This study aimed to evaluate the association of body fatness and sedentary status with asthma and respiratory symptoms in schoolchildren in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. A questionnaire study elicited episodes of respiratory symptoms and data on lifestyle and anthropometric parameters in 1329 5th grade schoolchildren. Results showed that 12.4% of boys and 9.5% of girls had physician-diagnosed asthma, whereas 15.1% of boys and 12.4% of girls had suspected asthma. Significantly greater proportions of boys had non-exercise-induced respiratory symptoms than girls (p < 0.05). The number of respiratory symptoms was positively correlated with TV-watching time per day and self-reported sedentary time per weekend-day in girls (p < 0.05). Underweight was positively associated with one of the seven respiratory symptoms in girls (p < 0.05). At risk of overweight was positively associated with two of the seven respiratory symptoms in boys and one of the seven respiratory symptoms in girls (all p < 0.05). The risk of having physician-diagnosed asthma and suspected asthma increased 93% and 72%, respectively, in schoolchildren at risk of overweight (p < 0.05). Overweight was associated with a 78% increase in physician-diagnosed asthma (adjusted odd ratio (aOR) = 1.78, 95% CI = 1.08–2.91, p < 0.05). Higher sedentary time was significantly associated with more occurrences of one of the seven respiratory symptoms in girls (aOR = 1.05, 95% CI = 1.00–1.11, p < 0.05). Higher body mass index (BMI) was significantly correlated with longer TV-watching time per day in girls and longer self-reported sedentary time per weekday in boys (p < 0.05). In summary, schoolchildren who are at risk of overweight or overweight and/or have more sedentary time have increased risk of respiratory symptoms and asthma. Weight and sedentary statuses of schoolchildren can affect their respiratory health.


Background: The Goldenhar Syndrome is a disorder characterized by the presence of craniofacial and vertebral anomalies. It was first described in 1950, but their molecular aspects have not been fully clarified. Case report: This paper aims to describe the case of a female patient 9 months old in whom phenotypic characteristics of this condition is unknown evidenced since birth, further including a review of the most important aspects of this disease. Conclusions: The initial approach to the patient with a diagnosis of Goldenhar syndrome is complex, must be considered various differential diagnoses to reach a correct diagnosis with early treatment also should be multidisciplinary and comprehensive.


Formal developments are made which make it possible to treat the many-BCS-quasiparticles plus rotor problem correctly in both odd and even nuclei. Convergence is found to be rapid in an i13/2 valence space, and the effect of the lowest particle-number vibrational state is found to be small. A few additional topics are considered, including an accurate description of the nucleus 164Er, the possibility of Coulomb excitation to S'-bands in even nuclei, and the ground-band moment of inertia as compared to the cranking value. The "Coriolis attenuation" anomaly in odd-mass nuclei is discussed in an appendix.


The fundamental roles of nucleoside triphosphates and nucleotide cofactors such as NAD+ in biochemistry are well known. In recent decades, continuing research has revealed the key role of 5′‐capped RNA and 5′,5′‐dinucleoside polyphosphates in the regulation of vitally important physiological processes. Last but not least, the commercial potential of nucleoside triphosphate synthesis can hardly be overestimated. Nevertheless, despite decades of investigation and the obvious topicality of the research on the chemical synthesis of the nucleotide compounds containing phosphate anhydride linkages, none of the existing procedures can be considered an up‐to‐date "gold standard". However, there are a number of fruitful synthetic approaches to forming phosphate anhydride linkages in satisfactory yield. These are summarized in this concise review, organized by the type of active phosphorous intermediate and reagents used.


This study aims to present a more systematic and developmental research direction by classifying animal-medication-related research trends published in Korea. We analyzed the research trends of 68 domestic animal-medication programs published in 26 journals over the past 24 years under the premise of the necessity of animal-medication therapy, which considered a very effective intervention method in the practice areas of various subjects. Therefore, this study examines the year of publication of animal-medication-related research conducted in various academic fields from 1998 to 2022, research data sources, characteristics of research subjects, types of interventions and research topics, research design and intervention sessions, intervention methods, and ethical consideration statements. The results of this study are as follows: First, in the source of research and research trends by year, the number of papers published in animal-related societies was the highest at 34 (50%); the number of studies has been steadily increasing since the mid-2000s. Second, regarding research trends by subject, 45 (66%) were general subjects, 23 (34%) were medically diagnosed, 60 (88%) were selected through pre-evaluation, and 8 (12%) were requested. Third, regarding research trends by method, 27 (40%) of the pretests were conducted before and after the experiment-control group, and only 3 (4%) of the 68 papers were examined later. Fourth, regarding research trends by content, depression (25%) was the most frequently applied variable, and regarding intervention sessions, 53 (78%) were less than 12 sessions. Fifth, regarding research trends and ethical consideration statements by treatment approach method, 58 cases (85%) of individual treatment approaches and 10 cases (15%) of intervention approaches integrated with individual treatment approaches, and 23 cases (34%) of studies with ethical consideration statements or the Institutional Review Board's (IRB) approval. Based on the study results, the implications and research directions of animal-assisted therapy-related research are discussed.


Attention is a critical faculty in contemporary Western societies. What is surprising is the fact that attention has been mainly analyzed as an individual phenomenon. Scientific research that treats attention exclusively on the individual level simplifies an enormously complex situation. Instead, according to the idea defended in this essay, one cannot think of attention and perception without regard for cultural conventions and social norms. This article therefore proposes to investigate attention precisely in its social dimension. In particular, the specific objective is to highlight the contribution Alfred Schutz's theory of systems of relevance can give to the understanding of the social mechanisms that regulate attention. In order to demonstrate the viability of the Schutzian proposal, here are discussed some recent perspectives that explore the mechanisms of the social regulation of attention. The article will briefly revisit these contributions that explicitly investigate intersubjective and collective attention, and will focus especially on the proposals of Eviatar Zerubavel and Yves Citton. Then is analyzed the role of attention in the theoretical edifice of Schutz, to focus on the relationship between attention and systems of relevance.


Heavy quarkonium is perhaps the best QCD laboratory in existence. Much of what we presently know about the fundamental interactions in nature has resulted from the study of two-body bound states. The hydrogen atom, the deuteron and positronium have provided valuable mechanisms for studying quantum mechanics, the theory of nuclear forces and QED. In the same way, one might hope that the study of two-body bound state systems built from heavy quarks will lead to a detailed understanding of at least some of the fundamental properties of strong interactions. While it is possible to gain some qualitative insights into strong interactions by studying bound states built from light quarks, it is not possible to reach more precise conclusions because of the additional complexities introduced by large relativistic corrections and long range confinement. Charmonium, c{anti c} bound states, has provided us with the first QCD laboratory where the system could be considered to be at least approximately non-relativistic while at the same time lending itself to perturbative calculations. The substantial mass of the charmed quark (m{sub c} {approximately} 1.5 GeV) corresponds to bound states sufficiently small to begin to probe the asymptotically free component of the strong interaction. The study ofmore » c{anti c} as well as b{anti b} bound states has greatly enhanced our understanding of the strong interaction between elementary particles. The scope of this article will be to review what has been learned to date, particularly on the experimental front, as well as to look at what remains to be done.« less


Gloves have been widely conserved in museum collections, reflecting our understanding of their historical significance. Gloves were used by ancient Egyptians since the Old Kingdom. Gloves were widely used by the ancient Egyptians for various purposes. They were used as a tool in the purification process, as well as fishing and fowling trips. Furthermore, it was used for protection, adornment and as a part of official ceremonial clothing or as a kind of reward in the Amarna period. In addition to being used as a hand decoration on coffins of the Late Period. This paper aims to shed light on gloves in ancient Egypt from the Old Kingdom until the Late Period, in the light of the archaeological evidence: texts, scenes, coffins and extant pairs of gloves. Twelve models of gloves will be presented and analysed. The type of gloves will be studied either for kings or individuals. Furthermore, the research defines the glove feature in ancient Egypt by defining the concept of religious or secular usage, Material, and manufacturing technique as shown through Tutankhamun's most iconic gloves, and ultimately, how did scenes and models of gloves help in the discovery and identification of their many shapes.


Abstract This is an interview with noted Norwegian sexologists Elsa Almas and Esben Esther Pirelli Benestad, who is bigender and married to Almas. In conversation with narrative therapist Christopher Behan, they discuss, both professionally and personally, working with those who have a transgender family member, the importance of community work to support the transgender child or adolescent, and the continued need for advocacy within the mental health and medical fields for transpeople and their loved ones.


We present a part-based approach to the problem of human attribute recognition from a single image of a human body. To recognize the attributes of human from the body parts, it is important to reliably detect the parts. This is a challenging task due to the geometric variation such as articulation and view-point changes as well as the appearance variation of the parts arisen from versatile clothing types. The prior works have primarily focused on handling geometric variation by relying on pre-trained part detectors or pose estimators, which require manual part annotation, but the appearance variation has been relatively neglected in these works. This paper explores the importance of the appearance variation, which is directly related to the main task, attribute recognition. To this end, we propose to learn a rich appearance part dictionary of human with significantly less supervision by decomposing image lattice into overlapping windows at multiscale and iteratively refining local appearance templates. We also present quantitative results in which our proposed method outperforms the existing approaches.


