In Brazil, the slowdown of accumulation and deindustrialization are often viewed as consequences of the financialization of the Brazilian economy. Indeed, very high interest rates are maintained in order to finance the public debt, and this prompts investors to get more Treasury bonds rather than invest in the productive area. Nevertheless, the evolution of the profit rate in this area also explains the particular relation existing between entrepreneurs and investment. Indeed, the end of the "Economic Miracle" and the crisis of the 1980s can be analysed as consequences of the falling rate of profit in industry.


Patients with mild hypomegakaryocytic thrombocytopenia (HMT) that does not meet the diagnostic criteria for a definite disease entity may potentially progress to aplastic anaemia (AA) that is refractory to therapy. To clarify the clinical picture of HMT, we prospectively followed 25 HMT patients with white blood cell count >3·0 × 109/l, haemoglobin level >100 g/l and platelet count of <100·0 × 109/l in the absence of morphological and karyotypic abnormalities in the bone marrow. Glycosylphosphatidylinositol‐anchored protein‐deficient blood cells [paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH)‐type cells] were detected in 7 of the 25 (28%) patients and elevated plasma thrombopoietin (TPO, also termed THPO) levels (>320 pg/ml) were observed in 11 (44%) patients. Five (four PNH+ and one PNH−) of six TPOhigh patients who were treated with ciclosporin (CsA) showed improvement. Among the 21 patients who were followed without treatment, thrombocytopenia progressed in four of ten TPOlow patients and four of 11 TPOhigh patients. The 3‐year failure‐free survival rate of the CsA‐treated TPOhigh patients (100%) was significantly higher than that of the untreated TPOhigh patients (20%). These results suggest that a significant population of HMT patients has an immune pathophysiology that is similar to AA and may be improved by early therapeutic intervention with CsA.


This paper reviews the progress that has been made in our understanding of the chemical strengthening of glass by ion exchange over its nearly five decades of history. Lessons learned are briefly discussed; more importantly, those which are yet to be learned are highlighted. It is recognized that, except for detailed compositional effects, the kinetics of ion interdiffusion process and the chemical strengthening technology are reasonably well understood. However, the science of stress generation and its concurrent relaxation is far from being clear despite the elegant analogy to thermal stresses invoked by Cooper. The need to understand plasticity of glass network during accommodation of a larger invading ion is emphasized. In turn, the influence of network topology on its yield strength in shear as well as hydrostatic modes is recognized. For expanded applications under extreme conditions of loading, damage evolution in chemically strengthened glass needs to be studied. Such a study is linked to our understanding of the terms "strength,""hardness,""toughness," and "brittleness" of glass.


Recently a novel approach has been developed for the synthesis of biodegradable nanoparticles (NPs) using plant leaf extracts. Following this approach, quercetin loaded poly lactic acid (PLA) NPs have been synthesised using Syzygium cumini leaf extract as surfactant/stabiliser. In the current study, developed biocompatible nanoformulation of PLA-quercetin was used for the first time to see its effect on shelf life of perishable fruits/vegetables like tomato. Nanoformulation treated tomatoes were evaluated for their total weight loss, total phenolic content, lycopene content, total sugar content, and quercetin content in comparison to untreated tomatoes. Developed nanoformulation was found to be effective in extending the shelf life of tomatoes by at least 10 d at room temperature relative to untreated and pure quercetin treated controls. Importantly, nutritional quality parameters were also maintained along with shelf life of tomatoes upon treatment with nanoformulation. Hence, the PLA-quercetin nanoformulation would be very useful to improve the shelf life of various perishable fruits and vegetables.


People generally underestimate their own vulnerability to negative events such as illness or accidents. It has been suggested that this illusion of "unique invulnerability" is due to selective focus on one's own risk-reducing behaviors, to the exclusion of others' risk-reducing behaviors and one's own risk-increasing behaviors. The current study examined the effects of reviewing sexual and contraceptive behavior on perceived vulnerability to unplanned pregnancy. Our results indicated that review of pregnancy-related behaviors decreased perceived vulnerability among two groups of subjects: those who considered unplanned pregnancy to be most undesirable and those who had the most confidence in the efficacy of their contraceptive behavior. The data also support the hypothesis that selective focus is a source of the illusion of invulnerability.


Environmental writers have sought to retrieve ecological wisdom from traditional Chinese thought to critique anthropocentrism, but the rediscoveries remain a disembodied discourse and ignore the relationships among humans: the political, social, and economic structures and power relations rooted in repressive hierarchy and class and gender oppression. This chapter targets political, social, and productive relations as the crucial areas for diagnosing the ills of ecological degradation. Rather than a question of how humanity as a whole stands against nature, the chapter contends that the all-too-human power relations in economy, hierarchy, and oppression are the real culprits for environmental disasters. Humanity's domination of nature is necessarily linked to the domination of other humans and of inner human nature. This perspective illuminates Kang Youwei's ecological visions in his writings about the great world community. Kang regarded nature as the foundation for culture and civilization, valorized the public principles of common goods and equality over private property, and linked women to a vital, regenerative nature. Kang heralded the eco-socialist notions of public economy, fair distribution of wealth, and wise uses of natural resources.


In Reply .—We believe that Dr McGraw misunderstands our basic thesis. Our concern is with clinic practices that create in parents and children an unnecessary degree of dependency upon health professionals. The focus is situations in which clients are able to assume responsibility for aspects of their own care that, nevertheless, caregivers relegate to themselves. As we argued, such gratuitous dependency fails to respect the ability of persons to carry on their own life activities and does not contribute to their long-term well-being. Nevertheless, we clearly recognize that circumstances exist in which persons are not able to assume greater self-reliance in attending to their health care needs. The extent of these circumstances will vary greatly with the socioeconomic characteristics of the particular clinic population. This restatement of our thesis allows us to address some of Dr McGraw's particular concerns. First, we agree that in some clinics paternal and protective practices


Abstract Exploration experience gained in specific salt basins of West Africa may not be directly applicable to other salt basins along the entire passive margin. To conduct a comparative structural analysis, regional reflection seismic transects were constructed across the salt basins of Morocco, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and Angola. Regional-scale similarities of the salt basins include the progressive complication of salt-related structures basinward, the change from an extensional domain on the shelf to a compressional domain on the slope and the presence of a toe-thrust front at the oceanward edge of the basins. Regional-scale differences are partly attributed to the relative stratigraphic position of the salt in relation to the rift history. In the better-known post-rift salt basins of Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo and Angola updip extension is represented by a broad rafted domain balanced by downdip contraction in the form of salt tongues, canopies and a toe-thrust zone. The efficiency of this gravity sliding/spreading across the whole margin is due to the more or less uniform original distribution of Aptian salt in the post-rift succession forming a continuous detachment level. In contrast, the typically uneven original distribution of the Late Triassic and Early Jurassic syn-rift salt in Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal, The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau is due to basement highs separating rift half-grabens and creating a different structural pattern. Individual salt structures, such as pillows and diapirs, originated from isolated patches of the autochthonous salt. In the case of syn-rift salt, updip extension may not always be the ultimate driving force for the contractional salt-deformation downdip.


The type material of Coccinellidae described by F.W. Hope and by E. Mulsant from the collections of F.W. Hope and J.O. Westwood is reviewed. Lectotypes for Hope's species are designated (with a single exception) from material in the British Museum (Natural History). The majority oflectotypes for Mulsant's species described from Hope's and Westwood's material is located in the Hope Entomological Collections, University Museum, Oxford. The identity of a species is discussed where confusion concerning a name has occurred in the past, or where the current interpretation differs from the original description or type material. Brachiacantha bipartita Mulsant is resurrected from synonymy with B. westwoodii Mulsant. The following new synonymies are recorded (valid name first): Ballida brahamae Mulsant = Palaeoeneis aurantiaca Crotch = Eoneda sumatrensis Iablokoff-Khnzorian; Calvia quattuordecimguttata (Linnaeus) = Oenopia dorsonotata Mulsant; Calvia vulnerata (Hope) = C. uniramosa (Hope) = C. flaccida Mulsant = C. vishnu (Crotch) = C. krishna (Crotch) = C. buddha (Crotch); Coelophora saucia (Mulsant) = Lemnia melanota Mulsant; Rodolia sexnotata (Mulsant) = R. guerinii (Crotch); Scymnus nubilus Mulsant = S. curtisii Mulsant = S. lateralis Sicard. The following are new combinations: Afidentula stephensi (Mulsant) (from Epilachna); Horniolus guimeti (Mulsant) (from Scymnus); Rhyzobius waterhousei (Mulsant) (from Scymnus); Rodolia sexnotata (Mulsant) (from Epilachna).


Dasatinib, a potent, oral kinase inhibitor, is presently approved for Philadelphia-positive chronic myelogenous leukaemia (CML) following imatinib failure. In an in vitro study, dasatinib had 325-fold greater potency than imatinib for inhibiting unmutated BCR-ABL. Phase I and II data show that dasatinib 70 mg b.i.d. is effective after imatinib failure in various phases of CML. Comparative data of dasatinib versus high-dose imatinib in patients with resistance or intolerance to imatinib demonstrated that dasatinib was associated with improved response rates and progression-free survival. Side effects of dasatinib, including pleural effusions, are manageable with modification of dose or schedule. Phase III dose optimisation studies and future indications are also discussed.


