Following an initial phreatic eruption on 21 December 1994, activity at Popocatepetl has been dom- inated by fumarolic emissions interspersed with more energetic emissions of ashes and gases. A phase of repetitive dome-building and dome-destroying episodes began in March 1996 and is still ongoing at present. We describe the long-period (LP) seismicity accompanying eruptive activity at Popocatepetl from December 1994 through May 2000, using data from a three-component broadband seismometer located 5 km from the summit crater. The broadband records display a variety of signals, with periods ranging in the band 0.04-90 s. Long-period events and tremor with typical dominant periods in the range 0.3-2.0 s are the most characteristic signals observed at Popocatepetl. These signals appear to reflect volumetric sources driven by pressure fluctuations asso- ciated with the unsteady transport of gases beneath the crater. Very-long-period (VLP) signals are also observed in association with LP events and tremor. The VLP signals which accompany LP events display Ricker-like wavelets with periods near 36 s, whereas VLP signals associated with tremor waveforms typically show sus- tained oscillations at periods ranging up to 90 s. The spectra and particle motion patterns remain similar from event to event for the majority of LP and tremor signals analyzed during the time span of this study, suggesting a repeated, non-destructive activation of a common source. Hypocenters determined by phase pick analyses of selected LP events recorded by the seven-station, perma- nent Popocatepetl short-period network suggest that the majority of these events are confined to a source region in the top 1.5 km below the crater floor. The repetitive occurrences of VLP signals with closely matched wave- form characteristics are consistent with a non-destructive reactivation of at least two sources. One source appears to coincide with the main source region of LP seismicity, whereas the second is a deeper source whose activity appears to be intimately linked with episodes of mono- chromatic tremor.


A persuasive argument is that small cap stocks outperform large cap stocks. A technological advance mirroring social belief paves the way for individual traders to take advantage in financial markets. We examine if and how investors' social response towards the small and neglected stocks will be communicated to their stock trading behavior. We use multi order hidden Markov process performing experiments in stock trading channels and perform nested ANOVA to identify the differentiated impact of social sentiment on the firm cohorts, well known vs. less known. We show that a second order Markov chain might better performs for the predictive interaction, implying the presence of speculative prediction, which is difficult with just a first order chain. An interesting result is that investors' social belief and response is transferred to the stock trading behavior of small and neglected firms when they sell the stocks, referring the small and neglected firm effects.


Peter Manning first established an international reputation with his book Electronic and Computer Music, originally published by Oxford University Press in 1985 and now in its fourth edition (Manning 2004). The book presents a detailed account of the technical and creative evolution of electronic music from its earliest days. Starting from Thaddeus Cahill's 1897 patent application for the Dynamophone, it traces developments in North America and Europe and discusses a range of analogue techniques including tape manipulation and voltage-controlled synthesisers. Later chapters consider the digital revolution that followed, including developments in MIDI and digital workstations. In later editions, the sections on computer music were significantly revised and expanded to reflect the major and rapid transformation of the field. A distinctive feature of the book is the way it combines detailed historical information and thorough explanations of technical developments, often clarified by use of explanatory diagrams, with insightful accounts of the musical repertoire produced using this technology. The book was derived from Peter's PhD thesis at Durham University in which he surveyed and analysed numerous contemporaneous texts documenting developments in minute detail.


Conserving and improving the fertility and quality of the limited soil resource to produce food, feed and fibre has always been the key to organic farmers' management practices. This issue is also addressed in conservation agriculture systems that give up on soil tillage (no-tillage) or reduce tillage intensity, but often build on the extensive use of herbicides and mineral fertilizers. Both systems show advantages for soil quality (Holland, 2004; Mäder et al., 2002) and therefore their combination is promising and may provide better soil quality. Challenges of introducing noor reduced tillage systems into organic farming are increased weed pressure, retarded mineralization of nutrients that both may lead to reduced crop yield (Peigné et al., 2007). Pioneer farmers have developed solutions and new machinery to be applicable in organic farming systems. Comparisons of reduced tillage to the traditional plough system have started on farms and systematic research started a decade ago. It was the aim of our research activities, accomplished within the frame of the European network TILMAN-ORG (www.tilman-org.net), to evaluate changes in soil carbon stocks and biological soil fertility parameters in soils from European field trials that compared reduced primary soil tillage options with standard procedures (mainly plough). The selected sites represent a geoclimatic gradient from the North-East to the South-West. The hypothesis was that reduced tillage is enhancing the stratification of soil organic matter, soil microbial biomass and activity, and is changing microbial community structure and microbial functions.


The Huon Bowerbird Amblyornis germana , recently elevated to species status, is endemic to montane forests on the Huon Peninsula, Papua New Guinea. The polygynous males in the Yopno Urawa Som Conservation Area build distinctive maypole bowers. We document for the first time the nest, egg, incubation behaviour, and parental care of this species. Three of the five nests found were built in tree-fern crowns. Nest structure and the single-egg clutch were similar to those of MacGregor's Bowerbird A. macgregoriae . Only the female Huon Bowerbird incubated. Mean length of incubation sessions was 30.9 minutes and the number of sessions daily was 18. Diurnal incubation constancy over a 12-hour day was 74%, compared with a mean of ~70% in six other members of the bowerbird family. The downy nestling resembled that of MacGregor's Bowerbird. Vocalisations of a female Huon Bowerbird at a nest with a nestling are described and illustrated.


Similarities and differences between Fourier and Schur-Weyl transforms have been discussed in the context of a one-dimensional Heisenberg magnetic ring with N nodes. We demonstrate that main difference between them correspond to another partitioning of the Hilbert space of the magnet. In particular, we point out that application of the quantum Fourier transform corresponds to splitting of the Hilbert space of the model into subspaces associated with the orbits of the cyclic group, whereas, the Schur-Weyl transform corresponds to splitting into subspaces associated with orbits of the symmetric group.


Candida glabrata is an opportunistic pathogen that has developed the ability to adapt and thrive under azole treated conditions. The common mechanisms that can result in Candida drug resistance are due to mutations or overexpression of the drug efflux pump or the target of azole drugs, Cdr1 and Erg11, respectively. However, the role of epigenetic histone modifications in azole-induced gene expression and drug resistance are poorly understood in C. glabrata. In this study, we show for the first time that Set1 mediates histone H3K4 mono-, di-, and trimethylation in C. glabrata. In addition, loss of SET1 and histone H3K4 methylation results in increased susceptibility to azole drugs in both C. glabrata and S. cerevisiae. Intriguingly, this increase in susceptibility to azole drugs in strains lacking Set1-mediated histone H3K4 methylation is not due to altered transcript levels of CDR1, PDR1 or Cdr1's ability to efflux drugs. Genome-wide transcript analysis revealed that Set1 is necessary for azole-induced expression of 12 genes involved in the late biosynthesis of ergosterol including ERG11 and ERG3. Importantly, chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis showed that histone H3K4 trimethylation was detected on chromatin of actively transcribed ERG genes. Furthermore, H3K4 trimethylation increased upon azole-induced gene expression which was also found to be dependent on the catalytic activity of Set1. Altogether, our findings show that Set1-mediated histone H3K4 methylation governs the intrinsic drug resistant status in C. glabrata via epigenetic control of azole-induced ERG gene expression. IMPORTANCE C. glabrata is the second most commonly isolated species from Candida infections, coming in second to C. albicans. Treatment of C. glabrata infections are difficult due to their natural resistance to antifungal azole drugs and their ability to adapt and become multidrug resistant. In this study, we investigated the contributing cellular factors for controlling drug resistance. We have determined that an epigenetic mechanism governs the expression of genes involved in the late ergosterol biosynthesis pathway, an essential pathway that antifungal drugs target. This epigenetic mechanism involves histone H3K4 methylation catalyzed by the Set1 methyltransferase complex (COMPASS). We also show that Set1-mediated histone H3K4 methylation is needed for expression of specific azole induced genes and azole drug resistance in C. glabrata. Identifying epigenetic mechanisms contributing to drug resistance and pathogenesis could provide alternative targets for treating patients with fungal infections.


We wished to analyze the genetic characterization of echovirus 11 (Echo11) from samples of environmental sewage in Shandong Province (China). The VP1 coding region was typed as the strains were amplified. Phylogenetic analyses on the VP1 sequences from these isolates, strains isolated from AFP cases in the period 1994-2010 and others published in GenBank were conducted. From 2011 to 2012, 94 Echo11 strains were isolated from samples of environmental sewage in Jinan and Linyi City in Shandong Province. Numbers of Echo11 were seasonal and reached peaks in the summer and autumn in both cities; A- mong these isolates, nucleotide (nt) identities were 89.5%-100.0% whereas amino acid (aa) identities were 95.4%-100.0%. The nt and aa identities were 76.6%-79.7% and 90.4%-92.5% between those strains and the prototype (Gregory) strain of Echo11, respectively. All isolates from Shandong Province were the A genotype and the strains evolved very rapidly, which suggested that several transmission chains was co-circulating. We described the temporal fluctuation and genetic characterization of Echo11 isolates from surveillance of environmental sewage in Shandong Province, thereby providing important information for exploring the dynamic change and genetic variation of circulating human enteroviruses in this Province in China.


Research on social impairments in psychopathology has relied heavily on the face processing literature. However, although many sub-systems of facial information processing are described, recent evidence suggests that generalizability of these findings to social settings may be limited. The main argument is that in social interaction, the content of faces is more dynamic and dependent on the interplay between interaction partners, than the content of a non-responsive face (e.g. pictures or videos) as portrayed in a typical experiment. The question beckons whether gaze atypicalities to non-responsive faces in certain disorders generalize to faces in interaction. In the present study, a dual eye-tracking setup capable of recording gaze with high resolution was used to investigate how gaze behavior in interaction is related to traits of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD). As clinical ASD and SAD groups have exhibited deficiencies in reciprocal social behavior, traits of these two conditions were assessed in a general population. We report that gaze behavior in interaction of individuals scoring high on ASD and SAD traits corroborates hypotheses posed in typical face-processing research using non-responsive stimuli. Moreover, our findings on the relation between paired gaze states (when and how often pairs look at each other's eyes simultaneously or alternately) and ASD and SAD traits bear resemblance to prevailing models in the ASD literature (the 'gaze aversion' model) and SAD literature (the 'vigilant-avoidance' model). Pair-based analyses of gaze may reveal behavioral patterns crucial to our understanding of ASD and SAD, and more general to our understanding of eye movements as social signals in interaction.


