Background: This study investigated the uptake rate of risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy (RRSO) and surgical outcomes of germline BRCA1/2 mutation carriers at Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH). We examined records of 824 women who underwent germline BRCA1/2 gene testing at SNUH between 2005 and 2020. Among them, we identified women with a pathogenic mutation on either the BRCA1 or the BRCA2 gene and excluded ovarian cancer patients. Characteristics of participants who underwent RRSO (RRSO group) were compared to those who did not (non-RRSO group). Surgical outcomes and pathologic results were investigated in the RRSO group.Results: There were 117 BRCA1/2 mutation carriers included in this analysis. The uptake rate of RRSO was 70.1% (82/117). Older age (mean: 48.8 vs. 42.1 years; P = 0.002) and higher employment rate (65.9% vs. 14.3%; P < 0.001) were observed in the RRSO group than in the non-RRSO group. However, no differences in other factors such as personal and family history of breast cancer were observed between the two groups. In the RRSO group, the median time interval between the genetic test and RRSO was 10.0 months, and there were three (3.7%) incidental cases of high-grade serous carcinoma. However, one patient in the non-RRSO group developed primary peritoneal cancer after 103.8 months of surveillance.Conclusions: The uptake rate of RRSO in BRCA1/2 mutation carriers was about 70%. Considering incidental cancer cases in women without abnormal findings on preoperative evaluation, it would be recommended to perform RRSO soon after the genetic test.


This Article addresses the securities fraud implications of the employee as investor. It first demonstrates that employee investors are particularly vulnerable to securities fraud committed by company management. Company management can capitalize on the employment relationship and communicate directly with their employees, through such media as employee newsletters, employee meetings, and employer e-mails. These communications are often promotional in nature. They may also be misleading. Unfortunately, employees are more likely to believe misleading employer communications because of the natural tendency of employees to trust the senior management of their employer. The Article then demonstrates that the anti-fraud provisions of the federal securities laws do not adequately address the vulnerability of employee investors. In particular, I point out that because employer communications are not publicly made, securities fraud actions are unlikely to be brought, either by the SEC or by private plaintiffs. To fill this regulatory gap, I propose that certain types of employer communications should be disclosed to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Requiring disclosure of employer communications would have a disciplining effect on senior management without chilling the disclosure of information by employers to their employees.


Abstract
The magnetic resonance image, gross morphology, and biochemical composition of the intervertebral disc nucleus pulposus (NP), anulus fibrosus (AF) and cartilaginous endplates (CEP) from two groups of three human lumbar spines were compared. Group I consisted of all healthy discs from young donors (Grade I) and group II was comprised of discs that had undergone degeneration and age-related changes (average Grade 4). The gross morphological changes in the individual disc tissues associated with ageing/degeneration were consistent with specific changes in the characteristics of the magnetic resonance image. In particular, the mid-nuclear band of decreased magnetic resonance signal intensity seen in Grade 4 discs was associated with the appearance of clefts and fissures as well as a region of mucinous infiltration. The results of the biochemical analysis suggest that the changes in signal intensity are not due merely to changes in water content, but are also associated with changes in proteoglycan content. The changes associated with ageing/degeneration in the magnetic resonance image of the disc were related to a decrease in the proteoglycan content of the AF and NP. The water content of the NP also decreased. There was no clear association between the biochemical composition of the CEP and the magnetic resonance image. These results demonstrate that magnetic resonance imaging is an effective technique for evaluating subtle morphological changes in the intervertebral disc tissues and may be a sensitive indicator of the proteoglycan content of the AF and NP.


A case study is presented to demonstrate the importance of utilizing clinical and laboratory diagnosis to confirm dystrophic disease. A review of the signs and symptoms of myotonic dystrophy is discussed, and a chiropractic approach is outlined for management of this debilitating disease.


Photograph of 2-J Hamburgers in Austin, Texas. A large sign reading "2-J / Hamburgers / Over 6 million sold" is visible on the left side of the image and the restaurant is visible on the right. A parking lot surrounding the restaurant is full of cars. Crowds of people are lined up to order food at the windows. On the left side of the roof of the restaurant there is a large model of a man in a white suit with white hair who holds a sign reading "Colonel / Sanders / Recipe." Across the top of the restaurant is a neon sign reading "Kentucky Fried Chicken / Hamburgers."


Integrins can mediate the attachment of cells to collagen type I. In the present study we have investigated the possible differences in collagen type I recognition sites for the alpha 1 beta 1 and alpha 2 beta 1 integrins. Different cyanogen bromide (CB) fragments of the alpha 1 (I) collagen chain were used in cell attachment experiments with three rat cell types, defined with regard to expression of collagen binding integrins. Primary rat hepatocytes expressed alpha 1 beta 1, primary rat cardiac fibroblasts alpha 1 beta 1 and alpha 2 beta 1, and Rat‐1 cells only alpha 2 beta 1. All three cell types expressed alpha 3 beta 1 but this integrin did not bind to collagen‐‐Sepharose or to immobilized collagen type I in a radioreceptor assay. Hepatocytes and cardiac fibroblasts attached to substrata coated with alpha 1(I)CB3 and alpha 1(I)CB8; Rat‐1 cells attached to alpha 1(I)CB3 but only poorly to alpha 1(I)CB8‐coated substrata. Cardiac fibroblasts and Rat‐1 cells spread and formed beta 1‐integrin‐containing focal adhesions when grown on substrata coated with native collagen or alpha 1(I)CB3; focal adhesions were also detected in cardiac fibroblasts cultured on alpha 1(I)CB8. The rat alpha 1 specific monoclonal antibody 3A3 completely inhibited hepatocyte attachment to alpha 1(I)CB3 and alpha 1(I)CB8, as well as the attachment of cardiac fibroblasts to alpha 1(I)CB8, but only partially inhibited the attachment of cardiac fibroblasts to alpha 1(I)CB3. 3A3 IgG did not inhibit the attachment of Rat‐1 cells to collagen type I or to alpha 1(I)CB3.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


From its Icelandic origins in the study of visible tephra horizons, tephrochronology took a remarkable step in the late 1980 s with the discovery of a ca. 4300‐year‐old microscopic ash layer in a Scottish peat bog. Since then, the search for these cryptotephra deposits in distal areas has gone from strength to strength. Indeed, a recent discovery demonstrates how a few fine‐grained glass shards from an Alaskan eruption have been dispersed more than 7000 km to northern Europe. Instantaneous deposition of geochemically distinct volcanic ash over such large geographical areas gives rise to a powerful correlation tool with considerable potential for addressing a range of scientific questions. A prerequisite of this work is the establishment of regional tephrochronological frameworks that include well‐constrained age estimates and robust geochemical signatures for each deposit. With distal sites revealing a complex record of previously unknown volcanic events, frameworks are regularly revised, and it has become apparent that some closely timed eruptions have similar geochemical signatures. The search for unique and robust geochemical fingerprints thus hinges on rigorous analysis by electron microprobe and laser ablation‐inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectrometry. Historical developments and significant breakthroughs are presented to chart the revolution in correlation and precision dating over the last 50 years using tephrochronology and cryptotephrochronology.


This study is concerned with the synthesis of periodically time-varying memory state-feedback controllers (PTVMSFCs) for discrete-time linear systems. In our preceding studies, we have already established a solid theoretical basis for the LMI-based (robust) H∞-PTVMSFCs synthesis, and the goal of this paper is to extend those results to the H2 performance criterion. In the H2 case, the main difficulty stems from the fact that we have to ensure the existence of common auxiliary variables for multiple LMI conditions that are related to the Lyapunov inequality and inequalities for bounding traces that characterize the H2 norm. We can indeed overcome this difficulty and derive a necessary and sufficient LMI condition for the optimal H2-PTVMSFC synthesis. Based on this result, we also consider robust H2-PTVMSFC synthesis for polytopic-type uncertain LTI systems.


Research Summary: Starting from the premise that firms need dynamic capabilities to adapt to changing environments, we discuss how multinational enterprises (MNEs) develop dynamic capabilities from internationalization. Unlike domestic firms that develop dynamic capabilities within one organizational system, MNEs are inherently multi-level systems with the headquarters and subsidiaries. In this paper, we focus on how internationalization depth and breadth function as sources of learning and unlearning in the headquarters and subsidiaries, and how this serves as the antecedent for routine reconfiguration and dynamic capability development in the MNE. We theorize that the headquarters' and subsidiaries' brokering capabilities are critical for reconciling routine reconfiguration at the two levels so that dynamic capability development can occur, and the MNE can adapt to environmental changes. Managerial Summary: Our model of dynamic capability development in multinational enterprises (MNEs) via internationalization makes dynamic capabilities actionable for managers in three main ways. First, we emphasize both learning and unlearning from internationalization as important for both the subsidiaries and headquarters to reconfigure routines to adapt to changing environments. Second, the routine reconfiguration that occurs from the subsidiaries or the headquarters serves as the impetus for dynamic capability development in the MNE. Third, for dynamic capability development to occur in the MNE, both the headquarters and the subsidiaries must be able to reconcile routine reconfigurations via the headquarters' and the subsidiaries' brokering capabilities.


