the slope of characteristics of semidiurnal internal tides. Strong turbulence mixing also exists within 100 m off the bottom on the continental slope.


A cloud of potassium atoms is tuned to negative temperatures via a quantum phase transition. Ultracold quantum gases present an exquisitely tunable quantum system. Applications include precision measurement (1), quantum simulations for advanced materials design (2), and new regimes of chemistry (3). Typically trapped in a combination of magnetic fields and laser beams, strongly isolated from the environment in an ultrahigh vacuum, and cooled to temperatures less than a microdegree above absolute zero, they are the coldest known material in the universe. The interactions between atoms in the gas can be tuned over seven orders of magnitude and from repulsive to attractive (4). The addition of standing waves made from interfering lasers at optical wavelengths gives rise to an optical lattice, a crystal of light, periodic just like the usual crystals made of matter. On page 52 of this issue, Braun et al. (5) use these special features of ultracold quantum gases to produce a thermodynamic oddity—negative temperature.


This qualitative comparative case study examines the leadership involvement of 11 Black collegians and how they make sense of enacting transgenerationally informed knowledge(s) as racial socialization to navigate a predominantly White institution (PWI) campus. Findings indicated participants used elder communal instruction and parental home pedagogy to inform what it means to be leaders who enact social justice while Black. Emergent themes were: 1) Collective Definition; and 2) Self-sacrifice. Participants indicated parents and elders racially socialized them to be selfsacrificing leaders who used values, respect, and honor to preserve Black culture, people, and Education Policy Analysis Archives Vol. 29 No. 42 SPECIAL ISSUE 2 traditions. Racial socialization processes influenced students to become leaders who built and sustained Black college communities by being resilient. Participants acknowledged that although resiliency was important there was added value in practicing racial resistance, which allowed for exposing racially threatening oppositions and identify acts of racism that were menacing.


Variations of resonance frequencies of a cylindrical coaxial resonator with the inner conductor diameter jump are investigated. The change limits for geometrical dimension of the microwave resonator providing its single-mode oscillation of type H 011 are determined. The expediency of practical application of the cylindrical microwave resonator with the aforementioned inner conductor shape for frequency tuning in displacement meters is shown.


Pasture is the main source of nutrition for the New Zealand ruminant livestock industry. Changing climatic conditions and relentless intensification are putting the ability of pastures to provide that nutrition under pressure. Recent understanding of the interactions between grazing management and the life cycle of roots, leaves and seedheads of pasture species creates further opportunities to increase pasture resilience. Root production is directly related to, though lagging, leaf production and turnover. Tiller production is modified by temperature and seedhead production. Matching grazing patterns to maximise the production of each of these features is generally impossible at the farm scale. However, matching some of these characteristics on some of the farm can be achievable, and have long-lasting benefits for pasture resilience. Therefore, grazing management practices such as deferred grazing in late spring, summer and autumn may be used both to provide a boost to root and tiller production, and to transfer feed from one grazing period to another. Changing our winter management practices away from intensive daily allocations towards 4-day shifting may also increase early spring production, while reducing summer grazing pressure in droughts will aid pasture productivity and persistence in the long term. These techniques have the potential to ensure that the future nutritional needs of grazing ruminants will continue to be met by grazed pasture.


