Abstract.
 To investigate the morphological variation in an island population of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes), we measured 25 cranial and 24 dental characters for 225 specimens (137 males and 88 females) from Hokkaido Island, Japan. A Bayesian principal component analysis found only small differences among three groups identified genetically in previous studies. Concretely, analyses of variance and post-hoc tests detected clear differences in two functionally important measurements: postorbital constriction and upper fourth premolar length. In the postorbital constriction, relating to size of the temporal muscle, a difference with a gradient of increase from west to east on Hokkaido Island was found in both sexes. In the upper fourth premolar length, relating to body size, a difference between the Southern and Central groups was found in both sexes. Additionally, in differences in four measurements of skull width, skull height, mastoid width, and occipital condyle width, relating to braincase, were detected in only male. Subsequently, a correlation analysis showed that the postorbital constriction might be related to climatic conditions (e.g., minimum mean monthly temperature and snowfall). Endemic climate conditions and food habits appeared to contribute to the observed geographical variation in skull morphology.


Embodied theories of grounded semantics postulate that, when word meaning is first acquired, a link is established between symbol (word form) and corresponding semantic information present in modality-specific—including primary—sensorimotor cortices of the brain. Direct experimental evidence documenting the emergence of such a link (i.e., showing that presentation of a previously unknown, meaningless word sound induces, after learning, category-specific reactivation of relevant primary sensory or motor brain areas), however, is still missing. Here, we present new neuroimaging results that provide such evidence. We taught participants aspects of the referential meaning of previously unknown, senseless novel spoken words (such as "Shruba" or "Flipe") by associating them with either a familiar action or a familiar object. After training, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging to analyze the participants' brain responses to the new speech items. We found that hearing the newly learnt object-related word sounds selectively triggered activity in the primary visual cortex, as well as secondary and higher visual areas.These results for the first time directly document the formation of a link between the novel, previously meaningless spoken items and corresponding semantic information in primary sensory areas in a category-specific manner, providing experimental support for perceptual accounts of word-meaning acquisition in the brain.


Introduction: Diabetic Kidney Disease (DKD) is a chronic complication in Type 2 diabetes. The Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD273) peptide classifier has been found to predict development of DKD even before microalbuminuria develops. Seventy four percent of peptides in the CKD273 classifier are Collagen degradation fragments. The Beta-CrossLaps (β-CTx) Enzyme Llinked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) assay detects the specific collagen degradation product, C terminal telopeptide of Type 1 collagen. In light of the Capillary Electrophoresis/Mass Spectrometry (CE-MS) findings, linking collagen degradation fragments excretion to early detection of DKD, the significance of urinary β-CTx levels as a DKD biomarker needs to be evaluated. Aim: To study the urinary excretion of β-CTx in type 2 diabetes patients and to evaluate its relation to Microalbuminuria status and estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR) of the patients. Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was undertaken at a tertiary care hospital, with enrollment of 82 type 2 diabetes patients from the diabetes Out Patient Department (OPD) Participants were divided into groups based on their Urinary Albumin Creatinine Ratio (UACR) and eGFR levels. The study participants were tested for Urinary β-CTx level, UACR and eGFR. Mean or median was calculated for the parameters with normal and non-normal distribution, respectively. All statistical testing was performed on online calculators available at the site; https://www.socscistatistics.com/. Results: The median urinary β-CTx level observed was 100.6 ng/mmol of creatinine. Among the 82 participants, 15 participants had urinary β-CTx level 15pg/mL, the sensitivity of the kit. Among the remaining 67 participants, the minimum Urinary Beta-CrossLaps: Creatinine ratio observed was 2.6 ng/mmol and the maximum value observed was 2071 ng/mmol (i.e., 2.1 μg/mmol). The median urinary β-CTx level was highest (100.6 ng/mmol creatinine) in the patient group with eGFR in the normal range. The urinary β-CTx level was found to decline with decline in eGFR, with median urinary β-CTx 65.5 ng/mmol creatinine in the patient group with mildly decreased eGFR and 7.2 ng/mmol creatinine in the patient group with moderately decreased eGFR. Conclusion: The Urinary β-CTx concentration in type 2 diabetes patients is dispersed over a wide range. The Urinary β-CTx concentration correlates with the eGFR of the patient and is not influenced by age, gender or duration of diabetes. This parameter is a potential early DKD biomarker.


Restorative-driven interdisciplinary therapy frequently requires orthodontic therapy to optimally address the underlying dentofacial problems. Limitations in traditional orthodontic techniques and the length of requisite treatment times often create barriers to providers and patients' willingness to accept orthodontics as part of the overall treatment plan. Two main types of surgically facilitated orthodontic therapy (SFOT), each with its own indications and protocols, are becoming popular. They can expand significantly the limitations of orthodontics and greatly shorten treatment times. The first uses corticotomies to cause bone demineralization through a regional acceleratory phenomenon (RAP) that "supercharges" dentoalveolar tooth movement. The second type of SFOT involves single- or multiple-tooth osteotomies combined with the principles of distraction osteogenesis to rapidly grow hard and soft tissues, thereby enabling changes in alveoloskeletal relationships. With these SFOT procedures, an interdisciplinary team can modify predictably the dentoalveolar complex so the teeth, alveolar bone, and skeletal components are addressed properly to maximize ideal functional and esthetic relationships, while greatly reducing treatment time and increasing stability of the result.


Background Stigma refers to attitudes and beliefs that lead people to reject, avoid, or fear those they perceive as being different. It identifies people as criminals, slaves, or traitors to be shunned. Globally 30–80% of people living with HIV experience stigma during their lifetime. There is a paucity of research in identifying determinants of stigma on HIV positive patients in Ethiopia. The aim of this study is to assess magnitude and factors associated with stigma among HIV positive adults attending antiretroviral therapy (ART) clinics at public health facilities of Butajira town. Methods Institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted at public health facilities of Butajira town. A total of 403 study participants were selected by systematic random sampling technique. Data were collected by using pre-tested interviewer-administered semi-structured questionnaire. The collected data were entered into EpiData3.1 and exported to SPSS version 23. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis were used to identify factors associated with stigma. The strength of association was assessed by crude odds ratio and adjusted odds ratio for bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis, respectively. Statistical significance was declared at p-value <0.05 and 95% CI. Results The magnitude of stigma among HIV positive patient was 28.9%. Discussing about safer sex (AOR: 2; 95% CI: (1.14,3.18), disclosing HIV positive status (AOR: 6;95% CI: (2.3,14.9), being a female (AOR: 2.5; 95% CI: (1.41,4.12) and age >34 years (AOR: 4; 95% CI: (1.46,12.9) were the independent factors associated with stigma in HIV positive patients. Conclusion The magnitude of stigma in ART patient is still unresolved problem. Discussing about safer sex, disclosing HIV positive status, being a female and age were the independent factors associated with stigma in HIV positive patients.


Background
In 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic continued, however, due to the implementation of vaccination, fewer disruptions were observed in healthcare. In the detection of HCV - inextricably linked to access to testing - there was an incomplete return to the pre-pandemic level of diagnostics (in the EU/EEA in 2021, 4.1 infections/100,000, in 2019 - 8.8). The aim of the article was to present the HCV situation in 2021 according to the data of the epidemiological surveillance in Poland compared to 2015-2020.

Material and methods
We used the data: 1) from individual epidemiological surveillance; 2) from bulletins for the years 2015-2021 (diagnosis rates) and 3) regarding deaths from the Statistics Poland, Demographic Surveys and Labour Market Department.

Results
In 2021, a 30% increase in the detection of new HCV infections was observed (3.26/100,000, 1,244 cases) - about 70%, more than 2,500 cases, are missing to return to the pre-pandemic level. The demographic distribution was different than in Europe: 1) the ratio of women to men 1:1.07; 2) people <25 years: 2.4% of all diagnoses - this may imply worse access to testing among men than women (tested during pregnancy), especially in younger age groups. In Poland, a large percentage of diagnoses involves people outside the high- risk population - mainly exposures related to medical procedures (>75%). The role of primary health care in diagnosing HCV has strengthened (38.6%) - despite the fact that the tests were not yet available within health insurance benefits. The burden on healthcare and sanitary inspection continued to reduce the quality of data. There were more deaths due to acute hepatitis C in 2020-2021 (4 and 6 cases) compared to 2018 2019 (0 and 1 death).

Conclusions
The highlighted gaps in diagnosing HCV infections in Poland should be taken into consideration while developing the policy for HCV infections elimination. Poland still lacks in long term solutions, acceptable by and reaching the target population.


Definition (terminology) and its twin, classification, are minefields in the epilepsy theatre of war. Both are topics that only the battle hardy should venture upon. Strong and divergent views are often held, and passions excited, but not much clarity. Nevertheless, definition and classification are the topics of the first chapter of this textbook, for both are essential for communication and precision in clinical practice, and thus both necessarily underpin successful treatment. In this chapter, various aspects are considered, especially from the perspective of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE). A brief overview of the historical evolution of the topic is given, as it is only by understanding this that the current schema becomes comprehensible. Furthermore, as will become obvious, the same issues have periodically bubbled to the surface, a reiteration that could have been avoided with more historical knowledge. The current definitions and classifications are outlined, and I focus here critically also on their more controversial aspects, as these are of the greatest interest, although I recognize that some of my views are not shared.


AACR Annual Meeting-- Apr 14-18, 2007; Los Angeles, CA

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Background: Adenocarcinoma (AC) of the lung represents the majority of lung neoplasms diagnosed each year and most cases demonstrate poor survival. Identification of genes such as EGFR has demonstrated the importance of defining primary pathway alterations for the development of new AC treatments. However, genes demonstrating altered expression alone may be difficult to target due to the complexity of trans-regulation expression networks. Thus, genes with expression regulated by copy number alterations are attractive targets for therapeutic intervention as they likely represent the primary alterations in cancer development.