The fractures of the penis are rare in our context and are most often secondary to false penile fracture. A more common cause has been described in the countries of the Middle East where people interrupt the erection due to a violent bending of their penis called "Taqaandan". We here report the case of a 21-year old patient with no particular previous history, presenting to the emergency department at the Medical Center Avicenna with pain and deformation of the penis following "Taqaandan" manoeuvre. After having heard a click the patient felt pain and had violent detumescence without associated urinary problems, thus excluding urethral involvement. The image shows the classic "eggplant" appearance (A). Ultrasound confirmed the diagnosis of rupture of the albuginea of the corpus cavernosum, and the patient underwent surgery. A selective contralateral approach was used in order to avoid unnecessary dissection. After the evacuation of the haematoma, the fracture line was shown (B) and then fixed with reverse suture. The patient was discharged the day after surgery and was put under analgesic and antihormonal treatment. The patient went for a check-up after 2, 4 and 6 months and showed recovery of normal erectile function without cranking or fibrous plate.


In recent years it has become apparent that hyperphenylalaninemia in newborn infants may be caused by a variety of defects in the enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase or by an abnormality in either the enzyme dihydropteridine reductase (DHPR) or the synthesis of dihydrobiopterin (BH2) (Figure). Despite the rarity of the latter conditions1 there are important implications for management in making this diagnosis. It has been suggested that all new cases of hyperphenylalaninemia now be screened for these variants.2 The purpose of the Task Force was to define the feasibility of this course at the present time.
 BACKGROUND
 The hepatic system for conversion of phenylalanine to tyrosine is complex and consists of at least two essential enzymes, phenylalanine hydroxylase (catalyzing reaction 1) and dihydropteridine reductase (catalyzing reaction 2), and an essential, nonprotein cofactor, tetrahydrobiopterin3: (1) Phenylalanine + O2 + tetrahydrobiopterin → tyrosine + H2O + quinonoid dihydrobiopterin; (2) nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (reduced form) + H+ + quinonoid dihydrobiopterin → nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (oxidized form) + tetrahydrobiopterin.
 Most cases of hyperphenylalaninemia detected by newborn infant screening programs are caused by deficiencies of phenylalanine hydroxylase ranging from the severe "classic phenylketonuria (PKU)" to the more benign "hyperphenylalaninemic variant." The patients with classic PKU usually respond to a diet low in phenylalanine. However, of the estimated 400 cases of classic PKU detected annually in the United States, up to 3% may show progressive neurologic deterioration despite adequate dietary treatment. The elevated phenylalanine in these infants may be caused by either DHPR deficiency or a deficient synthesis of BH2 or to other still unidentified causes.


Hydrophilic gel permeation chromatography of 14-36 wk human amniotic fluid on Fractogel columns divides the total alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity in a higher and a lower mol wt zones. Differential inhibition testing, isoelectric focusing, cellulose acetate, agarose and polyacrylamide gel electrophoreses before and after neuraminidase treatment show the higher mol wt zone to be homogeneous and to be made of the higher mol wt foetal intestinal isoenzyme form whereas the lower mol wt zone represents an unresolved mixture of hepatic, placental and lower mol wt foetal intestinal isoenzymes. In the early stages of pregnancy, the activity associated with the higher mol wt zone outweighs by far that of the lower mol wt zone; however from the 24 th week one notes a steady increase in the relative magnitude of this second zone until at the end of the gestation period both zones assume near equal importance albeit within a lower total AP activity. Satisfactory quantitation of the higher mol wt foetal intestinal isoenzyme form in one ml amniotic fluid can be attained after a 3-h chromatography run using p-nitrophenylphosphate as substrate.


This letter provides the U.S. Government Accountability Office's (GAO) comments on the Auditing Standards Board's (ASB) proposed Statement on Auditing Standards (SAS), entitled An Audit of Internal Control Over Financial Reporting That Is Integrated With an Audit of Financial Statements. We support ASB's efforts to apply clarity drafting conventions to extant Attestation Standards (AT) section 501, An Examination of an Entity's Internal Control Over Financial Reporting That Is Integrated With an Audit of Its Financial Statements. Because examinations performed under extant AT section 501 are required to be integrated with audits of financial statements, we also support ASB's decision to move the content of extant AT section 501 from the attestation standards into the auditing standards. We also encourage ASB to develop an attestation standard addressing examinations of internal control other than examinations of internal control over financial reporting that are integrated with audits of financial statements. We believe that developing such an attestation standard would be helpful to address examinations of internal control over operations, compliance, and other reporting, such as privacy or information security, as well as examinations of internal control over financial reporting that are not integrated with audits of financial statements (e.g., examinations of specific areas of internal control over financial reporting, such as monitoring controls, or examinations that do not satisfy the preconditions for an audit of internal control over financial reporting because the as of date specified in management's assertion about internal control over financial reporting does not correspond to the balance sheet date).


A new oxidative reaction of ethylene glycol was found with two alcohol oxidases from methanol yeast, Candida sp. and Pichia pastoris. Both alcohol oxidases oxidized ethylene glycol to glyoxal via glycolaldehyde. The optimum pHs for the oxidation of ethylene glycol and glycolaldehyde by the Candida alcohol oxidase were around 8.5 and 5.5, respectively, and their apparent Kms were 2.96 m and 28.6 mm, respectively. The optimum temperature was 40°C at pH 7.0. The optimum pHs for the oxidation of ethylene glycol and glycolaldehyde by the Pichia alcohol oxidase were around 8.0 and 6.0, respectively, and their optimum temperatures were 50 and 45°C, respectively, at pH 7.0. The apparent Km for glycolaldehyde was found to be 83.3 mm. For the accumulation of glyoxal, addition of catalase was effective, and a higher amount of glyoxal was obtained at a much lower temperature than the optimum for the alcohol oxidase. When 0.1 m ethylene glycol and glycolaldehyde were incubated with 80 units of the Pichia enzyme at 10°C, both substrates were almost completely converted to glyoxal after 10 and 3h of incubation, respectively.


This work is the first attempt to prepare microporous polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) fibrous layers embedded with aerogels/phase change materials. For preparation of this layer, the needle-less electrospray technology of water dispersion of individual components is used. Microstructure characteristics, including surface morphology and particle size distribution, and various properties of the prepared materials were investigated and explained. Transport performance of the fibrous layers embedded with aerogels/phase change materials, such as the transmission of heat, air, and water vapor was evaluated and discussed in details. It was found that the electro-sprayed materials composed by spherical particles with rough surface had compact disordered stacking structure. Aerogels and phase change materials (PCMs) play different roles in determining structural parameters and transport properties of the materials. Those parameters and properties could be flexibly adjusted by optimizing the spinning parameters, changing the content or proportion of the fillers to meet specific requirements.


Introduction: This study aimed to clarify the diagnostic structural features in cytology specimens that are useful in subtyping non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) into adenocarcinoma (ADC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SQCC). Methods: Cytology specimens (n = 233) of NSCLCs, which included ADCs (n = 149) and SQCCs (n = 84), were analyzed. The following cytological features were evaluated: isolated cell, flat sheet, three-dimensional cluster with irregular arrangement, papillary-like structure, micropapillary-like structure, acinar-like structure, palisading pattern, protrusion of nuclei at the periphery of the cluster, honeycomb pattern, streaming arrangement, three-dimensional sheets with regular arrangement, flattening at the periphery of the cluster, fuzzy pattern at the periphery of the cluster, and mutual inclusion. Results: ADCs exhibited significantly higher frequencies of flat sheet (p < 0.001), papillary-like structure (p < 0.001), micropapillary-like structure (p = 0.028), acinar-like structure (p < 0.001), and protrusion of nuclei at the periphery of the cluster (p < 0.001) than SQCCs. The latter exhibited significantly higher frequencies of streaming arrangement (p < 0.001), three-dimensional sheets with regular arrangement (p < 0.001), flattening at the periphery of the cluster (p < 0.001), fuzzy pattern at the periphery of the cluster (p < 0.001), and mutual inclusion (p < 0.001) than ADCs. Discussion: Cytological structural features, such as flat sheet, papillary-like structure, micropapillary-like structure, acinar-like structure, and protrusion of nuclei at the periphery of the cluster, indicated ADC, whereas streaming arrangement, three-dimensional sheets with regular arrangement, flattening at the periphery of the cluster, fuzzy pattern at the periphery of the cluster, and mutual inclusion indicated SQCC. Paying attention to these cytological structural features can enable the accurate subtyping of NSCLC into ADC and SQCC.


BACKGROUND
The optimal mode of breech birth remains controversial. In Finland, a trial of vaginal delivery is possible if strict selection criteria are met. As clinical practice in managing vaginal breech birth differs from that in normal delivery, the birth experience may also be different. This cohort study compares the childbirth experience between term breech and vertex deliveries.

METHODS
Intended vaginal term breech births from 2008 to October 2012 were included, and for every breech delivery, a vertex control was selected. The proportions of deliveries ending in a cesarean section and of mothers who had given birth vaginally before were equal in both groups. Three hundred eight mothers were sent the childbirth experience questionnaire and 170 returned it.

RESULTS
The birth experience does not differ between breech and vertex births, except for aspects with respect to the choice of birthing position. Indications of an even more positive experience were observed in the breech group, with the exception of the choice of analgesia, but these were not statistically significant. Primiparity, emergency cesarean section, infant birth trauma and prolonged hospital stay were identified as risk factors for a negative birth experience.

