Facial cleft is the second most common congenital deformity. Problems of cleft can be related to esthetic, phonetics, functional insufficiency, emotional, psychological and social. Significant abnormality in nasal cartilage morphology and asymmetry of alar base and columella are associated with cleft lip and alveolar deformity. Pre Nasoalveolar molding (PNAM) is a nonsurgical method of reshaping the gums, lip and nostrils before cleft lip and palate surgery, which decrease the severity of the cleft. A 05 days old unilateral cleft lip and palate child was referred by plastic and reconstructive surgeon for presugical management. Child was having unilateral cleft of lip, alveolus and palate of left side with shorter columella on cleft side with gap between alveolus of 10 mm. The alar cartilage of left side was depressed and there was the deviation of columella towards the right side. Presurgical nasoalveolar molding was planned for the child. Once the child was adapted and was able to easily suckle without gagging, the activation of the appliance was done. After 06 weeks nasal component was added to the appliance. The goals of PNAM in the unilateral child are to align and approximate the intraoral alveolar segments and to correct the malposition of the nasal cartilages.


This paper reports issues arising from a longitudinal study of 1991 to 2002 Australian higher education equity data. The national equity framework uses an empirical performance indicator system to monitor access, participation, success and retention of six designated equity groups. The paper examines three possible approaches for defining new groups. It finds no support for an exploratory empirical approach, or for an approach based on definitions of multiple disadvantage, but supports an approach which takes account of secondary school attendance. A case is made for a more sophisticated and contextualised approach to national reporting, to increase the responsiveness and productivity of the policy framework. While the benefits of a national equity policy framework are acknowledged, the paper proposes possibilities for new approaches to monitoring and measuring disadvantage in higher education.


Transnational trafficking of e-waste has become a rising problem over time as the amount of waste produced in developed countries increases. Over time, the focus has moved from traditional industrial waste disposal to e-waste disposal. This acceptance of hazardous waste often leads to adverse health effects in the importing nation. As a case study, the history, consequences, current policies, and recommendations for hazardous waste trafficking are considered in the context of West Africa. Following the analysis, it is clear that despite strong policies on the importers part, there are confounding factors, such as economic expansion and corruption, which continue to drive the import of e-waste. Therefore, the recommendations are addressed to exporting nations which generally have well-developed economies, political systems, and technology thus increasing the likelihood of control over the situation.


This study investigated the damage that bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) left on an accumulation of waterfowl bones in Boundary Bay, British Columbia. Avian sterna were identified quantitatively and qualitatively to the species level, most belonging to the order Anseriformes, family Anatidae. We suggest that avian sterna with large puncture holes, sharp breaks, bone flakes, cracks and jagged margins are identifiable and diagnostic to eagle feeding. This is relevant to archaeological situations where raptor-produced bone dumps could be confused with anthropogenic refuse middens. The study has two main results: 1) determination of species composition of kills from an eagle-produced bone dump and 2) description and quantification of the frequency and type of raptorial predator damage to the sterna of the avian prey.


We derive explicit integrability conditions for stochastic integrals taken over time and space driven by a random measure. Our main tool is a canonical decomposition of a random measure which extends the results from the purely temporal case. We show that the characteristics of this decomposition can be chosen as predictable strict random measures, and we compute the characteristics of the stochastic integral process. We apply our conditions to a variety of examples, in particular to ambit processes, which represent a rich model class.


Abstract The 1918 Soviet default is the longest and most complex sovereign debt dispute in history. The first settlement with a major Western power came with the United Kingdom in 1986. It followed a settlement almost twenty years earlier for claims arising from the Soviet annexation of the Baltic states. We show how the two negotiations became intertwined and prompted both states to take pragmatic positions on international law. Whereas the Soviet Union showed little interest in legally justifying its inconsistent positions on debt succession, the United Kingdom developed contested legal arguments on state recognition to justify using gold belonging to the Baltic States to settle Soviet claims. In addition, we document how UK government lawyers admitted internally that Britain's involvement in the Russian Civil War had been illegal, which in turn justified very limited compensation to British claimants.


Given the establishment of new journals as a way to fill in gaps and further studies in the area of Knowledge Management and the impact Knowledge Management has had for two decades as a tool for competitive advantage, the aim of the study was to point out tendencies and discuss academic production in Knowledge Management over the years. As the focus of discussion, the article analyzes the relationship of Knowledge Management between Innovation Management, Technology Management and Information Management. The source material for mapping academic output was ten international journals, which were selected from 2006 to 2012, obtaining an initial sample of 2,900 papers. The systematic search was conducted to identify which relationships are more predominant in the journals selected. Through the analysis of relationships in publications within the time interval established, it was found that the relationship between Knowledge Management and Technology Management appears much more frequently in all publications over the years. The relationship between Knowledge Management and Technology Management decreased significantly in recent years. In contrast, there was an increase in papers discussing Knowledge Management and Innovation Management.


Dark brown to black compounds associated with native gold were discovered three hundred years ago in Minas Gerais, Brazil, and have been known since then as ouro preto Olack gold). These compounds were correctly determined as oxygen-bearing compounds of platinum palladium iron as early as I 833 and 1837, but the oversight of the presence of major iron in their composition led to an erroneous definition of palladinite and to the much-delayed recognition of a group of platinum-groupelement oxides.


A necessary prerequisite for a successful theory-guided up-scale design of materials with application-driven elastic properties is the availability of reliable homogenization techniques. We report on a new software tool that enables us to probe and analyze scale-bridging structureproperty relations in the elasticity of materials. The newly developed application, referred to as SC-EMA (Self-consistent Calculations of Elasticity of Multi-phase Aggregates) computes integral elastic response of randomly textured polycrystals. The application employs a Python modular library that uses single-crystalline elastic constants Cij as input parameters and calculates macroscopic elastic moduli (bulk, shear, and Young's) and Poisson ratio of both single-phase and multi-phase aggregates. Crystallites forming the aggregate can be of cubic, tetragonal, hexagonal, orthorhombic, or trigonal symmetry. For cubic polycrystals the method matches the Hershey homogenization scheme. In case of multi-phase polycrystalline composites, the shear moduli are computed as a function of volumetric fractions of phases present in aggregates. Elastic moduli calculated using the analytical self-consistent method are computed together with their bounds as determined by Reuss, Voigt and Hashin-Shtrikman homogenization schemes. The library can be used as (i) a toolkit for a forward prediction of macroscopic elastic properties based on known single-crystalline elastic characteristics, (ii) a sensitivity analysis of macro-scale output parameters as function of input parameters, and, in principle, also for (iii) an inverse materials-design search for unknown phases and/or their volumetric ratios.


Five new dinuclear Cu(II) complexes were designed and synthesized, using hypocrellin B, a naturally occurring photosensitizer that has received extensive studies as promising photodynamic therapy (PDT) agent, as bridging ligand, and five kinds of diimine ligands, including 2,2'-bipyridine (bpy), 1,10-phenanthroline (phen), 3,4,7,8-tetramethyl-1,10-phenanthroline (tmp), dipyrido[3,2-d:2',3'-f]quinoxaline (dpq), and dipyrido[3,2-a:2',3'-c]phenazene (dppz), as terminal ligands, respectively. The Cu(2+)-HB complexes exhibit improved water solubility, enhanced absorptivity in the phototherapeutic window of 600-900 nm, and increased binding affinity toward dsDNA than their parent HB. The biologically accessible redox potential of Cu(II)/Cu(I) couple renders the five Cu(2+)-HB complexes chemical nuclease activities in the presence of reducing agent such as ascorbic acid. Moreover, the readily available redox potential of Cu(II)/Cu(I) couple switches the photodynamic activity from type II mechanism (singlet oxygen mechanism) for HB to type I mechanism (radical mechanism) for the Cu(2+)-HB complexes. Of the five Cu(2+)-HB complexes, complex 3-5 with terminal diimine ligands of tmp, dpq, and dppz, respectively, can photocleave supercoiled pBR322 DNA more efficiently than HB. These findings open a new avenue for the development of the HB derivatives with higher photodynamic activity and better clinical applicability.


This article's proposal originates from the search for a pedagogical path which could not only foster the effective inclusion of folklore in schools but also the consequent plurality of knowledge stemming from the process of signification of the past in the present. We thus propose a poetics of the language that emphasizes the relation between folklore and literature in the culture of childhood. The theoretical support for the proposal is based on the reflections of the sociologist and educator Florestan Fernandes who dealt with folklore as his first research topic in his learning and teaching trajectory in the Faculty of Philosophy in Sao Paulo.


The atomic force microscope (AFM) is able to manipulate biomolecules and their complexes with exquisite force sensitivity and distance resolution. This capability, complemented by theoretical models, has greatly improved our understanding of the determinants of mechanical strength in proteins and revealed the diverse effects of directional forces on the energy landscape of biomolecules. In unbinding experiments, the interacting partners are usually immobilized on their respective substrates via extensible linkers. These linkers affect both the force and contour length (Lc) of the complex at rupture. Surprisingly, while the former effect is well understood, the latter is largely neglected, leading to incorrect estimations of Lc, a parameter that is often used as evidence for the detection of specific interactions and remodeling events and for the inference of interaction regions. To address this problem, a model that predicts contour length measurements from single-molecule forced-dissociation experiments is presented that considers attachment position on the AFM tip, geometric effects, and polymer dynamics of the linkers. Modeled data are compared with measured contour length distributions from several different experimental systems, revealing that current methods underestimate contour lengths. The model enables nonspecific interactions to be identified unequivocally, allows accurate determination of Lc, and, by comparing experimental and modeled distributions, enables partial unfolding events before rupture to be identified unequivocally.