By drawing on hermeneutico-dialogical principles, the approach developed here seeks to advance the global implementation of a viable human rights regime in a manner commensurate with the preservation of culture-specific differences. To this end, the present article undertakes to elucidate the conditions under which the ongoing intercultural debate about rights might yield a more productive outcome through fostering the implementation of the international human rights regime in a manner that can do justice to core intra-cultural beliefs, values and practices. Chief among these are: a commitment to moving beyond universalism and relativism as polarized alternatives; endorsement of the comparable validity and dialogical equality of established traditions and cultures; valorization of mutual understanding and learning as the regulative orientation most conducive to yielding potentially transformative advances across cultures in the theory and practice of human rights; and acknowledgment of the need for both external and internal accountability. As contended throughout, these conditions apply equally both to modernist and to traditionalist cultures and call, correspondingly, for a rethinking of entrenched presuppositions in both domains. In defending these conditions, the dialogical approach poses a severe challenge to core presuppositions of the strong universalist stance, as endorsed by some prominent contributors to the contemporary debate about the cross-cultural implementation of human rights.


Advancing technology and world events will have an impact on the practice of occupational therapy. Computers, communication technology, and environmental concerns are all examples of issues that must be considered as major determinants in future practice decisions related to all groups. Incorporating these areas into the traditions of occupational therapy will result in a vital profession that cannot be replaced. However, these advances and events must not sway occupational therapists from their area of expertise. Technology will never be mastered if the profession continues to stray into areas of practice that do not form the core of occupational therapy.


One of the major disadvantages of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) is its low sensitivity, mainly due to a very low spin polarization. Since 2003, Dissolution Dynamic Nuclear Polarization (D-DNP) provides a way of overcoming this drawback in solution by increasing polarization by factors exceeding 10'000-fold. In a D-DNP experiment, the high electron spin polarization at low temperatures is transferred to other nuclei (like 1H and 13C) by microwave irradiation, and the frozen sample is subsequently dissolved to room temperature while preserving part of the polarization. This thesis presents novel conceptual and instrumental developments in D-DNP that enable a better hyperpolarization of several nuclear spins. More specifically, after a brief introduction to NMR and D-DNP in Part A, we will discuss in Part B new strategies for improving microwave irradiation and implementing Longitudinal Detection Electron Spectroscopy Resonance (LODESR) in situ, c.a. at low temperature and high magnetic field. We will see how Cross Polarization can be made fully compatible with D-DNP with an original double resonance circuit developed in our laboratory (1H and another nucleus like 13C, 15N, 29Si or 129Xe). Finally, we will show how the problem of low field transfer of hyperpolarized solutions can be overcome by the use of a novel concept of a magnetic tunnel that sustains the magnetic field and prevent excessive losses of our hyperpolarized "ambitions". Finally, new applications in D-DNP that were either enabled or better realized by these new strategies are briefly presented in Chapter C.


Cyst of acromioclaviculer joint is an unusual pathology. it shows a direct relation between acromioclavicuIer joint and glenohumeral joint. Usually in the cases having massive rupture of the rotatory cuff In the case of cyst of acromioclaviculer joint, the rotatory cuff should be examined. If simple cyst extirpation, is done without repair of the rotatory cuff, the prognosis is bad. Lateral end of the clavicle should be resected with extirpation of the cyst.


A major challenge in automotive NVH engineering is to approach complex structure-borne sound and vibration problems with sufficient accuracy but reasonable experimental effort. Typical issues encountered are poor correlation between objective component performance criteria tested for during bench validation and corresponding subjective targets evaluated during system validation in the actual vehicle. Additional challenges arise from the need to impose assumptions on sophisticated physical vibration problems to reduce the complexity to a level feasible for conventional experimental test methods. This paper addresses all mentioned issues by elaborating on a system NVH engineering approach employing Virtual Acoustic Prototyping (VAP) (related to what is now often called component Transfer Path Analysis) to synthesize time domain sound and vibration responses of vibrating machinery operated in a virtual vehicle environment. One crucial step of VAP is to characterize the strength of vibrating machinery by independent quantities at the significant coupling degrees of freedom (DoF). This study puts special focus on the measurement of free velocity, suitable for machinery operated when resiliently mounted as per ISO 9611, and the in-situ measurement of blocked forces, applicable for sources connected to any type of receiving structure during operation, as per ISO/DIS 20270. In order to reduce complexity of the underlying measurements this paper investigates the possibility of using collocated sensor arrays and methods to validate assumptions imposed to abstract away from rotational coupling DoF. An electric power steering (EPS) system inducing vibrations into a sub-frame-type structure is considered as a representative automotive source-receiver installation to investigate the feasibility of free velocity and in-situ blocked force approach with respect to independent source characterization for component Transfer Path Analysis (TPA) and VAP. The obtained Virtual Acoustic Prototype is expanded using an algorithm to synthesize realistic time domain data, enabling NVH engineers to conduct reliable objective and subjective design evaluations.


This article examines practitioner understandings and implementation of gender-responsive support within female prisons in England and Wales in the context of a growing emphasis on effective deportation of foreign national prisoners. Drawing on a case study of female prisoners from Central and Eastern states of the European Union (EU), we argue that the aims of gender-responsivity, designed to address women's gendered vulnerabilities to support their re-entry in the UK, are pragmatically re-shaped to accommodate the uncertainty surrounding their immigration status. We show how in practice, gender-responsive support functions at best to 'manage' gendered needs of women who are 'not of interest' to immigration authorities, and at worst to legitimate exclusion by side-lining vulnerabilities of women deemed as having 'no right to remain' in the UK. This occurs in the context of limited access to legal redress to challenge deportation decisions, unevenly spread resources in the female prison estate, and practitioners' occupational cultures which emphasise paternalistic valuations of female foreign national prisoners' femininity. We locate the findings in criminological debates about 'gendering of borders' and conclude with a reflection on the implications for advocacy at the time of increasingly restrictive immigration controls following the UK's exit from the EU.


Manufacturing pre-calculations to determine the dimensions of a machine is of great importance. In this study, submersible pump-type Switched Reluctance Motor with 8/6 poles (SRM), how to mathematically calculate the dimensions are given in detail. B-H curve modeling of silicon sheet was infused into account at calculation of machine dimensions. Programs are required for calculations written using MATLAB 7.04.


Cloud providers perform flow monitoring to get insights from the network traffic flows, often using coarse-grained packet counters or packet probing. These approaches give partial information from ongoing flows or introduce significant overhead if the probe packets cross multiple hops with diverse delay and bandwidth to reach the traffic collector. Recently, In-band Network Telemetry (INT) offered by programmable networks, e.g., P4, has gained attention by providing fine-grained network telemetry. Current attempts on INT are inflexible in collecting telemetry for customs flows according to the desired interval. This letter proposes P4FLOW, a flow monitoring tool for cloud provider networks implemented on programmable data planes. P4FLOW allows the providers to monitor a set of desired flows according to their needs. It reduces at least 1.6× the overhead of telemetry packets compared with the existing approaches.


This essay considers the ways in which the significance of blood sacrifice in the propitiation of the Yoruba god Ogun is transformed in the context of international literature which asserts an endogenous African modernity, and the specificity of black experience and identity. It focuses mainly on Isidore Okpewho"s 2004 novel, Call Me By My Rightful Name, compared with the role of Ogun in Wole Soyinka"s aesthetics, foregrounding key essays, drama and poetry. Okpewho"s novel presents the reality of the ancestral call among the Yoruba of the American and Caribbean diaspora, which synecdochically represents the call of an essentialized Africa. The central character, Otis Hampton, is a middle class basketball playing African-American college student who inexplicably begins to respond in uncontrollable ways to African drumming and involuntarily chants in a language he does not understand. The attempt to explain his condition leads him to a Nigerian village from which his ancestor was betrayed into slavery by a local family. Otis"s journey of self-discovery ends only when he acknowledges his double identity, African and American, reflected in his "rightful name", Otis Akimbowale Hampton. A key moment of the discovery of Otis"s African identity involves initiation into manhood through sacrifice of a dog to Ogun, Yoruba god of iron, war and the road. Ogun, and dog sacrifice to Ogun, are central symbols also in the work of Nobel prize-winning author, Wole Soyinka. Dog sacrifice seems central to the literary representation of Ogun, which is also pivotal in the constitution of a modern African identity in Soyinka and a diasporic Yoruba identity in Okpewho"s Call Me By My Rightful Name. The fixation with blood sacrifice to Ogun is more


Recently we reported that the Arabidopsis thaliana PHD-finger protein EDM2 (enhanced downy mildew 2) impacts disease resistance by affecting levels of di-methylated lysine 9 of histone H3 (H3K9me2) at an alternative polyadenylation site in the immune receptor gene RPP7. EDM2-dependent modulation of this post-translational histone modification (PHM) shifts the balance between full-length RPP7 transcripts and prematurely polyadenylated transcripts, which do not encode the RPP7 protein. Our previous work genetically linked, for the first time, PHMs to alternative polyadenylation and established EDM2 as a critical component mediating PHM-dependent polyadenylation control. However, how EDM2 is recruited to its genomic target sites and how it affects H3K9me2 levels is unknown. Here we show the PHD-finger module of EDM2 to recognize histone H3 bearing certain combinations of three distinct PHMs. Our results suggest that targeting of EDM2 to specific genomic regions is mediated by the histone-binding selectivity of its PHD-finger domain.


The use of 4D CT images in Radiotherapy planning is increasing. Some commercial systems use abdominal movement to correlate images with respiratory phase. An in-house developed system based on an accelerometer to register patient's abdominal movement and a software to group 4D images in their corresponding respiratory phase is presented. A phantom test evaluates the capacity of the system to properly identify respiratory phases. A volunteers study compares breathing curves acquired by the accelerometer with those obtained using a commercial system. In the phantom images, maximum difference between real and calculated phase is 0.2 s. In the volunteer study, position of the curve maxima found by both systems differs, on average, around 2% (SD = 2%) of the respiratory cycle period when volunteer's breathing is regular. Only when breathe is very irregular, differences of up to 10% in the phase assignment are found.