Since the soil quality Tool for Risk Identification, Assessment and Display approach introduced the "three lines of evidence" accounting for chemical, toxicological and ecological stressors to explain adverse effects in biota, the assessment of contaminant risks in the environment has significantly evolved. The concept of chemical speciation, related to water characteristics, boosted the understanding of the role of free-ion activities in the overall accumulation of pollutants in biota. New modeling concepts (e.g. biotic ligand models) and measuring techniques were developed. This in turn triggered widespread research addressing the quantitative role of sediment in the overall water quality, focusing on redox interfaces. For contaminant mixtures in river catchments, complex relations between (bio)availability of compounds, including nutrients, help to explain aquatic toxicity. Variation in ecological patterns and processes across environmental or spatiotemporal gradients occur, which may identify ecological factors that influence contaminant fate and effects. Empirical evidence by meta-analysis and theoretical underpinning by modelling showed relationships between population growth rates and carrying capacities, across chemicals and across species. The potentially affected fraction (PAF) of species may be related to the mean species abundance, an often-used indicator in global change studies. Knowledge gaps remain on how pollutants travel through ecological communities and which species and species-relationships are affected. Outdoor experimental systems that examine the natural environment under controlled conditions may be useful at the higher biological level to investigate the impact of stressors on a variety of species, including mutual interactions.


The most common methods used to evaluate the potential hydraulic erosion of rock are index-based methods, which correlate the force of flowing water and the capacity of a rock to resist erosion. This capacity is evaluated using erodibility indices, which combine a set of specific geological parameters. Nonetheless, there exists no clear consensus in regard to the relative importance assigned to the geological parameters. Our study proposes (i) a review of the existing index-based methods used to evaluate the hydraulic erodibility of rock and (ii) a method to determine the relative importance of the geological parameters governing the erodibility of rock. The developed approach relies on a large dataset of case studies providing details of unlined spillways subjected to erosion. We demonstrate that the analysed geological parameters can be classified according to their relative importance – from highest to lowest – as follows: (1) joint shear strength, (2) nature of the potentially eroding surface, (3) rock block volume, (4) joint opening, (5) rock block's shape and orientation relative to flow direction and (6) the rock mass deformation module. This ordering of the relative importance of the geological parameters agrees largely with previously established orderings that were based on field observations.


3380 Osteosarcoma is the most common malignant bone tumor in children. Patients with metastatic disease generally have poorer prognosis and those who have metastases detected subsequent to the initiation of therapy have the worst outcome. Thus it is important to develop a strategy to predict the likelihood of developing lung metastasis at the time of diagnosis in patients who initially present with localized disease, so that these patients could potentially benefit from more aggressive therapy upfront. We hypothesized that expression profiling of osteosarcoma would lead to the identification of a molecular signature that can predict metastatic potential. Using cDNA microarray, we have analyzed the expression profiles of a training set of 29 independent post-treatment samples made up of 17 primary tumors and 12 metastases. The expression profiles of these specimens were used to identify a metastatic signature consisting of 44 features, many of which were previously reported as related to metastasis. The differential expressions of some of the genes in the signature were further validated by quantitative real time PCR. Various classification algorithms were employed to construct classifiers using the metastatic signature. Once the classifiers were fully specified in the training set, they were used to classify metastatic status or predict the metastatic potential of patients using a test set of 29 initial biopsy specimens. The best classifier was the Nearest Centroid algorithm, which correctly classified 28 out of 29 patients (classification accuracy of 97%, sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 86%). Most importantly, the classifier correctly predicted all 11 patients who had localized disease at diagnosis but developed metastatic disease later. In summary, we have used expression profiles to build a classifier that can predict metastatic potential of osteosarcomas at diagnosis. This classifier, together with our previous chemoresistant classifier, will help to refine the classification of osteosarcoma and ultimately impact the stratification of these patients in future clinical trials.


A characteristic of data envelopment analysis (DEA) is to allow individual decision making units (DMUs) to select the factor weights that are the most advantageous for them in calculating their efficiency scores. This flexibility in selecting the weights, on the other hand, deters the comparison among DMUs on a common base. For dealing with this difficulty and assessment of all the DMUs on the same scale, this paper proposes to using a multiple objective linear programming (MOLP) approach for generating common set of weights under the DEA framework. This is an advantages of the proposed approach against general approaches in the literature which are based on multiple objective nonlinear programming.


One-way slabs under concentrated loads are generally designed for shear by checking the beam shear resistance and the punching shear resistance over an effective width. Only a small number of test data regarding the shear resistance of one-way slabs subjected to concentrated loads is currently available. To be able to better evaluate the shear resistance of one-way slabs, a series of experiments was carried out on continuous one-way slabs (5 m x 2.5 m x 0.3 m [16.4 ft x 8.2 ft x 11.8 in.]) subjected to concentrated loads close to the supports, in which the load position, transverse reinforcement ratio, and concrete strength were varied. The test results are compared with code provisions and a method developed by Regan. The results show a different behavior in shear for slabs under concentrated loads than for beams.


High resolution time-of-flight spectra of helium atoms scattered from single crystal surfaces provide detailed information on surface phonon dispersion curves. For metal surfaces a number of different modes have been observed by both helium atom scattering (HAS) and by electron scattering (EELS). For many metals for which several modes have been detected simple Born–von Kármán force constant models, although successful in describing the bulk phonon dispersion curves, are not able to fit all the available surface data. Recently it has been demonstrated that a new lattice dynamical model, which accounts for electron-phonon coupling by the introduction of pseudocharges to accommodate the electronic dynamical degrees of freedom is however able to explain all the observations for several important prototype systems. These include Cu(001) and Cu(111), the soft mode seen in W(001), and also all the modes, including optical modes in 1T3-TaS2. This new model explains the anomalously large intensities of longitudinal surface phonon resonances only observed in helium scattering on Cu(001) and Cu(111) by accounting for the direct interaction of the He atoms with electron charge density deformations modeled by pseudocharges.


Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) is one of the best ways to generate electric power using the solar energy, which is clean and inexhaustible energy resources. The most of BIPV modules have the form of GtoG (Glass to Glass) photovoltaic in building applications. Degradation leading to failure in photovoltaic modules is very important factor in BIPV modules. This paper analyzed the performance of various BIPV modules through outdoor exposure tests. Performance of three BIPV modules(c-Si type, a-Si type and DSSC type) with three installation angles influenced by sun light, outdoor temperature, and wind velocity was monitored and analyzed. As a result, c-Si type BIPV module outperforms other BIPV modules(a-Si type). In terms of power efficiency of the module, the installed angle of 45° is better than others(90 degree, 0 degree). In addition, more realistic data of various BIPV system performance could be available through the field test and integrated building test. In this study, relationship of the BIPV system is identified module's installation angle, power generation, architectural performance, etc.


Heavy metals pollution is amongst the commonest form of environmental pollution. These metals have accumulated over time from the smelting and mining activities of man, from poor waste disposal practices and from modernization. Recently the impact of heavy metal pollution of the environment is stirring up serious concerns since the discovery that some edible plants accumulate these metals to a level, toxic to both themselves and to the animals that consumes them. Common features of heavily polluted soil include barrenness, desertification, erosion, and this usually result in developmental stagnation in areas with such pollution. More researches have recently been stepped up in the field of remediating soils polluted with heavy metals. Traditional method includes excavation of the top soil, capping of the soil, stabilization of the polluting heavy metals, soil washing. In recent time, emphases have been drawn to the use of plants that has high metal accumulating and tolerating capacity to remediate metal-contaminated soil. This mini-review highlights the different conventional and recent practices in the control of heavy metal pollution.


The biting forces of the lower first molars and the grasping forces were measured using they newly designed spring type gnathodynamometer and grasping force measuring appartus on 519 subjects.Subjects were in age of 9, 10 and 15 years in male and female, 12, 13, 14 and 16 years in female and 16, 17, 21, 22 and 23 years in male.Following results were obtained:1. The biting forces in both sexes increase with age gradually till 15 years, but in older than them are nearly constant. The grasping forces increase also till 17 years, but in older than them are nearly constant.2. The biting forces are nearly equal in both sides of the jowl however, the grasping force of the right hand is considerably greater than that of left hand.These differences are approximately 10 per cent in male and 25 per cent in female.3. Histogram of biting force are skew, because the limit of measuring powers of the apparatus is 52 kg.The scatter of grasping force about the mean increases with age and male's is greater than female's.4. The regression lines and correlation coefficients between biting-and grasping force are analysed on 10 years boys and girls. The regression lines for girls are significant, but are not for boys.


Policy analysis is a formal discipline within the field of education. Policy analysis in education is used to equip thosegovernance positions in secondary school and institution of higher learning with tools they need to direct educationalpractice. As a formal discipline, however, policy analysis has not gained widespread acceptance within medicaleducation. Medical educators should consider using this tool to better equip educational decision-makers, withinindividual medical schools.


Objective To describe the safety and effectiveness of CyPass supraciliary microstent implantation alone in eyes with open-angle glaucoma (OAG) followed up for up to 3 years. Methods and analysis This registry study included subjects with primary or secondary OAG who underwent CyPass Micro-Stent implantation alone at 12 sites in four European countries to reduce intraocular pressure (IOP) and/or use of IOP-lowering medications. The primary safety outcome was the incidence of adverse events. Secondary efficacy outcomes included mean changes from baseline in IOP and IOP-lowering medications. Eyes were subgrouped into those with low (< 21 mm Hg) and high (> 21 mm Hg) baseline IOP. Results This study included 225 eyes of 178 patients, with mean baseline IOP of 22.6 ± 6.7 mm Hg and a mean 2.2 ± 1.2 medications per eye. Common ocular adverse events included device obstruction (10.2%), IOP elevation > 10 mm Hg during follow-up (8.9%), retinal complications (4.4%) and loss of > 2 lines of best-corrected visual acuity (2.7%). Seventy-one eyes (31.6%) required secondary glaucoma surgery, with trabeculectomy (33 eyes) and second microstent implantation (13 eyes) being most common. At months 6–36, mean IOP reductions ranged from 4.4 to 5.1 mm Hg (15.8%–19.5%) and mean medication reductions from 0.2 to 1.2 (9.1%–54.5%). Mean IOP reduction was greater in eyes with higher than lower baseline IOP. Both subgroups showed reductions of 0.5–1.0 medication at 12–18 months. Conclusion CyPass microstent implantation demonstrated a safety profile consistent with other minimally invasive glaucoma surgeries and effectively lowered IOP for up to 3 years in eyes with OAG.