CONCLUSION
The birth experience of vaginal breech birth seems to be at least as positive as the vaginal vertex birth experience.


As the movies would have it, in the last couple of years, inhabitants of planet Earth have had some narrow escapes. The world pulled together temporarily to launch everything but the kitchen sink at a giant killer comet coming our way and, thankfully, Earth received only minor damage (well, I live in Alaska, so total destruction of the eastern seaboard could be considered minor). Then NASA launched a wildcat team into space to blast apart that Texas-sized asteroid just in the nick of time.

Of course, these are only the plots of a couple of the latest Hollywood disaster flicks, but they do reflect a real cultural curiosity about impact hazards. Inquiring minds want to know: Is there a real danger that an asteroid or comet might strike our planet and if so, where is the safest place to buy retirement property? To feed this hunger, a plethora of books has been published within the last 5 years on the subject of past and present impact hazards. It has become a thriving cottage industry


Anacardium occidentale L. stem bark has been reported locally to stop tooth bleeding. However, scientific report on this assertion is relatively scanty. This study was therefore conducted to scientifically investigate the possible haemostatic effect of methanolic stem bark extract of Anacardium occidentale L. using albino rat as a model. Twenty four (24) albino rats weighing 110 to 160 g were divided into four groups of six (6) rats each. Control group received 10 ml/kg of vehicle (normal saline) while Group I, II, and III served as the experimental groups and were given 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg of the methanolic stem bark extract of Anacardium occidentale L. intraperitoneally once a day for two weeks. In all groups, the blood samples were obtained by cardiac puncture under diethyl ether anaesthesia to determine prothrombin time, clotting time, activated partial thromboplastin time and platel et count. A skin puncture was made quickly using disposable lancet to determine bleeding time. The result s obtained revealed that methanolic leaf extract of A. occidentale significantly decreased (p < 0.05) the bleeding time, prothrombin time, clotting time and activated partial thromboplastin time respectively in a dose dependent manner. In contrast, platelet count significantly increased (p < 0.05). The study suggests that methanolic stem bark extract of Anacardium occidentale L. possesses haemostatic activities, justifying its use to stop bleeding traditionally.


We evaluated the long-term stability of hepatocytes stored in the vapor phase of liquid nitrogen for their viability, cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1A2 activity, CYP3A4/5 activity, uridine diphosphate-glucuronosyl transferase (UGT) activity, sulfotransferase (SULT) activity, and CYP3A4/5 induction during 14 years of preservation. No substantial degradation of viability, CYP1A2 activity, UGT activity, or CYP3A4/5 induction was observed. CYP3A4/5 activity showed a slight decrease after 7 years of storage, and SULT activity gradually decreased during storage, although substantial activities remained even after 14 years. These results indicate that cryopreserved human hepatocytes can be stored stably for more than a decade with little or no change in viability, activity of drug-metabolizing enzymes, or CYP3A4/5 induction, and can be widely applicable to qualitative research in drug metabolism.


According to recent studies, individuals with hearing loss seem to benefit from certain models or strategies, such as text related questions, designed according to the balanced literacy approach. Questions about story grammar that are asked after reading help readers organize and summarize the text. Therefore, it has been found worth to explore the impacts of text related questions following reading on story grammar acquisition of three Turkish youths with hearing loss attending a Vocational College in Turkey. The data of this action research effort have been compiled based on the cyclical actions through compiling a research journal, students' products, archival information, interviews, and videotaped data. The preand-post test results, the student portfolios and the actual post questioning activity derived from the videotaped data were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. The results indicated that verbal and nonverbal strategies the teacher applied and the unique contributions of each student during the post reading activity enhanced each student's story comprehension. However, in order for the students to acquire story grammar , they still needed more and various experiences.


The incidence of unexpected red cell antibodies in patients and donors at Siriraj Hospital were found to be 4.91% and 4.33% respectively. Anti Lewis, anti P1 and anti Mia were the most common antibodies detected. Antibodies of Rh system were the next, in which anti E was more common than anti D. Anti Jka, Jkb, Fyb, Dia, S and rare antibodies such as anti K, Ge1, Mta and H were also detected in this study.


In this paper, gain loss of KVN (Korean VLBI Network) 21-m shaped Cassegrain antenna due to misalignment of antenna optics is calculated using ray-tracing method. It enables us to estimate alignment tolerances of feed and sub-reflector positioning. According to numerical results, KVN 21-m shaped Cassegrain antenna's gain loss is more sensitive to positions of feed and sub-reflector than in case of the equivalent classical Cassegrain antenna. The result of calculation is believed to be utilized as a possible guideline when checking the performance of the antenna system.


Owing to its advantages of high strength and low density, composite explosion containment vessel (CECV) can limit the scope of internal explosion shock wave, thereby reducing the damage to the surrounding environment and protecting human life and property. However, due to the complexity of the explosion process and related structure, the mechanism by which shock wave is induced on the inner lining of the explosion containment vessel (ECV) and the influence of the structural parameters of ECV on the reflection overpressure of the inner wall are not understood clearly. In this study, the characteristic of the internal explosion pressure load of a single-layer ECV is examined through experimental tests and simulations, and a three-dimensional mesoscopic model is established and verified. Furthermore, to solve the problem of the restricted explosion resistance of the single-layer ECV, a new steel plate-aluminum honeycomb-fiber cloth sandwich structure with sliding lining is proposed to design a multi-layer CECV. For the arrangement of fiber filaments, uniform distribution, random distribution, and honeycomb distribution algorithms are established based on Python language. Finally, a finite element model of the CECV is established, and a series of explosion simulations are conducted. The results indicate that the laying angle of the fibre cloth has no effect on the peak overpressure inside the ECV, and the ECV exhibits the best protective property when the laying angle of the fibre cloth is 0°/ 45°/ 90°/ 45°/ 0°. It is also observed that the steel plate-aluminium honeycomb-fibre cloth sandwich structure prolongs the action time of the explosion shock wave and greatly reduces the peak pressure in the CECV. Remarkably, for the weakest position of the tank, the strain for the multi-layer CECV under 3000 g TNT is even less than that for the single-layer ECV under 150 g TNT.


This paper presents an interleaved converter with the feature of zero voltage switching (ZVS). Two buck-type converters connected in parallel have the same switching devices and operate under the interleaved pulse-width modulation (PWM). Thus the output ripple current in the proposed circuit is less than that in the conventional forward converter. Thus the size of the output choke and capacitor is reduced. Only two switches are used in the proposed circuit instead of four switches in the conventional parallel ZVS converter. Therefore the circuit components in the proposed converter are reduced. ZVS turn-on is achieved during the commutation stage of two complementary switches such that the switching losses thermal stresses on the semiconductors are reduced. Experiments based on a 330 W prototype are provided to verify the theoretical analysis and the effectiveness of the proposed converter.


Electrical isolation of bulk-micromachined single crystal silicon (SCS) microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices is demonstrated using through-wafer junction isolation. Through-wafer junctions of alternating -type and -type silicon (npn junctions) are fabricated using "temperature gradient zone melting" (TGZM) or thermomigration of aluminum in -type sil- icon. The npn regions electrically isolate various regions of the SCS from one another by acting as series connected backbiased diodes. Thermomigration is a potentially high throughput process that is consistent with batch fabrication principles. Practical demonstra- tion of this technique is shown by fabricating and testing a full wafer thickness ( 300 m) electrostatic actuator fabricated from a single silicon wafer, and driven at 360 Vpp at resonance of 1933 Hz. Breakdown voltages of single thermomigrated npn junctions in excess of 189 V with leakage currents less than 70 nA were measured. For multiple junctions in series, overall breakdown voltages greater than 1500 V were demonstrated. Compatibility of thermomigration with standard p-channel metal-oxide-semicon- ductor (PMOS) transistors is also demonstrated. (1345) Index Terms—Bulk micromachining, deep reactive ion etching (DRIE), diodic isolation, electrical isolation, inductively coupled plasma (ICP), junction isolation, temperature gradient zone melting (TGZM), thermomigration.


Abstract:  Facing an era of promising new antitumor therapies, predictors of therapy response are needed for the individual management of treatment. In sera collected prospectively from 311 patients with advanced non‐small cell lung cancer receiving first‐line chemotherapy, changes in nucleosomal DNA fragments, cytokeratin‐19 fragments (CYFRA 21–1), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), neuron‐specific enolase (NSE), and progastrin‐releasing peptide (ProGRP) were investigated and correlated with therapy response. In univariate analysis, high levels, slower and incomplete decline in nucleosomal DNA, CYFRA 21–1, and CEA predicted poor outcome. DNA concentrations at day 8 of the first therapeutic cycle and CYFRA 21–1 before start of the second cycle were identified as best predictive variables. In multivariate analysis, they predicted progression with a specificity of 100% in 29% of the cases earlier than imaging techniques. Thus, nucleosomal DNA and CYFRA 21–1 specifically identify a subgroup of patients with insufficient therapy response at the early treatment phase and showed to be valuable for disease management.


Abstract Videos of the human skin contain subtle color variations associated with the blood volume pulse. This remote photoplethysmography signal can be used for heart rate monitoring and represents an alternative to signals obtained from contact-based hardware. We developed an algorithm that estimates the heart rate in real-time from photoplethysmography signals and evaluate its performance in the context of ultra-high-field magnetic resonance imaging. We compare its accuracy to heart rate values estimated from electrocardiography and finger pulse oximetry triggers, obtained from MR vendor-provided hardware. For eight subjects, two experiments are conducted with the patient table outside and inside a 7 Tesla scanner. During both 5 min setups, heart rates from the algorithm and contact-based methods are stored. Their comparison suggests technical feasibility of the contactless method but that it is inferior in accuracy compared to contact-based hardware and that low heart rates (≤50 beats per minute) and adequate illumination are major challenges for practical feasibility.


