Extensive research has been conducted in an attempt to develop reliable models or indicators for determining product quality based on process information. Relationships between part quality and process variables such as nozzle temperature, hydraulic pressure and cavity pressure have been established using methods such as statistical process control, regression analysis and artificial neural networks. Ideally, these models would be used to determine part quality without direct inspection. If a level of confidence equivalent to that obtained by traditional methods (e.g., SQC) could be achieved, "quality by inspection" could be eliminated. Two drawbacks to these models are that they are specific to the machine/mold/polymer (M/M/P) combination being studied and they require a significant amount of "up-front" process data for model formulation. A method for "normalizing" pressure data obtained from a range of machine/mold/polymer configurations to yield essentially one curve or attribute denoting acceptable part quality would greatly enhance the utility of P-t data in a manufacturing setting. The objective of the present research is to examine the effects on the temporal cavity pressure due to changes in the mold geometry and to investigate methods for obtaining generic pressure data for various geometries. Cavity pressure data was collected using geometric inserts fitted into a standard ASTM tensile specimen cavity. The pressure data was analyzed to determine the correlation between cavity pressure and part quality for three part geometries studied. A discussion of the utility of the pressure is presented and an attempt is made to find a geometry independent cavity pressure attribute for use in determining part quality.


Herein, a pH-responsive dual cross-linked hydrogel for controlled drug release is presented. The hydrogel was constructed with reversible borate ester bonds and crystalline poly(vinyl alcohol). By changing the environmental pH, its physicochemical characteristics, including rheological properties, mechanical properties, microstructural features, and the biocompatibility of the gels, were evaluated. The gels at tumor acidic conditions exhibited swelling and lower compressive strength and modulus than those in a physiological environment, which was attributed to the pH-responsive borate ester bonds and the protonation of amine groups on the PEI polyelectrolyte. Importantly, the drug-encapsulated biocompatible hydrogel showed sustained and increased release under an acidic environment, and it followed the Fickian diffusion mechanism. Therefore, it exemplifies that borate ester bond-based pH-responsive biomaterials have high promise in biomedical research, especially for drug delivery.


The texts of the seven romances included-Havelok, Ywain and Gawain, Sir Orfeo, Sir Launfal, The Awntyrs off Arthure at the Terne Wathelyne, The Weddyng of Syr Gawen and Dame Ragnell, and The Sege off Melayne-are complete, authoritative (rendered from the best manuscripts), and comprehensively glossed and annotated for undergraduate readers. In addition to their literary importance, the seven romances were chosen because they shed light on other important Middle English texts. "Sources and Backgrounds" offers comparative analogues (many complete) to each of the seven romances. These readings enable students to understand the genre in the context of related medieval ideas and attitudes. "Criticism" collects four essays that provide a variety of perspectives on Middle English romances by Erich Auerbach, John Finlayson, A. C. Baugh, and Gisela Guddat-Figge. A Selected Bibliography is also included.


ABSTRACT: We have used transferrin‐adriamycin conjugates to deliver drug to transferrin receptors and have shown that the conjugates bind to and kill tumor cells in vivo and in vitro. This has been studied with the use of qualitative and quantitative assays. In this report, we present evidence indicating that the primary target of transferrin‐adriamycin cytotoxicity is the plasma membrane. This was done using a spectrofluorometric method that takes advantage of the fluorescence properties of adriamycin. It was shown that, while DNA intercalation may be the primary mechanism of cytotoxicity for free adriamycin, transferrin‐adriamycin conjugates were not observed to interact with nuclear DNA. This may be a useful consideration in the design of future chemotherapeutic studies with transferrin conjugates of anticancer drugs.


Obesity is associated with a low-grade systemic chronic inflammatory state, characterized by the abnormal production of pro- and anti-inflammatory adipocytokines. It has been found that immune cells such as macrophages can infiltrate adipose tissue and are responsible for the majority of inflammatory cytokine production. Obesity-induced inflammation is considered a potential mechanism linking obesity to its related pathologies, such as insulin resistance, cardiovascular diseases, type-2 diabetes, and some immune disorders. Therefore, targeting obesity-related inflammatory components may be a useful strategy to prevent or ameliorate the development of such obesity-related diseases. It has been shown that several food components can modulate inflammatory responses in adipose tissue via various mechanisms, some of which are dependent on peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), whereas others are independent on PPARγ, by attenuating signals of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and/or c-Jun amino-terminal kinase (JNK). In this review, we introduce the beneficial effects of anti-inflammatory phytochemicals that can help prevent obesity-induced inflammatory responses and pathologies.


