ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Article history: Received 25 September 2015 Accepted 28 November 2015 Available online 1 December 2015 Neurobrucellosis (NB) is a rare and severe form of systemic Brucella infection. We introduced an unusual case that "Psychologic Symptoms" was the most prominent complaints of his family. He was a 50-year-old man who has worked in butchery. His problems had begun 2 months prior to his admission with mood disorders, arthralgia, weakness, headache and night sweats; he has recurrent crying with no obvious environmental problem! Wright agglutination test, Coomb's Wright and 2ME were negative 2 times in outpatient work-ups and the other lab tests weren't useful in diagnosis. Treatment trials for acute sinusitis and aseptic meningitis have had some improvements of symptoms but his clinical condition was not acceptable. A brain MRI was performed and the results indicated few T2W hyper-signal points of white matter specially periventricular. Brucellosis serologic tests were requested "for third time" and the results were positive. The patient was treated with cotrimoxazole, doxycycline, and rifampicin for 6 months. Two weeks after this treatment, all of mentioned symptoms subsided. Six weeks after treatment the brain MRI was repeated, and the previously seen lesions had improved. The lumber puncture 3 months after treatment was repeated and results were normal. It is concluded that when a patient in an endemic area suffers from chronic mood disorders, headache, fever, and other non-specific manifestations that cannot be explained by other etiologies, it may be a case of NB. In this case, the "repeated" Wright test and excellent response to NB treatment would confirm the diagnosis.


Engineered living materials (ELMs) are a new class of materials in which living organism incorporated into diffusive matrices uptake a fundamental role in material's composition and function. Understanding how the spatial confinement in 3D affects the behavior of the embedded cells is crucial to design and predict ELM's function, regulate and minimize their environmental impact and facilitate their translation into applied materials. This study investigates the growth and metabolic activity of bacteria within an associative hydrogel network (Pluronic-based) with mechanical properties that can be tuned by introducing a variable degree of acrylate crosslinks. Individual bacteria distributed in the hydrogel matrix at low density form functional colonies whose size is controlled by the extent of permanent crosslinks. With increasing stiffness and decreasing plasticity of the matrix, a decrease in colony volumes and an increase in their sphericity is observed. Protein production surprisingly follows a different pattern with higher production yields occurring in networks with intermediate permanent crosslinking degrees. These results demonstrate that, bacterial mechanosensitivity can be used to control and regulate the composition and function of ELMs by thoughtful design of the encapsulating matrix, and by following design criteria with interesting similarities to those developed for 3D culture of mammalian cells.


The aim of this work was to study the production of poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) under nitrogen limited conditions by Bacillus sphaericus NII 0838 using crude glycerol from biodiesel industry as sole carbon source. Effect of various process parameters on PHB production such as glycerol concentration, inoculum size and pH of the medium were optimized. Characterization of extracted PHB was carried out by FT-IR, 1H and 13C NMR. Results showed that the bacterial culture accumulated about 31% PHB in crude glycerol medium. The extracted PHB was blended with other polymers to improve its physical characteristics. The thermal properties of the polymer like melting temperature (Tm) and heat of fusion (ΔHf) were determined using DSC.


Proteases have garnered interest as candidate biomarkers and therapeutic targets for many human diseases. A key challenge is the identification and characterization of disease‐relevant proteases in the complex milieu of biological fluids such as serum, plasma, and bronchoalveolar lavage, in which a multitude of hydrolases act in concert. This unit describes a protocol to map the global proteolytic substrate specificities of complex biological samples using a concise combinatorial library of internally quenched fluorogenic peptide probes (IQFPs). This substrate profiling approach provides a global and quantitative comparison of protease specificities between different biological samples. Such a comparative analysis can lead to the identification of disease‐specific 'fingerprints' of proteolytic activities with potential utility in diagnosis and therapy. Curr. Protoc. Protein Sci. 70:21.22.1‐21.22.14. © 2012 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.


In this paper, we present a new semi-blind watermarking method with secret key by embedding several watermarks in the same image. This embedding is done when the originale image is being coded by the Embedded Zerotree Wavelet (EZW) coder, a compression method based on the wavelets transform, proposed by Shapiro in 1993. Therefore, the detection processus is performed at the time of decoding the compressed watermarked image. Our algorithm, tested on several greyscale images of size 256 x 256 and for several compression rates, staies robust to intentional or unintentional image processing operation as long as the compressed watermarked image is stilling exploitable exploitable.


5 Abstract. The news feeds of two U.S. politicians' Facebook sites were examined across 22 months leading up to an election 6 in order to explore changes in social-network-mediated public political discourse over time. Changes over time were observed 7 in who was being addressed and in the affective valence of comments. A complex flow of attention between in-group and 8 out-group concerns was observed with in-group comments dominant both in early and late phases. Also, positive comments 9 decreased and negative comments increased over time. These phenomena, dubbed "reflection-to-selection" and "converging 10 sentiment", were refined to explain the observed nonlinearities. The flow of rational versus affective comments in politicians' 11 Facebook data across time was also explored. Comments reflecting cognition were more prevalent at all times than comments 12 reflecting affect, but their distribution also varied in complex ways over time. Finally, the concept of "potential public sphere" 13 in contrast to "realized public sphere" in virtual spaces is introduced. 14


The ability of universities and colleges to predict the success of admitted students continues to be a key concern of higher education officials. Apart from a desire to see students have successful academic careers, there is also the fiscal reality of greater tuition revenues providing needed support for university budgets. Using administrative data, this article introduces a relatively new empirical approach to estimating the determinants of student success in post-secondary institutions. Using Ordered Logit and Generalized Ordered Logit estimators, we estimate the role a number of key factors play in influencing student success. As a test of robustness we also use the feologit estimator which is designed to fit fixed effects ordered logit models. An important feature of our approach to determining student success is that it can be conducted using readily avail-able administrative data. While the results are based on one institution, we feel there are useful lessons for other institutions facing similar student performance issues.


GaAs single-junction solar cells with rear-side-reflective structures have been developed aiming for an increase in open-circuit voltage Voc by the combination of photon recycling and concentrated illumination of sunlight. Photon recycling gains importance with increasing sunlight concentration as the materials are increasingly dominated by radiative recombination. At the same time, resistive losses because of current transport must be addressed and minimized to achieve high performances. We report here on the development of a GaAs heterojunction solar cell which was optimized for operation under concentrated sunlight. An efficiency of 28.8% is achieved at 182 suns concentration, showing a Voc of 1230 mV. This is an increase of 28 mV compared with a cell without a highly reflective back mirror. The results confirm the theoretically predicted positive effect of photon recycling under high concentration levels.


The emergence and the dominance of African banks in Africa have been touted as one of the popular mechanisms for financial development leading to a concept termed as Pan-African cross-border banking. African Banks have become dominant in the African market as opposed to European colonial banks substantially increasing their geographic footprints on the continent. African banks have become economically significant beyond their home countries and of systematic importance in a number of jurisdictions. This systematically examined the influence of the political environment on Pan-African cross-border banking using Kenya Commercial bank as a case study.Interpretive research paradigm guided the study seeking using qualitative data by interviewing employees, managers, and policymakers from the three subsidiaries of Kenya Commercial Bank; Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi. This was further supported by secondary data collected from journal articles and reports from the Kenya Commercial Bank.The study established that political environment plays an important role in influencing Pan-African cross-border banking either through catalysing or inhibiting. Despite effort integration by African Union, regional unions like East African Community there still areas for improvement. In order to enhance Pan-African cross-border banking, there has to be systematically management of political environment which was distorted by history, ideologies, different political systems, different regulatory frameworks between the subsidiaries and home countries. This will further enhance the significance of Pan-African banks African cross-border banks enhancing economic development within Africa.


Subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus (SCLE) is a subset of lupus erythematosus that identifies patients with clinically recognized erythematous, nonscarring lesions, photosensitivity and serologic abnormalities. Anti-Ro (SS-A) antibodies are considered to be a typical immunopathologic marker of SCLE. Autoimmune diseases have been also characterized by the disturbances in the cytokine network. The aim of this study was to compare the concentrations of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1beta, IL-6, IL-12, IL-18 and TNF-alpha) in serum of ANA-positive (antibody against nuclear antigen) and ANA-negative patients with SCLE. Sera samples were collected from 15 patients with SCLE (9 ANA-positive and 6 ANA-negative ones). The preliminary identification of autoantibodies as well as their titers was determined on HEp-2 cells using IIF method. Western blotting (EUROIMMUN) was applied to verify the results of IIF. Proinflammatory cytokine concentrations in the patients' sera samples were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) (Bender MedSystems). The levels of IL-12 were higher in ANA-positive patients than in ANA-negative subgroups [median (interquartile range), 330 pg/ml (128-708 pg/ml) versus 39.4 pg/ml (31.25-80 pg/ml)]. Similar differences were observed in the level of IL-18 [median (interquartile range), 508.4 pg/ml (180-1222 pg/ml) versus 100.5 pg/ml (78.1-154 pg/ml)]. The differences in TNF-alpha levels between the groups of ANA-positive and ANA-negative patients were at the verge of statistical significance, p<0.05. The sera levels of IL-1beta and IL-6 were low and of no significant difference concerning the ANA-positive and ANA-negative subgroups. Since serum levels of IL-12 and IL-18 were higher in ANA-positive patients than in ANA-negative patients, these cytokines might play an important role in the inflammatory process in SCLE.