Battery Management Systems (BMS) is an electronic devices component, which is a vital fundamental device connected between the charger and the battery of the hybrid or electric vehicle (EV) systems. Thus, BMS significantly enable for safety protection and reliable battery management by performing of monitoring charge control, state evaluation, reporting the data and functionalities cell balancing. To date, 97.1% of Malaysian CO2 emissions are mainly caused by transportation activities and the numbers will keep rising as numbers of registered car increase close up to 1 million yearly; double the amounts in the last two decades. The uncertainty of a battery's performance poses a challenge to predict the extended range of EVs, which need BMS implementation of optimization of optimum power management. Hence, using MATLAB/SIMULINK software is one of the potential methods of BMS optimization with power generated by Hybrid Energy Storage system of lithium-ion battery. Therefore, this paper address through reviewing previous literatures initially focuses on the BMS optimization for EVs (car) in Malaysia as prognostic technology model improvement on performance management of EVs.


Power control is an important factor for direct-sequence code division multiple access (DS-CDMA) cellular radio systems to achieve higher communication link quality and better system capacity. In order to track the desired signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) under round-trip delay, multiple access interference (MAI), channel fading, and noise, a time delay-based state-space model is developed for representing the tracking error dynamics and a state feedback controller is introduced for SINR tracking control. Then the power tracking problem can be regarded as a control problem. In this paper, a robust Hinfin power tracking control design is proposed to achieve a robust optimal SINR tracking from the minimization of the worst-case effect point of view. This robust optimal power tracking design problem can be transformed to solving the eigenvalue problem (EVP) under some linear matrix inequality (LMI) constraints. The LMI Matlab toolbox can be used to efficiently solve the EVP via convex optimization to achieve a robust optimal SINR tracking design. Under the proposed distributed framework, the information of channel gain is not needed


Background: MicroRNAs (miR) are endogenous, noncoding RNAs involved in many cellular processes and have been associated with the development and progression of cancer. There are many different ways to evaluate miRs. Methods: We described some of the most commonly used and promising miR detection methods. Results: Each miR detection method has benefits and limitations. Microarray profiling and quantitative real-time reverse-transcription PCR are the two most common methods to evaluate miR expression. However, the results from microarray and quantitative real-time reverse-transcription PCR do not always agree. High-throughput, high-resolution next-generation sequencing of small RNAs may offer the opportunity to quickly and accurately discover new miRs and confirm the presence of known miRs in the near future. Conclusions: All of the current and new technologies have benefits and limitations to consider when designing miR studies. Results can vary across platforms, requiring careful and critical evaluation when interpreting findings. Impact: Although miR detection and expression analyses are rapidly improving, there are still many technical challenges to overcome. The old molecular epidemiology tenet of rigorous biomarker validation and confirmation in independent studies remains essential. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 19(4); 907–11. ©2010 AACR.


Many printed and electronic texts to date abound with visual information purportedly integrated to enrich the learning experience of the readers. The world today is inundated with images. Thus, consciously or unconsciously, visual learning is becoming prominent in every learning situation and inevitably in the print-based open distance learning model (ODL) in teacher education. In this paper I argue that there is no proportionate growth between the use of visual language and visual semiotics competences for open distance learning at teacher education level in Zimbabwe. This paper is based on empirical findings from a gender critical visual narrative study conducted in Zimbabwe with 20 teacher education students. Prompts in conjunction with focus group discussions were used to solicit participants to exhibit how gender perspectives were interpreted through the encoding and decoding of visual displays. The results showed that the images actually exhibited gendered data, particularly critical social themes such as gender violence, fights for equal rights and gender oppression reversals in addition to the predictable patriarchal, masculine, hegemonic themes identified. The study therefore concluded that exposing the student teachers to visual pedagogy during ODL without the pre-requisite visual interpretation skill is disastrous, ineffective and time wasting. Learning becomes divorced from the world in which the learner lives. The paper therefore puts forward some guidelines for the adoption of visual pedagogy and recommendations to expose the teacher education students to the visual grammar and semiotic skills necessary for visual analysis.


The radial electric field (Er) properties in LHD have been investigated to give guidance towards improved confinement with a possible Er transition and bifurcation. The ambipolar Er is calculated from the neoclassical flux on the basis of analytical formulas. This approach is appropriate to clarifying the Er properties over a wide parameter range in a more transparent way. A comparison between calculated Er and the experimental values has shown a qualitatively good agreement, for example, for the threshold density for the transition from the ion root to the electron root. The calculations also reproduce well the experimentally observed tendency that the electron root is possible by increasing temperatures even for higher density and the ion root is enhanced for higher density. On the basis of the usefulness of this approach, calculations over a wide range have been performed to clarify the parameter region where the Er transition and bifurcation are possible. This gives a comprehensive understanding of the parameter region of interest, which is valuable for the promotion of experiments towards improved confinement.


Machine learning (ML) libraries are gaining vast popularity, especially in the Python programming language. Using the latest version of such libraries is recommended to ensure the best performance and security. When migrating to the latest version of a machine learning library, usages of deprecated APIs need to be updated, which is a time-consuming process. In this paper, we propose MLCatchUp, an automated API usage update tool for deprecated APIs of popular ML libraries written in Python. MLCatchUp automatically infers the required transformation to migrate usages of deprecated API through the differences between the deprecated and updated API signatures. MLCatchUp offers a readable transformation rule in the form of a domain specific language (DSL). We evaluate MLCatchUp using a dataset of 267 real-world Python code containing 551 usages of 68 distinct deprecated APIs, where MLCatchUp achieves 90.7% accuracy. A video demonstration of MLCatchUp is available at https://youtu.be/5NjOPNt5iaA.


We theoretically and experimentally demonstrated a novel photonic approach to generating ultrawideband (UWB) pulses with large carrier frequency tunability based on an optical carrier phase-shifting technique by cascading polarization modulators (PolMs) and a polarizer. The UWB pulses are generated by truncating a continuous wave (CW) RF signal into a pulsed signal in a photodetector (PD). The experimental results show that the baseband frequency components and the strong residual local oscillator (LO) signal are well suppressed. In addition, the generated UWB signals satisfy the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) spectral mask very well.


This paper aims to present MeshDVNet, a Wireless Mesh Network (WMN)test-bed designed, built, and deployed by the LIP6 laboratory of Université Paris VI. MeshDVNet uses Wireless Mesh Routers (WMR), called MeshDVBox, which have been built using commercial components and open source software. On this platform, routing is performed by MeshDV, our custom routing framework, designed to take full advantage of WMNs' architecture. MeshDVBoxes are able to form a mesh backbone while performing also gateway advertising and natively integrating clients' mobility management.


Unlike the highly polymorphic, peptide-presenting conventional MHC molecules, CD1 consists of a family of monomorphic, lipid-presenting proteins. Recent studies have revealed the molecular basis of mycobacterial lipid recognition by CD1a-c-restricted T cells. In addition to foreign lipids, subsets of CD1a-c-restricted T cells recognize self-lipids, which may have implications for human diseases such as autoimmunity and cancer. And yet, the molecular identity of these self-reactive T cells remains largely elusive. In this study, using a novel CD1c+ artificial antigen-presenting cell (aAPC)-based system, we have isolated human CD1c-restricted autoreactive T cells and characterized them at the molecular level. By employing the human cell line K562, deficient in MHC class I/II and CD1 expression, as a backbone, we generated an aAPC expressing CD1c as the sole antigen-presenting molecule with costimulatory molecules, CD80 and CD83. When stimulated with this CD1c+ aAPC endogenously presenting self-lipids, a subpopulation of primary human CD4+ T cells from multiple donors consistently upregulated CD154 (CD40L) in a CD1c-specific manner. These activated CD4+ T cells preferentially expressed TRBV4-1+ TCRs. Interestingly, TRAV usage and CDR3 sequences of these TRBV4-1+ T cells were diverse. Clonotypic analyses of the reconstituted TRBV4-1+ TCRs demonstrated that the heterogeneity of the CDR3 sequences greatly impacted the strength of CD1c-restricted autoreactivity. Furthermore, cell-free assays using recombinant CD1c loaded with distinct lipids identified several phospholipid species as potential self-ligands. These data provide new insights into the molecular identity of human autoreactive CD1c-restricted T cells.


The current trend in mobile telecommunications is towards accommodating an increased data traffic throughput for a large number of subscribers. For this, the mobile operators are deploying more efficient access and core network technologies resulting in higher data rates at specific geographic locations responding to the future internet communication requirements. However, the new technologies come to extend the current deployments resulting in a complex system with high heterogeneous connectivity support functionality. This paper describes a set of functional extensions for the harmonization between legacy and future networks for access network selection and convergent authentication and authorization and data path establishment, exemplified as additions to the 3GPP Evolved Packet Core. These extensions enable a converged and efficient handling of the subscribers' requirements and data traffic in the future mobile operator networks. Furthermore, the functionality is detailed as implemented in the Future Internet Testbed of (Deutsche) Telekom Innovation Laboratories based on the Fraunhofer OpenEPC software implementation of the 3GPP architecture.


The Geographic Information System (GIS) as a tool in epidemiological studies has become something common in the area of Public Health. In studies on cancer incidence, analysis spatial is still in its infancy in the country; however possess great potential to aid in health planning models. The aim of this paper is to present an empirical method of spatial patterns analysis in cases of incidence of rare considered cancers that affect the population aged 0 to 19 years, discussing the applicability of spatial statistics and the possible uses of interpretation of the spatial arrangement of events. We used the GIS to georeference the incidence rates of cases of cancers of some groups of the International Classification of Childhood Cancer (ICCC), adjusted for age and gender, per health centers area from residences. Standardized Morbidity Ratios SMR were estimated. To control the instability of rates due to the small number of cases, a smoothing the Empirical Bayes method was applied. Comparing the annual rates softened by Empirical Bayes it was found differences between them as the spatial distribution, with concentration of these regions in Southwest and Northwest of the city of Campinas, SP. In conclusion, the use of spatial statistics as a decision support tool can be identify the distribution of cases of ICCC group of cancers, contributing to the health planning.


