The non-commutative sequoid operator on games was introduced to capture algebraically the presence of state in history-sensitive strategies in game semantics, by imposing a causality relation on the tensor product of games. Coalgebras for the functor A — i.e., morphisms from S to A S — may be viewed as state transformers: if A has a final coalgebra, !A, then the anamorphism of such a state transformer encapsulates its explicit state, so that it is shared only between successive invocations. We study the conditions under which a final coalgebra !A for A is the carrier of a cofree commutative comonoid on A. That is, it is a model of the exponential of linear logic in which we can construct imperative objects such as reference cells coalgebraically, in a game semantics setting. We show that if the tensor decomposes into the sequoid, the final coalgebra !A may be endowed with the structure of the cofree commutative comonoid if the natural isomorphism !(A×B) ∼= !A⊗ !B holds. This condition is always satisfied if !A is the bifree algebra for A , but in general it is necessary to impose it, as we establish by giving an example of a sequoidally decomposable category of games in which plays will be allowed to have transfinite length. In this category, the final coalgebra for the functor A is not the cofree commutative comonoid over A: we illustrate this by explicitly contrasting the final sequence for the functor A with the chain of symmetric tensor powers used in the construction of the cofree commutative comonoid as a limit by Melliès, Tabareau and Tasson. 1998 ACM Subject Classification F3.2.2 Denotational Semantics


One of the major current trends in service-oriented systems is the emphasis given to the need of introducing runtime adaptation features, so that the system can meet its QoS requirements in a volatile operating environment. In this paper we present the design and implementation of a service broker that supports the QoS-driven runtime adaptation of SOA applications offered as composite services to users. We describe the functionalities provided by the broker components and present their design and implementation according to two different versions we have developed and that are both based on open source products. The components of the first version have been developed in Java as Web services, while the second version takes advantage of OpenESB. Since the broker needs to sustain a traffic of requests generated by several concurrent users, we also present the replicated architectures of the two broker versions. We discuss the design tradeoffs and the lesson we have learned in developing the broker.


During a natural outbreak of edema disease in different farms 160 weaned piglets showing the clinical symptoms of palpebral edema, mental discomfort and apathy were selected and divided into three groups. The groups were treated as follows: Group 1 (51 piglets) received twice daily one i. m. dose of Gentamycin (11 mg/kg body weight), Prednisolone (1 mg/kg body weight), Melperone (4 mg/kg body weight) for 3 days. Group 2 (55 piglets) received twice daily one i. m. dose of Amphetaminum Phosphoricum 1 mg/kg body weight for 3 days. Group 3 (54 piglets) untreated control. The result showed that group 2 treated with stimulant of the central nervous system gave the best results concerning survival. It ist the authors opinion that concerning clinical symptoms and therapy further classification is necessary.


A tenet in the orthopedic community is that dehiscent wounds overlying exposed prostheses should be treated by implant removal and delayed reconstruction. A management protocol using thorough debridement and irrigation and muscle flap coverage was accomplished in four patients with exposed endoprostheses after total arthroplasty or limb salvage surgery. Predisposing factors for late wound dehiscence in the four oncology patients were preoperative radiation and chemotherapy as well as multiple subsequent reoperations. In this study, all four prostheses and extremities were retained without the need for prosthetic removal or exchange. No infections developed. Late aseptic wound dehiscence with exposed conventional or tumor endoprosthesis need not be managed with prosthetic removal, arthrodesis, or amputation. This one-stage procedure avoided infection, allowed early mobilization, shortened hospitalization and, most important, avoided amputations.


The retrieval of low frequency words is usually slower than that of high frequency words. Neuroimaging research on the role of word frequency in linguistic tasks suggests candidate brain areas for the neural substrates of this effect. The only previous fMRI study of word frequency in Russian (Malutina et al., 2012) used an action naming task and obtained data that were highly inconsistent with results for other languages, findings which were mainly obtained using noun-retrieval tasks. In order to verify whether the reasons for such inconsistency were methodological or cross-linguistic, we examined the fMRI correlates of word frequency in Russian using a covert object naming task. We found that the retrieval of low frequency and high frequency nouns activated the same general pattern of brain areas typical for object naming tasks in many languages. Several brain regions were more activated in the low frequency but not the high frequency condition, including the areas and structures usually associated with linguistic processing (the inferior frontal gyrus bilaterally, the left thalamus, the left insula), visual perception (the fusiform gyrus, the inferior occipital gyrus, the middle occipital gyrus bilaterally) and cognitive and motor control (the supplementary motor area and the right cingulate gyrus). The right cingulate gyrus was the only area that responded only to the low frequency stimuli but not the high frequency items, when compared to the baseline. At the same time, we found no brain areas that responded more to high versus low word frequency. These results are generally consistent with previous fMRI studies in English, German and Chinese and therefore suggest that the inconsistency between the previous research in Russian and other languages was due to the possible interaction of the part of speech (verb or noun) and word frequency in brain mechanisms for word retrieval, rather than cross-linguistic differences. Correspondence: Roza Vlasova, email@example.com; 21/4 Staraya Basmannaya ulitsa, The  Neurolinguistics  Laboratory at the National Research University Higher School of Economics, 105066 Moscow, Russia


The effect of an increased intake of wheat selenium (Se) on platelet Se, serum Se, whole-blood Se, and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) levels was investigated in 14 healthy Norwegian females (age 21-53 years). The intake of 60 micrograms Se per day as wheat Se, for six weeks, significantly increased the platelet Se (mean +/- SEM) from 9.1 +/- 1.1 mumol/L to 11.4 +/- 0.9 mumol/L, the serum Se from 1.43 +/- 0.18 mumol/L to 1.63 +/- 0.25 mumol/L, and the whole blood Se from 1.77 +/- 0.18 mumol/L to 2.01 +/- 0.18 mumol/L. The increase in percent of initial Se values was twice as high for platelets as for serum and whole blood. The GSH-Px levels were not altered during the experiment. Platelet Se was not significantly correlated to the Se intake initially. At the end of the experimental period, the Se in platelets reflected the total Se intake, but not with a simple linear correlation. No significant correlation between the total Se intake and the Se concentration in whole blood or serum was found.


Seed-borne diseases reduce not only the seed germination and seedling growth but also seed quality, resulting in the significant yield loss in crop production. Plant seed harbors diverse microbes termed endophytes other than pathogens inside it. However, their roles and application to agricultures were rarely understood and explored to date. Recently, we had isolated from soybean seeds culturable endophytes exhibiting in-vitro antagonistic activities against common bacterial and fungal seed-borne pathogens. In this study, we evaluated effects of seed treatment with endophytes on plant growth and protection against the common seed-borne pathogens: four fungal pathogens (Cercospora sojina, C. kikuchii, Septoria glycines, Diaporthe eres) and two bacterial pathogens (Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. glycines, Pseudomonas syringae pv. tabaci). Our experiments showed that treatment of soybean seeds with seed endophytes clearly offer protection against seed-borne pathogens. We also found that some of the endophytes promote plant growth in addition to the disease suppression. Taken together, our results demonstrate agricultural potential of seed endophytes in crop protection.


Abstract In the dimorphic dung beetle Onthophagus taurus major males provide assistance during offspring provisioning. We examined the behavioural dynamics of biparental care to quantify directly how males and females allocate time to parental and nonparental behaviours and to determine whether parents adjust their level of investment relative to their partner's contribution. Females allocated more of their time budget to parental behaviours than males. The proportion of time females allocated to parental behaviours increased after oviposition while that of a male decreased. Male paternity assurance behaviours were negatively associated with male and female parental behaviours. Theoretical models predict that the investment provided by the members of a cooperative pair should be negatively correlated and that any shortfall of one parent should be partially compensated for by the other. In the absence of a male, unassisted females allocated more time to parental care, and performed more parental behaviours. However, compensation was incomplete as unassisted females performed fewer parental behaviours than pairs, resulting in significantly lighter brood masses (the egg and its associated dung supply). Males performed more parental behaviours when paired with small females, and small females more than large females. Contrary to prediction, the investments provided by males and females in a cooperative pair were positively correlated. Males coordinated their parental behaviours with the females rather than acting independently. Since parental behaviours were directly related to the weight of brood masses, the observed parental interactions will have important fitness consequences in this species. Copyright 2002 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.


Background Growth factor receptor and estrogen receptor (ER) are two major driving pathways for initiating and sustaining breast cancer (BC) development and progression. We have previously shown that an inverse correlation exists between the PI3K pathway and ER expression/activity in luminal type BCs. High PI3K activation signaling correlates to the luminal B subtype of BC with low ER expression/activity. However, the involvement of the PI3K pathway tumor suppressor PTEN in resistance to endocrine therapy is less clear. Here we attempt to develop an experimental system to better understand the role of PTEN in this resistance. Materials and Methods : Two luminal BC cell lines, MCF7L and ZR75-B, were stably infected with a lentivirus pINDUCER (Meerbrey et al., PNAS, 2011), containing Tet-on responsive shPTEN, turboRFP (tRFP) as an inducible tag, and enhanced GFP (eGFP) as a constitutive expressed tag for positive cells selection. Immunoblotting of PTEN, phosphorylated (p) Akt, pMAPK, pc-Jun, ER, and ER9s downstream gene products (PR, IGF-1R) was performed on cells after 6 days of doxycycline (Dox) incubation. After pre-starvation for 5 days in estrogen deprivation (ED) conditions, the cells -/+ Dox were subjected to induction with estrogen (E2) or to endocrine treatment [continued ED, tamoxifen (Tam, 10–7M), or fulvestrant (Ful, 10–7M)] in 96-well plate format for 9 days. In situ cell cytometry (Celigo, Cyntellect Inc., San Diego, CA) was applied to count the cell number by scanning the same 96-well plate every other day. Ovariectomized nude mice bearing MCF7L-shPTEN xenografts, established in the presence of E2 supplementation, were randomized to minus and plus Dox groups, with each treatment group continuing E2 or endocrine therapies (ED, Tam, or Ful). The in vivo GFP/RFP imaging was performed with a home-built cooled and image intensified CCD camera system. Results : Immunoblot analysis showed a striking loss of PTEN, and significant upregulation of pAkt, as well as pMAPK and pc-Jun in cells with +Dox. In contrast, levels of ER, PR and IGF1R were reduced in cells with +Dox compared to -Dox. In all -Dox groups, cell growth was significantly reduced in endocrine treated groups compared to the E2 group, whereas +Dox rescued the endocrine treatment growth suppression, especially in ED and Tam groups. In vivo induction of PTEN shRNA expression was confirmed by RFP imaging after feeding the mice with +Dox water. MCF7L-shPTEN xenografts randomized to +Dox under ED conditions continued to grow over 4 weeks, in contrast to the marked regression of control tumors (−Dox) under this endocrine regimen (p Discussion : These data further support the existence of crosstalk between PI3K and ER pathways in luminal type BC. Decreasing PTEN levels by shRNA renders the luminal type BC cells de novo resistant to endocrine therapy both in vitro and in vivo. The pINDUCER PTEN knockdown system combined with live animal imaging offers successful real-time, noninvasive tracking of endocrine sensitivity by controllably manipulating the level of target gene. Combination therapies to overcome endocrine resistance under PTEN knockdown conditions are currently underway. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2011;71(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-01-03.