A domain adaptation method for urban scene segmentation is proposed in this work. We develop a fully convolutional tri-branch network, where two branches assign pseudo labels to images in the unlabeled target domain while the third branch is trained with supervision based on images in the pseudo-labeled target domain. The re-labeling and re-training processes alternate. With this design, the tri-branch network learns target-specific discriminative representations progressively and, as a result, the cross-domain capability of the segmenter improves. We evaluate the proposed network on large-scale domain adaptation experiments using both synthetic (GTA) and real (Cityscapes) images. It is shown that our solution achieves the state-of-the-art performance and it outperforms previous methods by a significant margin.


We provide a review of multicriteria decision‐making (MCDM) methods that may potentially be used during systematic conservation planning for the design of conservation area networks (CANs). We review 26 methods and present the core ideas of 19 of them. We suggest that the computation of the non‐dominated set (NDS) be the first stage of any such analysis. This process requires only that alternatives be qualitatively ordered by each criterion. If the criteria can also be similarly ordered, at the next stage, Regime is the most appropriate method to refine the NDS. If the alternatives can also be given quantitative values by the criteria, Goal Programming will prove useful in many contexts. If both the alternatives and the criteria can be quantitatively evaluated, and the criteria are independent of each other but may be compounded, then multi‐attribute value theory (MAVT) should be used (with preferences conveniently elicited by a modified Analytic Hierarchy Process (mAHP) provided that the number of criteria is not large).


The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of subchronic exposure of zebrafish (Danio rerio) to a fluoroquinolone norfloxacin, using selected oxidative stress parameters as a target. Toxicity tests were performed on zebrafish according to the OECD Guidelines number 203 and number 215. In the Subchronic Toxicity Test, a significant (P < 0.01) increase in the activity of glutathione peroxidase, glutathione S-transferase, and catalase was found. In the test, norfloxacin did not affect lipid peroxidation and catalytic activity of glutathione reductase. From the results, we can conclude that norfloxacin has a negative impact on specific biochemical processes connected with the production of reactive oxygen species in fish tested.


The article is devoted to the results of archaeological excavations of the Volyntsevo hillfort in 1981. The beginning of the study of this archaeological monument began at the beginning of the 20th century by the local landowner A. Shechkov. Part of the archaeological collection was transferred to the Kursk Museum. In 1948, research on the site was carried out under the leadership of V. Dovzhenko. In the northwestern part of the rampart, a rampart was cut. In 1981, O. Sukhobokov continued excavations of the hillfort. Their goal was to clarify the design features of the floor shaft. For this, two excavations were laid – the first in the center, the second in the northeastern part of the rampart. As a result of the research, part of the rock outgrowth was discovered, consisting of untreated cobblestones of local quartzite. It was located near the shaft, but it was not structurally connected with it. The stratigraphy of the rampart in excavation II indicates that the stone pavement is later than the remains of the rampart's wooden structure. This construction is an independent archaeological site and, most likely, dates back to the period after the middle of the 13th century. Near the pavement, at a depth of 1.2 – 1.5 m, ground burials were found, made according to the Christian burial rite. This object may be the remains of the stone foundation of a significant structure that perished in a large fire. This is evidenced by a significant amount of ash, ash and burnt clay. It is known from documents that at the beginning of the 17th century, there was a noble estate near the hillfort, which belonged to Andrei Trifonov from the city of Putivl. The main type of planning of the noble small-manor estate was the manor's yard with outbuildings and peasant houses. A wooden church was located nearby on a hill. The documents of the middle of the 17th century contain information that the church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker was located on the territory of the Volyntsevo village, built before 1639 and burned down in 1663. Thus, it can be assumed that the remains of the stone foundation of a wooden church from the early 17th century. It burned down during the fire and was no longer recovered.


Consider a gambling game in which we are allowed to repeatedly bet a portion of our bankroll at favorable odds. We investigate the question of how to minimize the expected number of rounds needed to increase our bankroll to a given target amount.
Specifically, we disprove a 50-year old conjecture of L. Breiman, that there exists a threshold strategy that optimizes the expected number of rounds; that is, a strategy that always bets to try to win in one round whenever the bankroll is at least a certain threshold, and that makes Kelly bets (a simple proportional betting scheme) whenever the bankroll is below the threshold.


SH-SY5Y cells are a dopaminergic cell line commonly used as a model for neurodegenerative diseases. Parkinson's disease is characterized by a loss of dopamine signaling as a result of dopaminergic cell death within the substantia nigra. Manganism is an idiopathic Parkinsonism-like disease caused by an accumulation of manganese in cells of the basal ganglia and presents symptoms similar to Parkinson's. Extracellular dopamine levels are decreased in SH-SY5Y cells exposed to manganese. Several potential mechanisms may explain the effects of manganese on dopamine levels, including changes in dopamine metabolism. Growth of SH-SY5Y cells in high glucose Dulbecco's Modified Eagles Medium (DMEM) prevented us from discerning the levels of other dopamine metabolites using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with electrochemical detection. The objective of this experiment was to determine if SH-SY5Y cells could be weaned off of DMEM high glucose media and adapted to DMEM low glucose or EMEM/Ham's F12 media, without altering cell viability. A sequential method was developed to adapt cells. The number of days between passages was recorded, and prior to each cell passage, a trypan blue exclusion assay was conducted to measure cell viability. SH-SY5Y cells were successfully adapted to EMEM/Ham's F12 media, whereas cell proliferation was hindered when grown in DMEM low glucose media. Cells grown in DMEM low-glucose media appeared to lose their morphology and detach from the growth surface. SH-SY5Y cells grown in EMEM/Ham's F12 media appeared larger in size compared to cells grown in DMEM high-glucose media. Ongoing studies are quantitating differences in cell size and examining the HPLC profile for EMEM/Ham's F12 media. If dopamine metabolite levels can be discerned, EMEM/Ham's F12 media may allow further analysis of dopamine metabolism in SH-SY5Y cells following manganese exposure for use as a model of neurodegenerative diseases.


In the present work a strategy for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of residual solvents in pharmaceutical products is reported. First, a low-resolution chromatogram is generated for the identification of the solvents present in the samples by means of headspace generation-fast gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-fast GC/MS). From the plotting of this information by means of contour plots with time and mass/charge axes, it is decided whether quantification of such compounds can be accomplished without chromatographic separation or whether it should be done by fast gas chromatography. The nonseparative method is based on direct coupling of a headspace sampler with a mass spectrometer (HS-MS) and requires a signal recording time of only 3 min, while with fast gas chromatography the time required to obtain a chromatogram is 7.16 min. The use of headspace generation for introducing the sample and standard addition as a quantification technique provided satisfactory results and minimized the matrix effect. An important advantage of the methodologies used here is related to the fact that no prior treatment of the sample is required, thus minimizing the creation of analytical artifacts and the errors associated with this step of the analytical process. The methods were applied to the determination of residual solvents in 27 different pharmaceutical products. Detection and quantitation limits were sufficiently low to enable the estimation of organic volatile impurities according to the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) of Technical Requirements for the Registration of Pharmaceuticals for Human Use.


BACKGROUND
Hypertension is common after intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) and may be associated with higher mortality and adverse neurologic outcome. The American Heart Association recommends that blood pressure be maintained at a mean arterial pressure (MAP) less than 130 mm Hg to prevent secondary brain injury.

OBJECTIVES
To prospectively evaluate whether a new method of assessing hypertension in ICH more accurately identifies patients at risk for adverse outcomes.

METHODS
The authors prospectively studied all patients presenting to two University of California, San Francisco hospitals with acute ICH from June 1, 2001, to May 31, 2004. Factors related to acute hospitalization were recorded in a database, including all charted vital signs for the first 15 days. Patients were followed up for one year, with their modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score at 12 months as primary outcome. Hypertension dose was determined as the area under the curve between patient MAP and a cut point of 110 mm Hg while in the emergency department (ED). The dose was adjusted for time spent in the ED (dose/time(ed) [d/t(ed)]). Hypertension dose was divided into four categories (none, and progressive tertiles). Multivariate logistic regression was used to calculate the odds ratio for adverse mRS by tertiles of d/t(ed).

RESULTS
A total of 237 subjects with an ED average (+/-SD) length of stay of 3.42 (+/-3.7) hours were enrolled. In a multivariate logistic regression model controlling for the effects of age, volume of hemorrhage, presence of intraventricular hemorrhage, race, and preexisting hypertension, there was a 4.7- and 6.1-fold greater likelihood of an adverse neurologic outcome (by mRS) at one and 12 months, respectively, in the highest d/t(ed) tertile relative to the referent group without hypertension.

CONCLUSIONS
Hypertension after acute ICH is associated with adverse neurologic outcome. The dose of hypertension may more accurately identify patients at risk for adverse outcomes than the American Heart Association guidelines and may lead to better outcomes if treated when identified in this manner.


A small, loose lying, unbranched, filamentous alga from the Ross Sea, Antarctica, is described as a new species, Lola irregularis. The genus Lola is closely related to the genera Hormiscia, Rhizoclonium, and Chaetomorpha in the family Cladophoraceae. A key to all known species of Lola is included. This is the first record of a species of Lola south of the Antarctic convergence.


Late Famennian shark teeth, mostly of the phoebodonts, have been found in the residues of conodont samples from the Holy Cross Mts, Central Poland. Two new species of the genus Phoebodus , viz. Ph. gothicus sp. n. and Ph. limpidus sp. n., have been established. Provisional stratigraphic ranges of the three most significant species: Thrinacodus ferox (TURNER), Phoebodus australiensis LONG and Ph. gothicus sp. n. have been correlated with international data.


