The capsaicin receptor, TRPV1, has been one of the most extensively studied molecules in sensory research. Its contribution to the sensation of pain in numerous pre-clinical inflammatory and neuropathic paradigms has been well-established and expression analysis suggests a potential role clinically in pain and bladder conditions. The field has now reached an exciting point in time with the development of a number of high quality TRPV1 antagonist drug candidates and the release of clinical data. What has become apparent from this work is that inhibition of TRPV1 function brings with it the potential liabilities of increased body temperature and altered thermal perception. However, there is cause for optimism because it appears that not all antagonists have the same properties and compounds can be identified that lack significant on-target side-effects whilst retaining efficacy, at least pre-clinically. What is perhaps now more critical to address is the question of how effective the analgesia provided by a TRPV1 antagonist will be. Although tantalizing clinical data showing effects on experimentally-induced pain or pain following molar extraction have been reported, no clear efficacy in a chronic pain condition has yet been demonstrated making it difficult to perform an accurate risk-benefit analysis for TRPV1 antagonists. Here we provide an overview of some of the most advanced clinical candidates and discuss the approaches being taken to avoid the now well established on-target effects of TRPV1 antagonists.


Objective: The spinal surgeries performed in patients with myelomeningocele are at higher risk of postoperative infection. We made an epidemiological survey of these infections and factors possibly associated to establish risk factors. Methods: A retrospective review of data from spinal surgeries performed in patients with myelomeningocele, in the Associação de Assistência à Criança Deficiente –AACD/ Hospital Abreu Sodré. The comparison of possible risk factors evaluated was made by Fisher's exact test. Results were considered significant at p<0.05. Results: We evaluated 27 surgical procedures with a total of 7 cases of postoperative surgical site infection (25.92%). Five of these patients with surgical site infection had concomitant urinary tract infection (UTI) with p=0.004. We found no statistical significance for the other factors evaluated: surgical approaches, type of procedure and total serum lymphocytes. Conclusion: UTI is related to surgical site infection, but we need a prospective study with more cases to clarify this risk factor with a possible confounding factor: the nutritional and immunologic status.


Background: Defects in the p53 gene predispose B-CLL patients for an inferior outcome, particularly a resistance to treatment by conventional chemotherapeutics. Very little data exist, however, about the efficacy of monoclonal antibody rituximab on B-CLL cells bearing p53 abnormalities. One reason for that might be a methodological - rituximab alone does not have virtually any effect on the viability of B-CLL cells when cultivated in vitro , unless an active human plasma is added. After that, however, the cells are quickly lysed by complement, what is a process independent on p53.

Aims: We used an in vitro system (not containing the active human plasma) to monitor a rituximab activity on B-CLL cells with p53 inactivation in relation to subsequently used nucleoside analog fludarabine, which demonstrably acts through the p53 in B-CLL cells.

Methods: The p53 abnormalities in blood samples of B-CLL patients were detected by FISH and by functional yeast analysis coupled to sequencing, as described previously (Trbusek et al., Leukemia 2006, 20: 1159–1161). Vitally frozen samples were used in all cases, after 24h pre-cultivation. Mononuclear cells were cultivated for 72h with or without 20μg/ml of rituximab and subsequently for another 48h with four different concentrations of fludarabine (40μg/ml–0,625μg/ml). The cell viability was determined by a WST-1 assay. A sensitization effect of rituximab pretreatment was determined by an ANOVA analysis, with the value p=0,05 being a threshold for a statistical significance. To monitor an apoptosis (a suppossed mechanism of fludarabine action), the Western blotting was used for the caspase-3 cleavage, which was proved previously to occur in drug-treated B-CLL cells.

Results: In the subgroup of eleven p53-wt samples the three cases manifested sensitization by rituximab for fludarabine activity, one case showed an oposite (antagonistic) effect, while there was no significant difference for another seven samples. Among ten p53-mutated samples there was just one case exhibiting no influence of rituximab pretreatment (with the p53 alleles being deletion / 281 Asp→Glu), one sample manifested with antagonistic effect (del / 220 Tyr→Cys), while the remaining eight cases showed a statistically significant sensitization by rituximab (del / truncated protein aa 314, del / no protein, del/ wt protein, del / 248 Arg→Gln, del / 249 Arg→Gly, del / del aa 252, del / del aa 252–254, and a composed mutant 281Asp→Asn / 254 Ile→Thr). We noticed a statistically significant potentiation also in three out of four ATM-deleted samples (ATM is the p53-regulatory kinase). An apoptosis occured after fludarabine addition both in pretreated and control cells, as evidenced by the caspase-3 cleavage in some (but not all) samples.

Conclusions: We show, to our konwledge for the first time, that rituximab can significantly sensitize the B-CLL cells bearing different types of p53 mutations to fludarabine. This result warrants further investigation of the mechanism behind.


For various political and economic reasons European sugar farmers and producers have received large subsidies from the EU. The goal of this thesis is to analyze these sugar subsidies and their effect on world market prices and production level in the EU, using statistical data from the mid 1980's and onward. The analysis encompasses the mechanisms and consequences of EU sugar subsidies with a particular emphasis on the world market price of sugar and domestic EU sugar production. Because the so called ACP countries have a special trade preference, their exports of sugar to EU will also have effects on the world market price. These are reviewed as well. Alleged fixed costs in the EU sugar industry, implying scale economies, are also checked for. Evidence of a negative correlation between export subsidies and the world price are found. There is also a correlation between production subsidies and production volume, especially when measuring subsidies as a percentage of costs. EU imports from ACP's show virtually no correlation with the world market price, although the correlation is, as expected, negative. Some evidence of scale economies in the EU sugar industry has also been found.


Patients with hyperglycemia are more likely to be hospitalized, and evidence links it with poor outcomes. Recognizing the importance of glycemic control, we develop a multidisciplinary educational program on inpatient glycemic management, with metabolic goals that are reasonable, achievable and safe.


One of the most significant problems in the modern world is the amount of waste generated by the growing urban population. The destination of this garbage can be recycling, burning or disposal in landfills. A family of four people can produce, on average, 3 kilograms of garbage per day. The collection of this waste is mostly done by trucks that go through the streets of the cities collecting the garbage from door to door, following predetermined routes. When a truck reaches its maximum load, it goes to the unloading site, returning to the route at the same exit point in order to finish that route. The logistical problems involved are several: fines for overloading the truck, late collection times, labor lawsuits, among others. This project proposes a solution based on Internet Things to monitor the location of the truck and its cargo generating maps in near real-time, to allow the dynamic optimization of the routes followed by the various paths of the fleet. Our system consists of an on-board system that measures the truckload and determines its position, sending this data to a cloud computing solution. Several tests were carried out in the field, with pathways from a real fleet, operating on an ordinary working day. The results show that the system developed is viable, successfully meeting the requirements of the application.


Corneal abrasions are common ophthalmic presentations to emergency departments. Among emergency physicians and ophthalmologists, there are highly variable practice patterns with regard to management of resultant pain and discomfort. The goal of this study was to review and analyze the efficacy and safety of topical pain therapies for corneal abrasions, including topical anesthetics, nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), cycloplegics, steroids, pressure patching, and the use of a bandage contact lens (BCL).


Our vision, in this thesis, is the one of a bio-medical grip as a partner of hospital's information systems, sharing computing resources as well as a platform for sharing information. Therefore, we aim at (i) providing transparent access to huge distributed medical data sets, (ii) querying these data by their content, and (iii), sharing computing resources within the grip. Assuming the existence of a grip infrastructure, we suggest a multi-layered architecture (Distributed Systems Engines – DSE). This architecture allows us to design High Performance Distributed Systems which are highly extensible, scalable and open. It ensures the connection between the grip, data storing systems, and medical platforms. The conceptual design of the architecture assumes a horizontal definition for each one of the layers, and is based on a multi-process structure. This structure enables the exchange of messages between processes by using the Message Passing Paradigm. These processes and messages allow one to define entities of a higher level of semantic significance, which we call Drivers and, which instead of single messages, deal with different kinds of transactions: queries, tasks and requests. Thus, we define different kinds of drivers for dealing with each kind of transaction, and in a higher level, we define services as an aggregation of drivers. The architectural framework of drivers and services eases the design of components of a Distributed System (DS), which we call engines, and also eases the extensibility and scalability of DS.


This work examines a novel heterogeneous dynamic spectrum access network where the primary users (PUs) coexist with both underlay and interweave cognitive transmitters (UCTs and ICTs); all terminals being potentially equipped with multiple antennas. UCTs are allowed to transmit concurrently with PUs subject to interference constraints, while the ICTs employ spectrum sensing and are permitted to access the shared spectrum only when both PUs and UCTs are absent. We investigate the design of MIMO precoding algorithms for the UCT that increase the detection probability at the ICTs, while simultaneously meeting a desired Quality-of-Service target to the underlay cognitive receivers (UCRs) and constraining interference leaked to PUs. The objective of such a proactive approach, referred to as prescient precoding, is to minimize the probability of interference from ICTs to the UCRs and primary receivers due to imperfect spectrum sensing. We begin with downlink prescient precoding algorithms for multiple single-antenna UCRs and multi-antenna PUs/ICTs. We then present prescient block-diagonalization algorithms for the MIMO underlay downlink where spatial multiplexing is performed for a plurality of multi-antenna UCRs. Numerical experiments demonstrate that prescient precoding by UCTs provides a pronounced performance gain compared to conventional underlay precoding strategies.