Objectives: To decipher the role of expression deregulation as a result of gene dosage in AC.

Design: We integrated high resolution copy number profiles (whole genome SMRT array CGH) for 20 cell lines and 27 primary tumors, with Affymetrix (GEO: [GSE4824][1]) and custom Agilent (tumors) expression data. The Mann Whitney U test was used to identify copy number altered genes that resulted in differential expression in both sample sets and the intersection of the lists was selected to further limit our results to the genes most strongly correlated to copy number. To compare the patterns of patient survival related gene deregulation (acquired from Nat Med. 8:816-824 2002) with copy number induced gene deregulation, pathway based analysis was performed with Ingenuity Pathway Analysis software.

Results: Comparison of copy number and expression profiles in complimentary sets of cell lines and primary tumour samples identified 458 genes which appear to be causally regulated by copy number alteration in AC. Integration of our new findings with patient survival data correlated genes generated a striking overlap in the disruption of cellular pathway functions between the two data sets. These results demonstrate the disruption of survival correlated functions by primary copy number induced deregulation.

Conclusions: Integration of gene expression and copy number data has allowed the delineation of primary genetic alterations which may be causal to AC development. Complimentary pathway deregulation of patient survival correlated expression changes highlights the potential utility of these genes in the selection of diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets

This work was supported by grants from Genome Canada/B.C.

 [1]: /lookup/external-ref?link_type=NCBIGEO&access_num=GSE4824&atom=%2Fcanres%2F67%2F9_Supplement%2F2959.atom


Based on a literature review, the physiology of blood pressure control and hemodynamic changes that occur during a hemodialysis treatment, blood pressure evaluations at 15-minute intervals as opposed to 30-minute intervals may enable nephrology nurses and other care providers to recognize and prevent dramatic drops in blood pressure. Through maintenance of blood pressure stability and prevention of intradialytic hypotension, patient morbidity and mortality may be decreased. Blood pressure monitoring is one component for ensuring quality care, decreasing morbidity, and decreasing mortality. Integration of assessment data, estimated dry weight evaluation, and patient adherence are fundamental to the promotion of good health outcomes.


Since 1997, Physical Education is recognized as a health profession. However, the professional training has been limited. In this sense, Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo – Campus Baixada Santista has been attempting to overcome it with professional training based on interdisciplinarity and interprofessionality. Thus, the aim of this study was to comprehend the concept of interdisciplinarity from this university's Physical Education students involved with professionalinternship. For this purpose, we designed a documental research that analyzed 22 final reports made by study participants. The analysis was made with non-aprioristic method. We found that there is no unanimity about the concept of interdisciplinarity from the students' point of view, and it was revealing of weaknesses and limitations. However, this scenario points to the dialogue with other fields of knowledge and professions as well. Thus, we conclude that the interdisciplinarity internship training in this institution still has a long and promising path to go.


This article approaches an analysis of grain production on a farm in the city of Chapeco-SC, Brazil. Data collection was held, considering the crops of soybeans, wheat and corn crops during the 2008/2009, 2009/2010 and 2010/2011 harvests. Production costs, technical and economic indicators were analyzed. As a result, it was identified that the raw materials are responsible for most of the costs analyzed in the last three crops, the cultivation of soybeans showed the highest profitability, wheat however, showed losses in two growing seasons of the three considered. The average profitability in the period was substantial, but the return on investment can be considered low (6.75% per year). Taking into consideration the capital invested in the activity (land + machinery and construction + costing) for the profitability of the analyzed period, it was verified that there is a need of 57.28 years to recover that amount. Frequently, it was found that attachment to land, tradition and personal satisfaction are factors that contribute in explaining the permanence of producers in rural areas, even when certain activities prove to be unfeasible or yield low profit margins.


There is a dearth of sport marketing research investigating the strategic potential of socially responsible sport marketing practices for organizations in the sport management industry. Despite the more recent focus on this the emergent topic within marketing literature, there is a lack of application of cause-related marketing (CRM) and social marketing (SM) strategies in the sport marketing context. Furthermore, these strategies are often confused with corporate social responsibility (CSR). The main purpose of this study was therefore to investigate the adoption of CRM and SM marketing strategies by professional sport organizations (PSOs) in South Africa. An interpretivist philosophy and qualitative approach was adopted for the study, which centered on in-depth interviews conducted with key individuals from six South African PSOs. The findings revealed encouraging evidence of South African PSOs engagement in CRM and SM activities. However, it also revealed that the strategic potential of these elements were not leveraged, mainly due to a lack of understanding of these concepts. The differences and similarities between CRM and SM are identified, according to practitioner understandings. The study contributes to sport marketing literature and practice by proposing a conceptual framework to guide the effective planning and execution of strategic CRM and SM campaigns by PSOs. This framework can assist PSOs to engage in social responsible marketing approaches to improve their marketing performance while maintaining socially responsible business practices.


Purpose To present a case study on the management of ocular hypertension induced by repeated Ozurdex implants. Case Report A 51-year-old white man presented to the Tallahassee Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic as requested by the retinal specialist for an intraocular pressure (IOP) check. Two months before this visit, the patient was given an Ozurdex implant in each eye for reoccurring diabetic macular edema. Subsequent follow-up examinations documented the intervals between repeated Ozurdex implants and the increase in IOP, with progression to surgical intervention to control eye pressures. Conclusions Results from previous studies and this case report indicate that maximum IOP occurs at approximately 8 weeks after injection of an Ozurdex implant. Although most patients can be managed by IOP-lowering medications, this case is unique because it is an example of repeated implants at approximately 4-month intervals that led to surgical intervention to control IOP. Evidence-based knowledge of Ozurdex as reviewed in this article will lead to better patient postoperative management.


The evanescent field surrounding an exposed planar waveguide in silica is accurately measured using scanning near field optical microscopy (SNOM) and compared to models of the field distribution. Distortions in the field due to edge effects and the proximity of the mode to the surface are all detected. The characterized field is use to quantitatively explore the difference in collection efficiency between contact mode SNOM and intermittent contact mode SNOM. A strong correlation between tip oscillation amplitude and detection efficiency is determined. Microsc. Res. Tech., 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


The authors put forward a new and original classification of the clinical pictures of acute pseudo-abdomen. They separate the cases due to extra-abdominal causes which are not marked by the essential features of acuity and severity from those which do not require surgery.


The network communication is realized and developed based on the gradual improvement of the computer network. Although the communication system itself is not equivalent to the computer network, but there are many integration and connection in current communication system and the computer network, which has formed a complementary and mutual development of the situation. With the emergence and application of new systems and computer network technologies, such integration and development will be more in-depth and closer. This article is focus on the computer network and the communication system, and does a brief analysis of the status quo, so that it is easy to understand by the majority of readers in the shallow level.


In spite of the work of Gödel and Cohen, which showed the undecidability of the Generalized Continuum Hypothesis (GCH) from the axioms of set theory, the problem still remains to decide GCH on the basis of new axioms. It is almost 100 years since Cantor first conjectured the Continuum Hypothesis, yet we seem to be no closer to determining its truth (or falsity). Nevertheless, it is a sound methodological principle that given any undecidable set-theoretical statement, we should search for "other (hitherto unknown) axioms of set theory which a more profound understanding of the concepts underlying logic and mathematics would enable us to recognize as implied by these concepts" (see Gödel [7, p. 265]).


Measurement of flow in liquid metal systems exhibit unusual problems because of the severe operating environments like high operating temperatures and the chemical reactivity of most liquid metals. The liquid metal flowmeters should have the capacity to withstand high gamma radiation levels and rapid thermal transients. The commonly used flowmeters in liquid metal systems are permanent magnet Flowmeter, direct current electromagnet Flowmeter and alternating current electromagnet flowmeter. In Alternating current electromagnet Flowmeter there are three types namely transverse field Flowmeter, Eddy Current Flowmeter and E-Core Flowmeter. The subject of analysis is the Eddy current Flowmeter. Eddy currents are generated when a moving conductor experiences changes in the magnetic field generated by a stationary object, as well as when a stationary conductor encounters a varying magnetic field. A flowmeter which works on this principle is the Eddy Current Flowmeter. This paper gives a thorough survey on eddy current flowmeter, its construction, simulation results and its performance under various test conditions in different organization


Abstract A comparison between bat-pollinated plant assemblages at two sites in different altitudinal ranges covered by the Atlantic rainforest in southeastern Brazil is presented. The lowlands (5–90 m) harbour ten plant species in seven families, pollinated mostly by three glossophagine bat species. The highlands (1540–1600 m) harbour seven plant species in five families, pollinated by a single species of glossophagine. Bromeliads account for about 30% of the bat-pollinated species at each assemblage. Tube and brush shapes prevail in the flowers at both sites. Corolla lengths averaged 26.8 and 37.2 mm, sugar concentrations in nectar averaged 15.0 and 18.1%, and nectar volumes averaged 150.8 and 167.0 μl in the lowland and highland assemblages, respectively. The flowers are pollinated mostly by glossophagine bats during hovering visits, and the plants are visited in the trap-line foraging pattern. The plants bloom annually and both assemblages show a staggered continual flowering pattern. Flowering seasonality was found at both sites, with flowering clustering in the drier season at the lowland site and in the wetter season at the highland site. The ratio between bat-pollinated and hummingbird-pollinated species is 0.24 at the lowland site and 0.23 at the highland one. These similar values indicate that additional studies on bat- and bird-pollinated assemblages are merited at other Atlantic rainforest sites.