Public Act 60 (2013) of the Michigan Legislature tasked Michigan Virtual University, through its Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute, to "research, develop, and recommend annually to the department criteria by which cyber schools and online course providers should be monitored and evaluated to ensure a quality education for their pupils." This study provides an overview of existing models of cyber and online evaluation, both of which serve to inform the forthcoming recommendations. In this study, the authors review existing literature related to the evaluation of online and blended learning programs and providers, and identify five constructs for course and provider evaluation and approval.


The Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain in the southern and southeastern United States contains extensive Cretaceous and Cenozoic sedimentary sequences of variable thickness. We investigated the difference in response of sites in the Coastal Plain relative to sites outside that region using Fourier spectral ratios from 17 regional earthquakes occurring in 2010–2018 recorded by the Earthscope transportable array and other stations. We used mean coda and Lg spectra for sites outside the Coastal Plain as a reference. We found that Coastal Plain sites experience amplification of low‐frequency ground motions and attenuation at high‐frequencies relative to average site conditions outside the Coastal Plain. The spectral ratios at high frequencies gave estimates of the difference between kappa at Coastal Plain sites and the reference condition. Differential kappa values determined from the coda are correlated with the thickness of the sediment section and agree with previous estimates determined from Lg waves. Averaged estimates of kappa reach ∼120  ms at Gulf coast stations overlying ∼12  km of sediments. Relations between Lg spectral ratio amplitudes versus sediment thickness in successive frequency bins exhibit consistent patterns, which were modeled using piecewise linear functions at frequencies ranging from 0.1 to 2.8 Hz. For sediment thickness greater than ∼0.5  km, the spectral amplitude ratio at frequencies higher than approximately ∼3  Hz is controlled by the value of kappa. The peak frequency and maximum relative amplification at frequencies less than ∼1.0  Hz depend on sediment thickness. At 0.1 Hz, the mean Fourier amplitude ratio (Coastal Plain/reference) is about 2.7 for sediment of 12 km thickness. Analysis of residuals between observed and predicted ground motions suggests that incorporating the amplification and attenuation as functions of sediment thickness may improve ground‐motion prediction models for the Coastal Plain region.


The existence of a trade-off between bank competition and financial stability has always been a controversial issue, both among policy makers and academics. This paper empirically re-investigates the relationship between competition and bank risk across a large sample of European listed banks over the period 2004–2013. However, in contrast to most extant literature, we consider both individual and systemic dimensions of risk. Bank-individual risk is measured by the Z-score and the distance-to-default, while we consider the SRISK as a proxy for bank systemic risk. Using the Lerner index as an inverse measure of competition and after controlling for a variety of bank-specific and macroeconomic factors, our results suggest that competition encourages bank risk-taking and then increases individual bank fragility. This result is in line with the traditional "competition-fragility" view. Our most important findings concern the relationship between competition and systemic risk. Indeed, contrary to our previous results, we find that competition enhances financial stability by decreasing systemic risk. This result can be explained by the fact that weak competition tends to increase the correlation in the risk-taking behavior of banks.


ABSTRACT
 This study explored the feasibility and acceptability of a videoconferencing group psychotherapy intervention for parents of children living with cerebral palsy. A six-session Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) intervention called Take a Breath was provided. Participants were 26 parents of children aged 12 months to nine years, with severe cerebral palsy. Parents responded to questionnaires at three time-points; baseline, pre-intervention, and post-intervention. Qualitative responses were recorded in response to a structured item asking about benefits of participating in the intervention. Of those enrolled, 90% of parents attended the minimum required sessions and 35% attended all six sessions. Quantitative results revealed significant reductions in guilt and worry, and increased mindfulness, which echoed parents' qualitative responses. The pilot findings suggest the Take a Breath intervention is a feasible and acceptable approach to providing mental health services to parents who face significant daily challenges and barriers to engaging support. Larger scale studies are warranted.


has been used extensively in the medical setting in the so-called first world countries and has become a more affordable, portable diagnostic tool. Medical care in more austere environments may not have access to all of the diagnostic technologies currently available in first world countries. During a recent medical mission to Guatemala, portable focused ultrasound was used in the medical setting to help with clinical decision making. Portable ultrasound in austere medical environments has technical challenges unique to this environment, yet can help the clinical team in their management of various patient complaints. Cite as: Madore F, Kube E, Stawicki SPA, Bahner DP. Utility of hand held portable ultrasound in a rural Guatemalan hospital. OPUS 12 Scientist


The challenge to increase meat production in Nigeria appears to be more urgent now than ever. This is in view of the rapidly increasing population. The imminent decline in hunting and the low protein intake in rural areas. Poultry meal especially broiler is one of the easiest to produce, hence its purposive selection. Input-Output data were generated from selected poultry farmers in Abia Stare. The data were analyzed by use of descriptive statistics and econometric estimations. Efficiency in the resource use pattern was examined using Marginal Value Product of each of the examined resources with its unit price. It was identified that there are possibilities of increasing broiler meat supply through higher levels of resource-use pattern under the existing technology. Keywords: Marginal value products, geometric mean, marginal factor cost, enterprise, resource-use pattern.


The principal goal in neuroanatomy is to define the detailed structural design of the nervous system. This challenge is one of the first steps towards understanding how neural circuits contribute to the functional organization of the nervous system, both in health and disease. The main difficulties involve unraveling the extraordinary complexity of the nervous system and to define how information flows through this finely organized synaptic network. Over the years, neuroanatomy has evolved considerably thanks to the use of classical techniques and the introduction of new procedures (DeFelipe, 2002), including: axonal transport methods to trace connections; electron microscopy to better understand synaptic connectivity; immunocytochemistry to map protein expression and the distribution of particular types of neurons; in situ hybridization to map gene expression; intracellular labeling of physiologically characterized neurons to visualize their morphology; and other powerful techniques to examine the organization of the nervous system. Among the most appealing new tools are the molecular/genetic approaches to activate, inactivate and label active neurons and synapses (Marek and Davis, 2003; Dymecki and Kim, 2007; Kuhlman and Huang, 2008). In turn, as more detailed circuit diagrams become available, the more we will learn about the role of each element in the circuit through computer simulations, and this will enable the response properties of individual neurons to be correlated with the activity in cortical circuits, an attractive bridge between anatomy, physiology and computation (Segev and London, 2000; Markram, 2006). Additionally, the magnitude of morphological, molecular and physiological data collectively generated is now so colossal that even at the cellular level it is necessary to develop neuronal classification systems, in order to help the scientific community in each field to establish and maintain an effective communication and interchange of information (Ascoli et al., 2008). Thus, we have to learn not only how to manage the growing amount of multidisciplinary data but also, how to communicate this knowledge.


Therapeutic strategies in Parkinson's disease (PD) provide control of motor (nigral) and nonmotor (extranigral) symptoms. Nigral dopamine-related signs and symptoms are addressed by supplementation or substitution of cerebral dopamine, and extranigral nondopamine-related symptoms are treated by addressing specific autonomic, neuropsychiatric and sleep dysfunctions. However, the ultimate goal in treating PD is to slow, stop or modify disease progression through early and appropriate intervention. Recognition of the various nonmotor clinical manifestations of PD is critical to early diagnosis and treatment. Disease-modifying drugs, once identified, should be initiated as soon as possible, preferably in the prodromal (premotor) phase of the disease. In this review, clinical signs and symptoms of this phase will be described, as will the (suggested) criteria for diagnosis and optimal initiation of disease-modifying agents. Both symptomatic and disease-modifying agents applicable in the premotor phase of PD will also be addressed.


The emergence of multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) with its efficient support of explicit routing provides basic mechanisms for facilitating traffic engineering. Exploiting this capability of MPLS, we propose an adaptive multipath traffic engineering mechanism named LDM (load distribution over multipath). The main goal of LDM is to enhance the network utilization as well as the network performance by adaptively splitting traffic load among multiple paths. LDM takes pure dynamic approach not requiring any a priori traffic load statistics. Routing decisions are made at the flow level, and traffic proportioning reflects both the length and the load of a path. LDM also dynamically selects a few good label switched paths (LSPs) according to the state of the entire network. We use simulation to compare the performance of LDM with the performance of several representative dynamic load distribution approaches as well as the traditional static shortest path only routing. The numerical results show that LDM outperforms the compared approaches in both the blocking ratio as well as the performance of the accepted traffic flows.


