SUMMARY This paper presents some of the results obtained from the electrical measurements on a 99.7 km, 150 kV three-phase AC cable, connecting 215 MW offshore wind farm Horns Rev 2, located in Denmark west coast, to Denmark's 400 kV transmission network. The measurements were performed at nominal voltage. The cable was energised from the grid side with the receiving end open. An 80 Mvar shunt reactor was installed in the middle of the cable and it was energised together with the cable. The use of nominal voltage allows to present and to verify some of the phenomena that are common in long HVAC cables, but unusual in overhead lines. In this paper is made a characterization of the cable and the power transmission system in which the cable is installed, followed by a description of the measurement equipment and of the test setup/procedures. A theoretical explanation and presentation of different analysed phenomena is conducted. The cases analysed in this paper are: Zero-missing phenomenon, Ferranti effect, energisation transient, effect of the cable's connection in the busbar voltage and cable disconnection. For all the phenomena described in the paper measurement data are presented and it is verified if the obtained results are in accordance with the theory and also with simulations performed in PSCAD/EMTDC. With the exception of the cable disconnection, for all the remaining cases introduced in this paper the measurements confirmed the theoretical expectations. Depending on the cable disconnection sequence, an overvoltage may appear in one of the phases, this overvoltage depends on the mutual inductance between the shunt reactor phases and it is not shown in the simulations. The measurement's data files and extra information about the cable and power transmission system can be received by contacting the first author of this paper.


Decision makers (DMs) for logistics networks (LNWs) have the complex task of maintaining their networks in good conditions while internal and external demands are changing. Therefore, the DMs need to identify promising actions in order to adapt to the LNW's changing state, e.g., increasing the stock level of stock keeping units (SKUs). The authors have developed a logistics assistance system (LAS) that automatically alters the LNW's model, for improving it under changing conditions, by applying actions and evaluating their effects on the LNW's performance. Promising actions are suggested to the DM. As the LNW grows in size, the number of potential actions increases and therefore, the response time of the LAS increases as well under the additional computational burden. In this paper, the authors describe a novel concept for reducing the number of actions by grouping similar actions together, leading to faster convergence and shorter response time of the LAS.


The blog is featured as a communication system for dissemination of information and expression of opinions. Is the blog a system suitable for collaboration? The research presented in this paper investigates the use of citation and response to enable a conversation on the blog. From analysis of the discourse structuring and the possibilities of relationship among participants, were developed some research questions that guided the research on the citation functionality and response functionality. To investigate the research questions, we performed a case study explanatory using the blog as a support method for Project-based Collaborative Learning. Explanatory case study, citation functionality and response functionality were varied between the stages of the dynamics so that they could observe the influence of each functionality in the conversation among students. As a result of the study, we observed that the citation functionality was hardly used by bloggers because of usability problems and the lack of culture usage and the response functionality was used moderately. There is a preference among bloggers to use the response functionality to replicate the comments received from readers. It was not possible to infer in this research whether it's better to make available both features: the quote and the reply, only one or none (only the comment for a post).


We examined 29 cases in which cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) was detected among routine aged autopsies. Most cases with severe CAA had many amyloid‐β (Aβ) plaques in the occipital cortex. Nonetheless, two cases had few Aβ plaques with many small vessels and capillaries with CAA. In the two cases, severe CAA was widely distributed, except in the frontal lobes. Aβ deposits in capillaries often showed the characteristic pattern of dysphoric amyloid angiopathy. A few naked plaques were present. Although Aβ plaques were sparse near small vessels with CAA, there were many Aβ plaques distant from small vessels with CAA. Some of the remaining plaques had a moth‐eaten appearance. Based on Aβ‐positive star‐like appearance and results of double immunohistochemistry for glial fibrillary acidic protein and Aβ1–42, some astrocytes appeared to contain Aβ. Ionized calcium‐binding adapter molecule 1 (Iba1)‐positive microglia were scattered within the neuropil, with some present around small vessels with CAA. Iba1‐positive microglia also seemed to phagocytose Aβ in several senile plaques by double immunostaining. Neurons and neurites identified with a monoclonal antibody against phosphorylated tau (clone AT8) were occasionally detected in sparse plaque areas, with AT8‐identified dot‐like structures present around capillaries with CAA. Accumulation of T lymphocytes was detected around vessels in the subarachnoid space in one case. The morphological changes detected in our two cases were similar to those of morphological markers of plaque clearance after Aβ immunotherapy. Nonetheless, our cases did not receive Aβ immunotherapy, but similar pathologies were observed. Overall, advanced CAA cases, including our two cases, may be examples of plaque clearance without Aβ immunotherapy. Further studies are needed to resolve the mechanism of Aβ plaque clearance using these cases.


This report is a guide for those actively engaged in organizing or monitoring citizen participation in transportation planning. It identifies and describes 37 major techniques for citizen participation and relates them to the appropriate steps in the transportation planning process, which is divided into 19 sequential steps beginning with the initial inventory and concluding with the evaluation of the completed facility. Among others, the techniques include: Advocacy Planning, Charrette, Citizen Advisory Committees, Hotlines, Surveys, and Workshops. The techniques are presented alphabetically in a standard format: description, positive features, negative features, potential for resolving issues, program utilization, costs, and bibliography. Some techniques are from areas other than transportation planning, some have been used only experimentally, and some have been formulated only theoretically. The techniques have been classified by function as Information Dissemination, Information Collection, Initiative Planning, Reactive Planning, Decision-making, and Participation Process Support. Eight case studies either illustrate use of combinations of techniques on the regional, corridor, and design level or focus on individual techniques. The research included a literature survey of 11 functional planning areas, such as model cities or water resources, and visits to each case study site.


Purpose: Chemotherapy can be an integral component of the adjuvant management strategy for women with early stage breast cancer. To date, no tool is available to predict or monitor the efficacy of these therapies. The aim of this proof-of-principle study was to assess whether NEUROD1 DNA methylation is able to predict the response to neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy. Experimental Design: Recently, we showed that NEUROD1 DNA is differentially methylated in neoplastic versus nonneoplastic breast tissue samples. In this study, we used MethyLight and analyzed NEUROD1 methylation in (a) 74 breast cancer tissue samples, (b) two independent sets of pretreatment core biopsies of 23 (training set) and 21 (test set) neoadjuvantly treated breast cancer patients, and (c) pretherapeutic and posttherapeutic serum samples from 107 breast cancer patients treated with adjuvant chemotherapy. Results: High-grade tumors showed higher NEUROD1 methylation levels. Estrogen receptor–negative breast cancers with high NEUROD1 methylation were 10.8-fold more likely to respond with a complete pathologic response following neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Patients with positive serum pretreatment NEUROD1 methylation, which persisted after chemotherapy, indicated poor relapse-free and overall survival in univariate and multivariate analyses (relative risk for relapse, 6.2; 95% confidence interval, 1.6-24; P = 0.008, and relative risk for death, 14; 95% confidence interval, 1.6-120; P = 0.02). Conclusions: These data support the view that NEUROD1 methylation is a chemosensitivity marker in estrogen receptor–negative breast cancer.


This study presents the tectono-stratigraphic analysis of part of the rift-Benin basin. Datasets from both seismic and biostratigraphy were integrated to identify sequences and structural elements present in the field. Key objectives of the study include: reconstruction of the depositional history of the area using seismic-stratigraphic principles, to identify sequences and structural elements that possess potentials for hydrocarbon entrapment.  The seismic-stratigraphic method was adopted to delineate key chronostratigraphic surfaces in the study area which are relevant to hydrocarbon accumulation. Four mega-sequences identified in the study area include: Albian sequence, the Cenomanian-Coniancian, the Campanian – Maastrichtian and Paleocene-Neogene sequences. The Cretaceous sequences are grouped into two depositional sequences designated as 1 and 2. The study has shown that the basin is aligned generally East-West with boundaries delimited by an East-West transform fault system and North-South structural arches. The interplay of these stratigraphic features has revealed three unconformity- bound surfaces. Two sequences of Cretaceous age have been delineated, which include sediments deposited between Albian and Maastrichtian (Abeokuta Formation).


Alcohol use disorder represents a serious health problem worldwide which is increasing in pervasiveness. Alcohol withdrawal syndrome is a common clinical problem encountered in emergency departments and inpatient settings, including intensive care units. While benzodiazepines are the most widely used class of medication for the treatment of alcohol withdrawal, in recent years, there is renewed interest in using phenobarbital, a barbiturate, in the treatment of refractory alcohol withdrawal.

This review provides an overview of phenobarbital in the treatment of alcohol withdrawal, as well as clinical outcomes in patients, while also outlining some of the limitations of existing studies in comparing phenobarbital to benzodiazepines.

PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, and Cochrane databases were searched using the terms phenobarbital, barbiturates, and alcohol withdrawal syndrome. Prospective and retrospective trials comparing phenobarbital with benzodiazepines to treat alcohol withdrawal in English were included.

 Two prospective randomized controlled and eleven retrospective cohort trials were identified. Phenobarbital is safe alone and as an adjunct to benzodiazepine in the emergency department, intensive care units, general medical units and acute trauma surgery service. In a randomized controlled trial, one dose of phenobarbital in the emergency department significantly reduced the intensive care admission rate. There is some evidence that phenobarbital may be effective in the treatment of benzodiazepine-refractory alcohol withdrawal.

Although existing knowledge and practice regarding phenobarbital for the treatment of alcohol withdrawal are increasing, there currently remains limited evidence in support of phenobarbital over benzodiazepines in superior efficacy and outcomes.