Abstract This paper addresses a relatively new phenomenon in higher education, Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), and explores conceptions around this new and emerging development from the perspective of a number of stakeholders in the university. A phenomenographic approach is adopted. The study explores how different stakeholders at a university perceive the MOOC phenomenon, and reflects on how the many conceptions stakeholders adhere to are made meaningful for academic developers in their role as 'partners in arms'. The conceptions run across a continuum from the local and narrow to the global and broad. The study identifies challenges to change agency in a higher education institution.


Correlation Between Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I (Igf-1) Levels and Severity of Liver Involvement in Patients Afflicted with Liver Cirrhosis A. Khoshnood [1] , MJ. Faravash [2] , M. Nasiri Toosi2, A. Esteghamati2, H. Froutan [3] , H. Ghofrani3, A. Abdollahi [4] Received: 20/01/09 Sent for Revision: 21/07/09 Received Revised Manuscript: 13/11/10 Accepted: 18/11/10 Background and Objectives: Insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) is a polypeptide that 90% of it is secreted by liver. Cirrhosis of liver is a condition accompanied with decreased level of IGF-1, and with progression of the disease the level of IGF-1 may be further decreased. In this study the relation between the degree of IGF-1 and severity of liver disease on the basis of Child- Pugh and Model for end stage liver disease(MELD) score is investigated. Materials and Methods: In this cross sectional study, 100 cirrhotic patients who were diagnosed on the basis of liver biopsy or clinical criteria, referring to the gastroenterology clinic of Imam Khomeini Hospital in Tehran, Iran during the years 2007-2008 were recruited. Laboratory investigations including IGF-1, CBC, liver Enzymes, Alkaline phosphates, serum Albumin, Creatinine, direct and total Bilirubin were carried out for all the patients. Similarly ultrasound for evaluation of ascites and endoscopy for varices were performed. Results: 100 cirrhotic patients with male to female ratio of 63 to 37 and median age of 44.4±15 years were enrolled in the study. This study showed a mean IGF-1 level (± standard deviation) equal to 91.5±92.5ng/dl. Fourteen patients (14%) had IGF-1 within normal limits while 86 patients (86%) had abnormal IGF-1 level. In all patients the correlation coefficient between IGF-1 and MELD was -0.317 (p=0.001) and correlation coefficient between IGF-1 and Child- Pugh was equal to -0.478 (p less-than 0.001). Conclusion: The findings of this study showed that IGF-1 could be an index of severity of cirrhosis and can be used to determine the severity of the disease in patients, in particular, when liver biopsy is not possible. Key words: IGF-1, Liver Cirrhosis, Child- Pugh, MELD Funding: This research was funded by Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences. Conflict of interest: None declared. Ethical approval: The Ethics Committee of Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences approved the study. [1] - Assistant Prof., Dept. of Gastroenterology, Shahid Sadouhgi, University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran Corresponding autor , Tel : (0351) 8224003, Fax:(0351) 8224100, E-mail: email@example.com [2] - Associate Prof., Dept. of Gastroenterology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran [3] - Prof., Dept. of Endocrinology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran [4] - Assistant Prof., Dept. of Pathologhy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran


Uni- and bidirectional common data-induced-polarization-switching coherent multichannel systems with a single birefringent component are proposed. The operation of these systems is experimentally confirmed. The main advantage is a greatly reduced system complexity. >


Understanding COVID-19 and its risk factors in the Portuguese population is critical to combat this condition. To study the impact of multimorbidity in the population with COVID-19 infection, we performed a descriptive analysis of a dataset extracted from all reported confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Portugal until April 28, 2020. We observed a prevalence of multimorbidity in 4.49% of the 19,598 infected patients. Patients showed an increased risk of hospitalization, ICU admission and mortality with OR 2.70 (CI 95%: 2.52-2.88) for every additional morbidity. Further studies should confirm these findings and special attention should be made on data collection to ensure proper recording of patient comorbidities.


A warming climate is expected to intensify extreme precipitation, and climate models project a general intensification of annual extreme precipitation in most regions of the globe throughout the twenty-first century. We investigate the robustness of this future intensification over land across different models, regions, and seasons and evaluate the role of model interdependencies in the CMIP5 ensemble. Strong similarities in extreme precipitation changes are found between models that share atmospheric physics, turning an ensemble of 27 models into around 14 projections. We find that future annual extreme precipitation intensity increases in the majority of models and in the majority of land grid cells, from the driest to the wettest regions, as defined by each model's precipitation climatology. The intermodel spread is generally larger over wet than over dry regions, smaller in the dry season compared to the wet season and at the annual scale, and largely reduced in extratropical compared to tropical regions and at the global scale. For each model, the future increase in annual and seasonal maximum daily precipitation amounts exceeds the range of simulated internal variability in the majority of land grid cells. At both annual and seasonal scales, however, there are a few regions where the change is still within the background climate noise, but their size and location differ between models. In extratropical regions, the signal-to-noise ratio of projected changes in extreme precipitation is particularly robust across models because of a similar change and background climate noise, whereas projected changes are less robust in the tropics.


AbstractShadow into Light (SIL) is a creative and therapeutic art and writing project offering support to bereaved people over a series of 10 sessions. The sessions are facilitated by a poet and artist, with a counsellor also present. They use word and image to investigate and express feelings and assist development of new coping mechanisms, while developing supportive peer relationships. This article outlines the rationale and aims of the project, and gives detail of what was covered in each session and why. Evaluation of the first two courses held found that the project was meeting its aims. It is hoped that further research could show statistically significant quantitative measures of the effects of the SIL course on participants' mental wellbeing and grief resolution


Abstract. An updated faunal list containing 94 species of Odonata (60 Anisoptera and 34 Zygoptera) for Utah is pre - sented. Of the 95 Odonata species recorded in past publications as being from Utah, 8 have been removed from the Utah Odonata list, while 7 new state records have been added. Explanations for their removal are provided in the species accounts. The 7 ecoregions found in Utah are briefly described along with their wetland habitats and odonate species. Geographical distribution data by county, drainage, and ecoregion are provided for each species along with information regarding elevation range, flight season, and habitat preferences in Utah. Specific comments relevant to the distribution and abundance of each species are provided. Distribution maps illustrate collection locations against a background of county boundaries and topography. State conservation rankings using methods described by NatureServe are recommended.


OBJECTIVE
To observe the diffusion of Gd-DTPA in brain extracellular space (ECS) by magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) and investigate the feasibility of ECS measurement by using MRI tracer method in vivo.

METHODS
2 microL Gd-DTPA was introduced into ECS by caudate nucleus according to stereotaxic atlas in 8 Sprague Dawley(SD) rats (male, 280-320 g). The MRI scans were performed at 1 h, 3 h, 6 h, 9 h and 12 h respectively after administration. MRI appearances of Gd-DTPA diffusion and distribution was observed and compared. The MRI signal enhancement was measured at each time point. The neuroethology assessment was performed after MRI scanning at 12 h.

RESULTS
The injection was accurate at the center of the caudate nucleus in 6 rats, while, at the capsula externa in other 2 rats. Gd-DTPA diffused isotropically after it was introduced into caudate nucleus, which spread into lateral cortex at 3 h. The MRI signal enhancement distributed mainly in the middle cerebral artery territory. A significant difference was found between the signal enhancement ratio at 1 h and that at 3 h in the original point of caudate nucleus (t=95.63, P<0.01), and the signal enhancement attenuated following the exponential power function y=1.7886x(-0.1776) (R2=0.94). In 2 rats with the injection point at capsula externa, Gd-DTPA diffused anisotropically along the fiber track of white matter during 1 h to 3 h, and spread into the lateral cortex at 6 h.

CONCLUSION
The diffusion and clearance of Gd-DTPA in brain ECS could be monitored and measured quantitatively in vivo by MRI tracer method.


We theoretically investigated the adsorption of two common anti-COVID drugs, favipiravir and chloroquine, on fluorinated C60 fullerene, decorated with metal ions Cr3+, Fe2+, Fe3+, Ni2+. We focused on the effect of fluoridation on the interaction of fullerene with metal ions and drugs in an aqueous solution. We considered three model systems, C60, C60F2 and C60F48, and represented pristine, low-fluorinated and high-fluorinated fullerenes, respectively. Adsorption energies, deformation of fullerene and drug molecules, frontier molecular orbitals and vibrational spectra were investigated in detail. We found that different drugs and different ions interacted differently with fluorinated fullerenes. Cr3+ and Fe2+ ions lead to the defluorination of low-fluorinated fullerenes. Favipiravir also leads to their defluorination with the formation of HF molecules. Therefore, fluorinated fullerenes are not suitable for the delivery of favipiravir and similar drugs molecules. In contrast, we found that fluorine enhances the adsorption of Ni2+ and Fe3+ ions on fullerene and their activity to chloroquine. Ni2+-decorated fluorinated fullerenes were found to be stable and suitable carriers for the loading of chloroquine. Clear shifts of infrared, ultraviolet and visible spectra can provide control over the loading of chloroquine on Ni2+-doped fluorinated fullerenes.


Abstract We consider a class of stochastic partial differential equations arising as a model for amorphous thin film growth. Using a spectral Galerkin method, we verify the existence of stationary mild solutions, although the specific nature of the nonlinearity prevents us from showing the uniqueness of the solutions as well as their boundedness (in time).