The 20th century is marked by the manifestation of a new way of perceiving the human body. The consolidation of Molecular and Cellular Biology allowed the individual to investigate microscopic particularities of the structures that form the human organism, producing a great improvement in the creation of new therapeutic practices, such as researches about stem cells manipulation. However, these innovating technologies in the field of Health are accompanied by ethical and moral questionings, for their investigative practices favor the polemic around the juridical status of the human embryo. Regarding these aspects, the objective of this article is to analyze how the debate about the use of embryonic stem cells was conducted in Brazil between 2007 and 2008, by the interposition of the Direct Action of Unconstitutionality to the Federal Supreme Court.


The review of literature presents modern ideas about the role of aldosterone in the development and maintenance of atrial fibrillation. It is shown that hormone takes part in all stages of the electrophysiological and structural atrial remodeling, contributing to the formation of the arrhythmia substrate. It was noted that adverse effects of the aldosterone in the myocardium are realized not only due to its high systemic production but also because of its direct synthesis in the atrial tissues. Increased expression of mineralocorticoid receptors in cardiomyocytes also play important role in the development of atrial fibrillation. It is demonstrated that hyperaldosteronemia can be a cause as well as effect of atrial fibrillation. The episode of arrhythmia is characterized by neurohormonal activation, increased intramyocardial aldosterone synthesis and high mineralocorticoid receptors expression. This contributes to the further progression of atrial remodeling and makes conditions for the arrhythmia recurrences.


Ultra-intense X-ray sources have opened new avenues by creating new states of matter or probing and imaging living or inert matter. Free-electron lasers have a strong leadership by delivering pulses combining femtosecond duration and 10s of microJoules to milliJoule energy. However, these sources remain highly expensive limiting their number to a few worldwide. In parallel, laser-pumped soft X-ray lasers hold outstanding promises having demonstrated the most energetic monochromatic soft x-ray pulse and being intrinsically fully synchronized with any secondary source of the pump laser. Since the first successful demonstration of amplification of a high harmonic pulse in a plasma from gas in 2003 and from solid in 2008, we have developed an extensive numerical study. 2D hydrodynamic simulations showed that optimized Transient Collisional Excitation plasma amplifiers, may store up to 0.4 mJ in the population inversion. If carefully seeded, pulses of 80 fs and 20 μJ might be generated with table-top lasers (10J). As the energy extracted is far from the milliJoule requirements of most exciting applications, we studied the seminal experiment of Ditmire et al who seeded a plasma emitting milliJoules in the form of Amplified Spontaneous Emission (ASE).We retrieved and explained for the first time the experimental result (ASE 1,000 times stronger than amplified seed). We thus proposed and fully modeled the transposition of the so-called Chirped Pulse Amplification (CPA) in the soft X-ray range, showing that 6 mJ, 200 fs, fully coherent soft X-ray pulse is accessible with compact pump lasers.


The present study was designed to investigate the possible antidiabetic, hypolipidaemic and antioxidant effects of physalis. Diabetes was induced in Albino rats by administration of alloxan monohydrate (150 mg/kg, body weight i.p). Physalis was administered at a single 1 ml dose per day to these diabetic rats for 21 days. The effect of physalis on blood glucose, serum insulin and pancreatic insulin, serum troponin, tumor necrosis factor (TNF ), interleukin 6 (IL6), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), serotonin, dopamine and malondialdyhyde (MDA) were measured in the diabetic rats. Moreover, on the last day the pancreas were removed and stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H & E) and morphology of the pancreatic sections was studied. Besides, immunohistochemical, insulin and Bcl of pancreas. The results of this study indicate that 2 physalis elicited significant (p<0.05) reductions of blood glucose, troponin, TNF and IL6 except VEGF, dopamine and serotonin were significantly increased. Physalis also caused significant increase in serum insulin (p<0.05) in the diabetic rats. The results suggest physalis could be considered as a potential candidate for developing a new anti-diabetic agent. Through, offers promising antidiabetic effects that may be mainly attributed to its potent antioxidant potential. As well as the important factor of this agent in the resistance of beta cells of the pancreas and insulin-producing for the free radicals caused by diabetes. This is the first study on the possibility of Physalis pubescens juice as an inhibitory effect on diabetes in rats through its possibility impact of anti-free radicals in the beta cells of the pancreas.


Spine surgeries tend to be lengthy (mean time of 4 hours) and highly variable (with some surgeries lasting 18 hours or more). This variability along with patient preferences driving scheduling decisions resulted in both low operating room (OR) utilization and significant overtime for surgical teams at Mayo Clinic. In this paper we discuss the development of an improved scheduling approach for spine surgeries over a rolling planning horizon. First, data mining and statistical analysis was performed using a large data set to identify categories of surgeries that could be grouped together based on surgical time distributions and could be categorized at the time of case scheduling. These surgical categories are then used in a hierarchical optimization approach with the objective of maximizing a weighted combination of OR utilization and net profit. The optimization model is explored to consider trade-offs and relationships among utilization levels, financial performance, overtime allowance, and case mix. The new scheduling approach was implemented via a custom Web-based application that allowed the surgeons and schedulers to interactively identify best surgical days with patients. A pilot implementation resulted in a utilization increase of 19% and a reduction in overtime by 10%.


LEEDS HOSPITAL FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN. CASE OF HYDROCELE OF CANAL OF NUCK. (Under the care of Dr. HELLIER.) THIS case is a well-marked example of a somewhat rare condiLion. The diagnosis was established by operation, and there are points of special interest in the conditions present. F. W., aged 26, unmarried, a dressmaker, was admitted on December 3Ist, I896, complaining of a swelling in the right groin. This had been growing for seven years, and could be traced to no known cause. Lately it had been causing some uneasiness and pain after exertion. In other respects thte patient's health was very good. On examination, a tumour was found in the right groin, having the size of a hen's egg, and being somewhat pear-shaped. It looked very much like an inguinal hernia. It was above Poupart's ligament; it reached the mons veneris but did rot extend into the labium majus. It was obviously cystic, dull on percussion, and it could not be reduced by pressure, nor was it tender when handled. On coughing there was some impulse felt in the swelling, but this seemed to be not a distensile impulse but a transmitted one, but over the region of the internal abdominal ring there seemed to be some degree of typical hernial imdulse. On January 2nT. I897, the patient was aneesthetised with ether by the hospital aniesthetist, Dr. Wear. The cyst was cut down upon and cautiously opened. A considerable quantity of greenish-yellow, serous fluid escaped. Then a cystic body presented inside the larger cyst, and for a moment suggested the presence of bowel; but it was immediately seen that this was a smaller cyst having a slender attachment within the other, whic'n gave way as it was drawn out. It oontained fluid similar to that which surrounded it, and, on being subsequently inflated, was found to be as large as a small plum. The larger cyst was then clearly seen to be a distension of the sheath of the round ligament, but did not communicate with the abdominal cavity; the round ligament lay in its lower wall. This cyst was dissected out. 'he pedicle which the sheath and ligament formed towards the internal abdominal ring was ligatured and divided. The aperture in the aponeurosis was carefully sutured separately and the wound closed with chromic gut. There was a slight bulging opposite the internal ring where the wall was weak. The wound healed by first intention. REMARKS BY DR. HELLIER.-Hydroceles of the round ligament may sometimes communicate with the abdomen and be reducible. Sometimes they are caused by cystic distension of the round ligament itself, which is said to be hollow originally. This case was of a diflerent kind. The secondary cyst was of uncertain origin, but was perhaps analogous to the serous cysts not infrequently seen in the peritoneum. A good account of hydrocele of the round ligament is given by Schroeder in the Hnndbuch der Krankheiten der weiblichen Ge8chlechtsorgane, Auflage ix, S. 535, anid by Band1,1 but I can find no note of a second cyst being found within the hydrocele.


Tuberculosis (TB) infection is increasing all over the world especially among immunocompromised patients including end stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. Symptoms and signs are non-spesific and involvement is generally extra-pulmonary in ESRD patients. We presented ten ESRD patients with TB. Six of our cases presented with TB lymphadenitis, two with Pott's disease, one with breast TB and one with lung TB and Wegener's granulomatosis. The diagnosis of TB is based on the finding of an acid fast bacilli-positive smear, positive culture of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and typical histopathologic findings. Anti-TB therapy with isoniazid, rifampin, pyrazinamide and ethambutol combinations are generally successful. Nonspesific constitutional symptoms and unexplained deterioration of general health in ESRD patients should attract attention of clinicians about TB infections.