For patients with local recurrence of prostate cancer after definitive irradiation therapy there is no treatment widely considered safe and effective. After extensive preclinical testing of prodrug gene therapy in vitro and in vivo, we conducted a phase I dose escalation clinical trial of intraprostatic injection of a replication-deficient adenovirus (ADV) containing the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase gene (HSV-tk) injected directly into the prostate, followed by intravenous administration of the prodrug ganciclovir (GCV). Our goal was to determine safe dose levels of the vector for future trials of efficacy. Patients with a rising serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level and biopsy confirmation of local recurrence of prostate cancer without evidence of metastases one or more years after definitive irradiation therapy were eligible for the trial. After giving informed consent, patients received injections of increasing concentrations of ADV/HSA-tk in 1 ml into the prostate under ultrasound guidance. Ganciclovir was then given intravenously for 14 days (5 mg/kg every 12 hr). Patients were monitored closely for evidence of toxicity and for response to therapy. Eighteen patients were treated at 4 escalating doses: group 1 (n = 4) received 1 x 10(8) infectious units (IU); group 2 (n = 5) received 1 x 10(9) IU; group 3 (n = 4) received 1 x 10(10) IU; group 4 (n = 5) received 1 x 10(11) IU. Vector was detected by PCR of urine samples after treatment, increasing in frequency and duration (up to 32 days) as the dose increased. All cultures of blood and urine specimens were negative for growth of adenovirus. Minimal toxicity (grade 1-2) was encountered in four patients. One patient at the highest dose level developed spontaneously reversible grade 4 thrombocytopenia and grade 3 hepatotoxicity. Three patients achieved an objective response, one each at the three highest dose levels, documented by a fall in serum PSA levels by 50% or more, sustained for 6 weeks to 1 year. This study is the first to demonstrate the safety of ADV/HSV-tk plus GCV gene therapy in human prostate cancer and the first to demonstrate anticancer activity of gene therapy in patients with prostate cancer. Further trials are underway to identify the optimal distribution of vector within the prostate and to explore the safety of repeat courses of gene therapy.


We analyze various models for the top quark forward-backward asymmetry ($A^t_{FB}$) at the Tevatron, using the latest CDF measurements on different $A^t_{FB}$s and the total cross section. The axigluon model in Ref. \cite{paul} has difficulties in explaining the large rapidity dependent asymmetry and mass dependent asymmetry simultaneously and the parameter space relevant to $A^t_{FB}$ is ruled out by the latest dijet search at ATLAS. In contrast to Ref. \cite{cp}, we demonstrate that the large parameter space in this model with a $U(1)_d$ flavor symemtry is not ruled out by flavor physics. The $t$-channel flavor-violating $Z^{\prime}$ \cite{hitoshi}, $W^{\prime}$\cite{waiyee} and diquark \cite{tim} models all have parameter regions that satisfy different $A_{FB}$ measurements within 1 $\sigma$. However, the heavy $Z^{\prime}$ model which can be marginally consistent with the total cross section is severely constrained by the Tevatron direct search of same-sign top quark pair. The diquark model suffers from too large total cross section and is difficult to fit the $t \bar{t}$ invariant mass distribution. The electroweak precision constraints on the $W'$ model based on $Z'$-$Z$ mixings is estimated and the result is rather weak ($m_{Z'} > 450$ GeV). Therefore, the heavy $W^{\prime}$ model seems to give the best fit for all the measurements. The $W^{\prime}$ model predicts the $t\bar{t}+j$ signal from $tW^{\prime}$ production and is 10%-50% of SM $t\bar{t}$ at the 7 TeV LHC. Such $t+j$ resonance can serve as the direct test of the $W^{\prime}$ model.


Depending on their language ideologies, countries are likely to develop different concerns for language-education policy. Countries with a monolingual ideology, which may ignore the multilingual reality, will be concerned with correctness and normativism. A country that recognizes two or three languages as equally important, or countries that recognize multilingual complexity, will need first to determine the status of each. While Israel is historically and actually multilingual, the strength of the monolingual ideology used to effect the revitalization of Hebrew has led to downplaying the claims of other languages, even the rights of the autochthonous second official language, Arabic. However, the inexorable penetration of English as a world language into Israeli society, the major effects of 600,000 Russian speakers arriving in the last few years, and the slow changes brought about by the ongoing peace process all worked to encourage the development of a new multilingual ideology while presenting pragmatic pressures encouraging acceptance of diversity. It is this changed atmosphere that has led the recent Ministry of Education to a policy for language education in Israeli schools


Digital tools for annotation of video have the promise to provide immense value to researchers in disciplines ranging from psychology to ethnography to computer science. With traditional methods for annotation being cumbersome, time-consuming, and frustrating, technological solutions are situated to aid in video annotation by increasing reliability, repeatability, and workflow optimizations. Three notable limitations of existing video annotation tools are lack of support for the annotation workflow, poor representation of data on a timeline, and poor interaction techniques with video, data, and annotations. This paper details a set of design requirements intended to enhance video annotation. Our framework is grounded in existing literature, interviews with experienced coders, and ongoing discussions with researchers in multiple disciplines. Our model is demonstrated in a new system called VCode and VData. The benefit of our system is that is directly addresses the workflow and needs of both researchers and video coders.


Over the past fifty years, Hodge and signature theorems have been proved for various classes of noncompact and incomplete Riemannian manifolds. Two of these classes are manifolds with incomplete cylindrical ends and manifolds with cone bundle ends, that is, whose ends have the structure of a fibre bundle over a compact oriented manifold, where the fibres are cones on a second fixed compact oriented manifold. In this paper, we prove Hodge and signature theorems for a family of metrics on a manifold M with fibre bundle boundary that interpolates between the incomplete cylindrical metric and the cone bundle metric on M . We show that the Hodge and signature theorems for this family of metrics interpolate naturally between the known Hodge and signature theorems for the extremal metrics. The Hodge theorem involves intersection cohomology groups of varying perversities on the conical pseudomanifold X that completes the cone bundle metric on M . The signature theorem involves the summands i of Dai's invariant [10] that are defined as signatures on the pages of the Leray‐Serre spectral sequence of the boundary fibre bundle of M . The two theorems together allow us to interpret the i in terms of perverse signatures, which are signatures defined on the intersection cohomology groups of varying perversities on X .


We suggest a new method for the calculation of the nonlocal part of the effective action. It is based on resummation of perturbation series for the heat kernel and its functional trace at large values of the proper time parameter. We derive a new, essentially nonperturbative, nonlocal contribution to the effective action in spacetimes with dimensions d > 2.


Adult age differences in reflection-impulsivity were examined on a modified version of Kagan's adult Matching Familiar Figures Test (MFF). The sample consisted of 20 elderly adults (mean age = 70.6) and 20 young adults (mean age = 21.9), each of whom was administered the modified MFF by an adult examiner. On half of the 24 items, the original (i.e., the standard) was present among the four alternatives ("original present" condition), while on the other half, all the alternatives were variants of the standard ("original not present" condition). The elderly subjects were generally more impulsive (had shorter latencies and committed more errors) than were the young adults. The results, though, varied somewhat with the two stimulus conditions employed. An analysis of the mean scores of both age groups indicated that the elderly took less time to respond only in the "original present" condition. A higher number of errors was observed for the older group in both conditions, and both age groups had fewer errors in the "original present" condition. Possible interpretations of these findings, in terms of age group differences in search strategy, anxiety, and other aspects of decision style are offered, and implications for further research are provided.


In this work, we implemented a three-dimensional (3-D) laser range imaging system using the well-known self-mixing effect in a frequency-modulated semiconductor laser diode. The system generates 3-D point sets of a scene, using a single semiconductor laser diode serving both as the light source and as the detector. The experimental imaging accuracy was measured to be 0.87 mm at a distance of 0.55 m after some filtering. This paper focuses on the theoretical description of the self-mixing effect by presenting a survey of the existing literature as it applies to our specific implementation, followed by some experimental results.


The principle of removing obstructing prostatic tissue through the urethra by means of a cold, cutting, tubular knife sliding in an outer fenestrated sheath was given its first serious trial in the Young punch. 1 The principle was further carried on in the Braasch "median bar excisor." 2 For obvious reasons neither instrument was adapted for the removal of substantial amounts of prostatic tissue and neither provided adequate means for hemostasis. The first "cold cutting" resectoscope that overcame these difficulties was the Braasch-Bumpus resectoscope. 3 Although a few prostatic resections were done each year for several years previous to 1930, it was not until 1931 that they were done in enough volume at the Mayo Clinic to assume importance. The subsequentrapid rise of this type of surgery has been phenomenal, as is demonstrated by the fact that at the Mayo Clinic in 1931 ninety-nine resections were done on eighty-seven


Temperatures can be correlated by power-law kind functions, and the persistency term can be characterized by a self-correlation function C(t) of temperature variations, where t is the time between observations. This function decreases as C(t) ~ t -γ , where γ represents the correlation exponent. In this work this exponent is obtained by fluctuations analysis of temperature time series in Cascavel area, from 1972 to 2004. It is applied the Detrended Fluctuation Analysis - DFA method, which becomes useful to detect long range correlations and allows to obtain the exponents for local scale rules. These exponents can be compared with those obtained in other areas of the planet. Through this method the Hurst exponent H is obtained which is related with γ by γ = 2 (1 – H). The value γ =0,74 obtained here is in the superior limit of the values range presented in the literature for other places around the world.


The emergence of new ways of committing the crime of human trafficking have increased the prevelance and variety of this crime so that it has become necessary to establish a separate incrimination of the crime, to enable its detailed and comprehensive regulation. Trading with people not only means simple exploitation or the simple (ab)use of their services. It means much more than that. It has developed into a game with human destinies and it involves the whole life of a human. Situations become alarming when a child's life is put into the center of the crime. More and more often, internationally speaking, children are declared as missing who either are found dead or are not found at all. Their innocence and naivety is used to more easily approach to them and take them away. Children are used around the world for begging, labor exploitation, sexual exploitation, and even as camel – riders in the United Arab Emirates. In addition their organs and tissues are sometimes harvested and they are used for medical experiments, so their life ends tragically.
Trading children so that they are taken from their place of belonging for illegal and unlawful adoption, is a crime which is becoming more and more interesting for the perpetrators because of the enormous profits. It is a painful reality for the biological parents as well, and a new direction for the crime of human trafficking on a global scale. It is regulated often as child trafficking or trafficking in humans in general, but its impact requires separate regulation and treatment. Objectifying a child's life by making it a commercial entity greatly harms the child.