We studied variation in advertisement calls, release calls, and calling behavior in three populations of Bufo alvarius in central Arizona over a 3-yr period. Of advertisement call variables, pulse rate was the only variable significantly (positively) related to temperature, and no variables were correlated with male snout-vent length. For release calls, only pulse rate was significantly (negatively) related to temperature, and no variables were related to male size. Mean advertisement call pulse rate was approximately 30% of average release call pulse rate; such dramatic differences in temporal structure of advertisement and release calls are previously unreported in the genus Bufo. These results support the hypothesis that B. alvarius generates advertisement calls without passive vibrations of the arytenoid cartilages. Overall patterns of call variation in B. alvarius more closely parallel the valliceps rather than the boreas species group. Preliminary discrimination trials indicate that females are attracted to male advertisement calls. Within relatively low density choruses, some large males produced advertisement calls consistently, and active-searching behavior was size-related. Male advertisement calls may play an important role in mate selection by females under some conditions, but an adequate test of this hypothesis awaits additional study.


This research aims to study the adaptation of a flexible working system and what supports team productivity in pandemic-changing situations. It uses qualitative research by performing in-depth interviews and focuses on the interviews of eight managers of four supporting functions: IT, Finance, HR, and Legal, in three leading companies in Indonesia The finding in this research shows the companies have experienced and still adapting to formulate a new working system. To support team productivity in the new working system, several factors need to be addressed, such as: facilities and technical support, the adaptation of SOP and job function, supervisor control, company and team agility, improved communication, work environment, and self-motivation.  The new working system is expected to bring impact: improve productivity, cost reduction, environmental improvement, and employee well being. Further quantitative research is recommended to validate the factors supporting a flexible working system that influence team productivity and the expected impact. This study is expected to help management or organization to a better understanding of factors supporting the adaptation of the flexible working system needed to maintain team productivity in this changing situation. To the best of our knowledge, this research is the first to study the adaptation of a flexible working system and what factors are needed to support team productivity in pandemic-changing situations.


This paper uses the directed acyclic graph approach to analyze the causal patterns among foreign direct investment and other economic, social, and political variables, including GDP per capita as a proxy for economic growth. We find that economic growth causes FDI inflows for developing countries, while FDI induces economic growth for developed countries. Also, stock market is found to be an intermediary that amplifies the influence on FDI from many causal variables of FDI.


A model of an inversion-symmetric frustrated spin system is introduced which hosts three-dimensional extensions of magnetic Skyrmions. In the continuum approximation this model reduces to a non-linear sigma model on a squashed sphere which has a natural interpolating parameter. At one limit of the parameter the model reduces to a frustrated magnetic system earlier considered by Sutcliffe as a host to Hopfions, and in the other limit it becomes very similar to the 3D Skyrme model. To better understand the relation between Hopfions and 3D Skyrmions a model interpolating between the Faddeev-Niemi model and the Skyrme model is reconsidered and it is shown that energies of the solitons obey a linear BPS bound. The 3D Skyrmions in the frustrated magnetic model are found and compared to the rational map ansatz.


When we approached our readers two years ago to comment upon the newly released Impact Factor scores from Thomson Reuters (TR) we were happy to announce that for the first time we had passed the critical 1.0 level (1). This time we are glad to let you know about a further increase of this long-questioned instrument for measuring the quality of scientific journals (Figure 1). After a 33% increase last year and 21% this year we have now established ourselves in the 1.0–2.0 interval with the new figure of 1.708 as a new top score for the journal. Besides the actual increase of the impact figure we have also advanced in the ranking of 150 journals in our category 'Medicine, General and Internal' from 83rd place two years ago up to 55th this year. Last time we promised/aimed at belonging to the better half of the ranking list in the list to come. That goal has been fulfilled in full measure. Perhaps belonging to the best third, next time?

Figure 1.

A graph published on ISI Web of Knowledge (Thomson Reuters) (2013 JCR Science Edition).

One more figure that has increased over the last few years is that of 'total cites'. That is not only citations during one particular year from the 'impact factor years' but all other years as well. By necessity that type of figures should constantly increase, keeping in mind the increasing numbers of journals and articles. Well above 500 for our journal this year mainly reflects increases of citations to latest years' papers. It is also worthy of note that the figure is that high despite a fairly low self-citation figure for our journal—3%. For many journals that figure approaches 10%. This is not to say that we intend to become more active in that respect. Thus, so-called coercive citation (forced citations to own journal) is not an instrument that we will use or have used.

A prerequisite for increasing the impact factor figure is of course that the quality of our published papers is high enough to attract the interest of our readers. For that purpose a high submission rate is crucial, and we are glad to see that preliminary figures for this year tell that we will have handled more than 300 manuscripts. Our four issues will accommodate some 50–60 contributions, which means that no less than some 80% of the submitted manuscripts have to be rejected. Perhaps one reason for the high submission rate is our policy of not charging authors any handling fees. Processing that many manuscripts is costly and even with the introduction of a system with many associate editors to share the burden (2) it might be necessary to change our policy with regard to processing charges.

One obvious reason for our increase of the impact factor figure this year is the inclusion in the 2012 volume of a special issue on tumour biology edited by Bengt Westermark and Carl-Henrik Heldin (3). All of the published articles have been cited, and the most highly cited one, that by Nazarenko and co-authors (4), has got 20 citations to date (August 2014). That means that it will belong to the group of the 1% most-cited (22 citations required) articles published in 2012 (5). Five other articles have passed the 10% limit (8 citations required). Of course this stimulates us to pursue our plan with publication of one such issue with a specified topic every second year. Antibiotic resistance was the subject of this year's issue (6), and in the year 2016 we intend to publish one on diabetes research. And even before that, that is next year, we are going to celebrate our 150th anniversary with a special jubilee issue.

As pointed out at the very beginning of this editorial, the use of impact factor figures for measuring different quality aspects of scientific journals has been much debated. However, there are not very many useful alternatives. The citation database Scopus of Elsevier publishes a journal analyser that amongst many things contains the SJR (SCImago Journal Rank) metrics. Although it is hard to understand how the actual figures have been calculated, the ranking is said to be 'weighted by the prestige of a journal, etc.' An impressive three-fold increase of the value for our journal is, nevertheless, obvious from 2010 to 2013 (Figure 2). More clear-cut are the figures in that database concerning 'Percent Not Cited'. Interestingly, the highest ranked journal of our category in Thomson Reuters (New England Journal of Medicine) has got much higher figures (mainly around 30%) than our journal (between 10% and 20%) (Figure 3). Most certainly, it reflects how much the citation rates of individual articles vary in each separate journal. It also demonstrates that the acceptance of a manuscript for publication in a highly ranked journal does not by necessity guarantee that it will be much cited.

Figure 2.

SCImago Journal Rank for Upsala Journal of Medical Sciences as of 13 June 2014 in Scopus (Elsevier).

Figure 3.

Percentage of papers not cited; Upsala Journal of Medical Sciences (diamonds—green symbols) and New England Journal of Medicine (circles—black symbols) as of 29 June 2014 in Scopus (Elsevier).

Although we have dwelt upon this before, we would like to stress that the number of local, Uppsala-based contributions—less than 40% last year—is fairly low, which means that there is room for more of them. It can also be argued that this points to the fact that our journal is a truly international one. Indeed, last year we received submissions from more than 30 countries.

Finally, we would like to announce that our editorial assistant Rikard Fred has moved to Lund for a post-doc position down there. We thank him very much for many valuable contributions over the last two years. He will be replaced by Joey Lau, and we warmly welcome her to this task.

Arne Andersson

Editor


The behavior of a plasma produced by multistep selective ionization of a vapor and subjected to an intense pulsed electric field has been studied. Electrons are quickly "sucked" out of such a plasma, and then there is a Coulomb explosion of the net charge.


. Reinforced concrete structures are commonly used in civil engineering. However, the number of deteriorations in these structures is increasing, especially problems related to steel corrosion. Also, according studies, corrosion is responsible for about 3.5 % of annual GDP with recovery costs in world. Thus, this study analyzed the corrosion of steel bars at 70-year-old, which are in corrosion process by natural aging. Tests were performed to analyze the bars microstructure, using SEM and EDS, as well as analysis of the current mechanical characteristics, with tensile test. Through SEM, it was possible to measure the layer of the corrosion products formed at the samples edge, and to observe the fragility of this region, with the presence of several microcracks. EDS test contributed to verify the oxygen difference from the nucleus until to the specimen edge. It was possible to notice that in the edge, presence of oxygen is much greater. In the mechanical tests, by the tensile test, the samples do not reach the minimum elongation and the limit of resistance prescribed in the standard. Thus, it is believed after 70 years of natural aging, the samples are in advanced process of corrosion, with edges worn out, and no comply with the minimum mechanical requirements.


The TanDEM-X satellite synthetic aperture radar (SAR) mission, which is the result of the partnership between the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and Astrium GmbH, has the goal to deliver a high-precision global digital elevation model (DEM). The X-band SAR interferometry-derived DEMs contain absolute and relative height errors that have to be minimized with the help of height references in order to achieve the specified accuracies. ICESat laser altimetry data are suited for this task, due to their accuracy and global distribution. In order to gain experience in the comparison between a radar-derived DEM and ICESat GLA14 elevation data, an X-band DEM was acquired over a test region with the experimental airborne radar system of DLR in Oberpfaffenhofen. Additionally, a laser DEM of the area was used to verify the height accuracy claimed by previously published ICESat studies over different terrain types and after applying different selection threshold criteria. The analyses described in this paper are the basis for the definition of a suitable global ICESat selection strategy and include the computation of the density of selected ICESat samples over the Earth. These aspects are crucial for a successful TanDEM-X DEM generation.