ABSTRACT Shp-2 is an SH2 domain-containing protein tyrosine phosphatase. Although the mechanism remains to be defined, substantial experimental data suggest that Shp-2 is primarily a positive regulator in cell growth and development. We present evidence here that Shp-2, while acting to promote mitogenic signals, also functions as a negative effector in interferon (IFN)-induced growth-inhibitory and apoptotic pathways. Treatment of mouse fibroblast cells lacking a functional Shp-2 with IFN-α or IFN-γ resulted in an augmented suppression of cell viability compared to that of wild-type cells. To dissect the molecular mechanism, we examined IFN-induced activation of signal transducers and activators of transcription (STATs) by electrophoretic mobility shift assay, using a specific DNA probe (hSIE). The amounts of STAT proteins bound to hSIE upon IFN-α or IFN-γ stimulation were significantly increased in Shp-2−/− cells. Consistently, tyrosine phosphorylation levels of Stat1 upon IFN-γ treatment and, to a lesser extent, upon IFN-α stimulation were markedly elevated in mutant cells. Furthermore, IFN-γ induced a higher level of caspase 1 expression in Shp-2−/− cells than in wild-type cells. Reintroduction of wild-type Shp-2 protein reversed the hypersensitivity of Shp-2−/− fibroblasts to the cytotoxic effect of IFN-α and IFN-γ. Excessive activation of STATs by IFNs was also diminished in mutant cells in which Shp-2 had been reintroduced. Together, these results establish that Shp-2 functions as a negative regulator of the Jak/STAT pathway. We propose that Shp-2 acts to promote cell growth and survival through two mechanisms, i.e., the stimulation of growth factor-initiated mitogenic pathways and the suppression of cytotoxic effect elicited by cytokines, such as IFNs.


This paper describes the use of frozen-stored red must as an alternative to fresh must to permit research fermentations outside the vintage period. Additionally, the fermentation size (20, 50, and 300 kg) was also compared. Chemical analyses of six wines showed little variation in color profiles and final ethanol and organic acid concentrations. More importantly from a winemaking point of view, a descriptive sensory analysis revealed that all wines across each treatment and fermentation scale compared very well to each other. Key differences were limited to more appealing characteristics (i.e., lower tannin hardness and burnt/smoky attributes and higher fresh/fruity and red berry attributes) in the wine made on a 300 kg scale from frozen must. This study therefore provides quantitative data on the effectiveness of freezing for fruit preservation as well as the ability of small volume fermentations (20 and 50 kg) to be representative of conditions approaching those found in industry.


Background: Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disease with various complications throughout its course. The presence of emotional burden in diabetes disease, which is referred to as diabetes-related distress (DRD) is common among such patients and may affect their response to treatment.
Objectives: To assess the relationship of diabetes-related distress and glycaemic control among patients with Type 2 Diabetes mellitus.
Methods: This hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted at the Family Medicine Department of LASUTH, Ikeja, Lagos. A total of 317 patients with Type 2 Diabetes mellitus were systematically recruited. The data were collected over a four-month period. Important clinical information including clinical characteristics and diabetes-related distress using the diabetes distress scale (DDS-17) was collected. Glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) was also assessed.
Results: The degrees of DRD were as follows: 54.9% (No/little), 40.1% (moderate) and 5.0% (severe). The mean HbA1c estimate for all participants was 7.83±1.8%. Among the 317 study participants, 67.2% had poor glycaemic control while 32.8% had good glycaemic control. There was a statistically significant association between DRD and glycaemic control (p < 0.001). Likewise, the various domains of DRD had statistically significant associations with glycaemic control with the exception of physician-related domain. Participants with better glycaemic control reported lower levels of DRD than participants with poorer glycaemic control.
Conclusion: There is a high level of diabetes-related distress patients with diabetes mellitus. Good glycaemic control is important in improving or preventing DRD. Therefore, T2DM patients should be screened for DRD during their treatment.


This work looks into the current state of sharing ephemeral versus permanent content on common social media platforms. Previous research has indicated that ephemerality of content, content that has an expiration date or time, can support users' identity construction. However, not much is known about whether current ephemeral interactions on social media are successful in doing so, or whether there are ephemerality-related design opportunities for social media platforms that can improve identity expression. In an 8-day qualitative diary study, participants reported when they posted on social media, and responded to questions about the type of content they shared, their motivation, and the content's ideal duration. We discuss our findings about short-term and long-term ephemerality as part of the social media experience, and the potential impact on the evolving identities of teenagers and young adults.


Even though health workers have treated all registered cases of leprosy in Sri Lanka with multiple drug therapy since 1982 it continues to be transmitted. The government has launched a social marketing and social mobilization campaign to reduce the incidence of leprosy. It has expanded the network of leprosy services. A national advertising program included mass media ads posters stickers on buses and radio and television serials to create awareness of the early signs of leprosy and to reduce fear to leprosy. Health workers distributed leaflets and booklets to the general public and to new patients. The Anti-Leprosy Campaign of Sri Lanka organized 1-week health education programs for administrative officer village leaders religious leaders teachers and voluntary workers. Skin camps were set up to detect leprosy cases and to treat minor skin disorders. Teachers received flip charts on leprosy to help them teach colleagues and children about leprosy. All primary level staff medical officers in hospital staff and estate medical and paramedical staff have undergone special training on diagnosing leprosy and on reducing their fear of it. Almost every district has at least 1 leprosy control specialist. 2 leprosy control specialists work in those districts where leprosy is endemic Each district has a trained medical laboratory technician who stains and interprets leprosy smears. In 1992 school contact and mass surveys have found 31 149 and 225 new cases respectively. Active case findings methods found 16.5% of new cases. 50% of new cases are self- reported compared to less than 10% in 1989 suggesting increased awareness of early signs of leprosy and a reduced fear of it. 25 more clinics opened in 1991 to meet the demand for leprosy services.


Relatively uniform-sized nanoparticles made of poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) were prepared by premix membrane emulsification method. After the drug loading property was completed, the dynamic tissue distribution of nanoparticles was recorded. With the average particle size and span as indexes, membrane pore size, number of passing membrane times, membrane pressure, volume ratio of oil-water phase and the concentration of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) in external water phase were investigated by single factor test, the optimum preparation technology of blank PLGA nanlparticles was as following: pore size of SPG membrane was 1 μm, membrane pressure was 1. 15 MPa, the number of passing membrane time was 3, the mass fraction of PVA of 2%, volume ratio of oil-water phase of 1 : 5. Prepared nanoparticles were round with smooth surface, the mean diameter was 332.6 nm, span was 0.010, the confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM) concluded that fluorescent substance is uniform composizion in PLGA nanoparticle, and the in vivo imaging technology in mice include that the nanoparticles show good liver and spleen targeting property.


The fabrication process of an innovative epitaxial trench JFET with vertical channel and double gate control is reviewed. Due to the excellent doping and thickness control of the epitaxial regrowth techniques, the sub-micron channel can be tailored for normally-on and -off operation. Due to the vertical channel design the epitaxial trench JFETs have narrow cell pitch for high-density power integration and high saturation current capabilities. The excellent performance of these fabricated and packaged JFET devices is demonstrated with on-wafer measurements and power switching tests. High current conduction tests are performed at room temperature and elevated temperatures of 125°C with switching frequencies of 30 kHz and 200 kHz.


Material Linked-read whole genome sequencing (WGS) presents a new opportunity for cost-efficient singleton sequencing in place of traditional trio-based designs while generating informative-phased variants, effective for recessive disorders when parental DNA is unavailable. Methods We have applied linked-read WGS to identify novel causes of Meier-Gorlin syndrome (MGORS), a condition recognised by short stature, microtia and patella hypo/aplasia. There are eight genes associated with MGORS to date, all encoding essential components involved in establishing and initiating DNA replication. Results Our successful phasing of linked-read data led to the identification of biallelic rare variants in four individuals (24% of our cohort) in DONSON, a recently established DNA replication fork surveillance factor. The variants include five novel missense and one deep intronic variant. All were demonstrated to be deleterious to function; the missense variants all disrupted the nuclear localisation of DONSON, while the intronic variant created a novel splice site that generated an out-of-frame transcript with no residual canonical transcript produced. Conclusion Variants in DONSON have previously been associated with extreme microcephaly, short stature and limb anomalies and perinatal lethal microcephaly-micromelia syndrome. Our novel genetic findings extend the complicated spectrum of phenotypes associated with DONSON variants and promote novel hypotheses for the role of DONSON in DNA replication. While our findings reiterate that MGORS is a disorder of DNA replication, the pathophysiology is obviously complex. This successful identification of a novel disease gene for MGORS highlights the utility of linked-read WGS as a successful technology to be considered in the genetic studies of recessive conditions.


Degradation of α-naphthol induced by plasma in aqueous solution was investigated in different initial concentration with contact glow discharge electrolysis (CGDE). The results showed that the degradation of α-naphthol obeyed the first-rate law. Some of predominant products were analyzed by a high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). A path of α-naphthol disappearance caused by plasma was proposed according to the detected intermediate products.


This paper reports on an innovative, computer-mediated, educational technology application in a simulated distance learning environment. As an initial evaluation, real student groups completed an entire university course using this state-of-the-art, two-way synchronous audio/visual communication technology, Distributed Tutored Video Instruction (DTVI). The study reported here explored student perceptions of a simulated distance learning environment using the system. The learning environment was characterized by videotaped lectures by the course instructor, delivered in computer-mediated small group settings. Six separate groups made up of six to eight students and a facilitator were studied. Group members were in separate locations, interacting via synchronous audio and visual computer channels. Our findings indicate an overall high level of perceived effectiveness and satisfaction with the instructional mode. In addition, significant relationships were established between facilitator effectiveness and student satisfaction, student motivation and class participation, student exam grades and perceived amount of group discussion. Findings indicate innovations in computer-mediated instructional designs can achieve desired levels of participant interaction considered critical to effective distance education technology.


The scientific documentation and investigation of tropical cyclone (TC) tornadoes has spanned portions of ten decades, but has been missing a documentary overview of topical knowledge accumulated to any given point in that time span.  This review article summarizes the evolution of TC tornado-related literature from the perspectives of crucial historic tornadoes, climatology, distribution patterns, applied research into their environments, remote and environmental observations, forecasting practices, and numerical simulations at various scales.  Discussion of the future of TC tornado research and prediction includes several testable hypotheses, along with potentially beneficial tools soon to be available to operational forecasters.