Weight per seed (SDWT) of maize (Zea mays L.) has been rcported to show no response when seed number was manually decreased. This field experiment was designed to test the general3 y of this lack of response across techniques of reducing seeds per ear and across genotypes. Bagging ears of a dent hybrid 2 to 4 d after silking reduced seed number by 15 to 45% and increased SDWT by 19 to 25%. The same treatment applied to a popcorn hybrid reducvd seed number by 12 to 36% with no significant increase in SDWC. Open pollinated varieties representing different seed sizes showed similar variability in SDWT response to reduced seed number. When SDWT of the dent hybrid and one of the varieties increased in response to reduced reed number, seed volume increased by a similar fraction. Removal of the apical half of the ear of the dent hybrid caused a different SDWT response than ear bagging. Such removal 5 to 15 d after silking decreased SDWT while removal 20 to 25 d after silking produced no significant change. Thus, it appeared that the response of SDWT to reduced seed number depended on genotype, how seed number was reduced, and when the reduction occurred. The reduction in SDWT due to early ear cutting was not due to a reduction in number of endosperm cells or volume of the developing seeds. The possibility of a physical restraint on SDWT by the developing pericarp of some cultivars was discussed. Contribution from the USDA-ARS.


proposed system would perform multiple coordinated functions in regulating the pressure of the oxidant gas (usually, pure oxygen) flowing to a fuelcell stack and in removing excess product water that is generated in the normal fuel-cell operation. The system could function in the presence or absence of gravitation, and in any orientation in a gravitational field. Unlike some prior systems for removing product water, the proposed system would not depend on hydrophobicity or hydrophilicity of surfaces that are subject to fouling and, consequently, to gradual deterioration in performance. Also unlike some prior systems, the proposed system would not include actively controlled electric motors for pumping; instead, motive power for separation and pumping away of product water would be derived primarily from the oxidant flow and perhaps secondarily from the fuel flow. The net effect of these and other features would be to make the proposed system more reliable and safer, relative to the prior systems. The proposed system (see figure) would include a pressure regulator and sensor in the oxidant supply just upstream from an ejector reactant pump. The pressure of the oxidant supply would depend on the consumption flow. In one of two control subsystems, the pressure of oxidant flowing from the supply to the ejector would be sensed and used to control the speed of a set of a reciprocating constant-displacement pump so that the volumetric flow of nominally incompressible water away from the system would slightly exceed the rate at which water was produced by the fuel cell(s). The two-phase (gas/liquid water) outlet stream from the fuel cell(s) would enter the water separator, a turbinelike centrifugal separator machine driven primarily by the oxidant gas stream. A second control subsystem would utilize feedback derived from the compressibility of the outlet stream: As the separator was emptied of liquid water, the compressibility of the pumped stream would increase. The compressibility would be sensed, and an increase in compressibility beyond a preset point (signifying a decrease in water content below an optimum low level) would cause the outflow from the reciprocating pump to be diverted back to the separator to recycle some water.


RFID has become one of the emerging technologies for a wide area of applications such as cold chain system and blood transportation. To support a safe transaction of tagged items in those systems, it is necessary to provide the history of item's status and location by using other devices, including a RFID sensor tag, GPS, and RTLS. Because of high communication cost to RFID middleware on the move, status and location of tagged items are simultaneously gathered by the RFID reader after they are stored in the tag memory. This information has characteristics of not only streaming data but bulk data. To prevent data loss by large amount of input data, therefore, RFID middleware should manage dynamically the size of queues for collecting data from readers. In this paper, we propose a queue resizing technique of RFID middleware in order to process combined data stream efficiently. Queue resizing adjusts queue size of each data source based on the size of collected data. Since proposed technique prevent data overflow by small queue size and memory loss by excessive static queue size, RFID middleware can process continuous queries for combined data stream in real-time.


In fishes which have pelagic ova and an annual spawning season, the formation of yolk in the developing ova to be shed at a given spawning season commences some months after the close of the preceding spawning season. The active development of the annual crop of ova does not take much more than six months. The formation of yolk always commences near the surface of the cytoplasm and extends inwards. In those eggs which develop separate oil globules, a few of these of small size are present long before the formation of yolk commences. The eggs of the mackerel form an exception to this statement. In immature specimens of sole, turbot, brill, &c., examined during the spawning season, the largest ova in the ovaries are found to contain scattered oil globules, and these are also present in the largest transparent ova in spent ovaries of these species. When the formation of yolk takes place in such eggs the oil globules form a zone internal to that of the yolk. The essential peculiarity of the spent ovary is the presence in it of the ruptured follicles, from which the ripe eggs have escaped. The follicular epithelium in these appears to disintegrate and dissolve. The cavity is obliterated by the contraction of the follicle, which forms a mass of cells and fibres, and is finally absorbed soon after the commencement of the formation of yolk in the eggs for the following season. In the spent ovary there are a number of eggs which have not reached the ripe condition, which die, and are not discharged from their follicles, but absorbed in situ. In the fresh state they are visible as opaque amorphous masses. Similar opaque masses are also seen in immature ovaries in which spawning has never occurred. Here also they are aborted dead ova, which are undergoing disintegration and absorption. They are scattered singly in the ovarian tissue, and their development is arrested at an early stage, before the formation of yolk has made any progress, if even it has commenced. In those in which death has only recently occurred the germinal vesicle is seen to be shrunken, and to contain a single large spherical nucleolus. The vitelline nucleus is first seen as a stained corpuscle in contact with the germinal vesicle. I have not been able to follow the mitosis of the germ-cells, or to trace back the vitelline nucleus, but consider it most probable that the latter is identical with the centrosome which remains in the ovum after the last division of the germ-cell. In ova of plaice and flounder the vitelline nucleus separates from the germinal vesicle, moves towards the surface of the ovum, and is afterwards found at the inner border of the yolk-layer. It becomes surrounded with yolk, and ceases to be visible. In Syngnathus acus there are often two or even more vitelline nuclei in a single ovum. These are probably produced by the division of a single body. If the vitelline nucleus is the centrosome, its disappearance forms an interruption to the persistence of the centrosome as an extra-nuclear body, since the directive spindle is provided with new centrosomes. The germinal vesicle in the Teleostean ova examined consists at first of a single large nucleolus, a nuclear network, and a surrounding membrane. I could not resolve the network into a continuous filament, or into separate chromosomes. At the next stage the vesicle is larger, and there are several nucleoli in contact with the nuclear membrane. In still larger ova the nucleoli are still at the periphery, but there is a central region in the vesicle distinguished by the presence of separate feathery fibrils, the centrosomes of Ruckert. After the formation of yolk has commenced the membrane of the vesicle is wrinkled. The nucleoli migrate from the periphery of the vesicle, and are found around and among the central fibrils. There are indications in the ova of the turbot that the substance of the nucleoli is absorbed into the central fibrils to form the chromosomes of the polar mitoses, but the actual formation of these chromosomes was not followed.


The authors have developed a measurement and analysis system to study red blood cell (RBC) dynamics and oxygenation in capillary networks. The system is based on object-oriented principles and it is designed to mimic the structure and hierarchy present in the microcirculation. The system enables analysis of capillaries to study geometry, RBC flow, and hemoglobin oxygen saturation (SO/sub 2/). The authors have also developed a very general computer code that can incorporate any realistic microvascular geometry, including capillary anastomoses and tortuosity. The computational model also includes network hemodynamics based on the latest findings for microvascular resistance. The model is capable of taking the geometric and hemodynamic data directly from the newly developed video-based experimental technique.


The article presents the results of research on potato varieties in the Polissia zone of Ukraine. According to them, the adaptive potential, phenotypic stability and resistance to stressful environmental conditions were calculated based on the ''yield'' feature. According to the results of a comprehensive assessment, it was established that the general adaptive capacity according to the absolute coefficient of adaptability is characteristic of the following varieties: Prada, Sanibel, Riviera, Vzirets, Bellarosa, Zhytnytsia, Rodynna, Lilly, Yavir, Knyazha, Sluch, Toscana, Challenger. High stress resistance was found in potato varieties: Prada Predslava, Challenger. Genetic plasticity, which has a high degree of compatibility of the ''genotype-environment'' factors, was established in the varieties: Prada, Sluch, Bellarosa, Rodinna. According to the coefficient of variation, a high degree of variation (variability) was established in the varieties: Sluch, Vzirets. Varieties: Prada, Challenger, Predslava had slight variability. This assessment will contribute to the selection of potato varieties for profitable and economically profitable potato farming.


Background For persons with chronic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), intact cognitive function is crucial for performing main daily activities and adhering to self-management regimens. Persons with impaired cognitive function have decreased functional independence, reduced quality of life, and increased risk of mortality. Although several mechanisms may influence cognitive function in RA, it has not been well-studied in this population. Objectives This study explored the prevalence of cognitive impairment in persons with RA using a set of computerized neurocognitive tests and the factors that were significantly correlated with cognitive impairment. Methods Individuals with RA were recruited by their rheumatologists during follow-up visits at one university hospital in Korea. After getting signed consents, a trained research nurse assessed participants with a range of physical, psychosocial, and biological metrics. Cognitive function was assessed using a set of 6 computerized neurocognitive tests yielding 18 indices covering a range of cognitive domains. Subjects were classified as "impaired" if they performed 1 SD below age-based population norms on each test [1]. The total cognitive impairment score was calculated by summing the transformed scores, ranging from 0 (no impairment) to 18 (worst impairment). Pearson correlation coefficient analyses were conducted to identify the variables that might be significantly associated with cognitive impairment. Results Twenty three subjects with a mean (±SD) age of 64.9 (±12.4) years were included in preliminary analyses. 87% were female, 87% were married, and mean educational level was 9.7 (±5.2) years. Mean DAS-28 level was 2.6 (±1.2) and mean disease duration was 116.5 (±85.4) months. Mean HAQ score was 0.6 (±0.8) and mean cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors were 3.1 (±1.5). 35% had depression and 70% had sleep problems. The proportion of persons who were classified as cognitively impaired on each test were 34% in Card Sorting Test (executive function), 68% in Trail Making Test (visuo-motor coordination), 78% in Visual Span Test (language memory), 83% in Verbal Learning Test (visuo-spatial memory), 83% in Visual Continuous Performance Test (continuous attention), and 91% in Word-Color Test (selective attention). Mean total cognitive impairment score was 11.0 (±4.2), and ranged from 2–17. 95% were classified as cognitively impaired on five or more test indices. Education (r=-514, p<.05), income (r=-.638, p<.05), and CVD risk factors (r=.434, p<.05) were significantly correlated with total cognitive impairment score. Conclusions A significant number of RA patients were cognitively impaired. Low educational levels, low income, and increased CVD risk factors may be potential risks of cognitive impairment in this population. These findings suggest that the burden of cognitive impairment in RA is significant, and future studies identifying specific etiological contributors to cognitive impairment are warranted. References Kozora, E., Ellison, M. C., & West, S. (2004). Reliability and validity of the proposed American College of Rheumatology neuropsychological battery for systemic lupus erythematosus. Arthritis Care & Research, 51(5), 810–818. Acknowledgement This research was supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Science, ICT & Future Planning (No.2014R1A1A1002988). Disclosure of Interest None declared