This paper reflects on City's interview with the UK activist group, Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC), examining their practices of resistance within the broader structural frame of austerity capitalism. This enables an exploration of how capitalism has constructed disability as an exclusionary category over time to support the accumulation of wealth, from urban industrialisation to austerity capitalism. The paper also engages with Gargi Bhattacharyya's argument that austerity is deployed through a post-colonial logic of racialisation, exploring how this notion may be applied to disabled welfare claimants. It also explores her argument that austerity marks a shift towards a post-consent politics but argues that both coercion and consent are key dimensions of state governance that seek to produce public acquiescence to punitive policies that threaten disabled people's livelihoods and lives. Indeed, the multiple struggles against austerity, including those by DPAC, clearly indicate the failure of moves towards a post-consent politics. The paper demonstrates how the city, therefore, is not only a key site for exclusion but also a central site for resistance. DPAC's resistances disrupt and contest austerity's processes and model an alternative prefigurative politics based on collaborative care and the use value of social reproduction. This opens up possibilities for post-capitalist futures and a right to the city based on collective rights and power. DPAC positions itself as both an identity and a class campaign, integrating reformist strategies into a longer-term anti-capitalist agenda and reaching outwards to other urban struggles that are similarly resisting the harms inflicted on bodies and minds by global capitalism. Therefore, building on the work of Mary Jean Hande, this paper argues that disabled people are not simply worthy of inclusion when theorising and constructing anti-capitalist and urban resistance, but are integral to and at the forefront of such struggles.


Developmental perspectives on self and identity view a sense of personal sameness and continuity as critical for positive adjustment. Thus, the degree to which individuals perceive change over time in self and direction constitutes an important individual difference. Here, we offer an empirically sound instrument for assessing the extent to which people feel temporally discrepant and off course-a sense we term derailment. First, we develop and empirically validate a self-report measure that is sensitive to our conceptualization of derailment (Studies 1-3). Employing the new measure with adult samples, Study 3 demonstrates its predictive ability above and beyond other widely used measures of subjective change and identity distress. Study 4 shows the negative effects of derailment persist independent of whether individuals perceive changing for the better or worse, or actually experience status-changing life events. Study 5 demonstrates the prospective utility of this measure by predicting depressive symptoms 18 months later. Finally, levels of derailment are shown to be reduced by a daily writing experiment that emphasizes goal continuity (Study 6). The discussion situates derailment at the intersection of developmental, clinical, and social psychological literatures as a unique and measurable source of psychological vulnerability, and strategies for attenuating its potentially deleterious impact are suggested. (PsycINFO Database Record


The HEC/PVA composite membranes of hydroxyethyl cellulose and poly vinyl alcohol were prepared by casting method, the appropriate weight of HEC was variable (0.1, 0.15, 0.2, 0.25 and 0.3 gm) dissolved in (25ml) of distilled water under stirring and heat (70?C) for (30 min.) then add the PVA with different weights (0.2, 0.4 and 0.6 gm) for each  HEC weight. In order to evaluate the mechanical properties of HEC/ PVA composite the ultrasonic measurements were performed at the samples , these properties are ultrasonic velocity, compressibility, acoustic impedance and bulk modulus, were made at fixed frequency (f =15KHz), another acoustic mechanical properties were measured and calculated at a same time such as the ultrasonic wave amplitude before and after absorption by composite were measured using oscilloscope ,then we calculated absorption coefficient , transmittance and the reflected pressure ratio of the sound. It was found that there is significant relationship between ultrasonic velocity and material properties also results show that adding PVA affects on the density then the absorption of the ultrasonic waves inside the composites samples. Keywords: hydroxylethel cellulose ;polyvinyle alcohol; mechanical properties; casting method.


As two key concepts in the Article 102 framework, competition on the merits and special responsibility suffer from a lack of concretization. As a result, the competition on the merits concept may lead the abuse assessment into an illusion of inherent impropriety, whereas the special responsibility concept is susceptible to expansive interpretations that undermine the pivotal role of dominance in the Article 102 paradigm. These issues are shown in cases concerning exclusive dealing and exclusivity rebates. This article suggests using the as efficient competitor rationale—complemented by the no economic sense rationale—to distinguish competition on the merits and abuse with respect to exclusionary conduct. The distinction can be expressed as "efficiency-based versus non-efficiency-based exclusions". Nonetheless, the limitations of the as efficient competitor test necessitate some calibrations. To that end and to give content to the special responsibility concept, this article spotlights the notion of minimum efficient scale, which has been somewhat overlooked and mischaracterized in the law enforcement. This concept deserves more appreciation in producing more coherent theories of harm under


Background : Verruca, also known as warts is a skin disease characterized by epidermal growth. Verruca may occur anywhere especially on palms and soles. It appears as a rough, dark-grey colored surface and has similar features with clavus or callus, which frequently lead to inappropriate management. Patient and Method : We report two cases with verruca, one was on sole and another was on palm area treated with curettage and chemical ablation using policresulen solution. Both cases have histories of recurrences from the previous treatment, which was excision and primary closure. Results : The wound healed within seven days after treatment. There were no recurrences found after 6-month follow up. Summary : Our treatment (curettage and chemical ablation using policresulen) has two advantages: (1) it can avoid excessive tissue removal since this lesion only afect epidermal layer.


ABSTRACT Different countries have different histories, traditions, cultures, and practices of student voice and are currently at different stages of their student voice journeys. This paper investigates how student voice is coming to be used in relation to classroom practice in different school types and socio-economic settings in the Irish education system. Ireland is a country without a strong tradition or history of student voice and particularly in relation to teaching and learning matters and it is envisaged that this paper will be of strong interest to those in countries where student voice is not yet prominent, but there are also wider implications. This research shows that students are now being consulted in relation to classroom practice in a variety of ways but that even within single school systems consultations are very much connected to school context with voice being used to different extents in different schools in different settings.


The uplink where both the transmitter and receiver can use a large antenna array is considered. This is proposed as a method of antenna offloading and connecting small cell access points (SCAP) in a Two-Tier cellular network. Due to having a limited number of RF-chains, hybrid beamformers are designed where phase-only processing is done at the RF-band, followed by digital processing at the baseband. The proposed receiver is a row combiner that clusters sufficiently correlated antenna elements, and its' performance is compared against random projection via a Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) matrix. The analogue to the row combiner is a column spreader, which is dependent on the transmit correlation, and repeats the transmitted signal over antenna elements that are correlated. A key benefit of this approach is to reduce the number of phase shifters used, while outperforming the DFT scheme. When only the transmitter has correlation and is RF-chain limited, the baseband precoding vectors are shown to be the eigenvectors of the effective transmit correlation matrix. Depending on the channel correlation, this matrix can be approximated to have a tridiagonal Toeplitz structure with the proposed column spreader (CS). The resulting eigenvalues have a closed form solution which allows us to characterize the sum rate of the system. Most interestingly, the associated eigenvectors do not require knowledge of the effective transmit correlation matrix to be calculated using an Eigenvalue Decomposition (EVD) method.


The remanent domain structures of composite element magnetic barcodes have been imaged using photo-emission electron microscopy with contrast from x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD-PEEM) and analysed with reference to the results of micromagnetic simulations. The magnetisation configuration at the end of wide strips is found to be perpendicular to the majority magnetisation direction. This transitions to an incomplete rotation for nominal strip widths below 300 nm and is found to affect the mechanics of magnetisation reversal for nominal strip widths below 200 nm, owing to a difference in magnetisation orientation when an external magnetic field is applied that is just smaller than the magnetic coercivity of the structures and a corresponding change in reversal dynamics. This change in domain structure as strip width decreases is consistent with both the influence of shape anisotropy and with measurements of magnetic hysteresis. The magnetisation reversal characteristics of composite element structures are found to be dependent on the relative magnetisation configurations of neighbouring strips, which in turn are found to vary stochastically upon the application and removal of a magnetic field along the easy axis of the structure. It is found that the application of a canted field is necessary to ensure sharp, consistent magnetisation reversal of bits when writing a binary code. These results confirm that either improved lithography of narrower strips or non-rectangular elements would be necessary to further increase the number of individually programmable bits in a barcode.


In online bandit learning, the learner aims to minimize a sequence of losses, while only observing the value of each loss at a single point. Although various algorithms and theories have been developed for online bandit learning, most of them are limited to convex losses. In this paper, we investigate the problem of online bandit learning with non-convex losses, and develop an efficient algorithm with formal theoretical guarantees. To be specific, we consider a class of losses which is a composition of a non-increasing scalar function and a linear function. This setting models a wide range of supervised learning applications such as online classification with a non-convex loss. Theoretical analysis shows that our algorithm achieves an O(poly(d)T2/3) regret bound when the variation of the loss function is small. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work in online bandit learning that does not rely on convexity.