Received: 8 June 2013 Accepted: 22 Aug 2013 Abstract Background and Aim: Pain relief is important during orthodontic treatment. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of ketoprofen and benzocaine chewing gums for pain reduction during fixed orthodontic treatment. Materials and Methods: Thirty patients aged 15-25 years experiencing orthodontic pain were randomly divided into 3 groups, each receiving one of the experimental chewing gums namely ketoprofen, benzocaine and the placebo. Instructions were given to the patients and they received the gums taking into account the washout period. Patients recorded their degree of pain perception at 2, 6 and 24 hours, and 2, 3 and 7 days using the visual analog scale (0-100). Friedman and Wilcoxon tests were used to compare the mean pain scores among the 3 groups. Results: The mean pain score decreased over time in both genders and all groups (p=0.017). The mean pain score recorded in benzocaine group was lower than that in the ketoprofen and placebo groups but a significant difference was only observed between benzocaine and the ketoprofen groups during the first two hours using Friedman and Wilcoxon tests (p=0.042). Compared to the control group, both ketoprofen and benzocaine chewing gums significantly decreased pain at all time points except for day 7. Conclusion: Ketoprofen and benzocaine gums were both significantly effective for orthodontic pain reduction.


The Routing Protocol for Low power and lossy networks (RPL) has been introduced as the de-facto routing protocol for the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). In heavy load scenarios, particular parent nodes are likely prone to congestion, which in turn degrades the network performance, in terms of packet delivery and delay. Moreover, there is no explicit strategy in RPL to prioritize the transmission of different traffic types in heterogeneous 6TiSCH networks, each according to its criticality. In this paper, we address the aforementioned issues by introducing a congestion control and service differentiation strategies to support heterogeneous 6TiSCH networks in IIoT applications. First, we introduce a congestion control mechanism to achieve load balancing under heavy traffic scenarios. The congestion is detected through monitoring and sharing the status of the queue backlog among neighbor nodes. We define a new routing metric that considers the queue occupancy when selecting the new parent node in congestion situations. In addition, we design a multi-queue model to provide prioritized data transmission for critical data over the non-critical ones. Each traffic type is placed in a separate queue and scheduled for transmission based on the assigned queue priority, where critical data are always transmitted first. The performance of the proposed work is evaluated through extensive simulations and compared with existing work to demonstrate its effectiveness. The results show that our proposal achieves improved packet delivery and low queue losses under heavy load scenarios, as well as improved delay performance of critical traffic.


The rate of occurrence of click trains of two harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) were counted during 14 nights. We developed an echolocation signal detection system that was harnessed to a porpoise and activated a light when the animal emitted an echolocation signal. This device, referred to as a click-light, detects echolocation signals above 150 dB re 1 μPa in the 28–180 kHz range. Echolocation rates, i.e., occurrences of click trains, changed frequently, ranging from 0 to 25 per minute. Echolocation rates were affected by feeding, individual difference, and enclosure type such as the net enclosure and the pool. The porpoise echolocation rates seemed to show acclimation.


The aim of this study was to assess the risk perception of domestic tourists visiting volatile destinations such as the Kashmir valley (India) and reveal the impact of various types of perceived risk on destination loyalty formulation. A quantitative research/deductive approach has been adopted for two reasons: (1) to ensure the objectivity, generalisability, and reliability of research findings; and (2) to develop hypotheses based on an existing theory and then collect data to determine whether empirical evidence to support those hypotheses exists. The current study used a convenience sampling method for collecting data from 413 domestic tourists using a self-administered questionnaire. Furthermore, the two-step approach for structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to assess the psychometric properties of the measurement model and test the proposed structural model. The results revealed that all the five types of perceived risks (socio-psychological, political, performance, financial, and physical) negatively affect tourists' destination loyalty, with socio-psychological risk and political risk emerging as major determinants of loyalty intention of domestic tourists. Moreover, the descriptive analysis revealed that the mean perception of domestic tourists on various risk dimensions was low, and they disagreed that Kashmir is a risky place to visit.


Ellipticine is a DNA-damaging agent acting as a prodrug whose pharmacological efficiencies and genotoxic side effects are dictated by activation with cytochrome P450 (CYP). Over the last decade we have gained extensive experience in using pure enzymes and various animal models that helped to identify CYPs metabolizing ellipticine. In this review we focus on comparison between the in vitro and in vivo studies and show a necessity of both approaches to obtain valid information on CYP enzymes contributing to ellipticine metabolism. Discrepancies were found between the CYP enzymes activating ellipticine to 13-hydroxy- and 12-hydroxyellipticine generating covalent DNA adducts and those detoxifying this drug to 9-hydroxy- and 7-hydroellipticine in vitro and in vivo. In vivo, formation of ellipticine-DNA adducts is dependent not only on expression levels of CYP3A, catalyzing ellipticine activation in vitro, but also on those of CYP1A that oxidize ellipticine in vitro mainly to the detoxification products. The finding showing that cytochrome b5 alters the ratio of ellipticine metabolites generated by CYP1A1/2 and 3A4 explained this paradox. Whereas the detoxification of ellipticine by CYP1A and 3A is either decreased or not changed by cytochrome b5, activation leading to ellipticine-DNA adducts increased considerably. We show that (I) the pharmacological effects of ellipticine mediated by covalent ellipticine-derived DNA adducts are dictated by expression levels of CYP1A, 3A and cytochrome b5, and its own potency to induce these enzymes in tumor tissues, (II) animal models, where levels of CYPs are either knocked out or induced are appropriate to identify CYPs metabolizing ellipticine in vivo, and (III) extrapolation from in vitro data to the situation in vivo is not always possible, confirming the need for these animal models.


Rather than attempt to change its decision-making procedures and aim at strengthened normativity, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (osce) should embrace its original purpose and design. This article argues that the Organisation is both competent and capable in conflict management. In particular in conflict management and resolution, the Organisation is both competent and capable in conflict management. As the case of alleged failure in Georgia demonstrates, the misses the osce had arrived not from the institutional design or decision-making procedures but rather from the weakness of its analytical capability and communication. Even if the osce Mission finished its work in Georgia in 2009, the organisation has continued to work on the conflict resolution on the local and on the political level, and it has succeeded in passing its expertise and knowledge to the European Union Monitoring Mission to Georgia.


Background The purpose of the current study was to upgrade the International Hip Dysplasia Institute (IHDI) classification of developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH). Methods The upgrading was suggested by adding the state of the acetabulum (type A for the normal acetabulum and type B for the dysplastic one). The pelvic radiographic films of 110 children suspected to have DDH were used by three observers to sort out the hips into grades according to the original form and the suggested upgraded one subsequently. Results The interobserver reliability between the observers improved from a good level (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC], 0.885; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.856–0.909) with the original form to an excellent level (ICC, 0.919; 95% CI, 0.898–0.936) with the upgraded form. When the upgraded form was used, only the grade 1 hips were divided into types A and B, while those classified as grades 2, 3, and 4 were all graded as type B only. Conclusions The IHDI classification of DDH can be upgraded into grade 1A, grade 1B, grade 2, grade 3, and grade 4.


Since newspapers were first published in this country, editorial writers have never seemed to tire of writing about the moral deficiencies of our young people. The quotation below, from an editorial published in a well-known newspaper in 1805, could have appeared (in a less ornate style) in the paper we read this morning.
 To a person of reflection and sensibility, there cannot be a subject of more painful thought, than that which the morals of our youth present. In many of them, we observe the brightest colours of the human character almost totally eclipsed by the foulest immoralities. We see them triumphing in vice as a proof of distinguished spirit and refinement, and permitting their passions to shoot wild in all the dreadful luxuriance of folly and guilt.
 Let us limit our remarks within a narrow sphere, and select from the cluster of youthful lusts, one which is more fashionable and perhaps more detrimental to them, in every point of view, than any other with which the present age is scourged: I mean the illicit indulgence of that passion which was given to us for the preservation of the human species. Considered merely with reference to this life, I know not a more deadly antidote to bliss than this lawless tyrant over man. How often does it dig the grave for genius and character! How are all the energies of the mind unstrung by its excess; all the affections of the heart deadened or empoisoned; every virtuous propensity put to flight, and all the charms of chaste society lost and forgotten.


The Bu → ψM decays are studied with the perturbative QCD approach, where the psion ψ = ψ(2S), ψ(3770), ψ(4040) and ψ(4160), and the light meson M = π, K, ρ and K*. The factorizable and non-factorizable contributions, and the S-D wave mixing effects on the psions, are considered in the calculation. With appropriate inputs, the branching ratios for the Bu → ψK decays are generally coincident with the experimental data within errors. However, due to the large theoretical and experimental errors, it is impossible for the moment to give a severe constraint on the S-D wave mixing angles.


There are relatively few circumstances wherein the assay of TRAb, as TSAb or TBIAb, is merited in the routine clinical management of patients with autoimmune thyroid disease. These include: 1. the prediction of neonatal hyperthyroidism; 2. the confirmation, by assay of maternal serum, and perhaps newborn blood, that neonatal hypothyroidism, identified on routine screening, may be transient and due to transplacental passage of TBIAb; 3. the prediction of relapse of hyperthyroidism at the end of a course of antithyroid drugs; this information should lead to more careful observation to identify relapse as early as possible; 4. the confirmation that adult agoitrous hypothyroidism reflects the effect of an antibody (TBIAb) blocking the action of TSH although, as discussed, there is little, if any, practical gain from this information. Additional applications of the routine use of TRAb assays will require the development of a procedure that combines the sensitivity, specificity, availability, and ease found variably in current TSAb and TBI procedures, and at much less cost than what is provided today.