Abstract The aim of this article is to contribute to the discussion surrounding mediatization by presenting some arguments on how we could include questions of media specificity in an appropriate way. The core argument is that we have to do this by integrating `media specificity' into a theory of communicative practice or action. In doing so, we can grasp media in their institutional and technological sense as `molding force' of communicative action and research them empirically as part of mediatization processes.


The availability of water resources is one of the major drivers affecting forest and agricultural productivity. The sensitivity of Mediterranean forest species to water shortage is becoming even more relevant in relation to climate changes, that for Southern Europe could lead to an increase in temperature of 2 to 3 °C, paralleled by a decrease of 5 to 15% of summer rainfall. It is then important to study the relationship between water balance and productivity of important forest tree species such as beech and mountain pines that represent the upper limit of forest vegetation in almost all the Apennines range. In the present paper, the measurements of water balance, evapotranspiration, carbon exchange and productivity in beech and pine forests of central-southern Italy (Abruzzo and Calabria regions) are reported. The results are obtained in the course of several years of experimentation with innovative techniques and integrated at the canopy level.


We present a study of the effect of wind-driven advection on the chemical composition of hot-Jupiter atmospheres using a fully consistent 3D hydrodynamics, chemistry, and radiative transfer code, the Met Office Unified Model (UM). Chemical modeling of exoplanet atmospheres has primarily been restricted to 1D models that cannot account for 3D dynamical processes. In this work, we couple a chemical relaxation scheme to the UM to account for the chemical interconversion of methane and carbon monoxide. This is done consistently with the radiative transfer meaning that departures from chemical equilibrium are included in the heating rates (and emission) and hence complete the feedback between the dynamics, thermal structure, and chemical composition. In this Letter, we simulate the well studied atmosphere of HD 209458b. We find that the combined effect of horizontal and vertical advection leads to an increase in the methane abundance by several orders of magnitude, which is directly opposite to the trend found in previous works. Our results demonstrate the need to include 3D effects when considering the chemistry of hot-Jupiter atmospheres. We calculate transmission and emission spectra, as well as the emission phase curve, from our simulations. We conclude that gas-phase nonequilibrium chemistry is unlikely to explain the model–observation discrepancy in the 4.5 μm Spitzer/IRAC channel. However, we highlight other spectral regions, observable with the James Webb Space Telescope, where signatures of wind-driven chemistry are more prominant.


Within today's uncertain business environment an entrepreneur brings innovation, creativity and economic coordination to the economy. How do entrepreneurs set up their business? How do they make decisions? The literature proposes two approaches of entrepreneurial decision-making: causation and effectuation. An individual following the causation process is goal-oriented, focuses on expected returns, emphasizes competitive analysis, exploits pre-existing knowledge and attempts to predict the uncertain future. In contrast, an individual following the effectuation strategy is means-oriented, focuses on affordable loss, emphasizes strategic alliances, exploits contingencies and attempts to control the unpredictable future. Nevertheless, these two approaches are not substitutional, but rather complementary. Either one approach might fit to different situations and different contexts. In addition, the term 'effectuation' arose out of a study focusing on expert entrepreneurs. So, how do novice entrepreneurs make their decisions? Which factors do influence their decision-making process? One aspect, which might influence this process, is the national culture of the individual. As norms and values of a society shape its members' behavior, this study focused on the cultural looseness-tightness and relates it to the decision-making processes of causation and effectuation. A tight culture can be explained as a culture with many norms and values, and with a low tolerance of deviant behavior. Whereas a loose culture is the opposite: less norms and values and high tolerance towards deviant behavior.
Novice German entrepreneurs, who are not more than five years in business and who have at least a bachelor degree, were asked to fill in an online questionnaire. The results show that the respondents tend to perceive their culture as rather tight. However, the perceived tightness has nearly no effect on either causation or effectuation. Nevertheless, a relation between the perception of the national culture and the attempt to control the unpredictable future (effectuation) could be detected. Therefore, future research should include other factors besides the cultural tightness-looseness into their research, such as the industry type, the venture type and the cognitive style as well as the educational background of the individuals.


The auto focusing system, which involves moving a microscope stage along a vertical axis to find an optimal focus position, is the chief component of an automated digital microscope. Current automated focusing algorithms, especially those deployed in cost effective microscopy systems, often cannot match the efficiency of a skilled human operator in keeping a sample in focus. This work presents an auto focusing system that utilises the recent advances in machine learning, namely deep convolutional neural networks (CNN). It improves upon prior work in this domain. The results of the focusing algorithm are demonstrated on an open data set. We describe the practical implementation of this method on a low cost digital microscope to create a whole slide imaging system (WSI). Results of a clinical study using this WSI system are presented. The study demonstrates the efficacy of this system in a practical scenario.


As Internet cartography matures from static map images to interactive and animated maps, and embraces extensive GIS functionality, the limitations of presenting Web maps as image files become obvious. In this paper, a new technology for Internet cartography is demonstrated that uses direct vector rendering in a browser to create highly interactive virtual maps from distributed sources of geographic data. This technology is made possible by the advent of XML (eXtensible Markup Language) and XML applications for 2D vector rendering such as VML (Vector Markup Language) and SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics). AXIOMAP – Application of XML for Interactive Online Mapping – is a Web map publishing kit and a customizable virtual map interface that allows for the display and manipulation of multiple point, line and area layers, database query, choropleth mapping, hyperlinking, map labeling and annotation. To render maps in a Web browser (Internet Explorer 5, in the current version), AXIOMAP generates VML shapes "on the fly" from XML-encoded geographic data that can physically reside on different servers. A thin client-side solution, AXIOMAP provides for better interactivity than traditional map serverbased approaches. The paper explains the functionality of AXIOMAP, the technology behind it, and presents several applications. A free version of the software can be downloaded from www.elzaresearch.com/landv/.


Of all the levels where reform measures have been felt in recent years, the protection of children in difficulty and the deinstitutionalized people are special- treated areas. Their exposure especially at an international level increased the interest of public opinion in this respect. The present research stopped on a sample of deinstitutionalized people from Bihor County and aimed to demonstrate that there are significant differences between these individuals in terms of implication in the work environment, involvment in activities and the manifestation of their demonstrativity and suicide risk.No doubt suicide is by far the desperate act of a person who doesn't want to live anymore. But the real fact is that because these people are still attached to life the moment they commit suicide, the suicidal act is an abandonment. His purpose may be avoiding an unacceptable situation, having a self- agressive behaviour, giving his entourage a desperate message or being indiferent towards the social ssystem he belongs to. The integration of young people in the society and in the active life, as well as the optimum use of their potential are esential elements to reduce the risk of social exclusion and to achieve sustainable growth of any society.


In this letter, Flexner talks about Osler's letter ("Whole-Time Clinical Professors") to Ira Remsen about the
 full-time clinical faculty debate at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.


Photolithography plays a key role in semiconductor manufacturing systems. In this paper, we address the capacity allocation problem in the photolithography area (CAPPA) subject to machine dedication and tool capability constraints. After proposing the mathematical model of the considered problem, we present a new genetic algorithm named RGA which was derived from a psychological concept called Reference Group in society. Finally, to evaluate the efficiency of the algorithm, we solve a real case study problem from a semiconductor manufacturing company in Ireland and compare the results with one of the genetic algorithms proposed in the literature. Results show the effectiveness and efficiency of RGA to solve CAPPA in a reasonable time.


Recent results on electromagnetic turbulence from gyrokinetic studies in different magnetic configurations are overviewed, detailing the physics of electromagnetic turbulence and transport, and the effect of equilibrium magnetic field scale lengths. Ion temperature gradient (ITG) turbulence is shown to produce magnetic stochasticity through nonlinear excitation of linearly stable tearing-parity modes. The excitation, which is catalyzed by the zonal flow, produces an electron heat flux proportional to β2 that deviates markedly from quasilinear theory. Above a critical beta known as the non-zonal transition (NZT), the magnetic fluctuations disable zonal flows by allowing electron streaming that shorts zonal potential between flux surfaces. This leads to a regime of very high transport levels. Kinetic ballooning mode (KBM) saturation is described. For tokamaks saturation involves twisted structures arising from magnetic shear; for helical plasmas oppositely inclined convection cells interact by mutual shearing. Microtearing modes are unstable in the magnetic geometry of tokamaks and the reversed field pinch (RFP). In NSTX instability requires finite collisionality, large beta, and is favored by increasing magnetic shear and decreasing safety factor. In the RFP, a new branch of microtearing with finite growth rate at vanishing collisionality is shown from analytic theory to require the electron grad-B/curvature drift resonance. However, gyrokinetic modeling of experimental MST RFP discharges at finite beta reveals turbulence that is electrostatic, has large zonal flows, and a large Dimits shift. Analysis shows that the shorter equilibrium magnetic field scale lengths increase the critical gradients associated with the instability of trapped electron modes, ITG and microtearing, while increasing beta thresholds for KBM instability and the NZT.


Semiconductor nanowires have been studied owing to their excellent electrical properties. To implement an integrated system based on nanowires, well-aligned arrays of a nanowire are required for scalable and repeatable fabrication. In our previous results, a comparative study based on the current conduction mechanism of junctionless silicon nanowires was performed, and their characteristics were analyzed to offer a design guideline. Also, to implement a silicon-nanowire-based device, a top-down, wafer-level fabrication process of silicon-nanowire arrays on a flexible substrate was reported. The fabricated device consists of a voltage divider and a current driver in which silicon nanowires are used as a photodetector (PD) and fieldeffect transistors (FETs). The implemented silicon-nanowire-based circuit detects external light, generating a stimulation signal in proportion to the light intensity and transmitting the signal to a microelectrode. In this study, an analytical model based on a conduction mechanism of junctionless silicon nanowires is verified using a three-dimensional device simulator. Also, by applying the extracted electrical parameters of silicon-nanowire-based devices, the proposed photodetection circuit is simulated for the implementation of a photosensitive retinal prosthetic device. The results of this study can be applied to address novel silicon-nanowire-based neural stimulation devices and to guide the design of a high-resolution retinal prosthetic system.


