Background It has been reported that small joint destruction (hands and feet) affects damage (DAM)-HAQ index, whereas disease activity worsens activity (ACT)-HAQ index caused by inflammation. Clinically, in advanced rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, not only small joint destruction but medium and large (M-L) sized joint destruction appear to be associated with HAQ, especially DAM-HAQ index. However, little is known relationship between M-L sized joint destruction and functional disability in RA. Objectives To identify whether M-L sized joint destruction affects functional disability in advanced RA patients treated with non biological (non-Bio) DMARDs. Methods Active advanced 102 RA patients treated with non-Bio DMARDs were analyzed and patients who were treated with biologics were excluded. Patients were divided into three groups according to the score of modified HAQ (m-HAQ) index: the low HAQ group (0.5 ≥ mHAQ: HAQ remission, mean: 0.16, n=39), the medium HAQ group (1 ≥ mHAQ >0.5, mean: 0.81, n=27), and the high HAQ group (mHAQ >1, mean: 1.66, n=36). Clinical factors were compared among three groups and associations between mHAQ index and clinical factors were investigated. Clinical factors were as follows: Sex, Age, disease duration, dosage of PSL, DAS28-ESR, RF, MMP3, Ochi's RA classification (1), bone mineral density (hand, lumber spine and femoral neck) measured by dual X ray absorptiometry (DXA), Larsen grade measured by X ray (finger, wrist and toe), number of symptomatic M-L sized joints. Results Patient baseline demographics were described as follows: mean age: 62.4year; RA disease duration, 10.4 year, DAS28-ESR, 5.35; modified Larsen score:1.70 and modified HAQ index:0.86. In the low, middle and high HAQ groups, mean DAS28 was 4.69, 5.25 and 6.16, mean modified Larsen scores (finger, wrist and toe) for small joints were 1.55, 1.77 and 1.81 and mean number of affected M-L sized joints were 3.2, 4.8 and 6.3, mean hand BMD was 0.29, 0.30and 0.26 g/cm2, respectively. Significant difference in m-HAQ index was observed among HAQ groups (P<0.0001). Significant difference was detected as follows: disease duration (high vs. low, P=0.03); DAS28-ESR (high vs. medium and high vs. low, P<0.0001); finger Larsen score (high vs. low, P=0.021); symptomatic M-L sized joints (high vs. medium, medium vs. low, P<0.0001). According to the Ochi's classification, the least erosive subset was higher in low HAQ group than in other groups, and the mutilating disease was higher in high HAQ group than in other groups (P<0.001). Significant difference was not observed in any other clinical factors between HAQ groups. Finally, modified HAQ index correlated with number of M-L sized joints with clinical symptom (R=0.54, P<0.001), DAS28-ESR (R=0.54, P<0.001), but not associated with finger Larsen score (R=0.31, P<0.01) and wrist Larsen score (R=0.096, P=0.35). Conclusions DAS28-ESR and M-L sized joint involvement were more important factors affecting HAQ index in active advanced RA treated with non-Bio DMARDs than small joint damage. To clarify this, further chronological study may be required. References Ochi, T et al. Natural course of joint destruction and fluctuation of C1q levels in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Rheum 1988:31.37-43 Disclosure of Interest None Declared


Objective: The protein tyrosine phosphatase PTP1B is a negative regulator of insulin signaling; consequently, mice deficient in PTP1B are hypersensitive to insulin. Because PTP1B-/mice have diminished fat stores, the extent to which PTP1B directly regulates glucose homeostasis is unclear. Previously, we showed that brain-specific-PTP1B-/mice are protected against high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity and glucose intolerance, whereas muscle-specific-PTP1B-/mice have increased insulin sensitivity independent of changes in adiposity. Here we studied the role of liver PTP1B in glucose homeostasis and lipid metabolism. Research Design and Methods: We analyzed body mass/adiposity, insulin sensitivity, glucose tolerance and lipid metabolism in liver-specific-PTP1B-/and PTP1Bfl/fl control mice, fed chow or HFD. Results: Compared to normal littermates, liver-specific-PTP1B-/mice exhibit improved glucose homeostasis and lipid profiles, independent of changes in adiposity. Liver-specific-PTP1B-/mice have increased hepatic insulin signaling, decreased expression of gluconeogenic genes PEPCK and G-6-Pase, enhanced insulin-induced suppression of hepatic glucose production, and improved glucose tolerance. Liver-specific-PTP1B-/mice exhibit decreased triglyceride and cholesterol levels and diminished expression of lipogenic genes SREBPs, FAS, and ACC. Liverspecific-PTP1B deletion also protects against HFD-induced ER stress response in vivo, as evidenced by decreased phosphorylation of p38MAPK, JNK, PERK and eIF2α, and lower expression of the transcription factors C/EBP homologous protein and spliced X box-binding protein 1. Conclusions: Liver PTP1B plays an important role in glucose and lipid metabolism, independent of alterations in adiposity. Inhibition of PTP1B in peripheral tissues may be useful for the treatment of metabolic syndrome and reduction of cardiovascular risk, in addition to diabetes.


Anion-π interactions between the Lewis basic anion fluoride and π-acidic naphthalene diimide was systematically studied in a series of cyclophanes in which the properties are modulated through the influence of a second, electron-rich aromatic unit. The systems and subsequently generated radical anions, upon addition of fluoride, were studied by absorption spectroscopic and EPR techniques. The results infer a modulation as a result of the nature and strength of the π-π interaction in the macrocyclic structure.


Many tropical montane cloud forest (TMCF) trees are capable of foliar water uptake (FWU) during leaf-wetting events. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that maintenance of leaf turgor during periods of fog exposure and soil drought is related to species' FWU capacity. We conducted several experiments using apoplastic tracers, deuterium labeling and leaf immersion in water to evaluate differences in FWU among three common TMCF tree species. We also measured the effect of regular fog exposure on the leaf water potential of plants subjected to soil drought and used these data to model species' response to long-term drought. All species were able to absorb water through their leaf cuticles and/or trichomes, although the capacity to do so differed between species. During the drought experiment, the species with higher FWU capacity maintained leaf turgor for a longer period when exposed to fog, whereas the species with lower FWU exerted tighter stomatal regulation to maintain leaf turgor. Model results suggest that without fog, species with high FWU are more likely to lose turgor during seasonal droughts. We show that leaf-wetting events are essential for trees with high FWU, which tend to be more anisohydric, maintaining leaf turgor during seasonal droughts.


Abstract Helicobacter pylori (Marshall & Goodwin) is a widespread human pathogen that is acquiring resistance to the antibiotics used to treat it. This increasing resistance necessitates a continued search for new antibiotics. An antibiotic source that shows promise is animals whose immune systems must adapt to living in bacteria-laden conditions by producing antibacterial peptides or small molecules. Among these animals is the black soldier fly (BSF; Hermetia illucens Linnaeus), a Diptera that colonizes decomposing organic matter. In order to find anti-H. pylori peptides in BSF, larvae were challenged with Escherichia coli (Enterobacteriales: Enterobacteriaceae). Small peptides were extracted from hemolymph and purified using solid-phase extraction, molecular weight cutoff filtration and two rounds of preparative high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The anti-H. pylori fraction was followed through the purification process using the inhibition zone assay in brain-heart infusion agar, while peptides from uninoculated larvae had no activity. The inhibition halo of the active sample was comparable to the action of metronidazole in the inhibition zone assay. The purified sample contained four peptides with average masses of approximately 4.2 kDa that eluted together when analyzed by HPLC-mass spectrometry. The peptides likely have similar sequences, activity, and properties. Therefore, BSF produces inducible antibacterial peptides that have in vitro activity against H. pylori, which highlights BSF's position as an important target for further bioprospecting.


The back surface passivation, including the formation of the local contact through the dielectric passivation layer, is regarded as one of the core technologies for enhancing the efficiencies of crystalline silicon solar cells. In this study, the effects of the rear local contact structure on the performances of the cell were simulated by varying the size of the contact area and the distance between the contacts. Because of the symmetry of the current flow in the cell, a simulation domain was defined, and the geometric parameters, such as the rear contact width and the rear contact pitch, were optimized for a high-efficiency solar cell. The behaviors of the cell's output parameters also depended on the local doping concentration at the rear local contact. The influence of the rear surface recombination velocity on the efficiency of the cell was confirmed by comparing it with the simplified analytic equation for the short circuit-current density in the solar cell.


Objective: To investigate whether the COVID-19 pandemic would significantly affect pregnancy-associated factors in uninfected pregnant women in China. Design: A combined cohort study Setting: Six sites in China Population: Uninfected pregnant women participating in the programs with a singleton birth and delivery or termination from January 1 to May 31 2019 (pre-pandemic period, P-2019) and from January 1 to May 31 2020 (pandemic period, P-2020) (n = 32,277). Methods: The associations of pregnancy-associated outcomes and the COVID-19 were assessed by poisson regression, linear regression or log-binomial regression. Main Outcomes Measures: The number of prenatal examinations (NPE), delivery gestational week (DGW), caesarean section (CS), preterm birth, macrosomia. Results: For Hubei, the NPE and DGW were negatively associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, whereas the CS and preterm birth rates were positively associated with the COVID-19, with adjusted relative risks (aRRs) of 1.11 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.06–1.17] and 1.37 (95% CI: 1.02–1.84) respectively. For Guangdong, the associations of CS and preterm birth with the COVID-19 were similar in Hubei. Limited associations were evident in other areas while a positive association with macrosomia was observed in Beijing [aRR = 1.26 (95% CI: 1.03–1.55)]. Conclusions: The CS and preterm birth rates increased slightly in areas that were more affected by the pandemic than other areas. NPEs were not significantly interrupted and most maternal and neonatal clinical characteristics were within the normal ranges. Appropriate interventions should be considered to protect pregnant women. Keywords: COVID-19, pregnancy outcome, neonatal outcome, uninfected pregnant women


SUMMARY The sustainability of multispecies coral reef fisheries is a key conservation concern given their economic and ecological importance. Empirical estimation and numerical model analyses were conducted to evaluate exploitation status via resource reference points (or sustainability benchmarks) for coral reef fishes of the snapper-grouper complex in Puerto Rico. Mean size (L, in length) of animals in the exploited part of the population was estimated from fishery-dependent and fishery-independent size composition data and used as an indicator variable of exploitation rates. In application, fishing mortality rates estimated from L of various data sources were comparable. Of the 25 reef fish species assessed, 16 were below 30% spawning potential ratio (SPR), six were above 30% SPR, and three could not be reliably determined owing to low sample sizes. These findings indicate that a majority of snapper-grouper species in Puerto Rico are currently fished at unsustainable levels.