The ability of time-resolving enthalpy (ΔH) and structural volume (ΔV) changes in the nano- to µs time range offered by laser-induced optoacoustic spectroscopy (LIOAS) opens the possibility of a stepwise thermodynamic analysis of chromophore-medium interactions upon photoinduced reactions in biological systems. We applied LIOAS to biological photoreceptors, as well as to model systems, with the purpose of understanding the origin of ΔV in electron-transfer (ET) reactions in those systems. The linear correlation between the counterion-dependent volume changes and ΔH for the free-radical formation upon ET quenching of erythrosin dianion triplet, 3Er2-, by Mo(CN)84- and of Ru(bpy)32+ by MV2+ is interpreted in terms of an enthalpy–entropy compensation owing to the strong influence of the counterions on the water hydrogen-bond network in which the reactants are embedded. The relatively large entropic term determined for radical formation thus originates in water rearrangements during the process. The increasing contraction in acetonitrile, propionitrile, butyronitrile, and valeronitrile for the ET quenching of 3Zn-tetraphenylporphin by 1,4-benzoquinone is understood by considering the increasing interaction strength between the electron-pair donor nitriles and ZnTPP+. Thus, in polar environments, specific chromophore-medium (solvent or proteins) interactions, in addition to electrostriction, should be considered to explain the time-resolved ΔV and ΔH values.


Prepared for a Centre for Educational Research and Innovation (CERI) Strategic Education Governance Learning Seminar, this working paper analyses the functioning of accountability mechanisms in the Flemish school system from a complexity perspective, particularly accountability of equity funding in primary and secondary education. The paper shows that accountability mechanisms are not highly developed, specifically to the Flemish government and to the public. As a result, it proved hard to examine if resources were used effectively and efficiently. The paper argues that a long-term perspective and step-by-step approach is needed to create a culture of evaluation and accountability. It is emphasised that a long-term strategy should start with building horizontal and more specifically professional accountability mechanisms, based on a clear picture of how accountability relates to the overall aims and vision of education. The paper suggests furthermore to strengthen the use of knowledge, both tacit knowledge among others from students, as well as knowledge from research.


The purpose of this thesis is to explore tracking and tracing (T&T) systems to develop the concept of "collaborative tracking and tracing" for the management of logistics operations.
The thesis is based on extensive literature reviews, and four major empirical studies, including one structured interview study, one documentation review study, case studies of two Swedish fresh-fish supply chains (SCs) and a case study of the Volvo cars body components (VCBC) SC. Design science is applied as a research approach to provide propositions for designing new types of collaborative T&T systems, thus fulfilling the requirements of real-world logistics settings.
The findings indicate the major types of information that are valuable for actors of SCs. One of the main functions supported by the SC information types is in enabling the T&T of transported entities. The T&T of goods and transport resources is one of the main transportation functions supported by freight intelligent transportation systems (ITSs).
Results indicate that implementation of the standardised information service frameworks (SISFs) and auto-identification technology to enable collaborative food T&T potentially affects different logistics activities conducted by actors of the food SCs. In addition, it affects the costs of their operations and their revenue. Sharing data via a rail-wagon collaborative T&T system provides opportunities for different actors of an automotive rail logistics SC including traffic authorities, transport operators and transport customers. Some of the improvements resulting from the application of the railway collaborative T&T system are better monitoring and control of infrastructure usage, improving the efficiency of maintenance procedures, improving logistics administration processes and enabling the T&T at all levels of transported entities.
The thesis explores the mismatches between the interests and interpretations of different SC actors from the application of a collaborative T&T system and, furthermore, it identifies the most suitable patterns for designing collaborative T&T systems. Findings indicate that a collaborative T&T system based on loose couplings is an appropriate solution for inter-organisational T&T for the logistics networks that actors will join or leave in run-time.
This research contributes to the body of knowledge in the areas of logistics information systems, freight ITSs, logistics T&T, SC collaboration and SC information sharing, with more focus on sharing information related to logistics and transportation of food products and also rail-wagon freight transport. Providing useful knowledge for the practitioners through exploring the opportunities and challenges of implementing collaborative T&T systems is the main practical contribution of the thesis.
Deep exploration of the T&T in an inter-organisational context considering its challenges and opportunities for different SC actors and issues related to its implementation is an original outcome of this thesis.
Keywords: logistics, supply chain, actors, collaborative, tracking and tracing (T&T), entities, food, rail, wagon, design.


A theory for analyzing incidental consumption in a single site recreation demand model is presented. We show that incidental consumption on a recreation trip, such as a visit to see friends or a visit to a second recreation site, can be treated as a complementary good and analyzed using conventional theory. We also show that the analysis applies whether the side trips are incidental or joint. In a simple application we find that failing to account for incidental consumption appears to create little bias in valuing recreation sites.


UNLABELLED
What is already known about this subject. Computerized prompts and reminders have been shown to be effective in changing the behaviour of health professionals in a variety of settings. There is little literature describing or evaluating electronic decision-support for pharmacists. What this study adds. An electronic prompt in dispensing software for a targeted clinical intervention has a significant effect on pharmacists' behaviour. A markedly increased rate of recording and performing the targeted clinical intervention was found. The effect of the prompt reduces markedly once the prompt is deactivated.

AIM
To evaluate the effect of an electronic prompt in dispensing software on the frequency of clinical interventions recorded by community pharmacists.

METHOD
An electronic decision-support prompt identifying patients for a targeted proactive clinical intervention was developed and implemented. Each time an oral antidiabetic agent was dispensed, a prompt was displayed reminding pharmacists to discuss the suitability of aspirin therapy in eligible patients with diabetes. The prompt was randomly assigned to 31 of 52 metropolitan pharmacies in Melbourne (Australia) for 6 weeks, with the remaining pharmacies as controls.

RESULTS
One hundred and fifty pharmacists in 52 pharmacies recorded a total of 2396 clinical interventions at an intervention rate of 0.92 interventions per 100 patients [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.58, 1.23]. Pharmacists recorded a total of 201 target interventions related to aspirin therapy in diabetes at an intervention rate of 2.55 interventions per 100 diabetic patients (95% CI 0.85, 4.24). All of the targeted clinical interventions were recorded in the prompt arm; no targeted interventions were recorded in the control group. The effect of the prompt decreased over the study period and was not maintained after prompt deactivation.

CONCLUSION
An electronic prompt significantly increased pharmacists' recording of the targeted clinical intervention in diabetic patients. An electronic decision-support prompt has significant potential to promote community pharmacists' contribution to the quality use of medicines.


adding about 1% to its diameter and an insignificant amount to its total mass. And yet the atmosphere serves as the earth's window and protective shield, as a medium for the transport of heat and water, and as source and sink for exchange of carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen with the biosphere. The atmosphere acts as a compressible fluid tied to the earth by gravitation; as a receptor of solar energy and a thermal reservoir, it constitutes the working fluid of a heat engine that transports and redistributes matter and energy over the entire globe. The atmosphere is also a major temporary repository of a number of chemical elements that move in a cyclic manner between the hydrosphere, atmosphere, and the upper lithosphere. Finally, the atmosphere is a site for a large variety of complex photochemically initiated reactions involving both natural and anthropogenic substances.


A variety of components provide salivary secretions with an array of potentially effective means of combating cariogenic challenges. These defense factors range from a laissez-faire mechanical cleansing to exquisitely controlled production of highly specific antibodies. In between the two extremes are antibacterial systems whose operating characteristics are only beginning to be understood. These systems are well worth our attention. They may be the key to our understanding of variations in individual susceptibility, and could provide valuable leads for development of anticaries agents.


This article aims to shed light on the ways in which working students marry their work and school activities. On the basis of questionnaire responses garnered from 303 working French students, it shows that coping strategies implemented to deal with the stress which arises from the work-school conflict are generally effective, with the exceptions of self-accusation and cognitive repression. Furthermore, a negative relationship between work-school conflict, stress and turnover intention emerges. This study goes beyond mere one-dimensional illustrations which portray students as being under pressure or taking action to foster their own professional development, and instead suggests a combined response to role conflict which involves both confronting the conflict and managing emotions.


Serotonin (5-HT) neurons synthesize a variety of peptides. How these peptides are controlled during development remains unclear. It has been reported that the co-localization of peptides and 5-HT varies by species. In contrast to the situations in the rostral 5-HT neurons of human and rat brains, several peptides do not coexist with 5-HT in the rostral 5-HT neurons of mouse brain. In this study, we found that the peptide substance P and peptide genes, including those encoding peptides thyrotropin-releasing hormone, enkephalin, and calcitonin gene-related peptide, were expressed in the caudal 5-HT neurons of mouse brain; these findings are in line with observations in rat and monkey 5-HT neurons. We also revealed that these peptides/peptide genes partially overlapped with the transcription factor Lmx1b that specifies the 5-HT cell fate. Furthermore, we found that the peptide cholecystokinin was expressed in developing dopaminergic neurons and greatly overlapped with Lmx1b that specifies the dopaminergic cell fate. By examining the phenotype of Lmx1b deletion mice, we found that Lmx1b was required for the expression of above peptides expressed in 5-HT or dopaminergic neurons. Together, our results indicate that Lmx1b, a key transcription factor for the specification of 5-HT and dopaminergic transmitter phenotypes during embryogenesis, determines some peptide phenotypes in these neurons as well.


All insects studied to date possess a centrally located group of neuropils, known collectively as the central complex, that has been implicated in sensory integration and motor action selection. Among the functions prescribed to the central complex, none is perhaps as intriguing as its role in orientation and navigation. Neurobiological correlates of both current and desired headings have been described in insect CXs. Despite the diversity of arthropods, understanding of the CX as a navigational center originates entirely from terrestrial insects. Stomatopod crustaceans, commonly referred to as mantis shrimps, form an order of predatory marine crustaceans with intricate and diverse visual systems that maintain the distinction of being the only fully aquatic animal known to utilize the navigational strategy of path integration. They utilize idiothetic, celestial, and landmark cues to orient in the benthos. Here, we investigate the neuroanatomy of adult and developing mantis shrimp central complexes and associated neuropils to begin understanding this brain region in a sensorially and behaviorally complex crustacean.