This paper presents a critical review of advancements made in the area of non-contact angle sensing in the last two decades. Angular position sensing is an essential function in most of the engineering systems associated with industries such as automotive, robotics, process, and aircraft. The review shows significant progress that has been achieved in the performance aspects of angle sensors, overcoming the challenges introduced by new and specific applications. Progress is also visible in effectively utilizing the emerging allied technologies on the sensing and electronics field for the development of high-end angle sensors. As a part of the review, the important sensing techniques utilized for the angle sensors are identified and carefully looked at the advantages and limitations of those. Besides, the potential areas for improvements are also suggested. The important techniques employed to design and develop the angle sensors are based on capacitive, inductive, magneto-resistive, and optical schemes. Signal conditioning circuits, analog or digital, or a combination of it, are necessary to derive the best from the sensing elements. They play a vital role in the overall performance of the sensor. The review addresses the advancement in the sensing element, methodology, and signal conditioning aspect in detail. In this review, the important angle sensors reported are evaluated against the performance parameters such as range, resolution, linearity, accuracy, sensitivity, power consumption, complexity, cost, manufacturability, and reliability.


Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBITAK) under the project no. 118R071 Abstract Detection of double compressed (DC) adaptive multi‐rate (AMR) audio recordings is a challenging audio forensic problem and has received great attention in recent years. Here, the authors propose to use convolutional neural networks (CNN) for DC AMR audio detection. The CNN is used as (i) an end‐to‐end DCAMR audio detection system and (ii) a feature extractor. The end‐to‐end system receives the audio spectrogram as the input and returns the decision whether the input audio is single compressed (SC) or DC. As a feature extractor in turn, it is used to extract discriminative features and then these features are modelled using support vector machines (SVM) classifier. Our extensive analysis conducted on four different datasets shows the success of the proposed system and provides new findings related to the problem. Firstly, double compression has a considerable impact on the high frequency components of the signal. Secondly, the proposed system yields great performance independent of the recording device or environment. Thirdly, when previously altered files are used in the experiments, 97.41% detection rate is obtained with the CNN system. Finally, the cross‐dataset evaluation experiments show that the proposed system is very effective in case of a mismatch between training and test datasets.


Crack-free layers of PbSe were grown on Si (100) by a combination of liquid phase epitaxy (LPE) and molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) techniques. The PbSe layer was grown by LPE on Si(100) using a MBE-grown PbSe/BaF{sub 2}/CaF{sub 2} buffer layer structure. Pb{sub 1{minus}x}Sn{sub x}Se layers with tin contents in the liquid growth solution equal to 3%, 5%, 6%, 7%, and 10%, respectively, were also grown by LPE on Si(100) substrates using similar buffer layer structures. The LPE-grown PbSe and Pb{sub 1{minus}x}Sn{sub x}Se layers were characterized by optical Nomarski microscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Optical Nomarski characterization of the layers revealed their excellent surface morphologies and good growth solution wipe-offs. FTIR transmission experiments showed that the absorption edge of the Pb{sub 1{minus}x}Sn{sub x}Se layers shifted to lower energies with increasing tin contents. The PbSe epilayers were also lifted-off from the Si substrate by dissolving the MBE-grown BaF{sub 2} buffer layer. SEM micrographs of the cleaved edges revealed that the lifted-off layers formed structures suitable for laser fabrication.


In Dr. Newell's words " The essential feature of a sounding rocket is its ability to carry scientific instruments into the upper atmosphere." In his book he has gathered together descriptions of a very wide range of rockets with this ability and has outlined both the nature and the purpose of the instruments which are carried. The fact that Dr. Newell has nineteen collaborators, as authors of various chapters, stems from the fact that the book is based on papers presented in November, 1956 to a Symposium on High Altitude Sounding Rockets organised by the American Rocket Society. In the course of compilation the material has been kept up to date so that it, in effect, gives the " state of the a r t " at the start of the International Geophysical Year in July 1957.


Situates current research on professional development within an organizational perspective. Offers a framework for the study of professional development, and proposes that key factors that affect student achievement be conceptualized as school capacity. Argues that increases in school capacity will lead to gains in student achievement, and that professional development should, therefore, be designed to enhance the following three dimensions of capacity. First, school capacity includes the knowledge, skills, and dispositions of individual staff members. Second, the diverse human and technical resources of a school need to be put to use in an organized, collective enterprise termed school professional community. Finally, a school's capacity is enhanced when its programs for student and staff learning are coherent, focused, and sustained. To illustrate comprehensive professional development that addresses all aspects of school capacity, describes one school from a current study.


The case of an 18 year old woman who developed generalized pustular psoriasis of pregnancy in the 23rd week of her first pregnancy is reported. Treatment with topical therapies was unsuccessful and oral steroids were introduced with rapid response.


Kelakai (Stenochlaena palustris (Burm F.) Bedd.) is a medicinal plant of Borneo. The purpose of this research is to determine the level of flavonoid in crude extract of kelakai leaf by UV-Vis Spectrophotometer. The research was conducted by collection of the kelakai leaves and plant determination. The ethanolic extract of kelakai leaves was collected using macceration methode. The determination of flavonoid level was conducted by UV-Vis Spectrophotometer using quersetin as standard compound. The study showed that the rendemen of crude extract of kelakai leaf was (22,92%). The moisture content in viscous extract was (19,71%). The level of Flavonoids in extract was (2,2159±0,083%).


The mammary gland is a complex organ consisting of multiple cell types that undergo extensive remodeling during pregnancy and involution, cyclical changes that suggest the existence of a resident stem cell population that is responsible for remarkable tissue regeneration. The basic functional unit of the mammary gland is the terminal duct lobular unit, which invades the stromal tissue (fat, connective tissue, blood vessels, etc.). Luminal epithelial cells line the ducts while outer myoepithelial cells secrete the basal lamina that separates the mammary gland parenchyma from the mesenchymal cells of the stroma. Within the epithelial cell population of the ducts resides the mammary gland stem cells and it is believed that this population is the origin of the mammary gland cancer stem cells as well. In the mouse, epithelial stem cells can be separated from mesenchymal cells on the basis of CD24, CD44, and CD49f expression. This allows for the determination of both normal and cancer stem cell potential of these two populations and permits investigation into their interaction in tumor development. Curr. Protoc. Toxicol. 50:22.3.1‐22.3.15. © 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.


The Indonesian government faces a number of problems related to the development of tourist areas, both internal and external. The purpose of this study is as a supporting facility for the Borobudur Highland area of the Nglinggo-Sedayu Gate section. In the research stage using a combined method where in the stage there is a search for primary data such as measuring the location of the area with Total Station and GPS. There are also secondary regulations in the form of regulations that apply in accordance with government regulations and the surrounding environment. Where to encourage the implementation of the development of the Borobudur destination, the Ministry of Tourism established the Borobudur Tourism Area Management Authority Agency (Borobudur Authority Agency / BOB) based on Presidential Regulation No. 46 of 2017. From the results obtained after conducting field checks including measurements with Total Station and GPS, as well as the Soil Test in the Highland Borobudur area, especially the area of the Tourist Information Center site. This location has an elevation and extreme dryness of the contour in the valley position. after we saw in the field there are two things that make the location's appeal, namely the design that follows the contours and the natural surroundings as well as a very beautiful view, especially towards the exclusive resort.


Regulation of bilirubin glucuronide transporters during hyperbilirubinemia in hepatic and extrahepatic tissues is not completely clear. In the present study, we evaluated the regulation of the bilirubin glucuronide transporters, multidrug resistance-associated proteins (MRP)2 and 3, in rats with obstructive jaundice. Bile duct ligation (BDL) or sham operation was performed in Wistar rats. Liver and kidneys were removed 1, 3, and 5 days after BDL (n = 4, in each group). Serum and urine were collected to measure bilirubin levels just before animal killing. MRP2 And MRP3 mRNA expressions were determined by real-time RT-PCR. Protein expression of MRP2 and MRP3 was determined by Western blotting. Renal MRP2 function was evaluated by para-aminohippurate (PAH) clearance. The effect of conjugated bilirubin, unconjugated bilirubin, human bile, and sulfate-conjugated bile acid on MRP2 gene expression was also evaluated in renal and hepatocyte cell lines. Serum bilirubin and urinary bilirubin excretion increased significantly after BDL. In the liver, the mRNA expression of MRP2 decreased 59, 86, and 82%, and its protein expression decreased 25, 74, and 93% compared with sham-operated animals after 24, 72, and 120 h of BDL, respectively. In contrast, the liver expression of MRP3 mRNA increased 138, 2,137, and 3,295%, and its protein expression increased 560, 634, and 612% compared with sham-operated animals after 24, 72, and 120 h of BDL, respectively. On the other hand, in the kidneys, the mRNA expression of MRP2 increased 162, 73, and 21%, and its protein expression increased 387, 558, and 472% compared with sham-operated animals after 24, 72, and 120 h of BDL, respectively. PAH clearance was significantly increased after BDL. The mRNA expression of MRP2 increased in renal proximal tubular epithelial cells after treatment with conjugated bilirubin, sulfate-conjugated bile acid or human bile. Upregulation of MRP2 in the kidneys and MRP3 in the liver may be a compensatory mechanism to improve bilirubin clearance during obstructive jaundice.