ABSTRACT Objective Prior studies have suggested reciprocal relationships between cognitive function and adiposity, but this has not been investigated with population representative data sets. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between cognitive function and adiposity in a large population-based sample of middle-aged and older adults. It was hypothesized that better scores on tests of cognitive function would be associated with lower adiposity, and this association would be primarily mediated through life-style behavior and physical health status. Methods Using baseline data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (N = 30,097), we tested our hypotheses using three indicators of cognitive function (animal fluency, Stroop interference, and reaction time) and four indicators of adiposity (body mass index, total fat mass, waist circumference, and waist-hip ratio). Hierarchical multivariable linear regression modeling was conducted followed by tests for moderation by socioeconomic status and mediation through diet, physical activity, hypertension, and diabetes status. Results All measures of cognitive indicators were significantly associated with adiposity after adjusting for confounders. In general, superior performance on animal fluency, Stroop, and reaction time tasks were associated with lower adiposity by most metrics. Stroop interference was associated with lower adiposity across all metrics, including body mass index (b = − 0.04, 95 % confidence interval [CI] = − 0.06  to − 0.01), total fat mass (b = 19.35, 95 % CI = 8.57  to 30.12), waist circumference (b = 33.83, 95 % CI = 10.08  to 57.58), and waist-hip ratio (b = 0.13, 95 % CI = 0.01  to 0.24). These associations were more substantial for moderate- and high-income subpopulations. Mediation analyses suggested that the aforementioned effects were mediated through life-style behavior (e.g., diet and physical activity) and physical health conditions (e.g., diabetes and hypertension). Conclusions Reliable associations exist between cognitive function and adiposity in middle-aged and older adults. The associations seem to be mediated through life-style behavior and physical health conditions.


This paper presents a novel and reliable technique for estimation of a distorted signal frequency. Unlike the other available techniques, the proposed algorithm does not need linearization to the signal voltage and or current. The proposed technique uses the samples available for the voltage and or current signal in the relay location to estimate the signal fundamental frequency. The frequency of the signal is calculated from the arccosine of two successive samples for a pure sinusoidal. The least errors square algorithm is used to minimize the signal errors, noise and harmonics. The frequency is estimated from a closed formula that easily can be programmed on the microprocessor based frequency estimation. Different simulated examples are offered within the text and different critical parameters that affect the performance of the proposed algorithm are discussed.


NEUROLEPTIC medications (eg, phenothiazines, butyrophenones) are used in medicine to control psychotic symptoms and concomitant agitated and violent behavior. They also are used to control anxiety and agitation whenever minor tranquilizers (eg, benzodiazepines) would be inappropriate. Development of akathisia as a parkinsonian side effect is confirmed in the use of these drugs. Akathisia is a condition that gives rise to the subjective desire to be in constant motion, with a feeling of inner agitation and muscle tension. The patient cannot sit still and paces constantly. 1 To my knowledge, however, the literature does not contain reports that the development of akathisia can precipitate violence, resulting in the behavior the drug was meant to alleviate. Report of a Case A 29-year-old man had a diagnosis of sociopathic personality and transvestism and a long history of drug abuse, including amphetamines, marijuana, alcohol, LSD, mescaline, benzodiazepines, and narcotics. The patient had a prior


Large-scale determination of uniquely expressed genes (or mRNAs) in specific cells and tissues is a challenging problem in computational and functional genomics. We consider nonparametric approaches for estimating the number of unique, nonredundant sequences in biological samples. By introducing the moments of species' abundance in a population, we analyze the relative abundance of species in the population and present a lower bound estimator and so-called medial estimator for the number of distinct species in the population. The lower bound estimate is applicable to populations with small coefficients of variation (CV). The medial estimator works well for the populations with relatively large CV, especially gene expression data. Simulation analysis shows that the medial estimator performs better than existing methods. Finally, we apply our nonparametric approaches to estimate the number of expressed mRNAs in a normal colon epithelial tissue as well as unique clones in an amplified cDNA sample prepared from the CNS of the sea-slug Aplysia


Aims: To characterize and compare coronary artery disease (CAD) risk and detailed lipidomic profiles of individuals with familial and population-ascertained hyperlipidemias. Methods and Results: We determined incident CAD risk for 760 members of 66 hyperlipidemic families (≥ 2 first degree relatives with the same hyperlipidemia) and 19,644 Finnish FINRISK population study participants. We also quantified 151 lipid species in plasma or serum samples from 550 members of 73 hyperlipidemic pedigrees and 897 FINRISK participants using a mass spectrometric shotgun lipidomics platform. Hyperlipidemias (LDL-C or triacylglycerides over 90th population percentile) were associated with increased CAD risk (high LDL-C: HR 1.74, 95% CI 1.48–2.04; high triacylglycerides: HR 1.38, 95% CI 1.09–1.74) and the risk estimates were very similar between the family and population samples. High LDL-C was associated with altered levels of 105 lipid species in families (p-value range 0.033–7.3*10−20 at 5% false discovery rate) and 51 species in the population samples (p-value range 0.017–6.8*10−21). Hypertriglyceridemia was associated with altered levels of 117 lipid species in families (p-value range 0.035–1.8*10−49) and 119 species in the population sample (p-value range 0.038–2.3*10−56). The lipidomics profiles of hyperlipidemias were highly similar in families and population samples. Conclusion: We identified distinct lipidomic profiles associated with high LDL-C and triacylglyceride levels. CAD risk, lipidomic profiles and genetic profiles are highly similar between familial and population-ascertained hyperlipidemias, providing evidence of similar and overlapping underlying mechanisms. Our results do not support different screening and treatment for such hyperlipidemias.


Astroglial cells are the most abundant cells in the mammalian central nervous system (CNS), yet our knowledge about their function in health and disease has been limited. This review focuses on the recent work addressing the function of intermediate filaments in astroglial cells under severe mechanical or osmotic stress, in hypoxia, and in brain and spinal cord injury. Recent data show that when astrocyte intermediate filaments are genetically ablated in mice, reactive gliosis is attenuated and the course of several CNS pathologies is altered, while the signs of CNS regeneration become more prominent. GFAP is the principal astrocyte intermediate filament protein and dominant mutations in the GFAP gene have been shown to lead to Alexander disease, a fatal neurodegenerative condition in humans. Copyright © 2004 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Life expectancy and quality of life may be rather poor in elderly patients with chronic kidney disease stage V. This raises a number of issues surrounding the decision of whether or not to commence renal replacement therapy and about the right timing of this. Those starting dialysis appear to have a better outcome; however, important selection bias is very likely and the survival advantage offered by dialysis is markedly reduced in patients with severe comorbidities. Moreover, those commencing dialysis are more likely to be hospitalized than those managed conservatively. Cognitive impairment, dependence on daily activities, comorbidities, and life expectancy are relevant factors that need to be considered in order to decide whether or not to start dialysis. However, guidelines and severity scores are still of little help. Cultural, religious, legal, and educational aspects further complicate the scene.


Objective To prospectively evaluate the performance of computed tomography perfusion imaging (CTPI) in predicting the early response to transarterial chemo-lipiodol infusion (TACLI) and survival of patients with colorectal cancer liver metastases (CRLM). Materials and Methods Computed tomography perfusion imaging was performed before and 1 month after TACLI in 61 consecutive patients. Therapeutic response was evaluated on CT scans 1 month and 4 months after TACLI; the patients were classified as responders and non-responders based on 4-month CT scans after TACLI. The percentage change of CTPI parameters of target lesions were compared between responders and non-responders at 1 month after TACLI. The optimal parameter and cutoff value were determined. The patients were divided into 2 subgroups according to the cutoff value. The log-rank test was used to compare the survival rates of the 2 subgroups. Results Four-month images were obtained from 58 patients, of which 39.7% were responders and 60.3% were non-responders. The percentage change in hepatic arterial perfusion (HAP) 1 month after TACLI was the optimal predicting parameter (p = 0.003). The best cut-off value was -21.5% and patients who exhibited a ≥ 21.5% decrease in HAP had a significantly higher overall survival rate than those who exhibited a < 21.5% decrease (p < 0.001). Conclusion Computed tomography perfusion imaging can predict the early response to TACLI and survival of patients with CRLM. The percentage change in HAP after TACLI with a cutoff value of -21.5% is the optimal predictor.