From the results of recently-published in-vitro studies, we have reviewed the activities of novel quinolones which are currently available, either commercially or for investigative purposes, against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the atypical mycobacteria (principally the Mycobacterium avium complex, Mycobacterium chelonae, Mycobacterium xenopi, Mycobacterium marinum and Mycobacterium fortuitum) and Mycobacterium leprae. We have also evaluated the effects of the various methods for determining the susceptibilities of the mycobacteria on the in-vitro activities of these agents. Sparfloxacin, Win-57273, ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin were the most active agents overall. The in-vitro activities, efficacies in animal models, tissue and cell penetration and results of preliminary clinical investigations suggest that some of the newer quinolones might be effective alternatives to standard anti-tuberculous agents for the treatment of patients with infections caused by mycobacteria, particularly when there is resistance to the latter group of drugs.


When seen at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Rehabili· tation Centre. the patient had recovered to the stage of right hemiparesis with mild dysphasia. She was wearing an orthodox short-leg caliper with toe raising spring, which she stated had a demoralizing effect on her. A caliper (Figure 1) was made of flesh-coloured hypoxyresin consisting of the following parts: (i) a foot piece moulded to hold the foot in the corrected position and extended on the medial aspect to ankle joint level; (il) a joint at ankle level with 90° stop; (iii) a single leg-


A 22-year-old young woman presents with complaints of severe pain in all the toes on both feet. She reported going hiking when the daytime temperature unexpectedly dropped. She describes persistent pain and mild pruritus in her toes. What is the diagnosis?


Protein dynamics on the microsecond (μs) time scale were investigated by temperature-jump fluorescence spectroscopy as a function of temperature in two variants of a thermophilic alcohol dehydrogenase: W87F and W87F:H43A. Both mutants exhibit a fast, temperature-independent μs decrease in fluorescence followed by a slower full recovery of the initial fluorescence. The results, which rule out an ionizing histidine as the origin of the fluorescence quenching, are discussed in the context of a Trp49-containing dimer interface that acts as a conduit for thermally activated structural change within the protein interior.


Corn inbreds are often more sensitive to herbicides than hybrids. Field experiments were conducted with three corn inbreds to (1) evaluate inbred sensitivity to the acetamide herbicides acetochlor, dimethenamid, flufenacet, and metolachlor, (2) compare the effects of various crop safeners in combination with acetochlor and metolachlor, and (3) measure the effect of herbicide microencapsulation on acetochlor injury. Herbicides were applied preemergence at the registered rate and at two, three, or four times the registered rate in corn. Injury ratings, plant population, and the percentage of plants showing acetamide injury symptoms were used to measure herbicide effect. The inbreds 'Mo17' and 'Great Lakes 15' (GL15) were sensitive to acetamide injury. Reductions in plant population and increases in the injury rating and the percentage of injured plants were caused by acetochlor, dimethenamid, flufenacet, metolachlor, and flufenacet + metribuzin when applied at three times the registered rate. The inbred 'B73' was not injured. The safeners benoxacor and dichlormid reduced injury caused by metolachlor. The percentage of plants injured by metolachlor 15 days after treatment (DAT) was lower when benoxacor was the safener compared to dichlormid. By 28 DAT, plants treated with safeners recovered from injury, and there were no differences between the treatments. The safeners dichlormid and furilazole reduced, but did not always eliminate, injury caused by acetochlor applied at three times the registered rate. Microencapsulation of acetochlor reduced injury to GL15. When the safeners dichlormid or furilazole were included in an acetochlor formulation, microencapsulation did not further reduce corn injury. Nomenclature: Acetochlor; benoxacor; dichlormid; dimethenamid; flufenacet; furilazole; metolachlor; metribuzin; corn, Zea mays L. Additional index words: Controlled release formulation, herbicide antidote, microencapsulation, safener. Abbreviations: DAT, days after treatment; GL15, 'Great Lakes 15'.


Developing safe and effective wound dressings that address the complexities of wound healing is an ongoing goal in biomaterials research. Inspired by the shield used to protect lac insects, we have designed and developed a type of bioactive shellac-based wound dressing in this paper. The dressing exhibited a high adhesion energy of 146.6 J·m-2 in porcine skin and showed a reversible binding due to its pH sensitivity. Meanwhile, a novel "shellac-like" compound, n-octacosanol gallate ester, has been synthesized and added to the dressing to improve its antibacterial and blood coagulation properties. The novel shellac-based dressing could be sprayed to form a sticky film within 70 s for rapid hemostasis and wound sealing, which could be conveniently applied to various wounds on extensible body parts. In addition, the shellac-based dressing can actively promote the healing of a full-thickness wound in the skin of mice. We also used molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the interactions between the shellac molecule and the phospholipid bilayer and attempted to show that the shellac molecule was beneficial for wound healing. This work provides a novel and practical bioinspired wound dressing with significant properties, facile preparation, and ease of use, which is an interesting alternative to its traditional counterparts.


Progesterone receptor membrane component 1 (PGRMC1) is a trans-membrane evolutionarily conserved protein with a cytochrome b5 like heme/steroid binding domain. PGRMC1 clinical levels are strongly suggested to correlate with poor patient survival and lung cancer prognosis. PGRMC1 has been reported to possess pleiotropic functions, such as participating in cellular and membrane trafficking, steroid hormone signaling, cholesterol metabolism and steroidogenesis, glycolysis and mitochondrial energy metabolism, heme transport and homeostasis, neuronal movement and synaptic function, autophagy, anti-apoptosis, stem cell survival and the list is still expanding. PGRMC1 mediates its pleiotropic functions through its ability to interact with multiple binding partners, such as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), sterol regulatory element binding protein cleavage activating protein (SCAP), insulin induced gene-1 protein (Insig-1), heme binding proteins (hepcidin, ferrochelatase and cyp450 members), plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 RNA binding protein (PAIR-BP1). In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of PGRMC1 and its associated pleiotropic functions that are indispensable for lung cancer promotion and progression, suggesting it as a prospective therapeutic target for intervention. Notably, we have compiled and reported various preclinical studies wherein prospective agonists and antagonists had been tested against PGRMC1 expressing cancer cell lines, suggesting it as a prospective therapeutic target for cancer intervention.


Nonadherence to medical treatment among heart failure patients is high and results in frequent exacerbations and premature death. This treatment-only pilot study examined whether a year-long group-based self-management intervention is feasible and improves self-management skills in patients with mild-to-moderate heart failure (ejection fraction < or =40% and New York Heart Association functional class I, II, or III). A total of 31 of 100 recruited patients (31%) agreed to participate. Twenty-six (84%) completed the year-long self-management program. Compared with baseline, the intervention was associated with an increase in overall self-efficacy in practicing self-management skills (p<0.001) and in four of five specific self-management skills. Patients and their group leaders also reported an increase in actual use of self-management skills (p<0.001) and in several psychosocial outcomes. The success of this pilot study suggests the need for a randomized clinical trial to test the efficacy of group-based self-management training on medical outcomes.


The basic purpose of this investigation was to determine whether salicylates increase the sensitivity of the respiratory center to inhaled CO2. The problem was approached by noting the effect of salicylates upon ventilation and arterial blood Co2 tension and pH during inhalation of compressed air and 3% and 5% Co2 in air. These studies were performed in 30 subjects, 15 of whom ingested 2.1 gm salicylate; the other 15 ingested 3.6 gm. The results demonstrate that the ventilatory response to CO2 was increased only by the larger dose of salicylate. Variations in dead-space volume secondary to increments in tidal volume were observed. Dead-space volume increased in approximately linear fashion with increase in tidal volume.

Submitted on October 28, 1959


This work presents a generic two-dimensional (2-D) Gaussian smoothing filter for noise image processing. The filter includes the power-of-two approximation arithmetic algorithm for the Gaussian coefficients and effective hardware design. We hope the proposed generic Gaussian smoothing filter is able to provide various levels of noise smoothing and reduction, which are highly desired in early stages of the image processing flow. By using the power-of-two terms, the generic 2-D Gaussian filter can be implemented by using simple hardware shifters and adders. An embedded multi-access SRAM concept is also adopted to raise the hardware throughput. The synthesized hardware of such combination exhibits that the proposed filter can attain a real-time high frame-rate and high-resolution video processing.


This qualitative descriptive study aimed to analyze student errors to solve mathematical problems in gender. The subject in this research were Mathematics Education students in the Linear Program subject. The sample selection used purposive sampling by looking at the results of student tests on linear program material categorized by gender. The analysis data using observation methods, test methods and interview methods, meanwhile to validity test of the data using triangulation of data source and triangulation method. Based on the results of the study obtained results: 1) Errors experienced by male and female students are almost similar, but the mistakes experienced by female students are fewer than male students, 2) Female and male students with high ability categories possess different types of errors, namely female students only experience process errors and results of errors, while male experience transformation errors, process errors, results in errors, 3) Female and male students with low ability categories have the same type of errors, namely misunderstanding, transformation errors, process errors, results errors. In this study also none of the subjects experienced reading errors.


Like all other floating structures, wave energy converters (WECs) need to be kept in position by station-keeping systems in order to realize its functionality and ensure its safety. A compliant mooring system is normally applied and survivability is the main concern for mooring system design. However, WECs based on relative motions impose special requirements on their mooring systems to ensure that they do not affect the energy capture significantly. The purpose of this study is to investigate possible mooring systems for the FO3 WEC which extracts wave energy based on the principle of relative motions between a platform and multiple point absorbers. The study focuses on the survivability of the mooring system for one WEC and for multiple WECs in a farm configuration under extreme environmental conditions. Coupled time-domain simulation of the mooring system for a single WEC is used and compared with the frequency-domain analysis. An integrated mooring system for nine WECs connected by lines is designed and the dynamic behaviour of the whole system in random seas is analyzed by the time-domain method. Based on the analyses of configurations investigated, it is found that the individual mooring is more feasible than the integrated mooring.