The human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is encoded by the proto-oncogene c-erbB-2 and initiates downstream signaling pathways leading to cell proliferation and tumorigenesis. HER2 is overexpressed in several cancer (Ca) types and is one of the most strongly validated targets for the treatment of breast and gastric cancer serving as both a prognostic and predictive biomarker. Several HER2-targeting antibodies as well as antibody-drug conjugates are either approved or are in clinical development. Prolonged treatment with monoclonal antibodies and antibody drug conjugates have resulted in development of resistance and so there is still an unmet medical need for drugs of new mechanism of action targeting this important receptor system. We describe herein the generation of a high energy, alpha-particle emitting HER2 targeted thorium-227 antibody-chelator conjugate. HER2-TTC consists of the humanized HER2 targeting IgG1 antibody (trastuzumab) covalently linked via an amide bond to a 3,2-hydroxypyridino-based chelator moiety, enabling efficient radiolabeling with the alpha particle emitting radionuclide thorium-227 (Th-227). HER2-TTC was prepared at high radiochemical yield and purity. When tested for binding to recombinant HER2, HER2-TTC was shown to retain comparable binding affinity to trastuzumab. In vitro cytotoxicity experiments were performed on 8 cell lines with different HER2 expression levels (from 7 000 - 500 000 mAbs bound/ cell as determined by FACS) of breast, ovarian, gastric and lung cancer origin. HER2-TTC demonstrated target mediated in vitro cytotoxicity in the pM-range. In vivo biodistribution and anti-tumor efficacy of HER2-TTC was evaluated in the dose range 100-500 kBq/kg at a protein dose of 0.14 mg/kg and i.v. injection in the s.c. KPL-4 breast and Calu-3 lung model previously described to be resistant to trastuzumab. The biodistribution study demonstrated specific tumor accumulation of HER2-TTC in both models with a maximum of 77 and 50 %ID/g 227Th at t = 168 h post dose (decay corrected to T0), respectively. Significant antitumor efficacy was shown for HER2-TTC in the JIMT-1 s.c. breast Ca xenograft model resistant to trastuzumab and T-DM1. The promising preclinical anti-tumor activity supports the development of the targeted alpha therapeutic HER2-TTC for the treatment of trastuzumab and T-DM1 resistant patients. Citation Format: Jenny Karlsson, Urs B. Hagemann, Christoph Schatz, Derek Grant, Alexander Kristian, Christine Ellingsen, Dessislava Mihaylova, Solene Geraudie, Bard Indrevoll, Uta Wirnitzer, Roger M. Bjerke, Olav B. Ryan, Carl F. Nising, Dominik Mumberg, Alan Cuthbertson. HER2-targeted thorium-227 conjugate (HER2-TTC): Efficacy in preclinical models of trastuzumab and T-DM1 resistance [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 5859. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-5859


Molybdenum (Mo) is a component of the Mo cofactor (Moco) of nitrate reductase (NR) and is therefore essential for nitrate metabolism. However, little is known about Mo deficiency phenotypes or about how physiological and molecular mechanisms of Mo uptake and transport influence nitrate uptake and utilization in strawberry. Here, we used physiological and cytological techniques to identify Mo deficiency phenotypes in strawberry. Seedlings cultured with MoO4 2- grew well and exhibited normal microstructure and ultrastructure of leaves and roots. By contrast, seedlings cultivated under Mo-deficient conditions showed yellow leaf blades and ultrastructural changes such as irregular chloroplasts and unclear membrane structures that were similar to the symptoms of nitrogen deficiency. We cloned and analyzed a putative molybdate transporter, FaMOT1, which may encode a molybdate transporter involved in the uptake and translocation of molybdate. Interestingly, the addition of the molybdate analog tungstate led to lower tissue Mo concentrations, reduced the translocation of Mo from roots to shoots, and increased the plants' sensitivity to Mo deficiency. Seedlings cultivated with MoO4 2- altered expression of genes in Moco biosynthesis. As expected, NR activity was higher under sufficient MoO4 2- levels. Furthermore, seedlings grown on Mo-deficient medium exhibited decreased 15NO3 - translocation and lower 15NO3 - use efficiency. These findings represent an important step towards understanding how molybdate transport, concentration, and deficiency symptoms influence nitrate uptake and utilization in strawberry.


A population of 50 dairy farms in Upstate New York was surveyed in 1993 to collect data on the organizational and structural characteristics of their farm businesses and households, including information about their attitudes towards rBST. In the fall of 1994, six months after rBST was approved for general use, this same population of farmers was resurveyed. Findings show that in 1994 one-half of the farmers were using rBST or planned to use it within one year. Compared to non-adopters, farmers who adopted rBST were generally larger, used more advanced dairy technologies, and reported higher production herd averages. Differences in attitudes and goals were also observed. Implications of rBST for the future organizational structure of New York dairies are discussed.


Electro-optic properties of self assembled InGaAs quantum posts have been studied experimentally. For TE polarization phase modulation enhancement up to 27% over devices containing InGaAs quantum well of the same average composition and thickness was observed indicating significant electro-optic coefficient increase in quantum posts. The measured linear and quadratic electro-optic coefficients of the quantum posts were as high as 17.8 × 10-12 m/V and 49.4 × 10-21 m2/V2 at 1500 nm which are more than an order of magnitude larger than those of GaAs.