Introduction: Health check-ups have been disrupted worldwide by the COVID-19 pandemic, especially at its beginning. In Japan, undergoing annual check-ups is mandatory for full-time employees of all ages, while those other than full-time employees are entitled to undergo nonmandatory cancer screenings and specific health check-ups. To evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on health check-ups, we conducted a nationwide questionnaire survey targeting healthcare facilities. Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted between December 10, 2021, and January 28, 2022. Healthcare facilities were eligible if they were members of Japan Society of Ningen Dock and could respond via email. The monthly and yearly numbers of examinees undergoing mandatory or nonmandatory check-ups in 2020 and 2021 were compared with those in 2019. The proportions of examinees requiring follow-up visits and adhering to follow-up visits were compared between 2020 and 2019. Precautions taken against COVID-19 were also investigated. Results: Of the 1,299 eligible facilities, 639 participated (response rate, 49.2%). Health check-up services were suspended in 484 (75.7%) facilities for a median duration of 5 (interquartile range [IQR]: 4-8) weeks. A total of 19,861,230 and 21,748,125 examinees underwent health check-ups in 591 facilities in 2020 and 2021, respectively, 10.0% and 1.4% less than the numbers in 2019. The number of examinees undergoing health check-ups decreased by a median of 8.3% (IQR: −14.6 to −3.1) in 2020 compared to that in 2019, with the largest decrease of 70.3% (IQR −87.9 to −48.5) in May. Although the number of examinees undergoing mandatory check-ups increased in 2021 compared with that in 2019, the number of those undergoing nonmandatory check-ups remained low. Conclusions: While people eligible for mandatory check-ups were adherent to check-ups in 2021, those ineligible for mandatory check-ups seemed less adherent. Public health efforts to encourage these people to adhere to check-ups during the pandemic are required.


In this paper we describe the development of a system and model to analyze the composition of gas mixtures up to four components. The system consists of a Coriolis mass flow sensor, density, pressure and thermal flow sensor. With this system it is possible to measure the viscosity, density, heat capacity and flow rate of the medium. In a next step the composition can be analyzed if the constituents of the mixture are known. This makes the approach universally applicable to all gasses as long as the number of components does not exceed the number of measured properties and as long as the properties are measured with a sufficient accuracy. We present measurements with binary and ternary gas mixtures, on compositions that range over an order of magnitude in value for the physical properties. Two platforms for analyses are presented. The first platform consists of sensors realized with MEMS fabrication technology. This approach allows for a system with a high level of integration. With this system we demonstrate a proof of principle for the analyses of binary mixtures with an accuracy of 10%. In the second platform we utilize more mature steel sensor technology to demonstrate the potential of this approach. We show that with this technique, binary mixtures can be measured within 1% and ternary gas mixtures within 3%.


The 2-m robotic Liverpool Telescope automatically discovered the optical afterglow of the INTEGRAL gamma-ray burst GRB 050502a 3 min after the GRB onset. The automatic identification of a bright optical transient of r'~15.8 triggered for the first time a multi–colour observation sequence in the BVr'i' filters during the first hour after a GRB. All the four light curves are fitted by a simple power law with index of 1.2±0.1. We also find evidence for an achromatic bump rising at t~0.02 days. We investigate different scenarios compatible with the data. We find possible evidence for a uniform circumburst medium with clumps in density, as in the case of GRB 021004. The alternative case of a wind environment cannot be ruled out, although it can hardly account for our observations. The alternative interpretation of the bump, as the result of a refreshed shock, appears to be more problematic, although it cannot be ruled out either.


Advances in angioplasty techniques and the development of low-profile, flexible, tapered nitinol stents designed specifically for carotid applications have made carotid artery stenting a viable alternative to carotid endarterectomy for treatment of occlusive disease of the carotid arteries. During the stenting process, however, debris may be released and cause distal embolization that can lead to stroke or death. Thus, several embolic protection devices have been developed for use in carotid stenting, two of which are available in the United States. In the past 5 years, data from several large trials, series, and registries of carotid artery stenting-reflecting the experience in thousands of patients-have become available. These investigations include the CAVATAS study, the Global Carotid Artery Stent Registry, the SAPPHIRE study, the ARCHeR trials, the CABERNET registry, the BEACH registry, the SECuRITY registry, the German Registry, and the EVA-3S trial. The studies have provided considerable evidence that use of an embolic protection device decreases the incidence of cerebral embolic events during carotid stenting in both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. They have also shown that increased experience with angioplasty in the carotid artery decreases complication rates associated with the procedure, even when a protection device is not employed. Although the benefits of routine use of cerebral protection have not been confirmed by level 1 evidence, a consensus supports such use.


We consider compressive sensing in the scenario where the sparsity basis (dictionary) is not known in advance, but needs to be learned from examples. Motivated by the well-known iterative soft thresholding algorithm for the reconstruction, we define deep networks parametrized by the dictionary, which we call deep thresholding networks. Based on training samples, we aim at learning the optimal sparsifying dictionary and thereby the optimal network that reconstructs signals from their low-dimensional linear measurements. The dictionary learning is performed via minimizing the empirical risk. We derive generalization bounds by analyzing the Rademacher complexity of hypothesis classes consisting of such deep networks. We obtain estimates of the sample complexity that depend only linearly on the dimensions and on the depth.


This paper sets forth the phenomenon of Contrastive Reduplication (CR) in English relevant to the notion of contrastive focus (CF). CF differs from other reduplicative patterns in that rather than the general intensive function, denotation of a more prototypical and default meaning of a lexical item appears from the reduplicated form resulting as a semantic contrast with the meaning of the non-reduplicated word. Thus, CR is in concordance with CF under the concept of contrastivity. However, much of the previous works on CF associated contrastivity with a manufacture of a set of alternatives taking a semantic approach. We claim that a recent discoursepragmatic account takes advantage of explaining the vague contrast in informativeness of CR. Zimmermann's (2006) Contrastive Focus Hypothesis characterizes contrastivity in the sense of speaker's assumptions about the hearer's expectation of the focused element. This approach makes possible adaptation to CR and recovers the possible subsets of meaning of a reduplicated form in a more refined way showing contrastivity in informativeness. Additionally, CR in other languages along with similar set-limiting phenomenon in various languages will be introduced in general.


This article shows accounts of Norwegian immigrants and their encounter with various ethnic groups in America including Native Americans, African-Americans, Chinese, Irish, and Yankees in the period between 1840 and 1870. The article presents several regions in the United States, namely the Upper Midwest, Texas, and California. The use of primary source material including newspapers, guidebooks and letters provide good insights into thoughts and attitudes, and not the least prejudice, among this Old immigrant group toward the ethnic "Other." The Norwegian immigrant group aimed at becoming good citizens through a negotiating process between the group, the dominant native-born American group and other ethnic groups in the United States. By characterizing several other ethnic groups based on race, Norwegian-Americans employed whiteness in a double negotiation, both tied to the creation of a Norwegian-American identity and in finding their place in the social hierarchy in America.


It is now commonly accepted that cosmic γ-ray bursts (GRBs) are of cosmological origin. This conclusion is based on the statistical analysis of GRBs and the measurements of line redshifts in GRB optical afterglows, i.e., in the so-called long GRBs. In this review, the models of radiation and models of GRB sources are considered. In most of these models, if not in all of them, the isotropic radiation cannot provide the energy release necessary for the appearance of a cosmological GRB. No correlation is noted between the redshift, the GRB-spectrum shape, and the total detected energy. The comparison between data obtained in the Soviet experiment KONUS and the American experiment BATSE shows that they substantially differ in statistical properties and the detection of hard x-ray lines. The investigation of hard gamma (0.110 GeV) afterglows, the measurement of prompt optical spectra during the GRB detection, and the further investigation of hard x-ray lines is of obvious importance for gaining insight into the GRB origin. Observations of two bright optical GRB afterglows point to the fact that an initially bright optical flare is directly related to the GRB itself, and the subsequent weak and much more continuous optical radiation is of a different nature. The results of observations of optical GRB afterglows are discussed. They point to the fact that the GRBs originate in distant galaxies with a high matter density, where intense star formation takes place. The interaction of the cosmological GRB radiation with a dense surrounding molecular cloud results in the appearance of long-duration (up to 10 years) weak optical afterglows associated with the heating and reradiation of gas. Results of 2D numerical simulation of the heating and reradiation of gas in various variants of the relative disposition of GRB and molecular clouds are presented. In conclusion, the possible relation between 1 the so-called short GRBs and recurrent sources of soft γ rays in our Galaxy, the so-called soft gamma repeaters, is discussed.


The effectiveness with which individual identity can be predicted in, for example, an antiterrorist scenario can benefit from seeking a broad base of identity evidence. The issue of improving performance can be addressed in a number of ways, but system configurations based on integrating different information sources (often involving more than one biometric modality) are a widely adopted means of achieving this. This paper presents a new approach to improving identification performance, where both direct biometric samples and "soft-biometric" knowledge are combined. Specifically, however, we propose a strategy based on an intelligent agent-based decision-making process, which predicts both absolute identity and also other individual characteristics from biometric samples, as a basis for a more refined and enhanced overall identification decision based on flexible negotiation among class-related agents.


The Code of Canon Law mentions the intervention of an interpreter in the context of canonical trials as well as for the celebration of the sacraments of penance (c. 990) and marriage (c. 1106). The deaf person is specifically named in canon 1471 where the legislator recommends that a sworn interpreter be employed for the interrogation of persons using a language which is not understood by the judges. The present study examines canonical and ethical questions concerning interpreters for the Deaf: the difficult choice of a sworn sign language interpreter, confidentiality and canonical secrecy, the proper and faithful fulfilment of the function. The author gives preference to interpreters who have good professional standards and follow a code of ethics. Since Deaf culture is still quite unknown the interpreter should also be able to assure cultural mediation.