Potential water pollution not only changes water quality, it also threatens human health, economic development and social prosperity. This is the reason why it was carried out the analysis of La Media Luna water spring and the surrounding soil by means of a sample. The water spring is located in the municipalities of Rioverde and Cd. Fernandez belonging to the Middle Zone of the San Luis Potosi State, Mexico. The location coordinates are as follows (393791.987 E, 2417785.435 N). Water and soil samples were taken at a depth of 15 to 30 cm at each km of the canals to the north and south from the centre of the water spring, in which the nitrogen concentration was analysed by means of a UV-visible spectrophotometer. The water sampling evaluation was supplemented using geospatial techniques to observe the spread behavior and the dispersion of ammoniacal nitrogen, nitrates, pH and electrical conductivity. The objective of this research project was to identify the nitrogen concentration in the form of ammoniacal nitrogen and nitrate in order to know the impact of anthropogenic activities, the contributions of agrochemicals and fertilizers, and their possible consequences to the water spring.


Characteristically, polymers consist of the long chain molecules constructed of atoms (such as carbon and hydrogen) in the various arrangements with the different elements in the forming of basic building block of a polymer chain. Besides its primacy to the safety and environmental issues, polymer is becoming more widely used in today's industrial products due to its inherent advantages, such as inexpensive, durable, and flexible. Based on this reason, this study review the mixing of polymer with natural fibers (Bamboo) as an alternative of natural materials based on the potential properties as the reinforcing materials in polymer composite. This paper reviews the topic of bamboo mechanical properties in polymer composite. It highlights previous work done in bamboo fiber in terms of the reinforcement composite material. This literature study will be a good source for those who are interested in doing research for this topic.


The aim of this work is concerned with the determination of pka for some Schiff bases by conductivity method.These imines are prepared by reactions of benzaldehyde with o,m,p-amino phenols by standard method. The structures of these imines are confirmed by using some physical methods, namely, U.V,I.R and melting points. Experimentally it is observed,that intramolecular hydrogen bonding may contribute in decreasing pka value of benzylidene-ohydroxyaniline. The presence of phenolic groups at m and p-positions of Determination of pKa for some Schiff bases derived from benzaldehyde and ... 2 primary amine side of the Schiff bases, have a noticeable influence on the collected pka values. The thermodynamic of ionization reactions of these Schiff bases are determined. These showed a positive sign values of ΔG ̊ and ΔH ̊ thermodynamic parameters. Also ΔS ̊ value has a negative sign. These positive and negative signs values are discussed in detail.


Abstract: Explants of adrenal medullae were cultured in defined media for up to 48 h, during which time the tissue remained histologically intact. Addition of N6‐methyladenosine to the medium led to a diminution in the activity of phenylethanolamine N‐methyltransferase (EC 18.104.22.168) in the tissue. The enzyme activity was inversely proportional to the concentration N6‐methyl‐adenosine in the culture medium. The extent of loss of phenylethanolamine N‐methyltransferase, as measured by immunochemical titration, corresponded to the degree of loss in enzyme activity under the same conditions. Furthermore, the decreased amount of enzyme protein was due to a decrease in the rate of synthesis of phenylethanolamine N‐methyltransferase. Neither adenosine nor several methylated nucleosides, including 7‐methylguanosine, N2‐methylguanosine, and 5‐methylcytosine, had an effect on the enzyme. Two other adrenal medullary enzymes, monoamine oxidase (EC 126.96.36.199) and acid phosphatase (EC 184.108.40.206), were not affected by addition of N6‐methyladenosine to the medium. The results are consistent with the view that this effect of N‐methyladenosine on the concentration of phenylethanolamine N‐methyltransferase is due to an inhibition of its biosynthesis rather than to an alteration of its rate of degradation.


Gravitation has posed a puzzle and a problem for many decades. Attempts to unify it with other fundamental interactions have failed. These problems and puzzles have been underscored by the likes of Witten and Weinberg. We survey this and argue that gravitation has a different character compared to other fundamental interactions - it is an energy distributed over all the elementary particles in the universe. The above puzzle and problem is resolved satisfactorily. These considerations lead to a varying G cosmology consistent with observation. It is argued that apart from the usual tests, the above explains in addition the anomalous accelerations of the Pioneer spacecrafts. Further tests are also proposed.


The final oracle of Haggai is often viewed as royalist in orientation, with the prophet promoting Zerubbabel as a royal (or even messianic) figure. This study seeks to dispute the majority view. Neither the election terms used nor the metaphor of the "seal" assign a royal identity to him. The focus is on the dual leadership of Zerubbabel and Joshua. Nowhere in the prophecy is Zerubbabel identified unequivocally as a Davidide. The temple orientation and the highlighting of divine action show that the establishment of God's kingdom is in view, not the promotion of Zerubbabel as God's vice-regent.


Fear is an emotional response to negative challenge; as a dispositional event it affects the probability of behavior and it might have consequences for the physical and psychological health of the individual. Lang (1970) theoretical approach to the study of fear holds the notion that fear reactions belong to a triple system involving physiological arousal, subjective reactivity and behavioral avoidance, and that these components interact in a fl exible manner (Rachman, 2004). The purpose of this study was to validate a Fear Checklist written in Spanish, with 31 terms related to topics potentially fear evoking. Participants were 605 people whose ages ranged from 14 to 60 years. Their task consisted of assigning a score from 0 to 5 to each term, according to the degree of fear associated with each word. An item analysis was carried out which resulted in the discharge of three items. The remaining 28 items were subjected to factor analysis and led to four factors with loadings above .44, thus explaining 68% of the total variance, with a reliability index of .967. Resulting fear factors were affective loss, becoming a victim of non-contingent events, vulnerability and death. Women got higher scores in all subscales, with the exception of death. The study concluded that the Fears' Checklist is an instrument easy to comprehend and to apply that could be potentially useful for exploring fears in the Spanish speaking population.


Introduction: The persistence of respiratory events during nCPAP in children has not been studied. The present study aims to describe respiratory events during nCPAP and to determine their clinical consequences. Materials and Methods: 31 nocturnal polygraphic (PG) recordings were performed in 27 stable patients under nCPAP (7 female, mean 7.3±5.9 years), without any clinical symptom of persistent sleep disordered-breathing (SDB). PGs were scored using SomnoNIV Group definitions. For every event, the presence of a desaturation (≥3% fall of pulse oximetry (SpO2)) or a respiratory related autonomic micro-arousal (RAM), defined as ≥30% decrease in pulse wave amplitude, was systematically searched. Results: Nocturnal mean nocturnal SpO2, overnight transcutaneous carbon dioxide tension (PtcCO2) and desaturation index were 97±1%; 41±5 mmHg and 3±4 respectively. Mean % of time spent with PtcCO2 g50mmHg was 4±14%. Mean index of event per hour for unintentional leaks, partial or total upper airway obstruction ± reduction of ventilatory drive, decreased ventilatory drive, and mixed events was 0.3; 0.6; 1.6; 0.2 and 0.05 respectively. These events were associated with a desaturation in 19%, 29%, 48%, 25% and 6% and with a RAM, in 22%, 13%, 48%, 25% and 6% of patients respectively. The mean percentage of total time spent with an event was 7±10%. A predominant event was always identified and represented 80±24% of total time spent with respiratory events. Conclusion: Respiratory events are rare during nCPAP in children without residual symptoms of SDB. Further studies are necessary to determine the optimal timing of PG during nCPAP in children.


Purpose: This article aims to evaluate the effect of dietary protein levels on growth performance and some blood biochemical composition of male Japanese quail.
Study Design: Qualitative Descriptive Design.
Subjects and Methods: Three hundred, three week old apparently healthy male Japanese quail were used in this experiment. The birds were randomly allocated into 5 groups with 3 replicates of 20 birds for 21 days of experimental period and placed in cages, measuring 100 cm (length) x100 cm (width) x 80 cm (height). Group A was fed on diet 1 containing 18% crude protein, Group B was fed on diet 2 containing 20% crude protein, Group C was fed on diet 3 containing 22% crude protein, Group D was fed on diet 4 containing 24% crude protein and Group E was fed on diet 5containing 26% crude protein. All groups were subjected to similar management practices.
Results: The findings showed that growth performance parameters significantly improved as dietary crude protein level increased. However dietary protein level beyond 22% has no beneficial effect on growth. Biochemical examination results demonstrated that the crude protein level in diet was not significantly affected the blood glucose, cholesterol,   bilirubin, calcium, phosphorus and liver enzyme activities (ASAT and ALT). However, we noticed a significant effect (P<0.05) about Total protein, Albumin, Urea, Triglycerides, Creatinine and Uric acid. Despite the variation of these parameters, they remain within the normal range.
Conclusion: Therefore, it is concluded that dietary protein levels do not affect quail health. The crude protein requirement for Japanese quail from 21 to 42 days old is 22%.


The main objective of this research is to compare the pragmatic and transformational leadership styles on the success rate of sport teams' coaches in Fars Province. This study uses correlational method. The population consists of all top female coaches of sports teams in Fars Province in the year 2012 among which 5o top female coaches were selected based on the purposive and availability sampling. The subjects were given questionnaires; the information about the success of the teams under their supervision was gathered from the documents available during the years 2009-2012, and afterwards findings of the study were analysed using SPSS software. The results of the study indicated that both the pragmatic and transformational leaderships have an effective role in the success of sport teams in Fars Province; however, the effect is more evident in the transformational leadership.


Despite significant improvements in diagnosis and innovations in the therapy of specific cancers, effective treatment of neoplastic diseases still presents major challenges. Recent studies have shown that conditionally replicating adenoviruses (CRAds) not only have the ability to destroy cancer cells but may also be potential vectors for the expression of therapeutic genes. Several studies in animal models have demonstrated that the combination of CRAds‐mediated gene therapy and chemotherapy has greater therapeutic benefit than either treatment modality alone. In this review, an overview of specifications for a novel antitumor approach combining CRAd‐gene therapy and chemotherapy is provided and recent progress in this field is discussed.