WHAT MAY BE the final US military medical team to deploy to Somalia is expected to arrive in Mogadishu later this month. Its members could compile the last chapter of what to date has been a unique 13 months in the history of military medicine, edged with frustration. But the experience perhaps is offering US military medicine some insights into what may lie ahead in the "new world order." The latest US Army medical team to deploy to Somalia will come from Fort Devens, which is 56 km (35 miles) northwest of Boston, Mass. Present plans call for the team to remain in Somalia until sometime this spring. In an October 7,1993, televised speech to the nation, President Clinton promised to pull all US troops out of Somalia no later than March 31. However, he added that "a few hundred support personnel in noncombat roles" would remain in Somalia for


Recent academic research suggests that teacher quality plays an important role in student achievement; however, empirical research on the efficacy of policies requiring teachers to obtain specific degrees is inconclusive, particularly in elementary education. This paper models a panel data production function with fixed effects using the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (ECLS-K) to assess the relationship between different undergraduate and graduate majors and elementary student test scores. Specifically, we aim to discern if there is a difference in teacher efficacy within the different education related majors (e.g. early childhood education and elementary education) and between education and non-education related majors.


: Steel bracing members are widely used in steel structures to reduce lateral displacement and dissipate energy during earthquake motions. Concentric steel bracing provide an excellent approach for strengthening and stiffening steel buildings. Using these braces the designer can hardly adjust the stiffness together with ductility as needed because of buckling of braces in compression. In this study the use of SMA bracing and steel bracing (Mega) utilized in steel frames are investigated. The effectiveness of these two systems in rehabilitating a mid-rise eight-storey steel frames were examined using time-history nonlinear analysis utilizing Seismo-Struct software. Results show that both systems improve the strength and stiffness of the original structure but due to excellent behavior of SMA in nonlinear phase and under compressive forces this system shows much better performance than the rehabilitation system of Mega bracing.


Background: The number of dementia diagnoses has been noted as increasing; this largely appears to be due to the fact we have an aging population. The issue has caused concern internationally in terms of the quality of care individuals receive. Aim: This research primarily investigated the impact of negative behaviours seen in dementia on a professional carer and resident relationship. Setting/Participants: Face-to-face interviews were carried out with 21 professional carers working in England in order to help understand the experiences of caring for individuals in a professional capacity – an otherwise neglected research area. The recruitment of participants was stopped when saturation was reached. The current study uses a grounded theory approach to largely investigate experiences of caring in this capacity but with a focus on behaviour and relationships. Results: With the analysis of the interviews a core category emerged: "Developing behaviour in dementia impacts relationships on a personal and professional level". Thematic analysis identified three phases: 1. Display of negative behaviour, 2. Understanding, 3. Positive / Negative relationship change. Conclusions: The research suggests that in order to maintain good relationships with residents suffering with dementia, people need a good level of understanding of their behaviour. The participants identified deterioration in relationships between themselves as professional care assistants and the residents, between the residents and their family members and between residents themselves.


Algae has been recognized as a promising biofuel source due to its natural production of harvestable oil. To maximize oil production, the algae's growth must be maximized. When treated with nitrogen, an essential element for plant and algal photosynthesis, algae is able to absorb more sunlight which in turn leads to increased growth. The purpose of our experiment was to determine how urea and potassium nitrate affect algae's photosynthetic rates. In order to test these rates the chlorophyll and cell density was calculated from two urea and potassium nitrate enriched algae samples over two weeks. Our data showed potassium nitrate enriched solutions had higher chlorophyll concentration and cell density after two weeks growth. This supports our prediction and hypothesis ultimately taking BiRAQC a step closer to understanding the most practical route commercialization of algae based biofuel production.


We investigate a possibility of primordial black hole (PBH) formation with a hierarchical mass spectrum in multiple phases of inflation. As an example, we find that one can simultaneously realize a mass spectrum which has recently attracted a lot of attention: stellar-mass PBHs ($\sim\mathcal{O}(10)M_\odot$) as a possible source of binary black holes detected by LIGO/Virgo collaboration, asteroid-mass ($\sim\mathcal{O}(10^{-12})M_\odot$) as a main component of dark matter, and earth-mass ($\sim\mathcal{O}(10^{-5})M_\odot$) as a source of ultrashort-timescale events in Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment microlensing data. The recent refined de Sitter swampland conjecture may support such a multi-phase inflationary scenario with hierarchical mass PBHs as a transition signal of each inflationary phase.


Summary. The protein folding problem is the most important unsolved problem in structural biochemistry. The problem consists of three related puzzles: i) what is the physical folding code? ii) what is the folding mechanism? and iii) can we predict the 3D structure from the amino acid sequences of proteins? Bearing in mind the importance of protein folding, misfolding, aggregation and assembly in many different disciplines, from biophysics to biomedicine, finding solutions that would be generally applicable is of the utmost importance in biosciences.


Plasma concentrations of vitamins A and E were examined in sheep, and a transitory decrease was observed after a single massive dose of vitamin D3 (5 X 10(6) IU) was administered orally or parenterally. Administration of a large dose of vitamin E to sheep decreased plasma retinol concentrations within 72 hours, but thereafter, the plasma retinol concentrations returned to near baseline values. Oral administration of a single pharmacologic dose of dl-alpha-tocopherol (5 g) to sheep caused a slow increase of this vitamin in the blood plasma. In cattle, a single IM administration of 3 liposoluble vitamins (A, D3, and E) at acceptable concentrations had no detectable influence on plasma alpha-tocopherol concentrations with the sampling intervals used. Plasma concentrations of alpha-tocopherol in these cattle showed a marked seasonal pattern; the concentrations increased from January to a peak in July, with a subsequent decrease in the fall. Also reported are estimates of inter- and intraindividual variation in plasma liposoluble vitamin concentrations.


Given the increased demands on the production of hydrocarbons and cost-effectiveness for the Operator's development wells, the industry is challenged to continually explore new technology and methodology to improve drilling performance and operational efficiency. In this paper, two recent case histories showcase the technology, drilling engineering, and real-time optimization that resulted in record drilling times.
 The wells are located on shallow water in the Gulf of Mexico, with numerous drilling challenges, which typically resulted in significant Non-Productive Time (NPT). Through close collaboration with the Operator, early planning with a clear understanding of offset wells challenges, well plan that minimize drilling in the Upper Cretaceous "Brecha" Formation were formulated. The well plan was also designed to reduce the risk of stuck pipe while meeting the requirements to penetrate the geological targets laterally to increase the area of contact in the reservoir section. This project encapsulates the successful application of the latest Push-the-Bit Rotary Steerable System (RSS) with borehole enlargement technology through a proven drilling engineering process to optimize the drilling bottomhole assembly, bit selection, drilling parameters, and real-time monitoring & optimization
 The records drilling times in the two case histories can be replicated and further improved. A list of lessons learned and recommendations for the future wells are discussed. These include the well trajectory planning, directional drilling BHA optimization, directional control plan, drilling parameters to optimize hole cleaning, and downhole shocks & vibrations management during drilling and underreaming operation to increase the drilling performance ultimately. Also, it includes a proposed drilling blueprint to continually push the limit of incremental drilling performance through the use of RSS with hydraulics drilling reamers through the Jurassic-age formations in shallow waters, Gulf of Mexico.


Using a dielectric isolation process, 350V analog-digital compatible power IC technologies were developed. Good complemental electrical characteristics were achieved by vertical npn and new lateral pnp transistors, and the transistor noise was reduced by removing crystal defects specific to dielectrically isolated wafers, furthermore, high accuracy of resistance was achieved by a symmetrical layout. The technologies were applied to the development of a high voltage power IC for communication use.


We presented a dynamically tunable electromagnetically induced reflection (EIR) based on the complementary graphene metamaterials composed of the wire-slot and split-ring resonators slot (SRRs-slot) array structures for the terahertz region. In this structure, the dark mode excited by the near field coupling between wire-slot and SRRs-slot structures, induces a reflection window. Moreover, the reflection window can be actively controlled by varying the lateral displacement between two slot-type resonant structures or Fermi energy of graphene without reoptimizing and re-fabricating structure. In addition, the large positive group delay obtained within the reflection peak can be also tuned over a broad terahertz region by changing the Fermi energy of graphene. Therefore, the work opens up the possibility for the development of compact elements such as modulators, tunable sensor, switches and slow light devices.