This paper introduces a new sequential design method for multiple description scalar quantizers (MDSQs) to generate two or more balanced descriptions. In this design method, a multiple description system is divided into multiple stages, and the m-th stage can be understood intuitively as minimizing the distortion of receiving any m of all the descriptions, while looking ahead to the next stage to reduce the distortion if more descriptions are present. Entropy-constrained sequential MDSQ with two descriptions is shown to achieve the same asymptotic performance as entropy-constrained MDSQ with uniform stepsize. Then this method is applied to the design of sequential MDSQ with three descriptions, for which two slightly different designs are given and compared with a three description system based on unequal loss protection at high rate. The results suggest that if the quality of the decoded source with two or more descriptions (rather than a single description) is most important, general multiple description systems should be favored over unequal loss protection systems. However, if the quality of the decoded source with a single description is most important (in the case of, for example, high channel failure rates), the difference in their performances is not terribly large.


There is a call for new project management approaches that are able to deal with increased flexibility and put people aspects more in focus. In construction projects, formal models for relationship management are increasingly being used. Based on a case study of a Swedish hospital partnering project, this paper discusses how project managers approach this new challenge of integrating systems for relationship management with core project processes, and if the partnering systems are effective in supporting collaboration and knowledge integration in a multiparty partnering environment. The findings indicate that partnering processes influence project processes in a favourable way, but that project managers also rely strongly on their personal experience in managing collaborative processes. The practices they introduce are often successful, but also tend to be patchy and related to collaboration problems in traditional contracts. The formal partnering processes, on the other hand, seem to be important in providing a basic structure for collaboration and to communicate collaborative intents, but are too general and infrequent to address more specific and pressing problems of process design and organization. Bringing in professional behavioural knowledge may be needed to achieve a more consistent and adequate relationship management that makes use of both formal partnering processes and core project processes


With the increasing number of cholecystectomy and the high proportion of colorectal cancer in malignant tumors, the question of whether cholecystectomy is a risk factor for colorectal disease has been widely concerned. After reviewing the literature at home and abroad, the authors will summarize the research progress of the correlation between the occurrence of colorectal tumors after cholecystectomy, in order to provide help for the prevention and treatment of colorectal tumors.


Abstract: Rose-ringed parakeets (Psittacula krameri; parakeets) are among the most invasive bird species worldwide. In their introduced range, populations of this species have caused negative effects on native species, natural environments, economies, and human safety. Lethal population management has been complicated by the intelligence of the birds, as they quickly alter behavior to avoid risks. Further, lethal control programs have been halted due to public opposition, as parakeets are considered to be charismatic by animal welfare advocates. The contraceptive DiazaCon has been demonstrated to effectively reduce fertility in captive parakeets. In field applications, any chemical control agents (e.g., toxicants or contraceptives) must be delivered in a manner that prohibits access by non-target species. Parakeets are known to feed from bird feeders throughout their native and introduced range, suggesting contraceptive-treated bait may be a useful management strategy. However, our 24-week trials with free-ranging parakeets using platform, hopper, and tube feeders on the island of Kaua'i did not result in any parakeet visitation and thus precluded further testing of using feeders to selectively deliver fertility control products. Nonetheless, multiple citizen science reports and other documentation indicate parakeets using feeders on the island of O'ahu over a period of >10 years, and recently on the island of Maui. Our findings suggest the chemical control of nonnative parakeet populations is a promising technique, but implementation success will likely vary by target population acceptance, location, local faunal diversity, and availability of alternative forage.


Preface. Acknowledgments. CHAPTER 1 Understanding the Process of Money Laundering. What Is Money Laundering? Money Laundering Defined. Why Do People Launder Money? The Money Laundering Cycle. Money Laundering Is a Criminal Business. Money Laundering Is Global. Money Launderers Adapt Technology. The Role of Technology. The Role of Banks. The Role of Nations. Regional Hotspots. The Birth of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). Conclusion. CHAPTER 2 Motivations for Getting Involved. Involvement Is Personal. People Weigh the Odds of Success. Where Do Laundered Funds Come From? The Impact of Corruption. Why Is Corruption Increasing? Corruption Always Begins Small. Bribery and Corruption of Your Employees. Bribery and Corruption by Your Employees. Evolution of Government Attitudes. Official Corruption Impacts Individual Corruption. Tax Evasion as a Gateway. Money Laundering. Moving from Taxes to Criminal Activity. The Rise of Regional and Multinational AML Organizations. The Connection between Fraud and Money Laundering. Money Laundering as a Do-It-Yourself Activity. The Service Providers: Bankers, Accountants, and Lawyers. Conclusion. CHAPTER 3 Mechanisms for Moving Money. Money Laundering Requires Movement through the System. Broken Windows Encourage Other Crimes. Look Local, Think Global. Expanding International Requirements. Financial Havens Are Expanding. Money Laundering Is a Growth Industry. Law Enforcement Gets a Big Boost. Profit Drives Criminal Activity. Structuring the Scheme to Succeed. Why Use a Bank, When You Can Own One? Learning from the Big Fraud Schemes. Confronting the Inevitable. Balancing Security and Cost. Effective Fraud Prevention Strategies. The Fraud Triangle. Where to Start. Mitigating Improper Behavior. Conclusion. CHAPTER 4 Going Global. Taking Money around the World. Moving the Money Offshore. Avoiding Detection. Historical Basis for Money Laundering. Role of Private Banking. Enhanced Regulations. The Black Market Peso Exchange. Increasing Cooperation in Regulation. Regional Distinctions. Global Efforts. The Law Enforcement Focus. Conclusion. CHAPTER 5 Technology and Tomorrow. The Impact of Technology. The Next Phase of Money Laundering. Everything Old Becomes New Again. Being Anybody You Want to Be. Welcome to the Future. So What Is the AML Response? Evolution of AML Controls. Adjusting to Rapidly Increasing Scale. A Highly Flexible Methodology Results in Processes that Are Difficult to Stop. AML Is a Process, Not a Destination. All Countries Regulatory Programs Are Not Equal. Technology and Offshore Havens Intersect. The Cost vs. the Benefit. Consider the Pace of Change and Progress. Conclusion. CHAPTER 6 Discovery and Prevention. Early Warning Is Essential to AML. Proactive Means Active. By the Numbers. Paradigm Shift. Testing Your Own AML Systems. Expanding the Business Comparison. The Regulatory Framework. High-Risk Areas. Money Laundering Meets Terror Financing. Hiding in Plain Sight. Criminalizing the Concealment Activities. Creating Financial Fronts. Keeping the Money Moving. Keeping the Tax Man Happy. Conclusion. CHAPTER 7 Terror Financing. Terrorists Use Money Laundering Techniques. Similarities and Distinctions. Application of the Methodology to Terror Financing. Global Impact of Financial Crimes. Alternative Laundering Mechanisms. Regulatory Responses. Conclusion. CHAPTER 8 Identifying Risk Exposures. AML Exposures: Assessing Financial Institution Risk. Language, Culture, and Ethnicity. The Legal Landscape. Geography: Distance Matters. The Goal of the Launderer Is to Hide. The United States Takes a Different Approach. Laundering Groups Seek to Evade Detection. A Fractured Enforcement and Regulatory Picture. The Regulatory Position on Cyber Risks. Simple Fraud, Still Successful. Conclusion. CHAPTER 9 Investigating Money Movement. Money Laundering Is Now Transnational Organized Crime. Succeeding in the Investigative Process. Government Access to Information. Mining Data for Money Laundering. Some Products Help the Perpetrators. Investigating Virtual Payment Technologies. Looking to the Future Investigative Issues. Putting an Investigative Plan in Motion. People Are Essential to Proof. Finding Money Laundering Abroad. Money Laundering Exposure during the Financial Industry Consolidation. Conclusion. CHAPTER 10 Reporting and Recovery. Reporting to Law Enforcement. Honest People Act Differently. Anticipating Challenges with Cyber Recoveries. Building Appropriate Controls into Online Payment Systems. Global Coordination on Future Issues. Weighing Access vs. Privacy. Compliance Issues. Putting Recovery Plans into Action. Conclusion. CHAPTER 11 Conclusion. About the Author. Index.


Machine Learning models capable of handling the large datasets collected in the financial world can often become black boxes expensive to run. The quantum computing paradigm suggests new optimization techniques, that combined with classical algorithms, may deliver competitive, faster and more interpretable models. In this work we propose a quantum-enhanced machine learning solution for the prediction of credit rating downgrades, also known as fallen-angels forecasting in the financial risk management field. We implement this solution on a neutral atom Quantum Processing Unit with up to 60 qubits on a real-life dataset. We report competitive performances against the state-of-the-art Random Forest benchmark whilst our model achieves better interpretability and comparable training times. We examine how to improve performance in the near-term validating our ideas with Tensor Networks-based numerical simulations.


A power-law relation was used to analyse the (mass-derived) number-size distributions of fragments generated by wetting and drying remoulded soils. Various soils from Europe and Australia produced a range of values for the two fragmentation coefficients, d and k, generated by the power-law function. Both coefficients had physical significance with respect to self-mulching behaviour. Likened to a fractal dimension, the d coefficient varied directly with the tendency of the remoulded soil to fragment during wetting and drying. Assessment of the number of generated fragments >1 cm was made with the k coefficient. Consideration of both coefficients together in a plot of k v. d enabled similar soils to be grouped and falsely large values of d to be identified; k values were small for limited fragmentations even if the size distribution of the fragments that were produced gave large values of d. Most strongly self-mulching soils produced d values >1 . 5 after three wet/dry cycles, and k values that increased sharply after one cycle and declined with subsequent wetting and drying. Other soils with lesser abilities to self-mulch generally produced smaller d values and more variable k values. Reasonable correlations were found between these two coefficients and other measurements of self-mulching behaviour, particularly after three cycles of wetting/drying. Examination of the aggregate size distributions produced from remoulded soils in this way offers the potential to understand more clearly the dynamics of structure regeneration in soils exhibiting various degrees of self-mulching behaviour.