42 patients with chronic obstructive lung disease underwent right heart hemodynamics (Swan-Ganz catheter) and M mode echocardiography. Echocardiographic study showed that right ventricular index (RVI) and right ventricular anterior wall thickness (RVAWT) were increased in most patients, while septal thickness and motion were nearly always normal. The finding of impaired RVI and normal RVAWT in several patients, while no one showed normal RVI and increased RVAWT, suggests that arterial pulmonary hypertension results in initial dilatation and only later in hypertrophy of the right ventricle. Echocardiographic parameters were well correlated with hemodynamic and pulmonary function parameters. The good correlations between echocardiographic and hemodynamic data suggest that echocardiography may be a useful technique in the noninvasive assessment of the effects of pulmonary hypertension on the right heart in COLD.


The effect of increasing the annealing temperature on the CdS incorporated in silica xerogel thin film glasses is evaluated. The thin film samples are prepared via silica gels containing solution mixture of (CdCl2 and thiourea) with molar ratio 1:1, 5 mol % from this mixture solution was added to the host silica gel precursor. X-ray diffraction and Scanning electron microscope make it possible to evaluate the sample structure and the morphology. The absorption edge exhibited a blue shift by decreasing the annealing temperature, and its energy shift was reciprocally proportional to the radius. The energy band gap shifted upward in energy for smaller nano-particle size.


This paper provides an overview of recent work on quality measurement of medical care and its correlates in four low and middle-income countries-India, Indonesia, Tanzania, and Paraguay. The authors describe two methods-testing doctors and watching doctors-that are relatively easy to implement and yield important insights about the nature of medical care in these countries. The paper discusses the properties of these measures, their correlates, and how they may be used to evaluate policy changes. Finally, the authors outline an agenda for further research and measurement.


Process synthesis using rigorous unit operation models is highly
desirable to identify the most efficient pathway for sustainable
production of fuels and value-added chemicals. However, it often leads
to a large-scale strongly nonlinear and nonconvex mixed integer
nonlinear programming (MINLP) model. In this work, we propose two robust
homotopy continuation enhanced branch and bound (HCBB) algorithms
(denoted as HCBB-FP and HCBB-RB) where the homotopy continuation method
is employed to gradually approach the optimal solution of the NLP
subproblem at a node from the solution at its parent node. A variable
step length is adapted to effectively balance feasibility and
computational efficiency. The computational results demonstrate that the
proposed HCBB algorithms can find the same optimal solution from
different initial points, while the existing MINLP algorithms fail or
find much worse solutions. In addition, HCBB-RB is superior to HCBB-FP
due to lower computational effort required for the same locally optimal
solution.


Wearable exoskeletons might reduce human effort during walking. However, many of the current exoskeletons rely on heavy actuators and/or external power supplies; this has a negative impact on their efficiency and operation range. As an alternative, (quasi)passive exoskeletons have been developed. One of the proposed passive exoskeleton concepts is the exotendon concept of van den Bogert [1]. In this concept, long elastic cables span multiple joints. The cables can temporarily store and transfer energy between joints. In simulation, the average absolute joint torque can be reduced by 71%. The simulations are based on the hypotheses 1) that the exoskeleton does not influence the joint angles and 2) the total joint torques and a reduction in the human joint torques results in a reduction in the metabolic cost of walking. The goal of this article is to experimentally evaluate the exotendon concept and test the hypotheses underlying it. We implemented the exotendon concept in a lightweight exoskeleton. Experimental results show that the exotendons indeed reduced the average absolute joint torques. However, the exotendons also influenced the joint kinematics, and the metabolic cost of walking did not decrease. Therefore, the underlying assumptions of the exotendon concept are invalid. We also found that, in practice, the amount of support given by the exotendons is limited to about 35% of the theoretical optimal support. For higher levels of support, the motion is hindered and the support is experienced as uncomfortable by the users of the exoskeleton.


At face value, the use of lights and sirens by prehospital emergency medical personnel does not seem to be an area of high-value research or controversy. Drivers are all quite used to seeing emergency vehicles at work on the streets, lights flashing, and sirens wailing. Both lights and sirens are, and for a long time have been, standard components of EMS vehicles. They are used both to decrease the time it takes emergency medical personnel to respond to the location of an accident, illness, or injury, as well as the time it takes to transport the patient to a definitive care center. They are also used to keep medical providers safe while on the scene of an incident. The judicious and safe use of lights and sirens is a topic that has been well-researched recently, and the manner in which emergency medical service (EMS) providers uses them has changed significantly over time. Their use presents quantifiable risks and benefits, both to EMS personnel and to the public. Like any medical intervention, those risks and benefits need to be thoughtfully considered and measured. This is to allow for the greatest safety for EMS providers and non-medical traffic and pedestrians, and the maximal benefit for the patients being transported for care.HistoryDuring the early years of EMS response, the use of lights and sirens mirrored their use in the older and more established fire service. The typical thinking was that a fire could potentially spread very quickly; the earlier that firefighters arrived, the more likely that lives and property could be spared. That logic was appropriate for EMS providers as well. The quicker that a patient could be transported to a hospital, the higher the likelihood of a better outcome. In fact, very early "ambulance drivers" were just that. They had little to no formal medical training, and in most instances, did not even travel with the patient in the rear of the vehicle. Lights and sirens were used to get the patient to trained medical personnel as quickly as possible.Over the ensuing years, there began scrutiny of EMS protocols regarding the routine, unquestioned use of lights and sirens, looking at both the response phase of the call, as well as the transport phase. As the training of EMS providers began and improved, EMS agencies rightfully started to see themselves as the prehospital adjunct to hospital-based emergency medicine. As such, they were subject to the same questioning of methods, and research to evaluate those methods, that emergency medicine physicians have come to expect and embrace. That research, performed mainly over the last 30 years, looked at the use of emergency lights and sirens with very specific questions in mind: did they make EMS vehicles more conspicuous? Did they save time in EMS response and transport? Did the time make a difference in the medical outcome of the patient? These questions were asked and studied, all within the relative context of the risks that lights and sirens present to EMS workers as well as the public.Without evidence-based research, the continued routine and unquestioned use of lights and sirens by EMS providers would certainly be subject to time-honored and emotionally-driven opinions on the subject by those who use them. The most deeply held belief is that using lights and sirens saves time, and that time, in medical emergencies, is of paramount importance. Indeed, medical professionals still teach the public, as well as medical personnel at all levels of training, that "time is muscle/brain." There are expectations of the public that play a role as well, in that if their lights and sirens were not employed, then the EMS agency involved was not providing the urgency that a patient or family believes is warranted in their situation. There are also those who would believe that the lights and sirens were a part of the attraction of new members to the job, and recruiting would be damaged by any decrease in their usage. The companies that insure EMS agencies played a role as well, believing that the routine use of lights and sirens made EMS vehicle and personnel safer, and their use was required for insurance purposes. If these views were to be questioned, protocols and attitudes toward the use of lights and sirens changed, then quality research was needed.


Aquatic environment monitoring plays an important role in the artificial breeding of marine shellfish. Wireless sensor network (WSN) is an efficient approach for monitoring large-scale coastal beach with densely distributed smart nodes. Combined with a project of aquatic environment monitoring and assessment of marine shellfish in Zhejiang province, China, a new structure of WSN combining network clustering and route enhancing is proposed with the aim at facilitating node deployment in offshore and tidal zone and regular network maintenance. The topology of wireless sensing cluster, hard- and soft- design of wireless node and routing enhancement are elaborated. The testing result shows that the proposed scheme has the capability of robust data transmission. The method proposed in the paper is also suitable for other water quality monitoring system.


Short-channel NMOSFET degradation is explored by measuring the effect of hot-carrier stress on the substrate and drain currents, with normal and reverse polarities applied. The degradation mechanism can be explained as being, under most conditions, the trapping of electrons in the gate oxide near the stressed drain. This mechanism can explain results which have previously been attributed to trapped holes in the oxide. Two-dimensional simulation of the device characteristics, with the degradation modeled as localized electrons in the oxide, supports this conclusion.


Asphalt binder, is a thermoplastic liquid, which behaves as an elastic solid at low service temperatures or during rapid loading. At high temperature or slow loading, it behaves as a viscous liquid. This classical dichotomy creates a need to improve the performance of an asphalt binder to minimize the stress cracking that occurs at low temperatures (fatigue) and the plastic deformation at high temperatures (rutting). Use of polymer-modified asphalt binder is one of the solutions to meet the required performance standards for the pavements of today. It appears to be a logical, practical, and economical approach. In this research an investigation was made to evaluate the influence of asphalt cement modifier on the mechanical properties of asphalt concrete mixtures. The conventional asphalt cement of penetration grade 40-50 was used within this work, modified with styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) at five different modification levels namely 0%, 1%, 3%, 5% and 7% by weight of asphalt cement. Asphalt concrete mixes were prepared at selected optimum asphalt content (4.7%) and then tested to evaluate their mechanical properties which include resilient modulus, permanent deformation and fatigue characteristics in addition to Marshall Properties. The mechanical properties have been evaluated using uniaxial repeated loading and repeated flexural beam tests. From the experimental results, it can be concluded that the mixes modified with SBR polymer have shown an improved fatigue and permanent deformation characteristics as well as superior elastic properties as a characterized via resilient modulus. The use of 3 percent SBR has added to local knowledge the ability to produce more durable asphalt concrete mixtures with better serviceability.