In this article Anthony Tuckett discusses the complexities of qualitative research sampling. He analyses a research experience, together with the rationales for and limitations of qualitative research sampling. Further, he examines the reality of establishing and maintaining a purposeful/theoretical sample and how data saturation symbiotically interacts with constant comparison to guide sampling. Additionally sample limitations are countered. This paper is aimed at novice and experienced researchers in nursing interested in the practical reality of research, who are also mindful of the necessity for rigour.


Abstract The pressure perturbation associated with a convective cell has been measured with an aircraft, at one level about 1500 m below cloud top. Agreement is found with Barnes' (1969) experimental data and with the results of the Wilhelmson's (1974) three-dimensional model of a convective cloud in a shared environment. The efficiency of the "pressure shield" against entrainment is examined.


Although wheelchair ergometers provide a safe and controlled environment for studying or training wheelchair users, until recently they had a major disadvantage in only being capable of simulating straight-line wheelchair propulsion. Virtual reality has helped overcome this problem and broaden the usability of wheelchair ergometers. However, for a wheelchair ergometer to be validly used in research studies, it needs to be able to simulate the biomechanics of real world wheelchair propulsion. In this paper, three versions of a wheelchair simulator were developed. They provide a sophisticated wheelchair ergometer in an immersive virtual reality environment. They are intended for manual wheelchair propulsion and all are able to simulate simple translational inertia. In addition, each of the systems reported uses a different approach to simulate wheelchair rotation and accommodate rotational inertial effects. The first system does not provide extra resistance against rotation and relies on merely linear inertia, hypothesizing that it can provide acceptable replication of biomechanics of wheelchair maneuvers. The second and third systems, however, are designed to simulate rotational inertia. System II uses mechanical compensation, and System III uses visual compensation simulating the influence that rotational inertia has on the visual perception of wheelchair movement in response to rotation at different speeds.


Gradually more and more organizations are opting for outsourcing data to remote cloud service providers (CSPs). Clients can rent the CSPs storage infrastructure to store and get back almost infinite amount of data by paying amount per month. On behalf of an improved level of scalability, availability, and durability, some clients may want their data to be virtual on multiple servers across multiple data centers. The more copies the CSP is asked to store, the more amounts the clients are charged. As a result, clients need to have a strong assurance that the CSP is storing all data copies that are decided upon in the service contract, and all these copies are reliable with the most recent modifications issued by the clients. Map-based provable multi copy dynamic data possession (MB-PMDDP) method is being proposed in this paper and consists of the following features: 1) it affords an proof to the clients that the CSP is not corrupt by storing less copies; 2) it supports outsourcing of dynamic data, i.e., it supports block-level functions, such as block alteration, addition, deletion, and append; and 3) it permits official users to effortlessly access the file copies stored by the CSP. In addition, we discuss the security against colluding servers, and discuss how to recognize corrupted copies by a little revising the projected scheme.


In Mixed-Criticality (MC) systems, the high Worst-Case Execution Time (WCET) of a task is a pessimistic bound, the maximum execution time of the task under all circumstances, while the low WCET should be close to the actual execution time of most instances of the task to improve utilization and Quality-of-Service (QoS). Most MC systems consider a static low WCET for each task which cannot adapt to dynamism at run-time. In this regard, we consider the run-time behavior of tasks and propose a learning-based approach that dynamically monitors the tasks' execution times and adapts the low WCETs to determine the ideal trade-off between mode-switches, utilization, and QoS. Based on our observations on running embedded real-time benchmarks on a real platform, the proposed scheme improves the QoS by 16.4% on average while reducing the utilization waste by 17.7%, on average, compared to state-of-the-art works.


Objective The aim of the study was to compare the rate of gram-negative multi-drug resistant organism (GN-MDRO) colonization at admission and during hospitalization and to describe the strains and antibiotic resistance genes acquired during hospitalization. Methods Rectal swabs were collected from patients hospitalized at the National Trauma Center (NTC), Mongolia, at the time of admission and after 14 days of hospitalization as has been detailed on our previous study. GN-MDRO antibiotic resistance was determined using EUCAST standards, and resistance genes were detected using multiplex PCR. Results A total of 158 patients were screened, and baseline colonization rate at admission was 29.1% (46/158). The rate went up to 69.9% (110/158) after 14 days of hospitalization (p<0.001). Of all participants, 74 patients (46.8%) screened GN-MDRO negative at admission acquired colonization by day 14. Other 36 patients (22.8%) maintained colonization that was screened positive at both time points. Only 38 patients (24.0%) remained free of GN-MDRO during hospitalization. There was a difference in GN-MDRO acquisition between these groups. Patients who were negative at admission acquired up to 3 GN-MDRO species, and there were 10 different species isolated. Reversely, patients who were screened positive at both time points had fairly homogenous isolates; up to 5 species of Enterobacterales were identified at admission and day 14 hospitalization. Overall, Enterobacterales were the dominant colonizers (61.4%, 97/158), and all Enterobacterales were resistant to cefotaxime as CTX-M resistance was our inclusion criteria. Conclusion GN-MDRO baseline colonization rate on admission was high and, alarmingly, doubled during hospitalization in the study area. Enterobacterales was the predominant colonizer and was highly resistant to 3rd generation cephalosporin. This data supports a need for an improved infection control policy including routine surveillance of the GN-MDROs and improved antibiotic stewardship program.


It is possible to successfully propose the physical-metallurgical and structural conditions for the equilibrium between steel strength and toughness by designing structural parameters which have a positive effect on the relation between local and macroscopic fracture processes. In carbon steels and microalloyed steels for a wide range of technical uses, whose structure after heat treatment consists of a basic matrix of tempered lower bainite with precipitated carbides and sometimes other types of inclusions, toughness is dependent primarily on the size distribution of second phase particles, their volume ratio, and also the strength of the matrix/particle phase boundary and the mechanical properties of structural phases. By modelling and simulating the process of main crack formation during high-energy ductile fracture, it is possible to propose optimum physical-metallurgical and geometric parameters of steel structure in order to achieve the required relation between strength characteristics and toughness. This paper presents an analysis of results achieved in several tasks carried out to predict mechanical properties in ductile fracture, and it outlines potential future developments. The aims are to determine the limit characteristics of mechanical behaviour of structural steels which can be achieved with a view to the current structural situation and technological possibilities, and furthermore to propose future methods for determining relations between microstructure and toughness.


Heterostructured catalysts with unique interfaces and properties endow distinct advantages for many electrochemical reactions. Herein, a phosphine (PH3) vapor-assisted phase and structure engineering strategy is developed for the controllable conversion of non-active NiTe into a heterostructured active Ni2P/NiTe2 catalyst for alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The crystalline NiTe2 phase in situ generated in a PH3 vapor environment and the nanosheet morphology both contribute to the outstanding alkaline HER performance with an overpotential of only 62 mV to achieve a current density of −10 mA cm−2. Experimental and DFT mechanistic studies suggest the Ni2P/NiTe2 interfaces provide abundant exposed active sites. The Ni2P/NiTe2 catalyst shows the lowest kinetic barrier for water dissociation and the adsorbed H* can simultaneously bind to two Ni atoms at the interface of Ni2P/NiTe2(011), which greatly enhances the H* binding and HER activities. DFT simulation also shows that more electrons transfer from Ni atoms to H* on Ni2P/NiTe2(011) (0.22 e−) than that on NiTe2(011) (0.13 e−), which explains the enhanced H* binding at the Ni2P/NiTe2(011) interface. The PH3 vapor synthetic approach is also applied to treat other chalcogenide-based materials with low HER activities, such as Ni3S2, to create Ni2P/NiS2 interfaces for significantly enhanced HER activity.


To the Editor: I read with great interest the article by Silber et al.1 reporting a statistically significant increase in operative times between black and white Medicare patients who were very closely matched for age, sex, procedure, comorbidities, hospital, risk score, and body mass index. Particularly striking is the finding that when the difference in procedure times was greater than 30 min, black patients were significantly more likely to have the longer procedure time (a worse surgical outcome). The literature documenting racial disparities in health and health care is extensive, particularly in the primary care and public health arenas. Large, systematic studies looking at racial disparities in surgical care and outcomes have been far fewer and have recently concentrated on surgical volume of the hospitals attended as the chief cause of disparity. A large study in 2005 using the Medicare database confirmed earlier findings that blacks are consistently more likely to die after major surgery and attributed this mortality difference mainly to low surgical procedure volumes at the hospitals attended.2 A study in 2006 of racial disparity in surgical complications between black and white patients based on New York State hospital discharge data found that these differences were due mainly to comorbidities and hospitals attended,3 and a study in 2010 matched for comorbidities and essentially replicated those findings.4 Yet after matching for comorbidity and hospital, a racial disparity in operative time, another clinically significant surgical outcome, still persists. What explains this? The authors posit but did not match for ecological factors. Their study would have been helped enormously by matching for income and education. They also speculate about racial disparity in who performs the surgery (attending vs. resident surgeon) but admit that these data cannot be captured from Medicare claims data or chart abstracts. A study examining racial disparity in operative times between similarly matched Medicare patients at nonteaching hospitals could be designed to indirectly address that question. Questions such as these must be vice) Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom; Surgical Outcomes Research Centre (SOuRCE), Department of Applied Health Research, University College London, London, United Kingdom (S.F.B.). email@example.com


This paper is concerned with the Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) engine as a new concept in engines and a power source for future automotive applications. Essentially a combination of spark ignition and compression ignition engines, the HCCI engine exhibits low NOx and Particulate Matter (PM) emissions as well as high efficiency under part load. The objective of this research is to determine the effects of Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) rate on the c°l!'bustion processes of HCCI. For this purpose, a 4-cylinder, compression ignition engine was converted into a HCCI engine. and a heating device was installed to raise the temperature of the intake air and also to make it more consistent. In addition. a pressure sensor was inserted into each of the cylinders to investigate the differences in characteristics among the cylinders.