Intraperitoneal infection known as peritonitis is a major killer in the practice of clinical surgery. Tertiary peritonitis (TP) may be defined as intra-abdominal infection that persists or recurs ³48 h following successful and adequate surgical source control. A planned or on-demand relaparotomy after an initial operation is probably most frequent way to diagnose TP, but is a late event to occur. Hence it is desirable to have timely and nonoperative diagnosis of TP after the initial operation and subsequent initiation of an appropriate therapy to reduce the complications and to improve the outcome.


BACKGROUND
Co-Symptom Screening in Pediatrics Tool (co-SSPedi) is a dyadic (child-guardian) approach to symptom assessment. Objectives were to evaluate the reliability and validity of co-SSPedi for pediatric patients receiving cancer treatments.

METHODS
This multi-center study included dyads of patients 4-18 years of age with cancer or undergoing hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT), and their guardians. Two groups were enrolled. More symptomatic group included those receiving active treatment for cancer or undergoing HCT where patients were in hospital/clinic for four consecutive days. Less symptomatic group included those receiving maintenance therapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia or had completed cancer treatments. At baseline, all dyads completed co-SSPedi and guardians completed measures of mucositis, nausea, pain, quality of life and overall symptoms. In the more symptomatic group, dyads completed co-SSPedi and a global symptom change scale on day 4.

RESULTS
There were 501 dyads included, 301 in the more symptomatic group and 200 in the less symptomatic group. Median time to complete co-SSPedi was less than three minutes in both groups. Test-retest reliability intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was 0.85 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.77-0.90). For internal consistency, total co-SSPedi Cronbach's alpha was 0.81 (95% CI 0.78-0.83). For known groups validation, mean difference in total co-SSPedi scores between the more symptomatic and less symptomatic groups was 7.8 (95% CI 6.7-8.8, P < 0.0001). For convergent validation and responsiveness, all hypothesized relationships were demonstrated.

CONCLUSIONS
Co-SSPedi is a novel approach to dyadic symptom assessment that is reliable, valid and responsive in pediatric patients 4 to 18 years of age.


We present a computational approach for the simulation of extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectra of nanoparticles directly from molecular dynamics simulations without fitting any of the structural parameters of the nanoparticle to experimental data. The calculation consists of two stages. First, a molecular dynamics simulation of the nanoparticle is performed and then the EXAFS spectrum is computed from "snapshots" of structures extracted from the simulation. A probability distribution function approach calculated directly from the molecular dynamics simulations is used to ensure a balanced sampling of photoabsorbing atoms and their surrounding scattering atoms while keeping the number of EXAFS calculations that need to be performed to a manageable level. The average spectrum from all configurations and photoabsorbing atoms is computed as an Au L3-edge EXAFS spectrum with the FEFF 8.4 package, which includes the self-consistent calculation of atomic potentials. We validate and apply this approach in simulations of EXAFS spectra of gold nanoparticles with sizes between 20 and 60 ˚ A. We investigate the effect of size, structural anisotropy, and thermal motion on the gold nanoparticle EXAFS spectra and we find that our simulations closely reproduce the experimentally determined spectra.


Direct ac-to-dc power converters used for vibration based low voltage energy harvesting are more efficient than the conventional two stage power converters where diode bridge rectifiers are used. In the single inductor based direct ac-to-dc converters external inductors are connected to the output of the microgenerators for boost operation. This work proposes to utilize the coil inductance of the electromagnetic microgenerators for boost operation and to eliminate the external inductor of direct ac-to-dc boost converter. This improves efficiency, reduces the component count and size of the converters, and it is beneficial for circuit integration. Based on this concept inductorless ac-to-dc converters are used in energy harvesting systems. Circuit simulation, finite element simulation, and co-simulations results are presented to validate the proposed low voltage energy harvesting systems.


INTRODUCTION
Sleep disruption is pervasive in the military and is generally exacerbated during deployment, partially due to increases in operational tempo and exposure to stressors and/or trauma. In particular, sleep disruption is a commonly reported symptom following deployment-related traumatic brain injury (TBI), though less is known about the prevalence of sleep disturbance as a function of whether the TBI was induced by high-level blast (HLB) or direct impact to the head. TBI assessment, treatment, and prognosis are further complicated by comorbidity with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and alcohol misuse. Here, we examine whether concussion mechanism of injury is associated with differences in the prevalence of self-reported sleep disturbance following deployment in a large sample of U.S. Marines while accounting for probable PTSD, depression, and alcohol misuse.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
This was a retrospective cohort study of active duty enlisted Marines with a probable concussion (N = 5757) who completed the Post-Deployment Health Assessment between 2008 and 2012. Probable concussion was defined as endorsement of a potentially concussive event with corresponding loss or alteration of consciousness. The presence of concussion-related sleep problems was assessed with a dichotomous item. Probable PTSD, depression, and alcohol misuse were assessed using the Primary Care PTSD Screen, the Patient Health Questionnaire-2, and the Alcohol Use Identification Test-Concise, respectively. Logistic regression models investigated the effects of mechanism of injury (HLB vs. impact), PTSD, depression, and alcohol misuse on the presence of sleep problems, adjusting for sex and pay grade. The study was approved by the Naval Health Research Center Institutional Review Board.

RESULTS
Approximately 41% of individuals with a probable deployment-related concussion reported sleep problems following the event; 79% of concussed individuals reporting both HLB and probable PTSD reported sleep problems. All main effects were significantly associated with sleep disturbance in adjusted models. PTSD showed the strongest association with sleep disturbance (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.84), followed by depression (AOR = 2.43), HLB exposure (AOR = 2.00), female sex (AOR = 1.63), alcohol misuse (AOR = 1.14), and pay grade (AOR = 1.10). A significant HLB × PTSD interaction emerged (AOR = 1.58), which suggests that sleep disturbance was elevated among those with both HLB-induced (vs. impact-induced) concussions and presence (vs. absence) of PTSD. No other significant interactions emerged.

CONCLUSION
To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine the prevalence of concussion-related sleep complaints following deployment as a function of the mechanism of injury in individuals with and without probable PTSD and depression. Individuals with HLB-induced concussion were twice as likely to report sleep problems as those with an impact-induced concussion. Future work should examine these effects longitudinally with validated measures that assess greater precision of exposure and outcome assessment (e.g., blast intensity and type of sleep disturbance).


After the collapse of the USSR, U.S. Administrations exploited the policy of «democracy promotion» to expand American influence in the post-Soviet space and to counterbalance Russia. In the light of the military campaign in Syria, the escalation around Iran, North Korea and Venezuela, the importance of the post-Soviet space for the US foreign policy has declined, U.S. aid to the region was cut. However, the Trump Administration maintains interest in keeping loyal elites in power to ensure the implementation of reforms and business projects, in particular, with a view to export U.S. military equipment and liquefied natural gas. The U.S. primary goal is to counteract Russian influence in the region, to prevent post-Soviet republics from building stronger ties with Moscow and reorient them towards the «collective West».


Based on a simple atomic model giving the potential between electrons and atoms as V(r)=Ze2as −1/srs, the range of electrons penetrating solid targets is derived. Starting from the generalized power law involving the energy loss, the Lenard-type absorption law, and the assumption that the distribution of the secondary electrons due to both incident and backscattered electrons within the target is isotropic, a theoretical universal reduced yield curve of secondary electrons and the resulting maximum yield, which are found to be in good accordance with results obtained experimentally, are deduced as a function of three parameters such as atomic number, resonance potential and backscattering coefficient.


Background/Objectives: To reduce the production cost by implementing Design for casting instead of machining a component. Methods/Statistical Analysis: A machined component is analysed for its strength to failure. Using casting allowable, the same component is re-analysed and verified for feasibility. The design is compromised without making changes at the interfaces so that the installation is simple. Finally the weight is compared to conclude the application of appropriate production method for cost effectiveness. CATIA V5R21 software is used for designing and PATRAN/NASTRAN is used to analyse the components. Findings: Based on the analysis results critical portions are identified and further changes have been made based on casting design without disturbing the critical portions of the components. The redesigned casting model is analysed to monitor further changes and to find effective method of manufacturing. Application/ Improvement: In this paper, analyses have been made for conventional model and casting design model using PATRAN/ NASTRAN software. Further research will show the effective method to manufacture Aero Engine components.


ABSTRACT Vibrio vulnificus is an estuarine bacterium and potent opportunistic human pathogen. It enters the food chain by asymptomatically colonizing a variety of marine organisms, most notably oysters. Expression of the brp-encoded extracellular polysaccharide, which enhances cell-surface adherence, is regulated by cyclic di-GMP (c-di-GMP) and the activator BrpT. The Vibrio cholerae and Vibrio parahaemolyticus homologs VpsT and CpsQ, directly bind c-di-GMP via a novel W[F/L/M][T/S]R motif, and c-di-GMP binding is absolutely required for activity. Notably, BrpT belongs to a distinct subclass of VpsT-like regulators that harbor a proline in the third position of the c-di-GMP binding motif (WLPR), and the impact of this change on activity is unknown. We show that the brp locus is organized as two linked operons with BrpT specifically binding to promoters upstream of brpA and brpH. Expression data and structural modeling suggested that BrpT might be less dependent on c-di-GMP binding for activity than VpsT or CpsQ. We show that the affinity of BrpT for c-di-GMP is low and that signal binding is not a requisite for BrpT function. Furthermore, a BrpT mutant engineered to carry a canonical WLTR motif (BrpTP124T) bound c-di-GMP with high affinity and its activity was now c-di-GMP dependent. Conversely, introduction of the WLPR motif into VpsT suppressed its dependence on c-di-GMP for activity. This is the first demonstration of reduced dependence on signal association for regulator function within this motif family. Thus, BrpT defines a new class of VpsT-like transcriptional regulators, and the WLPR motif variant may similarly liberate the activity of other subclass members. IMPORTANCE A Vibrio genome may encode nearly 100 proteins that make, break, and bind c-di-GMP, underscoring its central role in the physiology of these bacteria. The activity of the biofilm regulators VpsT of V. cholerae and CpsQ of V. parahaemolyticus is regulated by the direct binding of c-di-GMP via a novel W[F/L/M][T/S]R motif. The V. vulnificus homolog, BrpT, bears an unusual WLPR variant and remains active at low intracellular c-di-GMP levels. This suggests that the WLPR motif may also liberate the activity of other members of this subclass. A single point mutation at the 3rd position of the motif was sufficient to moderate dependence on c-di-GMP binding for activator function, highlighting the simplicity with which complex bacterial signaling networks can be rewired.