Purpose Maternal mortality is one problem that still affects countries like Indonesia and others globally. The World Health Organization (WHO) notes that Southeast Asian countries have a high MMR. Indonesia's maternal mortality ranks third highest in Southeast Asia, with a 177 maternal mortality rate per 100,000 live births in 2017. In 2018, the maternal mortality rate reached 91.45 per 100,000 live births. Pregnant women's deaths can be caused inadequate medical care due to how frequently they seek treatment. This study intends to identify and analyze how knowledge, education, and myths affect pregnant women's attitudes toward seeking health services. Materials and Methods The study involved 175 pregnant and postpartum women who visited 10 health public centers in two cities in East Java by accidental sampling. Data regarding intrapersonal, interpersonal, and local wisdom were collected through surveys with structured instruments and in-depth interviews. Data statistics used pathway analysis with a p-value of >0.05. Results Intrapersonal, interpersonal, and local wisdom variables have a significant direct or indirect effect on utilizing health services. Knowledge was the variable with the greatest influence (t-value, 27.96). Conclusion Myth and culture as local wisdom and intrapersonal factors significantly affect the pattern of utilizing health services.


The state corporate income tax is about to undergo its most serious re-examination in over 50 years. The National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws has initiated a review of the Uniform Division of Income for Tax Purposes Act (UDITPA), which either has been adopted by most states or has been used as a model for similar statutes. UDIPTA employs a three-factor formula to apportion the income of multistate businesses. The property and payroll factors reflect the contribution of the production states, while the sales factor is intended to reflect the contribution of the market states. A weakness of UDITPA is its treatment of services. In computing the numerator of the sales factor, UDITPA attributes service receipts to the state in which the services are performed, regardless of where they are consumed. In the past, place of performance may have been a reasonable proxy for market location, but this is no longer the case. Globalization and advances in computer and communications technology now allow many services to be provided remotely. The Article demonstrates that the UDITPA service receipts attribution rule does not effectively implement the policy of reflecting the contribution of the market states. It also shows that a market-based rule both better effectuates that policy and is administratively feasible. The Article proposes guidelines that should govern revision of the service receipts rule. Finally, the Article considers several additional issues, concluding tentatively that the sourcing of receipts from intangibles should follow a similar approach, commenting on the nexus and throwback rule consequences of a market-based rule, and cautioning that institutional reforms may be necessary in order to ensure that uniformity is achieved and maintained under a new UDIPTA.


Nomenclatural notes and morphological observations on Malva subovata sensu lato (Malvaceae) are discussed. The names Axolpha wigandii , L. africana by Cavanilles, L. africana by Miller, L. maritima , L. maritima var. purpurea , L. maritima var. trilobata , L. rupestris , and Lavatera subovata are lectotypified upon specimens preserved in the Herbaria BM, COI, G-DC, LY, MPU, and upon illustrations by Cavanilles and Gouan, while L. gallica , L. rotundifolia , and Olbia canescens are illegitimate names. Cavanilles' L. africana , L. maritima , and A. wigandii are confirmed to be synonyms of L. subovata . Miller's L. africana , a prevoiusly published homonym of Cavanilles' L. africana , refers to another species. L. gallica , L. maritima var. purpurea , L. maritima var. trilobata , L. rotundifolia , and Olbia canescens are to be considered synonyms of L. subovata s.s. On the basis of morphological features and distribution areas, the current infraspecific classification of M. subovata s.l. (three subspecies) cannot be retained, and the better choice is the recognition of only two infraspecific taxa (subsp. subovata and subsp. bicolor ), while the subsp. rupestris is to be treated as a synonym of the autonymic subspecies.


Weight optimization of a sandwich panel was performed. The constraints were both mechanical, in the form of stiffness and strength constraints, and acoustic, in the form of a required sound reduction index, R. The sound reduction index of the optimized panel and an initial configuration was measured under laboratory conditions and the results were compared to predicted values. Predictions and measurements of the sound reduction index were made in third-octave frequency bands. It was shown that the difference in R between the initial panel and the optimized one was predictable using the acoustic models and that the optimized panel fulfilled the constraints. The weighted average reduction index, RW, was also used to provide an engineering number for comparison.


In a large number of countries (including the Czech Republic), implementation of large projects of transport infrastructure is justified by a general reference to its broad economic benefits, which are, however, seldom further specified. One of important reasons for such an approach is the non-existence of an empirically verified model for complex assessment of the degree of necessity of the development of these projects. Therefore, the main objective of the paper is to present an original method for comparative assessment of motorway and expressway constructions. The method has been applied to eight cases of the most significant projects planned in the Czech Republic verifying that its use can provide the necessary information on their potential benefits (in spite of some simplifications). The methodology for the generalized assessment attempts to connect technical, economic, political, spatial and environmental aspects and includes five basic criteria: relevance (traffic intensity as the underlying factor determining the technical need for a project), usefulness (time saved in personal transport and haulage, due to the insecurity concerning future transport flows interpreted by relative values derived from design speeds), integration (strategic significance of the projects regarding the connection of the most significant residential areas and the connection with neighbouring countries), stimulation (economic impacts assessed based on a potential improvement of the factor of road and railway quality as an integral part of the regional quality of business environment), and sustainability (environmental impacts of the construction on more significant residential centres and selected protected areas, with emphasis on pollution and noise). The complex assessment of selected projects of motorways (D) and express ways (R) has been performed based on an aggregation of rankings of the projects within the defined criteria. The projects were then divided into three groups: projects where need for construction has been proven, has been found disputable or has not been proven. The first group contains R 55), D 3 and R 35. However, this does not mean that there are no drawbacks – e.g. R 35 has the lowest ranking within the sustainability criterion. The second group contains D 11 and R 49. The assessment of their construction has been negatively affected by their ranking within the usefulness and stimulation criteria (D 11), and relevance and integration criteria (R 49). The position of the projects in the third group, R 6, R 7 and R 43 follows from their bad ranking within most of the established criteria (R 6 and R 7 – three criteria; R 43 – all criteria except usefulness).


The question of linking human rights and peacebuilding has been on the academic, policy and practitioner agenda for a considerable time after initially coming to the fore in the 1990s. In recent years, it has gained further impetus following recognition in multiple policy documents that human rights, peace and development are closely related, and that practical efforts should build on such linkages. A certain blurring of boundaries between these domains in practice can indeed be observed. Yet experiences to date indicate that linking human rights and peacebuilding effectively is often easier said than done, in part because endeavours in the two realms can both complement and contradict one another. Serving as the introduction to a Special Issue of the Journal of Human Rights Practice on human rights and peacebuilding, this article discusses such developments, outlining the broader context in which the discussion on human rights and peacebuilding takes place and the importance of engaging with discourses and policies related to statebuilding and development assistance. These shape the conceptualization and implementation of human rights and peacebuilding separately and in relation to one another, both globally and in specific country settings, but to date they have seldom been explicitly considered in relation to the human rights/peacebuilding interface. The article further clarifies the use of the key concepts and discusses three implications of the close relationship between human rights violations and violent conflict, thereby setting the stage for a collection of articles and policy and practice notes on the relationship between human rights and peacebuilding.


Introduction: Complaints about wrinkles and flaccidity in the periocular region are frequent. Blepharopeeling, associated with the Baker-Gordon formula, and the application of ablative fractional CO2 lasers are considered effective options in the treatment of the periocular region. Objective: To compare the techniques, recovery process and results of blepharopeeling and fractional CO2 lasers in the periorbital region. Methods: Comparative split-face study of patients with dermatochalasis and moderate rhytids. Blepharopeeling was applied on the right side of the face, and the fractional CO2 laser was used on the left side of the face. Results were assessed through photographic analysis, measurements of the superior palpebral fold and clinical improvement. Results: Patients (n=11) demonstrated clinical and photographic improvement using both methods. The recovery time was longer for the phenol peeling. No significant differences were observed in the measurements of the superior palpebral fold. Conclusion: While both therapeutic modalities were found to be effective in the treatment of periorbital aging, blepharopeeling produced greater clinical improvement of palpebral flaccidity.


SIR—We congratulate Rukewe et al. (1) for their heading 'Spinal anesthesia in children: no longer an anathema' in the November issue of Pediatric Anesthesia. Spinal anesthesia has been used in children for over a hundred years. During our 4 years of experience with more than 800 children we experienced five cases of high spinal block (with 0.5 mgÆkg hyperbaric bupivacaine) without major haemodynamic changes in preschool children which resolved quickly and was managed by mask ventilation under mild sedation. To the best of our knowledge no prospective randomised study shows that spinal anesthesia is not safe or not feasible for children from preterm neonates to adolescents. We are using spinal anesthesia not only as an alternative to general anesthesia but also as the first choice for suitable surgery in children with or without co-morbidity (2). We started to believe that spinal anesthesia has the potential in becoming the gold standard for children undergoing lower abdominal and lower extremity surgery and low dose spinal opioids to be an effective method for postoperative pain relief for children (2,3). Moreover, Rochette et al. (4) describes spinal anesthesia as a gold standard for neonatal surgery. Although we know that much more scientific evidence is required to set up gold standards for pediatric anesthesia procedures, until evidence to the contrary comes forward, we would like to believe that rather than being an anathema spinal anesthesia is a blessing for children.


Feminist critics always champion and cherish their freedom, equality and justice in social status against patriarchal domination. In many societies, males consider themselves superior to females in terms of social, economic, cultural, physical and political status. They are engaged in social activities leaving the women to content themselves with household chores, children and other frivolous activities. This paper explores, how females get dominated in the play Trifles . The dramatic tension in the play arises when men have legal interest whereas the women only collect the trivial things to unravel the murder mystery of Mr. Wright. Men do not care about the trivial things that females always focus in the play. Instead, they mock and laugh at the females' interest on trivial things. This research employs the feminist criticism proposed by Helen Pankhurst as the conceptual frame work to invigorate the study. She supports women's rights on the grounds of equality between the genders, meaning that women should receive the same opportunities, rights, authority and treatment as men. It answers the questions: "How are female characters dominated in the play Trifles? and what might be the ultimate consequences of utter male domination in the family?" Overtly or covertly, females always intend to subvert the patriarchal chauvinism through their rebellious activities in the family and society.