Drastic increases in the cost of N fertilizer and increased public scrutiny have encouraged development and implementation of improved N management practices. This study evaluated the relationship between corn (Zea mays L.) grain yield and early season normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) sensor readings using the GreenSeeker sensor. The relationships between grain yield and several predictor variables were determined using linear and nonlinear regression analysis. Categorizing NDVI measurement by leaf stage indicated that growth stagewas criticalfor predictinggrain yield potential. Poor exponential relationships existed between NDVI from early sensor measurements (V6–V7 leaf stage) and grain yield. By the V8 stage, a strong relationship (R 2 5 0.77) was achieved between NDVI and grain yield. Later sensor measurements (V9 and later) failed to distinguish variation in green biomass as a result of canopy closure. Normalizing the NDVI with GDD (growing degree days) did not significantly improve yield potential prediction (R 2 5 0.73), but broadened the yield potential prediction equation to include temperature and allowed for adaptation into various climates. Sensor measurements at the range of 800 to 1000 GDD resulted in a significant exponential relationship between grain yield and NDVI (R 2 5 0.76) similar to the V8 leaf stage categorization. Categorizing NDVI by GDD (800–1000 GDD) extended the sensing time by two additional leaf stages (V7–V9) to allow a practical window of opportunity for sidedress N applications. This study showed that yield potential in corn could be accurately predicted in season with NDVI measured with the GreenSeeker sensor.


The power generated by flexible wearable devices (FWDs) is normally insufficient to eradicate bacteria, and many conventional antibacterial strategies are also not suitable for flexible and wearable applications because of the strict mechanical and electrical requirements. Here, polypyrrole (PPy), a conductive polymer with a high mass density, is used to form a nanostructured surface on FWDs for antibacterial purposes. The conductive films with PPy nanorods (PNRs) are found to sterilize 98.2 ± 1.6% of Staphylococcus aureus and 99.6 ± 0.2% of Escherichia coli upon mild electrification (1 V). Bacteria killing stems from membrane stress produced by the PNRs and membrane depolarization caused by electrical neutralization. Additionally, the PNR films exhibit excellent biosafety and electrical stability. The results represent pioneering work in fabricating antibacterial components for FWDs by comprehensively taking into consideration the required conductivity, mechanical properties, and biosafety.


Intra-body communication (IBC) has gone through explosively growth in both human body channel characterization as well as circuits and systems implementation in recent years. However, up to now, the physical layer security issues of the IBC has never been carefully studied. This is the first paper analyzing the physical layer security issues of electric-field IBC (EF-IBC). The EF-IBC channel gain and the channel radiation gain (gain from an active EF-IBC channel to a nearby EF-IBC receiver) is measured, compared and analyzed. When considering channel gain, channel radiation gain, environmental interference, and the channel security, the desirable frequency band for IBC should be from 45MHz to 80MHz when the security is not of primary concern. The band from 60MHz to 80MHz is preferred when open-arm position is involved and security is important.


Laser absorption spectroscopy was applied to determine in situ particle concentrations and temperatures in an atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge. The measurements were performed with a small model reactor. The electrical excitation was by fast voltage pulses rising to 20 kV in about 300 ns (in some later measurements in approximately 90 ns); the repetition rate was 50 kHz maximum. Effects of filament distribution and discharge homogeneity were investigated. The fast rising voltage has the consequence that all filaments are generated within a 50 ns interval for each half-cycle. Observation of the NO (0,0)-band allows the determination of NO concentrations, spatially resolved as a function of the distance from a single filament; gas temperatures can be inferred from a comparison of calculated and measured line absorptions in characteristic narrow spectral intervals.


Abstract Research groups are increasingly utilizing value frameworks, but little is known of their reliability. To assess framework concordance and interrater reliability between two major value frameworks currently in use, we identified all previously published datasets containing both scores from the American Society of Clinical Oncology Value Framework (ASCO-VF) and grades from the European Society for Medical Oncology-Magnitude of Clinical Benefit Scale (ESMO-MCBS). The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to assess interrater reliability. Four eligible studies contained drugs evaluated by both value frameworks, resulting in a dataset of 39 grades/scores for discrete drug indications. ICC was 0.82 (95% confidence interval = 0.70 to 0.90) for ASCO-VF and 0.88 (95% confidence interval = 0.80 to 0.93) for ESMO-MCBS. Absolute concordance was found to be 5% for ASCO-VF and 44% for ESMO-MCBS, increasing to 74% and 80% when deviations within 20 points and 1 grade were considered, respectively. Interrater reliability of ASCO-VF and ESMO-MCBS is, therefore, near perfect, while absolute concordance is poor. This has implications when considering framework outputs in drug funding or treatment decision making.


ISSUES AND PURPOSE
Learning may be inhibited if students experience undue stress in the clinical setting. This study described the stresses, challenges, and emotions experienced by pediatric nursing students.

DESIGN AND METHODS
Students (n = 75) completed a modified Pagana Clinical Stress Questionnaire at the end of their pediatric nursing clinical course. The comparison group of students (n = 383) was enrolled in nonpediatric clinical courses in the same nursing programs.

RESULTS
The most stressful aspect of clinical practice was giving medications to children. High stress scores were related to more fear and disappointment in clinical practice. Students who experienced high stress were less stimulated by their clinical activities and developed less confidence in practice.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS
Knowledge of students' perceptions of clinical stress can help educators and clinicians promote a positive and rewarding clinical atmosphere.


Castleman's Disease is a rare tumour involving lymph node tissues; a case of benign localized disease and a case of rapid progressive multicentric disease are reported. Case report 1: A 19-year-old man presented with four months of hypogastric and left iliac pain. Castleman's Disease was suspected after CT-scan. A CT-guided fine-needle biopsy of the lesion was performed revealing hyaline vascular type Castleman's Disease. The patient underwent open surgery with radical excision of the lesion. No adjuvant therapy was performed after surgery. The patient is alive and disease-free after 24 months. Case report 2: A 58-year-old woman presented with a right axillary palpable lymph node and vague abdominal discomfort. Abdomen CT demonstrated hepatosplenomegaly associated with adenopathy at the hepatic hilus and splenic hilus; dilatation of intra-hepatic biliary ducts was present. The axillary node was excised, the mass at hepatic hilus was biopsied. The diagnosis was Castleman's Disease in both sites. In course of steroid therapy retroperitoneal multiple nodes appeared associated with fast-progressive mechanic jaundice and liver failure. Progressive multi-organ failure arose within 1 week, with irreversible clinical worsening to death.


Commonly used strategies for parasite control in adult horses are based largely on knowledge and concepts that are more than 40 years old. However, much has changed over this time necessitating a re-examination of recommendations for parasite control. In response to this need, the AAEP has formed a Task Force charged with producing a comprehensive set of recommendations for helping veterinarians develop improved strategies and programs for parasite control in horses of all ages. Guidelines will be specified separately for adult and young horses (less than 3 years).


This contribution analyses the recent global expansion of different types of tree plantations. A literature review collates accounts from recent academic publications and by NGOs, and is accompanied by field research and interview observations about the causal processes, central features and likely futures of contemporary tree plantation expansion. I will analyse the political and spatial causalities explaining varieties and commonalities in expansion style and pace, with elaboration on the applied and empirical significance of these findings for peasant studies. The literature on environmental and developmental impacts of tree plantation expansion is also surveyed.


Abstract. Bon SG, Antesco GP, Enicola EE. 2023. Morphological characteristics and variability of traditional starch forming coix (Coix lacryma-jobi var. ma-yuen populations from Mindanao Island, Philippines. Biodiversitas 24: 4382-4391. Adlay (Coix lacryma-jobi var. ma-yuen (Rom.Caill.) Stapf) is an underutilized crop in the Philippines with high potential. Characterization and elucidation of the available variability among the local adlay populations are essential information for its improvement and better utilization. The study aimed to characterize the qualitative morphological traits of 34 traditional adlay populations from Mindanao Provinces and assess diversity by the Shannon Index and similarity by multivariate clustering. Results showed that all populations shared the same morphotypes in five descriptors but were variable for the rest. Six populations showed intense leaf anthocyanin coloration, and 23 expressed upright growth habits. Three types of leaf blade colors were observed, while the intensity of anthocyanin coloration of culms was expressed in four types. Most populations had semi-pubescent or highly pubescent leaves, generally intermediate leaf orientation and non-glaucous leaves. Immature grains were generally light green but expressed four color types at maturity, mostly circular with furrows on the surface. Diversity Indices (H') ranged from low to high. Leaf blade pubescence, anthocyanin coloration of culm, and mature grain color had high H' values. Cluster analysis showed that the variability was narrow, where overall clustering achieved 0.50 similarity. At 0.65 similarity, three groups can be derived with three populations as outliers. Clustering can be attributed to the differences in seedling color, anthocyanin coloration, plant growth habit, immature grain color, mature grain color, and shape. The study established the morphological description of the qualitative traits of traditional Philippine adlay and assessed diversity to be generally intermediate, where populations can be clustered into subgroups according to the degree of morphotype similarities. Clustering, however, was not related to provenances. It is recommended to conduct further geographic germplasm sampling, marker-based characterization, and agronomic evaluation to dissect further the genetic diversity and crop potential of the local adlay populations.