The last decade is marked by the growing importance of social movements in the Russian youth policy. Contemporary Russian society features a rich palette of various youth communities and civic initiatives. In this article the social movements are described in the light of social mobility and social capital concepts. The author analyses the targets of the young people movements in terms of attractiveness of each movement for the young people pursuing certain goals.


Objectives: While clinical and radiological awareness of the usual, frequent metastatic sites of breast cancer is high, unexpected 'atypical' localisations may be more easily overlooked in the cancer management process. The aim of this article is to contribute to this awareness in order to facilitate and improve the diagnosis and follow-up of breast cancer.
Methods: In this study, we retrospectively evaluated breast cancer patients who were diagnosed and followed up between 2017 and 2022 in our hospital, which is an important oncology center.
Results: Of the 852 patients included in this study, 79 had an unusual metastasis localization. The most common unusual metastasis sites were mediastinal lymph nodes and brain. These sites were followed by atypical bone involvement, mesenteric lymph nodes, cervical lymph nodes, hilar lymph nodes and surrenal metastases. The most rare metastases were more common in the uterus and ovary, followed by pancreas, parotid gland, spleen, colon, pericardium-atrium, orbital soft tissues and lacrimal gland. . The unusual site of metastasis was mediastinal lymph nodes in 17.7% (n = 14), brain in 17.7% (n = 14), atypical bone sites in 12.6% (n = 10), mesenteric lymph nodes in 11.3% (n = 9), cervical lymph nodes in 11.3% (n = 9), hilar lymph nodes in 5% (n = 4) and surrenal in 6.3% (n = 5).
Conclusions: Sharing knowledge and experience about unusual metastases of breast cancer will contribute to the diagnosis and treatment of metastatic diseases by increasing the awareness of this issue. For this, multicentre studies should be conducted to combine these experiences.


Background: High tibial osteotomy (HTO) is often performed to postpone or avoid the need for subsequent total knee arthroplasty (TKA). We designed the present study to investigate the incidence rate and risk factors for subsequent revision in patients treated with HTO compared with those managed with TKA. Methods: In this retrospective nationwide cohort study, we reviewed the South Korean National Health Insurance claims database from January 1, 2009, to August 31, 2017. We evaluated patients ≥41 years old who had undergone TKA or HTO as the primary surgical procedure without a history of having undergone either procedure during the preceding 2 years. By including only new interventions without such prior surgery, we could eliminate the influence of previous TKA and HTO treatments. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to compare the risk of revision between the groups after propensity score matching with inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW). Revision was defined as conversion to revision TKA after primary TKA and conversion to TKA after HTO. Results: After applying the IPTW, a total of 436,538 patients with TKA and 452,724 patients with HTO were identified. The risk of revision during the entire study period was higher for patients with HTO than for patients with TKA (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 2.47). The Kaplan-Meier 8-year survival was 97.8% in the TKA group and 91.5% in the HTO group. Compared with patients with TKA, patients with HTO had an increased risk of revision in cases of advanced age (HR of 1.85 for patients who were ≥61 to 69 years old and HR of 4.17 for those who were ≥70 years old), female sex (HR, 2.90), recipients of Medical Aid program benefits (HR, 4.77), the presence of hyperlipidemia (HR, 3.70), the presence of diabetes (HR, 4.86), and the presence of osteoporosis (HR, 3.53). However, younger patients with HTO (⩽60 years old) had a lower risk of subsequent revision (HR, 0.64). Conclusions: The risk of revision was higher for patients with HTO than for patients with TKA. The risk factors for subsequent revision in patients with HTO in our cohort of patients were advanced age (>60 years), female sex, receipt of Medical Aid, and the presence of comorbidities, such as diabetes, osteoporosis, and hyperlipidemia. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.


The purpose of the present thesis was threefold. First, to study perceptual and cognitive correlates to individual differences in speechreading performance. Second, to examine certain aspects of word-decoding/discrimination in the speechreading process. Third, to investigate whether hearing-impaired individuals compensate for their hearing loss by means of improved speechreading ability. The results demonstrate that individual differences on a set of perceptual and cognitive component processes were related to speechreading either directly or indirectly, and could also be classified as influencing speechreading generally or specifically. Based on this 2 by 2 taxonomy, it was thus possible to establish which kind of relationship and what kind of effect a certain cognitive component is responsible for in speechreading. The results also indicate that there are similarities between visual and auditory speech perception in the temporal order that words are recognized. A process model for speechreading was also developed and further test implications were delineated. The results do not indicate that hearing-impaired individuals compensate for their hearing loss by means of an improved speechreading ability, neither do they rely on a different set of cognitive components for successful speechreading.


Since the academic year of 1998/99, library and information manager education has been going on at the Library Science and Information Department of ELTE BTK (Roland Eotvos University, Faculty of Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities), in the form of postgraduate courses. The documentation, curricula and methodology of this four-semester education project are presented. It is useful for those interested in getting acquainted with recent librarians' training trends in Hungary.


Explanation and supporting information related to map that shows early twentieth century Dallas, Texas railroads, street names, select buildings, parks, street railroads, street numbers by block, and the course of the Trinity River.


Background: Intestinal parasites are responsible for a significant amount of disease and mortality around the world. In developing nations, intestinal parasites are a severe public health issue. Intestinal parasite infections are one of the most common illnesses in the world. They're frequently linked to poor personal and environmental cleanliness, as well as low-quality drinking water. The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence of intestinal parasites and their shifting trends during a five-year period at Mizan-Tepi University of Teaching Hospital (MTUTH). Methods: A cross-sectional retrospective survey using the past five years' (2017 to 2021) clinical records obtained from MTUTH Mizan-Aman town Southern west Ethiopia. Patients with complete age, sex, and stool parasite examination (direct wet mount or concentration techniques) records on the parasitology registration book were included. Data were entered and analysed using a Microsoft Excel sheet. The parasite prevalence was calculated using frequency and percentages. Results: Overall, 17,030 patient records of the past five years were reviewed from the registration books of parasitology laboratory departments at MTUTH and only 546 records were taken for this study. Of these 336 (61.50%) were female and the rest 210 (38.50%) were males. One hundred eighty-two (182) 33.33% of patients had one or more intestinal parasites over five years from 2017 to 2021. From total of 546 patients' records 17.77% in 2017, 18.89% in 2018, 23.44% in 2019, 19.96% in 2020 and 19.96% in 2021 had complete information. Conclusion: Intestinal parasite prevalence was high among patients who visited the Mizan-Tepi University of Teaching Hospital during the five-year period. Helminthes and protozoan parasites prevalence was higher in the 15–45 years age category. In order to avoid intestinal parasite-related disease, strategies other than mass drug administration are required.


Carbapenem-resistant determinants and their surrounding genetic structure were studied in Acinetobacter spp. from neonatal sepsis cases collected over 7 years at a tertiary care hospital. Acinetobacter spp. (n = 68) were identified by ARDRA followed by susceptibility tests. Oxacillinases, metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs), extended-spectrum β-lactamases and AmpCs, were detected phenotypically and/or by PCR followed by DNA sequencing. Transconjugants possessing the blaNDM−1(New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase) underwent further analysis for plasmids, integrons and associated genes. Genetic environment of the carbapenemases were studied by PCR mapping and DNA sequencing. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify risk factors for sepsis caused by NDM-1-harboring organisms. A. baumannii (72%) was the predominant species followed by A. calcoaceticus (10%), A. lwoffii (6%), A. nosocomialis (3%), A. junni (3%), A. variabilis (3%), A. haemolyticus (2%), and 14TU (2%). Fifty six percent of the isolates were meropenem-resistant. Oxacillinases present were OXA-23-like, OXA-58-like and OXA-51-like, predominately in A. baumannii. NDM-1 was the dominant MBL (22%) across different Acinetobacter spp. Isolates harboring NDM-1 also possessed bla(VIM−2, PER−1, VEB−2, CTX−M−15), armA, aac(6′)Ib, aac(6′)Ib-cr genes. blaNDM−1was organized in a composite transposon between two copies of ISAba125 in the isolates irrespective of the species. Further, OXA-23-like gene and OXA-58-like genes were linked with ISAba1 and ISAba3 respectively. Isolates were clonally diverse. Integrons were variable in sequence but not associated with carbapenem resistance. Most commonly found genes in the 5′ and 3′conserved segment were aminoglycoside resistance genes (aadB, aadA2, aac4′), non-enzymatic chloramphenicol resistance gene (cmlA1g) and ADP-ribosylation genes (arr2, arr3). Outborn neonates had a significantly higher incidence of sepsis due to NDM-1 harboring isolates than their inborn counterparts. This study demonstrates the significance of both A. baumannii and other species of Acinetobacter in cases of neonatal sepsis over an extended period. Oxacillinases and blaNDM−1 are the major contributors to carbapenem resistance. The dissemination of the blaNDM−1 is likely linked to Tn125 in diverse clones of the isolates.