The 7.5% CO2 inhalational model ('CO2 challenge') can be used to explore potential treatments for generalized anxiety disorder. However, it remains unknown how inter-individual variability in the functional architecture of negative affective valence systems might relate to the anxiogenic response to CO2 challenge. In this pilot study, we explored how connectivity in systems associated with processing potential threat ("anxiety") correlated with behavioural measures of anxiety following prolonged CO2 inhalation. The negative affective valence system was identified using a passive emotional face perception task. Spherical regions of interest were created from peak voxels of significant brain activation when 100 young adult participants viewed emotional faces compared with black and white concentric circles during a functional MRI scan. Using these regions of interest, generalized psychophysiological interaction (gPPI) analysis was undertaken to explore task-evoked functional connectivity in a separate group of 13 healthy volunteers. Within 7 days of the scan, these participants underwent CO2 challenge and results from the gPPI analysis were correlated with CO2 outcome measures. Exposure to CO2 challenge significantly increased subjective anxiety, negative affect, systolic blood pressure and heart rate. Functional connectivity between the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and right amygdala was positively correlated with heart rate. Increased connectivity between the vmPFC and the right amygdala, and decreased connectivity between the midcingulate cortex (MCC) and the left amygdala, correlated with subjective anxiety during CO2 challenge. Response to CO2 challenge was related to task-evoked functional connectivity between regions known to be important in processing potential threat. Further studies are required to assess whether this translates into clinical populations. Measures of functional connectivity within emotional processing networks could be potential biomarkers to enable stratification of healthy volunteers, and to examine correlates of response, in trials using experimental medicine models.


The paper analyzes the books written by Gabor Szekely on lexical semantics. The Hungarian linguist focuses on the quantitative changes (the intensification or weakening) of one and the same quality (of word meaning), on the one hand, in the paradigm (warm > hot, cf. dictionaries of synonyms), and, on the other hand, in syntagmatics (warm > very warm, cf. dictionaries of intensifying word combinations).


Formal, quasi-legal, inquiries into homicides, suicides and serious incidents, even when sensitively and carefully conducted, may be experienced as persecuting to staff, excessively blame-orientated and damaging to an already weakened service. Many reports simply identify the individuals responsible and their particular failures, without considering the broader organisational context. In the present paper we describe a structured and systematic method of investigating adverse incidents on an acute psychiatric ward which draws attention to the wider organisational context as well as to the actions or omissions of individuals. An analysis of a serious incident, albeit one from which no permanent harm resulted, is also presented. Detailed analysis provides information both about specific management problems and more general unsafe features of an organisation, such as deficiencies in training or supervision, and problems in written or verbal communication, both between staff and between staff and patients.


Several proposals calling for fundamental reform of the Federal income tax system have been put forth, including a report by the co-chairs of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility. The primary elements of reform—eliminating tax preferences, restructuring capital gains and dividend tax rates, lowering rates on individual income, and reducing the number of tax brackets—could have a signifi cant impact on the after-tax income and well-being of both farm businesses and rural households. This report uses published and special tabulation data obtained from the Internal Revenue Service, farm-level data from USDA's Agricultural Resource Management Survey, and data from the American Housing Survey to examine the current tax situation for farm households and to evaluate the importance of various Federal income tax policies. For farm households, the effect of reform will primarily depend upon changes to existing treatment of investment and business income, including several important business deductions. In contrast, changes to existing individual tax credits, especially refundable tax credits, will likely be of greater signifi cance to nonfarm rural households.


Presents a method that estimates robot displacements in outdoor unstructured terrain. It computes the displacements on the basis of associations of 3D points sets produced by consecutive stereovision frames, the associations being determined by tracking pixels from one image frame to the other. The paper details the various steps of the algorithms, and first experimental results are presented: they show that the algorithm is able to estimate the 6 parameters of the robot position with a relative error smaller than about 5%, processing several hundreds of images over several tens of meters.


ObjectivesIt has been historically proven that when measuring instrumental color, the magnitude of the color value will differ between instruments types, (i.e., HunterLab and Minolta). However, it is not known whether variability of readings within machine differs between machine type when measuring instrumental color or pH. It is also not known if pH or color values from one machine can be used to predict values from a second machine. The objectives were to (1) evaluate the effect of machine on the variability of instrumental color and pH measurements of boneless pork loins and (2) determine if color or pH measurements from one machine type can be used to predict measurements from a second machine type.Materials and MethodsTwo different sets (n1 = 253 and n2 = 294, respectively) of loins from a commercial processing facility were measured for instrumental color analysis. Loins were evaluated on the ventral face at the approximate location of the 10th rib at 22 h postmortem. Instrumental color was measured using a Minolta CR-400 Chroma meter equipped with a D65 illuminant, 2° observer, 8mm aperture, and calibrated with a white tile specific to the machine, but the first set were measured with an open aperture while the second used a closed aperture. The HunterLab was equipped with a 10° observer, 25 mm port and calibrated with a black and white tile specific to the machine for both sets. Ultimate pH was measured on three additional sets of loins (n1 = 249, n2 = 170, and n3 = 285 for each group, respectively) using two separate pH meters. Color and pH data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS as a 1-way ANOVA with two levels (Minolta and Hunter for color, Meter A and Meter B for pH). Variances for each treatment were calculated using the means procedure and tested for homogeneity using the Levene's test of the GLM procedure. Means and variances were considered different at P ≤ 0.05. Coefficients of determination (R2) were calculated using the REG procedure between Hunter and Minolta readings and between pH meters.ResultsRedness, Chroma and hue angle had greater variability (P < 0.01) when measured using the open aperture Minolta than HunterLab, while only chroma (P = 0.04) and hue angle (P < 0.01) had greater variability when using the closed aperture Minolta compared with the HunterLab. Variability of other traits did not differ between machines. For each set of loins, pH variability was greater for meter B than meter A. R2 values between the HunterLab and open aperture Minolta were 0.42 for lightness, 0.41 for redness, 0.27 for yellowness, 0.28 for saturation, and 0.18 for hue angle. R2 values between the HunterLab and closed aperture Minolta were 0.42 for lightness, 0.42 for redness, 0.33 for yellowness, 0.24 for saturation, and 0.04 for hue angle. Meter A was able to predict between 17–21% of variation in Meter B.ConclusionOverall, variability was generally not different between color machines, while pH meters had different variabilities between machines and on days of measurement. Neither color instruments nor pH meters were able to predict values from other instruments of different types well enough for practical use.


Objective: To determine the trend of incidence rate of total knee arthroplasty (TKA), total hip arthroplasty (THA), and TKA or THA (major joint arthroplasty, MJA) among rheumatoid arthritis (RA) population and compared them with general population (GP) in Taiwan. Methods: Incidence rates and trends of TKA, THA, and MJA were determined over a 14-year period (2000–2013) among RA patients and compared them with GP. RA of patients was diagnosed based on the ACR 1987 criteria and extracted from GP. Subanalyses of incidences of TKA, THA, and MJA by year, 10-year age group, and gender were further conducted for demographic analysis. Patient profiles were extracted from the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) for interrupted time-series analysis and cohort studies. Results: Patients enrolled were 168,457 receiving TKA, 64,543 receiving THA, and 228,191 receiving MJA surgery. Incidences of TKA, THA, and MJA in RA patients were significantly lower by 49.0, 41.5, and 41.0% compared with concomitantly rises in GP by 131.0, 25.1, and 90.0% among the GP during the study period. The dominant age population for TKA, THA, and MJA were those aged 70–79 years in both GP and RA groups. Conclusions: We found an opposing trend in incidence of TKA, THA, and MJA between RA patients and the GP. The possible influence of pharmacological treatment is implicated for the lower incidence rates of TKA, THA, and MJA surgeries among RA patients.


This descriptive-exploratory research aimed to identify and describe the physical and financial production of the main procedures, in medical clinics, in processed hospitalizations paid by the Ribeirao Preto Municipal Health Secretariat. Data collection used documental research in official databases of five hospitals associated to the Unified Health System, between 1996 and 2003. The physical production of procedures in the following subspecialties increased: cardiovascular system diseases, respiratory problems and digestive system diseases. The subspecialties neurological and respiratory problems as well as cardiovascular system diseases consumed most of the financial resources. Specialization of hospitals in some subspecialties was evidenced. Although the study does not present estimates for the following years, the increase in the physical and financial production of clinical medicine procedures, in the city studied, justifies a critical analysis made by managers of the local health system. Descriptors: Single Health System; Hospital Information Systems; Hospitalization; Nursing.


On the basis of electron trajectory calculation in surface conduction electron emitter displays, it is found that an anode current can be generated from the inertial force of electron motion along the electric field line with a small curvature over the fissure of 10 nm scale. Most electrons of the film current flow to the coplanar electrode, while the electrons from the upper surface of the cathode edge initially follow the curved electric field lines; thereafter, they accelerate to deviate from the inner electric field of the fissure and move directly toward the display surface for the anode current.


I will argue that the impact of the lie is different from the disorientations of post-truth. [1] Post-truth refers to a loss of bearings when any statement can be put up against any other statement, whether or not it is anchored in evidence. 'Alternative facts' are indeed head-spinning, in that they undermine a common base upon which judgment could be framed and consent among positions achieved. But the lie also shatters identity. It attacks one's attachment to truthfulness as a capacity to repair and sustain the 'good object' with which one is identified as a good ego. In the depressive position, as defined by Klein (1935), that identification includes the recognition of reality, including the ambivalence of psychic life. Without this reinforcement between good ego and good object, splitting into fragmentation can occur (Hinshelwood 2008). Living inside the lie promises certainty and security, as long as doubt, uncertainty and insecurity can be displaced outside the community of the lie. Living outside the lie becomes existentially and epistemologically insecure. The agony of ambivalence added to the terror of dissolution outside the embrace of the lie reinforce the power of autocracy.


Silica fouling patterns in a sodium–silica system and the effect of pH on residual dissolved silica concentrations are reported. The unique chemical affinity between sodium and silica (SO4) prevented silica scale deposition on the membrane surface during reverse osmosis (RO) desalination. It was found that high concentrations of sodium in solutions depressed silica solubility to 81–84 mg L−1 for a maximum NaCl salinity of 60–65 g L−1. Using a range of membrane examination techniques, it was found that no silica scale formed on the RO membrane surfaces from NaCl solutions free from cations such as Ca, Al and Fe. This was considered to be the result of sodium ions acting as a barrier between polymeric silica and the membrane surface.