We consider cascade and triangular source coding with side information and causal reconstruction at the end node. When the side information at the source and intermediate nodes are the same, we characterize the rate distortion regions for both the cascade and triangular source coding problems. For the general cascade setting with causal reconstruction at the end node, we characterize the rate region when the sources satisfy a positivity condition, or when a Markov chain holds.


We consider fractional online covering problems with lq-norm objectives. The problem of interest is of the form min{f(x) : Ax ≥ 1, x ≥ 0} where f(x) = ∑ e ce‖x(Se)‖qe is the weighted sum of lq-norms and A is a non-negative matrix. The rows of A (i.e. covering constraints) arrive online over time. We provide an online O(log d+ log ρ)-competitive algorithm where ρ = max aij min aij and d is the maximum of the row sparsity of A and max |Se|. This is based on the online primal-dual framework where we use the dual of the above convex program. Our result expands the class of convex objectives that admit good online algorithms: prior results required a monotonicity condition on the objective f which is not satisfied here. This result is nearly tight even for the linear special case. As direct applications we obtain (i) improved online algorithms for non-uniform buy-at-bulk network design and (ii) the first online algorithm for throughput maximization under lp-norm edge capacities.


Background: It is important for children to be engaged in art activities to acquire desirable emotions and behaviours. Art education is thought to contribute to children's development of personal and social skills, such as self-confidence and sharing.Aim: This study aims to investigate the effect of art activities on 36–48-month-old children's personal and social development and offers suggestions for teachers and parents about art activities.Setting and Methods: The sample included 56 children from the Duzce University Pre-School (28 children in the experimental group and 28 children in the control group). Quantitative data collection techniques were used, and randomised pre-test post-test experimental design with control groups was adopted. The experimental group received 7 weeks of art education developed by the researcher as six 45 – 50 min sessions. The Brief Infant-Toddler Social and Emotional Assessment, which was adapted to Turkish was used as the data collection instrument. Variances were defined based on the data obtained. Content differences and frequency tables were formed and interpreted.Results: Analysis of the data reveals a significant difference between the experimental and control groups' pre-test and post-test scores.


Abstract. Open dumping is the common procedure for final disposal of municipal solid waste (MSW) in Iran. Several environmental pollution and soil degradation problems were found as a consequence of poor planning of landfills. So recognition of the MSW landfill state is required to prevent environmental problems. The objective of this research was to study the suitability of existing municipal landfill sites using geographic information system methods. Tonekabon city in the west area of Mazandaran province, northern Iran, along the southern coast of the Caspian Sea, was chosen as a case study. In order to carry out this evaluation, two guidelines were used: Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and regional screening guidelines. The results indicate that the landfills were not located in suitable sites and also that there are few suitable locations to install the landfills.


This study aims at investigating the presence of alkaloids and other chemical constituents in Datura stramonium (Saikaran, Jimson weed). All parts of the plant were dried, crushed and then underwent extraction by soxhlet and maceration methods. The solvents used in these methods were normal hexane (nonpolar) and ethanol (polar). TLC and FTIR techniques were used to analysed the chemical components of jimson weed. The results showed the presence of hyoscine in all plant parts while atropine in the seeds only. The best separation was found to be when the solvent system was acetone: water: ammonia (90:07:03). Maceration method is the best procedure for extraction, in addition, it is cheap.


ABSTRACT The twin-arginine translocation (Tat) system is involved in a variety of important bacterial physiological processes. Conserved among bacteria and crucial for virulence, the Tat system is deemed as a promising anti-microbial drug target. However, the mechanism of how the Tat system functions in bacterial pathogenesis has not been fully understood. In this study, we showed that the Tat system was critical for the virulence of an extra-intestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) strain PCN033. A total of 20 Tat-related mutant strains were constructed, and competitive infection assays were performed to evaluate the relative virulence of these mutants. The results demonstrated that several Tat substrate mutants, including the ΔsufI, ΔamiAΔamiC double mutant as well as each single mutant, ΔyahJ, ΔcueO, and ΔnapG, were significantly outcompeted by the WT strain, among which the ΔsufI and ΔamiAΔamiC strains showed the lowest competitive index (CI) value. Results of individual mouse infection assay, in vitro cell adhesion assay, whole blood bactericidal assay, and serum bactericidal assay further confirmed the virulence attenuation phenotype of the ΔsufI and ΔamiAΔamiC strains. Moreover, the two mutants displayed chained morphology in the log phase resembling the Δtat and were defective in stress response. Our results suggest that the Tat system and its dependent cell division proteins SufI, AmiA, and AmiC play critical roles during ExPEC pathogenesis.


Background: Diabetes mellitus is a common metabolic disorder that is associated with many complications such as peripheral neuropathies. This study was designed to investigate the effect of Brassica juncea on peripheral neuropathic pain in diabetic rat. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, male Wistar rats (250±20 g) were divided randomly to normal and diabetic (control, B. juncea extract at doses 150 and 300 mg/kg) groups. Experimental diabetes was induced by the intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (60 mg/kg). After four weeks treatment, animals were subjected to Tail-flick test to evaluate pain threshold and data were analyzed using SPSS software. Statistical significance was considered at p<0.05. Results: The results of this study showed that diabetes significantly decreased pain threshold in the rats. Also diabetes-induced hyperalgesia was significantly decreased by treatment with extracts of B. juncea at doses 150 and 300 mg/kg (p<0.05 and p<0.01, respectively). Conclusion: Our observation indicates that B. juncea could be a therapeutic option for control and treatment of hyperalgesia associated with diabetic neuropathy in diabetic patients. However, further studies are required to elucidate the antinociceptive effects of B. juncea.


This book is an exceptional piece of work by revealing raw and up to date facts regarding the recent Ethiopian New Millennium Green Development Campaigns conducted in Addis Ababa at Yeka Millennium Park (as a pilot view). The book manifests critical problems and also indicates prospective treats and threats vis-a-vis the theme of the study on a way forward. The book will give good insight to different stakeholders (at different levels): policy makers, environmentalists, academia, agronomists, researchers, teachers, students etc. Moreover, the book will seen as a timely contribution to the ongoing debate raised by foresters, researchers and environmental activists with the decision makers (political leaders) … and input to Millennium Development Goals (MDGs7) as green development and ensuring environmental sustainability are hot cake issues to the global society.


This paper describes low-cost materials and processes for embedded thin film resistors that can be integrated into printed wiring board using sequential build-up processes. Realization of embedded resistors on conventional board level high loss epoxy (∼0.015 at 1 GHz) and proposed low loss BCB dielectric (∼0.0008 at > 40 GHz) has been explored in this study. Foil transfer and electroless plating have been attempted for embedding thin film resistors. Ni-P alloys were plated using conventional electroless plating, and NiCr and NiCrAlSi foils were used for the foil transfer process. A test vehicle consisting of various geometry and values of resistors was designed and fabricated to evaluate electrical and mechanical reliability of embedded thin film resistors. For the first time, Benzocyclobutene (BCB) has been proposed as a board level dielectric for advanced System-on-Package (SOP) module primarily due to its attractive low-loss (for RF application) and thin film (for high density wiring) properties. To realize embedded resistors on multi-layer BCB, a low-cost large format electroless process for deposition of NiP and NiWP thin film resistors using both low- (25°C) and high-temperature (90°C) baths has been developed. The electroless process exhibits uniform resistor thickness in the sub-micron range and offers low profile and excellent adhesion to BCB dielectric. These films also act as a seed layer for the subsequent direct electroplating of copper traces. NiP alloys can also be tailored to variable temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) with different alloy compositions. The electroless process can be adopted in the PCB manufacturing industries with no additional investment.© 2005 ASME


The quest for experimental platforms that allow for the exploration, and even control, of the interplay of low dimensionality and frustration is a fundamental challenge in several fields of quantum many-body physics, such as quantum magnetism. Here, we propose the use of cold crystals of trapped ions to study a variety of frustrated quantum spin ladders. By optimizing the trap geometry, we show how to tailor the low dimensionality of the models by changing the number of legs of the ladders. Combined with a method for selectively hiding ions provided by laser addressing, it becomes possible to synthesize stripes of both triangular and Kagome lattices. Besides, the degree of frustration of the phonon-mediated spin interactions can be controlled by shaping the trap frequencies. We support our theoretical considerations by initial experiments with planar ion crystals, where a high and tunable anisotropy of the radial trap frequencies is demonstrated. We take into account an extensive list of possible error sources under typical experimental conditions, and describe explicit regimes that guarantee the validity of our scheme.