The availability (uptime) of UNIX servers which are hosting critical patient care applications is of utmost importance. This availability is ensured by maintaining redundant network; storage connections to a physical server (Ethernet cables; Optical Fibres). The health of these redundant connections, are monitored daily, so that issues can be fixed proactively, which ensures the availability of the servers. If issues are identified with these connections, the concerned team is involved in troubleshooting the issue. Due to the critical nature of the project, perfect ITIL(Information Technology Infrastructure Library) procedures should be followed in identifying, recording and fixing the issues. Unfortunately, this requires a lot of manual work. To help reduce this manual labour and save time, a Web Application was proposed to be developed. This web application will be useful to track, monitor, and analyze the work progress and to visualize the data for easy understanding. It reduces errors by reducing human interaction in the process, thereby saving valuable labour time and resources for the organization. Thus, the generated report becomes more accurate.


The impact of innovative human resource management (HRM) practices on performance is investigated using panel data for all units of a retail firm. Our rich data include measures of the operating environment, important dimensions of core inputs, and information on HRM environments, and output is measured as value added. We estimate augmented production functions, including both establishment and manager fixed effects. When employees have opportunities to participate, and receive appropriate information and feedback from their supervisors, productivity is enhanced. Thus, even in settings where employees do simple tasks and are relatively low-skilled, participatory work environments can enhance business performance.


Plants are frequently exposed to various biotic and abiotic stresses that impair their growth, development and limit the productivity. In the present work the objective was to evaluate the effect of saline stress on the germination and biochemical alterations by the expression of enzymatic systems in corn seeds treated with different concentrations of NaCl. Hybrid maize seeds (H1, H2, H3) were used during 2013 cropping season and solutions of sodium chloride (NaCl) to simulate the saline stress. The respective concentrations of NaCl (mol.m-3) were zero (0.0 g/L); 25 (1.46 g/L); 50 (2.93 g/L); 75 (4.39 g/L) and 100 mol.m-3 (5.85 g/L), diluted into water. In order to evaluate the physiological potential of these seeds, we realized the germination test with four replications of 50 seeds, distributed between three germitest papers moistened with NaCl solutions, described above. The evaluation was performed on the seventh day, with the first count realized determining the percentage of normal seedlings on the fourth day after planting. The biochemical evaluation was performed by the expression of isoenzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), esterase (EST), catalase (CAT), alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), malate dehydrogenase (MDH) and alpha amylase. Seeds of the three tested hybrids have lower germination when placed in conditions of greater concentration of salinity. The hybrid H3 that presents higher tolerance to salinity and hybrid H1 are most susceptible during the germination process. The hybrid with higher vigor, H3 had higher activity of alpha amylase and catalase enzyme groups. Esterase and alcoholic dehydrogenase were not effective in measuring the quality of maize grains under salt stress conditions.

 Key words: Zea mays, physiological quality enzyme.


Background: Defining the appropriate threshold at which to initiate a fever workup is imperative to promote patient safety, appropriate resource utilization, and antibiotic stewardship. Our group performed a systematic review of the available literature on perioperative fever (POF) workups in orthopaedic patients to evaluate the frequency, timing and utility of blood cultures (BC) and other investigations in the POF workup, to determine the clinical relevance of any infections and to evaluate their cost effectiveness. Methods: Studies were identified by searching MEDLINE, EMBASE, Pubmed, Cochrane and Google Scholar for articles through September 2016. Forty-nine articles were retrieved and 22 articles met the pre-determined inclusion criteria. Proportions of positive studies were noted and averaged using random effects analysis. Results: Post-operative pyrexia ranged in prevalence between 8.1% and 87.3%. The studies routinely performed during a fever workup had wide ranges of diagnostic yield, including chest X-rays from 0% to 40%, urinalyses from 8.2% to 38.7%, urine cultures from 0% to 22.4% and BC from 0% to 13.3%. Only two patients with positive BC developed clinical sepsis. Cost per fever evaluation ranged from $350 to $950. Conclusion: The findings of this review suggest that early post-operative fever is an expected event following orthopaedic surgery. Based on the available literature, any kind of workup in the absence of localizing symptoms in the third post-operative day or before is unwarranted and is an inappropriate use of hospital resources.


Production of passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) is restricted by postharvest decay, which limits the storage period. We isolated, identified, and characterized fungal pathogens causing decay in two passion fruit cultivars during two fruit seasons in China. Morphological characteristics and nucleotide sequences of ITS-rDNA regions identified eighteen isolates, which were pathogenic on yellow and purple fruit. Fusarium kyushuense, Fusarium concentricum, Colletotrichum truncatum, and Alternaria alternata were the most aggressive species. Visible inspections and comparative analysis of the disease incidences demonstrated that wounded and non-wounded yellow fruit were more susceptible to the pathogens than the purple fruit. Purple cultivar showed higher expression levels of defense-related genes through expression and metabolic profiling, as well as significantly higher levels of their biosynthesis pathways. We also found fungi with potential beneficial features for the quality of fruits. Our transcriptomic and metabolomics data provide a basis to identify potential targets to improve the pathogen resistance of the susceptible yellow cultivar. The identified fungi and affected features of the fruit of both cultivars provide important information for the control of pathogens in passion fruit industry and postharvest storage.


An aerobic denitrifying bacterium DN7 was isolated from the bio-contact oxidation reactor treating bamboo processing wastewater.Cellular morphology demonstrated that strain DN7 was a gram negative bacillus with an average size of 0.5 μm×1.5 μm and the colony was ivory.Based on the homologic analysis of the 16S rDNA sequence and physiochemical properties,the strain was identified as Defluvibacter lusatiensis str..The denitrification characteristics of strain DN7 with different sources of nitrogen were investigated.Results showed that the strain could use either nitrate or nitrite as the sole source of nitrogen for aerobic denitrification,and the removal efficiencies of nitrate and nitrite were 83.35% and 85.72% in 4 h,respectively.The completely reduction of nitrite was 42 h before the nitrate.Almost no nitrite accumulation was observed in the aerobic denitrification process with nitrate as the sole nitrogen source,whereas nitrate accumulation was detected with nitrite as the sole nitrogen source,in which the maximum amount of nitrate reached 21.83 mg/L in 4 h.The strain preferred nitrate to nitrite in the nitrate-nitrite mixed system.Coexistence of nitrite and nitrate had no significant effect on nitrate reduction,however,the residual concentration of nitrite increased with the ratio of nitrite to nitrate.As the ratio of nitrite to nitrate increased from 1 ∶9 to 5 ∶5,the residual nitrite concentration increased from 3.38 mg/L to 7.60 mg/L.Little amount of nitrate would inhibit the nitrite reduction significantly.When the ratio of nitrate to nitrite was 1 ∶9,the nitrite removal efficiency dropped to 74.79%,much lower than that with nitrite as the sole nitrogen source.The strain was capable of using ammonium nitrogen as the sole nitrogen source,in which both heterotrophic nitrification and aerobic denitrification occurred.Nitrate accumulation was observed in the heterotrophic nitrification and aerobic denitrification process,and the maximum value was 18.92 mg/L.In 72 h,the removal efficiency of ammonium nitrogen reached 85.66%,and neither nitrate nor nitrite accumulation was observed.The aerobic denitrification of the strain could be promoted in the presence of little amount of ammonium nitrogen.When the ammonium to nitrate ratio was 1 ∶9,nitrate was completely reduced in 48 h,24 h before that with nitrate as the sole nitrogen source.Coexistence of nitrate and ammonium nitrogen also enhanced the heterotrophic nitrification.When the nitrate to ammonium ratio was 1 ∶9,removal efficiency of ammonium nitrogen reached 87.50%,7.05% higher than that with ammonium nitrogen as the sole nitrogen source.


Context: Healthcare workers often experience grief stemming from the loss of patients under their care. The impact of personal grief on healthcare workers' wellbeing is less well described, particularly for trainees. To better characterize the prevalence and impact of personal grief on the mental and physical health of medical students, we conducted a survey of medical students at our institution. Methods: An electronic Qualtrics survey was distributed to all currently enrolled medical students at our institution. After an initial question screening for loss before or during medical school, our survey assessed (1) basic demographic data; (2) relationship to the deceased; (3) impact of the loss on trainee health; and (4) utilization of institutional supports for grief. Results: A total of 344 (68.8%) students responded to our survey. Two hundred and 25 (65.4%) students had experienced personal loss prior to or during medical school. 53.7% experienced more than 1 loss, with most of these losses (62.5%) occurring more than 2 years prior to the survey date. Up to 40% of respondents reported at least 1 psychologically distressing symptom that persisted beyond 1 year. Most students (93.8%) relied on family members for support; however, 23.2% of students indicated they would use institutional resources if available. Conclusion: Most medical students have experienced bereavement before or during medical school, which has had significant impact on their well-being. While medical students did not typically utilize institutionally based resources, many students expressed interest in such resources.


Dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) is still a serious health problem in the community. DHF is caused by the dengue virus (DENV) and is transmitted by the Aedes aegypti (Ae. aegypti) mosquito, which is the main vector for the virus. In controlling DHF vectors, larvicides are still used. These larvicides contain chemical compounds that have negative side effects affecting the human body. Therefore, there is a need for natural-based larvacides (biolarvicides). The purpose of this study was to determine the potential of corn silk as a biolarvicide against dengue vector larvae (Aedes aegypti). This study was carried out at the STIKes Ngudia Husada Madura Bangkalan Laboratory and was done by taking corn silk waste samples disposed of as waste from corn farmers and corn traders in Bangkalan Regency. A Thousand samples of Aedes aegypti larvae that had reached instar III were used and divided into five test groups, namely 0 g/L (control), 6.25 g/L, 12.5 g/L, 25 g/L, and 50 g/L . Each group contained 200 larvae. The experiment was repeated 3 times. Data of the number of deaths of Aedes aegypti larvae were collected every 24 hours. The highest dose that could kill Aedes aegypti larvae was at 20 g/L.