This article focuses on labour relations in hospitals, the claim being that collective mobilization in this sector is not just a matter of protest but may also involve consensual efforts to improve conditions. To demonstrate this, types of protest movements in the hospital sector are reviewed and hypotheses put forward to explain the empirical rarity of such movements in the sector in France. Subaltern status (in terms of class, gender, etc.) is not sufficient to explain the moderation of conflicts in the sector. The symbolic "public service" and practical "care" dimensions, both relevant to the public hospital framework, play an ambivalent role. An examination of organizational contexts leads to the development of an explanation of the "silence" of hospital nurses by identifying modes and conditions characterizing what I call a "consensual" mobilization dynamic: intense cooperation in some units, participant campaigns to improve care quality, interprofessional coordination on ad hoc projects, and the influence of practical representations produced by earlier (consensual) mobilizations. These fundamental components of healthcare contribute to creating a profound adherence to a profession that is both demanding and valuable, even though local responsibilities of this sort only raise the same question concerning the boundaries for action by caregivers in hospitals at a more general level.


Transformer serves as a vital component in the electrical energy supply system. In order to have an uninterrupted power supply, it is essential to timely monitor the condition of the transformer. A transformer has many components, out of which the transformer oil is one of the most crucial. It provides insulation and keeps the transformer cool. With ageing, the quality of the transformer oil degrades, and it loses its insulation properties that become a threat to the supply system. Optical Spectroscopy has gained a lot of attention in monitoring the quality of transformer oil in the past few years for various advantages. This paper reviews some of the commonly applied Spectroscopy techniques to monitor the various components of transformer oil by which we can predict the quality of the oil.


We study, in the setting of algebraic varieties, finite-dimensional spaces of functions $V$ that are invariant under a ring $\Dc^V$ of differential operators, and give conditions under which $\Dc^V$ acts irreducibly. We show how this problem, originally formulated in physics \cite{kamran-Milson-Olver:invariant,turbiner:bochner}, is related to the study of principal parts bundles and Weierstrass points \cite{EGA4,laksov-thorup}, including a detailed study of Taylor expansions. Under some conditions it is possible to obtain $V$ and $\Dc^V$ as global sections of a line bundle and its ring of differential operators. We show that several of the published examples of $\Dc^V$ are of this type, and that there are many more - in particular, arising from toric varieties.


Rendering accounts is a constitutional requirement and one of the main obligations of public officials. Among other inspection and control tools, the Special Setting of Accounts (TCE) has the goal of protecting the treasury and punishing those who misuse public funds. Based on the concept of public accountability, this article examines the TCE application to agreements between the state government of Minas Gerais and municipalities. Proceedings, which were examined by the Tribunal de Contas (Court of Accounts) of Minas Gerais (TCEMG) between 2002 and 2011, were the target of this study. The results show untimely processing of the instrument and reduced range of decisions regarding the accountability of agents causing damage to the treasury. It indicates that the Court of Accounts has not been able to fulfill the purposes of its institution.


Reading has been studied for decades by both artificial intelligent researchers and by cognitive psychologists. Yet there still does not exist a theory which accurately describes the process nor a computer system which performs it. To overcome the shortfalls of previous systems, we have developed a functional theory of the reading comprehension process. The theory not only enables us to implement a model of the reading task, the ISAAC (Integrated Story Analysis And Comprehension) system; it also allows us to analyze past systems and their problems more completely and in a common framework. We also use this paper to present our general research philosophy, the current level of the implementation of our ideas, and our plans for future research.


The two-nation theory is an ideology of the Indian Muslims to establish their own dominion in Pakistan. The migration of Muslims refugees from India into Pakistan, as a consequence of the partition of India in 1947, ushered a new phase in their lives. The process was not easy from both sides, as the non-Muslims from the newly born Pakistan had to leave their home land and on the other hand Muslims from India had to leave for Pakistan. Sargodha (Shahpur at the time of partition) also received a deluge of refugees. The process of settlement and rehabilitation of Muslims refugees in this particular region has never been explored. This article highlights the rehabilitation process and its merits and demerits as well as the settlement of migrants in Sargodha City. Using analytical method, this article studies the colonization process as an important part of regional studies.


Research has shown that superior supply chain effectiveness can yield enhanced firm financial performance. However, existing research does not use a consistent definition or a comprehensive list of supply chain leader firms. Using matched sample comparison, this study investigates the robustness of the relationship between supply chain effectiveness and the overall financial health of firms viewed as supply chain leaders by using AMR's supply chain top 25 list. We hypothesize that firms that have been identified by AMR as supply chain leaders will be more financially healthy than nonsupply chain leaders. That is, they will have better cost, activity, and liquidity ratios. The findings indicate that firms identified as supply chain leaders outperform their nonsupply chain leader peers in accounting-based activity, cost, and liquidity measures.


Developing banking standards is an important process for a country's financial and economic well being. Their importance incites governments to insure the stability and the good performance of their banking systems. Accordingly, several researchers pay a particular attention to banking governance. Specifically, shareholders-managers' convergence of interests and the possible repercussions of these on the performance of banks can be avoided only by implementing a solid system of governance. The main purpose of this article is to determine the impact of governance on the performance of banks, through an empirical study of a sample of 10 Tunisian banks during the period 1997-2007. Our empirical investigation shows a positive association between external administrators and performance. It is worth noting that a high number of administrators results in a negative effect on performance. The results also reveal that managers lack control while the board of directors seems to exert a lot of power. This state of affairs results from the fact of associating the role of the manager with that of the board of directors. Finally, our results reveal a negative association between the presence of a group of dominant shareholders and performance, a phenomenon which might be explained in terms of private appropriation of benefits.


Dementia, and especially Alzheimer's disease (AD), puts significant burden on global healthcare expenditure through its increasing prevalence. Research has convincingly demonstrated the implication of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of dementia as well as of the conditions which increase the risk of developing dementia. However, drugs which target single pathways have so far failed in providing significant neuroprotection. Natural antioxidants, due to their effects in multiple pathways through which oxidative stress leads to neurodegeneration and triggers neuroinflammation, could prove valuable weapons in our fight against dementia. Although efficient in vitro and in animal models of AD, natural antioxidants in human trials have many drawbacks related to the limited bioavailability, unknown optimal dose, or proper timing of the treatment. Nonetheless, trials evaluating several of these natural compounds are ongoing, as are attempts to modify these compounds to achieve improved bioavailability.


Thin and semithin sections were extensively examined by the secondary electron (SE) detector in a conventional scanning electron microscope (SEM), and in a transmission electron microscope with a scanning attachment (STEM). Various parameters, in particular the beam voltage, were shown to affect the final SE image (SEI). As for SEM observation, a surface contrast was imaged at low primary electron (PE) voltages (0.6-2 kV), whereas a subsurface contrast predominated at higher energies (15-30 kV). In STEM, significant differences were not detected by varying the PE in the 20-100 kV range. Surface and subsurface information was simultaneously imaged even though the SEI were better resolved at the highest energy.


Objective To test clinical effectiveness and tolerability of Korean Red Ginseng augmentation (RGA) in major depressive disorder (MDD) patients with difficult-to-treat. Methods Thirty six patients were enrolled in this 6 weeks, prospective, clinical trial. Rating scales were Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), Patient Health Questionnaire-15, Clinical Global Impression-improvement (CGI-I), and Patient Satisfaction Score. The primary endpoint was a remission rate measured by MADRS score at the end of study (≤ 10). Clinical outcomes and tolerability were assessed at baseline, week 2, and week 6. Results Among 36 patients, 26 patients completed the study and 28 patients had post-baseline visit data. The remission rate by MADRS score was 39.3% (11/28) and 57.1% by CGI-I scores of 1 or 2 at the end of the study. The mean change of MADRS score was significantly decreased by 44.4% from baseline to the end of study. The most frequent adverse events were headache (7/28, 25.0%) during the study. Conclusion Our study indicates the putative effectiveness and tolerability of RGA for treating MDD with difficult-to-treat in clinical practice. However, adequately powered, randomized, controlled trials will be needed to confirm these results.


Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to study the morphology and coagulation of human blood cells in contact with solid surfaces. Blood was extracted from the veins of healthy adult donors and the samples were used immediately after extraction, deposited either on borosilicate glass or diamond substrates. Some blood samples were anti-coagulated by adding heparin for single cell AFM imaging. No chemicals were used for attaching or immobilizing the cells. The diamond substrates were produced by chemical vapour deposition (CVD diamond) using a hot-filament CVD system fed with ethanol highly diluted in hydrogen. AFM imaging of isolated cells (anti-coagulated by heparin) was only possible on the glass substrates due to the lack of adherence of the cells to the diamond surface. The coagulation results suggest that blood clotting on diamond produces a less rough surface than blood clotting on glass.


Discussions on Twitter involve participation from different communities with different dialects and it is often necessary to summarize a large number of posts into a representative sample to provide a synopsis. Yet, any such representative sample should sufficiently portray the underlying dialect diversity to present the voices of different participating communities representing the dialects. Extractive summarization algorithms perform the task of constructing subsets that succinctly capture the topic of any given set of posts. However, we observe that there is dialect bias in the summaries generated by common summarization approaches, i.e., they often return summaries that under-represent certain dialects. The vast majority of existing "fair" summarization approaches require socially salient attribute labels (in this case, dialect) to ensure that the generated summary is fair with respect to the socially salient attribute. Nevertheless, in many applications, these labels do not exist. Furthermore, due to the ever-evolving nature of dialects in social media, it is unreasonable to label or accurately infer the dialect of every social media post. To correct for the dialect bias, we employ a framework that takes an existing text summarization algorithm as a blackbox and, using a small set of dialect-diverse sentences, returns a summary that is relatively more dialect-diverse. Crucially, this approach does not need the posts being summarized to have dialect labels, ensuring that the diversification process is independent of dialect classification/identification models. We show the efficacy of our approach on Twitter datasets containing posts written in dialects used by different social groups defined by race or gender; in all cases, our approach leads to improved dialect diversity compared to standard text summarization approaches.