Full depth repair (FDR) is a widely used repair method for repairing distresses in concrete pavement. FDR typically includes restoring load transfer to the adjacent, unrepaired slab and once it is placed it is expected to perform similarly to the original pavement. However, current standard methods of FDR have only limited effect and often yield insufficient long term performance since they fail to address the deterioration ongoing in the adjacent slabs. It seems that standard plans uniformly recommend replacing weakened base or subgrade material with better material however, they only treat the area under the patched section, while the condition of adjacent sections continue to suffer because of the effects of infiltrated water and weakened base and subgrade. Moreover, details rarely call for resealing of the joint after placement of the repair which is a basic preventative strategy to reduce distresses in the adjacent concrete pavement as well as the patch. A major test of FDR for jointed concrete pavement on US 75 in Sherman, Texas is studied to evaluate FDR effectiveness and recommend possible improvements. Sample sections were classified by visual inspection into good and poor areas containing old and newly placed patches. Each section was tested to ascertain the repaired patched and existing adjacent pavement conditions using non destructive test (NDT).


This is a remarkable book. The authors, two anatomists from Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, and a medical illustrator now attending medical school, are to be congratulated on producing The Human Skeleton , which is alive and dynamic, vitally interesting, and exceedingly thorough. It is divided into three parts and consists of 343 pages, including index, glossary, and 145 lucid illustrations. Part 1, "The Nature of Bone," gives us the basic concepts, structure, biochemistry, growth, and a section on joints and lubrication. The second part, "The Function of Bones," is the largest and combines the anatomic areas with separate chapters on breathing, manipulation, walking, and chewing. The final part deals with interpretation of bones according to age, sex, race, and stature, the effects of trauma and disease on bones, and, in a final chapter, reconstruction. An excellent glossary, an up-to-date bibliography, and a workable index add to enjoyment and usability. The black-and-white


Chinese pine (Pinus tabulaeformis Carr.) is one of the most important afforestation and ornamental species in China. Ovule abortion is a serious problem influencing the output of seeds and reproduction of Chinese pine. So it is of much significance to study the mechanisms of ovule development and abortion of Chinese pine. By combining two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and mass spectrometry analysis, the patterns of gene expression in a specific tissue at a specific stage can be displayed and characterized. This study acquired an appropriate protein extraction method from ovules of Chinese pine and optimized the conditions for protein identification by mass spectrometry.


We propose a new computer vision approach to locate a walking pedestrian by a camera image of first-person vision in practical situation. We assume reference points have been registered with other first-person vision images. We utilize SURF and define seven matching criteria that derive from the property of first-person vision so that it rejects false matching. We have implemented a preliminary system that can respond to a query within 1/2 seconds for a path of approximately 1 km long around Tokyo downtown area where pedestrians and vehicles are always in images.


T Food Safety plays a crucial role in today's society, and is a growing concern and serious matter for consumers, companies involved in the food chain, as well as for government authorities. In this paper, the authors introduced traceability and analyzed challenges of whole chain traceability. Based on some real practices, the authors argued that a whole chain traceability system is important as the scale of the system increases. Also, a cloud based whole chain traceability platform is proposed for traceability applications. The platform can capture, store, and share track & trace information in an economical way, provide analytics services, such as query, report, early warning etc, and support quick application development & deployment.


The short latency (less then 10 ms) auditory nerve and brain stem evoked potentials of Jewett were examined in the inbred CBA/J laboratory mouse. Tone pips, at nine frequencies from 4 to 64 kHz, were used to determine auditory nerve evoked potential (P1) thresholds. Maximum sensitivity occurred at 32 kHz, and a second sensitive area was seen at 56 kHz. With the exception of 32 kHz, as stimulus frequencies were increased in octave intervals, the 90 dB P1 amplitude also increased. P1 latency decreased as the stimulus frequency was increased up to 32 kHz, but this trend reversed with further increases of frequency. However, the P1 amplitude-latency function produced a better agreement of latency and frequency with the travelling wave theory for amplitudes less than 1 micro V, while amplitudes from 2 to 8 micro V were independent of frequency. Latency and amplitude input-output functions for responses from the four auditory brain stem loci suggest that auditory information is differentially processed as a function of frequency at each level, This is especially true for the inferior colliculus, which is most sensitive to 8-KHz stimuli.


This article looks at building tools and the significant evidence for the transition from craftsmanship and the mixing of Chinese and foreign working methods in the early 20th century. Although a number of Western scholars and Chinese researchers have studied traditional Chinese traditional tools, the transformation of tools from their traditional forms to modern ones in China has not been properly investigated. This article provides the first discussion of the introduction of Western tools and machinery and their effects on the building industry in Chinese Treaty Ports in the early 20th century. It highlights how the contemporary Western standards and expectations distorted Western perceptions of Chinese tools, and how European traders promoted Western hand tools and machines in China. It also shows how the Chinese fascination with Western machinery in turn blinded them from appreciating their traditional heritage in the eyes of some Westerners.


Background: Artemisinin is widely used to treat malaria, but the antimalarial mechanism and coordinative interactions governing the actions of artemisinin, scopoletin, arteannuin B and artemisinic acid have not been elucidated. Methods: Based on the existence of antimalarial drugs, the antimalaria targets of artemisinin, scopoletin, arteannuin B and artemisinic acid were investigated by molecular docking using the similarity theory of chemical structure, and the antimalaria mechanism of scopoletin and its coordinative antimalaria interactions with the other three ingredients of the mixture were subsequently examined. Results: Using the text information excavation method, the relevant proteins involved in the antimalarial effect of artemisinin were IL-6, ACHE, PC3, IPOB, CYC, TNF-α, UGT1A9, CASP3, XDH, IL-1β, VEGF, CAT, CREB, AMPK, UGT1A6, ADR, MAPK, COX2, LB24AB and CYP450. The relevant proteins involved in the antimalarial effect of scopoletin were TNF-α, PI3K, IL-8, IL- 6, VEGF, IL-1β, MAPK, CD4, SP2, CTNNB, CASP3, PRO1400, IgE, IL-4, ICAM1, p38, STAT3, TLR4 and API4. However, arteannuin B and artemisinic acid had little relevance to the abovementioned proteins. The interaction property between TNF-α and Artemisia annua was that the effect of the mixture of artemisinin, scopoletin, arteannuin B and artemisinic acid was greater than that of artemisinin alone, and the synergistic effect of the four elements was considered beneficial to the progress of antimalarial treatment. Conclusion: The antimalarial targets of Artemisia annua ingredients were examined using data mining methods, and the antimalarial effect of scopoletin may be related to TNF. The combined application of the four elements achieved the same antimalarial effect and reduced the clinical use of artemisinin and scopoletin.


Acute interstitial pneumonitis (AIP) is a fulminant disease culminating in acute respiratory failure and often death. Originally described in 1935 by the pathologists Hamman and Rich, this rare syndrome is characterized by rapidly progressive pulmonary fibrosis, leading to frequent confusion with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. In fact, the eponym Hamman-Rich syndrome became synonymous with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis despite clear differences in clinical presentation, radiography, pathology, and survival. In 1986, Katzenstein described eight patients with acute respiratory failure of unknown etiology. On biopsy, organizing diffuse alveolar damage was present in all specimens. Given the idiopathic nature of the disease, Katzenstein coined the phrase acute interstitial pneumonitis to distinguish it from the fibroproliferative stage of the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), which has an identical pathology. Olson et al retrospectively examined Hamman and Rich's original cases, compared them to contemporary cases of AIP, and found the two identical. Since then, little progress into understanding this disease has been made. Many questions still linger regarding the epidemiology, pathogenesis, and outcome. We recently published our experience with AIP providing new information regarding natural history. This review summarizes the current literature on AIP emphasizing diagnostic criteria, pathogenesis, and natural history.


, Abstract. Centralized social networking websites raise scalability issues — due to the growing number of participants — and policy concerns — such as control, privacy and ownership of users' data. Distributed Social Networks aim to solve those by enabling architectures where people own their data and share it whenever and to whomever they wish. However, the privacy and scalability challenges are still to be tackled. Here, we present a privacy-aware extension to Google's PubSubHubbub protocol, using Semantic Web technologies, solving both the scalability and the privacy issues in Distributed Social Networks. We enhanced the traditional features of PubSubHubbub in order to allow content publishers to decide whom they want to share their information with, using semantic and dynamic group-based definition. We also present the application of this extension to SMOB (our Semantic Microblogging framework). Yet, our proposal is application agnostic, and can be adopted by any system requiring scalable and privacy-aware content broadcasting.