This article connects to and extends the attempts to bring space back into critical organizational theory, which, we argue, has mainly been based on the socio-spatial perspective as pioneered by Henri Lefebvre. Taking issue with the various ways in which Lefebvre's work can be interpreted, we develop an alternative route. Adopting a mode of non-representational theorizing as outlined in human geography, we propose the concept of 'spacing', which orients the understanding of organizational space towards its material, embodied, affective and minor configurations. In discussing the consequences of such a performative approach to space for the practice and craft of organizational scholarship, we argue that our conceptual opening entails a move from representational strategies of extracting representations of the (organizational) world from the world to embodied apprehensions of the everyday performing of organizational space. What can be termed the enactment of organizational geographies in slow motion is inspired and illustrated by the video 'The Raft' conceived by the artist Bill Viola.


The regulation of the striatum by the GPCR signaling through neuromodulators is essential for its physiology and physiopathology, so it is necessary to know all the compounds of these pathways. In this study, we identified a new important partner of the dopaminergic pathway: GPRIN3 (a member of the GPRIN family). GPRIN3 is highly expressed in the striatum but with undefined function. Cell sorting of medium spiny neurons (MSNs) in indirect MSNs and direct MSNs indicated the presence of the GPRIN3 gene in both populations with a preferential expression in indirect MSNs. This led us to generate GPRIN3 KO mice by CRISPR/Cas9 and test male animals to access possible alterations in morphological, electrophysiological, and behavioral parameters following its absence. 3D reconstruction analysis of MSNs revealed increased neuronal arborization in GPRIN3 KO and modified passive and active electrophysiological properties. These cellular alterations were coupled with increased motivation and cocaine-induced hyperlocomotion. Additionally, using a specific indirect MSN knockdown, we showed a preferential role for GPRIN3 in indirect MSNs related to the D2R signaling. Together, these results show that GPRIN3 is a mediator of D2R function in the striatum playing a major role in striatal physiology. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The striatum is the main input of the basal ganglia processing information from different brain regions through the combined actions of direct pathway neurons and indirect pathway neurons. Both neuronal populations are defined by the expression of dopamine D1R or D2R GPCRs, respectively. How these neurons signal to the respective G-protein is still debatable. Here we identified GPRIN3 as a putative selective controller of D2R function in the striatum playing a critical role in striatal-associated behaviors and cellular functions. This study represents the identification of a new target to tackle striatal dysfunction associated with the D2R, such as schizophrenia, Parkinson's disease, and drug addiction.


Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains the leading causeof cancer-related death. Platinum-based doublet chemotherapyhas been a standard for patients with advanced stage disease.Improvements in overall survival and quality of life have beenmodest. Over the past decade, a large number of studies havebeen published that aimed to target the molecular abnormalitiesimplicated in NSCLC tumor growth, invasion, metastasis,angiogenesis and resistance to apoptosis. EGFRs are a group oftransmembrane proteins that regulate key processes in the cell,such as proliferation, division, migration, and differentiation.Randomized phase III studies investigated the role of two EGFRTKIsinhibitors, gefitinib and erlotinib, as first-line treatmentcompared with standard platinum-based chemotherapy, inpatients affected by advanced NSCLC harboring EGFR activatingmutations. In all these trials the main endpoint was reached withEGFR-TKIs reporting a significant improvement in progressionfreesurvival (PFS) and overall response rate (ORR). Most commonside effect is skin rash, diarrhea, fatigue. In our institution we havebeen treating 8 patients with NSCLC harboring EGFR activatingmutations. Toxicity profile is similar as given in literature.


This paper presents a new analytical approach for dc voltage control in dc grids. The control approach aims at improving the dc voltage droop control by generalized feedback which combines the local voltage signal available at the converter terminals with remote voltage signals at different locations in the dc system by means of communication. The main contribution is an analytical approach to derive the generalized feedback gain allowing to differentiating the system response for different converter outages. The goal of the system response is to share the power, in the event of disconnection of a converter, between the remaining converters according to a predetermined scheme. The local voltage feedback control is used for fast and reliable system response, and remote signals to achieve the goal. The analysis of the feasibility space the power shares is also presented, which is a direct function of the grid layout. Simulation results show the validity of the proposed control scheme.


Ghrelin is a GH-releasing acylated peptide found in the stomach and a centrally acting food intake stimulator. Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a genetic disorder characterized by a voracious appetite and increased fasting ghrelin levels. In this report we describe 24-h ghrelin profiles in PWS children (n = 5) and compare these with age, sex, and body mass index (BMI)-matched controls (n = 5). A 3- to 4-fold increase in ghrelin levels was found in PWS over a 24-h period, compared with controls (P < 0.001). Interestingly, there was a greater tendency for the up-regulation of ghrelin level in lean PWS than in obese PWS. To confirm this finding, we measured fasting ghrelin levels in 39 patients with PWS. Inverse correlations were found between plasma ghrelin levels and the following: age (r = -0.408, P = 0.005), BMI (r = -0.341, P = 0.017), percentage of the ideal weight for age (r = -0.382, P = 0.008), and BMI percentile (r = -0.311, P = 0.027). Our data show that there may be a suppressive (or up-regulating) controlling mechanism of ghrelin secretion in obese (or lean) PWS children. We hope that our data may further explain the mechanisms underlying the insatiable appetite and obesity characteristic of PWS.


The problem of the research in determining the appropriate angles in the strength of serve for tennis age (14-16) year according to the specific biomechanical conditions, and the extent of the relationship of each variable of the physical variables in the successful performance of the skill of serve, and achieving the strength of transmission for tennis age (14-16) year, and it is one of the biomechanical principles that can be used in evaluating the angles of body parts. age (14-16) year tennis players.
The aim of the research is to identify the percentage of the contribution of some physical variables of the straight serve for tennis juniors, and the percentage of the contribution of some corners of the body to the strength of serve for the tennis age (14-16) year (18) players.
The two researchers reached a number of results, the most important of which are: There is a statistically significant correlation between some physical abilities and body angles with the straight serve for tennis players. The lower the angles (elbow, shoulder, knee for the front leg) at the moment of hitting the tennis ball, the stronger the serve will be. Correlation relationship with some biomechanical variables, because the skill of serve requires the strength of the striking arm during the performance of the straight serve


We investigate current deployment practices for virtual hosting, a widely used method for serving multiple HTTP and HTTPS origins from the same server, in popular content delivery networks, cloud-hosting infrastructures, and web servers. Our study uncovers a new class of HTTPS origin confusion attacks: when two virtual hosts use the same TLS certificate, or share a TLS session cache or ticket encryption key, a network attacker may cause a page from one of them to be loaded under the other's origin in a client browser. These attacks appear when HTTPS servers are configured to allow virtual host fallback from a client-requested, secure origin to some other unexpected, less-secure origin. We present evidence that such vulnerable virtual host configurations are widespread, even on the most popular and securityscrutinized websites, thus allowing a network adversary to hijack pages, or steal secure cookies and single sign-on tokens. To prevent our virtual host confusion attacks and recover the isolation guarantees that are commonly assumed in shared hosting environments, we propose fixes to web server software and advocate conservative configuration guidelines for the composition of HTTP with TLS.


Over the last 50 years, there have been many improvements in therapy for individuals with neurologic disorders. Simultaneously, the complexity and cost of care have increased. The delivery of neurologic services is inefficient. The needs of both patients and neurologists are not being optimally addressed. Although greater attention is on the quality, safety, and value of the care, there remains a need for fundamental redesign in the way neurologic services are provided. The future practice of neurology will likely be interdisciplinary and provide both easy access and efficient coordination of services. No matter what changes in financing of health care are adopted, focus needs to be on reducing health care costs. Patients seeking neurologic care will expect seamless, innovative, and cost-effective services and to be active participants in their care. The proposed modifications address current demands and advocate for prospective innovative solutions. The changes proposed to improve care for patients will simultaneously make the careers of neurologists more gratifying and less stressful.


I discuss the short-run dynamics of commodity prices, production, and inventories, as well as the sources and effects of market volatility. I explain how prices, rates of production, and inventory levels are interrelated, and are determined via equilibrium in two interconnected markets: a cash market for spot purchases and sales of the commodity, and a market for storage. I show how equilibrium in these markets affects and is affected by changes in the level of price volatility. I also explain the role and behavior of commodity futures markets, and the relationship between spot prices futures prices, and inventory behavior. I illustrate these ideas with data for the petroleum complex - crude oil, heating oil, and gasoline - over the past two decades.


This paper introduces a new financial vulnerability index for emerging market economies by exploiting key differences in their business cycles relative to those of advanced economies. Information on the domestic price of risk, cost of dollar hedging and market-based measures of bank vulnerability combine to generate indexes significantly more effective in capturing macro-financial vulnerability and stress compared to those based on information in trade and global factors. Our index significantly augments early warning surveillance capacity, as evidenced by out-of-sample forecasting gains around a majority of turning points in GDP growth relative to distributed lag models that are augmented with information from macro-financial indexes that are custom-built to optimize such forecasts.


Fast and precise methods are important in chemical and physical analysis, but determination of concentration of selected components in mixtures may have special difficulties. Excitation-emission matrices (EEM) are widely used in characterizing fluorescence emission. Based on these primary data, we present an improvement of matrix isopotential synchronous fluorimetry (MISF) and a method which ensures a very fast multicomponent analysis. MISF is generally combined with derivative technique (DMISF) to be able to eliminate the contribution of the background emission. Unfortunately, it is too sensitive to noises and fluctuations; thus the concentration region where it can be used, was limited until now. Our first aim was to reduce the influence of measurement errors and to increase the sensitivity of known MISF method by more than one order of magnitude. As a further result, using improved MISF, we got a method which ensures very fast determination of the wanted compound's concentration both in presence of one- or even two-component background of unknown concentration.