Glucolipotoxicity is one of the critical causal factors of diabetic complications. Whether mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have effects on glucolipotoxicity in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and mechanisms involved are unclear. Thirty mM glucose plus 100 μM palmitic acid was used to induce glucolipotoxicity in HUVECs. MSCs and HUVECs were co-cultured at the ratio of 1:5 via Transwell system. The mRNA expressions of inflammatory factors were detected by RT-qPCR. The productions of reactive oxygen species (ROS), cell cycle and apoptosis were analyzed by flow cytometry. The tumor necrosis factor-α stimulated protein 6 (TSG-6) was knockdown in MSCs by RNA interference. High glucose and palmitic acid remarkably impaired cell viability and tube formation capacity, as well as increased the mRNA expression of inflammatory factors, ROS levels, and cell apoptosis in HUVECs. MSC co-cultivation ameliorated these detrimental effects in HUVECs, but no effect on ROS production. Moreover, TSG-6 was dramatically up-regulated by high glucose and fatty acid stimulation in both MSCs and HUVECs. TSG-6 knockdown partially abolished the protection mediated by MSCs. MSCs had protective effects on high glucose and palmitic acid induced glucolipotoxicity in HUVECs, and TSG-6 secreted by MSCs was likely to play an important role in this process.


For many years, attempts to measure the urban structure and physical form of metropolitan areas have been focused on a limited set of attributes, mostly density and density gradients. However, the complex nature of the urban form requires the consideration of many other dimensions to provide a comprehensive measure that includes all aspects of the urban structure and growth pattern at different hierarchical levels. In this paper, a multi-dimensional method of measuring urban form and development patterns in urban areas of the United States is presented. The methodology presented here develops several variables and indices that contribute to the characterization and quantification of the overall physical form of urban areas at various hierarchical levels.
 Cluster analysis is performed to group metropolitan areas based on their urban form and land-use pattern. This allows for a better utilization of land-use transportation planning and policy analyses used by planners and researchers. This clustering of urban areas could eventually help policymakers and decision makers in the decision-making process to evaluate land-use transportation policies, identify similar patterns, and understand how similar policies implemented in urban areas with similar urban form structure would result in more efficient and successful planning in the future.


Mutants in the genes governing the maturation of the head of bacteriophage T4 and in gene 24 were studied by electron microscopy of thin sections. We define morphologically: black particles, comprising mature, stable heads and immature, fragile heads, which break down upon lysis; grizzled particles, which apparently are partially filled or partially emptied; empty large particles without DNA or core which are all the same size as normal heads; empty small particles without DNA and without core which are of the size of the tau particle, which is the prehead of phage T4. The study of single and double mutants of the maturation genes demonstrates that the phenotypes are only different by the proportions of the different particles made except for 17- where only empty small and empty large particles accumulate. The mutants in gene 24 are epistatic on all other mutants. Mutants in gene 17 are epistatic on the remaining ones. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that the products of several of the maturation genes act on DNA to render it competent for packaging while the others act directly on the particle. By this uncoupling, bypasses and abortive pathways can result.


In the five decades since its ratification, the optimism of the Fair Housing Act's drafters has yielded to the frustrations of lax enforcement, administrative neglect, federal budget cutbacks, the rise of exclusionary economic zoning measures, gentrification and dwindling stocks of affordable and habitable housing for those of low-income. While the Act has facilitated a decline in race-based housing segregation for middle-income blacks, racial segregation by residence for those of low-income remains high and class-based segregation has been rising. Because people of color are disproportionately low-income, economic segregation achieves many of the same outcomes as explicit race-based exclusion. This Article considers how the Act's aims have been impeded by drastic declines in the quantity and quality of available subsidized housing, the practice of tenant blacklisting and exclusionary economic zoning. This as the need for affordable housing rises, with one in three Americans struggling to get by. Reclaiming the Act's promise depends on the coalescing of diverse and varied alliances around the unifying premise that decent housing is a human right. We can and must arrive at a collective will to assure that no one is denied a safe place to call home and all are afforded the opportunity to reap the benefits of inclusion.


Arsenicals have been used since ancient Greek and Roman civilizations and in the Far East as part of traditional Chinese medicine. In Western countries, they became a therapeutic mainstay for various ailments and malignancies in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Fowler's potassium bicarbonate-based solution of arsenic trioxide (As2O3)solution was the main treatment of chronic myeloid leukaemia until the 1930s. After a decline in the use of arsenic during the mid-20th century, arsenic trioxide was reintroduced as an anticancer agent after reports emerged from China of the success of an arsenic trioxide-containing herbal mixture for the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukaemia. Arsenic trioxide was first purified and used in controlled studies in China in the 1970s.Subsequently, randomised clinical trials performed in the United States led to FDA approval of arsenic trioxide in the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory acute promyelocytic leukaemia.


The ability to flexibly select and accumulate relevant information to form decisions, while ignoring irrelevant information, is a fundamental component of higher cognition. Yet its neural mechanisms remain unclear. Here we demonstrate that, under assumptions supported by both monkey and rat data, the space of possible network mechanisms to implement this ability is spanned by the combination of three different components, each with specific behavioral and anatomical implications. We further show that existing electrophysiological and modeling data are compatible with the full variety of possible combinations of these components, suggesting that different individuals could use different component combinations. To study variations across subjects, we developed a rat task requiring context-dependent evidence accumulation, and trained many subjects on it. Our task delivers sensory evidence through pulses that have random but precisely known timing, providing high statistical power to characterize each individual's neural and behavioral responses. Consistent with theoretical predictions, neural and behavioral analysis revealed remarkable heterogeneity across rats, despite uniformly good task performance. The theory further predicts a specific link between behavioral and neural signatures, which was robustly supported in the data. Our results provide a new experimentally-supported theoretical framework to analyze biological and artificial systems performing flexible decision-making tasks, and open the door to the study of individual variability in neural computations underlying higher cognition.


This research report describes a 10-year long monitoring project for assessments of recent downwearing rates on rock carvings in southern and central Sweden. The investigations have been made by repeated measurements on the same sites with a laser scanner, especially constructed for the purpose. The scanner records the microtopography of rock surfaces with a resolution of 0.025 mm. From the field data accurate micro maps of areas up to 40x40 cm can be made. Deterioration rates are calculated by computerised comparisons of micro maps from consecutive measurements. A total number of 26 sites have been followed from 1994 to 2003. There are large variations in downwearing rates between the investigated places. Averages are, however, similar to those that can be expected from crystalline rocks in general in Scandinavia. It has also been revealed that the micro weathering is episodic. This means that periods with fast breakdown alternate with periods when almost nothing happens. Furthermore the spatial variation within the laser scanned areas of where downwearing takes place could be studied. Usually deterioration at times only takes place on limited spots while most of the micro mapped area is left unaffected. After material losses have taken place from these spots weathering continues at other places.


Moral education and technology seem to represent two fundamentally different kinds of concern and domains of inquiry. But these domains are fused in educational practice. Teaching as a fundamental human endeavor and form of activity has been a central component of human cultural evolution and regeneration from the earliest human social groupings. As a distinctive form of activity, teaching braids together ethical and instrumental norms and values. The modern, global institution of schooling has added layers of institutional support, constraint, and governance on the teaching it structures as well as increased scrutiny of the ethical and instrumental values in play; schooling is in effect a kind of moral technology for advancing certain norms and values in an efficient way. At present, technological developments with modern society make possible new forms of teaching and learning that likewise warrant scrutiny as they impact the ethical and instrumental ends of teaching and instructional practices today.


A two-dimensional all optical processor which multiplexes a rectangular array of parallel incoming signals into a series output transmitted through a single optical fiber is suggested for the first time along with a corresponding 2-dimensional series to parallel transformer. The system uses four-wave interaction in a hologram, both for MUX and deMUX. It can be used for the direct fiber-optical transmission of many time-dependent images, without going through the usual video serialization, as well as for multiple analog or digital, video and audio transmissions, or multiplexing and demultiplexing of any nature.


This paper presents the application of a framework of fast and efficient compressive sampling based on the concept of random sampling of sparse Audio signal. It provides four important features. (i) It is universal with a variety of sparse signals. (ii) The number of measurements required for exact reconstruction is nearly optimal and much less then the sampling frequency and below the Nyquist frequency. (iii) It has very low complexity and fast computation. (iv) It is developed on the provable mathematical model from which we are able to quantify trade-offs among streaming capability, computation/memory requirement and quality of reconstruction of the audio signal. Compressed sensing CS is an attractive compression scheme due to its universality and lack of complexity on the sensor side. In this paper a study of applying compressed sensing on audio signals was presented. The performance of different bases and its reconstruction are investigated, as well as exploring its performance. Simulations results are present to show the efficient reconstruction of sparse audio signal. The results shows that compressed sensing can dramatically reduce the number of samples below the Nyquist rate keeping with a good PSNR.


Based on more than 2 years of ethnographic immersion with the Mars Exploration Rover mission, this paper examines the representational work and associated embodied practices through which the science and engineering team makes decisions about how and where to move their robots. Building on prior work in Science and Technology Studies on the importance of embodiment to visualization, the paper posits that such practices also contribute to the production and maintenance of social order within the organizational context of the laboratory. It thus places visualization technologies and techniques in the context of the social organization of scientific work, contributing to our understanding of representation in scientific practice.