Acetabular and femoral abnormalities make total hip arthroplasty in developmental hip dysplasia a challenging procedure. We present details of long-term follow-up of a series of patients affected by developmental hip dysplasia treated with total hip arthroplasty using a cementless tapered stem. Thirty-five hips in 20 patients (18 women and 2 men) aged between 44 and 60 years (mean 51 years) were observed. Clinical evaluation was conducted using the Harris Hip Score (HHS). Radiographic evaluation consisted in standard anteroposterior and axial view radiographs of the hip. According to Crowe's classification, 25 hips had grade 2 and 10 hips grade 3 dysplasia. All patients were treated with total hip arthroplasty using a cementless tapered stem (Wagner Cone Prosthesis™). After surgery the patients were clinically and radiographically evaluated at 1, 2, 3, 6 and 12 months and annually thereafter. The average follow-up was 12 years (range 10–14 years). The average HHS was 57±7 (range 45–66) preoperatively, 90±7 (range 81–100) 12 months after surgery and 90±6 (range 83–100) at last follow-up. Radiographic evaluation demonstrated excellent osseointegration of the implants in most cases. Signs of bone resorption were present in 5 hips, but no evidence of loosening was observed and none of the implants have been revised. The tapered stem achieved adequate stability and orientation, and may be a suitable option for total hip arthroplasty for arthritis following developmental hip dysplasia.


Abstract Abstract Parental investment theory predicts that biases in investment favour migration by driving some of the sibling group to disperse for resources. Here we test hypotheses arising from this theory to explain patterns of rural–urban migration in south-central Ethiopia considering familial and individual strategies. We focus on the migration of low-skilled men, predicting two scenarios based on a low level of resource availability. Firstly, last-born sons will be more likely to migrate in order to offset their intra-household disadvantage when resources are limited (sibling competition). Alternatively, in households facing livelihood insecurity, older sons will migrate in order to free resources for their younger dependant brothers (reflecting sibling cooperation). Demographic, economic and relational data were collected from 217 families of male migrants, including information for 830 male adults. We performed multivariate analyses, including Bayesian generalised linear models and mixed models, to analyse quantitative data with a focus on household and individual likelihood of out-migration. Consistent with the predictions from parental investment theory, migration is dependent on intra-household resource allocation. Depending on the stage of the family cycle and livelihood context, families and individuals present different strategies: labour migration may result from sibling competition or from cooperation for resource enhancement.


The structures of three new misfit layer compounds, [(PbSe)0.99]1[WSe2]1, [(PbSe)1.00]1[MoSe2]1, and [(SnSe)1.03]1[MoSe2]1, prepared as thin films from designed elementally modulated reactant precursors, have been investigated by synchrotron X-ray diffraction and scanning transmission electron microscopy. This is the second report of a misfit layer compound based on tin selenide and the first structure determinations of tungsten- and molybdenum-containing misfit layer compounds. The compounds have mismatches in both the a- and b-axis (in-plane) lattice parameters of the component structural units, which result in misfit parameters, δ, both greater and smaller than zero. Pole figures of hk0-type reflections indicate that c-axis-oriented (basal plane) dichalcogenide-structured units are randomly oriented within the a-b plane. The widths of diffraction peaks of type hk0, 00l, and hkl (h, k ≠ 0; l ≠ 0) indicate coherence lengths of approximately (6 to 7) nm within the a-b plane, the full thickness of the film along the c-axis, and (1 to 2) nm in mixed-index directions, respectively, consistent with random rotational disorder between the constituents, commonly termed turbostratic disorder in the clay literature. The intensities of 00l- and hk0-type diffraction peaks were modeled to determine the structure of atomic planes along the c axis and the projection of the constituent structures onto the a-b plane, respectively.


The electromagnetic induction associated with periods of changing current in a stationary circuit is discussed with particular reference to the presence and the fundamental role of electric fields in this situation.


The aim of this survey was to describe drug-induced immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) reported in the French PharmacoVigilance database (FPVD) and to discuss the drugs involved. The request to the FPVD used the seven most accurate diagnosis codes to identify ITP. The study was restricted to cases reported from 2007 to 2010 and at least "possible" according to the French causality assessment score. We then described the population's characteristics, the drugs involved, the clinical symptoms, and the course of ITP. For each drug, we estimated the causality assessment score developed by George for drug-induced ITP. We included 59 drug-induced ITP. Among them, 45.8% were post-vaccinal: they mainly occurred in children (median age: 16 years). Main vaccines were diphtheria–tetanus–poliomyelitis (DTP, 9 cases), influenza (n = 8) and measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR, n = 7). Regarding the 33 non-vaccinal cases: some drugs are well-known as triggering ITP (e.g. non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), n = 5; abciximab, n = 4, acetaminophen, n = 2). Other drugs inducing ITP were involved, like serotonin reuptake inhibitors or bevacizumab. Mean age was 57.1 ± 21.7; 60.6% of the patients were male and 25% had autoimmune antecedents. Among the 55 suspected drugs, three were classified as "probable" and 28 as "possible" according to George scale. In both vaccinal and other cases, median delay was 14 days, median platelet value at nadir was < 10 000 µl−1 and hemorrhagic symptoms were rarely severe (only 2 gastrointestinal hemorrhages). Specific treatment was introduced in 45 (76.3%) patients. Five drug-induced cases led to chronicity. Among them, ezetimibe was suspected in two reports. In the FPVD, DTP, MMR, and influenza vaccines are the most often reported vaccines inducing ITP, perhaps because of their wide use. Our study confirmed that NSAIDs, abciximab, and acetaminophen frequently trigger ITP. It also allows to suspect other drugs like serotonin reuptake inhibitors or bevacizumab. Ezetimibe may induce chronic ITP. Drug-induced ITP is rarely severe. Finally, this study also shows that chronicity of ITP does not rule out the possibility of an iatrogenic cause.


There are many low-density parity-check (LDPC) decoder architectures in the literature most of which are based on structured codes. Besides been specific to a particular class of codes, suggested architectures are limited in scalability. The major challenge in decoder design and implementation is the consideration of several strongly interrelated factors. These factors affect decoder computation and communication complexity, and error-correcting performance. In this paper we present a low-complexity, flexible and scalable LDPC decoder architecture for quasi-cyclic codes that supports multiple code designs (size, weights, rates, regular and irregular). The architecture is a result of a combination of flexible code construction and computation overlapping techniques. The architecture is based on overlapping techniques that allow sequential processing of check and variable nodes. The overlapping techniques lead to a low-complexity decoder interconnect compared to the existing techniques as they allow serial processing of code sub-matrices as compared to parallel processing of all sub-matrices in the existing overlapping technique. Although the architecture is based on quasi-cyclic codes, it can also be applied to random or other structured codes making it the most flexible, scalable and high-throughput partly-parallel LDPC decoder architecture.


The aim of this article is to describe a dialogical approach to inquiry that differs somewhat from those that are now influential in psychology, including Shotter's, Wertsch's, Hermans's and Hicks's. Although these authors have very usefully drawn attention to dialogical approaches to understanding experience, the academic style of their writing underplays their own responsivity as participants in these dialogues. Whereas some adopt an authoritative or Magistral genre in reporting dialogue with participants, others adopt an explicitly Socratic dialogue that nonetheless tends towards monologue. We suggest that these ambiguities and paradoxes can be traced to Dilthey and Gadamer and the debate associated with their work about the relative weight to be given to content and experience in interpreting dialogue. Furthermore, we use Bakhtin's classification of genres of dialogue to argue for the benefits of a Menippean genre of dialogue, based on imagination and ethics, both as a corrective to the tendency to monologue in Socratic and Magistral dialogues and as a contribution to our understanding of the possibilities inherent in dialogical inquiry. In particular, Menippean dialogue points us in the direction of inquiry as a personal and creative act that places voices (including the authorial voice) in contact with each other with the capacity to enrich and change each other.


Background: Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) hold promise for use in cell-based therapies and tissue engineering. Although hMSCs are thought to be stable ex vivo, it is possible that they undergo an undesirable transformation to a phenotype of unlimited proliferation during ex vivo. In this study, we searched for the factor required for unlimited proliferation of hMSCs. Methods: Changes in gene expression were evaluated between hMSCs and Ewing's sarcoma cell lines, which may be derived from hMSCs, using GeneChip Human Genome U133 plus 2.0 Array. A gene up-regulated by at least 10-fold in Ewing's sarcoma cell lines, Cyclin D2, was overexpressed in hMSCs by a lentiviral vector. Results: Overexpression of Cyclin D2 in hMSCs altered cell morphology and promoted cell proliferation. Expression of transforming growth factor-b2 (TGF-b2), which induces senescence in hMSCs, was down-regulated in Cyclin D2- overexpressing hMSCs. Furthermore, Gene Ontology analysis revealed that Cyclin D2 overexpression activated expression of genes associated with proliferation and interphase. Conclusions: Cyclin D2 promotes hMSC proliferation and is a candidate biomaker for hMSC transformation.


UNLABELLED
Rates of Folk and Traditional Medicine (FTM) use are high among Hispanic adults. No data have been published on FTM use among the rapidly growing Hispanic adolescent population.

OBJECTIVES
To determine the prevalence of and personal factors associated with FTM use among Mexican-American adolescents.

STUDY GROUP
182 Mexican-American adolescents (14-19 years) from community-based organizations.

METHODS
We conducted a cross-sectional survey using a self-report instrument available in English and Spanish.