The range of pitch that a speaker can maximally produce is constrained by the physiological characteristics. Unlike the speaking pitch range in speech samples, this kind of 'physiological pitch range' is independent from the content of the speech, but can be partly estimated by human listeners from even a brief speech, employing not only the fundamental frequency (F0) but also the spectral features. In our previous work, we proposed a spectrum-based algorithm for estimating physiological pitch range from a brief speech, which outperformed the traditional F0 analysis method when the speech input was as short as 300ms. The present study continued to test the algorithm on a Japanese-Chinese parallel speech corpus uttered by a group of native speakers of Japanese who spoke Mandarin as a second language. For each speaker, the proposed algorithm obtained almost the same pitch range from his/her L1 and L2 speech data, whereas the traditional method gave two estimations with a larger difference. The results verified that the proposed algorithm was more capable of estimating a speaker's physiological pitch range from a brief speech.


Subtle changes in molecular structure have been used to alter the molecular packing and optical properties of organic luminophores. Thus it is important to study simple and advantageous structural modification to overcome limitations of aggregation quenching of fluorescence. Planar conjugated organic compounds are unlikely to be used in OLED devices as they suffer with luminescence weakening due to p–p cofacial stacking and excimer formation in the solid state. To avoid such critical issues, doped device architecture for OLED devices has widely been adopted which actually complicates the device fabrication process. Thus an approach for delimiting these drawbacks using simple methodologies is highly desirable for cost effective OLED device fabrication. In this context, two 3-dimensional rigid arms have been introduced into a planar benzo[h]chromen-2-one core, which suffers from aggregation caused quenching, as peripheral substituents to tune the molecular packing and subsequently their optical properties. The resultant compounds 1 and 2 have been tested for non-doped and doped OLED device application. Compound 1 was found to be highly thermally stable with a decomposition temperature of 344 C. Single crystal XRD studies helped to elucidate that voluminous ring substituents are capable of eradicating co-facial p–p stacking by increasing the intermolecular distance and hence the luminescence in the solid state could be regenerated. This tuning of intermolecular distance between molecules helped to mitigate the close packed arrangement at a molecular level and also provided the bulk with the enhanced emission property. Electroluminescence from a pristine layer of compound 1 was possible. Thus an approach enabling planar luminophores to be used in OLED applications utilizing thin films of structurally engineered luminophores has been presented.


We present a bulk data collection service, Harvest, for energy constrained wireless sensor nodes. To increase spatial reuse and thereby decrease latency, Harvest performs concurrent, pipelined exfiltration from multiple nodes to a base station. To this end, it uses a distance-k coloring of the nodes, notably with a constant number of colors, which yields a TDMA schedule whereby nodes can communicate concurrently with low packet losses due to collision. This coloring is based on a randomized CSMA approach which does not exploit location knowledge. Given a bounded degree of the network, each node waits only O$(1)$ time to obtain a unique color among its distance-k neighbors, in contrast to the traditional deterministic distributed distance-k vertex coloring wherein each node waits O$(\Delta^{2})$ time to obtain a color. Harvest offers the option of limiting memory use to only a small constant number of bytes or of improving latency with increased memory use; it can be used with or without additional mechanisms for reliability of message forwarding. We experimentally evaluate the performance of Harvest using 51 motes in the Kansei testbed. We also provide theoretical as well as TOSSIM-based comparison of Harvest with Straw, an extant data collection service implemented for TinyOS platforms that use one-node at a time exfiltration. For networks with more than 3-hops, Harvest reduces the latency by at least 33% as compared to that of Straw.


The human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum possess a unique mechanism of gliding motility guided by glideosome that powers its entry into insect and vertebrate hosts to facilitate its invasion and internalization within the targeted host cell. Photosensitized INA-labelled protein 1 (PhIL1) forms a novel protein complex that is associated with glideosome motor complex in the inner membrane complex of invasive merozoite. To establish the role of PfPhIL1 associated novel complex at asexual blood stages, we characterized three proteins associated with PhIL1: a glideosome associated protein- PfGAPM2, an IMC structural protein- PfALV5 and a previously uncharacterised protein - referred here as PfPhIP (PhIL1 interacting protein). GFP targeting and co-immunoprecipitation analysis confirmed that these proteins are part of a PhIL1 associated novel complex, which co-exists with the glideosomal complex. To know the functional significance of PhIL1 associated complex, transgenic parasites were generated for glmS mediated conditional knock-down of each of the three proteins. Parasites lacking PfPhIP or PfGAPM2 were unable to invade the RBCs. PfPhIP deficient parasites also showed defects in merozoite segmentation. PfPhIP and PfGAPM2 depleted parasites revealed abrogation of reorientation/gliding, although initial attachment with human RBCs was not affected in these knock-down parasites. Together, the data presented here shows that proteins of the PhIL1 associated complex play an important role in orientation of P. falciparum merozoites post initial attachment, which is crucial for formation of tight junction and hence invasion of host erythrocytes.


Abstract Lamivudine, adefovir, telbivudine, and entecavir are nucleoside analogues that can inhibit hepatitis B virus replication and are licensed in China by the Food and Drug Administration. This study presents the cases of 2 patients who were chronically infected with HBV and suffered hepatic failure resulting from withdrawal of telbivudine and adefovir, respectively.


The cosynthesis of DNA and RNA potentially generates conflicts between replication and transcription, which can lead to genomic instability. In trypanosomatids, eukaryotic parasites that perform polycistronic transcription, this phenomenon and its consequences have not yet been investigated. Here, using equations and computational analysis we demonstrated that the number of constitutive origins mapped in the Trypanosoma brucei genome is close to the minimum required to complete replication within S phase duration. However, taking into account the location of these origins in the genome, the replication in due time becomes virtually impossible, making it necessary to activate non-constitutive origins. Moreover, computational and biological assays pointed to transcription being responsible for activating non-constitutive origins. Together, our results suggest that transcription action through conflicts with replication contributes to the firing of non-constitutive origins, maintaining the robustness of S phase duration. The usage of this entire pool of origins seems to be of paramount importance for the survival of this parasite that infects million people around the world since it contributes to the maintenance of the replication of its DNA.


When wide-scale flooding occurs in a community not accustomed to floods, health concerns emerge. While official organizations tasked with communicating emerging health information exist, the proliferation of social media makes it possible for average citizens to participate in this conversation. This study used a combination of semi-structured interviews and photo elicitation techniques to explore how citizens used private social media sites to share health information. We found two main categories of health concerns: existing medical conditions and water-created. We further identified six themes that describe the common approaches average citizens used to share health information: Narrating a personal experience, presenting it as a Public Service Announcement, downplaying the contribution, bringing a credible source into the conversation, including external links and sources, and using humor. Together, these findings suggest that citizens need health information during a flood disaster, and when they do not have it available from official sources, they use their private social media to tap into a shared community identity and carefully help one another.


The 2017 ACC-AHA Hypertension Guideline recommends initiation of antihypertensive drug therapy based on blood pressure (BP) and an assessment of global cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, but intensive lifestyle modification may lower BP to below recommended thresholds for treatment in some patients. We examined the effects of lifestyle modification on calculated CVD risk and on the indications for BP lowering medications in individuals with untreated hypertension. Participants included 144 adults with BP 130-160/80-99 mmHg who were randomized to 16 weeks of DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet plus behavioral weight management (DASH+WM), DASH diet alone (DASH), or Usual Care. The mean age of the study cohort was 52.0 years; the average baseline BP was 138±9/86±6 mmHg. The 10-year CVD risk, as calculated by the Pooled Cohort Equations, was 5.7%. The adjusted 10-year risk fell to 4.4% in the DASH+WM group and to 5.0% in the DASH arm, but was not significantly changed (5.7%) in the Usual Care controls. The percentages of participants with guideline-based indications for antihypertensive drugs fell from 51% to 18% in the DASH+WM group and from 48% to 22% in the DASH group; and did not change significantly (49% to 44%) in the Usual Care group (p=.010 for the active intervention groups vs Usual Care; p=0.042 for DASH+WM vs DASH). These data demonstrate that in men and women with mildly elevated BP, lifestyle interventions can lower the calculated CVD risk and dramatically decrease the number of individuals for whom guideline-directed antihypertensive medication is indicated.


An unprecedented series of Mn2+-based metal–organic framework (MOF) materials prepared and isolated in ionic liquids (ILs) is reported. Ionothermal reactions of Mn(OAc)2 with H3btc (benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylic acid) in two groups of [rmi]X (rmi = 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium; r = ethyl or propyl, X = Cl, Br, or I) ILs produced three slightly different 3D MOFs formulated as [rmi][Mn(btc)] [r = ethyl (1), propyl (2), and (3)], whose architectures can be envisaged as (3,6)-connected pyr topological nets. Compounds 1–3 are the preferred products when the metal center is half filled d-shelled Mn with the cations of ILs being [emi]+ or [pmi]+. The comparison of the ionothermal synthesized M-btc systems suggests a significant combinatorial influence of metal-direction and ILs' cationic template, contrasting with subtle effect of ILs' halides on the MOF structures.