Significance A fundamental question in contemporary neuroscience is how the remarkable cellular diversity required for the intricate function of the nervous system is achieved. Here, we bridge the gap between a cellular machinery that is known to diversify the transcriptome and the existence of distinct neuronal populations that compose the Drosophila brain. Adenosine-to-inosine (A-to-I) RNA editing is a ubiquitous mechanism that generates transcriptomic diversity in cells by recoding certain adenosines within the pre-mRNA sequence into inosines. We present a spatial map of RNA editing across different neuronal populations in Drosophila brain. Each neuronal population has a distinct editing signature, with the majority of differential editing occurring in highly conserved regions of transcripts that encode ion channels and other essential neuronal genes. Adenosine-to-inosine (A-to-I) RNA editing, catalyzed by ADAR enzymes, is a ubiquitous mechanism that generates transcriptomic diversity. This process is particularly important for proper neuronal function; however, little is known about how RNA editing is dynamically regulated between the many functionally distinct neuronal populations of the brain. Here, we present a spatial RNA editing map in the Drosophila brain and show that different neuronal populations possess distinct RNA editing signatures. After purifying and sequencing RNA from genetically marked groups of neuronal nuclei, we identified a large number of editing sites and compared editing levels in hundreds of transcripts across nine functionally different neuronal populations. We found distinct editing repertoires for each population, including sites in repeat regions of the transcriptome and differential editing in highly conserved and likely functional regions of transcripts that encode essential neuronal genes. These changes are site-specific and not driven by changes in Adar expression, suggesting a complex, targeted regulation of editing levels in key transcripts. This fine-tuning of the transcriptome between different neurons by RNA editing may account for functional differences between distinct populations in the brain.


The Culpeper Basin in northern Virginia extends from just south of the Albemarle-County—Orange County line northeastward to the Potomac River, a distance of more than 148 km (90 mi). The basin continues northward across the Potomac and terminates just southwest of Frederick, Maryland. It occupies the western part of the Piedmont province. On the west it is bounded by an east-dipping normal fault; the sedimentary and volcanic strata dip westward into the fault (Fig. 1). The rocks in this area traditionally have been considered part of the Newark Group and referred to as Triassic, but Cornet9s (1977) palynological study indicates that they range from Upper Triassic to Lower Jurassic. The Culpeper Basin is one of the many basins in North America in which sedimentation extended from Late Triassic to Early Jurassic time (Cornet, 1977). Other such basins include the Newark in New Jersey, the Gettysburg in Pennsylvania, the Hartford in Connecticut, the Deerfield in Massachusetts, and the Fundy in Nova Scotia. The southernmost basins contain only Upper Triassic rocks. They include the Durham, Sanford, Wadesboro, and Dan River Basins in North Carolina and the Danville and Richmond Basins in southern Virginia (Cornet, 1977).


We propose a renormalizable theory with minimal particle content and symmetries, that successfully explains the number of Standard Model (SM) fermion families, the SM fermion mass hierarchy, the tiny values for the light active neutrino masses, the lepton and baryon asymmetry of the Universe, the dark matter relic density as well as the muon and electron anomalous magnetic moments. In the proposed model, the top quark and the exotic fermions do acquire tree-level masses whereas the SM charged fermions lighter than the top quark gain one-loop level masses. Besides that, the tiny masses for the light active neutrino are generated from an inverse seesaw mechanism at one-loop level.


Chromosomal microarray analyses (CMA) have greatly increased both the yield and diagnostic accuracy of postnatal analysis; it has been used as a first‐tier cytogenetic test in patients with intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, and multiple congenital abnormalities. During the last 15 years, we performed CMA in approximately 8,000 patients with neurodevelopmental and/or congenital disorders, of which 13 (0.16%) genetically catastrophic complex chromosomal rearrangements were identified. These ultrarare rearrangements showed clustering of breakpoints, characteristic of chromoanagenesis events. Al1 13 complex events display underlying formation mechanisms, originating either by a synchronization of the shattering of clustered chromosome regions in which regional asynchrony of DNA replication may be one of the main causes of disruption. We provide an overview of the copy number profiling in these patients. Although several previous studies have suggested that chromoanagenesis is often a genetic disease source in postnatal diagnostic screening, due to either the challenge of clinical interpretation of these complex rearrangements or the limitation of microarray resolution relative to the small size and complexity of chromogenic induced chromosome abnormalities, bringing further attention and to study its occurrence in the clinical setting is extremely important.


Background Angiotensin‐converting enzyme (ACE) plays a major role in blood pressure regulation and cardiovascular homeostasis. Contrary to the assumption that ACE levels are stable, circulating ACE has been shown to be altered in obesity and weight loss. We sought to examine effects of a high‐saturated‐fat (HF) diet on ACE within the NUtriGenomic Analysis in Twins (NUGAT) study. Methods and Results Forty‐six healthy and nonobese twin pairs initially consumed a carbohydrate‐rich, low‐fat diet over a period of 6 weeks to standardize for nutritional behavior prior to the study, followed by 6 weeks of HF diet under isocaloric conditions. After 6 weeks of HF diet, circulating ACE concentrations increased by 15% (P=1.6×10−30), accompanied by an increased ACE gene expression in adipose tissue (P=3.8×10−6). Stratification by ACE rs4343, a proxy for the ACE insertion/deletion polymorphism (I/D), revealed that homozygous carriers (GG) of the variant had higher baseline ACE concentrations (P=7.5×10−8) and additionally showed a 2‐fold increase in ACE concentrations in response to the HF diet as compared to non‐ or heterozygous carriers (AA/AG, P=2×10−6). GG carriers also responded with higher systolic blood pressure as compared to AA/AG carriers (P=0.008). The strong gene‐diet interaction was confirmed in a second independent, cross‐sectional cohort, the Metabolic Syndrome Berlin Potsdam (MeSyBePo) study. Conclusions The HF‐diet‐induced increase of ACE serum concentrations reveals ACE to be a potential molecular link between dietary fat intake and hypertension and cardiovascular disease (CVD). The GG genotype of the ACE rs4343 polymorphism represents a robust nutrigenetic marker for an unfavorable response to high‐saturated‐fat diets. Clinical Trial Registration URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01631123.


Background: It has been proposed that depression plays a role in how psoriasis affects quality of life. However, primary data are limited. Objective: To investigate the role depression plays in how patients experience psoriasis. Methods: Cross-sectional study conducted between January and May 2005. Recruitment of 265 adults with prevalent psoriasis through Internet advertisements. Standardized assessment of depressive symptoms, health-related quality of life (HRQL), illness-related stress, and clinical severity of psoriasis using validated scales. Results: Thirty-two percent of all participants screened positive for depression. We observed a graded relationship between depressive symptoms and HRQL impairment (p < 0.001). Only 16.5% of those with high depression scores were currently treated for depression. Both dissatisfaction with antipsoriatic treatment and illness-related stress were highly associated with depression. After adjustment for HRQL, patients with more severe psoriasis were less likely depressed, although this association failed to reach statistical significance (multiadjusted odds ratio 0.37; 95% CI 0.13–1.02; p = 0.06). Conclusion: Patients with high subjective distress and low objective measures of psoriasis should be evaluated for depression.


The protocol and data transmitting of smart substation is different from ordinary substation. Based on the requirements of PMU in smart substation, the PMU tester in smart substation is researched according to the algorithms and methods under the condition of smart substation. Considering the characteristics of PMU installation in smart substation, different methods are presented. Moreover, various formats of signal in smart substation would be involved in PMU tester design. On account of massive jobs on the accuracy of currents and voltages test and composition of reports for engineers, the software designed in the PMU tester would guarantee the facility procedure, efficiency and validity test of PMU in smart substation.


This article is a general presentation of the policy carried out by the Basque Government for the promotion of the Basque language in the BAC. It introduces the General Plan for Promoting Basque Language Use, its effects and challenges. In short, this plan is a strategic plan for continuous advancement in language normalization. Its principle objective is to decide on and promote the language policy measures necessary to guarantee that those wishing to conduct their lives in Basque are able to do so.


The report draws on fieldwork and secondary data sources to review initial teacher education (ITE) in Thailand's Rajabhat universities. The research team visited five Rajabhat universities spread geographically across Thailand to collect data from university leaders, middle managers, ITE staff and students. The report presented to Thailand's Ministry of Education recommend policy consideration and possible reform in eight broad areas. These were:
the quality and quantity of initial teacher education students;
timing of the teaching practicum/internship: Student placement/internship;
the undergraduate ITE course length;
the importance of discipline knowledge (particularly for those students' considering a career as a high school teacher);
a simplified framework of teaching standards;
curriculum alignment between school practice and university student instruction;
ITT faculty organisation, and,
a method to ensure greater collaborative working across the Rajabhats and Thailand's other universities.


CONTEXT
Ghrelin is known to play a role in glucose metabolism and in beta-cell function. There are controversies regarding the role of ghrelin polymorphisms in diabetes and diabetes-related phenotypes.

OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to examine polymorphisms of the ghrelin gene in a Korean cohort and investigate associations between them and susceptibility to type 2 diabetes and its related phenotypes.

DESIGN AND PATIENTS
The ghrelin gene was sequenced to identify polymorphisms in 24 DNA samples. Common variants were then genotyped in 760 type 2 diabetic patients and 641 nondiabetic subjects. Genetic associations with diabetes-related phenotypes were also analyzed.

RESULTS
Nine polymorphisms were identified, and four common polymorphisms [g.-1500C>G, g.-1062G > C, g.-994C > T, g.+408C > A (Leu72Met)] were genotyped in a larger study. The genotype distributions of these four common polymorphisms in type 2 diabetes patients were similar to those of normal nondiabetic controls. However, these four common polymorphisms were variably associated with several diabetes-related phenotypes, such as high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, fasting plasma glucose, and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance. In particular, subjects harboring g.-1062C were associated with a lower serum HDL cholesterol level after adjusting for other variables (P = 0.0004 or 0.01 after Bonferroni correction for 24 tests).