RESULTS
In the past year, 49 (26.9%) subjects reported FTM use, all prompted by illness: 43 (23.6%) used herbal remedies, and 8 (4.4%) used traditional healers. Five subjects reported using dangerous herbs. Among herbal users, 56.3% did not disclose FTM use to medical providers, largely due to the providers' lack of inquiry. Logistic regression comparing herbal users with non-FTM users found subjects dissatisfied with their most recent medical visit (AOR = 10.6; 95% CI = 2.8-40.7) and subjects endorsing family FTM use (AOR = 8.4; 95% CI = 4.0-30.2) were more likely to use herbal remedies. Acculturation, insurance status, socioeconomic status, and having a personal healthcare provider were not related to herbal use.

CONCLUSIONS
The use of practitioner-based FTM modalities was rare among this convenience sample of Mexican-American adolescents. Self-treatment with herbal use was common; harmful herbs were used infrequently. Access to care does not appear to motivate herb use. The high rates of herb use by dissatisfied patients, paired with high rates of non-disclosure and lack of provider inquiry, suggests that efforts to provide more culturally sensitive care, including routine inquiry about FTM use in Mexican-American adolescents, are needed. Patterns of complimentary and alternative medicine (CAM)/FTM use vary between age and ethnic cohorts.


With the wide use of mobile phones, a paging signal by a sound transducer acts as an environmental noise on many occasions, thus necessitating an alternative paging signal by a vibration motor. Conventional vibration motors employ three-phase windings with mechanical brushes for commutation, which is disadvantageous to manufacturing cost and productivity. In this paper, a new one-phase brushless and sensorless vibration motor is introduced utilizing digital signal processor chips in mobile phones. For electromagnetic field analysis, two-dimensional modeling can be implemented to determine the back electromotive force using axisymmetric boundary conditions. Geometric design parameters, such as coil pitch and magnet pitch. are considered for performance optimization. Through the experiments, it is shown that the proposed design has the equivalent performance with reduced number of parts, thus enhancing manufacturing productivity and reducing manufacturing cost.


Dr. Camidge: To summarize, this patient is a relatively young, otherwise healthy female who is status post lobectomy. She has been diagnosed with stage IIIA NSCLC that is EGFR-positive by IHC and FISH, but EGFR and KRAS wild type. Optimal MLNS or MLND is ideally performed in the pre- and/or perioperative setting, but this did not happen in this case. While more extensive examination of the mediastinum after the primary operation could be undertaken--removing some of the unknowns about this patient's true stage and prognosis--the relative risks and benefits of such an additional procedure in the setting of PET-negative microscopic level 7 and 9 disease probably do not justify such an approach. Assuming the absence of additional information, the recommendation of the University of Colorado Clinical Thoracic Oncology program is to commence a course of four cycles of adjuvant cisplatin-based chemotherapy. The pros and cons of postoperative radiotherapy will be discussed with the patient. If she wishes to proceed with PORT, this will commence following the adjuvant chemotherapy. Due to the inadequate lymph node sampling, she would not be eligible for adjuvant therapy as part of the ECOG 1505 trial of cisplatin chemotherapy with or without bevacizumab, but if she declines PORT, she may be eligible for the RADIANT trial of erlotinib vs placebo following her adjuvant cisplatin-based therapy.


Abstract. While the use of location-based augmented reality (AR) for education has demonstrated benefits on participants' motivation, engagement, and on their physical activity, geolocation data inaccuracy causes augmented objects to jitter or drift, which is a factor in downgrading user experience. We developed a free and open source web AR application and conducted a comparative user test (n = 54) in order to assess the impact of geolocation data on usability, exploration, and focus. A control group explored biodiversity in nature using the system in combination with embedded GNSS data, and an experimental group used an external module for RTK data. During the test, eye tracking data, geolocated traces, and in-app user-triggered events were recorded. Participants answered usability questionnaires (SUS, UEQ, HARUS).We found that the geolocation data the RTK group was exposed to was less accurate in average than that of the control group. The RTK group reported lower usability scores on all scales, of which 5 out of 9 were significant, indicating that inaccurate data negatively predicts usability. The GNSS group walked more than the RTK group, indicating a partial effect on exploration. We found no significant effect on interaction time with the screen, indicating no specific relation between data accuracy and focus. While RTK data did not allow us to better the usability of location-based AR interfaces, results allow us to assess our system's overall usability as excellent, and to define optimal operating conditions for future use with pupils.


This paper presents an analysis of the scientists' perceptions of public communication on the scientific themes related to the archaeological sites of Atapuerca (Spain), which are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Based on a qualitative/ethnographic methodology, testimonies from researchers were collected on the impact of dissemination in the field of heritage and scientific culture. Findings show a communication imprint that is inherent to the scientific and management project, in which the stakeholders perceive a great public responsibility.


Abstract.  In this article, we study the quantile regression estimator for GARCH models. We formulate the quantile regression problem by a reparametrization method and verify that the obtained quantile regression estimator is strongly consistent and asymptotically normal under certain regularity conditions. We also present our simulation results and a real data analysis for illustration.


The authors examined 58 patients with multiple sclerosis and 56 healthy donors. The patients presented elevated production of the migration inhibition factor (MIF) by lymphoid cells to cerebral tissue antigens, most expressed in the acute period of the disease. The blood serum of patients with multiple sclerosis showed inhibitory activity, lymphocytes spontaneously produced the MIF in vitro. Hyperproduction of lymphokins may serve as one of the pathogenetic factors of generalization of the inflammatory process in the central nervous system in patients with multiple sclerosis and indicates impaired regulation of immunity.


Nursery schools in Slovenia practise programmes according to Preschool curriculum, focusing on movement, language, society, nature and mathematics. As a professional preschool teacher I strive for the field of technology, which does not exactly belong to the curricular field, to be integrated into activities. It currently represents an important sphere and we come across it every day. Children would meet the basics of technology and creative work via practical activities and so develop their technical skills.
General developmental characteristics of children aged 3 to 5 - cognitive, speech, emotional, movement, social and moral development - are introduced in the theoretical part. Wood, its characteristics and structure are presented as well but I also wrote about tools and techniques of gluing and nail driving, which were introduced to children in the empirical part. Some basics of mathematics, in particular of geometrical shapes, the basis of my thesis, are described in the final part.
Creativity, authenticity, precision of children and accomplishment according to gender are presented through technical activities in the empirical part. Besides, my thesis includes technical activities which help children to learn about wood characteristics and connection between technology and mathematics as well.


AbstractThe purpose was to evaluate our 20-year experience of pediatric odontogenic lesions. Pediatric patients with a diagnosis of odontogenic lesion were identified. Three hundred ten patients were odontogenic; dentigerous cyst was seen in 62.0% of the cases. Most (70.2%) of them occurred in mixed dentition period, and it had a male preponderance. Odontogenic keratocystic tumor occurred in the permanent dentition period. It had an equal site distribution. Odontoma was seen in 20.0% of the cases. Its site of predilection was the mandible. Ameloblastoma was the most common odontogenic tumor. Most of the cases occurred in the permanent dentition period. It affected the male and female equally. Calcifying epithelioma odontogenic tumor was seen in 11.8% of the cases. All the lesions occurred in the primary dentition period. It had no sex or site preponderance. Myxoma was seen in 3.6% of the cases. It was most common in the permanent dentition period, and it was more frequent in the male. Iliac crest bone graft was successfully performed in 28 patients, postoperative infection occurred in 2 patients, and no donor-site dysfunctions were reported. The observed differences in lesion type and distribution in this study compared with previous researches may be attributable to genetic and geographic variation in the populations studied. Iliac crest bone graft was suggested for pediatric mandible reconstruction.


In this work the relationships between processing, structure and migration properties of recycled polypropylene (PP) were analysed in relation to the possible use of recycled PP in food packaging applications. PP containers used in food packaging were contaminated with food and then washed, reduced into a processable size, dried and reprocessed by injection moulding. Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC) analysis, mechanical, and total migration tests were performed on injection moulded samples to verify the effect of the recycling process on the structure and properties of PP. In order to evaluate the effect of the molecular weight on the properties of the recycled polymer, the study was conducted on containers produced by injection moulding made from a low molecular weight (LMW) PP and on containers produced by thermoforming made from a high molecular weight (HMW) PP.


Q-analysis is a new method to research the mathematical struc tures associated with relations (as opposed to functions or mappings) and their applications to communities, town planning, design, and systems studies. It is therefore concerned with the problem how to make the "soft sciences" into hard sciences. Scientific data, called "hard data" , is the result of observing setmembership. This leads to a binary relation, being Yes/No or 1/0 type. But, it is not suffi cient in many applications, in fact, integers are already treated in Q-analysis. In this paper, we present another extension in which real numbers in the interval [0, 1] are considered.


We report on a 57 year-old patient with schizophrenia. After a 30 years course of the disease, he developed previous unknown psychopathological symptoms, and therapeutic interventions (neuroleptic drugs and electroconvulsive therapy) failed. Neurological examination and EEG revealed the diagnosis of complex partial epileptic seizures. MRI showed bitemporal localized cerebral lesions. Discussion focusses on generalization of microseizures in deep brain structures, and "kindling effect" of electroconvulsive therapy in a patient with pre-existing cerebral lesions.


The double gate (DG) MOSFET and similar structures provide the electrostatic integrity needed to scale devices to their limits. In this paper, we use a non-equilibrium Green's function (NEGF) approach to examine 10 nm-scale device design and manufacturing issues realistically. NEGF simulations are used to examine: (i) choice of body thickness, (ii) effect of body thickness variations, (iii) the required junction abruptness, (iv) sensitivity of the device to gate-S/D (source/drain) over/underlap, and (v) the impact of metal-semiconductor contact resistance. The results of this study identify key device challenges for 10 nm-scale MOSFETs.