Male and female Richardson's ground squirrels exhibit differences in a constellation of behavioral, ecological, and physiological characteristics related to a fundamental sexual difference in reproductive effort, viz. males primarily expend energy on mate acquisition whereas females primarily expend energy on parenting. Male Richardson's ground squirrels emerge from hibernation earlier than females, at a heavier body mass, and with larger fat reserves. Once females emerge, males reduce time foraging and they compete aggressively and intensively for access to estrous females with resultant physical wounding, loss of body mass, depletion of fat reserves, and high mortality. Females retain post-hibernation fat reserves during gestation and even increase in personal body mass. Although mass of the litter exceeds the mother's own mass by late lactation, mothers are largely able to meet the demands of milk production through foraging, and their body mass remains fairly constant through lactation. Adult males immerge into hibernation earlier than adult females, and are heavier and fatter on immergence. In their first active season, juvenile males complete growth to adult size, whereas juvenile females attain only 80% of adult size; females then complete growth during pregnancy the following spring. Juvenile males attain adult size by delaying entry into hibernation until 7-9 weeks later than juvenile females. During hibernation, both juvenile and adult male Richardson's ground squirrels spend substantially less time than females in the physiological state of torpor. In particular, males tenninate torpor> I week before emergence, during which time they subsist on seeds cached in the hibernaculum, replenish fat, and initiate spennatogenesis in preparation for the forthcoming mating season. In contrast, female Richardson's ground squirrels do not store food in the hibernaculum, they emerge from hibernation <2 days after termination of torpor, and they are impregnated 2-4 days after' emergence from hibernation when at their lowest annual body mass. On an annual basis, adult females have a higher survival rate than adult males, largely because females are more likely to survive through the reproductive period.


Background Arthroscopic knee synovectomy (AKS) is the most popular surgery treatment for persistent knee synovitis among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Objectives To assess the probability of knee synovitis recurrence during the postoperative period dependings upon disease activity and whether or not the patient receiveings disease–modifying anti–rheumatic drugs (DMARDs). Methods 124 AKS for 108 rheumatoid arthritis patients were made. The average period of assessment was 4.5 ± 2.5 years, the average patient's age was 41.7 ± 14.3 years. After AKS there were clinical symptoms of synovitis recurrence in 20% of cases (25 knees), after an average period of 10.8 ± 5.1 months (i.e. from 0.5 to 2 years). The first prescription of DMARDsfor these patients was quite late: after 3.5 ± 1.8 years since the beginning of the disease. The treatment with the DMARDswas short and unsystematic. Usually patients with the synovitis recurrence were treated with methotrexate in maximum doses of 10 mg per week. 36% of the patients were treated with glucocorticoids. 28% of the patients were treated with the biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (infliximab). 12.8% of the synovitis recurrence in the knees after surgery was diagnosed at the same time as the RA exacerbations. Before surgery, the disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis was high: 12.7 ± 5.4 in Routine Assessment of Pain Index Data (RAPID-3). Cox's F-Test and Kaplan-Maier`s curve were used to determine differences in the likelihood of the synovitis recurrence, depending on the availability of therapy. Assessment of the prognostic significance of RA was made by ROC- curve analysis. Results In the case of absence of matched DMARDs by the 24th month after the surgery, the synovitis recurrence appeared in more than 80% of the patients (Cox's F-Test = 11.69495, p<10-5). For values of the RAPID-3 index above 11.7 points with 86% sensitivity and 74.4% specificity predicted recurrence of synovitis in the following year. Conclusions DMARDs and high activity of RA are considered as risk factors for the knee synovitis recurrence after the AKS. Disclosure of Interest None Declared


OBJECTIVE
It has been demonstrated that cervical laminoplasty is an effective and safe method of treating multi-level cervical spondylotic myelopathy and ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament. However, recent reports have suggested that axial neck pain is frequently encountered after cervical laminoplasty. The aim of the present study was to determine clinical significance of the C7 spinous process on axial neck pain after cervical laminoplasty.

METHODS
A total of 31 consecutive patients that underwent cervical laminoplasty between March 2002 and December 2008 were reviewed. The authors evaluated and compared axial neck pain and lordotic angle in patients that underwent C7 spinous process preserving surgery (group 1, n = 16) and in patients in which the C7 spinous process was sacrificed (group 2, n = 15).

RESULTS
Severe or moderate early axial pain occurred in 56.2% of patients in group 1 and in 86.6% in group 2. Severe or moderate late axial pain occurred in 12.5% in group 1 and in 73.3% in group 2. Eighty-Six percent of patients in group 2 and 43% in group 1 experienced aggravation of their axial neck pain during the early postoperative period. Aggravation of axial neck pain during early postoperative period was less common in group 1 but not statistically significant (p = 0.073). Sixty-six percent of patients in group 2 and 12% in group 1 had aggravated axial neck pain at late postoperative period and aggravation of late axial neck pain was significantly less common in group 1 (p = 0.002).

CONCLUSION
The present study demonstrates that C7 spinous process preserving laminoplasty decreases the incidence of aggravated axial neck pain after cervical laminoplasty.


Although a given hormone may travel throughout the body in the bloodstream, it will affect the activity only of its target cells; that is, cells with receptors for that particular hormone. Once the hormone binds to the receptor, a chain of events is initiated that leads to the target cell's response. Hormones play a critical role in the regulation of physiological processes because of the target cell responses they regulate. These responses contribute to human reproduction, growth and development of body tissues, metabolism, fluid, and electrolyte balance, sleep, and many other body functions. The major hormones of the human body and their effects are identified in Table 1.


Current software testing practices focus, almost exclusively, on the implementation, despite widely acknowledged bene ts of testing based on software speci cations. We propose approaches to speci cation-based testing by extending a wide variety of implementation-based testing techniques to be applicable to formal speci cation languages. We demonstrate these approaches for the Anna and Larch speci cation languages.


Web engineering is a systematic approach to develop web applications, and numerous web engineering methods have been proposed. These methods were extended through defining new models by using different mechanisms to capture the web application concepts. Due to the complexity rising of web applications, the web engineering methods cannot provide web solutions anymore. Even though Interaction Flow Modeling Language (IFML) is recently proposed as a new method for developing web applications, it has limitations. Therefore these methods need to be improved. In this paper, we present the ability of IFML extensibility to support new concerns from web applications. Moreover, we extend IFML through UML mechanisms to support new concerns from the context to the user interface. The new IFML solves the lack of context web application through defining a new model and becomes a new direction to develop concerns modern web applications.


Mice were challenged with a highly virulent strain of Salmonella typhimurium by intraperitoneal injections. At relatively low infecting doses, immunizations with either viable attenuated or heat killed Salm. typhimurium were found to be equally protective against otherwise fatal infections. Pre-opsonization of virulent salmonellae significantly increased the survival rate of mice infected with small numbers of the pathogen. By a cell culture method, peritoneal macrophages of mice were shown to be innately capable of destroying the ingested virulent Salm. typhimurium. Macrophages from previously infected mice did not appear to have any significant increase in their bactericidal activity against salmonellae, but they possessed cytophilic antibodies specific against the H and the O antigens of Salm. typhimurium. It is believed that humoral elements play an important role in acquired immunity in murine salmonellosis by opsonization of the pathogen.


ABSTRACT: In this article I argue that the 2013 Armory show retrospective hosted by the New York Historical Society missed an opportunity to put the original 1913 show in an adequate historical context. The show did not as fully integrate its rich historical material as it might have, and thus failed to give today's visitors a fuller sense of the kind of environment artists and writers, such as William Carlos Williams, were then working in. It also did not allow contemporary spectators to uncover surprising connections between the great variety of artists who exhibited in 1913 but who were not referenced in the retrospective. Had the original contents been more comprehensively featured it would have provided an opportunity to offer a sense of the art historical context in which these works would have made sense—or would have entirely baffled their early twentieth-century American audience. In this way the show might also have been a boon to scholars of modernism of all stripes, enabling them to rejuvenate older critical conversations with fresh eyes. I argue that the real gem of the show was not in the show at all. Instead, it was the expansive, richly illustrated, and knowledgably written book collection, Armory Show at 100: Modernism and Revolution, edited by Marilyn Satin Kushner and Kimberly Orcutt and released along with the show, which presents an in-depth reexamination of the 1913 event, including an account of its key players.


A simple and low-cost electrochemical sensor based on multimodified screen-printed electrodes (SPEs) was successfully synthesized for the sensitive detection of β-lactoglobulin (β-Lg). The surface treatment of SPEs was accomplished by a simple drip coating method using polyethyleneimine (PEI), reduced graphene oxide (rGO), and gold nanoclusters (AuNCs), and the treated SPEs showed excellent electrical conductivity. The modified SPEs were then characterized with UV-Vis, SEM, TEM, and FTIR to analyze the morphology and composition of the AuNCs and the rGO. An anti-β-Lg antibody was then immobilized on the composite material obtained by modifying rGO with PEI and AuNCs (PEI-rGO-AuNCs), leading to the remarkable reduction in conductivity of the SPEs due to the reaction between antigen and antibody. The sensor obtained using this novel approach enabled a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.08 ng/mL and a detection range from 0.01 to 100 ng/mL for β-Lg. Furthermore, pure milk samples from four milk brands were measured using electrochemical sensors, and the results were in excellent agreement with those from commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) methods.


Footwear cushioning was evaluated objectively using an impact tester and related to perceived levels of cushioning (PLC). To evaluate the perceived levels of cushioning during standing, walking, and running, 3 experiments were conducted with 20 participants in each experiment. A 7-point subjective rating scale was used to rate the perceived levels of cushioning. At the end of the experiment, the subjective perceptions of cushioning were also recorded. During standing and running, the perceived level of cushioning can be predicted from the time to peak deceleration and/or stiffness (or compression). During walking, however, the magnitude of the peak deceleration on the impact tester appears to be a good predictor of PLC. Impact characterizations can reveal important differences between materials and how they are perceived during activity. In addition, the results seem to explain and link the differences that exist in the ergonomics and biomechanics literature on cushioning. Applications of this research include the design and selection of materials for footwear, floor mats, and other supporting surfaces.