In eccentric vision a stimulus letter presented singly is better recognisable than a stimulus letter which is flanked by other letters (Mackworth, 1965; Bouma 1969, 1970). This adverse interaction between letter stimuli was found to operate over relatively large visual angles P between test letter and flanking letters, Pm being about 0.5 ¢ (where Pm is the maximum value of P, and ¢ is the eccentricity of the testletter). Furthermore, indications were found (Bouma, unpublished) that this interaction might depend on similarities in shape between testletter and flanking letters. These findings gave rise to a further investigation of the nature of interactions in eccentric form recognition. Here we present evidence for the subjoined conclusions. Interactions in eccentric vision are not restricted to letter stimuli; they may also be found with much simpler forms, such as line-segments (figs. la and lb). One of the factors involved in interactions between line-segments is the difference in orientation between test stimulus and interaction stimulus. The ratio Pm/¢ that can be found for equally orientated same order as that found in letter interaction.


The usefulness of lattice codes is investigated for two-user Gaussian interference channels (IC). A coding scheme based on the compute-and-forward technique is shown to achieve the capacity region of the Gaussian IC under strong interference. The proposed scheme uses single-user decoders whereas the conventional scheme uses multi-user decoders for simultaneous decoding. The same scheme is applicable to the Gaussian Z-interference channel. A lattice-based coding scheme is also devised for the state-dependent Gaussian IC with the state sequence non-causally known to transmitters. The proposed scheme establishes new achievable rate regions, which can be considerably larger than the best known results, especially when the interfering state sequence has very large power.


The article discusses issues related to ensuring secure operation of the National Power System. The tasks of transmission system operators in that scope were presented and the power demand of the Polish National Power System on critical days in terms of power generation and demand was characterized. The article also presents the causes and course of events which took place in August 2015 when there was a critical imbalance in the Polish National Power System leading to the introduction of limitations. Then, the possibilities and types of costs connected with the possibilities of balancing the system in the periods of peak loads were characterized. The summary of the article contains the presentation of conclusions related to power balancing in the power system and reduction of related costs.


The aim of the current study was to compare a clinical noninvasive method of setting up noninvasive pressure support ventilation (PS-NI) in young patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), based on parameters such as breathing frequency, arterial oxygen saturation and comfort rating, with a more invasive method (PS-I) targeted at optimising unloading of the inspiratory muscles and enhancing patient-ventilator synchronisation. PS-NI and PS-I were compared in random order in 10 children with CF. PS-NI differed from PS-I with regard to the level of inspiratory pressure (n=5), rate of inspiratory pressurisation (n=1), inspiratory trigger sensitivity (n=2) and expiratory trigger sensitivity (n=5). Although both methods modified breathing pattern, improved oxygen saturation and reduced diaphragmatic pressure time product (450±91 cmH2O·s−1·min−1 during spontaneous breathing, and 129±125 and 104±75 cmH2O·s−1·min−1 during PS-NI and PS-I, respectively), patient-ventilator synchrony and patient comfort were enhanced more during PS-I. In young patients with cystic fibrosis, setting up pressure support using a clinical noninvasive approach based on easily measurable parameters, such as respiratory rate and comfort rating, is as effective as a more invasive technique based on unloading of the inspiratory muscles and optimising patient-ventilator synchronisation. However, whilst the standard clinical method is satisfactory in the majority of patients, more invasive measurements should be considered in patients who have difficulty synchronising with the ventilator to enhance patient tolerance and compliance.


This study examined the use of corn gluten feed (CGF) and cottonseed meal (CSM) to partially replace soybean meal and corn in diets for pond-raised hybrid catfish, Ictalurus punctatus×I. furcatus. Five 28% protein diets containing various combinations of CGF and CSM were evaluated. Fingerling hybrid catfish (mean initial weight: 45 g/fish) were stocked into 25, 0.04-ha ponds at a rate of 14,826 fish/ha. Fish were fed once daily to apparent satiation for a 179-d growing season. CGF at 30% of the diet (10% CSM) and a combination of CGF and CSM up to 25% each did not affect physical quality (percentages floatability and feed dust) of the diet. No significant differences were observed in total amount of diet fed, net yield, diet consumption, weight gain, feed conversion ratio (FCR), survival, and fillet proximate nutrient composition among fish fed various diets. Results show that hybrid catfish can utilize CGF at levels up to 30% of the diet (10% CSM), and a combination of CGF and CSM up to 25% each without significantly affecting growth, diet consumption, FCR, and fillet proximate nutrient composition. However, a combination of CGF and CSM at 20% each and above reduced carcass yield.


The aim of this thesis was to improve our understanding of the natural iron fertilisation processes that can alleviate the High Nutrient Low Chlorophyll conditions normally associated with the Southern Ocean. The annual phytoplankton bloom occurring north of the Crozet Plateau (46°26'S - 52°18'E) provided a good opportunity to study these phenomena during CROZEX, a multidisciplinary study performed in austral summers 2004/2005 and 2005/2006. Particular emphasis has been placed on the sources of Fe to the upper water column, and on the different processes that drive the distribution of iron, such as mixing with deeper waters, advection of Fe rich waters from the islands, or particles and atmospheric inputs. A flow-injection analyser with DPD catalytic spectrophotometric detection (FIA-DPD) was first set up for the determination of total dissolved Fe (DFe, ? 0.2 µm) and careful assessment of data demonstrated the high quality of the information obtained in this study. Analytical measurements of DFe were performed in twenty vertical profiles from the North to the South of the islands that show evidence of a range of processes influencing the iron distributions. Most significantly, an enrichment of DFe (>1 nM) has been identified at close proximity to the islands, which suggests that the plateau and the associated sediments are a source of iron. Waters further north also appear to be affected by this input of both coastal and shelf origin, although dissolved iron concentrations decrease as a function of distance to the north of the plateau with a gradient of 0.07 nM.km-1 as a result of dispersion and mixing. This gradient was then combined with short-lived Radium isotopes profiles, allowing the determination of a horizontal advective flux of Fe. Estimates of atmosphere and vertical fluxes of Fe to surface waters were also calculated. It was then possible to estimate a pre-bloom concentration of ~ 0.44 nM, which is sufficient to drive the inferred level of the new production in the bloom area. Labile iron has been distinguished from the refractory fraction of iron in the suspended particulate matter exported from the mixed layer by developing a two-stage leaching technique. The resulting solutions were analyzed using ICP-MS. By using associated 234Th fluxes, vertical fluxes of particulate iron in both phases were determined as well as their residence times. Data clearly show that carbon export was linked to the iron residence time and enhanced in the northern region where iron inputs occur. This thesis therefore provides a comprehensive data set of DFe and particulate iron in waters surrounding the Crozet Islands. It also presents the first attempt to establish an iron budget that can be developed into a model and provides a good reference point for subsequent studies of natural iron fertilization processes that occur around these islands.


Using machine learning, especially deep learning, to facilitate biological research is a fascinating research direction. However, in addition to the standard classification or regression problems, in bioinformatics, we often need to predict more complex structured targets, such as 2D images and 3D molecular structures. The above complex prediction tasks are referred to as structured prediction. Structured prediction is more complicated than the traditional classification but has much broader applications, considering that most of the original bioinformatics problems have complex output objects. Due to the properties of those structured prediction problems, such as having problem-specific constraints and dependency within the labeling space, the straightforward application of existing deep learning models can lead to unsatisfactory results. Here, we argue that the following ideas can help resolve structured prediction problems in bioinformatics. Firstly, we can combine deep learning with other classic algorithms, such as probabilistic graphical models, which model the problem structure explicitly. Secondly, we can design the problem-specific deep learning architectures or methods by considering the structured labeling space and problem constraints, either explicitly or implicitly. We demonstrate our ideas with six projects from four bioinformatics subfields, including sequencing analysis, structure prediction, function annotation, and network analysis. The structured outputs cover 1D signals, 2D images, 3D structures, hierarchical labeling, and heterogeneous networks. With the help of the above ideas, all of our methods can achieve SOTA performance on the corresponding problems. The success of these projects motivates us to extend our work towards other more challenging but important problems, such as health-care problems, which can directly benefit people's health and wellness.


CONTEXT
The consistency of muscle activation order during prone hip extension has been debated.

OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether women use a consistent and distinguishable muscle activation order when extending the hip while prone and to explore the effects of verbal cues on muscle activation and movement.

DESIGN
Single-session, repeated-measures design.

SETTING
University laboratory.

PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS
Eleven healthy women (age = 27.7 +/- 6.2 years [range, 22-37 years]).

INTERVENTION(S)
We tested the participants under 3 conditions: no cues, cues to contract the gluteal muscles, and cues to contract the hamstrings muscles.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S)
We measured hip and knee angle and electromyographic data from the gluteus maximus, medial hamstrings, and lateral hamstrings while participants performed prone hip extension from 30 degrees of hip flexion to neutral.

RESULTS
When not given cues, participants used the consistent and distinguishable muscle activation order of medial hamstrings, followed by lateral hamstrings, then gluteus maximus (195.5 +/- 74.9, 100.2 +/- 70.3, and 11.5 +/- 81.9 milliseconds preceding start of movement, respectively). Compared with the no-cues condition, the gluteal-cues condition resulted in nearly simultaneous onset of medial hamstrings, lateral hamstrings, and gluteus maximus (131.3 +/- 84.0, 38.8 +/- 96.9, and 45.1 +/- 93.4 milliseconds, respectively) (P > .059); decreased activation of the medial hamstrings (P < .03) and lateral hamstrings (P < .024) around the initiation of movement; increased activation of gluteus maximus throughout the movement (P < .001); and decreased knee flexion (P = .002). Compared with the no-cues condition, the hamstrings-cues condition resulted in decreased activation of the medial hamstrings just after the initiation of movement (P = .028) and throughout the movement (P = .034) and resulted in decreased knee flexion (P = .003).