PURPOSE
To evaluate color Doppler ultrasound (US) in detection of subclinical stenosis of hemodialysis access grafts and fistulas.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Doppler US was performed in 40 consecutive patients with no clinical or laboratory findings of hemodialysis access dysfunction. To assess the presence and percentage of stenosis, the maximum systolic blood velocity and velocity ratios were measured and the US images were assessed visually. Fistulography was recommended in patients who demonstrated stenosis greater than 50% at US.

RESULTS
At US, 32 of the 40 patients had evidence of stenosis greater than 50%. In 23 of the 32 patients, a follow-up fistulogram was obtained. Hemodynamically significant stenosis was confirmed in 19 of the 23 patients at fistulography. Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty was then performed in 18 of the 19 patients and was successful.

CONCLUSION
Color Doppler US is more sensitive than clinical or laboratory methods for detection of hemodialysis access stenosis. Screening with US appears to enable earlier detection and therapy.


A double-beam infrared spectrophotometer is described. The features include use of one solid angle of radiation for both beams (alternating at 5.5 cps); interchangeable sodium chloride and potassium bromide prisms and 3600 and 7500 lines per inch gratings; and optional modes of automatic recording, either percent transmission on strip chart or expanded recording of energy differences. Significant is the use of two rotating segmented mirrors with the source being imaged in the plane of the first mirror, then in the plane of the second, and, finally, upon the entrance slit of the spectrometer. Steadiness of the source image upon the slit is, therefore, independent of adjustment and quality of the rotating mirrors.


Market and segment administration represent an alternative perspective to recently popular product or product line administration approaches. By focusing on specific markets and segments of interest, market administration can further the organization's mission and promote its financial viability.


As the title suggests the article deals with certain quantitative analysis of legislation, the backbone of any legal order, using methodological and theoretical approach, as well as investigative and analytical approach applied, in this case, on legislation, i.e. the legal order of the Czech Republic. It can be characterized as a specific statistical method based on the quantification of investigated phenomena of interest. However, this quantification cannot be done in a standard way – mainly because in legal theory any attempt to approach the investigated topics with quantitative exactness is a rare effort, there are no standards and sometimes such attempts may even be met with suspicion. The introduction is therefore necessarily focusing on the question whether such legal phenomenon as legislation can be described quantitatively. The next part is dedicated to the methodology and clarification of author's approach, i.e. mainly definitions and interpretations of the introduced and monitored variables and their operationalization. The third part of the study is an application of the introduced methodology on concrete research: quantitative description of Czech legislation over the last 12-month period, for which full data set has been collected. Thanks to regular quantitative monitoring of Czech legislation, and other similarly focused research efforts, in recent years we are able to compare the results of these analyses for different periods. The key variables and quantitative indicators were derived from the formal structure of legislative documents with emphasis on the relevance of the law, branch structure of legislation and also on the international factor in this context. Changes documenting the development of legislation are then highlighted within this framework. This procedure could be an inspiration for similar quantitatively and thematically oriented comparative research efforts in different countries, especially when it comes to the growing cooperation between Central European countries.


The leukocyte adherence inhibition (LAI) test were performed by utilizing Halliday's hemacytometer method. Total 47 healthy individuals (4 tuberculin purified protein derivative-positive, 12 Candida-positive, 8 house dust-positive and 23 delayed skin test-negative), aged 3 weeks to 6 years old, were blood donors. Mononuclear leukocytes (MNL) were isolated from the peripheral blood, and used as effector and indicator cells. Mean percent leukocyte adherence inhibition (% LAI) of MNL from persons with positive delayed skin test is 34.78 ± 12.40. When skin test is negative, mean % LAI is 9.64 ± 8.20. There is a significant difference between them. (p<0.001) The LAI test seems to be usable to detect cell-mediated immunity, especially in infants and children, partly because only a small volume of blood is re-quired to the LAI test.


Background: BRCA1 mutated breast tumor cells are defective in DNA repair by homologous recombination and therefore especially sensitive to treatment with DNA double-strand break (DSB) inducing agents, such as alkylators and PARP inhibitors. However, such tumors can eventually develop therapy resistance. Understanding the underlying mechanisms may help in designing strategies to avoid or overcome acquired therapy resistance. Methods: We have developed patient derived BRCA1-deficient triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) xenograft models by implantation of fresh human breast tumor pieces and subsequent serial passaging. These models show epigenetic loss of BRCA1 expression due to promoter hypermethylation or genetic inactivation of BRCA1 due to a frameshift mutation (c.2210delC) resulting in a premature stop codon (p.Thr737LeufsX15). We have used these 3 BRCA1-deficient TNBC models to study response and acquisition of resistance to alkylating therapy (cisplatin, melphalan, nimustine) and the clinical PARP inhibitor olaparib. Results: Treated tumors responded well to the alkylators cisplatin, melphalan and nimustine or the PARP inhibitor olaparib, in some cases resulting in complete remission with no palpable tumor left. However, relapses did occur in most cases and repeated treatment of recurrent tumors eventually led to acquired resistance. Since restoration of BRCA1 function has been suggested as a mechanism of therapy resistance (Swisher et al., Cancer Res 2008; 68: 2581), we determined BRCA1 expression in therapy-sensitive and -resistant tumors by Western blot analysis. While no full length BRCA1 protein could be detected in the therapy-sensitive tumors, expression of full length BRCA1 protein was found in the majority of alkylator resistant and olaparib resistant tumors. BRCA1 re-expression in the therapy-resistant BRCA1-c.2210delC tumors was caused in most cases by genetic restoration of the reading frame due to additional deletions near the c.2210delC mutation. In therapy-resistant TNBC xenografts that showed epigenetic loss of BRCA1 before treatment, resistance was also often associated with expression of BRCA1. In many of these tumors, loss of BRCA1 promoter hypermethylation was detected. Some of the therapy resistant tumors that showed BRCA1 expression did not show loss of BRCA1 promoter hypermethylation. In these tumors, complex rearrangements at the BRCA1 locus were found. These rearrangements placed the BRCA1 gene behind an alternative promoter, which led to expression of BRCA1 in these tumors. Conclusion: Although BRCA1-deficient TNBC xenografts are initially very sensitive to alkylating agents and olaparib, resistance to treatment develops in almost all treated tumors. This acquired resistance is frequently associated with re-expression of BRCA1 due to secondary mutations in BRCA1 mutated tumors. In breast tumors that showed epigenetic loss of BRCA1, acquired resistance is associated with loss of promoter methylation or complex rearrangements at the BRCA1 locus. This proffered talk is also presented as Poster A40.


Abstract Species in the genus Coccoloba are trees, shrubs, and lianas present in low elevation tropical and sub-tropical forests. Since 1756, well over 400 taxa have been described for Coccoloba. Coccoloba species are natively distributed throughout the New World in a variety of habitats. Despite being distributed throughout the Neotropics, the concentration of Coccoloba species in a given area varies considerably, with four centers of diversity for the genus: southern and coastal Brazil, the West Indies, Mesoamerica, and Amazonia. We here present the first molecular phylogeny of Coccoloba and use this phylogeny to investigate geographic patterns of diversity within the genus. The topology of the phylogeny and the closest related genera to Coccoloba suggest a Mesoamerican origin for the genus. The South American species are recovered as the crown group of the phylogeny with one instance of a separate migration event from Mesoamerica to South America. Coccoloba species in Mesoamerica and the Caribbean show little to no geographic pattern to their diversification. Mesoamerica and the Caribbean are best considered as one phytogeographic region for Coccoloba.


Human skin not only functions as a permeation barrier (mainly due to the stratum corneum layer), but it also provides a unique delivery pathway for therapeutic and other active agents. Skin is a widely used route of delivery for local and systemic drugs and is useful as a route for their delivery as nanoparticles. The skin behaves as a natural physical barrier against particle penetration, but there are opportunities to deliver therapeutic nanoparticles, especially in diseased skin and to the openings of hair follicles. These compounds penetrate via intercellular, intracellular and transappendageal routes, resulting in topical delivery (into skin strata) and transdermal delivery (to subcutaneous tissues and into the systemic circulation). Active and passive permeation enhancement methods have been widely used to increase cutaneous penetration. Recent literature has demonstrated that nanoparticles-based topical delivery systems can be successful in treating skin conditions as they combine the advantages of both the nano sized drug carriers and the topical approach.


A possible mechanism of dynamic kinetic resolution by the formation of N-tert-butoxycarbonyl-thiazolidine carboxylic acid was proposed and validated by a quantitative density functional theoretical calculation according to Curtin–Hammett principle. Such a mechanism of action of a nucleophilic substitution reaction through an intramolecular hydrogen bonding could be widely applied in the organic syntheses of particular enantiomer. Antibacterial activities showed that most of the N-tert-butoxycarbonyl-(2R)-arylthiazolidine-(4R)-carboxylic acid derivatives exhibited better antibacterial activities against the four bacterial strains than related (2RS)-arylthiazolidine-(4R)-carboxylic acid derivatives.


OBJECTIVE
To determine whether a clinical organization strategy can improve measles-mumps-rubella vaccination rates in adolescents by reducing missed opportunities.

DESIGN
Nonequivalent control group design with a treatment clinic and a comparison clinic. Measurements were made for 8 months before intervention and for 9 months after intervention.

SETTING
Two urban family practice clinics serving a low socioeconomic population.

POPULATION
All clinic visits by adolescents aged 11 to 18 years.