For a given motion task, an ideal Optimal Control(OC) solver could plan the entire future motion trajectory of a robot in real-time. However, this ideal scenario cannot be reached because of a few factores: • These OC problems are typically highly non-convex. • Motion of a robot (typically legged robots) often requires interaction with the environment (contacts and contact forces). These constraints are difficult to solve. • The computation time increases exponentially with the DoF(Degrees of Freedom) of the robot, and the length of future (horizon) being planned. In this presentation, we will present our recent efforts towards approximating the above stated ideal scenario. Our presentation consists of four works, which all bind towards the same goal. The first part of our contribution is our OC solver itself: Crocoddyl, (Contact RObot COntrol by Differential DYnamic Library) [1]. Crocoddyl is an optimal control library in python and C++ for robot trajectory optimization with pre-defined contact phases. Its solver is based on an efficient Differential Dynamic Programming (DDP) algorithm ([2]), that takes into account the sparsity of the problem, and the contact constraints. In addition, crocoddyl introduces a variant of the DDP algorithm, called Feasibility-Prone DDP (FDDP), that can start from an infeasible guess, and arrive at the optimal solution in a multiple-shooting manner[3]. In addition, the following features are essential to Crocoddyl's design: • Easy transcription of the problem • Analytical Derivatives using Pinocchio [4]. • Multi-threading support • Efficient Memory Management • C code generation using CppADCodeGen [5] The second part of our presentation consists of a highly efficient algorithm for computing the solution of the contact-constrained forward dynamics problem. The forward dynamics of a robot consists of finding the joint accelerations and the constraint forces for a given joint configuration and torque. We need to solve the forward dynamics problem (and its derivatives) multiple times in order to solve our OC problem. We present our novel algorithm, and show how the Operational-Space Inertia Matrix [6] can be used to connect the derivatives of the contact forces with those of acceleration. Thus, we are able to achieve the efficiency of an unconstrained forward dynamics (see benchmarks in [4]), with only a small computational burden that is linear in the number of contacts. Receding horizon control, a.k.a Model Predictive Control (MPC) is a control strategy that tries to control the robot by using predictions of dynamics and costs over a moving horizon. The third part of our presentation consists of application of Crocoddyl as an MPC controller on the Talos robot. We show with experiments in simulation and on the robot, how we can use MPC to do real-time control of the robot. Moreover, we show how the computational efficiency can be increased by using the feedback-gains obtained from DDP to re-compute the optimal trajectory. Finally, MPC as a control strategy is limited. Because of high computation time, the length of our planning horizon cannot be long. In our final presentation, we describe our early results in mimicking the inifinite horizon, by learning the optimal "Value" function [7] at a given state. We modify our Iterative RoadMap Extension and Policy Approximation (IREPA) algorithm [8] to iteratively prolong the horizon and learn the optimal value, thus arriving at an infinite horizon. Our initial experiments, based on simple systems like unicycle, show that the learned value function indeed converges to an optimum.


The church struggle against apartheid remains a key case study in ecumenical public theology, with particular relevance for the Reformed tradition. The importance of Christian theology in both the justification of and opposition to apartheid is well known. Also, the process of ecumenical discernment for responding to apartheid became a significant marker in global ecumenical reflection on what today we might describe as public theology. However, the idea of a theological struggle against apartheid risks ironing out the different theological positions that oppose apartheid. This article highlights some of the attempts to analyze the theological plurality in responses to apartheid. Then it proceeds to present an alternative way of viewing this plurality by focusing on the way in which different classic theological questions were drawn upon to analyze apartheid theologically. Using as examples the important theologians David Bosch, Simon Maimela, and Albert Nolan, it highlights how apartheid was described as a problem of ecclesiology, theological anthropology, and soteriology. It argues that this plurality of theological analyses allows us to rediscover theological resources that might be of particular significance as race and racism take on new forms in either democratic South Africa or the contemporary world. Simultaneously, it serves as a valuable example in considering a variety of theological questions when theologically reflecting on issues of public concern.


Since the introduction of IVF treatments, natural cycle IVF has been largely replaced by IVF with ovarian stimulation. However, natural cycle IVF has several advantages. It is associated with a close to zero multiple pregnancy rate, and a zero risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. Per cycle, natural cycle IVF is less time consuming, physically and emotionally less demanding for patients, and cheaper than stimulated IVF, but also less effective. This systematic literature review addresses the issue of effectiveness of natural cycle IVF. Herein, 20 studies describing natural cycle IVF are presented; 12 case series and eight in which a comparison was made between natural cycle IVF and IVF with ovarian stimulation. Good-quality randomized controlled trials and formal cost-effectiveness analyses are lacking. The 20 selected studies comprised a total of 1800 cycles of natural cycle IVF, resulting in 819 embryo transfers (45.5% per cycle) and 129 ongoing pregnancies (7.2% per cycle and 15.8% per embryo transfer). Efficacy of natural cycle IVF is hampered by high cancellation rates because of premature LH rise and premature ovulations. It is concluded that natural cycle IVF is a low-risk, low-cost and patient-friendly procedure. A randomized controlled trial comparing natural cycle IVF with current standard treatment strategies is warranted.


The advanced photocatalytic oxidation of the pulp and paper industry effluent (primary clarified and biotreated) has been studied with UV/TiO 2 and UV/TiO 2 /H 2 O 2 treatment processes for environmental load reduction. The photo-oxidation experiments are performed under UV radiation in a slurry-type of reactor with optimized treatment conditions i.e. pH 7.0, 0.5 g/L of TiO 2 and 15 mM/L of H 2 O 2 for 4 hours. The BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand)/ COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand) ratio of the effluents is low i.e. 0.25 and 0.12 for primary clarified and biotreated effluents, respectively, indicating that biorefractory organics are present. Addition of hydrogen peroxide to the UV/TiO 2 system enhances the photoprocess performance. The treatment for 4 hrs with UV/TiO 2 /H 2 O 2 removes the organic load of the primary clarified effluent by 57.9 % in COD, 42.9 % in BOD, and 89.2 % in color and of biotreated effluent by 74.8 % in COD, 52.7 % in BOD, and 95.4 % in color, which is higher as compared to UV/TiO 2 process. Higher COD, BOD, and color reduction is obtained for biotreated effluent as compared to primary clarified one. The BOD/COD ratio of the effluents improved after photocatalytic oxidation, i.e. 0.09 and 0.11 points for biotreated effluent and 0.06 and 0.09 points for primary clarified effluent with UV/TiO 2 and UV/TiO 2 /H 2 O 2 treatment processes, respectively.


As the code written today becomes part of tomorrow's inexorably growing pile of legacy, preserving these stories becomes increasingly important. It's costly to rely on informal storytelling to preserve and communicate important decisions; it's incredibly costly to try to recreate those decisions and their rationale when the storytellers themselves are gone. Insofar as a software development organization can codify its tribal memory and keep its decisions alive, it can make evolving that system materially easier.


Lithography based additive manufacturing technologies (AMT) like stereolithography or digital light processing have become appealing methods for the fabrication of 3D cellular scaffolds for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. To circumvent the use of (meth)acrylate-based photopolymers, that suffer from skin irritation and sometimes cytotoxicity, new monomers based on vinyl esters were prepared. In vitro cytotoxicity studies with osteoblast-like cells proofed that monomers based on vinyl esters are significantly less cytotoxic than (meth)acrylates. Photoreactivity was followed by photo-differential scanning calorimetry and the mechanical properties of the photocured materials were screened by nanoindentation. Conversion rates and indentation moduli between those of acrylate and methacrylate references could be observed. Furthermore, osteoblast-like cells were successfully seeded onto polymer specimens. Finally, we were able to print a 3D test structure out of a vinyl ester-based formulation by μ-SLA with a layer thickness of 50 μm. For in vivo testing of vinyl esters these 3D scaffolds were implanted into surgical defects of the distal femoral bone of adult New Zealand white rabbits. The obtained histological results approved the excellent biocompatibility of vinyl esters. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2009


We investigate a class of models in 1 + 1 dimensions with four fermion interaction term. At each order of the perturbation expansion, the models are ultraviolet finite and Lorentz non-invariant. We show that for certain privileged values of the coupling constants, Lorentz symmetry is restored, and indeed the model turns out to be conformally invariant. This phenomenon is both quantum mechanical and non-perturbative. 1This work was supported in part by the Director, Office of Science, Office of High Energy and Nuclear Physics, Division of High Energy Physics of the U.S. Department of Energy under Contract DE-AC03-76SF00098 and in part by the National Science Foundation under grant PHY-95-14797. 2e-mail:email@example.com


: Heteropolysaccharides isolated from the racemes of families Polygonaceae, Tiliaceae, and Asteraceae intensify but do not normalize completely the development of the immune response in rats subjected to immersion (water) cooling. A similar effect is caused by erythrocytes of intact rats treated by heteropolysaccharides extracorporeally. On inclusion of heteropolysaccharides into the erythrocytic stroma of intact and cooled animals normalize the development of the immune response in rats subjected to immersion cooling.


Objectives Globalisation and industrialisation can increase economic opportunity for low/middle-income nations, but these processes may also increase industrial accidents and harm workers. This paper examines the long-term, cohort-based health effects of the Bhopal gas disaster (BGD), one of the most serious industrial accidents in history. Design This retrospective analysis uses geolocated data on health and education from India's National Family Health Survey-4 (NFHS-4) and the 1999 Indian Socio-Economic Survey by the National Sample Survey Organization (NSSO-1999) to examine the health effects of exposure to the BGD among men and women aged 15–49 years living in Madhya Pradesh in 2015–2016 (women n=40 786; men n=7031 (NFHS-4) and n=13 369 (NSSO-1999)), as well as their children (n=1260). A spatial difference-in-differences strategy estimated the relative effect of being in utero near Bhopal relative to other cohorts and to those further from Bhopal separately for each dataset. Results We document long-term, intergenerational impacts of the BGD, showing that men who were in utero at the time were more likely to have a disability that affected their employment 15 years later, and had higher rates of cancer and lower educational attainment over 30 years later. Changes in the sex ratio among children born in 1985 suggest an effect of the BGD up to 100 km from the accident. Conclusions These results indicate social costs stemming from the BGD that extend far beyond the mortality and morbidity experienced in the immediate aftermath. Quantifying these multigenerational impacts is important for policy consideration. Moreover, our results suggest that the BGD affected people across a substantially more widespread area than has previously been demonstrated.