We compared cefixime with chloramphenicol in a trial for treatment of children with culture positive typhoid fever. Twenty children were given cefixime 10 mg/kg/day orally for 14 days and twenty received chloramphenicol 50 mg/kg/day orally for 14 days. On entry the clinical characteristics of the two groups were comparable. Clinical cure was observed in 18 (90%) patients treated with cefixime and 9 (45%) treated with chloramphenicol. Of 11 patients who did not respond to chloramphenicol, 10 were switched over to cefixime and all were cured. Overall 28 out of 30 cases (93.3%) were cured by cefixime.


The operation with Internal Transport Barrier (ITB) is expected as a high performance operation. ITB is utilized to improve core plasma confinement in the reversed magnetic shear. It is considered that the changes of core plasma profile by the ITB cause changes of impurity transport. In a large fusion reactor, high-Z materials will be used as plasma facing components because high loads of heat and particles concentrate there. However, high-Z impurities from these components cause large radiation loss and dilute the fuel even if the amount of impurities is small. Therefore, in this study, firstly, the ITB formation which includes the effects of the magnetic shear and perturbed profiles by the pellet injection was simulated using the Toroidal Transport Analysis Linkage code TOTAL. Secondly, we analyzed transport of the tungsten impurities using an impurity model in TOTAL code, and compared the impurity profile in the case with ITB to the one without ITB in the tokamak reactor. The impurities decreased in the ITB formation region when ITB was formed, and the outward flux of total impurity density was observed there. It can be expected that outward flux of impurities is generated by the temperature and the density gradients.


This paper examines the identification reliability of automated partial discharge (PD) diagnosis systems for common PD defects in gas insulated switchgear (GIS) under practical industrial conditions. The influence of the reference database on diagnosis results as well as new PD evaluation tools like /spl Delta/u//spl Delta//spl phi/-pattern based on phase resolved pulse sequence analysis (PRPSA) are investigated. Especially, the abilities of the PRPSA are examined to identify PD defects with about 70-200 useful PD pulses per second near inception voltage (50 Hz AC stress).


The prevention of perioperative neurocognitive disorders is a priority for patients, families, clinicians, and researchers. Given the multiple risk factors present throughout the perioperative period, a multicomponent preventative approach may be most effective. The objectives of this narrative review are to highlight the importance of sleep, pain, and cognition on the risk of perioperative neurocognitive disorders and to discuss the evidence behind interventions targeting these modifiable risk factors. Sleep disruption is associated with postoperative delirium, but the benefit of sleep-related interventions is uncertain. Pain is a risk factor for postoperative delirium, but its impact on other postoperative neurocognitive disorders is unknown. Multimodal analgesia and opioid avoidance are emerging as best practices, but data supporting their efficacy to prevent delirium are limited. Poor preoperative cognitive function is a strong predictor of postoperative neurocognitive disorder, and work is ongoing to determine whether it can be modified to prevent perioperative neurocognitive disorders. Multicomponent interventions are effective in preventing postoperative delirium, and work is ongoing to determine whether they can be effective in preventing other postoperative neurocognitive disorders. Interventions optimizing sleep, pain, and cognition are essential components for clinicians to include in strategies to maximize the recovery of body and mind of vulnerable patients.


Knoxdaviesia proteae, a fungus specific to the floral structures of the iconic Cape Floral Kingdom plant, Protea repens, is dispersed by mites phoretic on beetles that pollinate these flowers. Although the vectors of K. proteae have been identified, little is known regarding its patterns of distribution. Seed bearing infructescences of P. repens were sampled from current and previous flowering seasons, from which K. proteae individuals were isolated and cultured. The genotypes of K. proteae isolates were determined using 12 microsatellite markers specific to this species. Genetic diversity indices showed a high level of similarity between K. proteae isolates from the two different infructescence age classes. The heterozygosity of the population was high (0.74 ± 0.04), and exceptional genotypic diversity was encountered (Ĝ = 97.87%). Population differentiation was negligible, owing to the numerous migrants between the infructescence age classes (Nm = 47.83) and between P. repens trees (Nm = 2.96). Parsimony analysis revealed interconnected genotypes, indicative of recombination and homoplasies, and the index of linkage disequilibrium confirmed that outcrossing is prevalent in K. proteae ( = 0.0067; P = 0.132). The high diversity and panmixia in this population is likely a result of regular gene flow and an outcrossing reproductive strategy. The lack of genetic cohesion between individuals from a single P. repens tree suggests that K. proteae dispersal does not primarily occur over short distances via mites as hypothesized, but rather that long-distance dispersal by beetles plays an important part in the biology of these intriguing fungi.


In order to understand a sequence of graphic symbols as sentences, one must not only recognize the meaning of individual symbols but also integrate their meaning together. In this study children without disabilities were asked to perform two tasks that presented sequences of graphics as stimuli but that differed in the need to treat the symbols as a sentence (i.e., with evidence of relationships among the individual symbols): a "reading" task (transpose the symbol sequence into speech), and an act-out task (demonstrate the meaning of the symbol sequences using puppets). The participants, aged 3 (n = 18), 4 (n = 36), 5 (n = 27), and 6 (n = 23) years, all succeeded on the reading task, but the younger groups were much less successful than the older groups on the act-out task. The children were more likely to pass the act-out task if they used conjugated rather than infinitive verb forms in their spoken responses on the reading task. In the younger age groups, children who used conjugated verb forms had higher receptive vocabulary scores. The findings suggest that being able to reproduce a sequence of symbols does not guarantee that the symbols are treated as a sentence. The inclusion in the study of children who were able to respond using speech, permitted observation of two types of responses (conjugated versus infinitive verb forms) that revealed different levels of understanding of graphic symbol sequences.


Bordetella parapertussis is a cause of mild whooping cough in man and, in recent years, has been isolated from both healthy and pneumonic sheep. It has also been shown to interact synergistically with Pasteurella haemolytica in exacerbating ovine pasteurellosis. The relationship between ovine and human isolates of B. parapertussis has been examined at a taxonomic level and the presence of different types established. As the biological relevance of this differentiation is unknown, isolates of human and ovine origin were compared on the basis of their characteristics, including growth in ovine tracheobronchial washings (TBWs), their adherence to ovine and human cell lines and to ovine tracheal organ cultures, their interaction with ovine alveolar macrophages, their LPS production and LPS interaction with antisera. TBW are dilutions of the fluids that bathe the respiratory mucosae and are therefore the fluids in which B. parapertussis survive in vivo. This study showed that ovine B. parapertussis had the potential to grow in ovine TBW and suggested that the ability of ovine and human B. parapertussis to grow in TBW was host specific. Growth in nutrient broth also showed that human isolates grew more slowly than ovine isolates thereby suggesting that ovine and human B. parapertussis have different nutritional requirements. In the diseased host, B. parapertussis is thought to adhere specifically to ciliated respiratory epithelium. A comparison of ovine and human B. parapertussis in terms of adherence to and invasion of non-ciliated continuous cell lines showed no significant host cell preference. However, the adherence of ovine isolates to ovine tracheal organ cultures, which contain viable ciliated cells, was greater than the adherence of human isolates and therefore, the adherence of B. parapertussis to ciliated epithelial cells may be host specific. Investigation of the interaction between B. parapertussis and continuous respiratory cell lines as well as ovine alveolar macrophages revealed that the isolates which were more adherent to these cells were also more invasive. This study showed that both ovine and human B. parapertussis were capable of invasion and at least short-term survival within ovine alveolar macrophages. Analysis of the LPS produced by ovine and human B. parapertussis revealed that all the ovine isolates tested produced a rough-type LPS, whereas, the majority of human isolates had a smooth-type LPS. The exception was the human isolate NCTC 5952 which produced a pattern on PAGE similar to those of ovine B. parapertussis. The use of PAGE for LPS analysis also revealed that the choice of bacterial growth medium affected the LPS pattern visualised on silver-stained gels. Western blots of ovine and human B. parapertussis LPS with rabbit sera raised against ovine and human isolates showed that the 0-antigens of the human B. parapertussis LPS were immunodominant. These blots also showed that sera raised against an ovine isolate reacted with all the isolates tested whereas, sera raised against a human isolate reacted only with human B. parapertussis. In a bactericidal assay anti-human B. parapertussis serum killed a high proportion of human isolates but only a small percentage of ovine isolates. In comparison, anti- ovine B. parapertussis serum killed approximately the same number of ovine and human B. parapertussis. This bactericidal activity reflected the pattern of serum interaction with B. parapertussis LPS on Western blots. It may be that the LPS of B. parapertussis cells is a target for the bactericidal activity of sera. The use of LPS PAGE could not distinguish clearly between ovine and human isolates. However, the results of studies on growth, adherence to ovine tracheal organ culture and adherence to and invasion of ovine alveolar macrophages presented here strongly suggest that ovine and human B. parapertussis exhibit host-specific interactions.


The novel H+/K(+)-adenosine triphosphatase inhibitor (gastric proton pump inhibitor), BY 1023/SK&F 96022, was found to be more potent than omeprazole in some rat models and slightly less potent in a dog model. Overall, both compounds are of a similar potency and efficacy. BY 1023/SK&F 96022 exhibited a somewhat longer duration of the antisecretory action than omeprazole in the Ghosh-Schild rat. In the modified Shay rat, on the basis of equieffective doses in terms of the initial effect, both compounds had a comparable duration of action. However, the p.o./i.v. dose ratio upon acute administration was larger for omeprazole, possibly reflecting its lower stability in the acidic environment of the secreting stomach, compared to BY 1023/SK&F 96022. As in vivo, both compounds were equipotent to inhibit acid production in rabbit isolated fundic glands. However, omeprazole interacted with the 7-ethoxycoumarin dealkylase in vitro with high affinity (Ki = 38.5 mumol/l), in contrast to BY 1023/SK&F 96022 (Ki = 135 mumol/l). Compared to omeprazole, BY 1023/SK&F 96022 also showed less interaction with the cytochrome P450 enzyme hydroxylating ionazolac. Moreover, this difference between the two compounds was also found in the rat in vivo with respect to their interaction with diazepam. Thus, both compounds displayed a comparable antisecretory potency in vivo and in vitro but showed a different interference with cytochrome P450 in favor of less interaction by BY 1023/SK&F 96022.