This paper proposes CDC (Continuous Damping Control) algorithm and verifies in multi-body dynamic vehicle. In order to distinguish a road profile on driving, waviness calculated by the filtered vertical-accelerations of sprung and unsprung masses is introduced. Sky-hook control is used at a low waviness road and constant damping level control is used at a high waviness road, where the hard damping level is determined by waviness, roll rate, acceleration, and deceleration. The damping levels of ride, anti-roll, anti-squat, and anti-dive modules are calculated by tuning parameters which is dependent upon vehicle velocity. Therefore this high tunable algorithm is useful to improve the ride and handling performance under various driving conditions. In the simulations, tire and dampers are modelled by SWIFT (Short Wavelength Intermediate Frequency Tire) model and 1st order delay model, and results are compared with conventional damper"s.


Why and how birds in colonies often breed in striking synchrony is an unsolved question. In colonies, conspecific birds often destroy eggs and kill chicks, either intentionally or not. We propose that social tranquillity at the time of laying can be achieved if a bird's stress level is partly determined by the agitation of its neighbours. Moreover, we propose that this local process, together with environmental cues, can synchronize breeding between neighbours and through a whole colony. We tested our hypotheses using a generic individual-based model where the breeding predisposition of females was updated daily depending on an increase in the photoperiod (positively) and the stress level of neighbours: negatively if they were agitated, and positively otherwise. A female laid her eggs when her stress level fell to a critical value. Even giving only a low relevance to the neighbour's stress level was enough to synchronize the laying date of neighbours and also of a huge colony. Moreover, females bred in a safer environment, which is known from field studies to increase fitness. Our study highlights the power of local adaptive (individual) behaviour to create global (colony) patterns. We argue that collective patterns such as breeding synchrony in colonial birds could have simple adaptive individual-level explanations.


Culicoides species belonging to the Obsoletus complex (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) have been indicated as primary bluetongue (BT) vectors in many European countries and their possible involvement in the maintenance and overwintering of BT viruses has been suggested, even in regions where Culicoides imicola Keiffer is the main vector. The Obsoletus complex includes two predominant taxa, Culicoides obsoletus (Meigen) and Culicoides scoticus Downes & Kettle. However, the role played by each species in the epidemiology of BT is still unknown. Taxonomic identification is mainly based on the morphology of male genitalia and the lack of other reliable diagnostic features makes the screening of trap‐collected vector populations, mainly females, particularly difficult. Although molecular markers have facilitated species identification, little information is yet available on the biology, abundance and population dynamics of the two taxa. The aim of this work was to investigate the genetic profile and temporal distribution of C. obsoletus and C. scoticus by using isozyme electrophoresis applied to adult midges, collected weekly at two selected farms in southern Sardinia. A total of nine enzyme loci were analysed and five of them provided diagnostic allozyme markers (Hk, Mdh, Pgi, Idh‐1 and Idh‐2). Nei's genetic distance between the two taxa was in the range of other well‐separated taxa (D = 1.792), supporting their status as true species. Culicoides scoticus represented almost 61% of the 562 specimens analysed; its genetic structure was characterized by a very low level of intra‐population variation (mean heterozygosity He = 0.019) and higher genetic divergence between populations (FST = 0.0016) than in C. obsoletus. The latter species had significantly more heterozygotes (He = 0.123), a higher percentage of polymorphic loci, and no inter‐population differentiation (FST≅0). We suggest that different biological and ecological constraints, such as breeding habitat requirements, may contribute to shaping the genetic profiles of C. scoticus and C. obsoletus. However, enough gene flow was maintained between populations of each species as no spatial and temporal structuring was sustained by Fisher's exact probability test (P > 0.5). The seasonal distributions of C. scoticus and C. obsoletus only partially overlapped: both species were mainly found early in the year, when the main vector, C. imicola, was present in low numbers, and peaked in abundance in April and May. Culicoides scoticus was predominant until May, decreased rapidly in the following months and increased again in winter, whereas C. obsoletus decreased more slowly and was still present in early summer. Consequently, C. scoticus may be a good candidate for playing a role in the transmission and maintenance of BT virus in Sardinia, as well as in other Mediterranean countries, during the months of late winter and early spring when the seroconversion of sentinel animals is still occurring in the absence of the main vector.


This paper gives an introduction to the silicon-on-insulator (SOI) CMOS technology and presents the major advantages and disadvantages of using SOI. It also presents the design of a comparator, which has been sent for manufacturing, designed in a 0.13 /spl mu/m partially depleted SOI CMOS process. The comparator is a first step towards the design of a complete 6-bit flash analog-to-digital converter, with a sampling frequency of 1.5 GHz.


Neutron diffraction measurements reveal a magnetic phase transition in TbCo2Ge2 from a collinear antiferromagnetic order with the k-vector [001] to an incommensurate sine-modulated magnetic structure described by the wave vector k = [0,0,1-kz] kz = 0.055(2). The transition occurs near the Neel point at 34 K. In both phases the magnetic moments localized on Tb3+ ions are parallel to the tetragonal axis.


This paper is an account of the social history of the Round House Gaol in Fremantle, Western Australia and of those lunatics that were gathered together into its closed geographical space. The first permanent structure, perched on the most elevated and prominent site in Fremantle, was a gaol; the design for which was based on Jeremy Bentham's Panopticon or Inspection House, created for the purpose of surveillance and control of inmates. Visible in 1997, the Round House still stands as a dominant, physical marker of the landscape, ranking as a premier historical tourist attraction in Western Australia. But its actual use as a place for the containment of lunatics is only cursorily alluded to. This paper addresses the previously ignored period of 1830-1850.


Business incubators are increasingly important institutions in the economic scenario and focus of countless scientific researches. The objective of this work was to identify the clusters of the International scientific production on business incubators, through bibliometric analysis. We analyzed publications from the period 1984 to 2017, through a systematic mapping in periodicals and annals of congresses. Four clusters on the subject were identified: (i) implementation and management of incubators; (ii) management of companies served by incubators; (iii) incubation, knowledge transfer and competitiveness at the regional level; and, (iv) entrepreneurial education and culture in the context of higher education institutions. The cluster construction of scientific publications on business incubators points to technology scenarios, business models, and innovation strategies.


Background A new model of safety Huber needles was referenced to meet the recommendations of positive pressure withdrawal. Despite preliminary nurse training and assessment organised by the pharmacy and operational hygiene team, various incidents were reported connected with the use of this medical device (MD). Purpose To define the cause of these incidents and establish a corrective action plan preventing repetition of such incidents. Material and methods After an analysis of medical device vigilance reports, a survey of nursing practices was conducted among the different departments based on the device instructions for use. Results 7 reports were recorded in the oncology inpatient unit and the onco-haematology day care unit for 230 needles distributed between May and June 2015. Two reports were rated 'minor', two 'significant' and three 'major'. There were 2 cases of lack of safety activation, 4 cases of needles retracting from the implantable port septum (IPS) and 1 of extravasation. These reports were more frequent in the inpatient unit, despite a lower use of these MD. After meeting the unit nurse manager, it was shown that nurses were connecting these incidents with a lack of training (dissimilar manipulations, unadapted needle lengths, hasty change with few preliminary evaluations). These criticisms were expressed during initial assessments along with instability and higher pain during needle insertion and removal. The nursing practice survey highlighted various misuses, such as non-perpendicular insertion and withdrawal, misuse of the foam wedging the needle, ineffective pulsed flushing technique and unadapted needle lengths. The 19 mm needles, previously used for most of the patients, had no strict equivalent in the new model. 20 mm needles were initially chosen but proved to be long, causing needle retracting from IPS. A corrective action plan was implemented: 17 mm needles are recommended for standard patients while the 20 mm needles are reserved for corpulent patients. Traceability of needle size is now mandatory in the patient file. Conclusion This work outlines that what first appeared to be a quality default was a professional practice problem. A new training campaign on good use of the MD was organised in September 2015 and allowed us to check the application of the action plan. No conflict of interest.


Butacaine sulfate is an ester of p-aminobenzoic acid which has been widely used as a local anaesthetic and it is a long standing agent particularly for spinal anaesthesia. For this reason, a kinetic study of oxidation of amylocaine hydrochloride by sodium N-chlorobenzenesulfonamide (chloramine-B or CAB) has been carried out in HClO4 medium at 298 K in order to explore this redox system mechanistic chemistry. The rate shows a first-order dependence on both [CAB]o, and [substrate]o, and a fractional-order dependence on acid concentration. Decrease of dielectric constant of the medium, by adding methanol, increases the rate of the reaction. Variation of ionic strength and addition of benzenesulfonamide or NaCl have no significant effect on the rate. The reaction was studied at different temperatures and the activation parameters have been evaluated. The stoichiometry of the reaction was found to be 1:2 and the oxidation products were identified by spectral analysis. The observed results have been explained by plausible mechanism and the related rate law has been deduced.


: Recently, studies contributing to development of complete mud system, which would enable drilling the borehole of arbitrary length (including directional and horizontal boreholes) without necessity of mud changing are conducted at the Faculty of Drilling, Oil and Gas AGH-UST Krakow. The article describes technological parameters of developed base mud (BFP) which constitutes ground of developed system. BFP mud will be applied as a structure-forming agent allowing suspension of other components in the drilling mud. BFP mud is characterized by low values of plastic viscosity in wide range of concentrations as well as enhanced strength parameters (Yield Point, Geles). Its parameters are easy to adjust to different geological conditions. The mud is resistant to mono- and divalent ions and to increased temperature. Due to those facts, abovementioned mud can find application in the drilling industry.