CONCLUSIONS
Our results support the contention that the muscle activation order during prone hip extension is consistent in healthy women and demonstrates that muscle timing and activation amplitude and movement can be modified with verbal cues. This information is important for clinicians using prone hip extension as either an evaluation tool or a rehabilitation exercise.


Drug metabolism studies and liver tissue engineering necessitate stable hepatocyte cultures that express liver functions for a minimum of 4 days to 3 weeks. Current techniques, using different biomaterials and geometries, that maintain hepatocellular function in vitro exhibit a low cell density and functional capacity per unit volume. Herein we investigated a well-defined synthetic peptide that can self-assemble into three-dimensional interweaving nanofiber scaffolds to form a hydrogel, PuraMatrix, as a substrate for hepatocyte culture. Freshly isolated primary rat hepatocytes attached, migrated, and formed spheroids within 3 days after seeding on PuraMatrix. Hepatocytes expressed the apical membrane marker dipeptidyl peptidase IV at cell-cell contacts. Compared to the collagen sandwich, albumin and urea secretion on PuraMatrix were higher for the first week, and cytochrome P450IA1 activity was higher throughout the culture period. Mitochondrial membrane potential 1 day after seeding was higher on PuraMatrix than in the collagen sandwich, suggesting better preservation of the metabolic machinery. PuraMatrix and Matrigel showed similar albumin and urea production. PuraMatrix is an attractive system for generating hepatocyte spheroids that quickly restore liver functions after seeding. This system is also amenable to scale-up, which makes it suitable for in vitro toxicity, hepatocyte transplantation, and bioartificial liver development studies.


In the title compound, C20H25ClN6 2+·2ClO4 −, the organic cation is roughly planar, as shown by the dihedral angle of 3.78 (3)° between the quinazoline and chlorophenyl rings. The quinazoline ring is itself approximately planar, with an average deviation of 0.018 (4) Å. The organic cation adopts an E configuration with respect to the C= N double bond of the hyrazinyl group. The (dimethylazaniumyl)propylamino side chain is disordered over two sets of sites with occupancies of 0.768 (10) and 0.232 (10). In the crystal, two cations and four anions are linked by strong N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds. Weak C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds exist among these aggregates.


The sodium/iodide symporter (NIS) mediates iodide uptake in the thyroid gland and lactating breast. NIS mRNA and protein expression are detected in most thyroid cancer specimens, although functional iodide uptake is usually reduced resulting in the characteristic finding of a 'cold' or non-functioning lesion on a radioiodine image. Iodide uptake after thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) stimulation, however, is sufficient in most differentiated thyroid cancer to utilize beta-emitting radioactive iodide for the treatment of residual and metastatic disease. Elevated serum TSH, achieved by thyroid hormone withdrawal in athyreotic patients or after recombinant human thyrotropin administration, directly stimulates NIS gene expression and/or NIS trafficking to the plasma membrane, increasing radioiodide uptake. Approximately 10-20% differentiated thyroid cancers, however, do not express the NIS gene despite TSH stimulation. These tumors are generally associated with a poor prognosis. Reduced NIS gene expression in thyroid cancer is likely due in part, to impaired trans-activation at the proximal promoter and/or the upstream enhancer. Basal NIS gene expression is detected in about 80% breast cancer specimens, but the fraction with functional iodide transport is relatively low. Lactogenic hormones and various nuclear hormone receptor ligands increase iodide uptake in breast cancer cells in vitro, but TSH has no effect. A wide range of 'differentiation' agents have been utilized to stimulate NIS expression in thyroid and breast cancer using in vitro and in vivo models, and a few have been used in clinical studies. Retinoic acid has been used to stimulate NIS expression in both thyroid and breast cancer. There are similarities and differences in NIS gene regulation and expression in thyroid and breast cancer. The various agents used to enhance NIS expression in thyroid and breast cancer will be reviewed with a focus on the mechanism of action. Agents that promote tumor differentiation, or directly stimulate NIS gene expression, may result in iodine concentration in 'scan-negative' thyroid cancer and some breast cancer.


A general approach for controlled grafting of polyaniline (PANI) chains from the surface of nano-structured carbon materials following a 'grafting from' strategy through oxidative polymerization of aniline is reported. Fluorescent spherical carbon nano-dots (CNDs) are obtained through HNO3 oxidation followed by size separation from an easily available and cheap source like candle soot. Oxidative polymerization of aniline under dilute acid conditions is conducted in the presence of CNDs tethered to the mono-amine group of N,N′-bis(4′-aminophenyl)-1,4-quinonediimine (APQD, in the emeraldine state) (CNDT), as the initiator. The appreciably lower oxidation potential of APQD compared to aniline directs the growth of PANI chains preferentially from these moieties acting as 'seeds'. Furthermore, the conditions are optimized to complete the entire polymerization within the duration of the induction period (IP) for the oxidative polymerization of aniline under similar conditions to ensure the grafting of PANI chains from the CND surface only. The attachment of APQD moieties to the CND surface and hence the formation of PANI chains are confirmed by using FTIR and XPS techniques. The covalently attached carbon nano-dot/polyaniline shows a remarkably higher specific capacitance of 972 F g−1 with 90% retention after 2000 cycles, in comparison to only 482 F g−1 for the non-covalently attached composite. The excellent electrochemical performance is attributed to the formation of the nano-structured composite material.


Summary Sitathali is an olivine-bronzite chondrite, consisting largely of olivine (Fa18) and orthopyroxene (Fs19) with minor amounts of a clinopyroxene (Ca36Fe12Mg52), plagioclase (An12), nickel-iron, troilite, chromite, and a phosphate (apatite or merrillite). The chemical analysis of a 4 gm sample gave SiO2 39·85, TiO2 0·10, Al2O3 2·84, Cr2O3 0·35, FeO 13·27, MnO 0·28, MgO 23·01, CaO 1·84, Na2O 0·65, K2O 0·15, H2O+ 0·23, H2O− 0·05, P2O5 0·25, FeS 5·09, Fe 10·22, Ni 1·58, Co tr. total 99·76. The metal displays Neumann bands, some deformed, as well as areas of apparent flowage. Troilite locally exhibits twin lamellae and in places replaces kamacite in the plessite fields. Elsewhere it is in braided veinlets and globules, both reflecting former melting. The varied textures suggest a complex post-formational history encompassing several deformational events presumably due to breakups and possible extraterrestrial impacts.


A remote interferometric method to measure sea level variations in coastal regions is discussed and results of numerous experimental tests are summarized. A bistatic scheme of measurements is employed with horizontal separation of transmitter-receiver terminals ranging from 400 m to 2700 m. To account for the impact of sea surface roughness, the method incorporates a reflection coefficient phase measuring procedure. The phase of the coherent reflection coefficient measured in the experiments is presented as a function of sea state. The experiments were performed with electronic distance measuring equipment operating at 10-cm wavelength. Preliminary estimates of the measurement accuracy show that errors in sea level variation determination were approximately between 3 cm and 9 cm. These observed errors exceed the theoretical predictions because of various causes, such as technical limitations of the instrumentation, effect of sea surface roughness, etc. More work needs to be done, especially in the area of signal processing, in order to sort out these various effects and reduce their impact on measurement accuracy.


Hydroxyl radicals (OH*) play a crucial role in atmospheric chemistry and biological processes. In this study, Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics simulations are performed under ambient conditions for a hydroxyl radical in a water nanodroplet containing 191 water molecules. Density functional theory calculations are performed at the BLYP-D3 level with some test calculations at the B3LYP-D3 level. In two 150 ps trajectories, either with OH* initially located in the interior region or at the surface of the water nanodroplet, the OH* radical ends up in the subsurface layer of the nanodroplet, which is different from the "surface preference" predicted from previous empirical force field simulations. The solvation structure of OH* contains fluctuating hydrogen bonds, as well as a two-center three-electron hemibond in some cases. The mobility of OH* is enhanced by hydrogen transfer, which has a free energy barrier of ∼4.6 kcal mol-1. The results presented in this study deepen our understanding of the structure and dynamics of OH* in aqueous solutions, especially around the air-water interface.


Transition metal oxide electrode materials for supercapacitors suffer from poor electrical conductivity and stability, which are the research focus of the energy storage field. Herein, multicomponent hybridization Ni-Cu oxide (NCO-Ar/H2 -10) electrode enriched with oxygen vacancy and high electrical conductivity including the Cu0.2 Ni0.8 O, Cu2 O and CuO is prepared by introducing Cu element into Ni metal oxide with hydrothermal, annealing, and plasma treatment. The NCO-Ar/H2 -10 electrode exhibits high specific capacity (1524 F g-1 at 3 A g-1 ), good rate performance (72%) and outstanding cyclic stability (109% after 40,000 cycles). The NCO-Ar/H2 -10//AC asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) achieves high energy density of 48.6 Wh kg-1 at 799.6 W kg-1 while exhibiting good cycle life (117.5% after 10,000 cycles). The excellent electrochemical performance mainly comes from the round-trip valence change of Cu+ /Cu2+ in the multicomponent hybridization enhance the surface capacitance during the redox process, and the change of electronic microstructure triggered by a large number of oxygen vacancies reduce the adsorption energy of OH- ions of thin nanosheet with crack of surface edge, ensuring electron and ion-transport processes and remitting the structural collapse of material. This work provides a new strategy for improving the cycling stability of transition metal oxide electrode materials.


Malaria and typhoid fever are among the most endemic diseases in the tropics. The emergence of multi-drug resistant strains of Salmonella typhi and Plasmodium falciparum poses a big challenge to eradication of both diseases. Both diseases share similar transmission factors, putting individuals in areas endemic for both infections at a substantial risk of contracting both infections concurrently. The main objective of the study was to determine the incidence of malaria and typhoid fever co-infection in the Sunyani and Kumasi metropolises. One hundred and twenty-nine participants were recruited for the study. Twenty-two (17.0%) of the subjects tested positive for typhoid fever, twenty-four (18.6%) tested positive for falciparum malaria, and five (3.9%) were co-infected with falciparum malaria and typhoid fever. No association (P=0.585) was found between malaria and typhoid fever infection.