The continued increase in the number of allergic diseases and the high prevalence of digestive disturbances in infants explain the interest of pediatricians, allergists and gastroenterologists in the development and improvement of nutritional methods for the prevention and correction of these pathologies. This article discusses current ideas on the role of partially hydrolysed protein formulas in infants' nutrition for recovery of most common functional gastrointestinal disorders, allergy primary prevention. Also, the article discusses formulas place in sequential nutrition therapy of food allergy. Descriptions of cow milk proteins molecular characteristics and its allergens properties are presented. Features of creation and production of partially hydrolysed protein formulas are described as well.


Silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) are used in consumer products, engineering and medical technologies. Attractive properties of SiNPs (e.g. size/surface-modification) enhance usage and thus the likelihood of environmental/human exposures. The assessment of health risks associated with exposures to SiNPs requires information on their relative potencies and toxicity mechanisms. In this work, phagocytic J774 cells were exposed to amorphous pristine (15, 30, 75 nm) and surface-modified (-NH2, -C3COOH, -C11COOH, -PEG) SiNP variants, and internalization was assessed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), while cellular ATP was measured as a cytotoxicity endpoint. Furthermore, mitochondrial fractions from J774 cells were exposed to these SiNP variants (5, 15 μg mL-1), as well as two reference particles (SiNP 12 nm and TiO2), and proteomic changes were analyzed by mass spectrometry. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis was used to identify toxicity pathways. TEM analyses showed SiNP internalization and distribution along with some changes in mitochondrial structure. SiNP size- and surface-modification and chemical composition-related changes in mitochondrial proteins, including key proteins of the respiratory complex and oxidative stress, were evident based on high content mass spectrometry data. In addition, the dose-related decrease in cellular ATP levels in SiNP-exposed cells was consistent with related mitochondrial protein profiles. These findings suggest that physicochemical properties can be determinants of SiNP exposure-related mitochondrial effects, and mitochondrial exposures combined with proteomic analysis can be valuable as a new approach methodology in the toxicity screening of SiNPs for risk assessment, with added insight into related toxicity mechanisms.


Against a background of competition and the generalisation of IP that characterises the field of electronic communications, the concept of the bundle has resulted in the emergence of triple play, and even quadruple play. This paper offers an overview of the growth of this phenomenon by introducing a distinction between the basic components of multiplay strategies and the diverse range of functions that can be linked to these strategies.


Considerable efforts in recent SAW device design and development have aimed at low loss, high performance and high frequency operation. A large number of applications relate to cellular and mobile telephony, pagers, local area networks, cordless phones, global positioning systems, and security systems. Pseudo-SAW (PSAW) and more recently the High Velocity Pseudo-SAW (HVPSAW) have received a great deal of attention due to their high phase velocities, and therefore the high frequencies of operation these modes may provide. In addition to high phase velocities, the pseudo-modes must also present low propagation losses and considerably high electromechanical coupling coefficients to be considered for practical devices. This paper verifies that the metallic layer thickness is a relevant SAW device parameter in order to achieve lower losses, for high frequency, high electromechanical coupling, low loss SAW devices. Popular PSAW and HVPSAW material orientations such as 64/spl deg/ YX LiNbO/sub 3/(0/spl deg/ 26/spl deg/ 0/spl deg/), 36/spl deg/ YX LiTaO/sub 3/ (0/spl deg/-54/spl deg/ 0/spl deg/), LiNbO/sub 3/ (90/spl deg/ 90/spl deg/ 36/spl deg/), LiTaO/sub 3/ (90/spl deg/ 90/spl deg/ 31/spl deg/), quartz ST-X (0/spl deg/ 132.75/spl deg/ 0/spl deg/), Li/sub 2/B/sub 4/O/sub 7/ (0/spl deg/ 45/spl deg/ 90/spl deg/), among others, are considered. In addition to the lower losses and the dispersion analysis for the pseudo modes, the present work discusses the transitions with layer thickness from HVPSAWs to higher order PSAWs modes, and the transitions from PSAWs to the generalized SAWs (GSAWs) modes. Besides contributing to the knowledge of the pseudo-modes behavior with layer thickness, this mode transition analysis enlightens the situation where the losses in the pseudo modes go to zero, due to the merging of the pseudo modes into the GSAWs. The fact that as a function of thickness the GSAWs are a natural continuation for the pseudo modes may be conveniently used in the fabrication of low loss devices. For completeness the effects of heavy layer metals, such as gold, in reducing the layer thickness where the pseudo modes merge to the GSAWs are discussed. Numerical results are compared to some experimental data available in the literature, and the present analysis elucidates experimentally observed higher order pseudo modes, and values of layer thickness where lower losses are achieved.


Abstract Based on the microscope objective database and systematic classification introduced in Part I, the Zones 1–4 objective lenses are systematically analysed in this paper to extract the building blocks. All the definitions and terms are based on the preceding paper. The lens modules utilised in the front, middle and rear groups are investigated by reliable aberration evaluation tools with robust and accurate raytracing. Thereby, the aberration correction principles are summarised, from which 29 lens modules are well sorted with respect to their decoupled aberration correction functionalities. Furthermore, some intrinsic relations between the aberration-related lens modules and the impact of applications or the consideration of manufacturing and technology are also discussed. Utilising the lens modules, system modification and synthesis examples shall be given in Part III.


Study of volatility in the equity market is a crucial issue in economics and finance. Volatility change in the stock prices has many adverse effects on an economy and also investment. It has received great attention from both academicians and practitioners over the last two decades because it can be used as a measure of risk exposure in investments. This study examines the perception of investors to identify factors affecting volatility in Indian stock market. It employs a questionnaire survey of equity investors at BSE using a sample of 226 individual and institutional investors. The data collected is analyzed with factor analysis and multiple regression models. The study reveals that Indian stock market is perceived to exhibit high degree of volatility. It finds that external factors like macroeconomic situation, political condition and spillover effect from global markets have the highest influence in affecting volatility of the Indian stock market followed by the stock market factors like noise trading, market manipulation, foreign portfolio investment and derivative trading. Company factors like financial performance and other company specific information have been found to have the relatively lower effect on perceived riskiness of the stock market.


The neuroprotective effects of Riluzole, a compound with several mechanisms of action including the inhibition of sodium channel activity and glutamate release, were evaluated in a rat model of parasagittal fluid‐percussion (FP) brain injury. Male Sprague–Dawley rats (350–400 g, n = 17) were anesthetized with sodium pentobarbital (60 mg/kg i.p.) and subjected to parasagittal FP brain injury of moderate severity (2.3–2.5 atm). Fifteen min following injury, animals randomly received an i.v. bolus of either Riluzole (8 mg/kg, n = 8) or vehicle (n = 9), followed by subcutaneous injections (identical dose) at 6 hr and 24 hr. Two weeks after injury and drug treatment, animals were sacrificed and a series of brain sections, stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) or cresyl violet, were evaluated for quantitative cortical lesion volume and cell counts of hippocampal CA3 neurons, respectively, using a computerized image analysis system. Administration of Riluzole significantly reduced FP‐induced tissue loss in the temporal/occipital cortices ipsilateral to the site of impact by 46%, compared to vehicle‐treated, brain‐injured animals (P = 0.01). In contrast, the selective neuronal loss observed in the CA3 region of the ipsilateral hippocampus was unaffected by Riluzole treatment. The present study demonstrates that Riluzole can attenuate cortical lesion size following brain trauma. These neuroprotective effects may be related to the synergy of the different mechanisms of action of Riluzole. J. Neurosci. Res. 52:342–349, 1998. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


Few scholars have studied gentrification in older industrial cities across different national contexts. A review of the literature suggests that gentrification in older industrial cities will look different in systematic ways from gentrification in global, magnet cities that most research has focused on. The literature also suggests that the political and institutional differences in cities located in different national contexts can shape gentrification processes. Our research shows that Dortmund and St. Louis are both undergoing deep processes of economic restructuring with new knowledge workers moving in to neighborhoods adjacent to expanding tech clusters. The speed and magnitude of gentrification, however, is significantly less than reported in strong market cities. Unlike in hot market, global cities, many areas within Dortmund and St. Louis are experiencing little or no gentrification, and the neighborhoods that are experiencing gentrification-like processes vary significantly along important dimensions. Despite important differences in political institutions, the basic pattern of gentrification in St. Louis and Dortmund is similar. In these two older industrial cities, at least, gentrification is a complex and variegated phenomenon that requires more research to be fully understood.


Recently, rods having irregular sections more complex than a rectangle or ellipse are necessary to produce mechanical parts. The cold shaped drawing process is used to obtain shaped drawn products with high levels of dimensional accuracy and quality. A cross roller guide, considered in this study, is one of the parts produced by shaped drawing process. A cross roller guide has a linear bearing system that rolls along a guide way. A cross roller guide is one of the most important components in terms of equipment because the quality of the product influences the precision linear motion. Therefore, the final dimensional accuracy of the linear rail in the shaped drawing is very important. The objective of this study is to find the optimized die angles to improve the dimensional accuracy and straightness of the final shaped drawn product. In order to achieve the aim of this study, design of experiment, FE-simulation, and the Taguchi method were used. Based on the analytical results, shaped drawing experiment has been performed to verify the result.


Among 425 pre‐term low birthweight babies who survived more than 48 hours there were 130 with idiopathic respiratory distress syndrome, 73 of whom received ventilation for their disease. The ductus arteriosus was considered patent by clinical criteria in 41 of these babies, all but 1 of whom had a murmur. Of the remaining 32 infants there were 2 babies only who died and both were found to have a patent ductus arteriosus which had not been detected clinically. Another baby died whilst being ventilated for idiopathic respiratory distress syndrome and although autopsy information is not available it seems likely that factors other than a patent ductus arteriosus caused death. The mean age of murmur detection in those ventilated infants considered to have a patent ductus arteriosus was 6 days (range 2–19). Infants without a murmur or other features of a ductus arteriosus did not require to be ventilated beyond day 7 with the exception of the 2 fatalities already mentioned. Thus, relying on clinical criteria and particularly on the presence of a murmur, if sought often, rarely results in missing or seriously delaying the diagnosis of patent ductus arteriosus in babies with severe idiopathic respiratory distress syndrome