Whereas symbol-based systems, like deductive reasoning devices, knowledge bases, planning systems, or tools for solving constraint satisfaction problems, presuppose (more or less) the consistency of data and the consistency of results of internal computations, this is far from being plausible in real-world applications, in particular, if we take natural agents into account. Furthermore in complex cognitive systems, that often contain a large number of different modules, inconsistencies can jeopardize the integrity of the whole system. This paper addresses the problem of resolving inconsistencies in hybrid cognitively inspired systems on both levels, in single processing modules and in the overall system. We propose the hybrid architecture I-Cog as a flexible tool, that is explicitly designed to reorganize knowledge constantly and use occurring inconsistencies as a non-classical learning mechanism.


The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) describes their accreditation as the hallmark of business education. According to information at BestBizSchools.com (n.d.), AACSB accreditation represents the highest standard of achievement for business schools worldwide. Being AACSB accredited means a business school is able to continuously pass a strict set of standards that ensure quality. As of December 2010, only 5%, or 607, of the academic business programs globally were accredited by AACSB. This number represents schools in 38 countries where the majority of programs incorporate both undergraduate and graduate education covering business, accounting, or both. An institution must be a member of AACSB in order to apply for accreditation. It is important to note, however, that membership does not imply that the program is accredited (The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, n.d.-a). Recent emphasis demanding external validation on the quality of Business Schools has resulted in the promotion of AACSB accreditation as the de facto quality standard. Earning this quality seal of approval, business programs can verify they have met the 21 AACSB standards that cover strategic, participant, and assurance of learning achievements and processes. Programs with AACSB accreditation are encouraged to promote the standard using it to externally validate their quality and to market their programs to external groups including students, employers, and contributors (The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, n.d.-b). Despite established standards, no single approach to meeting standards for accreditation is suggested by AACSB. Rather, varying approaches to meeting standards should be developed to fit individual programs of institutions (Bryant & Scherer, 2009). This position by AACSB underscores its recognition of the diversity across accredited programs and allows educators wide latitude in developing and implementing approaches to excellence. Small programs are not disadvantaged so long as their students, faculty, graduates, and the employers who hire them receive the quality outputs that help them meet the external competitive requirements (Olian, 2007). In recognition of member institutions diversity, the AACSB has established the Affinity Group program where school administrators from schools sharing similar characteristics can interact, exchange ideas, and present views on a wide range of issues (Olian, 2007). This allows AACSB member schools, who have varying missions and constituents, to find and link with other programs of a similar nature where creativity and synergy can more easily occur. The AACSB wants the accreditation process to help facilitate creativity in designing business school strategies rather than being viewed as an impediment to a programs push to quality (Romero, 2008).


Background/Aims Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is characterized by chronic abdominal pain or discomfort accompanied by abnormal bowel movements. In sensitized subjects, ingested nickel (Ni) may induce gastrointestinal symptoms similar to IBS, in addition to typical systemic cutaneous lesions (systemic nickel allergy syndrome [SNAS]). A low nickel diet could improve the systemic manifestations. We evaluated prevalence of nickel allergy in IBS and effects of low Ni diet on (1) gastrointestinal symptoms control, (2) intestinal barrier function, (3) quality of life, and (4) psychological status of patients with IBS and Ni-sensitized patients. Methods Twenty consecutive patients affected by IBS and suspected SNAS underwent intestinal permeability tests. Gastrointestinal symptoms were evaluated using the visual analogue scale before and after 3 months low Ni diet. Subjects with increased intestinal permeability at baseline repeated nuclear examination after the diet. Results The most frequent profile was diarrhea-predominant IBS (8/20). The low Ni diet induced a significant and constant improvement of gastrointestinal symptoms and an equally significant improvement of visual analogue scale. Mean urinary output of 51Chromium ethylene-diamine-tetra-acetate (51Cr-EDTA) was 5.91%/24 hr (± 2.08), significantly different from the control group (2.20%/24 hr ± 0.60, P < 0.0001). Conclusion This pilot study shows that low Ni diet improves gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with IBS and SNAS.


The effects of mixed meals containing varying amounts of carbohydrate (CHO) on blood glucose levels and insulin delivery by an artificial pancreas were studied in seven insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus subjects. Each patient received, at random over 3 consecutive days, three mixed meals containing 60, 80, and 140 g complex CHOs. There was a high and linear correlation between total amount of insulin delivered to restore blood glucose values and amount of CHO consumed: 12.1 ± 1.3 to 31.2 ± 5.2 U insulin were needed for 116 ± 16 to 198 ± 24 min. However, neither the time lapse between the beginning of meal intake and blood glucose increase nor the peaking time for blood glucose variation were significantly different between meals. We suggest that some of the data obtained in this study might be useful in programming an open-loop insulin-infusion system.


Constructing a dataset for replay spoofing detection requires a physical process of playing an utterance and re-recording it, presenting a challenge to the collection of large-scale datasets. In this study, we propose a self-supervised framework for pretraining acoustic configurations using datasets published for other tasks, such as speaker verification. Here, acoustic configurations refer to the environmental factors generated during the process of voice recording but not the voice itself, including microphone types, place and ambient noise levels. Specifically, we select pairs of segments from utterances and train deep neural networks to determine whether the acoustic configurations of the two segments are identical. We validate the effectiveness of the proposed method based on the ASVspoof 2019 physical access dataset utilizing two well-performing systems. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method outperforms the baseline approach by 30%.


Lacrimal gland stone(s) (LGSs) are rare and usually asymptomatic. LGSs should be distinguished from dacryoliths, as the former arise in the lacrimal gland. The aetiology of LGSs in many cases is likely related to a reaction to a hair within the palpebral lobe of lacrimal gland. Eye rubbing may contribute to the migration of the hair into the lacrimal gland. This case report describes the rare occurrence of an LGS with a central hair shaft (cilium) and associated sinus formation in a 39-year-old male presenting with persistent redness of, and discharge from the right eye for 4 weeks. Examination revealed a sinus opening onto the inferonasal surface of the palpebral lobe of the right lacrimal gland. The patient was treated with surgical excision of the sinus, with rapid and complete resolution of his symptoms.


This paper shows that artificial neural networks can exploit the temporal structure in the domain of marketing investments. Two architectures are compared; a tapped delay neural network and simple recurrent net. The performance is evaluated, and the method for extending it is suggested. The method uses a sensitivity analysis and identifies which input parameters that could be removed for increased performance.


Recent experiments with strong THz fields in unconventional cuprate superconductors have clearly evidenced an increase of the non-linear optical response below the superconducting critical temperature Tc. As in the case of conventional superconductors, a theoretical estimate of the various effects contributing to the non-linear response is needed in order to interpret the experimental findings. Here, we report a detailed quantitative analysis of the non-linear THz optical kernel in cuprates within a realistic model, accounting for the band structure and disorder level appropriate for these systems. We show that the BCS quasiparticle response is the dominant contribution for cuprates, and its polarization dependence accounts very well for the third-harmonic generation measurements. On the other hand, the polarization dependence of the THz Kerr effect is only partly captured by our calculations, suggesting the presence of additional effects when the system is probed using light pulses with different central frequencies.


BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:
Post Dural Puncture Headache (PDPH) is a well recognized complication of subarachnoid block. The presence of predisposing factors such as female, young patients, low BMI, inexperience performers, pregnancy and multiple attempts increases the incidence of headache. There are various types of spinal needles used for spinal anaesthesia. The incidence of PDPH by intentional dural puncture is 0.1 to 36%. The incidence is however very less for pencil point needles like Whitacre. (3.1%) compared with traditional cutting needles. In this study we compared the the incidence and severity of postdural puncture headache of two needles, 25G Quincke and 25G Whitacre needle.
METHODOLOGY:
In this prospective randomized double blinded study, we included 100 patients between the age group 18 – 45 yrs, belonging to ASA 1 and 2 categories posted for lower abdominal and lower limb surgeries. Spinal anesthesia was performed using midline approach at L2-L3 or L3-L4 using one of the above needles and 0.5 % of 2-3ml Bupivacaine was injected and patient turned to supine position. The anaesthesiologists performing the procedure were blinded. Patients were interviewed on day 1,2,3,4 and 5 and were questioned regarding headache, its severity, location, character, duration and associated symptoms like nausea, vomiting, auditory and ocular symptoms. The severity was assessed using a numerical analogue scale.
RESULTS:
In a total of 100 patients 8 patients (16.5%) developed PDPH. In Quinke group there was a total of 7 patients who developed PDPH compared to that of Whitacre group, where only one patient had PDPH, which was statistically significant. The severity of headache was mild to moderate which was treated with analgesics and intravenous fluids. The incidence of headache was comparable with sex and age, with females and younger patients having higher incidence respectively.
CONCLUSION:
Thus we concluded that non cutting spinal needles like Whitacre have decreased incidence and severity of PDPH compared to cutting needles like Quincke.


One key challenge in Evolutionary Robotics (ER) is to evolve morphology and controllers of robots. Most experiments in the field converge rapidly to a single solution for the entire population. Early convergence results in a premature loss of diversity, which creates inconsistent results across multiple runs, sometimes converging to a local optimum. In Nature we can observe the opposite behavior: the more time passes, the more life becomes increasingly diverse. The increasing diversity is correlated to the formation of new species, which is catalyzed by reproductive isolation caused by physical or behavioral separation. Inspired by natural evolution, in this paper we apply artificial speciation based on morphological traits to an ER system. Individuals are forced to crossover only with individuals within the same species and a protection mechanism is applied to newly created species. In our experiments, we demonstrate that this speciation mechanism, inspired by NEAT, can evolve a population rich of many coexisting individuals, differing both in morphology and behavior.