INTERVENTION
A clinic organizational strategy that systematically identified and vaccinated adolescents seen in the clinic for any reason.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Two vaccination indexes were measured monthly at each clinic: the percentage of eligible visits at which measles-mumps-rubella vaccination was given and the percentage of visits that were up to date, with adolescents having received the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine at that visit or at a previous visit.

RESULTS
The intervention resulted in a significant increase at the treatment clinic in the mean percentage of vaccinations given (from 7.8% to 17.4%) (Student's t = 3.02; P = .0087) and the mean percentage of up-to-date visits (from 17.2% to 38.6%) (t = 8.33; P < .0001). During the same period, there was no significant change in the mean vaccination rates in the comparison clinic.

CONCLUSIONS
An organizational strategy appears to be a useful method to reduce missed opportunities and improve measles-mumps-rubella vaccination rates in adolescents from a low socioeconomic population.


Conservation laws for conduction current and vorticity are established for non-steady aligned MHD flow of a viscous fluid with finite electric conductivity provided that the square of the Alfvén number of the flow is inversely proportional to the magnetic Prandtl number of the fluid.


Measuring the fiber lengths of the broken pieces and estimating the mean tensile strength from the length just before the final fragment length in tension, efforts were made to estimate the axial compressive strengths of carbon fibers when the tensile strength varies with the length. The estimated compressive strength of carbon fibers decreases with increasing temperature. This decrease in compressive strength may be accounted for by a decrease in the radial compressive force owing to a decrease in the residual thermal stress and a decrease in Young's modulus of the resin matrix. There is a linear relationship between the estimated compressive strength and radial compressing force in the temperature range from room temperature to 80°C. The real compressive strength of the fibers, determined by extrapolating this straight line until the radial compressing force is zero, is about 20% higher than the compressive strength estimated by assuming that the tensile strength is uniform. It is approximately 10–50% of tensile strength. A linear relationship between the fiber axial compressive strength and compressive strength of the unidirectional composites is found. The experimental values agree with the values calculated by the rule of mixtures.


Receiver function is defined as the spectral ratio of the radial component and the vertical component of the ground motion. It is used to characterize converted waves. We extend the use of the receiver function to downhole data using waves recorded in a borehole, excited by an earthquake of magnitude 4.0 near San Francisco, California, on 26 June 1994. The focal depth of the event was 6.6 km and the epicenter was located at a distance of 12.6 km from the borehole array. Six threecomponent sensors were located at different depths in a borehole. To extract a coherent response of the near-surface from the incoherent earthquake waves, we deconvolve the waves recorded by the sensors at different depths with the waves recorded by the sensor on the surface. Deconvolution applied to the waves in the Stime window recorded by the radial component result in an upgoing and a downgoing wave propagating with S-wave velocity. For the waves in the P-time window recorded by the radial component, deconvolution also gives an upgoing and a downgoing wave propagating with S-wave velocity. This interesting result suggests a Pto-S conversion at a depth below the deepest sensor. To diagnose this we compute the receiver function for the borehole recording of the earthquake waves. The receiver function shows an upgoing wave with an arrival close to time t ! 0 for the deepest sensor. The agreement of the upgoing wave in the receiver function with the traveltime curve for the P-to-S converted wave, calculated using the Pand the S-wave velocity profile, supports the hypothesis of a pronounced P-to-S conversion. We present a synthetic example to illustrate that the first arrival of the receiver function applied to borehole data gives the upward-propagating P-to-S converted wave. To corroborate the observation of the mode conversion, we apply receiver function to a different earthquake data recorded by the same borehole array in 1998. The focal depth of the event was 6.9 km and the epicenter was located at a distance of 13 km from the borehole array. The receiver function for these data also show an upgoing wave with a pulse close to time t ! 0 at the deepest sensor. The moveout of the upgoing wave agrees with the travel-time curve for the P-to-S converted wave, hence supporting our observation of the mode conversion.


Increased demand for traditional timber species has led to the depletion of large areas of Ghana's forest cover. Sustainable forest management requires that measures are put in place to minimize forest depletion through the utili-zation of lesser-known species, reforestation, setting margins for annual al-lowable cut, banning export of round logs, conservation of biological diversity and promotion of efficient wood-based industry. The study aimed at exploring public perception on the use of lesser-known species for making furniture to save our dwindling forest. The research methods adopted were purposive and random sampling. It is purposive because the research was targeted at furniture shops and furniture showrooms and random sampling was used to make the selection. A questionnaire was developed to acquire data for the study from experienced people in the timber industry as well as the general public. Specifically, 450 people were contacted to fill the questionnaire from 15 constituencies out of 29 in the Western Region. Personal interviews were also conducted. The research revealed that most Ghanaians prefer traditional species to the lesser-known ones. Greater part of the population prefers species like Odum, Danta, Dahoma, and Denyan etc. For roofing whiles Cedar, mahogany, Makore, Walnut, and Avodirie are used for furniture. The perception is that when the traditional species are used for either roofing or furniture they last longer. Some challenges with the use of lesser-known species are lack of ready market for products may from lesser known species, and lack of requisite machines to work with some of the lesser-known species etc. The study concluded that there is the need here in Ghana to promote the utilization of lesser known species; since majority of furniture manufacturers have little knowledge about their usage in the industry.


This paper adopts a dynamic spatial panel data model with common factors to explain the non-stationary diffusion process of cigarette consumption across 69 Italian provinces over the period 1877-1913. The Pesaran (2015) CD-test and the exponent a-test of Bailey et al. (2015) are used to show that both weak and strong cross-sectional dependence are important drivers of the propagation of cigarette demand over this period. Stability tests on the coefficients and the CD-test on the residuals of the model are used to verify whether the data and both forms of cross-sectional dependence are modeled adequately. Cigarettes are found to be a normal good with an income elasticity of 0.4 and a price elasticity -0.4 in the long term. The price elasticity can be decomposed into a direct effect of -0.54 in the own region and a spillover effect to other regions of 0.15. This positive spillover effect is in line with previous spatial econometric studies which investigated cigarette demand in the U.S. states over a more recent period.


This paper proposes a novel differential CMOS Schmitt trigger with adjustable hysteresis. The hysteresis of the proposed circuit is generated using cross-coupled pMOS or nMOS transistors, which can be tuned by engineering cross-coupled transistors current. By changing input voltage, the hysteresis window can also be adequately adjusted. Negative feedback has been introduced through CMOS differential amplifier which makes the circuit less sensitive to process, supply voltage and temperature (PVT) deviations. The proposed configuration uses TSMC 0.18 µm CMOS technology with 1.8V supply voltage. Simulation results show that the switching voltage of the circuit can be tuned for target applications.


George Petersen died recently in Shellharbour Hospital. His wife Mairi and stepdaughter Natalie were with him. George had been hospitalised for eight days, with complications arising from his cardiovascular system. During these days he had the constant care of family, friends, and the excellent hospital staff. With their company and comfort, he faded away without pain on 28 March 2000. This obituary is not a work of history, nor even biography. It merely recounts a few passages in a long and busy political life, adding some political commentary taken from George's own words. This journal article is available in Illawarra Unity Journal of the Illawarra Branch of the Australian Society for the Study of Labour History: http://ro.uow.edu.au/unity/vol2/iss2/5


BACKGROUND & PROBLEMS
Smoking cessation improves disease prognoses and decreases the risk of sudden death in patients with coronary artery disease.

PURPOSE
This study was designed to increase the six-month smoking cessation rate to more than 45% for hospitalized patients with coronary artery disease.

RESOLUTIONS
Data analysis found a current smoking cessation rate of zero percent. Strategies to raise this rate significantly included implementing a referral system, regulating case managers and follow-up procedures, providing smoking cessation guidelines, distributing patient education handouts, setting up an information system to facilitate smoking cessation case management, and implementing smoking cessation education programs for health professionals.

RESULTS
The smoking cessation referral rate increased to 100% and the six-months smoking cessation rate rose to 50%.

CONCLUSIONS
This project leveraged interdisciplinary cooperation to increase the rate of smoking cessation in hospitalized patients. It also introduced the unique function of case manager who is charged with systemically following up with patients to improve the effectiveness of smoking cessation programs.


Background: In recent years the Trunk Impairment Scale version 2.0 (TIS 2.0) has been a frequently used scale to assess dynamic sitting balance and trunk control for stroke patients. Objective: To translate the TIS 2.0 into Spanish and validate it as an instrument to evaluate dynamic sitting balance and trunk control and coordination for post-stroke adult patients. Methods: The original version was translated into Spanish and was agreed by a team of experts. A back-translation into English was subsequently performed and sent to the original author, who approved this version. 58 post-stroke patients' performance was recorded on a videotape. These videos were then used to carry out four measurements to assess the intra-rater and inter-rater reliability, two of these were performed by the same rater and the third and fourth by a second and third rater. Results: The reliability was calculated by the Kappa index, and was superior to 0.80 for intra-rater reliability, while inter-rater reliability varied from 0.487 to 1. Cronbach's alpha for internal consistency was 0.896 and to subscales dynamic sitting balance and coordination were 0.899 and 0.613 respectively. Intra-class correlations (ICC) for the summed scores of the different subscales were above 0.90 for all of them. Conclusion: The Spanish version of the TIS 2.0 is valid and reliable, and can be recommended for use in the evaluation of dynamic sitting balance and trunk control and coordination in future research on post-stroke patients. Guidelines for treatment and level of quality of trunk activity can be derived from its use.