This study reviews the relationship of aspects of earnings quality and discusses the investigates whether a firm's corporate governance practices would have an effect on the quality of its published earnings. In particular, it discusses the relationship between corporate governance mechanisms ( internal mechanisms, external mechanisms, and also mechanisms introduced by stakeholders other than shareholders and managers) and earnings quality. Earnings quality is viewed and tested in two aspects, namely earnings reliability and earnings relevance. After examining non-financial firms in fortune 500 in year 2002 and year 2004, it is found that corporate governance mechanisms (both internal and external mechanisms) have effects on curbing earnings management, and the results imply that better governance are related to higher earnings reliability. It is also found that corporate governance is positively related to earnings relevance, in the sense that external mechanisms ( including those introduced by stakeholders other than shareholders and managers ) have positive effect on earnings persistence, which indicates that investors think earnings numbers of better governed firms are more useful to their decision-making. However, there's no significant relationship found between corporate governance and earnings predictability.


In this paper, a simplified auto-connected electronic transformer (SACET) is proposed to upgrade standard 6-pulse rectifier equipment with 12-pulse characteristics. The SACET is an auto-connected high frequency transformer powered by a static converter. The system is connected in a shunt manner between the 6-pulse rectifier equipment and the utility. It is shown that SACET suitably alters the characteristic of the 6-pulse rectifier equipment to 12-pulse and achieves cancellation of 5/sup th/ and 7/sup th/ harmonics. In addition, 11/sup th/ and 13/sup th/ harmonic magnitudes are also significantly reduced. In the event that the SACET faults, the rectifier system characteristics revert to a 6-pulse. The per-unit rating of the SACET is 0.34 and its size and weight are related inversely to the switching frequency. The cancellation of 5/sup th/ and 7/sup th/ harmonics with the proposed approach is achieved entirely through open loop. Analysis and simulation of the proposed system along with a design example and experimental results from a 480 V, 10 kVA prototype system are presented.


According to Goodman (1972), two things are similar only if they possess relevant common properties. The relevance of properties, however, can vary with the context and with the goals of the person making the comparison. As a result, similarity is a highly unstable relation, and therefore difficult to use as a base from which to explain other processes, such as analogy, induction, categorization, and metaphor. A recent attempt by Gentner and her colleagues to explain the operations of the comparison process in analogy may run across some of these difficulties. In particular, her structure-mapping theory (Gentner, 1983, 1989; Gentner & Markman, 1997) does not explain how the relevant features are accessed during the early stages of the comparison process. Moreover, progress on this problem will not be made until we have a solution to a more general problem--the problem of explaining how people manage to bring relevant information to bear in the processing of new information.


Aims Many studies revealed that patients with diabetes (DM) had higher risk in developing atherosclerosis and its complicated clincal outcome. Aspirin, a widely prescribed antiplatelet drug, was beneficial in the primary and secondary of cardiovascular diseases. However, its efficacy varies. The aim of our studywas to determine if there is a correlation betweenAspirin Resistance (AR) and clinical outcomes in patients with DM and coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods 108 aged CAD patients were enrolled in this study,among who 27 were with DM, and 81 were without DM. Aspirin response was assessed by urinary11-DehydrothromboxaneB2 (11dhTxB2) measurement before and after 100 mg/d aspirin administration. Aspirin resistance (AR) was defined as urinary11dhTxB2 >1500 pg/mg. The measured clinical outcomes were defined as the occurrence of cardiovascular events and death. Results The mean baseline urinary 11dhTxB2 of CADpatients was 3463 ± 2465 pg/mg. In subgroup analysis, patients withDM (3887 ± 1857 pg/mg) had higher baseline urinary 11dhTxB2 than CAD patients (3210 ± 934 pg/mg) (p < 0.001). After aspirin administration, the urinary 11dhTxB2 of CAD patients with and without DM were significantly lower than their baseline value (856 ± 748 pg/mg, 1054 ± 859 pg/mg, P < 0.001). The prevalence of AR in CAD patients with or without DM were 18.3% and 6.4% according to the defined criterion Urinary11dhTxB2 >1500 pg/mg. Within a mean follow-up time of 12 months, the outcomesoccurred more frequently in AR patients withDM than AR patients without DM (p < 0.05). Conclusion The baseline and after administration urinary 11dhTxB2 levels in CAD patients with DM were significantly higher than CAD patients without DM. Incidence of 1-year clinical outcome in CAD patients with DM was significantly higher than those without DM. Further studies are needed to confirm our results.