The literature has long tried to explain the casual relationship between natural resources booms and human capital accumulation but yet with no definitive answer. Usually the literature finds that booms abates the process of human capital accumulation by increasing the cost of opportunity of studying. We want to further contribute to this discussion by studying the impact of the mineral mining boom in Peru on the interruption of post-secondary studies during the period 2004-2016. To do so, we rely on a differences-in-difference strategy. Our results show that the Peruvian mining boom had a positive impact on the probability of interruption of post-secondary studies. Furthermore, the probability of staying idle of young individuals increased. In contrast with previous studies, we find that our results are driven mainly by a decrease in the return to higher education relative to high-school education. Other mechanisms that may be playing a minor role is the health status of young individuals -which deteriorates with the mining boom-, and the labor reallocation that occurs within households.


We explored doctoral supervisors' explanations for students' lack of progress toward gaining their degree and describe the activities that supervisors said they take on such occasions. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews from 21 supervisors specializing in the fields of natural and educational sciences and then analyzed using thematic analysis. The results indicated that supervisors communicated understanding about the stalling of studies. The supervisors noted that it is important that students have the knowledge and skills suitable to maintain progress toward their degree. However, the supervisors indicated that successful progress depends on a student's initiative to ask for help, believing that because the student is an adult learner, they should be intrinsically motivated. Consequently, supervisors often adopt a wait-and-see attitude in terms of their intervention strategy.


In Xenopus early embryos, replication origins neither require specific DNA sequences nor is there an efficient S/M checkpoint, even though the whole genome (3 billion bases) is completely duplicated within 10-20 minutes. This leads to the "random-completion problem" of DNA replication in embryos, where one needs to find a mechanism that ensures complete, faithful, timely reproduction of the genome without any sequence dependence of replication origins. We analyze recent DNA replication data in Xenopus laevis egg extracts and find discrepancies with models where replication origins are distributed independently of chromatin structure. Motivated by these discrepancies, we have investigated the role that chromatin looping may play in DNA replication. We find that the loop-size distribution predicted from a wormlike-chain model of chromatin can account for the spatial distribution of replication origins in this system quantitatively. Together with earlier findings of increasing frequency of origin firings, our results can explain the random-completion problem. The agreement between experimental data (molecular combing) and theoretical predictions suggests that the intrinsic stiffness of chromatin loops plays a fundamental biological role in DNA replication in early-embryo Xenopus in regulating the origin spacing.


Open-access blockchains based on proof-of-work protocols have gained tremendous popularity for their capabilities of providing decentralized tamper-proof ledgers and platforms for data-driven autonomous organization. Nevertheless, the proof-of-work based consensus protocols are vulnerable to cyber-attacks such as double-spending. In this paper, we propose a novel approach of cyber risk management for blockchain-based service. In particular, we adopt the cyber-insurance as an economic tool for neutralizing cyber risks due to attacks in blockchain networks. We consider a blockchain service market, which is composed of the infrastructure provider, the blockchain provider, the cyber-insurer, and the users. The blockchain provider purchases from the infrastructure provider, e.g., a cloud, the computing resources to maintain the blockchain consensus, and then offers blockchain services to the users. The blockchain provider strategizes its investment in the infrastructure and the service price charged to the users, in order to improve the security of the blockchain and thus optimize its profit. Meanwhile, the blockchain provider also purchases a cyber-insurance from the cyber-insurer to protect itself from the potential damage due to the attacks. In return, the cyber-insurer adjusts the insurance premium according to the perceived risk level of the blockchain service. Based on the assumption of rationality for the market entities, we model the interaction among the blockchain provider, the users, and the cyber-insurer as a two-level Stackelberg game. Namely, the blockchain provider and the cyber-insurer lead to set their pricing/investment strategies, and then the users follow to determine their demand of the blockchain service. Specifically, we consider the scenario of double-spending attacks and provide a series of analytical results about the Stackelberg equilibrium in the market game.


A proxy server is presented and divides the streaming media service that users access to in the 3G network into different types. According to the characteristics of service types, the proxy server uses different segmentation prefetching to improve the efficiency. Meanwhile, this paper introduces the assembly line technology which improves the speed of the streaming media distribution, effectively utilizes bandwidth and increases the throughput of the proxy server. The simulation results show that using a variety rational of segmentation prefetching algorithms and efficient pipeline distribution can reduce the bandwidth consumptions of the proxy server and the 3G network. Furthermore, the proxy server offers a better quality of service to the users.


Cultism is one of the social vices that have continued to defy solutions in Nigeria's tertiary educational institutions. Many students have been maimed, mutilated and even killed as a result of campus cult activities. This paper examines the origin, types and the initiation procedures of campus cults. The reasons for cult membership, the reasons for its continuous existence in Nigerian campuses and the consequences of cult activities have also been ex-rayed. Measures aimed at curbing campus cult activities are also brought to limelight. SOPHIA: An African Journal of Philosophy Vol. 9 (1) 2006: pp. 130-133


The natural abundance 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of a number of spirobenzylisoquinoline alkaloids and related model compounds have been recorded. The carbon resonances of the alkaloids were assigned by comparison with the spectra of other isoquinoline alkaloids and with those of the model compounds. It has been shown that 13C nmr spectroscopy may be used to differentiate between diastereomers in this series.


Introduction. The prevalence of dementia in Lithuania has risen dramatically in past decades. The ageing population and vascular risk factors may contribute to this rise. The proportions of Alzheimer's disease (ADD) and vascular dementia (VAD) in older population is not clear. Aim. Our aim was to evaluate the characteristics of cognitive disorders of the older patients, visiting the Memory clinic for the first time and to identify the relationships between cognitive dis�- orders and risk factors, comorbidities. Methods. We used a population-based retrospective cohort study design and extracted data from Memory clinic database. The research involved 202 patients of 60 and over year-old, who visited the Memory clinic in I Consulting Clinic of Kaunas Clinical Hospital, in 2015 for the first time. The statistical analysis of the data was performed using the software SPSS 22.0. The selected statistical significance level was α=0,05. The differences of variables, while comparing several groups of subjects, or relationships between variables were considered as statistically significant when p<α (p<0,05). Chi-square, Student t-test, analysis of variance Anova, Spearmen and Kendall tau-b correlation coefficients, descriptive statistics were used in the data analysis. Results: 202 patient's (≥ 60 year-old) data were analyzed. 82,7% of patient's (n=167) had cognitive disorders: 81,4% (n=136) dementia, 18,6% (n=31) mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Dementia, according to severity: severe 15,4%, moderate 72,1%, mild 12,5%. The most common was VAD – in 41,9% of cases (subcortical 64,9 %), mixed dementia - 34,6%, ADD - 15,4 %, other - 4,4%. MCI has relationship with lower education (p<0,001), ischaemic heart disease (IHD) (p=0,030), hypertension (p=0,001). Dementia is associated with older age (p=0,001) and lower education of the patients (p<0,001). VAD is associated with strokes (p<0,001), IHD (p=0,001), hypertension (p=0,01), ischemic lacunar state (p<0,001), urinary incontinence (p=<0,001) and falls (p=0,001). Mixed dementia has relationship with IHD (p=0,026), hypertension (p=0,007), urinary incontinence (p<0,001). Conclusions. The prevalence of cognitive disorders among the older patients visiting the Memory clinic for the first time is high (82,7%) and the most common was VAD. The high prevalence of VAD and mixed dementia is associated with vascular risk factors - strokes, IHD, hypertension, chronic ischemic lacunar state. Community based early interventions controlling vascular risk factors, cognitive function screening and patients referral to Memory clinics have a priority in prevention of cognitive disorders in older population.


To solve the problem of poor performance of deep neural network models due to insufficient data, a simple yet effective interpolation-based data augmentation method is proposed: MSMix (Manifold Swap Mixup). This method feeds two different samples to the same deep neural network model, and then randomly select a specific layer and partially replace hidden features at that layer of one of the samples by the counterpart of the other. The mixed hidden features are fed to the model and go through the rest of the network. Two different selection strategies are also proposed to obtain richer hidden representation. Experiments are conducted on three Chinese intention recognition datasets, and the results show that the MSMix method achieves better results than other methods in both full-sample and small-sample configurations.


building of the Deccan College, Poona. It opens with a straightforward account of the techniques inferred to have been involved in the manufacture of the various categories of stone artifacts found in India. The technological development is shown in relation to the great divisions of the Indian Stone Age, the Early, Middle, Late, and Neolithic. Then follows a useful if somewhat prosaic discussion of the nomenclature of the various tools; and thirdly a short discussion of their functions and possible methods of hafting. This latter section is perhaps the least happy, and one may feel that the author has not given enough consideration to the extensive archaeological and ethnographic evidence from many parts of the world, for example, of the important role of gums and mastics. This is perhaps the first monograph of its kind to be devoted primarily to Indian materials, and it is thus bound to serve a useful purpose for students of Indian prehistory. The book is well produced and attractively illustrated.


An IR and UV–VIS study of the interaction of methyl and ethyl acetylene with the acidic form of zeolite ETS-10 is here presented. It is shown that, in the first adsorption step (at room temperature) π hydrogen-bonded adducts are formed between the alkyl acetylene and the zeolite hydroxy groups. These hydrogen
 bonded species act as precursors in the second step, where oligomerization takes place,
 leading to formation of carbocationic
 double bond conjugated systems of increasing length.


In days gone by, imagined future scenes were largely preferred to those of former times. Ancient traditions of pastoral taste and picturesque nostalgia notwithstanding, landscape and nature in general were commonly devalued by comparison with the creations of culture and the scenes of history. The rural vistas on which many chose to cast their eye were utopian scenes ideally to come, rather than the depressingly backward lineaments of the old-fashioned past. Nowadays, the future is out of fashion, and scenes recalled from other ages are increasingly admired. Prospect yields to retrospect, technology to history. Environmentalist morality promotes appreciation not only of wild landscapes but of past rural scenes, valued as more diversified and less destructive of nature and locale than today's high-tech agricultural landscapes. 'History' is becoming an adjunct to, rather then an enemy of, 'ecology'. I discuss these trends in term of changing views of art, religion, nature and human nature.