One of the features of agile supply chains is their organic combination of batch production mode and customization production mode. Aimed at this feature, components and parts of products can be divided into general parts which are made according to batch production and diversity parts according to customization production. And different inventory control strategies can be adopted corresponding to these two kinds of production modes. Moreover, the production activities of general parts present comparatively stronger continuity, and the production activities of diversity parts and the distributing and transporting of both kinds of parts present some discreteness. Therefore agile supply chain systems can be considered as dynamic systems mixed with continuous variables and discrete ones. Based on above consideration, hybrid Petri net is used to model and simulate an agile supply chain hybrid dynamic system. The results of the simulation indicate that hybrid Petri net can effectively describe the dynamic characteristics of agile supply chain systems.


Kinetic testing has been conducted on six samples of sulfidic Mount McRae Shale from the Pilbara, West Australia. The total sulfur content of the samples ranged from 0.2 to 8.9%. Whilst the sulfide mineralization was predominantly pyrite, the bulk mineralogy of the samples was dominated by silicates and iron oxides. Acid neutralizing capacity was low and sample classification ranged from Uncertain (UC) for the low sulfide samples, to potentially acid forming (PAF) for the higher sulfide samples. Various small scale test methods have been developed within the industry to assess the rate of oxidation and solute release from mine waste materials. Whilst humidity cell tests (HCTs) were developed in North America as part of the MEND program, an alternate but similar free draining method was developed in Australia, referred to as the AMIRA free-draining method. These methods are conducted at a similar scale, but differ primarily in the frequency of irrigation, and the temperature at which testing is undertaken. The methods were compared to assess the implications on leach rates and water quality predictions. Under acidic conditions, both test methods generated similar trends, and produced approximately equivalent results. One sample contained neutralizing capacity and the two methods yielded different pH profiles; the HCT remained circum neutral, whilst the AMIRA test developed acidic conditions. A possible cause of the discrepancy is comparatively high consumption of neutralization capacity in the saline AMIRA leachate environment. Further work is required to develop a more robust understanding of neutralization processes, and their effectiveness, as a function of leachate salinity. The test results for acidic conditions would yield similar outcomes when used as the basis for water quality predictions at a larger scale, however, this was not the case for the sample containing reactive ANC.


E. C., aged 5 months. This infant was brought to hospital on May 22 on account of a "cough from birth."' On examination no physical signs of pulmonary disease were found, nor was there any indrawing of the lower part of the thorax. During quiet breathing a faint purring noise could be easily heard a shor't distance from the patient, and this became more evident on forcible respiration. The mother said the condition had existed from birth, that it seemed to produce no inconvenience, and that it disappeared during sleep. Two other children in the family had been affected in a similar way.


The optimisation of solid-liquid two-phase flow pipelines is essential, to ensure commercial viability of these pipelines. A complete optimisation model needs elements of both mechanical design and hydraulic design to be included. In this work, an optimisation methodology has been developed that integrates both mechanical and hydraulic design aspects. The model allows determination of the size of the pipeline for adequate operational conditions and requirements that ensures least cost. All these models are interconnected together to integrate both the operational and commercial aspects into consideration. Robustness and user-friendliness are the two main features of the proposed model


Coalescence of drops in fully developed turbulent flow depends on the size of drops and the properties of the flow. By comparing the size of drops with the Kolmogoroff length scale, collision frequencies of drops have been determined. If λ>λ0, then the collision frequency of drops in a gaseous medium is given as ωc∼(ϵR/a2)1/3 and for λ<λ0, it is given as ωc∼(ϵR/νc)1/2 in a liquid medium. New expressions for the fluctuation, thinning, and breaking of the intervening film between drops that is formed due to collisions were also suggested. At various Re and Mo numbers, for the calculation of maximum stable sizes of drops, some equations are suggested. In order to evaluate coalescence and break up rates a new dimensionless number, , is introduced. This number is defined as the ratio of the energy of the turbulent flow to surface energy. As a result of the coalescence of drops, evolution of the distribution function with time is determined from the solution of the Focker‐Planck equation. Comparisons of the calculated drop sizes with the experimental data reported in literature showed good agreement.


Requirements engineers need to understand and model different aspects of organizations and systems under construction, and may need to use different modeling notations. However, most modeling tools support only one (or at most a few notations), hindering requirements engineers from using the most appropriate notations for the particular modeling task. The RE-Tools is an open-source toolkit implemented using a UML Profile for StarUML, an open-source UML modeling tool. The toolkit supports many leading requirements modeling notations, including the NFR Framework, the i* Framework, KAOS, Problem Frames, and UML. Each of these notations may be used for modeling independent corresponding diagrams or together with non-functional requirements (NFRs). The toolkit also supports the original qualitative reasoning of the NFR Framework and augments with a quantitative one.


Introduction: The main challenge of modern hospitals is purchasing medical technologies. Hospital-based health technology assessments (HB-HTAs) are used in healthcare facilities around the world to support management boards in providing relevant technologies for patients. Aim: This study was undertaken to update the existing body of knowledge on the characteristics of HB-HTA systems/models in the selected European countries. Insights gained from this study were used to provide an optimal approach for implementing HB-HTA in Poland. Materials and methods: Firstly, we carried out a systematic review in PubMed and embase. Secondly, we searched for gray literature via the AdHopHTA online handbook and the design book of the AdHopHTA project, as well as literature describing healthcare systems provided by the WHO. Then, we conducted in-depth interviews with HB-HTA experts from four countries. Finally, we selected ten countries from Europe and prepared frameworks for data collection and analyses. Results: The selected countries (Switzerland, Spain, France, Italy, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Austria) are examples of decentralized or deconcentrated healthcare systems. In terms of HB-HTA, differences in organisational models (independent group, stand-alone, integrated-essential, integrated-specialised), type of financing (internally vs. externally), collaboration with an HTA National Agency and other stakeholders (e.g., Patients' Associations) were identified. HB-HTA engages multi-skilled staff with various academic backgrounds and operates mainly on a voluntary basis. Conclusion: Strengths and weaknesses associated with various organisational models must be carefully considered in the context of support for decentralized or centralized models of implementation while embarking on HTA activities in Polish hospitals.


Aesthetic/affective norms around femininity could be an obstacle to women's performance of exercise. Gender differences are significant: women are considerably more inactive than men. In this article we worked with the notion of body image and body affect, with the aim of reflecting on how aesthetic/affective norms around femininity could be an obstacle to women's performance of exercise in Chile. To understand how these aesthetic/affective norms hinder physical activity, we analyzed media images using a qualitative methodology. The results show that there are four types of female body: extremely thin, thin, fat, and obese. This study explores how affectivity relates to the way in which exercise should be experienced: women must enjoy the actions in order to achieve the ideal body; indeed, they must experience them as pleasant. They should also be performed on a body that feels graceful, fragile, and small. We draw conclusions on the way in which images promote a body affect for the self and for others that becomes a barrier to the performance of female exercise.


BACKGROUND
Elderly patients may be at risk of suboptimal care. Thus, the relationship between age and quality of care for patients hospitalized for heart failure was examined.

METHODS
A cross-sectional study based on retrospective chart review was performed among a random sample of patients hospitalized between 1996 and 1998 in the general internal medicine wards, with a principal diagnosis of congestive heart failure, and discharged alive. Explicit criteria of quality of care, grouped into three scores, were used: admission work-up (admission score); evaluation and treatment during the stay (evaluation and treatment score); and readiness for discharge (discharge score). The associations between age and quality of care scores were analysed using linear regression models.

RESULTS
Charts of 371 patients were reviewed. Mean age was 75.7 (+/-11.1) years and 52% were men. There was no relationship between age and admission or readiness for discharge scores. The evaluation and treatment score decreased with age: compared with patients less than 70 years old, the score was lower by -2.6% (95% CI: -7.1 to 1.9) for patients aged 70 to 79, by -8.7% (95% CI: -13.0 to -4.3) for patients aged 80 to 89, and by -19.0% (95% CI: -26.6 to -11.5) for patients aged 90 and over. After adjustment for possible confounders, this relationship was not significantly modified.

CONCLUSIONS
In patients hospitalized for congestive heart failure, older age was not associated with lower quality of care scores except for evaluation and treatment. Whether this is detrimental to elderly patients remains to be evaluated.


Under the Nuclear/Radiological Incident Annex of the National Response Framework, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has specific responsibilities as a coordinating agency and for leading interagency response elements in the Federal Radiological Monitoring and Assessment Center (FRMAC). Emergency response planning focuses on rapidly providing response elements in stages after being notified of a nuclear/radiological incident. The use of Home Teams during the field team deployment period and recent advances in collecting and transmitting data from the field directly to assessment assets has greatly improved incident assessment times for public protection decisions. The DOE's Remote Sensing Laboratory (RSL) based in Las Vegas, Nevada, has successfully deployed technical and logistical support for this mission at national exercises such as Top Officials Exercise IV (TOPOFF IV). In a unique response situation, DOE will provide advance contingency support to NASA during the scheduled launch in the fall of 2009 of the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL). The MSL rover will carry a radioisotope power system that generates electricity from the heat of plutonium's radioactive decay. DOE assets and contingency planning will provide a pre-incident response posture for rapid early plume phase assessment in the highly unlikely launch anomaly.


We present a new approach to tackle the issue of radio loudness in quasars. We constrain a (simple) prescription for the intrinsic distribution of radio-to-optical ratios by comparing properties of Monte Carlo simulated samples with those of observed optically selected quasars. We find strong evidence for a dependence of the radio luminosity on the optical one, even though with a large scatter. The intrinsic distribution of the radio-to-optical ratios shows a peak at R*{1.4} ~ 0.3, with only ~5 per cent of objects being included in a high R*{1.4} tail which identifies the radio loud regime.