Memory destabilization and reconsolidation is hypothesized to be a fundamental mnemonic process that can underpin memory updating. Instrumental memories have been shown recently to be destabilized following a reactivation session that involves a change in instrumental reward contingency. However, the acquisition and performance of an instrumental response occurs in the presence of the learning of other reward-related memories. This may influence the ability of a given reactivation session to destabilize the previously learned instrumental memory. Here we present a series of experiments in male rats involving an instrumental memory trained on an FR1 schedule over 10 days, and then reactivated in a session that imposed a VR5 schedule of reinforcement. When MK-801 was injected prior to the VR5 reactivation session, it reliably impaired subsequent instrumental performance at test only when the reactivation session occurred 48 h, and not 24 h, after the end of training. The interposition between the end of training and the reactivation session of a context extinction session, an additional VR5 reactivation session, or indeed the simple experience of being handled and injected with vehicle, resulted in MK-801 no longer having an amnestic effect on test performance. While we do not have a clear account for the process and mechanism underpinning this apparent selectivity of the effect of the VR5 session to destabilize the instrumental memory, it does additionally highlight the need for greater understanding of the conditions that facilitate reactivation-induced memory destabilization.


OBJECTIVES
to identify the perception of nursing professionals on human errors in nursing care at a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and to assess Best Practices strategies proposed by these professionals for patient safety in nursing care.

METHODS
this is a quantitative-qualitative, descriptive study. Setting: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Participants: 22 nursing professionals. Data collection was performed through interviews and sent to the thematic analysis.

RESULTS
human errors in nursing care, such as wasted catheters; errors in the medication process; causes for error in nursing care, with a focus on work overload; Best Practices for patient safety in nursing care, such as professional training and improved working conditions.

CONCLUSIONS
it is of utmost importance to invest in Best Practices strategies for Patient Safety, aimed at consolidating the culture of organizational safety and encouraging an adequate environment to manage errors.


PURPOSE
To develop an instrument to measure subjective quality of vision: the Quality of Vision (QoV) questionnaire.

METHODS
A 30-item instrument was designed with 10 symptoms rated in each of three scales (frequency, severity, and bothersome). The QoV was completed by 900 subjects in groups of spectacle wearers, contact lens wearers, and those having had laser refractive surgery, intraocular refractive surgery, or eye disease and investigated with Rasch analysis and traditional statistics. Validity and reliability were assessed by Rasch fit statistics, principal components analysis (PCA), person separation, differential item functioning (DIF), item targeting, construct validity (correlation with visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, total root mean square [RMS] higher order aberrations [HOA]), and test-retest reliability (two-way random intraclass correlation coefficients [ICC] and 95% repeatability coefficients [R(c)]).

RESULTS
Rasch analysis demonstrated good precision, reliability, and internal consistency for all three scales (mean square infit and outfit within 0.81-1.27; PCA >60% variance explained by the principal component; person separation 2.08, 2.10, and 2.01 respectively; and minimal DIF). Construct validity was indicated by strong correlations with visual acuity, contrast sensitivity and RMS HOA. Test-retest reliability was evidenced by a minimum ICC of 0.867 and a minimum 95% R(c) of 1.55 units.

CONCLUSIONS
The QoV Questionnaire consists of a Rasch-tested, linear-scaled, 30-item instrument on three scales providing a QoV score in terms of symptom frequency, severity, and bothersome. It is suitable for measuring QoV in patients with all types of refractive correction, eye surgery, and eye disease that cause QoV problems.


-Atmospheric absorption parameters at microwave frequencies are estimated using synthesizer radiometer data from experiments at San Diego Miramar, CA and at West Palm Beach, FL. Measurements of well-calibrated downwelling brightness temperatures, TB, at up to nine frequencies spanning the 22.235 GHz water vapor line are compared to model predictions using radiosonde measurements at each site. Model parameters are adjusted by non-linear regression to fit the radiometer data.


The State of the Debate The main argument against compulsory voting is the sheer weakness of the arguments for it. Over the past three chapters, we examined many attempts to justify compulsory voting. Some of these arguments were incoherent or self-contradictory. Others relied on questionable or discredited empirical speculations. Others relied on false or implausible normative premises. Even if we ignored these serious flaws, none of these arguments could then explain why a voting lottery would not be superior to compulsory voting. All the arguments were defective. The best of the arguments gave us little reason to support compulsory voting. Most of the arguments gave us no reason to support it at all. At this point, we must conclude compulsory voting is unjust. Governments may not impose compulsory voting on their citizens, even if the overwhelming majority of citizens enthusiastically support compulsory voting. Australia, Belgium, and other countries must repeal their compulsory-voting laws immediately. In this chapter, I stop refuting arguments for compulsory voting and instead produce an independent argument against it. In a sense, previous chapters argued that compulsory voting is bad because it is not good. This chapter argues compulsory voting is bad because it is bad. Remember, however, that the other side bears the burden of proof. Strictly speaking, to undermine compulsory voting, I do not need my argument in this chapter to succeed. The arguments of the other three chapters suffice.


While the issue of citizens' declining trust in journalists has received much attention in both research and public discourse, relatively little research has examined how individuals' evaluations of the accuracy of media coverage of events they witnessed personally may have long-term effects on the level of trust in journalists. Using the responses of Israeli adults (n = 405) to an online survey, this study explored various predictors of public trust in journalists and found that perceived correspondence between direct personal experience and news reports was the strongest predictor of trust in journalists and the only one that remained significant when controlling for all other factors. In addition, general levels of public trust in journalists were found to be in small decline. These findings suggest that declining levels of trust in journalists may be associated with actual evaluations of the quality of media performance by individuals, thus refocusing the question of trust on journalistic practice rather than on audience attributes. At the same time, the fact that personal and possibly anecdotal evidence may have significant long-term effects on audience levels of trust is potentially problematic from a democratic standpoint. We discuss the implications and limitations of our findings.


Genetic conditions affecting hair structure or the hair growth cycle may be isolated or they may occur as part of complex syndromes with associated abnormalities of other ectodermal appendages. Defective hair structure caused by mutations in key hair structural proteins can result in severe alopecia. The best characterised conditions at the molecular level in this category are monilethrix1 (MIM 158000) and Netherton syndrome2,3 (MIM 256500). Monilethrix is an autosomal dominant disorder in which alopecia is the presenting manifestation; however, the degree of alopecia is variable between patients and during different time periods for the same individual. Causative mutations have been identified in the keratin hair basic 6 gene (HB6, MIM 601928) and the keratin hair basic 1 gene (HB1, MIM 602153).4 Netherton syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive condition characterised by "bamboo hair" (trichorrhexis invaginata), congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma, and atopic diathesis. Serine protease inhibitor, Kazal-type 5 gene (SPINK5, MIM 605010), located on chromosome 5q31–q32, encodes a 15 domain serine protease inhibitor and is mutated in Netherton syndrome.3 Structural hair shaft defects are also a feature of Menkes kinky hair syndrome (MIM 309400). Menkes disease,5 with X linked inheritance, is caused by mutations in the gene encoding Cu2+ transporting ATPase, ATP7A (MIM 300011).6

Isolated forms of alopecia include congenital atrichia and different forms of hypotrichosis, which may represent a dysregulation of the hair growth cycle and remodelling.7

Autosomal recessive congenital atrichia (MIM 203655) is the most extreme example of hair loss. In affected individuals with this form of alopecia, hair is typically absent from the scalp with shedding shortly after birth. Congenital atrichia has been linked to 8p21, where several mutations of the hairless gene (HR, MIM 602302) have been reported as the underlying cause of congenital atrichia.8,9

Marie Unna …


Abstract.
 Body condition is an important aspect of the health of any animal. The current standard method of body condition assessment in the platypus is the tail volume index (TVI). Although the tail is the largest repository of fat in the platypus, the reliability of TVI has not been adequately demonstrated. The aims of this study were, first to assess performance of the TVI, and second, to develop and evaluate performance of new techniques for routine field assessment of platypus body condition. Morphometric data were collected under anaesthesia from 137 adult wild platypuses (74 males, 63 females) captured in north-west Tasmania; ultrasound images of tail fat were also collected from 100 of these individuals (54 males, 46 females). Three new indices for platypus body condition were identified. An objective tail fat index (Relative Tail Fat Volume: RTFVTBL ) was developed, based on cross-sectional area measurements taken from detailed ultrasound images compared with total body length (TBL). Two body condition indices intended for routine field use were developed – one based on body mass (mb ) and bill width (BW) (Body Condition Index; BCIBW ), and the other based on a single linear ultrasonographic measurement of tail fat depth and BW (Relative Fat Depth; RFDBW). Results indicated that RFDBW outperforms TVI as an index of platypus tail fat. Further work, however, is needed to determine the relationship between tail fat and total body fat in the platypus before conclusions can be drawn about the effectiveness of BCIBW as a body condition index.