New candidate malaria vaccines being developed experimentally can only be assessed properly after they have been through the full range of clinical trials and extended follow-up. Defining vaccine efficacy, especially that of multi-component vaccines, is difficult, in particular because the outcome is determined by finely defined epitope specificity. Immune responses can have contrasting effects, some protective, some promoting infection, but concerns that interventions that reduce transmission from a high to a lower intensity will lead to greater risks of severe malaria may not have taken into account all of the many factors that determine the outcome of infection.


Background: Sepsis and septic shock are life-threatening causes of acute kidney injury (AKI) frequently seen and managed in intensive care units (ICUs). Sepsis-associated AKI (SA-AKI) independently contributes to the mortality of sepsis. Understanding the potential factors involved in kidney function recovery may further aid in the prevention and management of SA-AKI. This study aimed to describe the clinical characteristics of septic shock patients who required kidney replacement therapy and factors associated with kidney function recovery. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of adult septic shock patients who received in-hospital kidney replacement therapy at medical intensive care unit (MICU) at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, from January 1, 2006, to May 31, 2018. Kidney function recovery was defined as liberation from kidney replacement therapy before hospital discharge. Associations between clinical features and kidney recovery were analyzed using multivariable Fine and Gray regression accounting for death as a competing event. Results: Our retrospective cohort consisted of 229 patients with a median (interquartile range [IQR]) age of 64 (52–74) years: 55% were men, 89% were Caucasians, 39% had diabetes mellitus (DM), 16% had heart failure, APACHE (Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation) III score was 105 (84–123), and SOFA (Sequential [Sepsis-related] Organ Failure Assessment) score was 12 (9–14). The patients received 1,567 (524–4,108) mL of intravenous fluids in the first 3 h, 92% required vasopressor support, and 83% required mechanical ventilation. The median MICU and hospital stays were 7 (4–13) and 19 (10–31) days, respectively. Median (IQR) kidney replacement therapy duration was 7 (3.5–17.1) days. Among 158 ICU survivors, 73 (46%) patients were weaned from RRT in ICU and 85 (54%) were transitioned to intermittent RRT. A higher volume of fluid resuscitation in the first 3 h (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.07 per 1 L, CI: 1.01–1.14, p = 0.04) and a history of DM (HR = 1.70, CI: 1.14–2.54, p = 0.009) were associated with kidney function recovery. Conclusion: Among septic shock patients who initiated kidney replacement therapy in the MICU, 41% recovered kidney function before discharge. A higher initial fluid resuscitation volume was associated with recovery, and interestingly, patients with DM had a higher chance of recovery.


Long-read sequencing has greatly contributed to the generation of high quality assemblies, albeit at a high cost. It is also not always clear how to combine sequencing platforms. We sequenced the genome of the olive fruit fly (Bactrocera oleae), the most important pest in the olive fruits agribusiness industry, using Illumina short-reads, mate-pairs, 10x Genomics linked-reads, Pacific Biosciences (PacBio), and Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT). The 10x linked-reads assembly gave the most contiguous assembly with an N50 of 2.16 Mb. Scaffolding the linked-reads assembly using long-reads from ONT gave a more contiguous assembly with scaffold N50 of 4.59 Mb. We also present the most extensive transcriptome datasets of the olive fly derived from different tissues and stages of development. Finally, we used the Chromosome Quotient method to identify Y-chromosome scaffolds and show that the long-reads based assembly generates very highly contiguous Y-chromosome assembly. JR is a member of the MinION Access Program (MAP) and has received free-of-charge flow cells and sequencing kits from Oxford Nanopore Technologies for other projects. JR has had no other financial support from ONT. AB has received re-imbursement for travel costs associated with attending Nanopore Community meeting 2018, a meeting organized my Oxford Nanopore Technologies.


Water scarcity caused by increased demands often leads to competition and conflict over water in many river catchments in Sub-Saharan Africa. At the local level, water users have in many places been able to solve water allocation problems by crafting institutions based on customs and traditions. These self-governing arrangements are not necessarily fair or good, but are able to adapt to the changing resource context. Simultaneously, many African governments have adopted new policies and laws, and established new institutions to achieve equitable and sustainable management of water resources. The formalization of the property right to water is often part of the recipe. This paper analyses the impact of one such government-led formalization process on local water allocation practices. Based on a field study in the Hingilili sub-catchment, Tanzania, we find that government interventions do not achieve the goal of equitable and sustainable water management. However, we find that the principle of good neighbourhood that still exists between the highland and lowland farmers in Hingilili could form a base to reconcile diverging water interests between the highland and lowland farmers. The paper shows that the concept of bricolage [Cleaver, F., 2002. Reinventing institutions: bricolage and the social embeddedness of natural resource management. The European Journal of Development Research, 14 (2), 11–30] is useful to demonstrate the need for new institutions to be sufficiently embedded in existing local practices to succeed, but this is not a sufficient condition. The hydraulic position of the various actors (upstream or downstream) must also be taken into account, and may be considered a driver for institutional innovation.


It has been conjectured by Hø-Madsen and Nosratinia that complex Gaussian interference channels with constant channel coefficients have only one degree-of-freedom regardless of the number of users. While several examples are known of constant channels that achieve more than 1 degree-of-freedom, these special cases only span a subset of measure zero. In other words, for almost all channel coefficient values, it is not known if more than 1 degree-of-freedom is achievable. In this paper, we settle the Høst-Madsen-Nosratinia conjecture in the negative. We show that at least 1.2 degrees-of-freedom are achievable for all values of complex channel coefficients except for a subset of measure zero. For the class of linear beamforming and interference alignment schemes considered in this paper, it is also shown that 1.2 is the maximum number of degrees-of-freedom achievable on the complex Gaussian 3 user interference channel with constant channel coefficients, for almost all values of channel coefficients. To establish the achievability of 1.2 degrees-of-freedom we use the novel idea of asymmetric complex signaling - i.e., the inputs are chosen to be complex but not circularly symmetric. It is shown that unlike Gaussian point-to-point, multiple-access and broadcast channels where circularly symmetric complex Gaussian inputs are optimal, for interference channels optimal inputs are in general asymmetric. With asymmetric complex signaling, we also show that the 2 user complex Gaussian X channel with constant channel coefficients achieves the outer bound of 4/3 degrees-of-freedom, i.e., the assumption of time-variations/frequency-selectivity used in prior work to establish the same result, is not needed.


The development of compression algorithms for static meshes was mainly forced by the community of 3D graphics hardware accelerators. The goal is to reduce the amount of bytes that need to be transferred from the main memory to the graphics card. The compression of such huge static meshes not only increases the rendering performance but also decreases the storage cost at hard discs. Modern scanning devices are able to produce huge point clouds which are converted to extremely big triangle soups by surface reconstruction algorithms. For example, the biggest model consists of several 109 polygons, which can occupy a whole PC hard-disk. Furthermore, the transmission of static meshes over networks becomes important for applications like virtual shopping malls. In addition, efficient storage and broadcasting of dynamic 3D content gets crucial ABSTRACT


We examined the role of interleukin (IL)-18 and cytokine-induced neutrophil chemokines (CINC)-1 and CINC-3 in the neutrophil release of superoxide anion (O2-) and elastase following alcohol/ethanol (EtOH) and burn injury. Male rats (approximately 250 g) were gavaged with EtOH to achieve a blood EtOH level of approximately 100 mg/dl before approximately 12.5% total body surface area burn or sham injury. Immediately after injury, rats were administered with anti-rat IL-18 antibody (80 microg/kg) or isotype control. After 20 min, anti-IL-18 antibody-treated rats were given either recombinant (r) rat CINC-1 or CINC-3. On day 1 after injury, the combined insult of EtOH and burn injury caused a significant increase in neutrophil elastase and O2- production as well as an increase in neutrophil accumulation, myeloperoxidase activity, and edema in the intestine. Treatment of rats with anti-IL-18 antibody normalized the above parameters. However, administration of rCINC-1 in anti-IL-18 antibody-treated rats increased the above parameters to levels similar to those observed following EtOH and burn injury. In contrast, administration of rCINC-3 did not influence the above parameters except neutrophil elastase. These findings indicate that IL-18 and CINC-1 may independently modulate neutrophil tissue-damaging actions following EtOH and burn injury. However, the finding that the treatment of rats with anti-IL-18 antibodies inhibits CINC-1 and CINC-3 supports the notion that IL-18 plays a critical role in increased neutrophil tissue-damaging action following a combined insult of EtOH intoxication and burn injury.


We employ a flexible Bayesian technique to estimate the black hole (BH) mass and Eddington ratio functions for Type 1 (i.e., broad line) quasars from a uniformly selected data set of ∼58, 000 quasars from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) DR7. We find that the SDSS becomes significantly incomplete at MBH ≲ 3 × 108 M☉ or L/LEdd ≲ 0.07, and that the number densities of Type 1 quasars continue to increase down to these limits. Both the mass and Eddington ratio functions show evidence of downsizing, with the most massive and highest Eddington ratio BHs experiencing Type 1 quasar phases first, although the Eddington ratio number densities are flat at z < 2. We estimate the maximum Eddington ratio of Type 1 quasars in the observable universe to be L/LEdd ∼ 3. Consistent with our results in Shen & Kelly, we do not find statistical evidence for a so-called sub-Eddington boundary in the mass–luminosity plane of broad-line quasars, and demonstrate that such an apparent boundary in the observed distribution can be caused by selection effect and errors in virial BH mass estimates. Based on the typical Eddington ratio in a given mass bin, we estimate growth times for the BHs in Type 1 quasars and find that they are comparable to or longer than the age of the universe, implying an earlier phase of accelerated (i.e., with higher Eddington ratios) and possibly obscured growth. The large masses probed by our sample imply that most of our BHs reside in what are locally early-type galaxies, and we interpret our results within the context of models of self-regulated BH growth.