Timothy Peters, professor of clinical biochemistry department at King's College School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, was found guilty of serious professional misconduct last week. He was given a severe reprimand by the General Medical Council for failing to take action over falsified research published by a junior doctor he was supervising.

Professor Peters was the research supervisor of Dr Anjan Banerjee, when he was a junior doctor at King's College Hospital between 1988 and 1991. Dr Banerjee, aged 41, was suspended from practice by the GMC for 12 months last December for publishing fraudulent research (BMJ 2000;321:1429).

When the GMC suspended him, he was already suspended from his job as consultant surgeon at …


This study presents the results of the application of the laboratory gravity-recoverable-gold (GRG) determination procedure on a Turkish gold ore using a Falcon concentrator. The study had two major goals; as investigating the compatibility of Falcon concentrator for GRG procedure (which was originally developed for Knelson concentrator); and finding out the gravity recoverable gold content in Gümüşhane/Mastra gold ore. It was seen that a concentrate enriched in Au content could be successfully achieved: After the first stage a product with an Au grade of 41.09 mgAu/tonne at %10.95 fractional gold recovery at the first stage of the procedure. Au content in the concentrate increased to 98.84 mg after the second stage and finally 59.74 mg Au was obtained by the third stage. As a result of the application, it was found that the GRG content of Gümüşhane/Mastra gold was 48.28%, corresponding to a significant potential for obtaining an Au-enriched preconcentrate.


We formulate and analyse a robust mathematical model of the dynamics of gonorrhoea incorporating passive immunity and control. Our results show that the disease-free and endemic equilibria of the model are both locally and globally asymptotically stable. A sensitivity analysis of the model shows that the dynamics of the model is variable and dependent on waning rate, control parameters and interaction of the latent and infected classes. In particular, the lower the waning rate, the more the exponential decrease in the passive immunity but the susceptible population increases to the equilibrium and wanes asymptotically due to the presence of the control parameters and restricted interaction of the latent and infected classes.


The goal of this paper is to show how nonparametric statistics can be used to solve some chance constrained optimization and optimal control problems. We use the kernel density estimation method to approximate the probability density function of a random variable with unknown distribution from a relatively small sample. We then show how this technique can be applied and implemented for a class of problems including the Goddard problem and the trajectory optimization of an Ariane five‐like launcher.


A new fabrication method of a microlens is proposed that can be easily applied to optical devices and microlens systems. The proposed microlens is formed by self-surface tension and cohesion of UV curing material. Since the microlens is hardened by short time UV exposure, the fabrication process is very simple. Integration with surface emitting-light emitting diode (SE-LED) results in enhanced coupling to optical fiber with coupling efficiency larger than the conventional case by 1.5 times. We also made a hemispheric microlensed fiber using this method. Compared with a typical arc-lensed fiber and a flat-end fiber, the coupling efficiency is improved to 18% and 40%, respectively.


In this paper, a strategy for pathological tremor compensation based on co-contraction of antagonist muscles induced by Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) is presented. Although one of the simplest alternatives to apply FES for reducing the effects of tremor, the contribution of different co- contraction levels for joint motion and impedance must be accurately estimated, specially since tremor itself is highly time-varying. In this work, a detailed musculoskeletalmodel of the human wrist actuated by flexor and extensor muscles is used for this purpose. The model takes into account different properties that affect muscle dynamics, such as proprioceptive feed- back and combined natural and artificial activation. The model, analysis of stiffness modulation due to FES-controlled co-contraction and simulation results are presented in the paper.


In this paper, a new semiblind spectrally efficient channel estimation method is presented for fast fading orthogonally coded multiple-input multiple-output orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (MIMO-OFDM) systems. The proposed method benefits from both the available training symbols inserted in the data frame structure of wireless standards as LTE and WiMAX and the redundancy introduced in the space-time code to enhance channel estimation quality. Our method offers a closed-form solution and performs channel estimation in the time domain in two consecutive steps. First, the subspace containing the true channel vector is estimated from the extended covariance matrix of the received data in a fully blind fashion, and then, the true channel vector is recovered from the obtained subspace using available training symbols. The parsimonious channel characterization that we use decreases the number of parameters required to be estimated. On the one hand, it results in a performance improvement as compared to the frequency domain channel estimation methods by coherent processing over all subcarriers. On the other hand, the bandwidth efficiency is enhanced by training overhead reduction as compared to the pure training-based approaches. Moreover, the proposed method is able to eliminate all nonscalar ambiguities inherent in blind channel estimation techniques in two practically important cases, the systems involving single-antenna receivers and the systems involving rotatable codes.