Landslide-caused erosion of soil alters above ground plant cover and primary production, and is a major disturbance in forests and agro ecosystems in Taiwan. Bimonthly litter collections were conducted for one year, with oribatid mites studied at landslide sites and on the undisturbed forest floor. We hypothesized that landslide soil erosion would decrease oribatid-mite abundance and diversity and alter its community structure compared with control site. Eighty-three oribatid morphospecies belonging to 47 families were sampled, with higher density of oribatid mites in the landslide site, and clear correlation with rainfall. In landslide areas, the density of total adult and juvenile oribatid mites was significantly higher in the wet than dry season. Contradictory to our hypothesis, the diversity of oribatid-mite morphospecies was not significantly different between seasons and sampling sites. Density of Peloribates sp. and Scheloribates sp. was dominant in both sampling sites and seasons. Density of Peloribates sp. in the control sites was 2.9and 2.3fold higher than in landslide sites in dry and wet seasons, respectively. Density of Scheloribates sp. was 2.8and 4.6fold higher in the landslide than control site in dry and wet seasons, respectively. The exact mechanisms controlling oribatid-mite community structure were not yet determined, but a predictable trend was found for the effects of rainfall and landslide soil erosion on total oribatid-mite density and morphospecies number. A natural process such as a landslide is known to have a devastating effect on the aboveground community, but for the belowground soil biota, it could trigger new trophic organization.


Central giant cell granulomas (CGCG) are benign intraosseous proliferative lesions. Usually located are at the anterior region of the maxilla or mandible, although are more frequently found in the mandible. Etiopathogenesis of these lesions has remained unknown, however, some consider them as reparative response rather than neoplastic condition. Clinically CGCG present as asymptomatic, with expansive swelling causing deviation or proliferation of cortical bone. This condition is usually unifocal. Surgical removal is often the preferred treatment. Although nonsurgical treatment methods, such as intralesional corticosteroid injections, systemic calcitonin and interferon have been reported. This article describes the radiographic features of a large CGCG in the anterior mandibular region seen in a 9 year-old patient. Treatment of this lesion included resection of the anterior region of the mandible and replacement by tibia with bone growth factors. Keywords : Central giant cell granuloma; reparative granulomas; mandible; jaws.


Colles' fracture is a common injury and has a relatively high associated morbidity. Compartment syndrome is a rare complication, but a high index of suspicion must be maintained in the initial post-injury and post-reduction periods.


We review the measurements of magnetic fields of OBA stars. Based on these data we confirm that magnetic fields are distributed according to a lognormal law with a mean log(B)=-0.5 (B in kG) with a standard deviation sigma=0.5. The shape of the magnetic field distribution is similar to that for neutron stars. This finding is in favor of the hypothesis that the magnetic field of a neutron star is determined mainly by the magnetic field of its predecessor, the massive OB star. Further, we model the evolution of an ensemble of magnetic massive stars in the Galaxy. We use our own population synthesis code to obtain the distribution of stellar radii, ages, masses, temperatures, effective magnetic fields and magnetic fluxes from the pre-main sequence (PMS) via zero age main sequence (ZAMS) up to the terminal age main sequence (TAMS) stages. A comparison of the obtained in our model magnetic field distribution (MFD) with that obtained from the recent measurements of the stellar magnetic field allows us to conclude that the evolution of magnetic fields of massive stars is slow if not absent. The shape of the real MFD shows no indications of the magnetic desert proposed previously. Based on this finding we argue that the observed fraction of magnetic stars is determined by physical conditions at the PMS stage of stellar evolution.


In this thesis, we develop a general framework for local Fourier analysis of
multigrid methods that is versatile and well suited for computer
implementation. Using this framework we are able to analyze multigrid methods which have not
been considered to this point. We analyze a multigrid method for a diffusion
problem with jumping coefficients, and we analyze various block smoothers. We show how to create a flexible software for the automation of local Fourier
analysis. This flexibility is achieved by choosing approximations to Fourier
matrix symbols as primitive components that are then combined into complicated
expressions. In this way, many problems can be described and then analyzed by
the software.


Most oceanographic systems, especially shelf ecosystems, are characterised by interannual variability in the timing, extent and intensity of their seasonal patterns. Such interannual variations have important consequences on top predator habitat preferences. Capitalising on oceanographic surveys performed every spring since 2004 in the Bay of Biscay (BoB), this study explored interannual variations in habitat preferences exhibited by five mobile top predator species: bottlenose and common dolphins, auks, fulmars and northern gannets. We expected to find species with similar habitat preferences every year or species exhibiting important variability in their habitat preferences. First, we identified with a Principal Component Analysis (PCA) three different habitats of varying extent depending on year: river plumes, central shelf waters and shelf edge. Second, the Principal Components were used to explore the habitat preferences of predators through Generalized Additive Models. We fitted two kinds of models, using and not using the year as an interaction term, to test whether habitat preferences changed across years. Our results showed a range of habitat strategies based on the specificity and stability of species preferences. Species exhibiting narrower habitat preferences also exhibited stronger stability in their preferences among years while the species with wider habitat preferences exhibited higher variability among years. The target habitats differed across studied species, with bottlenose dolphins targeting the shelf edge exclusively, auks preferring river plumes, fulmars exhibiting a gradual preference from the shelf edge to river plumes and gannets being present in any of the three habitats. In contrast, the habitat preferences of common dolphins, the most sighted cetacean species in the BoB, could not be reliably inferred.


Abstract— Exo‐electron emission from MgO thin film was measured by attaching a high‐precision current sensor to the address electrode of the rear plate of an ACPDP test panel. The measured results revealed that the exo‐electron emission currents can vary very sensitively with the type of doping elements used in MgO film and the measuring temperature. The activation energy of the exo‐electron emission estimated from the emission curves indicated that the trap levels are between 0.05 and 0.32 eV below the bottom of its conduction band. This suggests that shallow electron‐trap levels within MgO film are mainly responsible for the exo‐electron emission.


The constant voltage cold start of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is usually operated at a low start-voltage in order to ensure high heat generation, which can shorten the process of the PEMFC cold start. However, the effect of constant voltage cold start on the durability of PEMFC is still unclear. Thus, in this work, the PEMFC is tested repeatedly at a low start-voltage to simulate its actual operating state in the vehicle. Then, the effect of the PEMFC durability under constant voltage cold start is investigated by polarization curve, cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, transmission electron microscope, and ion chromatography. After the repeatedly cold start, the output performance of the PEMFC decreases significantly. According to the characterization results, the degradation mechanism of the PEMFC at the constant voltage cold start is demonstrated to be that the PEMFC start-up repeatedly at low start-voltage leads to the decomposition of membrane polymer structure and promotes the crossover of H2. Meanwhile, the PEMFC start-up repeatedly at low start-voltage also leads to the agglomeration of catalysts, which reduces the active area of catalysts and ultimately results in the degradation of fuel cell performance. Above all, this study proves that the durability of PEMFC can be shortened by the constant voltage cold start at 0.1 V, which provides a reference for the development of the PEMFC cold start control strategy.


Objectives: To examine whether the favourable effects on endothelial function, vascular angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) activity, cardiac remodelling, autonomic function, and QT intervals of spironolactone in combination with ACE inhibitor also occur in patients with New York Heart Association class I–II congestive heart failure (CHF) taking optimal treatment (including β blockers). Methods: Double blind, crossover study comparing 12.5–50 mg/24 hours spironolactone (three months) with placebo in 43 patients with class I–II CHF taking ACE inhibitors and β blockers. Results: Acetylcholine induced vasodilatation improved with spironolactone (p  =  0.044). Vascular ACE activity fell (p  =  0.006). QTc and QTd fell (mean (SD) QTc 473 (43.1) ms with placebo, 455 (35.4) ms with spironolactone, p  =  0.002; QTd 84.5 (41.3) ms with placebo, 72.1 (32.3) ms with spironolactone, p  =  0.037). β-Type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and procollagen III N-terminal peptide (PIIINP) concentrations were also reduced by spironolactone (mean (SD) BNP 48.5 (29.6) pg/ml with placebo, 36.8 (28.5) pg/ml with spironolactone, p  =  0.039; PIIINP 3.767 (1.157) μg/ml with placebo, 3.156 (1.123) μg/ml with spironolactone, p  =  0.000). Conclusions: Spironolactone improves vascular function (endothelial function, vascular ACE activity) and other markers of prognosis (BNP, collagen markers, and QT interval length) in asymptomatic or mild CHF when added to optimal treatment including β blockade. This gives support to the hypothesis that the prognostic benefit seen in RALES (randomised aldactone evaluation study) and EPHESUS (eplerenone postacute myocardial infarction heart failure efficacy and survival study) may also occur in patients with milder CHF already taking standard optimal treatment.