The binding of insulin to its receptor triggers a signaling cascade regulated by protein complexes via tyrosine phosphorylation events on a multitude of associated proteins. To search novel phosphotyrosine proteins or associated proteins involved in insulin signaling pathway, we employed a method in which Rat1 cells stably expressing the human insulin receptor were stimulated with or without insulin and sub-fractionated prior to enrichment of phosphotyrosine proteins by immunoprecipitation and analysis by LC-MS/MS. Bioinformatic analysis and manual confirmation of peptide phosphorylation site assignments led to identification of 35 phosphotyrosine sites derived from 31 protein groups. Over 50% of these proteins were reported for the first time as tyrosine phosphorylated, including gigaxonin, XIAP and CDK10. In addition, we also found that calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein serine kinase (CASK), a key protein in protein-targeting and vesicle transport in neurons, forms a complex with two unidentified phosphotyrosine proteins pp100 and pp95 in response to insulin-stimulation, though CASK is not itself tyrosine phosphorylated. Furthermore, insulin was able to decrease CASK nuclear location, as well as down-regulate the expression of CASK targeted genes. Our results imply CASK as a novel joint knot connecting CASK-mediated pathways with the insulin signaling. Our data provide a wealth of information potentially paving the way to identify new components in the insulin signaling network.


The Mental Capacity Act 2005 clarifies the decision-making rights of people lacking capacity (such as people with dementia) and requires that carers and professionals support the individual in making decisions. This paper reports key findings from a qualitative study in England which examined the social process of everyday decision-making by couples living with dementia. The author identifies the various support strategies used by spouses when seeking to facilitate decision-making by their partners with dementia and highlights how these varied by gender. The paper examines the role of gendered support in influencing whether people with dementia are enabled to exercise their decision-making capacity and, in turn, if their decisional autonomy is facilitated. As the Mental Capacity Act lacks a gender perspective, the author recommends that its ongoing implementation should be strongly gendered to ensure that women with dementia receive the support necessary to exercise their capacity and agency.


An inclusion complex of beta-cyclodextrin with carvedilol was prepared by using a convenient new method of microwave irradiation. Phase-solubility studies demonstrated the ability of beta-cyclodextrins to complex with carvedilol and increase drug solubility. The structure of inclusion complex was determined by fluorescence spectroscopy and 1H NMR, 13C NMR measurements in solution. The solid inclusion was characterised by infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and element analysis. These experimental results confirmed the existence of 1:2 inclusion complex of carvedilol with beta-cyclodextrin, the formation constant of complex was determined by the fluorescence method. Molecular modeling predicted the energy-minimized structure of the complex.


Contrary to claims that socialism opposed the family unit, Rachel Hynson argues that the revolutionary Cuban government engaged in social engineering to redefine the nuclear family and organize citizens to serve the state. Drawing on Cuban newspapers and periodicals, government documents and speeches, long-overlooked laws, and oral histories, Hynson reveals that by 1961, and increasingly throughout this decade, revolutionary citizenship was earned through labor. While men were to work outside the home in state-approved jobs, women found their citizenship tied to affording the state control over their reproduction and sexual labor. Through all four campaigns examined in this book - the projects to control women's reproduction, promote marriage, end prostitution, and compel men into state-sanctioned employment - Hynson shows that the state's progression toward authoritarianism and its attendant monopolization of morality were met with resistance and counter-narratives by citizens who so opposed the mandates of these campaigns that Cuban leadership has since reconfigured or effaced these programs from the Revolution's grand narrative.


I AMNi able to give tlle resullts of the treatment of 500 cases of framboesia witlh salvarsan at the St. Augustine Yaws Hospital, Trinidad, from January to October, 1911. Intramuscular injections only. were used, and the usual dose -was 9 grains (0.6 gram) for an adult. The 500 cases were injected as follows: January (20), February (1), M1arch (14), April (87), May (68), June (75), July (101), Augutst (17), September (87), October (30). The first case was injected on January 4th and the 500th case on October 14tlh. The injections were miiade by Drs. Rost and Cleaver and by myself. Dr. Cleaver kindly acted for me when I had a holiday, and gave most of the injections. I write tllis on Novenmber 28tb, when six weeks and four days have elapsed since the 500th case was injected.


Background: Previous studies have reported disparities in medical and surgical care resulting from demographic factors, including insurance status. Hypothesis/Purpose: The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of insurance status on the treatment of tibial spine fractures in children and adolescents. Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of tibial spine fractures treated at 10 institutions between 2000 and 2019. Polytraumas and patients older than 18 years were excluded. Demographic data was collected as was information regarding pre-operative, intra-operative, and post-operative treatment, with attention to delays in management and differences in care. Both surgical and non-surgical fractures were included, but a separate analysis of operative patients was performed subsequently. Univariate analysis was followed by purposeful entry multivariate regression to adjust for confounding factors. Results: Data was collected on a total of 434 subjects with a mean age of 11.7±3.0. Of these, 61.1% had commercial insurance and 38.9% had public insurance. Publicly insured children were more likely to be injured in a motor vehicle accident. Among athletes, those with public insurance were injured more frequently during football while commercially insured patients were more likely to be injured while skiing. When analyzing the overall cohort of surgical and non-surgical fractures in multivariate analysis, those with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) performed 21 or more days after injury were 5.3 times more likely to have public insurance (95% CI 1.3-21.7, p=0.02). Similar results were found with the 365 patients that required surgery. In this cohort, those with MRI delayed ≥21 days from injury were 4.8 times more likely to have public insurance (95% CI 1.2-19.6, p=0.03). Children that underwent surgery ≥21 days after injury were 2.2 times more likely to have public insurance (95% CI 1.1-4.1, p=0.02). Those that were publicly insured had 2.5 times higher odds of undergoing open surgery rather than arthroscopic (95% CI 1.1-6.1, p=0.04). These children also had 4.5 times lower odds of receiving a continuous passive motion machine (CPM) after surgery (95% CI 1.7-11.7, p=0.002) and were 4.0 times more likely to be immobilized in a cast rather than a brace post-operatively (95% CI 2.0-8.2, p<0.001). Conclusion: Children with public insurance and a tibial spine fracture were more likely to experience delays with MRI and surgical treatment than those with commercial insurance. Additionally, these patients were more likely to undergo open surgery and post-operative casting and less likely to receive a CPM machine.


Background
Medicare is a public insurer for whom many autistic adults are eligible in the United States, but little is known about autistic beneficiaries who are covered. A challenge in using claim data is identification of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) cases to ensure accurate characterization. Some work suggests that relying on one claim could identify probable ASD, although other works indicate that two claims are necessary for case identification. The purpose of the current study was to describe the sample of Medicare young adult beneficiaries, and determine whether using a 1+ versus 2+ claim case identification resulted in similar interpretation of sample demographic characteristics and primary care utilization patterns in Medicare professional service claims.

Methods
We used Medicare Limited Data Sets (2008-2010) claims. After ASD case identification using ICD-9-CM (299.xx), 527 unique beneficiaries in the last claim year of 2010 professional service file were identified as having at least one claim of ASD. Of these, 69% (n = 364) had two or more claims. Proportions and zero-inflated negative binomial regression were used to examine differences in demographic characteristics and primary care utilization and costs for the 1+ and 2+ samples.

Results
Medicare claims contain a sample of autistic adults with expected demographics identified in historic prevalence cohorts. No differences in age, gender, race/ethnicity, Hispanic status, or dual-eligibility months or Adjusted Clinical Groups (ACG)® concurrent risk scores were identified between the 1+ and 2+ samples. No difference was found in the overall estimation of primary care use or costs between the 1+ and 2+ samples based on Zellner's seemingly unrelated regression methods.

Conclusions
This study is the first to describe a national sample of Medicare-insured autistic adults. We found that using a 1+ case identification results in a sample that is demographically similar to a 2+ claim sample, and produces similar estimates of utilization as a 2+ claim sample.


Background: The genetic basis of sinonasal inverted papilloma (SNIP)-derived squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) has not yet been well characterized. Aim: To characterize the genetic abnormalities of SNIP and SNIP-derived SCC and to uncover their differences. Materials and Methods: Mutations of 409 genes were analyzed using amplicon targeted sequencing in a total of six papilloma/carcinoma samples from four patients with SNIP-derived SCC. Results: The genes that were mutated in multiple cases were epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) (3/6), cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A (CDKN2A) (3/6), lysine methyltransferase 2D (KMT2D) (3/6), tumor protein p53 (TP53) (3/6), neurofibromin 1 (NF1) (3/6), phosphodiesterase 4D interacting protein (PDE4DIP) (3/6), cytochrome P450 family 2 subfamily D member 6 (CYP2D6) (2/6), fms-related receptor tyrosine kinase 4 (FLT4) (2/6) and myosin heavy chain 9 (MYH9) (2/6). Of the two cases analyzed in the papilloma–oncology carcinoma pair, one did not have any common mutations; the other showed a staged functional deletion of TP53 during the process of malignant transformation from SNIP to SCC. Conclusion: CDKN2A, KMT2D, NF1, PDE4DIP, CYP2D6, FLT4, and MYH9 were identified as candidate novel SNIP-derived SCC-related genes.


Purpose: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the UroVysion FISH test for detecting transitional cell bladder cancer on a mixed sample of urological patients.
Methods: Urine samples were collected from patients before cystoscopy. In the case of tumor identification, transurethral resection and histological verification were performed. The fluorescent in situ hybridisation (FISH), using a commercial kit (UroVysion) containing hybridization probes for chromosomes 3, 7, 17, and 9p21, was used. At least 25 morphologically abnormal cells or all cells present on the slides were analyzed.
Results: Of 179 samples, 1 was infected and in 35 (20%), no cells were identified. Test sensitivity was 76.2% (95% CI 52.8–91.8) and specificity 93.6% (95% CI 88.6–96.9); as compared to the data in the literature, this result was considered significant. Most tumors had numerical chromosome aberrations. The prevalence of histologically, which verified tumors, was 11.8%.
Conclusion: Price and time–consuming procedures are major obstacles for use of the UroVysion FISH test. However, neither cytology nor UroVysion FISH are 100% specific. Higher sensitivity compared to cytology, which is evident not only in case of superficial, but also of invasive tumors (like T1) and its ability to provide numerical results, are advantages which may make UroVysion FISH test useful. Thus, this test has potential for future use. cells were identified. Test sensitivity was 76.2% (95% CI 52.8–91.8) and specificity


Multiple myeloma commonly presents as anemia, renal failure, bone pain, and infections. Presentation with epistaxis is extremely rare, and hence myeloma as the etiologic factor is seldom considered. We report the case of a patient who initially presented with recurrent epistaxis and then with myasthenia. It was only when he developed acute kidney injury 4 months after the initial presentation with epistaxis that a diagnosis of multiple myeloma was made.