We prospectively studied the long-term effects of intravenous calcitriol in 17 hemodialysis patients with severe secondary hyperparathyroidism (HPT) for 25.7 +/- 3.4 (+/- SE) months. Calcitriol was given thrice weekly after dialysis. Subsequently, changes were made every 3-4 weeks based upon serum chemistries. Total calcium and inorganic phosphorus were measured weekly; alkaline phosphatase (AP) and IRMA-PTH were measured monthly. Inorganic phosphate was controlled with calcium supplements. With calcitriol therapy both IRMA-PTH and AP decreased from 876 +/- 113 to 65 +/- 13 pg/ml (p < or = 0.001) and 432 +/- 106 to 103 +/- 15 U/ml (p < or = 0.001), respectively. Each patient had a reduction in IRMA-PTH and AP. Nadir IRMA-PTH occurred at 55.4 +/- 7.3 weeks. The maximum and mean maximum doses of calcitriol were 8.0 and 4.1 +/- 0.4 micrograms thrice weekly, respectively. Hypercalcemia tended to occur in those patients who were hypercalcemic prior to the initiation of intravenous calcitriol therapy. All hypercalcemic episodes were asymptomatic and reversed either by temporary withdrawal or lowering of the calcitriol dose. Hyperphosphatemia developed in those patients with a history of elevated serum phosphates and was mostly related to dietary and medication noncompliance. We conclude that intravenous calcitriol was uniformly effective and safe for the long-term therapy of severe HPT in ESRD. Careful attention to serum phosphate control is required.


The laver has been cultivated long time ago by Korea and Japan. Korean Laver Industry has been influenced by Japan on the many factors since 20th. Nevertheless now the both country showed widening disparities across the aspect of total Laver Industry each other. The development steps of Korea and Japan Laver Industry have been advanced differently. That is, we can keep the Laver Industry development steps of both countries separate by 4 steps. But insignificant of every step against both countries has been dissimilar. We can separate from 4 steps in Korea, 1 step is origin period from beginning of laver cultivation to 1961. Next step is First Development period from 1962 to 1978. This period come out production increase from about 10,000 tons early 1960 to 50,000 tons late 1970. Next step is Second Development period from 1979 to 2000. This period come out eminent production increase from about 50,000 tons early 1980 to 200,000 tons late 1990. Next step is Stabilization period from 2001 to now. This period come out production control the size of its production and enlargement of Laver Export. We can also separate from 4 steps in Japan, 1 step is origin period from beginning of laver cultivation to 1944. Next step is Development period from 1945 to 1975. This period come out production increase from about 4 billion sheets early 1960 to 8.5 billion sheets 1975. Next step is Peak period from 1976 to 1982. This period come out sustainable production peak by 6~8 billion sheets and high price. Next step is Decline period from 1983 to now. This period come out production control the size of its production and sustainable price down. These differences showed out facing problems of Korean and Japanese Laver Industry differently. In case of Korea, the facing problems show out 3. First is structural problem, for example, trouble between original laver producer and the finished producer by dry laver products. Second is Insufficiency of Plants Protection System. Third is low quality of Laver. In case of Japan, the facing problems also show out 3. First is sustainable decrease of laver consumption. Second is change of mind against laver, for example, the change of the propensity to consume, and decrease of brand power. Third is Influence of global system. The difference of development steps of Korea and Japan Laver Industry show out 2 point of view to us. First we need consider positive strategy against laver production system of enlargement. Second, we need consider separate strategy against high quality laver and low quality laver.


In this study, we investigated the antioxidant, whitening and anti-inflammatory effects of 12 species of wild mushrooms in Jeju Island. Their anti-oxidative effects were measured by the free radical scavenging activity using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and tyrosinase inhibitory activities were determined for the whitening effect. In addition, inhibitory activities of NO production for anti-inflammation were investigated. As a result, Elfvingia applanata extract and Fomitopsidaceae sp. extracts showed higher free radical scavenging activities (FSC50; 74.8 μg/mL, 182.6 μg/mL respectively) than other extracts. Elfvingia applanata extract (IC50; 346.8 μg/mL) showed higher activity than the Arbutin (IC50; 421.6 μg/mL) on tyrosinase inhibitory activity. Elfvingia applanata extract and Daedaleopsis styracina extract showed anti-inflammatory activity of 74.1% and 62.9% respectively, at the concentration of 100 μg/mL. Furthermore, the extracts inhibited NO production in a dose-dependent manner. In conclusion, we evaluated the biological activities of 12 species of wild mushrooms in Jeju Island, Elfvingia applanata, Fomitopsidaceae sp. and Daedaleopsis styracina could have the functional effects as a cosmetic raw material.


The Earth warms both when fossil fuel carbon is oxidized to carbon dioxide and when greenhouse effect of carbon dioxide inhibits longwave radiation from escaping to space. Various important time scales and ratios comparing these two climate forcings have not previously been quantified. For example, the global and time‐integrated radiative forcing from burning a fossil fuel exceeds the heat released upon combustion within 2 months. Over the long lifetime of CO2 in the atmosphere, the cumulative CO2‐radiative forcing exceeds the amount of energy released upon combustion by a factor >100,000. For a new power plant, the radiative forcing from the accumulation of released CO2 exceeds the direct thermal emissions in less than half a year. Furthermore, we show that the energy released from the combustion of fossil fuels is now about 1.71% of the radiative forcing from CO2 that has accumulated in the atmosphere as a consequence of historical fossil fuel combustion.


Phase noise in mutually synchronized oscillator systems is analyzed for arbitrary coupling and injection-locking topologies, neglecting amplitude noise, and amplitude modulation (AM) to phase modulation (PM) conversion. When the coupling phase is chosen properly (depending on the oscillator model), the near-carrier phase noise is reduced to 1/N that of a single oscillator, provided the coupling network is reciprocal. This is proved In general, and illustrated with specific cases of globally coupled and nearest-neighbor coupled oscillator chains. A slight noise degradation is found for unilaterally coupled (nonreciprocal) chains. The 1/N reduction for reciprocal coupling applies over nearly the entire range of free-running frequency distributions required for beam-scanning, and is verified experimentally using a linear chain of coupled GaAs MESFET voltage-controlled oscillators (VCOs) operating at X-band. The effect of a nonoptimum coupling phase on the phase noise of the system is also studied. As the coupling phase deviates from the optimum value, the phase noise increases significantly near the locking range edge for noise offset frequency near the carrier.


A mass loaded corrugated paperboard system is used to simulated a real package. The viscoelasticity of the paperboard is taken into account, the model for the corrugated paperboard dynamic property under the transient impulse excitation condition is formulated. The free response of a viscoelastic system is expressed as the sum of complex exponentials. The residues and poles of the system are identified by use of extended Prony method. An experimental system is set up for carrying out impulse experiments under different load conditions. Rounded impulse function is used to simulate the real half-sine impulse, the acceleration response analysis method of the system is presented. The model and the response analysis method provide theoretical basis for the proper use the corrugated paperboard.


BACKGROUND
Studies comparing conversion from laparoscopic to open approaches to colectomy have found an association between conversion and morbidity, mortality, and length of stay, suggesting that certain patients may benefit from an open approach "up-front."

AIM
The objective of this study was to use machine learning algorithms to develop a model enabling the prediction of which patients are likely to require conversion.

METHODS AND RESULTS
We used ACS NSQIP data to identify patients undergoing colectomy (2014-2019). We included patients undergoing elective colectomy for colorectal neoplasm via a minimally invasive approach or a converted approach. The outcome of interest was conversion. Variables were included in the model based on their correlation with conversion by logistic regression (p < .05). Two models were used: weighted logistic regression with regularization, and Random Forest classifier. The data was randomly split into training (70%) and test (30%) cohorts, and prediction performance was calculated. 24 327 cases were included (17 028 training, 7299 test). When applied to the test cohort, the models had an accuracy of 0.675 (range 0.65-0.70) in predicting conversion; c-index ranged from 0.62-0.63. This machine learning model achieved a moderate area under the curve and a high negative predictive value, but a low positive predictive value; therefore, this model can predict (with 95% accuracy) whether a colectomy for neoplasm can be successfully completed using a minimally invasive approach.

CONCLUSION
This model can be used to reassure surgeons of the appropriateness of a minimally invasive approach when planning for an elective colectomy.