AIMS
We aimed to assess the increased risk of death and severe vascular events in elderly individuals with subclinical or manifest peripheral arterial disease (PAD), evidenced by low ankle brachial index (ABI < 0.9) in primary care.

METHODS AND RESULTS
In this monitored prospective observational study, 6880 representative unselected patients aged >or=65 years were followed up over 3 years by 344 primary care physicians. Main outcome measures were mortality or a combined endpoint of mortality and severe vascular events. In total, 20 127 patient-years were observed. In the group of PAD patients (n=1230), 134 patients died; in the group without PAD (n=5591), 237 patients died [multivariate hazard ratio (HR) 2.0; 95% confidence interval 1.6-2.5, P<0.001]. Compared with an ABI>or=1.1, the risk of death increased linearly in the lower ABI categories: ABI 0.7-0.89, HR 1.7 (1.2-2.4, P<0.001); ABI<0.5, HR 3.6 (2.4-5.4, P<0.001).

CONCLUSION
Patients with a low ABI (PAD), who can be readily identified in a primary care setting, have a substantially increased risk of death and severe vascular events. Patients with an ABI between 1.1 and 0.9 should be considered and followed up as borderline PAD cases. Particular attention should be paid to patients with PAD and previous vascular events, as their risk is markedly increased.


RADARGRAMMETRY. D. Levine. McGraw-Hill, London, I960. 330 pp. Illustrated. 93s. In his Preface the author defines " radargrammetry" as the science of obtaining reliable measurements by radar. He suggests that it applies to both ground and airborne applications, including not only radar mapping from the air, using either scanning or sideways looking radars, but also such ground systems as airways traffic control and other applications where a radar display is correlated with a map. However, the emphasis of the book is almost entirely concentrated on ground mapping using a scanning radar in an aircraft at high altitude. The first chapter describes the construction of the radar map and the errors introduced by aircraft motion, yaw, pitch, roll and so on. There follows a description in commendably elementary terms of the various forms of map projection and a discussion of the relationship between these and the co-ordinates of the radar map which serves to illustrate the difficulties of map matching if high accuracy is required. The effect is then considered of variations in the height of the ground and of high buildings. There follows a chapter on the elementary theory of radar returns from the ground, including such topics as the effect of pulse width and beam width and the mechanism of reflection from perpendicular smooth plane surfaces (corner reflectors). A rather lengthy discussion on so-called " angels "—spurious signals sometimes ascribed to meteorological conditions, sometimes to migrating birds—appears somewhat unexpectedly. The book concludes with a discussion of miscellaneous aspects of design, including a note on the definition of image quality using the concept of spatial frequency. An important omission would appear to be anything more than a passing reference to the errors in the radar map introduced by the unstable mechanical properties of film during development and storage. These errors can be considerably greater than a number of others discussed at some length in the text.


A wireless sensor network (WSN), a type of distributed wireless ad-hoc network, is characterized by large amount of sensors and low power supply. In WSN, it is important for sensor nodes to have low transmission delay (due to large number of sensor nodes) and low power consumption (due to limited power supply). In this paper, we propose a new routing and MAC protocol $Cluster-Management and Power Efficient (CuMPE) protocol, to meet the above objectives. The routing part of CuMPE is cluster-based and uses a selective flooding algorithm to propagate transmission cost. Based on the cost information, every sensor in the network tries to establish the minimum cost path to the cluster head. The MAC part of CuMPE first finds the critical path that has the longest transmission delay to a cluster head and schedules sensor nodes using TDMA scheduling to avoid extending the critical path. Simulation results have shown that CuMPE protocol is more power efficient and has shorter transmission delay than existing protocols, such as LEACH, PEGASIS, and HIT.


Upper Pennsylvanian and Lower Permian rocks on the eastern flank of the West Texas basin were deposited within fluvial-deltaic, shelf-edge bank, and slope depositional systems. The Cisco fluvial-deltaic system consists of numerous 100- to 200-ft-thick packages of dip-fed facies flanked by strike-fed interdeltaic embayment facies. Fluvial deposits include tabular and belted sandstone bodies characterized by braided and coarse-grained, meander-belt sequences. Fine-grained multistory meander-belt facies exhibiting general fining upward point-bar sequences commonly occur high in the system, pointing to decreasing sediment supply from the Ouachita Mountains and Fort Worth Piedmont. Fluvial channels normally cut subjacent deltaic facies and may lie on rocks of previous depositi nal episodes. Cisco deltaic facies are progradational, coarsening upward prodelta, delta-front, channel-mouth bar, and distributary channel units, and aggradational crevasse splays and delta-plain facies (coal, mudstones, or organic-rich clays); local destructional sandstone bars may fringe the delta. Interdeltaic embayment facies flank delta lobes and include mudstones, sheet sandstones, limestones, and impure detrital coals. Sheet sandstones may reflect strike-fed strandplain accretion or locally reworked delta-front sandstones. The Sylvester shelf-edge bank system occupies a position along the shelf to basin break in paleoslope. The system is composed predominantly of carbonate units that intertongue updip with fluvial-deltaic facies and downdip with slope facies. Individual units range from 100 to 400 ft thick; carbonate facies End_Page 1906------------------------------ thicken upward and basinward because terrigenous sediment supplied to the fluvial-deltaic system diminished. The Sweetwater slope system, studied intensively by W. E. Galloway, is composed of numerous broad, coalescing to restricted wedges of mudstone and sandstone averaging 1,000 ft thick. Slope wedges are bounded by carbonate aprons and the wedges thin upward and basinward in response to decreasing terrigenous sediment supply. Sandstone distribution within slope wedges forms fan-shaped patterns that are elongate perpendicular to shelf edges. Principal slope units include shelf-margin, slope-trough, and distal-slope fan facies. Deposition was sporadic, probably by turbidity currents and associated traction carpets. The slope system was fed by major delta distributaries that prograded to the shelf edge, or by tidal or storm currents that transported sediment through local breaches in the ban system. Destructional processes such as slumping, sliding, and minor canyon development alternated with periods of active slope construction. The eastern flank of the West Texas basin was, therefore, filled by simultaneous upbuilding (fluvial-deltaic and shelf-edge bank deposition) and outbuilding (slope deposition); some slope destructional activity followed episodes of outbuilding. Sites of deltaic and complementary slope deposition shifted widely in response to subtle variations in subsidence and normal avulsion of drainage systems. Fluvial, deltaic, and slope sandstones provide a variety of petroleum reservoirs and stratigraphic traps; early and late compactional and structural traps can be postulated from second-order compactional and structural mapping. End_of_Article - Last_Page 1907------------


Evaluation of telephone consultations prior to Mohs surgery: the importance of informed consent A. Brown and E.J. McGrath Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust, Exeter, UK The updated General Medical Council (GMC) guidance on consent (2020) states that 'decision making is an ongoing process focused on meaningful dialogue: the exchange of relevant information specific to the individual patient'. In the UK there are several barriers to this process in dermatology, including short clinic appointments and loss of continuity of care (the surgeon may not have seen the patient in clinic). Many barriers have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic with the additional challenges of telephone consultations. In light of the GMC guidance we conducted a survey to see what patients recalled of their clinic discussion prior to surgery. Seventy-six responses were received over 2 weeks from patients attending day surgery. The results showed that although the majority of patients received an information sheet on skin surgery there were significant inconsistencies in what was discussed in clinic with regard to alternative options, risks and benefits of surgery and the likely repair. We addressed the problem of inadequate preparation for complex surgery by implementing a new process for patients awaiting Mohs surgery. A senior registrar on the Mohs team contacted patients by telephone 2–3 days before surgery. During the telephone call the process of Mohs surgery, the risks and benefits (including the risk of attending the department during the COVID-19 pandemic), and alternative options to Mohs were discussed. The repair options were discussed in detail. Patients were also advised on transport, provision of victuals, postoperative wound care and the potential necessity of future appointments. The telephone calls lasted 5–12 min (average 6 min 48 s). When patients attended for surgery they were asked to complete a patient survey to evaluate their telephone consultation. Seventeen responses were received from the second survey over 2 weeks. Fifteen patients recalled alternative options to Mohs surgery being discussed prior to attending surgery and 15 recalled the risks of surgery being discussed. All patients recalled discussing the potential options for repair, and all patients felt that they had received adequate information prior to attending their surgical appointment. On a scale of 1–5 (1 being very uncertain and 5 being very confident) patients were asked to rate their confidence in the procedure after their telephone call with the surgeon. The majority rated 5 (n = 13), three scored 4 and one scored 2. Shared decisionmaking and fully informed consent is critical to effective patient care. It is particularly important prior to complex skin surgery such as Mohs, and patients should have the opportunity to discuss their procedure with a Mohs specialist before surgery. We demonstrated that a telephone call before surgery is an effective and time-efficient method that ensures patients are fully informed and increases their confidence in the procedure. DS08 Exploring unmet needs and attitudes to skin selfexamination in melanoma survivors: interim results R. Bali, S. Khan, C. Nwolise, A.J. Xu, R. Doohan, C.M. Proby, C. Jenkinson, F.M. Walter and R.N. Matin Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK; University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, UK; and University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK Addressing the unmet psychological needs of melanoma survivors is a challenge. There is little evidence in the UK reporting the baseline needs of survivors of melanoma to understand how best to support people living with and beyond their melanoma diagnosis. Exploring Unmet Needs and Attitudes to Skin Self-examination in melanoma survivors (EUNASS) is a prospective multicentre cohort study aimed at assessing the quality of life of survivors of melanoma and their attitudes towards skin self-examination (SSE). Participants aged ≥ 18 years, diagnosed with American Joint Cancer Committee (AJCC V8) stage I–III primary cutaneous melanoma in the last 3–12 months, were invited to self-complete an electronic questionnaire. The EUNASS study questionnaire (using Qualtrics software) assessed fear of recurrence, sun protection behaviour, SSE habits and sociodemographic details. Interim data were analysed using Microsoft Excel. The response rate was 35 of 80 in the first 4 months of data collection. Overall, 33 of 35 participants fully completed the EUNASS questionnaire. The mean time from melanoma diagnosis to participation was 10 months, with 37% of primary melanomas affecting the head/neck. At the most recent consultation (40% seen by a plastic surgeon and 29% seen by medical oncologist), 71% discussed surgical wound healing, 29% were given sun-protection advice, 29% discussed recurrence risk and emotional/psychological wellbeing was explored in 26%. Regarding the fear of recurrence, 85% expressed some anxiety about recurrence (two of 35 reported substantial anxiety) and 86% regularly thought about recurrence, with 66% spending a few seconds/minutes on this every day. Regarding sun protection, 23 of 34 respondents practised sun protection in the past year, and 24 of 34 were extremely likely to practise it in the coming year. Regarding SSE practices 37% discussed SSE at their last consultation, 57% reported performing SSE at least monthly, 11% performed it every 6 months and one individual never practised SSE. SSE was reported to be helpful in 80%, 44% lacked confidence in recognizing skin cancers and 83% were more likely to perform SSE if a doctor emphasized its importance. Fifty-one per cent preferred to have a doctor examine their skin rather than perform their own SSE. In summary, the interim data show wide variability in the issues discussed with patients during surveillance consultations and demonstrate significant anxiety among survivors of melanoma regarding their risk of recurrence. SSE practices are inconsistent and clinicians have an important role in educating patients to increase uptake. In a resource-constrained healthcare system, strategies to encourage self-management are essential. Further evaluation of a larger cohort combined with


Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM) has become a rallying call of mainstream thinking on water resources management across the world. The Dublin Principles (1992) and the Rio Conference"s Agenda 21 (1992) all stressed aspects of water resources management that are supposed to be integrated at the river basin level. The World Bank Water Policy (1993) underscored that ""in many countries, institutional reform will focus on river basins as the appropriate unit for analysis and coordinated water resources management." The European Union"s Water Framework Directive (2000) enjoins all member states to "ensure the appropriate administrative arrangements, including the identification of the appropriate competent authority, for the application of the rules of this Directive within each river basin district lying within their territory." In Kenya, the Water Act 2016 recognizes the river basin as the planning unit for water resources management and establishes Water Resources Users Associations (WRUAs) as vehicles for conflict resolution and collaborative management of water resources at the basin level. The WRUA Development Cycle (WDC) which is the tool that guides formation of WRUAs and development of their Sub-Catchment Management Plans (SCMPs) but it does not provide clear guidelines to the WRUAs towards achieving Integrated River Basin Management within the entire basins. The objective of the research was to assess the extent to which the WRUAs are implementing Integrated River Basin Management through their planned and funded activities. The case study was the Kuywa WRUA operating in the Kuywa river sub-basin in western Kenya. The study found out that the WRUAs" activities were fully in line with the principles of Integrated River Basin Management, and that the WRUAs were having a major impact on the conservation of their sub-basins. However, lack of technical capacity and limited funding were the two major hindrances to the WRUA"s efforts towards Integrated River Basin Management at the sub-basin level. Further, the research also established that a lack of coordination amongst WRUAs within the same basin was a major hindrance to achieving a basin-wide approach to Integrated River Basin Management.


7/9 contacts), starting from 35 days. In contrast, in single HEV infection, all animals started seroconverting from 14 days post-infection. The average duration of shedding was estimated to 48.6 days and the transmission rate to 0.7 animals / day, against 9.6 and 0.15 respectively, during infection with HEV alone. CONCLUSION: Co-infection of swine with HEV and PRRSV induces a chronic HEV infection with a delayed appearance of anti-HEV antibodies and a long term HEV excretion. This co-infection, common in pig herds, probably contributes to the high prevalence of HEV in the pig reservoir. The absence or delayed humoral response observed in animals is similar to that observed in humans. This HEV/PRRSV co-infection seems to be a relevant animal model to study the mechanisms involved in HEV chronic infection and possibly for the identification of new anti-viral compounds.


Dialysis disequilibrium syndrome (DDS) is a critical and ultimately fatal condition that presents in hemodialysis patients. Serious manifestations of DDS involve impaired concentration, disorientation, and coma. Risk factors for the condition include dialysis treatment, elevated BUN, renal disease, metabolic acidosis, and pre-existing neurologic disease. There are three main theories proposed to account for the development of DDS, including a reverse urea effect, idiogenic osmoles, and paradoxical brain acidosis. Each of these theories potentiates cerebral edema, and eventually brain herniation, that leads to death. This case examines a 33-year-old Hispanic male brought to the emergency room. He was admitted to the ICU based on hospital findings and had a metabolic acidosis that persisted despite appropriate initial treatment. He was eventually placed on hemodialysis over the course of 2 weeks, and ultimately expired from DDS. This paper aims to demonstrate that hemofiltration is a superior alternative in patients where hemodialysis is indicated, so that DDS, and subsequent fatality, can be avoided. World J Nephrol Urol. 2015;4(3):247-250 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.14740/wjnu228e


Abstract This article presents an argument for re-reading Jean Baudrillard's ideas considering their potential contribution to the sociology of higher education, particularly in relation to contemporary debates about 'world-class' universities. In order to apply Baudrillard's ideas, China's commitment to the development of 'world-class' universities is presented as a case study. Radical thinking, as understood by Baudrillard, relies on ambivalence and fascination – instead of critique – and seeks to push a logic to its limits rather than opposing it. Critiques of world-class universities have not stopped the totalizing effects of rankings and world-class status seeking; on the contrary, these phenomena and their effects continue to accelerate. A non-deterministic approach to thinking is set into motion around the paroxystic state that prevails in the pursuit of 'world-class' status among contemporary higher education systems.


Source separation has thus far been addressed mainly within the context of decentralization in new development areas; centralized approaches for resource-oriented sanitation remained, however, largely disregarded. By means of inhabitant-specific load and volume flow balances, based on typical reference values for municipal wastewater in Germany, a stepwise transition towards on-site greywater recycling was investigated for a model wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). Up to 17% transition (separation of greywater from 17% of the total inhabitants), greywater separation was proven to benefit plant operation by reducing energy consumption for aeration. From 17% transition onwards, however, unfavorable carbon to nitrogen ratios (C/N) were reported, as less biodegradable carbon reaches denitrification, thus shifting C/N ratios negatively. Therefore, nitrogen recovery/removal from N-rich sludge sidestreams would be required. At 35% transition, a 50% N recovery from sludge liquor was proven to be sufficient in order to ensure full denitrification; combined with greywater separation, nutrient recovery yielded 14% reduction in power demand for aeration (on the actual state). Additionally, extensive mainstream process changeovers could be avoided by separating N-rich urine alongside greywater from the main wastewater stream. Urine separation was proven to maintain denitrification stability as well as reduce power demand for aeration. The calculations show that, under consideration of specific boundary conditions, existing WWTP can be successfully integrated in transition concepts for resource-oriented sanitation.


Climate change directly impacts the marine landscape where fishers operate. Most fishers rely on fishing for food, income and/or employment. A changing ocean can therefore significantly impact fishers' lives and hinder the full exercise of their rights of access to fisheries resources, rights to fish, to food, to work, to culture, and to a healthy, clean and sustainable environment. This article questions whether international law supports the protection of fishers' fundamental rights in the changing ocean context. The authors begin by elucidating what such context means to fishers and their rights, taking special account of small-scale fishers and vulnerable groups. The obligations of States Parties to key instruments under the law of the sea and international climate change law, vis-à-vis States' obligations under human rights treaties and other relevant international guidance, are explored with a view to furthering the protection of fishers impacted by a changing ocean.


Each year, bone metabolic diseases affect millions of people of all ages, genders, and races. Common diseases such as osteopenia and osteoporosis result from the disruption of the bone remodeling process and can place an individual at a serious fracture risk. Bone remodeling is the complex process by which old bone is replaced with new tissue. This process occurs continuously in the body and is carried out by bone cells that are regulated by numerous metabolic and mechanical factors. The remodeling process provides for various functions such as adaptation to mechanical loading, damage repair, and mineral homeostasis. An improved understanding of this process is necessary to identify patients at risk of bone disease and to assess appropriate treatment protocols.High-fidelity computer models are needed to understand the complex interaction of all parameters involved in bone remodeling. The primary focus of this investigation is to present a new computational framework that utilizes mathematical rules to mechanistically model the cellular mechanisms involved in the bone remodeling process. The computational framework used in this research combines accepted biological principles, cellular-level rules in a cellular automaton framework, and finite-element analysis. This computational model is referred to as hybrid cellular automaton (HCA) model. The simulations obtained with the HCA model allow to predict time-dependent morphology variations at the tissue level as a result of biological changes at the cellular level.Copyright © 2012 by ASME


Background:The pathophysiology of anaphylactic shock during anesthesia is incompletely characterized. It is described as distributive by analogy with septic shock (anaerobic metabolism, high tissue oxygen pressure [Ptio2] values). The Ptio2 profile and its metabolic consequences during anaphylaxis are not known. Methods:Ovalbumin-sensitized anaphylactic shock rats (n = 11) were compared to nicardipine-induced hypotension rats (n = 12) for systemic hemodynamics, Ptio2, sympathetic nervous system activation, skeletal muscle blood flow, and interstitial lactate and pyruvate concentrations using combined microdialysis and polarographic Clark-type oxygen probes. Results:In both groups, the time course and the magnitude of arterial hypotension were similar. The ovalbumin group but not the nicardipine group displayed decreased skeletal muscle blood flow (from 45 ± 6.2 ml · 100 g−1·min−1 to 24.3 ± 5 ml·100 g−1·min−1; P < 0.0001) and Ptio2 values (from 42 ± 5 to 5 ± 2; P < 0.0001). The ovalbumin group had more intense sympathetic nervous system activation with higher plasma epinephrine and interstitial norepinephrine concentrations. For the ovalbumin group, there was skeletal muscle anaerobic metabolism (lactate concentration increased from 0.446 ± 0.105 to 1.741 ± 0.459 mm; P < 0.05) and substrate depletion (pyruvate concentration decreased from 0.034 ± 0.01 mm to 0.006 ± 0.002 mm; P < 0.05) leading to increased interstitial lactate/pyruvate ratios (from 17 ± 6 to 311 ± 115; P < 0.05). Conclusions:This profile suggests decreased skeletal muscle blood flow and oxygen delivery. Persistent energy consumption results in decreased Ptio2 and substrate depletion through anaerobic glycolysis leading to complete failure of cellular energy production. This could explain rapid organ dysfunction and resuscitation difficulties.