Now days as the progress of digital image technology, video files raise fast, there is a great demand for automatic video semantic study in many scenes, such as video semantic understanding, content-based analysis, video retrieval. Shot boundary detection is an elementary step for video analysis. However, recent methods are time consuming and perform badly in the gradual transition detection. In this paper we have projected a novel approach for video shot boundary detection using CNN which is based on feature extraction. We designed couple of steps to implement this method for automatic video shot boundary detection (VSBD). Primarily features are extracted using H, V&S parameters based on mean log difference along with implementation of histogram distribution function. This feature is given as an input to CNN algorithm which detects shots which is based on probability function. CNN is implemented using convolution and rectifier linear unit activation matrix which is followed after filter application and zero padding. After downsizing the matrix it is given as a input to fully connected layer which indicates shot boundaries comparing the proposed method with CNN method based on GPU the results are encouraging with substantially high values of precision Recall & F1 measures. CNN methods perform moderately better for animated videos while it excels for complex video which is observed in the results.


CONTEXT
Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are associated with an increased risk of angioedema, but the risk of recurrent angioedema if treatment is continued is not known.

OBJECTIVE
To test the hypothesis that the association between ACE inhibitor use and angioedema may not be recognized and to determine characteristics of angioedema associated with continued use of ACE inhibitors.

DESIGN
Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING
Tennessee Medicaid program.

PATIENTS
Medicaid enrollees aged 15 years or older who used an ACE inhibitor and had a first documented episode of angioedema between 1986 and 1992 were followed up for recurrent episodes through June 1993.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS
We previously identified 82 patients with a first confirmed diagnosis of angioedema during 51 752 person-years of ACE inhibitor use in this population (1.6 per 1000 person-years). Among these 82 patients, there were 16 outpatient recurrences of angioedema among 13 patients during 189 patient-years of follow-up (8.5 per 100 patient-years). The rate of angioedema was much higher in users of ACE inhibitors with continued exposure (18.7 per 100 patient-years) than in those whose use of the drug was discontinued (1.8 per 100 patient-years) (P=.001). Review of the medical records for patients taking ACE inhibitors who had recurrent angioedema revealed that physicians attributed angioedema to a number of causes not related to ACE inhibitor use, even after multiple recurrences.

CONCLUSION
Continuing use of ACE inhibitors in spite of angioedema results in a markedly increased rate of angioedema recurrence with serious morbidity.


The aim of the Dutch Care and Coercion Act (Wet Zorg en Dwang) is to improve the legal position of people with an intellectual disability in cases of involuntary admission to psychiatric care. The present law, the Dutch Psychiatric Act (Wet BOPZ), only offers legal protection to clients who are admitted involuntarily to specific institutions. The Care and Coercion Act will lead to significant changes in the care of people with an intellectual disability and a much larger group of clients with an intellectual disability will fall under the range of this Act. Limitations to freedom - referred to as 'involuntary admission' within the new law - must meet the same criteria for each client. The legislator, however, seems to have paid little attention to those clients with a mild intellectual disability.


The goal of historic image classification using signature extension techniques is of widespread interest for remote sensing applications. Historic ground reference data for classifier training is frequently unavailable, necessitating unsupervised transfer learning techniques. Environmental and data variability over time create variable spectral target classes, creating a challenge for knowledge transfer. There is a need for robust classifiers that account for data with high variability and non-normal distributions, and can be successfully applied to unlabeled data; ensemble classification trees are one solution to this problem. With the goal of detecting submerged aquatic vegetation, we trained an ensemble classifier with one collection of 48 imaging spectroscopy flightlines from a single year (2008). We then tested its performance when applied to four years (2004-2007) of historic imaging spectroscopy of the same size over the same area. We validated the resulting classifications with corresponding historic ground reference data. Knowledge transfer success was varied, depending on which image year dataset was used to train the classifier. The 2008-trained classifier had the most stable performance when applied to historic image datasets: overall accuracies ranged from 78.8% to 85.9%. Detection of submerged aquatic vegetation was limited most by the percent cover of the canopy. Water column depth above the plant canopy did not have an effect on detection. The classifier was successful because the training dataset encompassed the range of variability of the study area and the historic datasets.


Anthropocentric approach in linguistics has shown that emotions act not only as objects of reflection in the language, but also as an instrument of autoreflection. Emotivity study is connected to a semantic category of estimation as emotions are the subjective form of an estimation of the phenomena and subjects, that is it is possible to assert that categories of estimation and emotionality are inextricably related in linguistics. In this article the original view on hypothetical estimation and implicit emotivity is offered concerning the terminology of sports dances. The hypothesis is checked by formal way with the help of computer program TextSTAT 2.9 resulting the frequency lists of the analyzed texts and the dictionary concordance. By results of the concordance analysis existence of three subgroups of terms on character of display emotivity is revealed, namely: showing estimated character; not showing estimated character; neutral terms.


Coherent-population trapping, heretofore realized in closed systems, is also possible in highly degenerate open molecular systems. We consider a rovibrational molecular transition, where the ground magnetic m-sublevels are coupled to the corresponding upper states, and are therefore expected to be emptied after a few lifetimes. We show that upon excitation by elliptically polarized light, the population remains trapped in a coherent superposition of ground-state sublevels which does not interact further with the exciting light. Unlike the simple cases of linearly and circularly polarized light and of a closed three-level system (i.e. atoms), here the trapping level is not the one with |m| = 0,J, but rather a combination of several states, which depends on the ellipticity of the exciting light.


This paper proposes evolving neural nets (ENNs) for fault diagnosis of power transformers. Based on the proposed evolutionary algorithm, the ENNs automatically tune the network parameters (connection weights and bias terms) of the neural nets to achieve the best model. The ENNs can identify complicated relationships among dissolved gas contents in transformer oil and corresponding fault types, using the global search capabilities of the evolutionary algorithm and the highly nonlinear mapping nature of the neural nets. The proposed ENNs have been tested on the Taipower Company diagnostic records and compared with the fuzzy diagnosis system, artificial neural networks, and the conventional method. The test results confirm that the proposed ENNs are much more diagnostically accurate and require less learning time than the existing approaches.


A novel family of multilevel inverters consisting of three-level (3L) half-bridge, 3L full-bridge, and cascaded modular multilevel inverters for photovoltaic applications is presented in this article. The proposed inverters are based on a buck type ac–ac converter and feature no high-frequency common-mode voltage. They can be isolated from the grid or output load without requiring an external circuitry. The voltage stress of all the high-frequency switches in the proposed half-bridge 3L inverter is half of the input voltage. The proposed cascaded multilevel inverter is highly modular and can reach a high output voltage level using low-voltage-rating devices. In addition, it offers a unique feature in which a faulty or unnecessary unit can be bypassed without disturbing the circuit operation of the remaining healthy units. The derivation of the proposed inverters, modulation strategies, working principles, and common-mode voltage analysis is discussed. A 550-W experimental prototype of the proposed 3L half-bridge inverter and 1.5-kW experimental prototype of the proposed 5L cascaded modular multilevel inverter are constructed and tested. Test results verify the excellent performance of the proposed inverters.


DESPITE increasing success in intracardiac surgery in the young infant, mortality rates are still high. Among the difficulties inherent in such surgery, extracorporeal circulation in young, small individuals plays a prominent role. For this reason, experience with cardiopulmonary bypass in small animals is essential for successful intracardiac surgery in infants. Several authors 1,7 have reported experiences with extracorporeal circulation in the puppy, and mortality rates have been high. The use of the dog for such experiments has been criticized, and an impression has been created that high mortality rates are to be expected. 3 This paper reports initial experiences in this laboratory with extracorporeal circulation in young puppies and suggests that such procedures can be undertaken with reasonable expectation of success. Material and Methods Mongrel puppies weighing 2.14 to 5.58 kg (4.7 to 12.3 lb) were anesthetized with intravenous pentobarbital (Nembutal), and positive pressure respiration was maintained with warmed, humidified


The spectral viscosity approximate solution of convex Hamilton-Jacobi equations with periodic boundary conditions is studied. It is proved in this paper that the approximation and its gradient remain uniformly bounded, formally spectral accurate, and converge to the unique viscosity solution. The L1-convergence rate of the order 1 - EVe > 0 is obtained.


. Gregory Peterson's Minding God does an excellent job of introducing the cognitive sciences to the general reader and drawing preliminary connections between these disciplines and some of the loci of theology. The book less successfully articulates how the cognitive sciences should impact the future of theology. In this article I pose three questions: (1) What semantics is presupposed in relating the languages of theology and the cognitive sciences? How do the truth conditions of these disparate disciplines relate? (2) What precisely does theology gain from what is central to cognitive science: the emphasis on information processing, inner representation, and the computer model of the mind? What exactly does cognitive science offer to theology beyond the now-standard rejection of Cartesian dualism, the affirmation of an embodied mind, and the repudiation of reduction? (3) What can the cognitive sciences offer in tackling crucial questions in the theology-science discussion such as divine agency and divine causation? Finally, I point to a possible begging of the question in the claim that cognitive science relates to theology because theology deals with meaning and purpose, and a particular interpretation of cognitive science grants more meaning and purpose to human beings than antecedent post-Cartesian positions in the philosophy of mind.


: Effectivity of expression of catabolite operons is repressed in bacteria with altered cytoplasmic components of the sugar, transport system (pts mutants). Mutation crp* changing the ability of the cyclic adenosine-3',5'-monophosphate receptor protein to activate transcription leads to suppression of the pts mediated disturbance of the enzyme inducible synthesis. This suppression manifests in ability of double delta ptsH crp* mutants to utilize different substrates and in restoration of the rate of beta-galactosidase synthesis and L-tryptophanase synthesis up to the levels in wild type bacteria.


The state of Rio Grande do Sul (RS) is the largest producer of flood-irrigated rice in Brazil and some fields flooded rice are cultivated for more than 100 years. In rice production are being utilized various inputs, many of which have heavy metals in its composition. This preoccupation considers especially nonessential elements to plants such as Pb, Cr and Cd, which provide risks to human health. This study aimed to quantify the levels of Cd, Cr and Pb in rice grains sold in markets retailers in RS. The elements were extracted from the samples through the USEPA 3050B method and quantified by Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES). The elements quantified in samples of grains rice sold in markets retailers were within the limits allowed by law.