Objectives: The more aggressive behavior of type 2 than type 1 endometrial cancers may be due to differences in their tumor microenvironments. In other solid cancers, tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) play a pivotal role in orchestrating the microenvironment. TAMs differentially polarize into M1 or M2 macrophages with distinct cytokine secretion patterns and actions. The aim of our work is to characterize the density, subtype and distribution of TAMs in endometrial hyperplasia and cancer. Methods: Five patients with complex atypical hyperplasia (hyperplasia), 5 patients with grade 1, non-invasive endometrioid adenocarcinoma (type 1) and 5 patients with uterine papillary serous carcinoma (type 2) were included. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections from each specimen were stained with anti-CD68 and anti-CD163 monoclonal antibodies as markers for total TAMs and M2 TAMs, respectively. M1 macrophages were estimated by subtraction of CD163+ from CD68+ densities. Macrophages were counted at 40x magnification in 10 fields per slide by 4 observers. Repeated measure models, accounting for intra- and inter-observer correlation were contstructed and the compound symmetry covariance method was used to determine the relationship between macrophages and cancer. To establish an in vitro model, immortalized histiocytic lymphoma (U937) cells were differentiated to macrophages and treated with LPS to induce a M1 phenotype. Supernatants were applied to Cytokine C1000 microarray (RayBiotech) to screen for differentially expressed cytokines. Results: The correlation between the 4 observers was robust (r=0.71). Most TAMs were located in the stromal (mean=41.0/field) compared to epithelial (mean=11.0) or luminal (mean=11.6) compartments (p Conclusions: Type 2 cancers have nearly twice the TAM density of type 1 cancers. This difference is due to M1 macrophage predominance in the stroma of type 2 cancers. We postulate that cytokines produced by M1 TAMs within the tumor stroma contribute to the aggressive biology of these cancers. Future experiments will determine how well the in vitro model mimics M1 TAMs in the tumor microenvironment. Citation Format: Michael G. Kelly, Antonio M.C. Francisco, Adela Cimic, Anne Wofford, Nora Fitzgerald, Jie Yu, Robert N. Taylor. Type 2 endometrial cancer is associated with an M1 subtype, tumor associated macrophage polarization in the stromal compartment. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 1090. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-1090


The uncanny valley theory proposed by Mori in 1970 has been a hot topic in human robot interaction research, in particular since the development of increasingly human-like androids and computer graphics. In this paper we describe an empirical study that attempts to plot Mori's hypothesized curve. In addition, the influence of framing on the users' perception of the stimuli was investigated. Framing had no significant influence on the measurements. The pictures of robots and humans were rated independently of whether the participants knew a particular picture showed a robot or human. Anthropomorphism had a significant influence on the measurements, but not even pictures of real humans were rated as likeable as the pictures of humanoids or toy robots. As a result we suggest the existence of an uncanny cliff model as an alternative to the uncanny valley model. However, this study focused on the perception of pictures of robots and the results, including the suggested model, may be different for the perception of movies of moving robots or the perception of standing right in front of a moving robot.


Diagrammatic many-body theory has been used extensively in the treatment of electron–electron correlations in atomic photoionization at low intensities. We discuss how it can be used at high intensities also. The standard diagrammatic formalism is derived for time-independent interactions by using adiabatic switching. This formalism can be formally derived for harmonic fields also but leads to unphysical results for strong fields. If the amplitude function of the laser field is an exponential function, however, the standard derivation still applies. If the adiabatic limit is not taken, this time-dependent formalism can be used for any intensity. In practice one is still limited to slow turn-on, but, assuming slow turn-on, we show that for a discrete system the linked expansion, when summed to infinite order, gives the Floquet state that is adiabatically connected to the ground state. When continua are included, we find that qualitatively correct results are obtained only if one uses an expansion of the time derivative of the wave function instead of an expansion of the wave function itself. We also show that the imaginary part of the self-energies must be excluded from the energy denominators, since they otherwise lead to unphysical results. These results are found by treating model systems for which the exact solutions are known and for which the diagrams can be evaluated to any order.


We have explored the use of the Na+-H+ ionophore monensin as a potential tool for the investigation of membrane assembly and transport in retinal photoreceptors. Autoradiographic analysis of frog retinas incubated with [3H]leucine in the presence of monensin revealed a lack of concentrated silver grains ("bands") at the base of the rod outer segments, in contrast to controls. This is indicative of a pronounced monensin-induced decrease in disc membrane assembly. Biochemical analyses of whole retinas and isolated rod outer segment membranes showed that protein synthesis (including opsin synthesis) was not significantly inhibited under these conditions, whereas passage of membrane protein to the rod outer segment was blocked. Glycerolipid synthesis was not significantly affected by monensin. The results suggest that membrane proteins (e.g., opsin) destined for incorporation into the rod outer segment must pass through the Golgi apparatus and demonstrate the potential utility of monensin for inhibiting aspects of marcomolecule transport in photoreceptors.


This study came up with the main objective to inspect the sleep quality and sleep disorders among traffic agents in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. A cross-sectional and descriptive study was carried out in
which 118 traffic agents were surveyed. To this end, the Pittsburgh Quality of Sleep Index (PSQI) questionnaire was administered. The results demonstrate that the mean PSQI global score was 8.5 ± 2.4. Thirty four subjects had high sleep quality and 84 had low sleep quality. Global PQSI scores had a mean of 3.5 ± 1.37. Those categorized
as low sleep quality ranged from 6-12 with a mean of 7.52 ± 1.64. Related to the usual medications, drugs most commonly used are those intended for the treatment of anxiety (9.32%), sleep inducers (10.17%), hypertension (24.58%), anti-depressants (16%),and analgesics (30.51%). The relationship of insomnia severity to age was significant from a statistical point of view (p = 0.001). Poor
sleep quality has a negative impact on general health and wellbeing and can produce signs and symptoms associated with concussions. The relatively moderate sleep deficits experienced by
subjects in this study did not affect, at first, the performance on professional activities.


Through the theoretical analysis and research works on some famous mining algorithms, a new mining algorithm named Cherry is proposed in this paper. It bases on FP-tree technology and adopts a novel Cherry-Items-detecting technology. This novel technology can find those prefixes which result to the unclosed or redundant frequent itemsets without maintaining the frequent closed itemsets mined so far in the main memory. In the performance test, the Cherry algorithm is compared with other state of the art algorithms, such as FP-CLOSE, LCMv2 and DCI-CLOSE, in many synthetic and real data sets. The experimental results demonstrate that the Cherry algorithm outperforms them in low support.


Professional athletes in the United States have protested racism in various ways for decades. Kneeling during the national anthem became a prominent form of such activism, ever since American football player Colin Kaepernick popularized the practice in 2016. "Anthem protests" gained renewed attention after the police killing of George Floyd and nationwide unrest in the summer of 2020. This article explores whether public approval of those protests was weaker than scholars and journalists suggested, because survey respondents were reluctant to admit that they considered the protesters disrespectful. A list experiment confirms hidden opposition to anthem protests, especially among people of color, who may feel heightened pressure to support racialized protesters. A second experiment reveals that social desirability bias persists even after respondents hear reassurance that nobody will judge their views. These findings indicate that mainstream surveys misrepresent attitudes toward contemporary racial issues, and that anthem protests have yet to gain wide acceptance in the general U.S. population.


The objective of this paper is few-shot object detection (FSOD) - the task of expanding an object detector for a new category given only a few instances for training. We introduce a simple pseudo-labelling method to source high-quality pseudo-annotations from the training set, for each new category, vastly increasing the number of training instances and reducing class imbalance; our method finds previously unlabelled instances. Naively training with model predictions yields sub-optimal performance; we present two novel methods to improve the precision of the pseudo-labelling process: first, we introduce a verification technique to remove candidate detections with incorrect class labels; second, we train a specialised model to correct poor quality bounding boxes. After these two novel steps, we obtain a large set of high-quality pseudo-annotations that allow our final detector to be trained end-to-end. Additionally, we demonstrate our method maintains base class performance, and the utility of simple augmentations in FSOD. While benchmarking on PASCAL VOC and MS-COCO, our method achieves state-of-the-art or second-best performance compared to existing approaches across all number of shots.


Steel industry is the fundamental industry of the national economic development, and also the pillar industry of China urbanization and industrialization process. Profitability is a key factor on whether the industry can abstract investment and develop soundly. Combined actions of import price and volume of iron ore, the number of steel industry, output of steel product, demand of the market on iron and steel product and fixed assets investment of iron and steel industry bring in the fluctuation of profitability. From the perspective of data, this thesis makes a curve estimation with the help of SPSS and explores the function mechanism of the above factors on the industry profit; and draws the following conclusions: (1) Production reduction is the urgent affair for the industry development; (2)Reduce the merger and acquisitions and recombination of non-market behavior; (3) Correctly guide the investment of fixed assets of iron and steel industry; (4) Rising price of iron ore is not a key factor affects the industry profit.


The clinical spectrum and incidence ofvascular involvement in rheumatoid arthritis Vasculitis is an aspect of systemic rheumatoid arthritis (RA) that is viewed very differently by rheumatologists according to their background. Academic centres may see it as a major problem, with some enthusiasts even supporting Bywater's provocative suggestion that vasculitis is the basis of all systemic connective tissue disease.' On the other hand, the busy clinician may feel that it is an infrequent, diminishing clinical problem, "so rare that it really does not rate attention". The truth probably lies between these two extremes, since in medicine, as in other aspects of life, we only see what we are looking for. The first problem is in trying to establish the true frequency and extent of vascular involvement in RA. More data, such as that provided by Flipo et al in this issue,2 provides new insights into this. The second problem is in the assessment of the immediate implications of vascular inflammation when it is detected in RA. This is made complex by the wide spectrum of both the pathology and the clinical manifestations. Clinically apparent disease spans from frequent, apparently benign aspects such as, nail-edge lesions, through to rare but major features associated with a high mortality such as, mononeuritis multiplex. This clinical spectrum reflects in part the vessel size involved pathologically, ranging from arteriolar capillary through to major muscular artery. In individual patients, it is often difficult to obtain biopsy confirmation of the diagnosis despite clinically active disease. This provides the driving force to establish new and more sensitive tests, such as that described here by the French group,2 who suggest a high diagnostic yield from labial gland biopsy. The third, and possibly most important problem is to assess the long term sequelae of vascular involvement in RA. It is of great interest that Flipo et al also record a significant yield of positive results in the control group of RA patients, with no apparent clinical disease correlates. This suggests the existence of widespread sub-clinical vasculitis. It is worth examining what the latter represents in terms of the spectrum of vasculitis and to ponder its real clinical significance. The purpose of this editorial is to suggest that vascular inflammation-whether overt or subclinical-is both a common feature of active RA and has broader clinical implications than is usually appreciated. We propose that it may be the major determinant of accelerated atherosclerosis and thus of the increased cardiovascular mortality noted in RA.3


In this paper technology and device for automated detection of the location and size of defects in the stator core of a powerful turbine generator (TG) during assembly at the manufacturing plant is proposed. The core assembled and pressed in a vertical position in separate parts and at each stage of assembly, it is necessary to find places with a weakened solidity. Existing control methods, including automatic ones, will not allow quality control. Using the proposed technology, places in the core with weakened solidity can detected. In this case, measurements of the specific pressing pressure carried out at certain points of the end surface of the core, where special control samples from an easily deformable material installed. The device implemented as a ring installed on the end surface of the core, in which N cells with control samples installed. During pressing, the thickness of the samples decreases and the greatest decrease in the thickness of the sample, caused by the corresponding highest specific pressure, corresponds to the smallest defect, and contrariwise. Flat metal membrane with a rigid center as a primary pressure transducer proposed to use, on which an optical fiber with fiber Bragg grating sensor grid, one of which measures the tangential relative deformation in the membrane, and the second serves for thermal compensation. Tangential deformation in a flat membrane depends on the value of the specific pressing pressure was shown. The characteristics of the converter are calculated. The measurement results processed using an interrogator and a personal computer. The use of the device makes it possible to increase labor productivity when monitoring the core, as well as more reliably diagnose its defects with their subsequent elimination, which ultimately will increase the reliability of the TG and its durability.