Slender-body asymptotic theory is used to evaluate the translational and rotational electrophoretic velocities of initially uncharged polarizable bodies of revolution. These velocities are obtained as asymptotic expansions in the small particle slenderness. Conducting particles which lack fore–aft symmetry translate parallel to the applied field direction, regardless of their orientation relative to it. Both conducting and dielectric particles tend to align with the field. The translational and rotational velocities of dielectric particles are asymptotically smaller than those of comparable conducting particles.


Background : Bovine enzootic haematuria is a chronic, non-infectious disease caused by the ingestion of bracken Pteridium aquilinum that contain ptaquiloside, substance responsible for the development of neoplasms in combination with bovine papillomavirus infection. Studies examining metalloproteinases have shown that these enzymes may be useful as prognostic markers and many studies have correlated the intratumoural microvessel density and incidence of metastasis in a variety of cancers, including bladder cancer. This study aimed to evaluate the urothelial morphology and vasculature and quantify the expression of the enzyme metalloproteinase-2 in the bladder lesions of bovine with enzootic haematuria. Materials, Methods & Results : Forty bladders with macroscopic lesions were subjected to routine histological processing. The material was stained using the Hematoxylin-Eosin (HE) and Weigert's resorcin-fuchsin staining methods. The morphometric analysis included the measurement of the total thickness of the urothelium. Microscopically, the lesions were differentiated as neoplastic or non-neoplastic, and the vascular changes were characterised as vascular proliferation, ectasia, dilation and thickening and the material stained using the Weigert's resorcin-fuchsin method was used to evaluate sclerosis and the vascular fibroelastosis. The metalloproteinase expression was evaluated using an anti-metalloproteinase-2 antibody. The main non-neoplastic lesions found in the urothelium included clear cell metaplasia, dysplasia, hyperplasia, haemorrhage, cystitis cystica and Brunn's nests and the neoplastic lesions were haemangioma, myxoma, transitional cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, in situ carcinoma and haemangiosarcoma. The urothelium measurements revealed differences between the epithelial thicknesses of bladders with and without neoplasms. The bladder vasculature evaluation revealed the frequent occurrence of different pathological aspects, such as vascular proliferation, dilation, expansion, ectasia and thickening; more severe vascular proliferation, thickening and fibroelastosis were observed in bladders with neoplasms. Metalloproteinase-2 expression was observed in the epithelial cells, fibroblasts, endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells present in the tumour tissue and was a significant increase in the expression of MMP-2 in the neoplasms of mesenchymal origin compared to the neoplasms of epithelial origin. Discussion : The presence of a large variety of non-neoplastic lesions indicates the possibility that there are other factors concomitant to BEH involved. Epithelial hyperplasia and metaplasia, for example, could be the result of damage caused by bovine papillomavirus type 2 or even an altered urine pH. Furthermore, it is believed that the bladder has the capacity to generate various types of neoplasms due to the different histological components of the bladder, thus enabling it to generate both mesenchymal and epithelial lesions. The thickness of the urothelium was greater in all the quadrants with neoplasms compared to the quadrants without neoplasms. These data revealed that it is possible to use less invasive diagnostic imaging methods to characterise bovine enzootic haematuria and to measure tumour progression based on the severity of vascular changes. The vascular proliferation and thickening were significant in bladders with neoplasms, which may be explained by the fact that tumours require an extensive vascular supply. In addition, many tumours release vascular growth factors and promote neovascularisation. The intensity of the immunostaining of metalloproteinase-2 differed among the different types of neoplasms. However, due to the diversity of the tumours, it was not possible to establish a relationship between metalloproteinase-2 expression and tumour progression.


Article abstract Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) degrade all protein components of the extracellular matrix. Functionally, they contribute to several different physiologic conditions, such as angiogenesis or bone remodeling, as well as pathologic conditions in humans, such as rheumatoid arthritis and tumor growth. MMPs seem to be important in the pathogenesis of inflammatory demyelinating diseases of the central and peripheral nervous system, especially in MS and in Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS). Key mechanisms in the genesis of inflammatory demyelination, such as leukocyte recruitment, blood–brain barrier or blood–nerve barrier breakdown, myelin destruction, and release of disease-promoting cytokines, are considered to be MMP-dependent processes. In experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, an animal model of MS, and experimental autoimmune neuritis, an animal model of GBS, different synthetic inhibitors targeting MMP activity are able to suppress and even reverse ongoing disease. This evidence points to MMPs as new targets for treatment in inflammatory demyelination.


A high-power flexible actuator with a built-in displacement sensor that can support bathing is attractive as a wearable actuator. In the previous study, a rubber artificial muscle with the inner diameter sensor was proposed and tested. The sensor could measure the axial length of the rubber artificial muscle based on the geometric model of the muscle, indirectly. The position control of the muscle using the tested sensor based on the model and the identified parameter was successfully carried out. However, a measuring error caused by a setting error of the sensor was also observed. In this paper, to decrease the measuring error based on the sensor's setting position error in the muscle, an improved inner diameter sensor with radially arranged three photo reflectors was proposed and tested. To get larger generated force, the muscle with larger diameter compared with the previous one was also used. In addition, to realize the wearable actuator that can be easily operated, an intelligent rubber article muscle with an integrated pneumatic driving system and the built-in inner diameter sensor was proposed and tested. The position control of the tested muscle was also carried out. As a result, it could be confirmed that the tested muscle controlled by giving reference electric signal was be realized.


The herbicide formulation Dual Gold 960 EC (960 g/l metolachlor) was applied, ROSS 308 embryonated hen eggs were treated on day 12 of incubation period. The pesticide was diluted in water to a concentration level 0.3% and the emulsion was injected into the air space in a volume of 0.1 ml/egg, or hen's eggs were treated by the immersion technique (30 min). Residues of metolachlor were measured by GC in 14 collected embryo samples on days 13, 15 and 19 of the incubation of chicken embryos, and macro- and microscopic morphological examinations of 49 embryos were performed simultaneously on day 19. Body mass of embryos was weighed on 13th, 15th and 19th day of incubation. After the both treatments the mortality rate of embryos was similar. The average data of body mass showed a significant decrease compared to the control in the immersion study on day 15 and 19 of the hatching period. This phenomenon may only be in connection with the presence of metolachlor over the limit of quantification (LOQ) on day 13 of incubation period. The macroscopic deformations were sporadic in the embryos. No histologically detected alterations were seen.


Since the 1950s, interests in biomarkers of neuronal injuries have increased significantly. Most of the earliest work involves studies in traumatic brain injury (TBI) and cerebral ischaemia. In 1976, Rudman et al. published a classic study on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cyclic adenosine monophosphate levels in TBI as a putative marker of the depth of coma after injury. [2,3] In 1988, Vaagenes et al. studied the levels of brain creatine kinase (CK) in CSF in dogs after cardiac arrest and shows that peak activity at 48–72 h post‐arrest correlated with poor outcome.[4] This was translated to human 6 years later and found that the increase in CK activity in CSF reflects permanent brain damage.[5] Despite the ubiquitous use of CK to investigate cardiac injury, it had never been part of the routine blood work for neurological injury.


Background The only known cause of Huntington's disease (HD) is a polyglutamine repeat expansion of more than 36 units in the huntingtin protein, which is inversely correlated with the age-at-onset (AAO) of the disease. However, additional genetic factors apart from the expanded CAG repeat length can modify the course and the AAO in HD. Since autophagy, the major way for the degradation of mutant huntingtin, is thought to exert influence on the pathogenesis of HD, we hypothesised that autophagy-related (Atg) genes might contribute to the variation in the AAO. Aim/method In this regard, we analysed the association of the V471A polymorphism in the autophagy-related gene Atg7 gene in two large cohorts (1st study group: 952 patients; 2nd study group (EHDN REGISTRY): 1464 patients), composed of HD patients descending from different European countries. Results Although a polymorphism in the Atg7 gene that substitutes alanine for valine (V471A) showed a significant effect on the AAO in the first patient cohort mainly consisting of Italian and German HD patients, the significant effect of the Atg7 V471A polymorphism could not be confirmed in the second study group that was composed of European patients other than Italian and German patients. A more detailed analysis revealed a significant effect of the Atg7 V471A polymorphism on the AAO especially in the Italian population (327 patients) and was associated with a 4 years earlier disease onset. Conclusion Therefore, we identified a genetic modifier for HD in relationship to the autophagic pathway, but with a specific effect in a single population. This result affirms the influence of genetic modifiers on the course of HD, but also suggests population-specific modifying mechanisms in the HD pathogenesis.