Objectives. ‐ The goal of early supported discharge (ESD) is to reduce the duration of in-patient care in stroke units (SUs) and to optimize the management of pre- and post-discharge rehabilitation. Here, we report on and discuss ESD's effects on various outcome parameters in stroke patients. Methods. ‐ Analysis of randomized, controlled studies and meta-analyses identified in the Medline and Cochrane databases. Results. ‐ ESD interventions have been evaluated in more than 10 studies. Most of the included patients had suffered from mild or moderate strokes. Meta-analyses have shown that when compared with standard care, ESD has a positive effect on the risk of death or institutionalisation, death or dependence and participation in instrumental activities of daily living (iADL). In-patient hospitalization in the SU and the overall cost of care were significantly lower. Individual studies showed variability in the inclusion criteria, type of care, comparisons performed and conclusions drawn. ESD's superiority in terms of the risk of death or dependency was mainly reported in a Norwegian study and that in terms of iADL was reported in a Swedish study. There was no specific effect on functional impairment and personal ADL (pADL). Discussion. ‐ This technique reduces the length of the in-patient stay and the overall cost of care while lowering the risk of death or institutionalisation and promoting participation in iADL. However, studies on this topic are heterogeneous. # 2009 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.


A twin and family study on the significance of genetic factors for the variation in certain new variables of dental and body-height development is presented. Evidence of a rather strong genetic regulation of most of the variables was obtained from the analysis of the twins and sibs. The data on cousins did not allow any definite conclusions, and it was not possible to obtain a parent--offspring material. Therefore, the study did not give any information concerning the relative significance of additive genetic variation.


Brand aesthetics is fundamental to maintaining a competitive advantage, especially within the luxury sector. Brand design consistency (BDC) plays a pivotal role in building a successful luxury brand through the formation of strong brand associations. However, creating new and distinct product designs that deviate from a brand's aesthetic may have the potential to increase the brand's interest. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of BDC on aesthetic judgment and purchase intention and to investigate the moderating effect of brand's luxury status in the above relationship. The concepts of halo effect and biased assimilation relating to luxury brands form the conceptual basis of our study. Findings of this study exhibit that high BDC (vs. low BDC) evoked the most positive consumer response for luxury and non-luxury brands. The overall BDC effect however, was more salient for non-luxury brands which indicates that they have less latitude to deviate from their brand aesthetic than luxury fashion brands.


Being given a phylogenetic tree of both extant and extinct taxa in which the fossil ages are the only temporal information (namely, in which divergence times are considered unknown), we provide a method to compute the exact probability distribution of any divergence time of the tree with regard to any speciation (cladogenesis), extinction and fossilization rates under the Fossilized-Birth-Death model. We use this new method to obtain a probability distribution for the age of Amniota (the synapsid/sauropsid or bird/mammal divergence), one of the most-frequently used dating constraints. Our results suggest an older age (between about 322 and 340 Ma) than has been assumed by most studies that have used this constraint (which typically assumed a best estimate around 310-315 Ma) and provide, for the first time, a method to compute the shape of the probability density for this divergence time.


BackgroundChildren who are receiving parenteral nutrition are at risk of aluminum overload, which may contribute to such side effects as osteopenic bone disease. The aim of the present study is to determine the aluminum contamination of parenteral nutrition solutions and their components, and to assess the aluminum status of children on long-term parenteral nutrition. MethodsAluminum concentrations were determined by graphite furnace absorption spectroscopy in components and in final parenteral nutrition solutions. The urinary aluminum excretion and plasma aluminum concentration were determined in 10 children on long-term parenteral nutrition. ResultsThe mean aluminum concentration in the administered parenteral nutrition solutions was 1.6 ± 0.9 &mgr;mol × l−1(mean ± standard deviation (SD)). The resulting mean aluminum daily intake of the 10 patients was 0.08 ± 0.03 &mgr;mol × kg−1 × day−1. ConclusionsCompared to two previous studies performed in 1990 and in 1995 in our hospital, the aluminum contamination of parenteral nutrition solutions and the daily aluminum intake of the children seemed to decrease. However, the plasma aluminum concentration and daily urinary aluminum excretion of the children still remain above normal standards. The children had no clinical symptoms of bone disease but aluminum accumulation in tissue can not be excluded. To prevent this iatrogenic toxicity, the aluminum contamination of parenteral nutrition should be assessed regularly.