For effective vector control it is essential to formulate new preparations having multiple action against the vector pest. Developing combined formulation of biopesticide and chemical pesticide is one of the novel concept to fight against the vectors with new weapons; however, compatibility of biopesticide i.e . Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) and chemical pesticide is a real hurdle. In this investigation, local isolate Bacillus thuringiensis SV2 (BtSV2) was tested for its compatibility with various available mosquito larvicides. Temephos was most compatible with BtSV2 than with other tested pesticides. These two compatible agents were tested for larvicidal potential. Our study revealed that the synergistic effect of both agents reduces LC50 value by 30.68 and 22.36% against the Ae . aegypti and An . stephensi , respectively. The larvicidal potential increased when compared to individual pesticides. It was also observed a biochemical change in larvae after the TBT (Temephos + Bacillus thuringiensis) combination treatment; it involves decreased level of alpha esterase, acetylcholine esterase and protein while level of beta esterase and acid phosphatase was unchanged and alkaline phosphatase activity was increased. Increased potential of combined formulation may be due to altered physiological condition.


Excited by a square wave voltage, atmospheric pressure glow discharge is generated in a needle to liquid configuration. With decreasing duty ratio of the square voltage, bright disk, bright disk with outer ring, triple ring, triple ring with concentric spot are observed on the water surface. Voltage and current waveforms indicate that the discharge occurs in the negative polarity. The discharge current consists of two parts, the pulse region and the constant region, which has a good periodicity. It is found that the inception voltage and the peak current increase with decreasing the duty ratio. Optical emission spectra are detected. It contains the second positive band of N2, the first positive band of N2, the first negative band of N2+ and the OH (309 nm). Using the Lifbase, emission spectra of the OH are used to estimate rotational temperature by fitting the experimental spectra to the simulated spectra. It is found that the gas temperature increases with increasing the duty ratio. By synchronously triggering discharge current and ICCD, temporally resolved images of the patterns are captured on the water surface. Results show that self-organized pattern gradually evolves in the pulse region, and it does not change any more in the constant region. Taking into account the space negative charge, above phenomena are analyzed and explained by using the basic theory of discharge.


Pre‐eruptive electrical signals at active volcanoes are generally interpreted in terms of electrokinetic processes. Spatio‐temporal self‐potential (SP) signals can be caused by strain‐induced fluid flow in volcanic aquifers, however, previous studies lack the quantitative assessments of these phenomena and the underpinning poroelastic responses. Here we use Finite‐Element Analysis to study poroelastic responses induced by subsurface stressing from sill and dike sources by jointly solving for ground displacements, pore pressure, and SP signals. We evaluate the influence of pressure source orientation on the poroelastic response in two different volcanic aquifers (pyroclastic and lava flow) to provide insights on emergent geodetic and SP signals and their sensitivity to governing parameters. Strain‐induced SP amplitudes deduced from a reference parameter set vary in both aquifer models and are of negative polarity (−0.35 and −22.6 mV) for a pressurized dike and of positive polarity (+4 and +20 mV) for a pressurized sill. Importantly, we find uniquely different SP and ground displacement patterns from either sill or dike intrusions. Our study shows that SP signals are highly sensitive to the subsurface Young's modulus, streaming potential coupling coefficient and electrical conductivity of the poroelastic domains. For the set of parameters tested, the dike model predicts SP amplitudes of up to −947 mV which are broadly representative of recorded amplitudes from active volcanoes. Our study demonstrates that electrokinetic processes reflect magma‐induced stress and strain variations and highlights the potential of joint geodetic and SP studies to gain new insights on causes of volcanic unrest.


Preconsolidation of pre-Battleford tills and intertill clays resulted in a narrow range of effective pressures (1800 ± 200 kPa) at 10 sites along a 1300 km transect across southern Saskatchewan. These data suggest an almost invariant loading system that is independent of total ice thickness, which ranged from 1150 to 2000 m. The preconsolidation process apparently took place in a temperate glacier environment. The loading system is characterized as a variable thickness of ice related to distance from the glacier terminus. A steady hydraulic "grade line" sustained a potentiometric surface within the subglacial sediments at an elevation consistently 69–76% of the total ice thickness. This mechanism maintains small fluctuations in effective stress.


Background: Considering the high prevalence and risk of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) in hospitalized patients and the existence of different prophylaxis methods in these patients, the necessity of evaluating the rational administration of heparin or enoxaparin and mechanical prophylaxis is one of the important priorities. The present study aimed to evaluate the consistency of the Heparin/Enoxaparin administration in comparison to guidelines in patients admitted to Imam Reza Hospital.
Methods: In this prospective study drug use evaluation (DUE), 300 hospitalized patients receiving venous thrombosis prophylaxis were enrolled, of which 150 patients were selected from surgical wards and 150 patients from internal wards. The demographic and clinical data of patients were collected using clinical records of them. We used the checklists based on the Geneva System for patients admitted to internal wards and the Caprini Questionnaire for patients in surgical wards to evaluate whether patients had received heparin/enoxaparin prophylaxis and mechanical DVT prevention according to guidelines.
Results: In the surgical ward, prophylactic treatment for venous thrombosis was administered in 85 (56.6%) patients admitted to surgical wards in accordance with the clinical guideline and in the internal ward, in 42 (28%) patients, with a significant difference between two sections (P: 0.0001). Mechanical prophylaxis, including compressive socks, was performed in 99 (66%) patients in the surgical ward and in the internal ward only in 56 (37.4%) patients, according to the guideline. Drug prophylaxis was administered in surgical wards in 116 (77.3%) patients and in internal wards, in 79 (52.6%) patients according to the guideline.
Conclusion: Intravenous thrombosis prophylaxis, according to the guidelines, is more common in patients admitted to surgical wards than in internal wards. But in both sectors, statistics are far from international standards.


We experimentally demonstrate optically tunable delay line in a silicon microring resonator with a 20- m radius. The delay-tuning mechanism is based on the red shift of the resonance induced by thermal nonlinear effect. We investigate the delay performance of three modulation formats-non-return-to-zero (NRZ), return-to-zero (RZ), and differential phase-shift keying (DPSK) signals at different data rates. Tunable delay is achieved by controlling the power of the continuous-wave (CW) pump with very low tuning threshold, which could be used in microring-resonator-based slow-light structure.


We demonstrated low-loss and single-mode laser beam delivery through hollow-core waveguides (HCWs) operating in the 3.7–7.6 μm spectral range. The employed HCWs have a circular cross section with a bore diameter of 200 μm and metallic/dielectric internal coatings deposited inside a glass capillary tube. The internal coatings have been produced to enhance the spectral response of the HCWs in the range 3.5–12 µm. We demonstrated Gaussian-like outputs throughout the 4.5–7.6 µm spectral range. A quasi single-mode output beam with only small beam distortions was achieved when the wavelength was reduced to 3.7 μm. With a 15-cm-long HCW and optimized coupling conditions, we measured coupling efficiencies of >88% and transmission losses of <1 dB in the investigated infrared spectral range.


"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness," wrote Mark Twain. The more one travels, the more one realises that all human beings crave the same essential ingredients in life: safety, prosperity, the affection of others and good health. As healthcare professionals, we have the ability and opportunity to contribute to the good health of others. To make this contribution meaningful, however, we first need to understand the definitions of 'health' and 'normal'.

Furthermore, to effectively intervene to improve the health of another, we need to understand how the particular health issue is impacting on the functional capacity of that individual. Two of my patients illustrated this point. The first was an elite level cyclist who had fallen off her bicycle a week prior, suffering a deep and long soft tissue laceration just below the knee, requiring extensive suturing and leaving a very impressive wound. The second athlete was a para-canoe athlete with a T6 level spinal lesion with painful blisters on both thumbs. The blisters had been caused by canoeing but were severe enough to now be causing difficulty with wheelchair mobility. At first glance, the blisters might have seemed relatively trivial compared to the cyclist's leg wound. In terms of the potential threat to functional capacity; however, the blisters were a far more significant injury.

In this ACSP issue, Jennifer Baldwin and colleagues ( see page 1225 and 1226 ) discuss the concept of defining 'health'. What may be a significant health issue to one individual may be quite insignificant to another. The concept of 'health' is relative and determined by a range of factors, including specific character traits, sociocultural factors and particular physical factors, which all have the potential to challenge the individual. Our understanding of 'health' must take into account the human experience. Baldwin and …