This CD-ROM showcases the Randai theater of the Minangkabau ethnic group of West Sumatra, Indonesia. A vibrant and exciting composite theater form, Randai incorporates storytelling, dance, music, and martial arts into a unique blend of performing arts. Via the Randai theater, the CD-ROM offers the audience an introduction to the culture of the Minangkabau people, one of over 250 different ethnic groups in the Indonesian archipelago. It includes sections on the socio-cultural background, the customs and traditions of the Minangkabau, and maps and photos of West Sumatra to provide the audience with a sense of the location of this art form. The theater, dance, music, and martial arts elements of Randai are illustrated with numerous videos, sound recordings, and still images, and accompanied by in-depth and thoroughly researched text. This interactive format facilitates the study of the elements of Randai that would prove elusive in any paper-based treatment of the art form." Randai" offers insights into the indigenous martial arts form "silek" and is of interest to martial artists in general. It will be of great value to students and teachers in world theater and dance, in Asian studies, and in cultural studies. Minimum System Requirements: Windows: 486 processor with 10 MB RAM Windows 95/98/NT High Color display at 800 x 600 16-bit sound card 4x CD-ROM drive Macintosh: 68020 processor with 8 MB RAM System 7.5.1 Thousands of colors display at 800 x 600 4x CD-ROM drive"


In the Ross Sea, there are two major phytoplankton functional groups: diatoms and prymnesiophytes (dominated by Phaeocystis antarctica). Phaeocystis antarctica often occurs in colonial form, but also as solitary cells, and the two forms have distinct ecological roles. A comparison of the growth characteristics of solitary and colonial forms of Phaeocystis sp. is essential to understanding the differential impact each has on biogeochemical and ecological processes, and to allow parameterization of each form in numerical models. We measured the biomass and photosynthetic responses of two size fractions (> 20 and < 20 μm), representing colonies and solitary cells, at locations dominated by P antarctica to assess the relative photosynthetic potential of the two forms. While the relative contribution of each form to total P antarctica biomass differed among years, there were no significant differences between maximum photosynthetic rates of colonial and solitary forms within years. Substantial interannual variations in biomass and maximum photosynthetic rates normalized to chlorophyll a (P B m ) and initial light-limited rates of photosynthesis (α) were observed among years for the colonial fractions; however, interannual variations in maximum rates of photosynthesis or α of solitary cells were not observed. A laboratory experiment with P antarctica, together with field data, showed that growth stage of colonies strongly affected the maximum photosynthetic rates. Under nutrient-replete conditions and exponential growth, colonial cells had higher maximum photosynthetic rates than solitary cells, but as growth rate declined and senescence began, the solitary cells' rates became greater. This may be a reason for the high abundance of colonies that is often found in the Ross Sea during austral spring. Our results suggest that photosynthetic rates may influence the composition of the morphotypes of Phaeocystis, but do not appear to be the sole factor in regulating this critical biological variable.


This paper summarizes the arguments and counterarguments within the scientific discussion on the issue the Management of Environmental Performance and the Carbon Dioxide Emissions (CO2) on the Economic Growth, with an innovative study in the context of the GCC countries. The main goal of the paper is to examine empirically the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis for the GCC countries. The methodological tool of this contribution tries to measure the effect of the emission of the CO2 on the Growth Economic and environmental performance. The main purpose of the research is focused on the empirical approach justified by the use of a dynamic panel modeling on a sample of the GCC countries during the period of 2002-2018. Systematization literary sources and approaches for solving the problem of the reaction of the development of the Environmental Performance with the level of the the Carbon Dioxide Emissions (CO2) and the economic growth. The study employed a GMM model system. Subsequently, the authors displayed a Panel Co-integration test of Pedroni (2004), the Kao Residual Co-integration test (1999), and the Granger causality tests. The results found unidirectional causal relationships between economic growth and the entire variable of the sample, except the variable CO2 emission. These relationships are statistically significant at the level of 5%. For the relation between Economic Growth and CO2 emission, one the hypothesis of the paper was checking a non-significant and unidirectional relationship. The results showed a long-run unidirectional causality between the variables and implied that Economic Growth in the GCC countries has a positive and significant unidirectional relation with Environment Performance, trade openness, foreign direct investment, and investment. The results confirm the existence of a negative relationship as insignificant, and unidirectional, between economic growth and CO2 emissions in the GCC countries. Finally, this finding doesn't support the validity of the EKC hypothesis and provide information's to take the necessary policy suggestions to maintain the environmental performance and limit the average of the CO2 emissions. The results of the research can be useful for the GCC countries to avoid the higher level of Carbon Dioxide Emissions (CO2) and maintain a good Environmental Performance.
Keywords: environmental performance, Environmental Kuznets Curve, CO2 emissions.


The proliferation of high-level programming languages with advanced language features and the need for portability across increasingly heterogeneous and hierarchical architectures require a sophisticated run-time system to manage program execution and available resources. Additional benefits include isolated execution of untrusted code and the potential for dynamic optimisation, among others. This paper provides a high-level overview of language run-time systems with a focus on execution models, support for concurrency and parallelism, memory management, and communication, whilst briefly mentioning synchronisation, monitoring, and adaptive policy control. Two alternative approaches to run-time system design are presented and several challenges for future research are outlined. References to both seminal and recent work are provided. 1998 ACM Subject Classification A.1 Introductory and Survey, D.3.4 Run-Time Environments


We studied urinary beta 2-microglobulin levels in a total of 29 apparently healthy relatives (aged 0.8-70 years) of 8 male patients with asymptomatic low-molecular-weight proteinuria in six families. The frequency of levels above the age- and sex-associated 95% confidence limit was 7 of 29 (24%), 4 of 12 (33%) in first-degree relatives, 2 of 6 (33%) fathers, and 2 of 6 (33%) mothers. These frequencies were significantly above those in the general population (P less than 0.01, by a normal distribution test, a binomial distribution, and Poisson distribution test for the sample proportion). The increased frequency in fathers argues against an X-linked pattern of inheritance for this entity, suggesting that there is heterogeneity in the inheritance.


A library of 112 4(5)-aryl-2-amino-1H-imidazoles, 4,5-diphenyl-2-amino-1H-imidazoles, and N1-substituted 4(5)-phenyl-2-aminoimidazoles was synthesized and tested for the antagonistic effect against biofilm formation by Salmonella Typhimurium and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The substitution pattern of the 4(5)-phenyl group and the nature of the N1-substituent were found to have a major effect on the biofilm inhibitory activity. The most active compounds of this series were shown to inhibit the biofilm formation at low micromolar concentrations. Furthermore, the influence of 6 imidazo[1,2-a]pyrimidines and 18 imidazo[1,2-a]pyrimidinium salts on the biofilm formation was tested. These compounds are the chemical precursors of the 2-aminoimidazoles in our synthesis pathway. A good correlation was found between the activity of the imidazo[1,2-a]pyrimidinium salts and their corresponding 2-aminoimidazoles, supporting the hypothesis that the imidazo[1,2-a]pyrimidinium salts are possibly cleaved by cellular nucleophiles to form the active 2-aminoimidazoles. However, the imidazo[1,2-a]pyrimidines did not show any biofilm inhibitory activity, indicating that these molecules are not susceptible to in situ degradation to 2-aminoimidazoles. Finally, we demonstrated the lack of biofilm inhibitory activity of an array of 37 2N-substituted 2-aminopyrimidines, which are the chemical precursors of the imidazo[1,2-a]pyrimidinium salts in our synthesis pathway.


Background: Migraine and vertigo are highly prevalent; their simultaneous presentation is frequent and may require a different diagnostic approach than that used for migraine and vertigo separately. Migraine vertigo is recognized as a defined entity within the IHS classification of headaches. Methods: We reviewed the principal manifestations of peripheral and central affection (brainstem) that explain this clinical picture presentation, reviewed the general characteristics, epidemiology, semiology, treatment and prognosis. Results: The symptomatology suggest that the pathophysiology occurs as a vascular problem with aseptic inflammation and also affects the posterior territory. Although the condition's evolution is usually favorable, its dramatic presentation requires a detailed diagnostic approach (clinical and image), although the treatment does not differ from migraine's general management. Conclusion: The vestibular migraine or Migrainous Vertigo is an already defined entity, although the treatment is similar to the migraine with and without aura.


BACKGROUND: Hyperglycemia induces protein glycation, disturbing its function, additionally, the glycated products (AGEs) induce by themselves proinflammatory cytokine release that are responsible for insulin resistance. Glycine has been successfully used in diabetic patients to competitively reduce hemoglobin glycation. OBJECTIVES: To assess hyperglycemia impact on the immune response and to evaluate if it is possible to reverse it by means of glycine administration. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats, with and without glycine administration were challenged with sheep red blood cells, and specific antibody producing cells were accounted. Normal rats were challenged as controls. RESULTS: Induced diabetes modifies significantly the humoral immune response capacity versus sheep red blood cells. Also, glycine administration prevents against this deleterious effect. CONCLUSIONS: Glycine could be an important therapeutic resource among diabetics to avoid the characteristic immunodeficiencies of this disease.


Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate individuals' perceptions and behavior when dealing with misinformation on social media platforms. While misinformation is not a new phenomenon, the COVID-19 outbreak has accelerated its spread through social media outlets, leading to widespread exposure to false or misleading information. This exposure can have serious consequences on individuals' decision-making and behavior, especially when it comes to critical decisions related to education or healthcare. The use of social media as a source of information makes it essential to understand how people perceive and respond to misinformation to develop effective strategies for mitigating its harmful effects.

Design/methodology/approach
This large-scale study explores the Omani individuals' perceptions and behaviour of misinformation on the social Web in a series of studies that seek to enhance the authorities' response to misinformation. The study adopted a quantitative approach to collect data. Using WhatsApp as a social networking platform, a survey was disseminated to capture participants' perceptions and behaviour among different segments of citizens in Oman.

Findings
The findings showed that Omani participants have high verification skills, implying high information literacy skills among them. Additionally, results indicated that misinformation had created doubt and anxiety among the participants. Moreover, it hindered many participants' ability to take countermeasures and obtain reliable data.

Originality/value
This study was a large-scale study conducted in Oman, making it one of a few studies conducted in the region about perceptions and behaviour towards misinformation. The findings help to understand how different cultures interacted with COVID-19 misinformation. In addition, these findings offer useful insight that can help health information professionals to design preventive resources that help people to obtain accurate information during crises.


Preparation of bisbenzofuran-2-yl-methanone (1), the corresponding ketoxime 4, semicarbazone and thiosemicarbazone 3a and 3b, ether derivatives of the ketoximes 5a-j and the alcohol 2 are described. These substances have been prepared in excellent yields. All the synthesized compounds except 5i have been tested against five different microorganisms and some of them were found to be active against some of the species studied.