1. The circulatory complications of forearm fractures may be divided into three classes: A, simple swelling of the hand; B, transitory contracture of the fingers; and C, Volkmann's contracture.

2. Complications of the Class-A and Class-B types are amenable to conservative treatment.

3. Ischaemic contracture, occurring after elbow or forearm fractures, appears to be the result of an almost complete arrest of the circulation in the flexor muscles of the forearm.

4. If the permanent deformity of Volkmann's contracture is to be prevented, the operation of aponeurotomy must be done early after the appearance of the first signs of the disease.


The recent transformation of the national economies has raised numerous theoretical and practical aspects in measuring economic growth, welfare, environmental performance, and competitiveness, representing a challenging research topic within the context of economic paradigm transformation. Despite its importance, a fully operational model to be used in any context has not yet been designed. The main aim of this paper is to evaluate and analyze the macroeconomic dimension of the three determinants of sustainable competitiveness: the economic environment, the social environment, and the natural environment, at both the European and Romanian levels. This paper used the Hierarchical Clustering methodology, aiming at evaluating the global competitiveness in terms of a sustainable development model, using four indices: Human Development Index, Environmental Performance Index, Global Competitiveness Index, and GDP per capita. The clusters were designed on the basis of the role of the indices in assessment of the sustainable performances of the countries and also of the possible convergences between them. The results could sustain the conclusion that these indices are not able to offer an exhaustive image of the sustainable performances assessment. A new complex indicator could be considered in order to design a convergence model for the EU member states.


The octapeptide repeat region of human prion protein is known to bind four Cu(II) ions per molecule. A peptide, Octa(4), representing this region was tested for inhibitory effects on copper-catalyzed oxidation of l-ascorbate or glutathione and on generation of OH(*) during the former reaction. The result indicated that the catalytic activity of the first Cu(II) ion bound to an Octa(4) molecule was completely suppressed. The valence state of the copper under reducing conditions was Cu(II), as determined by a newly developed method using bathocuproinedisulfonate under acidic conditions. Furthermore, it was shown that Escherichia coli cells expressing the octapeptide repeat region were significantly resistant to copper treatment compared with control cells. The results taken together indicate that prion protein can function to sequester copper ions in the redox-inactive state, rendering copper-induced generation of reactive oxygen species impossible.


Stand-alone applications of Photovoltaic (PV) can be found in water pumping systems for rural area. The proper electric motor must be chosen for optimal considerations. One of the modern electric motor called brushless motor (BLDC) can be an alternative for this application although it has complexity in control. Powering such a motor by using electric energy generating by PV modules will be an interesting problem. In this paper, a PV powered BLDC motor system is proposed. The PV modules must produce maximum power at any instant time and then this power must be able to rotate the motor. By combining sequential stator energizing due to a rotor detection and a PWM concept, the speed of BLDC can be controlled. Meanwhile, to get maximum power of PV modules, detection of voltage and current of the modules are required to be calculated. Digital Signal Control (DSC) is implemented to handle this control strategy and locks the width of the PWM signal to maintain the PV modules under maximum power operation. The effectiveness of the proposed system has been verified by simulation works. Finally the experimental works were done to validate.


Teaching principles are the specific embodiment of teaching pattern and Chinese teaching principles are the guidance of thoughts and practice in Chinese language teaching. At present, the understanding of its principles is not perfect enough. This article believes that "adaptability" should be a fundamental principle in Chinese teaching and discusses the connotation of "adaptability" from the aspects of flexible methods, active thoughts, lively atmosphere, and adaptable teaching plan.