Honor from boys' perspective? A qualitative study of young boys' perceptions of honor and honor cultures

The aim of this study was to research and present the perceptions and views of young boys concerning honor and honor cultures. Furthermore, the aim was to examine whether young boys living in honor cultures experience differences between boys and girls, in matters concerning expectations, power and responsibility distribution in the family.

Additionally, the aim was to examine whether these boys experience an obligation to preserve and protect the family honor. The method used in this study was a qualitative method consisting of semi-structured focus-group interviews.

13 boys were interviewed for this study, and divided into four focus-group interviews in total. The research I was able to conduct shows that there is no unified definition of honor although all boys described respecting yourself and your family as a main component in defining the term.

Some of the boys emphasized that there are numerous components forming honor, such as religious and socioeconomic background, sexual orientation and political views. One finding also sheds light on categorization and classification of people in different groups; the categories mentioned by the boys in this study were based on nationality.

Furthermore, the study shows that boys and girls in honor cultures are perceived to have different areas of responsibility. Power distribution differed between the sexes; the men were responsible for the family's economic survival whereas the women were responsible for the home and family. Additionally, the boys experienced that expectations varied for boys and girl concerning manners and behavior. Lastly, the study shows that these boys in fact feel a sense of responsibility towards preserving and protecting the family honor.


Abstract : This document is an Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Radar Cross-Section Advanced Measurement Site (RAMS) Comprehensive Environmental Expansion at Holloman Air Force Base (HAFB), New Mexico. The 461h Test Group (TG) National Radar Cross-Section Test Facility (NRTF) Division proposes a comprehensive expansion to the RAMS site, on White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) United States Army. The purpose of these proposed actions is to expand, upgrade, and modernize the RAMS site to accommodate its current workload. These requirements are driven by national testing at the NRTF. The Air Force NRTF proposes to comprehensively expand the RAMS site on WSMR. These actions will include the addition of an Indoor Target Flip Facility and the Advanced Target Suspension System (ATSS). The ATSS is composed of two phases: Phase One: Permanent Fixture and Phase Two: Spur Range. Reasonably foreseeable projects to be evaluated as part of the environmental analysis include: a new Paint Facility, Maintenance and Supply Facilities, Equipment Shelter building, three Administrative Facilities, six Target Storage Facilities, and Utility and Road Upgrades. Building 5018 will be removed and recycled prior to the 90nstruction of the Indoor Target Flip Facility which will be sited on the current Building 5018 location. The Environmental Analysis included a Cultural Resources Survey and a Threatened and Endangered Species Survey of undisturbed areas to be impacted by the proposed action. The EA analyzes potential impacts on water resources, air quality, erosion, socioeconomics, hazardous materials, hazardous waste, cultural resources, biological resources, and other attributes affected by the proposed action or alternatives.


Prompted by various analyses of long (type II) gamma-ray burst (GRB) rates and their relationship to the cosmic star formation history, metallicity and luminosity function evolution, we systematically analyse these effects with a Monte Carlo code. We test various cosmic star formation history models including analytical and empirical models as well as those derived from cosmological simulations. We also explore expressions for metallicity enhancement of the GRB rate with redshift, as presented in the literature, and discuss improvements to these analytic expressions from the point of view of galactic evolution. These are also compared to cosmological simulations on metal enrichment. Additionally, we explore possible evolutionary effects of the GRB rate and luminosity function with redshift. The simulated results are tested with the observed Swift sample including the L, z and peak flux (log N–log P) distributions. The observational data imply that an increase in the GRB rate is necessary to account for the observations at high redshift, although the form of this enhancement is unclear. A rate increase due to lower metallicity at higher redshift may not be the singular cause and is subject to a variety of uncertainties. Alternatively, evolution of the GRB luminosity function break with redshift shows promise as a possible alternative.


We described previously a thyroid phenotype for transgenic mice expressing an activated Ret oncogene driven from a human calcitonin promoter. Medullary thyroid carcinomas (MTC), a tumor of the thyroid parafollicular C cells, occur in this transgenic line with a pathology analogous to that seen in patients with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN2). When the transgene was introgressed onto four different genetic backgrounds, between 0 and 98% of transgenic progeny developed thyroid tumors by 10 months of age, indicating that tumor penetrance could be modulated by genetic background. Furthermore, tumors on the CBA/ca and C57BL/6J backgrounds were significantly larger than those arising in BALB/c transgenic mice. These results are relevant to human MEN2 disease, because this model system may be used to study genes modifying thyroid tumor penetrance in the dominantly inherited human cancer syndrome.


This Article argues that the institutional framework within transition economies, including the lack of a liquid capital market and a competitive product market, in addition to the focus on public benefits and socioeconomic development, favors state-owned companies in terms of a nonmarket-based system notwithstanding the popular concept of transaction costs and corporate efficiency. Despite the apparent costs of state ownership, including political considerations, soft budget constraints, and weak profit motivations, there is a rational choice for state ownership in cases when private firms are not able to deliver the same quality of goods at a lower cost. Therefore, this Article offers another insight into questions of corporate efficiency and alternative governance models of state ownership in transitional economies based on the example of Kazakhstan. It attempts to determine whether the models of state ownership existing in transition economies diminish institutional shortcomings and have important implications for capital costs.


The results of the previous study showed that theimplementation of the project which is based on the potential of the students' region was better in improving soft skills, engagement and core competencies of learning for students. This study aims to continue the investigation on revealing the effectiveness of the model in improving the students' 4Cs skills. It is driven by educational needs in this 21st century which requires vocational students to have those skills to adapt to the complexities of the real industry. This study was conducted by using a quasi-experimental method. The potential of the students' region-based project was implemented to an experimental group; meanwhile, the free theme-based project was administered to a control group. Upon completion of the assessment, each student's 4Cs skill in the experimental group had higher scores than those of the control group. Overall, after being analysed by using ANCOVA, there were significant differences found between the 4Cs skills scores of the experimental group and those of the control group. Therefore, it can be concluded that the project which is based on the potential of the students' region is more effective in improving the 4Cs skills of vocational students in higher education than the free theme based-project is. The syntaxes of the project based on the potential of students' region explained here can be a reference for teachers and lecturers in implementing it. In addition, as it is being developed, it can also inspire and be a reference for other researches focusing their study in the learning quality development at vocational education.


Report on a surgical technique to avoid strictures of the external auditory meatus with the enaural method on tympanoplasty. A pedicle flap is formed by a modified short Heermann's incision on the beginning of the bony and cartilagenous external auditory meatus. During the operation it is fixed by a retractor and it is readapted at the end of the operation. The skin of the external auditory meatus which is situated medial of this pedicle flap can be used for transplantation to replace the tympanic membrane without danger of stenosis. The authors has had 15 years of positive experience with this method.


The Distributed Batch Controller (DBC) supports scientiic batch data processing. Batch jobs are distributed by the DBC over a collection of computing resources. Since these resources may be widely scattered the DBC is well suited for collaborative research eeorts whose resources may not be centrally located. The DBC provides its users with centralized monitoring and control of distributed batch jobs. Version 1 of the DBC is currently being used by the TOVS Polar Pathhnder project to generate Arctic atmospheric temperature and humidity prooles. Proole generating jobs are distributed and executed by the DBC on workstation clusters located at several sites across the United States. This paper describes the data processing requirements of the TOVS Polar Pathhnder project, and how the DBC is being used to meet them. It also describes Version 2 of the DBC. DBC V2 is implemented in Java, and utilizes a number of advanced Java features such as threads and remote method invocation. It incorporates a number of functional enhancements. These include a exible mechanism supporting interoperation of the DBC with a wider variety of execution resources and an improved user interface.


Quantitative study of behavior should be preceded by precise description and definition of behavior. Therefore, an ethogram, which includes the comprehensive descriptions of the characteristic behavior of a species, should be constructed before any behavioral and behavior related study on the species. Although it has been started since 1970s' the behavioral studies on the Yangtze finless porpoise were generally unsystematic and descriptive. In order to develop an ethogram of the species for further behavioral and other studies, the behavior of three captive Yangtze finless porpoises, one adult male, one adult female and one sub-adult female, were observed and analyzed. Two months of preliminary observations were carried out between December, 1999 and January, 2000, aimed at obtaining a basic understanding of both the subjects and the behavior of them. The observations were made day and night, from the tank side above the water surface, mainly following the focal animal sampling protocol. Between May and July, 2000, ad libitum diurnal recording of the underwater behavior of the animals were made through video taping. After analyzing the record of the above observations, systematic focal animal sampling on the behavior of the animals across the 24 hr cycle were performed during December, 2000, from the tank side above the surface. Approximately forty behavior patterns of the animals were defined. According to the appearance and possible function of the behavior, the ethogram for captive Yangtze finless porpoise was constructed. The ethogram was composed of eight general behavioral categories, i.e. aerial display and surface behavior I play, begging food, socialization, sexual behavior, resting, rubbing, and miscellaneous. Even though possibly incomplete, the ethogram is likely to provide a valuable basis for further study on the Yangtze finless porpoises. Possible biological significance of some behaviors was discussed.