In 3D computer vision a relevant problem is to match a "source" image dataset with a "target" image dataset. The matching problem can be faced using a neural net approach, where the nodes are related to the image voxels and the synapses to the voxel information. This paper presents an improvement of the "Volume-Matcher 3D" project, an approach for a data-driven comparison and registration of three-dimensional images based on 3D neural networks. The approach has been improved by introducing a method for an efficient mapping of a regular mesh into a 3D neural network in order to reduce the high computational complexity. The algorithms developed have been tested on real cases of interest in the field of medical imaging. The software has been implemented on a high performance PC using the AVS/Express/sup TM/ software package for volume reconstruction.


The relationship between self-evaluation of sense of direction, mental rotation, and performance in map learning and pointing tasks has been investigated in a life-span perspective. Study 1 compared younger and older people in the Mental Rotation Test (MRT) and on the Sense of Direction and Spatial Representation (SDSR) Scale. Older people achieved higher scores on the SDSR Scale, but a lower performance in MRT compared with younger participants. In Study 2, groups of younger and older adults, one of each, were matched in the MRT, and pointing tasks in aligned and counter-aligned perspectives were administered. Our results showed that, when so matched, older participants performed better than the younger counterparts in perspective-taking tasks, but their performance was worse in map learning. Aligned pointing was performed better than the counter-aligned task in both age groups, showing an alignment effect. Furthermore the performance in the counter-aligned pointing was significantly correlated with MRT scores. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Language: en


This study examined the relationship between body height and dementia and explored the impact of intelligence level, educational attainment, early life environment and familial factors. A total of 666,333 men, 70,608 brothers, and 7,388 twin brothers born 1939-1959 and examined at the conscript board were followed in Danish nationwide registers (1969-2016). Cox regression models were applied to analyze the association between body height and dementia. Within-brothers and within-twin pair analyses were conducted to explore the role of shared familial factors including partly shared genetics. In total, 10,599 men were diagnosed with dementia. The association between one z-score difference in body height and dementia (HR: 0.90, 95%CI: 0.89;0.90) was inverse and weakened slightly after adjustment for intelligence test scores and educational level. The within-brother analyses revealed a smaller estimate for dementia diagnosis the cohort analyses of brothers. The twin analysis showed similar, though less clear associations, which were not statistically significant.


OBJECTIVE
To study the genetic polymorphism of twelve short tandem repeat loci of Y chromosome in Chaoshan Han populations.

METHODS
Twelve Y short tandem repeat loci, of which the template DNAs were extracted from blood samples of 121 unrelated Chaoshan Han individuals, were amplified by using the PowerPlex Y system. The PCR products were genotyped with ABI PRISM 3100 genetic analyzer.

RESULTS
From the loci DYS19, DYS437, DYS389I, DYS389II, DYS438, DYS439, DYS393, DYS391, DYS390, and DYS392, 4-7 alleles were checked out; from the loci DYS385, 35 alleles were observed. The overall observed haplotype diversity reached 0.9976. DYS391 was the locus with the lowest gene diversity (0.4445), while DYS385 had the highest gene diversity (0.9525).

CONCLUSION
The 12 Y-STR loci are highly polymorphic and suitable to forensic casework, population genetics and anthropology studies.


A 100-MeV proton accelerator has been developed, and the operation and beam service started at the Korea Multi-purpose Accelerator Complex (KOMAC) in July 2013. The accelerator consists of a 50-keV proton injector, a 3-MeV radio-frequency quadrupole (RFQ) and a 100-MeV drift tube linac (DTL). The resonance frequencies of the DTL tanks are controlled by using the resonance frequency control cooling system (RCCS), installed at every DTL tank. Until now, the RCCS has been operating in the constant temperature mode. If the system is to be stabilized better, the RCCS must be operated in the frequency control mode. For this purpose, studies, including the relation between the resonance frequency and RCCS operation temperature, were done under various conditions. In this paper, the preparations for the frequency control loop of the RCCS are described.


Psychological assessment for workplace discrimination is often complex, as each complainant has a particular personal history and context, including different coping skills, psychopathologies and unique life circumstances. A five-stage model based on best practice guidelines can assist forensic assessment practitioners in determining compensatory damages for psychological or psychiatric injuries and in formulating defensible, evidence-based reports that meet legal standards. The model incorporates legally relevant theories of causation to guide the evaluating psychologist to discern the nature and extent of any injury, and whether discrimination was the likely proximate cause. The focus not on diagnosis but on functional performance (cognitive, affective, interpersonal and physical) in four key contexts: activities of daily living, relationships, the workplace and hedonic pursuits. Assessment compares functioning in the complainant's life up until the "day before" the alleged discrimination event with the complainant's condition at the time of the alleged discrimination, and any symptoms or reactions experienced subsequently. The five-stage model provides a systematic method to examine workplace discrimination compensatory damages claims and increase the comprehensiveness and accuracy of the forensic evaluation.


The study is devoted to Poland's accession to NATO and the European Union (EU) and describes Germany's stance on Poland's Euro-Atlantic aspirations after 1989, which, despite various assessments, was not explicit and enthusiastic. However, it evolved gradually and was determined by a difficult internal situation after the reunification of Germany and its new geopolitics and geoeconomics. For Germany that reunified on 3 October 1990, an issue of greater importance than Polish accession to NATO and the EU was the presence of Soviet troops on the territory of the former GDR and normalization of relations with neighbors, particularly with France, Poland, the Soviet Union, and the United States. Both France and the United Kingdom, as well as the Soviet Union, and to a lesser extent, the United States initially were afraid of a reunified Germany and opposed Polish membership in Euro-Atlantic structures. At the time, hopes and fears were rife about the future of Europe. A common question was being asked in Paris, London, Moscow, Washington, and Warsaw – would reunified Germany remain a European state, or would Europe become German? Should Germany stay in NATO or leave after the reunification? There were questions also about Moscow's policy towards reunified Germany and its position on Poland's accession to Euro-Atlantic structures. Unfortunately, for a long time, it was negative. Today, thirty years after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the reunification of Germany, we can see that the black scenarios that were outlined in 1989-1990 did not actually come true. Despite the fears, those events opened the way for Poland to "return to Europe" and to gain membership in Euro-Atlantic structures, i.e., NATO and the European Union (EU). The path was not at all simple and it was not easy for Poland to make it through. In the study the author analyses subjective and objective difficulties related to Poland's accession to NATO and the EU and describes the evolution and role of Germany in this process.


Mathematical modeling has become a valuable tool for the analysis of dynamics of infectious disease and for the support of control strategies development in recent years. This work highlights the conceptual ideas and mathematical tools needed for infectious diseases modeling.Themain convergence of this was on the dynamics of infectious diseases, the analysis of transmission patterns in various populations, and methods to assess the effectiveness of control strategies such as HIV, childhood infections, influenza, and vector borne infections. It was concerned with qualitative behaviors of infectious diseasemodel.The qualitative behavior ofmodel includes positivity, uniqueness, local stability, global stability, bifurcation analysis, control of diseases, and existence of solutions.This study provided a platform for the discussion of the major research challenges and achievements on qualitative behaviors of infectious diseases and their control. Due to the availability of a lot of applications of this study, many authors contributed. G. R. Phaijoo and D. B. Gurung demonstrated that dengue is spreading in new areas due to people movement. They considered a multipatch model to assess the impact of temperature and human movement on the transmission dynamics of dengue disease. Dynamics of vector and host populations are investigated with different humanmovement rates and different temperature levels. N. Pipatsart et al. discussed adaptive random network models to describe human behavioral change during epidemics and performed stochastic simulations of SIR epidemic models on adaptive random networks. C. Burgess et al. derived risk-based immunization by deployment to polio-endemic regions, which is sufficient to prevent transmission among both deployed and nondeployed US military populations. T. Tilahun et al. analyzed a compartmental nonlinear deterministic mathematical model for the typhoid fever outbreak and optimal control strategies in a community with varying population. L. Worden et al. extended an approximation technique of the long-term behavior of a supercritical stochastic epidemic model, using the WKB approximation and a Hamiltonian phase space, to the subcritical case. S. Anis et al. discussed some of the genetic properties on the basis of algebra. Finally, A. Miao et al. proposed a stochastic SIR model with vertical transmission and vaccination.They showed that large noise can lead to the extinction of infectious diseases, which is conducive to epidemic diseases control.


Brand Image is the foundation for making better strategic marketing decisions in context to targeting a specific market segments and positioning a service or a product. The term brand image, has been defined and applied in diverse ways by different researchers. The dissimilarities in definition can be confusing in connection with brand image measurement and consequent assessment of brand equity and brand positioning. As brand image is the vital element to establish a higher level of brand equity and distinguish brand positioning, the course of readdressing the concept is necessary. The lack of agreement regarding the definition of the term brand image restricts the efficient management and positioning of a brand. Brand image is a multidimensional construct that is set off by cognitions, emotions, messages, symbols, values and attitudes of consumers. Still, many researchers measured it as a unidimensional construct. The paper presents the different perspectives defining the brand image concept. The focus on qualitative research for measuring the brand image is now a newest drift in brand image research. The suggestions for road map are presented too.