The authors present an artificial neural network (ANN) model for forecasting weather-sensitive loads. The proposed model is capable of forecasting the hourly loads for an entire week. The model is not fully connected; hence, it has a shorter training time than the fully connected ANN. The proposed model can differentiate between the weekday loads and the weekend loads. The results indicate that this model can achieve greater forecasting accuracy than the traditional statistical model. This ANN model has been implemented on real load data. The average percentage peak error for the test cases was 1.12%. >


PIP: By 2000, developing countries will have an estimated 1 billion adolescents who are physically old enough to reproduce themselves but far too young to be responsible, healthy parents of healthy children. Governments must become involved in the issues surrounding adolescent pregnancy and both custom and the laws must change to reflect the needs of young people. The consequences of early childbearing are felt by society as well as the families directly affected. The incidence of births to very young women, both married and unmarried is growing; each year approximately 13 million children are born to young mothers. The percentage of live births to mothers under the age of 20 ranges from 20% in some African and Caribbean countries, to 10-15% in many Latin American countries, 5-10% in Asia, and 1% in Japan. Increased out-of-wedlock adolescent pregnancy is due to many factors: earlier sexual maturity from better childhood health and nutrition, a trend toward later marriage, increased opportunity for opposite sex interaction in schools and in the labor force, and rapid urbanization which weakens traditional family structures and social and cultural controls. Early childbirth is especially dangerous for adolescents and their infants. Compared to women between the ages of 20-35, pregnant women under 20 are at a greater risk for death and disease including bleeding during pregnancy, toxemia, hemorrhage, prolonged and difficult labor, severe anemia, and disability. Life-long social and economic disadvantages may be a consequence of teenage birth. Educational and career opportunities may be limited, as may be opportunities for marriage. Teen mothers tend to have larger completed family sizes, shorter birth intervals resulting in both poorer health status for the family, and a more severe level of poverty. The children also suffer; teens mothers have a higher incidence of low birth weight infants which is associated with birth injuries, serious childhood illness, and mental and physical disabilities. Adolescents' access to family planning information and services is limited. Government programs in developing countries have focused on older women to limit family size. In addition, national laws and local customs often prohibit minors from consenting to medical services. Both the number and proportions of abortions performed for young women have been increasing. Abortions are more physically traumatic for young women who tend to request services later in pregnancy.


Handwritten text recognition is an open problem of great interest in the area of automatic document image analysis. The transcription of handwritten content present in digitized documents is significant in analyzing historical archives or digitizing information from handwritten documents, forms, and communications. In the last years, great advances have been made in this area due to applying deep learning techniques to its resolution. This Thesis addresses the offline continuous handwritten text recognition (HTR) problem, consisting of developing algorithms and models capable of transcribing the text present in an image without the need for the text to be segmented into characters. For this purpose, we have proposed a new recognition model based on integrating two types of deep learning architectures: convolutional neural networks (CNN) and sequence-to-sequence (seq2seq) models, respectively. The convolutional component of the model is oriented to identify relevant features present in characters, and the seq2seq component builds the transcription of the text by modeling the sequential nature of the text. For the design of this new model, an extensive analysis of the capabilities of different convolutional architectures in the simplified problem of isolated character recognition has been carried out in order to identify the most suitable ones to be integrated into the continuous model. Additionally, extensive experimentation of the proposed model for the continuous problem has been carried out to determine its robustness to changes in parameterization. The generalization capacity of the model has also been validated by evaluating it on three handwritten text databases using different languages: IAM in English, RIMES in French, and Osborne in Spanish, respectively. The new proposed model provides competitive results with those obtained with other well-established methodologies.


One of the greatest challenges facing the pharmaceutical industry is the design and development of suitable delivery systems to overcome poor dissolution profile for insoluble drugs. Different formulation approaches including particulate systems, pH alterations and co solvents have been investigated in an attempt to determine the critical formulation parameters to improve dissolution and solubility of poorly soluble drugs. The present study aims to investigate formulation development of solid dispersions for model poorly soluble drug, paracetamol with an overall objective of deciphering drug release mechanisms. Solid dispersions of paracetamol in polyethylene glycol 8000 as a hydrophilic carrier showed that dissolution rate was significantly increased when compared to polymer free formulations and was controlled by the rate of polymer dissolution. The study also showed that polymer to drug ratio was another key factor affecting drug release kinetics. In addition, stability studies were performed. Hyper-differential scanning calorimetry (Hyer-DSC), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were carried out as part of the quality assessment criterion during stability studies. The results concluded that solid dispersions of paracetamol were stable at room conditions.


Introduction: Overactive bladder (OAB) confirmation of disease often requires invasive approaches. We have previously demonstrated that peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) can provide a reporter function in solid organ retroperitoneal disease. Here we investigated the utility of using PBMC as a marker for patients with OAB.
 Methods: 21 patients were assessed for OAB and structural integrity. Patients with a history of recent surgery or infection were excluded. Whole blood was obtained from patients and appropriately matched controls (n=6) and PBMC were separated by density centrifugation. RNA was isolated from PBMC and converted to aRNA and subjected to microarray analysis (human U133A 2.0).
 Results: Microarray analysis revealed that 16 genes were differentially regulated (8 upregulated and 8 downregulated) in all patients with OAB compared with controls. Sex based analysis demonstrated 74 genes differentially regulated in males (25 upregulated and 49 downregulated), and 30 in females (13 upregulated and 17 downregulated). Of these, PDGF, MFAP3L, a microfibrillar-associated protein, and TPM1 (tropomyosin) were downregulated in all sets analyzed.
 Conclusions: Microarray analysis revealed many genes which were differentially regulated in PBMC from OAB patients, including regulatory/structural genes; PDGF, MFAP and TPM1 may be important in regulating structural integrity of bladder and supporting tissues. These data suggest that blood derived leukocytes can provide a reporter function for patients with solid organ disease and may serve as a diagnostic marker and/or monitor response to therapy.


AIM
To determine evidence of nitric oxide (NO) in decidual biopsies and fetal membranes of preeclamptic women.

BACKGROUND
Nitric oxide, a potent vasodilator, has been postulated to have a role in the etiology of preeclampsia. Investigations in peripheral blood have led to conflicting results. We therefore decided to study whether immunohistochemically detectable nitric oxide is produced in the decidua and within the fetal membranes.

METHODS
Forty-two pregnant women at 28 weeks gestation or more were enrolled. Twenty were normotensive and 22 had preeclampsia. Women with chronic hypertension, diabetes and multiple pregnancies were excluded. Maternal blood samples prior to cesarean section (CS), decidual biopsies during CS, and fetal membrane specimens were obtained. The tissue specimens were fixed immediately (after delivery of the baby and placenta) in formalin, washed, and embedded in paraffin. Immunohistochemical staining for nitric oxide synthases (NOS) I, II, III was performed and reviewed in conjunction with routine hematoxylin and eosin sections, using light microscopy.

RESULTS
There was no statistically significant difference in the level of immunostaining of nitric oxide synthases in both normotensive and hypertensive patients.

DISCUSSION
The severity of blood pressure did not influence expression of nitric oxide synthases.


The Palgrave Dictionary of Transnational History is written by over 350 authors from 25 countries and numerous subject disciplines. They share the belief that modern world history must be understood, not simply as a sum of national histories or a chronicle of inter-state affairs, but also as a story of connections and circulation, by people, goods, ideas and skills. These are not always confined to any particular country or region of the world, nor are they identifiable with states or governments. The essence of history can only be fully understood by following the flows, ties and appropriations they trigger across borders. Even such familiar items as taxation, the Cold War or beauty take on fresh significance when they are viewed in the framework, not of national or international affairs but of transnational relations and interactions.


Experimental asthma was induced in 6 dogs previously sensitized to ascaris antigen by ventilating them with aerosolyzed ascaris antigen far 10 minutes. Pulmonary resistance was calculated from simultaneous pressure and flow measurements at a lung volume 200 ml above functional residual capacity. Prior to administration of aerosolyzed ascaris antigen, pulmonary resistance was 2.35 ± 0.56 (mean ± SEM) em H2O/L/sec in dogs anesthetized with thiopental. Twenty minutes after the end of ascaris antigen administration, pulmonary resistance was 5.72 ± 1.29 in dogs given additional thiopental, 3.18 ± 0.62 in dogs anesthetized with halothane (0.87% inspired concentration), and 3.03 ± 0.60 in dogs anesthetized with enflurane (2.2% inspired concentration). These differences in responses of pulmonary resistance were statistically significant at 0.05 level.Halothane and enflurane were equally effective in decreasing pulmonary resistance in an ascaris antigen dog model of asthma.