An experimental investigation is reported on in situ encapsulating copper nanoparticles with a nanolayer of hydrocarbon coating. Copper nanoparticles produced by the flow-levitation method are in situ encapsulated by the dielectric barrier discharge, which generates carbon and hydrogen plasmas for forming a polymerized nanolayer of hydrocarbon at the surface of Cu nanoparticles. The structural, chemical components and optical properties of the encapsulated Cu nanoparticles are characterized by transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray spectra, x-ray diffraction, x-ray photoelectron spectra, and UV-visible absorption.


Abstract The rediscovery of democratic traditions of folk song in Germany after the Second World War was not just the counter-reaction of singers and academics to the misuse of German folk song by the Nazis. Such a shift to a more 'progressive' interpretation and promotion of folk tradition at that time was not distinct to Germany and had already taken place in other parts of the Western world. After firstly examining the relationship between folk song and national ideologies in the nineteenth century, this article will focus on the democratic ideological basis on which the 1848 revolutionary song tradition was reconstructed after the Third Reich. It will look at how the New Social Movements of West Germany and the folk scene of the GDR functioned in providing channels of transmission for this, and how in this process a collective cultural memory was created whereby lost songs – such as those of the 1848 Revolution – could be awakened from extinction. These processes will be illustrated by textual and musical adaptations of key 1848 songs such as 'Badisches Wiegenlied' (Baden Lullaby), 'Das Blutgericht' (The Blood Court) and 'Trotz alledem' (For all that) within the context of the West German folk movement and its counterpart in the GDR.


Previous studies have suggested that obsessive-compulsive symptoms frequently occur among patients with Gilles de la Tourette's syndrome (TS). To examine the relationship between TS and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), data from all first-degree relatives of TS probands were obtained with a semistructured interview designed to collect information on the presence of TS, other tic disorders, and neuropsychiatric illnesses during the lifetime of the individual. The rate of OCD among first-degree relatives was significantly increased over estimates from the general population and a control sample of adoptive relatives. The rates of TS, OCD, and chronic multiple tics (CMT) were virtually the same in families of probands with OCD (TS +/- OCD) when compared with families of probands without OCD (TS - OCD). Finally, the frequency of OCD without TS or CMT among first-degree relatives was significantly elevated in families of both TS + OCD and TS - OCD probands, suggesting that some forms of OCD may represent an alternative expression of the factors responsible for TS and/or CMT.


Function prediction by homology is widely used to provide preliminary functional annotations for genes for which experimental evidence of function is unavailable or limited. This approach has been shown to be prone to systematic error, including percolation of annotation errors through sequence databases. Phylogenomic analysis avoids these errors in function prediction but has been difficult to automate for high-throughput application. To address this limitation, we present a computationally efficient pipeline for phylogenomic classification of proteins. This pipeline uses the SCI-PHY (Subfamily Classification in Phylogenomics) algorithm for automatic subfamily identification, followed by subfamily hidden Markov model (HMM) construction. A simple and computationally efficient scoring scheme using family and subfamily HMMs enables classification of novel sequences to protein families and subfamilies. Sequences representing entirely novel subfamilies are differentiated from those that can be classified to subfamilies in the input training set using logistic regression. Subfamily HMM parameters are estimated using an information-sharing protocol, enabling subfamilies containing even a single sequence to benefit from conservation patterns defining the family as a whole or in related subfamilies. SCI-PHY subfamilies correspond closely to functional subtypes defined by experts and to conserved clades found by phylogenetic analysis. Extensive comparisons of subfamily and family HMM performances show that subfamily HMMs dramatically improve the separation between homologous and non-homologous proteins in sequence database searches. Subfamily HMMs also provide extremely high specificity of classification and can be used to predict entirely novel subtypes. The SCI-PHY Web server at http://phylogenomics.berkeley.edu/SCI-PHY/ allows users to upload a multiple sequence alignment for subfamily identification and subfamily HMM construction. Biologists wishing to provide their own subfamily definitions can do so. Source code is available on the Web page. The Berkeley Phylogenomics Group PhyloFacts resource contains pre-calculated subfamily predictions and subfamily HMMs for more than 40,000 protein families and domains at http://phylogenomics.berkeley.edu/phylofacts/.


Rhodium(III)-catalyzed annulation of 2-biphenylboronic acids with three classes of activated alkenes has been realized, leading to the synthesis of fused or bridged cyclic skeletons via transmetalation-initiated C-H activation. In the annulative coupling of 2-biphenylboronic acid with a CF3-substituted enone, the bulky cyclopentadienyl ligand (CptBu) in the catalyst proved effective to promote the reductive elimination process prior to protonolysis, affording the [4 + 2] annulated products instead of the simple 1,4-addition product. Seven-membered rings were obtained when disubstituted cyclopropenones were employed. Bridged cycles were isolated from the coupling of 2-biphenylboronic acid with benzoquinones as a result of 2-fold Michael additions. The substrate scopes were found to be broad with up to 99% yield under air-tolerant conditions.


This study proposes a field data-based methodology to characterize the scattered signals from wind turbines. The method is based on the scattering pattern of the wind turbine, empirically obtained from the estimation of the channel impulse response, which allows the accurate estimation of the amplitude and the time variation of the scattered signals. The analysis of the Channel Impulse Response at different situations, such as the rotation speed, the orientation of the turbine or the elevation and azimuth angles of the receiver location, will allow the proper characterization of this phenomenon, and therefore, the development of an empirical model for the estimation of the potential interference of wind farms.


An epidemic of an acute respiratory disease called COVID-19 occurred at the end of 2019 in Wuhan (China) which spread throughout the world. COVID -19 can affect everyone from adults, the elderly, and children. So there needs to be education that is easy to carry out about Covid-19 and how to prevent it. This is the basis of the problem in encouraging community service activities so that they can be active in efforts to prevent COVID-19. The purpose of this educational activity is to prevent the spread of Covid-19 which is increasingly happening in Indonesia, so it is hoped that adults and children can take Covid-19 prevention. The method used during this activity is in the form of offline and online education to the surrounding community, where the material presented is in the form of proper handwashing and how to make hand sanitizers. As a result of the educational activities that have been carried out, there has been a significant change in the habits of the surrounding community where children can wash their hands properly and correctly, and for adults, especially local mothers can make hand sanitizers with the right natural ingredients to be used as emergency hand sanitizers. in daily activities.


Working animals play a fundamental role in human livelihoods through their direct and indirect contributions to food, financial, human and social capital. They are producing profitable livestock products, and provides support to food security and poverty reduction by increasing agricultural productivity but their roles have received less attention. The objective of this study was to examine the role of working animals toward livelihoods and food security in three districts of Fafan zone, Ethiopian Somali Region. This study showed that, different kinds of working animals were kept for multipurpose role, including camels, cattle, goats and sheep, donkey and little amounts of poultry in Jigjiga district (Hadaw and Deghalee Kebeles). About, 10% were used for ploughing of land in Jigjiga than Awubare (19.5%) district. Their uses for carrying loads in Jigjiga was higher (42.5%) than Kebribiyah (35.5%) district when compared to other uses. All respondents agreed that, rearing working animals was easy, ecologically feasible and possible for poor stakeholders, and increase social acceptances. Accordingly, they were contribute to HHs income (22.5% by direct sale, 37.5% through their products and by products, 24% by packing, and 16% by renting). Particularly, they were assist in creation of rural and urban economic opportunities (from the practices in Jigjiga town " Biyolle-Biyyo " services to the urban inhabitant). About 45% of respondents were indicated that they were contribute to food security as a meat source, whereas, 55% were reflected that they were contribute as source of meat and milk (contains protein, minerals, vitamins, etc.) and had significant association between livelihood activities of HHs and their farming system (χ 2 =35.14, p=0.000), and commonly used working animals and their contribution toward food security (χ 2 =37.11, p=0.000). In conclusion, working animals can be used as an alternative resources for sustainable food production for human livelihoods and enhances food security for the study area and nation at large. Keyword s : Food security, Livelihoods, Working animals, Alternative resources


We generalize the "learning algorithms from natural properties" framework of [CIKK16] to get agnostic learning algorithms from natural properties with extra features. We show that if a natural property (in the sense of Razborov and Rudich [RR97]) is useful also against functions that are close to the class of "easy" functions, rather than just against "easy" functions, then it can be used to get an agnostic learning algorithm over the uniform distribution with membership queries.

* For AC0[q], any prime q (constant-depth circuits of polynomial size, with AND, OR, NOT, and MODq gates of unbounded fanin), which happens to have a natural property with the requisite extra feature by [Raz87, Smo87, RR97], we obtain the first agnostic learning algorithm for AC0[q], for every prime q. Our algorithm runs in randomized quasi-polynomial time, uses membership queries, and outputs a circuit for a given Boolean function f that agrees with f on all but at most polylog(n)*opt fraction of inputs, where opt is the relative distance between f and the closest function h in the class AC0[q].

* For the ideal case, a natural proof of strongly exponential correlation circuit lower bounds against a circuit class C containing AC0[2] (i.e., circuits of size exp(Omega(n)) cannot compute some n-variate function even with exp(-Omega(n)) advantage over random guessing) would yield a polynomial-time query agnostic learning algorithm for C with the approximation error O(opt).