Intraocular foreign bodies may not cause any symptoms and there are some case reports about intralenticular foreign bodies and foreign bodies in anterior angle or posterior segment that were retained in the orbit for many years. We report a case of intraocular foreign body found in the posterior chamber. J Med Cases. 2014;5(10):519-521 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.14740/jmc1855w


Only 12% of adults have proficient health literacy, according to the National Assessment of Adult Literacy. In other words, nearly 9 out of 10 adults may lack the skills needed to manage their health and prevent disease. The elderly patient is at especially high risk for having low health literacy. To provide optimal care for patients, pharmacists and other health care practitioners must understand the problems of health literacy and incorporate strategies and tools to improve the effectiveness of their communication with patients.


Background Date: In all cases of spontaneous spinal hemorrhage (epidural, subdural, and intramedullary hemorrhage), spinal subdural hemorrhage is extremely rare. Bleeding diathesis is a commonly associated complication of Dengue fever along with multisystemic complications, such as renal toxicity, heart failure, shock, and electrolyte abnormalities. Dengue fever presenting as a neurological complication is extremely rare, <1% of patients. Study Design: A case report. Purpose: To report a rare case of dengue fever with spontaneous subdural hematoma (SDH) and subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) in the spine. Case Report: A 52-year-old female patient presented with acute onset of progressive bilateral lower limb weakness accompanied with difficulty in micturition and headache for a 5-day duration. She also had a history of fever prior to lower limb weakness and headache. Clinical examination revealed grade 2 motor power in both lower limbs, absent deep tendon reflexes, and equivocal Babinski's reflex. There was no definite sensory deficit. Results: Patient improved postoperatively after hematoma evacuation. Conclusion: Spontaneous SDH with SAH can be a rare presentation of dengue fever. Prompt intervention is very important to prevent irreversible neurological deficits. (2021ESJ241)


This study focuses on identifying COVID-19 related exposure, stress, and mental health concerns in the larger Charlotte, North Carolina region, an area with many low-income and under resourced communities. A community-academic partnership conducted a regional COVID-19 needs assessment. Low-income adults (N = 156) completed an online-administered survey of demographic information, COVID-19 exposure, stress, coping-related factors, and mental health. Frequency data showed that common COVID-19 related stressors included job exposure, lost job/income, and increased home responsibilities. Frequency data further showed elevated screening risk rates for mental health concerns were observed for post-traumatic stress (83.3%), depression (52.2%), problematic drinking (50.0%), generalized anxiety (43.0%), and suicide (40.4%). Bivariate correlation and multivariate regression models identified robust mental health risk factors including COVID-19 related stress affecting close persons, fear/worry reaction to the pandemic, and use of venting as a coping strategy; protective factors included active coping and problem-focused coping beliefs. Findings are discussed with respect to informing regional public health efforts during the pandemic.


The article shows the psychological content, the essence of the concept of "subjective feeling of solitude", a comparative analysis of scientific approaches has been carried out to determining the causes and factors of solitude, to determine the psychological characteristics of this experience at the age of early adulthood. It presents the idea that solitude is a multi-dimensional phenomenon that has both subjective (feeling itself) and objective (social situation) sides, and both negative and positive potential. The significant resource role of feeling of solitude in the development of the human personality is emphasized. The article stresses the importance of personality and individual characteristics of the person in the feeling of solitude and the attitude towards it. In connection with this, it disclosures the contents of such personal traits as "optimism", "pessimism" and "selfishness" and identifies the components of the sphere of values of the personality. There are shown the results of the empirical study of the effect of dispositional personality traits and the sphere of values on the feeling of solitude and the attitude to this feeling at the age of early adulthood. It is indicated that there are significant differences regarding the feeling of solitude, depending on the student's specialization (Philology and Mechanics). The conclusion is that students that are pessimistic about their future have a high level of current feeling of solitude, and students who have positive expectations towards their own future rarely consider themselves lonely. It was found that the attitude towards solitude is connected with the features of the sphere of values. It has been determined that the trait of selfishness does not affect the feeling of solitude. Keywords: solitude, feeling, dispositional traits, optimism, pessimism, selfishness, sphere of values. * * * * * Download/read PDF


The focus of this paper is to propose a driver model that incorporates human reasoning levels as actions during interactions with other drivers. Different from earlier work using game theoretical human reasoning levels, we propose a dynamic approach, where the actions are the levels themselves, instead of conventional driving actions such as accelerating or braking. This results in a dynamic behavior, where the agent adapts to its environment by exploiting different behavior models as available moves to choose from, depending on the requirements of the traffic situation. The bounded rationality assumption is preserved since the selectable strategies are designed by adhering to the fact that humans are cognitively limited in their understanding and decision making. Using a highway merging scenario, it is demonstrated that the proposed dynamic approach produces more realistic outcomes compared to the conventional method that employs fixed human reasoning levels.


Near infrared analysis was used to predict the starch, moisture, and sugar content in sliced fresh sweetpotato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.] storage roots. Samples were collected in each of three growing years. The best calibration equation for starch from combined samples (1989 to 1991) showed a multiple correlation coefficient (R) of 0.949, a standard error of calibration (SEC) of 2.01, and a standard error of prediction (SEP) of 1.91. The R, SEC, and SEP for moisture and sugar were 0.930, 1.85, and 2.00, and 0.837, 1.30, and 1.21, respectively. Calibrations based on samples from a given year adequately predicted the variables but could not account for variances introduced by samples from other years. Multiyear calibrations based on several years of data adequately predicted starch and moisture content in root slices. Thus, multiyear calibrations with annual bias adjustments can be applied to screening sweetpotato breeding germplasm for these two variables.


The paper revises current social responses to direct electronic marketing - primarily applicable legal regulations and other social response mechanisms. Available direct electronic marketing statistics, regulatory environment, as well as alternative social mechanisms (such as codes of conduct) are investigated in the European and Lithuanian context. Analysis focuses on the balance of social and entrepreneurial interests, and identifying best practices in regulating and adopting electronic direct marketing. The paper concludes that direct electronic marketing offers advantages to businesses and especially SMEs, however may also significantly compromise prominent social virtues, such as personal privacy. Analysis of the current regulatory environment in Lithuania demonstrates that it is unprepared to appropriately deal with the negative effects of the direct electronic marketing, while also being overly restrictive. Suggestions for realigning social values with the economic interests of the electronic marketers are provided. Overhaul of the regulation, as well as wider acceptance of non-legislative approaches is promoted.


The 21st century genomics-based analysis of evolutionary variation reveals a number of novel features impossible to predict when Dobzhansky and other evolutionary biologists formulated the neo-Darwinian Modern Synthesis in the middle of the last century. These include three distinct realms of cell evolution; symbiogenetic fusions forming eukaryotic cells with multiple genome compartments; horizontal organelle, virus and DNA transfers; functional organization of proteins as systems of interacting domains subject to rapid evolution by exon shuffling and exonization; distributed genome networks integrated by mobile repetitive regulatory signals; and regulation of multicellular development by non-coding lncRNAs containing repetitive sequence components. Rather than single gene traits, all phenotypes involve coordinated activity by multiple interacting cell molecules. Genomes contain abundant and functional repetitive components in addition to the unique coding sequences envisaged in the early days of molecular biology. Combinatorial coding, plus the biochemical abilities cells possess to rearrange DNA molecules, constitute a powerful toolbox for adaptive genome rewriting. That is, cells possess "Read–Write Genomes" they alter by numerous biochemical processes capable of rapidly restructuring cellular DNA molecules. Rather than viewing genome evolution as a series of accidental modifications, we can now study it as a complex biological process of active self-modification.


In the city of Groningen, the Netherlands, besides the Traffic Circulation Plan (Verkeerscirculatieplan, VCP), another epoch-making plan was introduced in the 1970's. It was the Broad Local Land Use Plan for the inner city, which was approved by the municipal council in 1978. It was one of the first local land use plans in the Netherlands that covered the whole inner city. It also adopted contemporary themes, like the strengthening of the encounter function of the inner city, and secured them legally. In this respect, it was, like the VCP, epoch-making by the standard of today as well as in those days. On the other hand, also concerning its planning process, almost the same characteristics were identified as in the case of the VCP. The planning documents published were all very difficult for the public to understand, and, consequently, most of the public did not participate in the planning at all. The few conflicts that emerged between neighbourhood organisations and institutions were solved through polarisation. The new left politicians again took the initiative in the planning.


ABSTRACT An established method for estimating the age of large and veteran trees is reviewed in the context of historic girth measurements of specimen oaks spanning up to 231 years. Such data are used to recalibrate the earlier model and to generate an improved scheme for predicting the probable age of ancient oaks from traditional measurements of their girth. The data upon which the recalibration is based reveals a consistent linear relationship between girth and age that can last more than two centuries. This indicates that mature oaks follow a particular growth trajectory with respect to girth that is tenaciously maintained over time in the face of changes in their circumstances and surroundings. The revised method can form part of a suite of aids available to researchers investigating the age of historical features in the landscape.