South Carolina is the 2nd largest peach producing state in the United States, which in turn makes the peach industry a major contributor to the state's economy ranking 8th in production value in 2016. According to the South Carolina Department of Agriculture (SCDA), the peach industry annually has up to a $300 million impact to the South Carolina economy and has an annual value of nearly $70 million. An unseasonably warm winter at the beginning of 2017 produced an early bloom for the peach crop causing severe damage when record low temperatures occurred in March. Original estimations from the SCDA indicated that about 85-90% of the state's peach crop was destroyed due to the freeze. The objective of the paper is to determine the economic impact that occurred to the South Carolina peach industry and to the state's economy due to the freeze. In particular, losses will be examined in both consumer and producer surplus. The data is obtained from farmers' responses to surveys and from the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. Also, the regional economic analysis from the loss is determined using IMPLAN input-output models.


In this communication, the plain and continuous epitaxial CoSi2 was first synthesized on Si(111) wafers with metal vacuum vapour arc ion implantation without in situ heating or post-annealing. The measurements on the CoSi2 layers showed that increasing the formation temperature and the implantation dose can improve the crystallinity of CoSi2.


Indexes in ebooks can be 'active', with hyperlinks into the text. Should these links go to the page, paragraph, line or word level? This is a complex question, but the main concern may be the user ...


Genetic vaccines have progressed significantly since the first demonstration of the technology in 1992. When Sanford and Johnston first developed the idea, two applications were envisaged. One was as a new, simple, possibly more effective, method for delivering vaccines. The other was as a new tool to explore the immune system and to discover new vaccines. As there has been relatively little emphasis on the latter, we provide three examples of the potential uses of genetic immunization for discovery/manipulation. One of these technologies may have important implications for the safety of the vaccines. Finally, we propose that the clinical application of genetic vaccines may be limited by inadequate delivery systems and propose the characteristics of an ideal system.


In this Editorial, we stay committed to the objective of the Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice regarding sharing, evaluating, and developing stronger evidence-based practice papers by focusing on the topic of national and institutional student evaluations. We create an important theoretical and practical foundation for authors considering publishing with our Journal on studies that utilise student surveys as their primary method of data collection. The editorial begins by providing a comprehensive overview of the history and emergence of student evaluations dating back to medieval times, we trace the evolution of student evaluations to present day looking at the rationale behind the induction of such tools. Following this, we discuss the validity of student evaluations through an exploration of factors such as student satisfaction, the timing of when student surveys are administered, and the idiosyncrasies regarding paper-based and online evaluations. We then further discuss the reliability of student evaluations by contextualising what student evaluations do not say and uncover how various forms of bias can influence the ways student evaluations are both completed and interpreted. Through this we assert that due to confounding factors of bias that influence the results of student evaluations, they cannot always be thought of as wholly objective data collection tools. This then leads into our discussion of the contemporary social contexts within which student evaluations are situated and how both micro and macro dynamics influence student experiences of teaching and learning, where we contest that broader external factors experienced by students can skew the ways teaching is both perceived and evaluated. We conclude our Editorial by critically envisioning a new direction for future manuscript submissions to our Journal. We assert that although the use of student evaluations as evidence of teaching practice may be inherently flawed, there nonetheless remains merit in their use following critical and reflexive engagement throughout the research process. As such, we are hopeful that our critical review of student evaluation-based scholarship may be utilised to leverage higher quality research output.


Abstract. There is an increasing request for zero expansion glass ceramic ZERODUR® substrates being capable of enduring higher operational static loads or accelerations. The integrity of structures such as optical or mechanical elements for satellites surviving rocket launches, filigree lightweight mirrors, wobbling mirrors, and reticle and wafer stages in microlithography must be guaranteed with low failure probability. Their design requires statistically relevant strength data. The traditional approach using the statistical two-parameter Weibull distribution suffered from two problems. The data sets were too small to obtain distribution parameters with sufficient accuracy and also too small to decide on the validity of the model. This holds especially for the low failure probability levels that are required for reliable applications. Extrapolation to 0.1% failure probability and below led to design strengths so low that higher load applications seemed to be not feasible. New data have been collected with numbers per set large enough to enable tests on the applicability of the three-parameter Weibull distribution. This distribution revealed to provide much better fitting of the data. Moreover it delivers a lower threshold value, which means a minimum value for breakage stress, allowing of removing statistical uncertainty by introducing a deterministic method to calculate design strength. Considerations taken from the theory of fracture mechanics as have been proven to be reliable with proof test qualifications of delicate structures made from brittle materials enable including fatigue due to stress corrosion in a straight forward way. With the formulae derived, either lifetime can be calculated from given stress or allowable stress from minimum required lifetime. The data, distributions, and design strength calculations for several practically relevant surface conditions of ZERODUR® are given. The values obtained are significantly higher than those resulting from the two-parameter Weibull distribution approach and no longer subject to statistical uncertainty.


Letters must be no longer than 400 words and must include a word count. All letters are SUbject to editing. Proofs will not normally be supplied. There should be no more than 4 authors per letter. Each author should provide current qualifications and position. Contact telephone and facsimile numbers should be supplied. Letters from a single author may be submitted bye-mail (firstname.lastname@example.com). but must include full details of postal address and telephone number.


Fishes living in icy seawater are usually protected from freezing by endogenous antifreeze proteins (AFPs) that bind to ice crystals and stop them from growing. The scattered distribution of five highly diverse AFP types across phylogenetically disparate fish species is puzzling. The appearance of radically different AFPs in closely related species has been attributed to the rapid, independent evolution of these proteins in response to natural selection caused by sea level glaciations within the last 20 million years. In at least one instance the same type of simple repetitive AFP has independently originated in two distant species by convergent evolution. But, the isolated occurrence of three very similar type II AFPs in three distantly related species (herring, smelt and sea raven) cannot be explained by this mechanism. These globular, lectin-like AFPs have a unique disulfide-bonding pattern, and share up to 85% identity in their amino acid sequences, with regions of even higher identity in their genes. A thorough search of current databases failed to find a homolog in any other species with greater than 40% amino acid sequence identity. Consistent with this result, genomic Southern blots showed the lectin-like AFP gene was absent from all other fish species tested. The remarkable conservation of both intron and exon sequences, the lack of correlation between evolutionary distance and mutation rate, and the pattern of silent vs non-silent codon changes make it unlikely that the gene for this AFP pre-existed but was lost from most branches of the teleost radiation. We propose instead that lateral gene transfer has resulted in the occurrence of the type II AFPs in herring, smelt and sea raven and allowed these species to survive in an otherwise lethal niche.


A multiple-beam optical beamformer based on highly dispersive photonic crystal fibers (PCFs) is presented. Each radio-frequency (RF) beam can be independently controlled to steer continuously. The dispersion of the fabricated PCFs is as high as -600 ps/nmldrkm at 1550 nm. Simultaneous two-beam transmission is demonstrated using two lasers with different optical wavelengths. The two wavelengths generate two independent sets of time delays, which correspond to two independent RF beams.


In the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) mouse model of optic neuritis, we recently demonstrated that diet supplementation with a balanced mixture of fatty acids (FAs), including omega 3 and omega 6, efficiently limited inflammatory events in the retina and prevented retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death, although mechanisms underlying the efficacy of FAs were to be elucidated. Whether FAs effectiveness was accompanied by efficient rescue of demyelinating events in the optic nerve was also unresolved. Finally, the possibility that RGC rescue might result in ameliorated visual performance remained to be investigated. Here, the EAE model of optic neuritis was used to investigate mechanisms underlying the anti-inflammatory effects of FAs, including their potential efficacy on macrophage polarization. In addition, we determined how FAs-induced rescue of RGC degeneration was related to optic nerve histopathology by performing ultrastructural morphometric analysis with transmission electron microscopy. Finally, RGC rescue was correlated with visual performance by recording photopic electroretinogram, an efficient methodology to unravel the role of RGCs in the generation of electroretinographic waves. We conclude that the ameliorative effects of FAs were dependent on a predominant anti-inflammatory action including a role on promoting the shift of macrophages from the inflammatory M1 phenotype towards the anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype. This would finally result in restored optic nerve histopathology and ameliorated visual performance. These findings can now offer new perspectives for implementing our knowledge on the effectiveness of diet supplementation in counteracting optic neuritis and suggest the importance of FAs as possible adjuvants in therapies against inflammatory diseases of the eye.


This paper presents a study on the development and control of a micro biped walking robot using shape memory alloys (SMAs). We propose a flexible flat plate (FFP) consisting of a polyethylene plate and SMAs. Based on a detailed investigation of the properties of the SMA-based FFP structure, we develop a lightweight micro walking robot incorporating multiple SMA-based FFPs. The walking robot has four degrees of freedom and is controlled by switching the ON-OFF current signals to the SMA-based FFPs. The switching timing, central to the control strategy to achieve walking behavior, is determined through experiments. The micro robot realizes biped walking by transferring the elastic potential energy (generated by deflections of the SMA-based FFPs) to kinematic energy. The resulting micro biped walking robot weighs a mere 2.8 g (with a height of 70 mm). Our experimental results demonstrate the viability and utility of the micro walking robot with the proposed SMA-based FFPs and the control strategy to achieve walking behavior


We report on the development of high peak power laser diodes emitting in the $1.5 \mu \mathrm {m}$ wavelength band for eye-safe LIDAR applications. Different techniques for wavelength locking to and operation with a narrow emission spectrum are discussed. Furthermore, we review the strategies to increase the beam brightness. Recent progress in new epitaxial layer designs enabling high peak powers is also discussed. Finally, we discuss the performance of the laser diodes in terms of improvements they render possible for high-performance LIDAR systems.


AIMS
To explore stakeholder perspectives of compassion in nursing.