Background Pregnancy is a natural physiological statement with hormonal and metabolic changes that helps the growth and survival of the fetus. However, biochemical profiles derangement may lead to pregnancy complications. Therefore, there is a need for determining biochemical profiles among pregnant women. Methods A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted among pregnant and non-pregnant women at the University of Gondar Hospital, from February to April, 2015. Fasting blood sample was collected from 139 pregnant and 139 age matched non-pregnant women using systematic random sampling technique. Interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic and clinical data. Fasting blood glucose and lipid profile were measured by A25 Biosytemchemistry analyzer using enzymatic calorimetric methods. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 20. Level of significance between groups was analyzed using independent student t-test and Mann-Whitney U test. A p-value of <0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Result Pregnant women as compared to non-pregnant had significantly increased glucose (96.35±14.45 and 81.12±9.86 mg/dl), total cholesterol (211.9±40.88 and 172.40±29.64 mg/dl) [p<0.05], respectively. It had also significantly high triglycerides (190.81±81.04 and 107.43±45.80 mg/dl) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (116.03±37.26 and 86.12±27.29mg/dl) [p<05] in pregnant as compared to non-pregnant women. The level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was significantly lower in pregnant women (59.58±14.26) than control (63.63±11.4, P <0.05). Conclusion There were statistically significant increment in glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and decrement in high-density lipoprote in cholesterol levels among pregnant women compared with non-pregnant women. Therefore, pregnant women have to be monitored closely for their biochemical profiles to avoid adverse pregnancy outcomes.


It is argued that women are exposed to higher violence in the private domain than in the public and that it is men who are more prone to violence in the public sphere. However, official statistics do not register the violence and intimidations women encounter everyday in urban public spaces. A clear and known (by now) reason behind this, is women"s embarrassment to report, especially when it is a man they are going to report to. Hence the continuous violence against women, which includes intimidation, groping, sexual comments and harassment, threats, and other nuisance crimes with sexual undertones, goes unnoticed and under-reported. In order to grant women more mobility, safety alone as a resource is not enough, programs tackling harassment in public spaces must work on changing the norms (doxa) related to women's reputation and the discourse on prudent versus imprudent and decent versus indecent woman.


To assist Extension professionals working in Texas's Little River Watershed with efforts to educate landowners about reducing amounts of bacteria there, we assessed motivations for and barriers to landowners' adopting best management practices (BMPs). We surveyed 275 landowners in the watershed. Respondents were at least somewhat familiar with nine of 11 identified BMPs. Additionally, they agreed that 10 of 13 listed factors were motivators for adopting BMPs and that six of 14 listed factors were barriers to adopting BMPs. Extension professionals can help landowners move through the innovation-decision process by targeting educational programming and materials to motivations for and barriers to adoption of such practices.


Once you've determined the requirements of your linear motion application, how can you qualify a linear motion product to ensure it meets your application's needs? Manufacturer's specs are often vague and/ or incomplete. The only sure way is to test the product yourself. However, simply testing a product in the final application is usually not possible at such an early stage in the design process. This article will describe a series of tests that can be performed by the average user with little experience and without sophisticated measuring instruments to quickly determine the most important performance characteristics of linear motion systems.


: Focusing on diverse state approaches to nationalism provides a more nuanced view than that of Russian domestic and foreign policies driven directly by revanchist nationalism. The Russian authorities' 'official nationality' is moderate in aspiration. However, the effect is less benign because the Kremlin both mobilises extreme nationalism for regime goals and suppresses it when it becomes destabilising. This approach prevents nationalism either of extreme or moderate orientation becoming an influential, independent force in Russian politics. Such conflicting imperatives make Russia a more unpredictable international partner than if its policies were founded on a consistent ideological nationalism.


There has been a continuous trend in microelectronics to scale down device sizes during the last three decades. Several new nanoelectronic devices have already been proposed and one of the most promising devices is single-electron transistors (SETs). SET is being proposed as a new device for logic applications due to the drawback of further miniaturization of MOSFET. However, SETs are not suitable to be integrated using conventional architecture for digital logic operation due to low current drivability of SETs. Binary Decision Diagram (BDD) has been proposed for digital logic architecture to overcome a problem of low current drivability. In this paper, we review briefly the basic of SETs and then characterize some BDD-based single-electron logic circuits by using SIMON 2.0 simulator. Those circuits are BDD-based NOT logic circuit, AND logic circuit and 2-bit adder circuit. Simulation results show that those logic circuits perform logic operation correctly. SIMON simulator can serve as one of user-friendly simulators in designing and verifying larger BDD-based SET logic circuits with high accuracy and flexibility.


OBJECTIVE
To review some anatomofunctional aspects of the pyramidal tract which are relevant in clinical practice, especially the newer concepts.

DEVELOPMENT
a) Although the motor function is best known, the pyramidal tract also has sensory functions, modulating the transmission of impulses in the spinal cord. In fact, motor function is a recent acquisition on the evolutionary scale. b) Other descending pathways, such as the cortico reticulospinal path, participate in voluntary movements. However, the pyramidal pathway is necessary for fine movements of the hand. c) Most of the pyramidal fibres control movements of the contralateral side of the body, but there are a few fibres which do not cross to the other side and play a part in ipsilateral body movements. These fibres seem to contribute to motor recovery following a brain lesion. d) Classically it is recognized that the motor cortex and pyramidal fibres follow a somatotopical distribution. Nevertheless territories corresponding to different parts of the body are superimposed to a considerable extent and may be modified on very diverse occasions. e) Experimentally it has been proved that a circumscribed lesion of the pyramidal pathway does not cause hyper reflexia or spasticity. The hyper reflexia and spasticity habitually seen in patients with pyramidal syndrome is due to lesions of other descending pathways.

CONCLUSION
The pyramidal tract is anatomically and functionally related to other nerve structures and its activity is therefore integrated within the nervous system.


Purpose: To determine if brain atrophy can be calculated by performing volumetric analysis on conventional computed tomography (CT) scans in spite of relatively low contrast for this modality. Materials & Method: CTs for 73 patients from the local Veteran Affairs database were selected. Exclusion criteria: AD, NPH, tumor, and alcohol abuse. Protocol: conventional clinical acquisition (Toshiba; helical, 120 kVp, X-ray tube current 300mA, slice thickness 3-5mm). Locally developed, automatic algorithm was used to segment intracranial cavity (ICC) using (a) white matter seed (b) constrained growth, limited by inner skull layer and (c) topological connectivity. ICC was further segmented into CSF and brain parenchyma using a threshold of 16 Hu. Results: Age distribution: 25–95yrs; (Mean 67±17.5yrs.). Significant correlation was found between age and CSF/ICC(r=0.695, p<0.01 2-tailed). A quadratic model (y=0.06–0.001x+2.56x10-5x2 ; where y=CSF/ICC and x=age) was a better fit to data (r=0.716, p < 0.01). This is in agreement with MRI literature. For example, Smith et al. found annual CSF/ICC increase in 58 – 94.5 y.o. individuals to be 0.2%/year, whereas our data, restricted to the same age group yield 0.3%/year(0.2–0.4%/yrs. 95%C.I.). Slightly increased atrophy among elderly VA patients is attributable to the presence of other comorbidities. Conclusion: Brain atrophy can be reliably calculated using automated software and conventional CT. Compared to MRI, CT is more widely available, cheaper, and less affected by head motion due to ~100 times shorter scan time. Work is in progress to improve the precision of the measurements, possibly leading to assessment of longitudinal changes within the patient.


In the above article [Fekry MI, Xiao Y, Berg JZ, and Guengerich FP (2019) Drug Metab and Dispos November 2019, 47 (11) 1325-1332; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1124/dmd.119.089086 ], in Figure 4D the m/z peak labeled "275.2019" should be changed to "273.1863". The mistake was found to be due to mislabeling by a mass spectrometry software error that was not caught by the authors at the proof stage. This change does not change the interpretation of the results. The corrected figure 4 is displayed below and in the PDF and HTML versions of this article.


In order to achieve a human-like skill level in manipulation, autonomous robots that perform everyday manipulation tasks require perception capabilities that go beyond recognition delivered by single perception algorithms. In previous work we have presented RoboSherlock, an ensemble-based, knowledge driven robotic perception system and OpenEase an online framework for knowledge representation and reasoning. We propose to demonstrate, by combining these two frameworks, how knowledge processing can boosts the perception capabilities of a robotic agent performing household chores.


Abstract The aim of this paper is to determine if the ownership structure of large Central Eastern-European companies, can influence the performance of the companies via better monitoring and control of managers done by individual blockholders. We use a sample of 497 large private and public CEE companies and analyze influence of large individual type of blockholders on performance over the period 2004-2013. We use ROA as a proxy for performance, firm, country characteristics and ownership indicators in a fixed-effect panel model. Our estimates indicate that only state and foreign ownership can influence performance while individual and widely held ownership do not influence performance in large CEE companies. On average, state controlled companies tend to underperform while foreign ownership seems to be beneficial for performance. This suggests that ownership can be used as a substitute for missing good governance institutions, in such a specific environment as CEE countries.


Two novel approaches to producing highly-polarized electron beams from unstrained GaAs were tested using a micro-Mott polarimeter. Based on a suggestion by Nakanishi [1]], two-photon photoemission with 1560 nm light was used with photocathodes of varying thickness: 625  m, 0.32  m, and 0.18  m. For each of these photocathodes, the degree of spin polarization of the photoemitted beam was less than 50%. Polarization via two-photon absorption was highest from the thinnest photocathode sample and close to that obtained from one-photon absorption (using 778 nm light), with values 40.3±1.0% and 42.6±1.0%, respectively. The second attempt to produce highly-polarized electrons used one-photon emission with 778 nm light in Laguerre-Gaussian modes with different amounts of orbital angular momentum. The degree of electron spin polarization was consistent with zero, with an upper limit of ~3% for light with up to ±5ħ of orbital angular momentum. In contrast, the degree of spin polarization was 32.3±1.4% using circularly-polarized laser light at the same wavelength, which is typical for thick, unstrained GaAs photocathodes.