CONCLUSION
The aforementioned four common polymorphisms in the ghrelin gene were not found to be significantly associated with susceptibility to type 2 diabetes mellitus in the Korean population. However, the common polymorphism g.-1062G > C in the promoter region of the ghrelin gene was found to be significantly associated with serum HDL cholesterol levels.


Appendicitis is one of the most common acute abdominal conditions encountered in the Emergency Department. It is a surgical condition that can affect any person of any age and often with varying clinical presentations. In the majority of cases, the diagnosis is straightforward. However in some, the diagnosis requires a heightened clinical suspicion. The application of adjuvant laboratory tests and diagnostic imaging helps to reduce the associated complications, morbidity and mortality of delayed diagnosis.


Thomson [1995] argues that an enhanced green-house effect may be altering the seasonal cycle in temperature. We compare trends in the amplitude and phase of the seasonal cycle in observational temperature data in the northern hemisphere with the response of two general circulation models to increased CO2 concentrations. Sizeable amplitude decreases are observed in both models and observations. Significant phase delays (ie, later seasonal transitions) are found in the simulations, opposite to the phase advances isolated in the observations. The retreat of winter sea ice in high-latitude regions appears to explain the models' response to CO2 increase. Much of the variability in the observational data is not predicted by the models.


Many new techniques in biomolecular chemistry and genomic analysis require the immobilization of molecular reagents on specially prepared surfaces. However, the process of molecular fixation often interferes with or precludes the use of standard in vitro biochemical assays. Optical mapping is an emergent technology for genomic analysis which relies on the biochemical activity of DNA fixed to silanized glass surfaces. Optical mapping surfaces have been shown to be compatible with restriction endonucleases and a variety of DNA polymerases. The essential properties of biochemically active surfaces are poorly understood in most of the current technologies which utilize molecular fixation, including optical mapping. The purpose of this study is to use the powerful technique of atomic force microscopy, in combination with informative enzymatic assays, to correlate biochemical activity with microscopic surface structure. The results presented provide meaningful insight into the effect of surface preparation on the biochemical accessibility of surface-bound molecules. Novel analysis which may facilitate the automation of optical mapping is presented.


Stokes wave theories to third-order approximation have widely been employed to calculate wave properties for waves propagating over finite depths of water in most engineering applications. However, different and often inconsistent expressions of wave variables can be observed from the numerous theories available. Examinations of the usual Stokes wave theories are on the so-called Stokes definitions of wave celerity and Bernoulli constant, as well as on the physical explanations of some theoretical problems involved. A new Stokes wave theory to third order approximation is derived by applying only necessary conditions and assumptions, without using the definitions of wave celerity. The resulting mathematical formulations for some pertinent wave variables are presented. Comparison is made between the new third-order approximation and the usual ones derived from using the Stokes definitions of wave celerity, showing different expressions of wave celerity, horizontal water particle velocity, and mass transport velocities. It is found that the mass transport velocity exists in the Eulerian description as well as the usual Stokes drift in the Lagrangian description.


The centrality, azimuthal and rapidity dependence of two-particle transverse-momentum correlations are studied for Au-Au collision at 200 GeV using RQMD (relativistic quantum molecular dynamics) with and without final hadron re-scattering models. The influences of the re-scattering effects on the measured correlations are discussed. The results are compared with those from current heavy ion experiments.


In contrast to other organisms with internal fertilization, males of the majority of birds do not possess a copulatory organ. Causes of this loss of phallus are not well understood. Copulations in birds are very short, indicating selection for fast transfer of sperm. I propose here that the loss of phallus is mainly a by-product of selection for rapid copulations, and present two hypotheses to explain this loss: (1) Predation Avoidance. During copulation birds temporarily lose ability to fly, which strongly reduces their ability to escape predator attacks. Insemination with the phallus cannot be accomplished in a few seconds. Therefore, the reduction of phallus would result in acceleration of sperm transfer and shortening of the period of exposure to an elevated predation risk. (2) Copulation Efficiency. In most birds, the copulating male stands on the female's back in a very unstable position. A faster sperm transfer because of the loss of a phallus would result in fewer interrupted copulations due to loss of balance as well as in reduced risk of the female being injured if the male loses balance.


Bacteria-based self-healing concrete is an innovative concrete that contains a self-healing agent that provides the material with enhanced autonomous crack-sealing performance. A specific type of this concrete, based on a healing agent composed of bacterial spores and lactate as carbon source, has been developed and applied by the Delft University of Technology for over ten years. Under laboratory conditions it was proven that, depending on the dosage of healing agent, self-healing of cracks up to 0.8 mm widths occurs. As such the material potentially allows reduction of steel reinforcement used for crack width limitation in watertight constructions. Application of  self-healing concrete would therefore not only result in a reduction of costs but also in improvement of environmental performance (lower CO2 footprint) and ease of in situ casting due to reduction of use of steel in waterproof applications. However, according to the EN 1990 Eurocode (Basis of structural design), customary application of a novel type of concrete must be preceded by full scale demonstrators proving evidence for safe and functional performance. In this contribution we portray full scale application of bacteria-based self-healing agent as developed by the Delft research group in two repair mortar- and in two concrete construction demonstrator projects. These demonstrator projects show that addition of the bacteria-based self-healing agent to the concrete mix is safe as no negative side effects on construction performance was observed. However, it also proved difficult to find evidence for increased crack-healing performance as cracking in the demonstrator constructions hardly occurred. In further full scale demonstrators we therefore plan to drastically reduce amount of crack width-restraining reinforcement to show crack-healing capacity and potential to save on use of reinforcement steel in watertight concrete constructions.


Full length cDNAs encoding three amino acid permeases were isolated from seed-specific libraries of Vicia faba. The predicted proteins VfAAP1, VfAAP3 and VfAAP4 share up to 66% identity among themselves. Functional characterization of VfAAP1 and VfAAP3 in a yeast mutant showed that these permeases transport a broad range of amino acids. However, VfAAP1 had a preference for cysteine and VfAAP3 for lysine and arginine. VfAAP1 was highly expressed in cotyledons at early developmental stages and moderately in other sink tissues. Its peak of expression in cotyledons corresponded to the appearance of storage protein transcripts, suggesting that this transporter fulfills an important role in providing amino acids for storage protein biosynthesis. VfAAP3 was expressed most abundantly in maternal tissues, that is in roots, stems, gynoecia, pods and seed coats at different developmental stages. VfAAP4 transcripts could not be detected by northern hybridization. In situ hybridization showed that VfAAP1 mRNA is distributed throughout cotyledon storage parenchyma cells, but could not be detected in the abaxial epidermal cell layer. It also accumulate in the chlorenchyma and thin-walled parenchyma cells of seed coats. VfAAP1 mRNA levels were lower in cotyledons cultured in the presence of glutamine, whereas expression of a vicilin storage protein gene was up-regulated under similar conditions. Cysteine repressed the expression of the GUS reporter gene under control of the VfAAP1 promoter, suggesting that this transporter is modulated at the transcriptional level. Regulation of amino acid transport in relation to storage protein accumulation is discussed.


Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) is defined as pain of at least 6 months' duration that occurs in the lower abdomen or below the umbilicus and has resulted in functional or psychological disability or required intervention and treatment. Therapeutic interventions center around the treatment of CPP as a diagnosis in and of itself, and treatment of specific disorders that may be related to CPP. A multidisciplinary approach for diagnosis and treatment seems to be most effective for symptomatic relief. This paper reviews the evidence for such interventions as psychological treatments including the use of complementary and alternative medicine techniques for CPP in women. Unfortunately, finding the best evidence in this setting is difficult as only very few randomized controlled trials are available. A combination of treatments is usually required over time for the treatment of refractory CPP. The multifactorial nature of CPP needs to be discussed with the patient and a good rapport as well as a partnership needs to be developed to plan a management program with regular followup. Promotion of a multidisciplinary approach which includes complementary and alternative medicine techniques in managing CPP in women seems to yield the best results.


An overview over the most important results obtained over the past of noise produced in water by impacts of single droplets, artificial rain and real rain is presented. Two distinct sources form the major contributors to rainfall produced noise in the sea. The raindrop impact and the pulsations of entrained air bubbles. The impact sound is produced by raindrops of all sizes, while the bubble pulsations are connected with regular entrainment of small gas bubbles, leading to the characteristic peak spectral level between 14 and 16 kHz, and by irregular entrainment of larger gas bubbles produced by impact of large raindrops. The noise spectra are discussed and interpretations of their relations to the raindrop size and impact mechanisms are given. Relations between noise spectra and rainfall rates are discussed and some still unsolved problems are pointed out, particularly related to estimation of light and moderate rainfalls using underwater sound measurements.


Normal blood flow values, autoregulatory tendency and CO2 sensitivity of the cochlear blood vessels were studied in acute experiments in anesthetized, artificially ventilated dogs and cats. Cochlear blood flow was measured with the hydrogen-gas clearance technique using 100 mu platinum electrodes implanted into the perilymphatic space. Normal mean cochlear blood flow at normal systemic blood pressure and arterial pH values was found to be 30 +/- 7 ml . 100 g-1 . min-1 in the dog, and 16 +/- 5 ml . 100 g-1 . min-1 in the cat. There was no evidence of the existence of an autoregulatory mechanism of cochlear blood flow during stepwise bleeding in the dog. Blood flow seemed to follow passively the changes of arterial pressure. Cochlear blood flow increased by 79% on 5% CO2 inhalation in the cat, as a result of decreased vascular resistance. The relationship between arterial pCO2 values and cochlear blood flow proved to be exponential.