BACKGROUND
Studies show that nurses' compassion can be characterised by eleven characteristics. A growing body of research illustrates how courses aimed at teaching nursing students about compassion can be effective. Including the views of key stakeholders in the design of these programmes is recommended, yet the number of studies that have explored this are limited.

DESIGN
This study used a qualitative exploratory design, applying a directed content and thematic analysis to the data.

METHODS
Key stakeholders (n=34), including nurse educators, nursing students, registered nurses, and service user/patients, were recruited between September 2016 and July 2017. Focus groups and semi-structured one-to-one interviews were conducted. Data were transcribed verbatim. Directed content analysis and thematic analysis were applied to transcripts to address two separate research questions.

RESULTS
In relation to question 1, "What are the characteristics of a compassionate nurse?" eight themes; (1) character, (2) self-care, (3) connection, (4) empathy, (5) interpersonal skills, (6) communication, (7) competence, (8) engagement, emerged from the content analysis. For question 2, "How can compassion be taught to nursing students?" there were five separate themes that emerged from the thematic analysis; (1) assumptions about teaching compassion are either fixed or fluid, (2) motivation to be a nurse and learn about compassionate care, (3) the 5 W's needed to teach compassion to nursing students, (4) barriers to learning about and demonstrating compassion in practice, and (5) compassion requires strength to demonstrate.

CONCLUSION
The findings of this research support previous research into compassion in nursing. The Compassion Strengths model may serve as a framework for nursing students and nurses' compassionate practice. This may also assist nurses internationally to develop further research in this vital area. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.


: The aim of this study was to determine the extent of the effect of lactation on biochemical compounds in breast milk in Najaf governorate. Two hundred forty samples of breast milk were collected from healthy mothers aged 18-30 years. Milk samples were collected from (3-11) month of Breast-feeding. In Najaf city, 44 mothers were selected as volunteers to obtain fixed samples per month for analysis. moisture, ash, protein, lactose and fat were measured. The results indicate that there was an effect on the period of breast-feeding at the level of probability (p<0.05%) for fat, protein, lactose and moisture in breast milk. Lactose content increased but protein and fat decreased, while ash continued the same during the study period.


AbstractThe freak wave, also known as New-Year-Wave in the north Atlantic, is relatively large and spontaneous ocean surface wave that can sink even large shi ps and destroy maritime structures. To understand oceanic conditions that develop freak waves, we simulated and generated two versions of scale-downed waves (1:64 and 1:42) in a numerical wave tank and compared the results with the experiment in wave flume. Both of the breaking and non-breaking waves were generated in the simulation. The numerical simulation was implemented based on the finite volume method and a genetic opt imization algorithm. Random values were assigned as the initial values for the parameter in the control function, which produced signals representing the motion of wave-maker. T he same signal obtained from the optimization process was used for both of the simulati on and the experiment. By varying the object function and restrictions of the simulation, a best profile of design wave was selected based on the characteristics, height and period of simulated waves. Results showed that the simulation and experiment with the scale of 1:4 2 agreed better with freak waves in the natural condition. The presented simulation method will contribute to saving the time and cost for conducting subsequent response analyses o f motion under freak waves in the course of the model test for ship and maritime structure.


Marijuana is on everyone's mind. Why do so many people enjoy it? What is it doing in our brains? Is it safe for everyone to use? What should we be telling our children? What are the benefits of medical marijuana? How does CBD live up to its hype? Does marijuana have spiritual power? And with so much conflicting information out there, how do we begin to make up our own minds about cannabis? Marijuana on My Mind is for anyone who has ever experienced the mystique of cannabis or wondered exactly how cannabis works. With over 40 years of clinical experience, Dr Timmen Cermak uses science to make sense of the endless debate between advocates and opponents of cannabis and provides answers to some of the greatest mysteries surrounding marijuana.


made during the World War. With the prospect of the disintegration of AustriaHungary, a bitter controversy developed between Italy and Serbia over the possession of Istria, Fiume, and Dalmatia. The story has heretofore been difficult to get because the sources are in Italian, Serb, Magyar, German, French, and English, and are for the most part intensely nationalistic and propagandist in character. In an introduction of over sixty pages the editor reviews the general history of the Adriatic Question and the efforts of the respective claimants, especially those of Rome and Belgrade, to secure the support of the Allies for their respective claims. This introduction pictures a complicated network of diplomacy and intrigue and serves as a sort of guide to the documents which, with notes and index, make up the remaining part of the volume. To American students they have a peculiar interest because of the determined stand taken by President Wilson at the Paris Peace Conference


In this paper, the use of Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers (VCSEL) for thermoplastic tape placement is presented. Thanks to their individually addressable emitters, high-power VCSEL modules enable a customized irradiation, whereby a (speed-adaptive) control of the materials' thermal state becomes viable. Especially of interest for us was the temperature gradient in through-thickness direction within the tape. The irradiation approach promises a new level of thermal controllability through not only controlling the surface temperature (state of the art), but also the thermal penetration and thereby the melt pool depth, melt dwell time and bond interface cooling rate. The novel control approach could improve the placement rate of (in-situ) thermoplastic tape placement beyond 1 m/s, without losses of the weld strength. To achieve a purposeful control of the materials' thermal state with the VCSEL, a prior inverse computation was required to predict the appropriate irradiation setting. The methods and results of inverse computations will be presented – numerical and analytical. A comparison of the computations with experiments was done by thermal imaging equipment. The experimental setup will be shown as well as the realization of the "tailored" irradiation by the VCSEL (the approximated ideal irradiation distribution). Finally, the advantages for the thermoplastic tape placement process will be discussed. These include an influence on the degree of intimate surface contact, autohesion and state of crystallization in the bond interface. The research work focuses on the thin tape, but is transferable to the generally thicker substrate.


Virtue ethics is often understood as a rival to existing consequentialist, deontological, and contractualist views. But some have disputed the position that virtue ethics is a genuine normative ethical rival. This chapter aims to crystallize the nature of this dispute by providing criteria that determine the degree to which a normative ethical theory is complete, and then investigating virtue ethics through the lens of these criteria. In doing so, it's argued that no existing account of virtue ethics is a complete normative ethical view that rivals existing consequentialist, deontological, and contractualist views. Moreover, it is argued that one of the most significant challenges facing virtue ethics consists in offering an account of the right-making features of actions, while remaining a distinctively virtue ethical view.


A system for monitoring and controlling the process of fuel combustion in boilers based on a stepwise change in the composition of the air-fuel mixture has been considered. Algorithms for the operation of the frequency controller in various modes have been developed. A software module has been created for monitoring the oxygen concentration in the exhaust gases based on the LM Programmer. The interaction of the developed software and hardware is shown.


Babak Rezvani studied ethno-territorial conflicts and peaceful coexistence between ethnic groups in (post-) Soviet Central Asia, the Caucasus and Fereydan (in Iran), all of which are ethnically, linguistically and religiously heterogeneous. The demographic dominance of titular groups in their autonomous region drastically increases the probability of conflict in regions of Central Eurasia. The transborder dominance of an ethnic group may also enhance the probability of such conflicts. In the first half of the twentieth century, and based on their own interpretation of the right to national self-determination, the policy-makers in the Soviet Union decided that the (larger) peoples should posses autonomous homelands. This policy resulted in a hierarchical ethno-territorial system that eventually is responsible for the outbreak of ethno-territorial conflicts after the demise of the Soviet empire. Rezvani constructed a dataset of 129 ethno-territorial encounters and filled it in on the basis of fieldwork, literature, and governmental and non-governmental (statistical) data. In addition to thorough descriptions of ethno-territorial conflicts, systematic qualitative comparative (QCA) and statistical analyses were performed using this dataset. Rezvani's research emphasizes the importance of political-territorial factors. Besides the possession of territorial autonomy, demographic dominance of titular groups within such territories and transborder dominance, ethno-geographical configuration also plays an important role.


Background: Measles is an acute infection, usually occurring in childhood, caused by a virus of the Paramyxoviridae family. Infants born to mothers immunized against measles benefit from the transplacental transfer of anti-measles antibodies of the IgG type, and are in principle protected against infection in the first months of life. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out on infants born at term and not vaccinated against measles, in three hospitals in the city of Douala (General Hospital, Gynaecologic Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital and Laquintinie Hospital). The qualitative and quantitative research of type G immunoglobulins in serum or plasma was carried out by the ELISA technique using the "Measles Virus IgG TM " kits, followed by a colorimetric reading. Sociodemographic and biological data were collected and analyzed. Results: A total of 178 infants were recruited of which 54.5% were male. The average age was 3 months ± 2.6 and the most common age group was 0 to 1 month. Antibody levels ranged from 8 to 5,700 mIU/ml and 39.9% of infants had protective levels against measles. The presence of antibodies based on age was 81.1% in 0-1 months infants, 51.1% 1-3 months, and 8.2% 3-6 months, respectively. Only one of them was protected in the 6 to 9 month age group. We observed a significant association between infant age, maternal history of measles and the rate of protected infants. Conclusion: The frequency of maternal antibodies in infants was low. Strategies should be put in place to strengthen the fight against this resurgent disease.


The description of Micropygomyia brandaoi, a new species of fossil phlebotomine sand fly, is based on one male specimen obtained from Dominican amber of the Miocene period (20 million years). In this new species, the fifth palpal segment is long, the coxite lacks a setal tuft and the style shows four well-developed spines. This set of characters allowed us to place the new species in the genus Micropygomyia Barretto.