There can be few topics in surgical oncology more fiercely debated than the management of axillary lymph nodes in breast cancer. All possible therapeutic permutations and combinations have been advocated over the last 50 years; from no treatment to full clearance with additional radiotherapy. More recently the arguments have centred on whether the axilla should merely be sampled, to provide the clinician with prognostic information whilst avoiding unnecessary major axillary surgery, or cleared. The advantage of this latter approach is that it avoids the need for post-operative axillary radiotherapy should the sampled lymph nodes contain tumour. In the first of our new series of controversial review articles the two protagonists, Mike Greenall and Tim Davidson, argue in favour of sampling and clearance respectively. Our readers are encouraged to express supportive or contrary views in the correspondence column. Irving Taylor


BACKGROUND
Neoadjuvant chemoradiation (CRT) is used to downstage locally advanced rectal cancer prior to surgery. This is an established paradigm of treatment in the West. Some patients who undergo chemoradiotherapy achieve a complete clinical response, where no evidence of tumour can be found on clinical assessment prior to surgery. Recent studies have suggested a 'watch and wait policy' for patients who achieve a complete clinical response with close clinical follow-up, and to only intervene surgically if local recurrence manifests. This notion differs from established regimes of treatment, but by virtue of its positive implications for patients, deserves further consideration and scrutiny. This article reviews the evidence for the non-operative 'watch and wait' management of rectal cancer in patients with complete clinical response after chemoradiation, and discusses the limitations in applying a policy of this nature.

METHODS
The evidence in the literature for non-operative treatment of. Only a few studies have examined this issue. Results have been variable, with only one study supporting non-operative management, where low local recurrence rates were shown on intermediate follow-up (<3%), with excellent overall and disease-free survival rates (100% and 86% respectively). Another two studies found high local recurrence rates (approximately 80%) and poor survival on short-term follow-up (around 20%). Differences in selection of patients were found between studies, as well as other aspects that might explain some of the disparity in results found.

CONCLUSION
There is not enough evidence to justify a non-operative approach to treating rectal cancer after chemoradiation in complete clinical responders at present. Better designed studies are required to clarify some of the issues involved.


The cosmic-ray ionization rate (CRIR) is a key parameter in understanding the physical and chemical processes in the interstellar medium. Cosmic rays are a significant source of energy in star formation regions, impacting the physical and chemical processes that drive the formation of stars. Previous studies of the circum-molecular zone of the starburst galaxy NGC 253 have found evidence for a high CRIR value: 103–106 times the average CRIR within the Milky Way. This is a broad constraint, and one goal of this study is to determine this value with much higher precision. We exploit ALMA observations toward the central molecular zone of NGC 253 to measure the CRIR. We first demonstrate that the abundance ratio of H3O+ and SO is strongly sensitive to the CRIR. We then combine chemical and radiative transfer models with nested sampling to infer the gas properties and CRIR of several star-forming regions in NGC 253 from emission from their transitions. We find that each of the four regions modeled has a CRIR in the range (1–80) × 10−14 s−1 and that this result adequately fits the abundances of other species that are believed to be sensitive to cosmic rays, including C2H, HCO+, HOC+, and CO. From shock and photon-dominated/X-ray dominated region models, we further find that neither UV-/X-ray-driven nor shock-dominated chemistry is a viable single alternative as none of these processes can adequately fit the abundances of all of these species.


Statistical Process Control (SPC) aims at quality improvement through reduction of variation. The best known tool of SPC is the control chart. Over the years, the control chart has proved to be a successful practical technique for monitoring process measurements. However, its usefulness in practice is limited to those situations where it can be assumed that successive measurements are independently distributed, whereas most data sets encountered in practice exhibit some form of serial correlation. In Chapter 1, several 'real-life' examples are discussed in which the independence assumption is violated. The examples show that in some cases, a control chart signals too frequently when the process is actually in control. In other cases, a control chart does not signal when it should. In either case, it is obvious that such a control chart is not the proper tool to monitor serially correlated process data. The question that is considered in this thesis is what control chart methods should be used to monitor serially correlated data, and how the signals on such charts should be interpreted.


Photograph of the front and north side of the First United Methodist Church, located at 422 S. Magnolia in Palestine, Texas. The two-story church is made of red brick with white stone accents and has Gothic Revival-style architecture, including pointed, arched openings and corner towers; the tower on the southwest corner is taller than the rest of the building. To the left of the building, there is a stone wall with arches that match the building's windows, and a decorative wooden gate.