The role of transoesophageal echocardiography in the diagnosis of ventricular septal defect in the acute stage of myocardial infarction, was evaluated in 15 consecutive patients (10 men and 5 women) with a mean age of 72 years in the period between June 1991 and April 1995. The patients had 11 anterior infarcts and 4 inferior infarcts with extension to the right ventricle. One patient was in Killips class I,7 patients in class II, 2 in class III and 5 in class IV. Only 8 of the 15 septal ruptures could be visualised directly by conventional transthoracic echocardiography, though all 15 were suspected from continuous Doppler and colour Doppler analysis. Transoesophageal echocardiography was successfully performed in 14 of the 15 patients with a monoplane probe in 11 cases and a multiplane probe in 3 cases. The average duration of the procedure was 12 minutes and clinical and haemodynamic tolerance was good. Ventricular septal defect was directly visualised in all cases in the short axis transgastric view and in 7 cases in transoesophageal views. Transoesophageal echocardiography was concordant with peroperative findings with regards to the site of ventricular septal defect (8 apical, 5 postero-basal and 1 median), their type (6 punched-out defects, 5 fissures, and 3 perforated aneurysms), their size (average 9.3 mm), their number with 5 multiple defects, and associated lesions (4 right ventricular extensions, 4 hemopericardiums and 1 free wall fissure). Transoesophageal echocardiography completes traditional transthoracic echocardiographic examination in the diagnosis of post-infarction ventricular septal defect. It is well tolerated and, in the authors' experience, allows limitation of invasive procedures to coronary angiography alone.


Background: Women worldwide have their own strategies to cope with menstruation, and unhygienic menstrual practices often cause vaginal diseases. During menstruation, the skin is irritated by the remaining unabsorbed menstrual flow and sweat on sanitary pads. Irritation of vulvar skin by an external agent could cause contact dermatitis, which is an important contributor to vulvar diseases. Various sanitary napkins available today share similar materials. This study compared commonly used sanitary napkin among Indonesian women with 3D-pore sanitary napkin in terms of efficacy. Methods:  A randomized, controlled, single blind, crossover study of 72 participants who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria was conducted. Six areas were evaluated by dermatologists using the Grading Scale of Cutaneous Symptoms. The evaluation was performed in five visits. Results:  All participants were divided randomly into two groups. Eight of the 72 participants dropped out; thus, 64 participants completed the study. Scores at Visit-2 show a significant difference between group A (3D-pore napkin) and group B (comparator napkin). Group A shows better improvement. The difference in total score at first second visit until end visit from each napkin shows that the 3D-pore napkin reduces the score by 4.77 and the comparator napkin reduces the score by 3.10. The difference between these numbers is statistically significant. The specific area (external genitalia and perianal) of both groups is significantly reduced in visit 1 and visit 2. The 3D-pore napkin reduces wetness better than the comparator napkin. Conclusion: The 3D-pore sanitary napkin significantly improves vulvar skin inflammation compared with the comparator napkin. Keywords : 3D-pore sanitary napkin, commonly used napkin, female genitalia


This article examines how women's increased employment in the stereotypically masculine domain of large-scale underground mining affect gender stereotypes and cultural expectations in the Zambian Copperbelt. Based on three years of ethnographic research under and above the ground, it responds to three key questions: How are women working in mining coping with their male colleagues and the underground environment? How do women miners interact with their male partners at home? What does it tell us about broader gender dynamics in the Zambian mining sector? It also shows that women's increased access to resources and valorised positions in mining has contributed to changing gender inequalities not only in mining but also in miners' families. Men are no longer ashamed of having working wives as they were in the period from the 1950s to the 1970s. For these families, economic security is a more important determinant of a man's or a woman's position than gender difference.


Abstract The marine phytal zone has received little attention as yet as a habitat of associated and symbiotic crustaceans, particularly copepods. We describe here the female and male of a new harpacticoid copepod species Zaus wonchoelleei from the green alga Ulva sp. attached to aquaculture floats at Tongyeong Marine Living Resources Research and Conservation Center, Gyeongsangnamdo, Korea. The new species is closely related to Z. unisetosus recorded from Japan and Korea and Z. goodsiri by having one inner seta on leg 2 endopod but can be easily distinguished by the combination of the following characters: leg 2 enp-3 with only 1 inner seta, setation of leg 5 exopod, segmentation of antennule, and sexual dimorphism of leg 2 endopod. The detailed taxonomic description of the new species, Z. wonchoelleei, addresses the similarity and/or distinctiveness of species in the genus Zaus and contributes to the discussion of characters found useful to justify the separation of closely related species reported or being documented elsewhere.


Securing information has been the most significant process for communication and data store. Orderly to secure information such as data authentication,  data integrity, and confidentiality must be verified based on algorithms of cryptography. Where, the most important part of any encryption algorithms is the key which specifies if the system is strong enough or not. The proposal of this paper is a new method to generate keys based on two kinds of chaos theory in order to improve the security of cryptographic algorithms. The base of this proposal is to investigate a new method for generating random numbers by using the 3D Lorenz system and 2D Henon map. The newly generated keys have successfully passed the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) statistical test suite


This experiment was conducted to determine the effect of ammonia on growth and survival rate of Tilapia rendalli reared in concrete tanks for 14 weeks using quail manure. It was a completely randomized design (CRD) with five treatments; T1 (control, without quail manure), T2 (0.32kg quail manure/tank/week), T 3 (0.40kg quail manure/ tank/week), T4 (0.48kg quail manure/tank/week) and T5 (0.64kg quail manure/tank/ week), rep licated two times. Twenty-five fish, with an average individual initial weight of 14 g were stocked per tank, each measuring, 2m × (4m). Every fortnight individual fish were weighed on a sensitive scale and the length measured on a measuring board to the nearest 0.1 cm. The results of the experiment indicated that fish raised under treatment 4 (T4) grew much faster (ANOVA, P<0.05) than the other groups with weight gain of 246%. T2 had the lowest mean weight gain of 86.08%. The final mean weights ranged from 26.23 g to 47.55 g, while total length ranged from 111mm ± 2.29mm to 140.1mm ± 2.29mm respectively. The study further revealed that in order to a chieve table size growth and survival of fish, 0.48 kg quail manure/week/4m 2 should be used as optimum for better growth of fish, although n o primary productivity was measured to estimate zooplankton biomass. At the same time, daily growth rate was good and within acceptable range for fish of the same size. Survival rate in all treatments was very high, with the lowest being a bove 60%. The study further demonstrated that higher amounts of ammonia affected growth and survival of the fish in treatment 5 (T 5), a tank with the highest amount of quail manure added per week.


This paper examines the differences in Financial Literacy among Albanian university students based on their financial education. The main objectives of this study are: i) firstly, to assess the level of financial knowledge, financial attitude and financial behaviour, and to make relevant comparison based on students financial education; ii) secondly, to evaluate an overall score of financial literacy and to investigate its difference among students who are financially educated and their counterparts; iii) finally, to provide some conclusions and policy implications with regard to financial literacy. A total of 607 students from five public and three private universities in Albania participated in this research. The outcome shows that student's financial behaviour does not differ based on their financial education. In addition, non-financially educated students appear to demonstrate better financial behaviour. Finally, students who have taken a personal financial course are shown to be more knowledgeable and financially literate than their counterparts. This study paves the way for future research in Albania.


tration of alcohol-an experiment I have never failed to regret, as my results were not nearly so satisfactory during that period. I give whisky in doses of 15, 30, or 40 minims, according to the age and condition' of the child, every two or four hours, and once its administration is commenced I generally find it necessary to continue it until convalescence is established. In all cases I give strychnine in minim doses of the liquor every four hours as a routine practice. It acts as a cardiac and respiratory stimulant, as a stomachic and nerve tonic, and it seems to help the contraction of. the muscular walls of the bronchi and thus assist the expulsion of mucus. The only cases in which 1 omit the strychnine are whlen diarrhoea occurs and when there is marked respiratory stridor. lVhen signs of advancing cardiac strain make their appearance, evidenced by irregularity of. the pulse and increasing cyanosis, to the strychnine I add 1-minim doses of.1885. tincture of strophanthus, finding by experience that strychnine and strophanthus better maintain the blood pressure than digitalis, and* they have no injurious effect on -gastric digestion. I am a firm believer in the efficacy of the inhalation of oxygen, and have frequently been amazed at the improvement in the child's condition which followed its administration, the breathing and colour improving and the somnolence and cyanosis becoming much less marked. I-reaard it as a valuable remedy in the treatment of these symptoms. The only means I advocate for the reduction of high temperature is tepid sponging and the cold pack. When sudden collapse of a portion of the lung sets in, I rely upon free alcoholic stimulation and placing the child in a mustard bath. I have entirely given...up the administration of cough mixtures, having seen little good result from. them, and consider that they are very liable to upset the child's digestion, which it is so important should be kept undisturbed. When the bronchi are choked with secretion and the child is strong, an emetic of ipecacuhana often gives great relief, and, failing that, I have. occasionally seen exceedingly good results from the administration of belladonna. During convalescence, nourishing food, small quantities of good old port wine, quinine, cod-liver oil, and change of air are the methods of treatment on which I place most reliance. I conclude this paper as I commenced-by remarking that though I have not wandered very far from the beaten track, I have endea'voured to state my own impressions without referring to the work of others, and to give the results of my own experience for what they are worth.


Although researchers have provided valuable descriptions of samples of older problem drinkers and have discussed possible causes of and treatments for alcohol abuse among the aged, important questions remain. Risk factors associated with the onset of alcohol abuse in later life have not yet been clearly identified. Practitioners and researchers serving this population in the future will require a comprehensive understanding of the characteristics and needs of older clients experiencing alcohol-related problems. This paper reviews the existing literature with regard to elderly alcohol abuse and outlines future directions for research activity.