AbstractPrimary school selection is actually a decision making problem that should be supported with several source of information. Parents usually handle this problem in an unstructured manner which is indeed a fuzzy mental ranking of schools with respect to the effectiveness. In this study, an analytical hybrid multiple criteria decision making (MCDM) model is proposed and explained with details for private primary school selection problem. A case study indicating primary school choices of parents in Turkey is also presented.


Patients who suffer from personality disorders often exhibit self-destructive behaviors in the clinical setting and are noncompliant. By recognizing the disorder and intervening, primary care providers can help improve patient outcomes and minimize damaging clinical interactions. This article discusses the different types of personality disorders and provides diagnosis, treatment, and referral guidelines.


Manufacturing of perfect, defect free, products has long been recognised, and still remains an important strategic objective for any company aspiring to build market share in a globally competitive economic environment. In this paper we examine the key quality‐led techniques that have helped take Japan from a state of decimation to a leading world economy. From examination of Japanese corporate practices, a holistic model which directs attention to the key aspects that need to be taken into account in order to breed continuous improvement, is developed. The model proposed is generically relevant because it allows organisations to adapt it to their specific needs whilst ensuring that continuous improvement is not undermined.


Enzymes are widely used in nonaqueous solvents to catalyze non-natural reactions. While experimental measurements showed that the solvent nature has a strong effect on the reaction kinetics, the molecular details of the catalytic mechanism in nonaqueous solvents have remained largely elusive. Here we study the transesterification reaction catalyzed by the paradigm subtilisin Carlsberg serine protease in an organic apolar solvent. The rate-limiting acylation step involves a proton transfer between active-site residues and the nucleophilic attack of the substrate to form a tetrahedral intermediate. We design the first coupled valence-bond state model that simultaneously describes both reactions in the enzymatic active site. We develop a new systematic procedure to parametrize this model on high-level ab initio QM/MM free energy calculations that account for the molecular details of the active site and for both substrate and protein conformational fluctuations. Our calculations show that the reaction energy barrier changes dramatically with the solvent and protein conformational fluctuations. We find that the mechanism of the tetrahedral intermediate formation during the acylation step is similar to that determined under aqueous conditions, and that the proton transfer and nucleophilic attack reactions occur concertedly. We identify the reaction coordinate to be mostly due to the rearrangement of some residual water molecules close to the active site.


A well studied privacy problem in the area of smart grids is the question of how to aggregate the sum of a set of smart meter readings in a privacy friendly manner, i.e., in such a way that individual meter readings are not revealed to the adversary. Much less well studied is how to deal with arbitrary meter crashes during such aggregation protocols: current privacy friendly aggregation protocols cannot deal with these type of failures. Such failures do happen in practice, though. We therefore propose two privacy friendly aggregation protocols that tolerate such crash failures, up to a predefined maximum number of smart meters. The basic protocol tolerates meter crashes at the start of each aggregation round only. The full, more complex, protocol tolerates meter crashes at arbitrary moments during an aggregation round. It runs in a constant number of phases, cleverly avoiding the otherwise applicable consensus protocol lower bound.


The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) led to many lifestyle changes and economic hardships for families with young children. Previous research on risk and resilience highlights that children's adjustment to family hardships is influenced by caregiver stress, but individual child behaviors and characteristics may protect children from negative outcomes. Interestingly, many children have been reported to incorporate COVID-19 themes in their pretend play. Theory suggests children may do so to cope with pandemic-related stress, but no empirical studies have explored this possibility. The purpose of this study was to understand the process by which COVID-19 economic hardships experienced by a family were related to children's emotional well-being and development and to investigate how this process may vary as a function of children's engagement in pandemic-related pretend play. Caregivers (N = 99; mostly high earning families) of preschoolers ages 3–6 years (51% girls, 82% White) living in the United States participated in an online survey at two time points during the pandemic. Result revealed that COVID-19 economic hardships were related to increased caregiver stress, which, in turn, was associated with children's emotional distress and poorer self-regulation. However, engaging in pandemic-related pretend play appeared to protect children's well-being by weakening the adverse association between caregivers' stress and children's emotional distress. Thus, addressing caregiver stress levels and allowing children an outlet to cope with challenges through pretend play could have crucial protective effects on early development and well-being during times of crisis.


BACKGROUND/AIMS
The clinical significance of serum CA 125 levels in patients with chronic liver disease has not been widely appreciated in relation to the severity of the disease. We examined serum CA 125 levels in patients with chronic liver disease according to the severity of liver disease and the presence of ascites.

METHODS
Fasting serum CA 125 levels were measured by a commercial RIA kit in 92 patients with chronic liver disease: 22 with chronic hepatitis and 70 with liver cirrhosis (Child class A, 19; B, 28; C, 23). Forty-one patients (45%) had ascites.

RESULTS
The patients with Child class C liver cirrhosis had significantly higher mean serum CA 125 level than those with class A (p<0.05). In Child class B patients, the mean serum CA 125 level was significantly higher in patients with ascites than in those without (p<0.05). A multiple regression analysis showed that the presence of ascites, serum albumin, and prothrombin time were independent factors related to the increase of serum CA 125 levels.

CONCLUSIONS
The presence of ascites is more closely related to the increase of CA125 levels in patients with liver cirrhosis than the severity of liver disease.


David Lewis' "Principal Principle" is a purported principle of rationality connecting credence and objective chance. Almost all of the discussion of the Principal Principle in the philosophical literature assumes classical probability theory, which is unfortunate since the theory of modern physics that, arguably, speaks most clearly of objective chance is the quantum theory, and quantum probabilities are not classical probabilities. This paper develops an account of how chance works in quantum theory that reveals a connection between credence and quantum chance quite unlike what is envisioned in the philosophical literature: as a theorem of quantum probability, updating a completely additive chance function on a knowledge of chance brings credence into line with chance. The account also suggests a way of construing the Humean supervenience of chance that has the virtue of dissolving some puzzles about the "undermining" of chances. A number of interpretative moves in quantum theory are needed to generate the account of quantum chance on offer here, and they can all be disputed. But engaging in these disputes is part and parcel of naturalized metaphysics, and as such it can be more productive than engaging in the battle of intuitions among analytical metaphysicians about how chance ought to work this and other possible worlds.


After contrasting obscurantism with bullshit, we explore some ways in which obscurantism is typically justified by investigating a notorious test-case: defences of Lacanian psychoanalysis. Obscurantism abuses the reader's natural sense of curiosity and interpretive charity with the promise of deep and profound insights about a designated subject matter that is often vague or elusive. When the attempt to understand what the speaker means requires excessive hermeneutic efforts, interpreters are reluctant to halt their quest for meaning. We diagnose this as a case of psychological loss aversion, in particular, the aversion to acknowledging that there was no hidden meaning after all, or that whatever meaning found was projected onto the text by the reader herself.


The purpose of this empirical research work was to identify the relationship between various determinants of Financial Literacy among the working class of National Capital Region of India . It was a descriptive study based on the survey of 596 working class respondents. The data has been analyzed by factor analysis, correlation and regressions analysis. Based on the factor analysis, three factors have been found of financial knowledge, three factors of financial behaviour and in a similar manner four factors of financial attitude have been extracted. Further, based on the multiple regression models the contribution of financial attitude has been found highest in explaining the financial literacy and it has been followed by financial behaviour and financial knowledge. It means that both financial attitude and financial behaviour are better estimators of financial literacy in comparison to the financial knowledge. Therefore, the policy makers, financial system regulators and governments should do more efforts to improve the level of financial attitude and financial behaviour in comparison to the financial knowledge to improve the level of financial literacy because significant difference has been found in the level of financial attitude and financial behaviour across some of the demographic factors. The increased financial literacy would be helpful in improving the saving and investment behaviour of the public. This improved level of financial literacy of public will save the required level of capital for the capital formation for the targeted economic growth. Consequently, more employment opportunities will increase the social security in the society. Like every study, this study also have certain limitations like the universe of the study was limited to a particular geographical region i.e. National Capital Region of India, along with time and money constraints. In future similar study can be conducted by changing the target population and geographical area with a bigger sample.


Abstract : This thesis develops a program which will merge or overlay imagery and terrain elevation data and create a synthetic 3-D perspective view of the ocean bottom. The observer may position himself at various locations and see the terrain from different viewpoints. The elevation data is grouped into triangular panels and the color information is averaged from the imagery data file. The entire panel is assigned a single color equal to the average. These panels are then projected onto an image plane by using a 3D to 2D perspective transformation. Hidden surfaces are removed by a painters algorithm which relies on sorting the panels based on distance from the observer. Theses.


Despite reductions in mortality rates, breast cancer remains the most common cancer and the second most common cause of cancer death in Canadian women. Organized screening programs have contributed to the decrease in breast cancer mortality by allowing for early diagnosis and treatment. The diagnostic phase following an abnormal screen has implications for patient well-being, clinical practice, and resource management in health care. We present data from British Columbia that show that improvements at the diagnostic phase are necessary in order to capitalize on the benefit offered by breast cancer screening. The results are discussed in the context of population and public health practice, and recommendations for further study and improvement of the efficiency of the diagnostic phase are suggested.


A method is described for planning stereotactic approaches to central nervous system lesions utilizing specialized programs contained within the GE sigma Magnetic Resonance Imaging scanner software. The graphic prescription program creates oblique scans relative to a localizer scan made in any standard orthogonal plane and the explicit prescription program creates slices perpendicular to any two chosen points. Using these programs to advantage, one can create an oblique coronal scan that contains the entry point, the approach tract and the target plus a series of cross sectional oblique scans perpendicular to and progressing along the approach track to the target. These scans can then be employed to modify a proposed approach so as to avoid blood vessels and other vital structures.