Introduction: Emergency department (ED) has been designed to provide services for patients that are physiologically unstable and need continuous evaluation and treatment according to the process of their illness. Therefore, a major part of critical care is provided for patients in this department. However, a number of patients visiting ED do not need these kinds of services. The present study was done aiming to evaluate the causes of non-emergency cases using ED services. Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out in ED of Imam Hossein Hospital, Teran, Iran, from August 2014 to August 2015. Convenience sampling was used and all the patients admitted to ED were divided into groups of in need of emergency services and other, based on the algorithm of New York University ED. Cases that visited due to an illness that did not need emergency services based on the evaluations and were in levels 4 and 5 of triage were included in the study after approval of a physician. Data gathering was done by a trained nurse using a pre-designed checklist. Results: In the present study, 1500 patients with the mean age of 40.0 ± 17.34 years were evaluated (54.47% female). Finally, 601 (40.1%) cases were non-emergency visits based on the definitions of this study. Rewriting the prescriptions due to distortion (16.7%) and unavailability of their physician (14.07%) were the most common causes of non-emergency visits to ED. Sex, time of visit and positive past medical history were identified as variables influencing non-emergency referrals. Conclusion: Based on the findings of the present study, it seems that about 40% of visits to the studied ED were non-emergency cases. Rewriting the prescriptions due to distortion and unavailability of their physician were the most common causes of non-emergency visits. Sex and history of illness were found to be effective variables of non-emergency visits.


The vast outbreak of COVID-19 in early 2020 precipitated many changes worldwide, including the sudden shift to online and remote learning across institutions of higher education in the United States. Those sudden shifts yielded ill-prepared remote learning experiences - dubbed pandemic teaching - that contributed to a growing fear of a drastic reduction in student enrollment in the forthcoming 2020–2021 academic year if the quality of remote engagement did not substantially improve. Institutions worldwide rapidly pivoted and sought to explore new means of effectively engaging their student populations, including incoming students, to shore up retention and matriculation in the face of a new and persisting remote learning environment. The authors of this study created a new virtual summer bridge program, named 24for24, to shore up their institution's engagement with its students. 24for24 was targeted at the incoming class of 2024 engineering majors at a primarily undergraduate institution in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. The summer bridge program was intentionally designed to generate excitement for the engineering major and to promote early community-building, which defines our paper's two objectives, as a means of shoring up matriculation and provide the authors a metaphorical sandbox to explore online pedagogical practices emphasizing student engagement. The quality of the program's two objectives was assessed using aggregated survey results and through qualitative observations of the matriculated cohort at the start of the 2020–2021 academic year. The authors found no measurable change in excitement for the major, yet the authors found that the summer bridge program fostered a small community made up of about 30 students who actively participated throughout the 8-week long program and continued to engage intimately with each other in the first-year engineering course at the start of the new academic year. The authors discuss perceived benefits and shortcomings of the program and speculate on means of strengthening it in a post-COVID-19 era where the threat of reduced student enrollment is ever-present due to demographic changes in the United States. The authors' inaugural execution of 24for24 revealed that there is value in engaging with students in a virtual summer bridge program remotely as a cost-efficient means of fostering enthusiasm for engineering studies, fostering a sense of belonging through community-building, and priming student mindset for success.


Social protection programmes are increasingly becoming the conduit for minimizing poverty and social exclusion across the world. Social protection schemes have been found to be efficient in minimizing vulnerability of poor families, hunger and extreme poverty in Sub-Saharan African countries. Nonetheless, about 437 million people in Sub-Saharan African countries live in extreme poverty. Ghana, like other SSA countries, has implemented several social protection programmes to reduce poverty. However, a quarter of the 30 million population live in abject poverty. This brief explores the role of social protection programmes, specifically the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty Programme (LEAP), in poverty reduction from the perspective of beneficiaries. The findings of the paper suggest that the programme must be reviewed to leverage local market opportunities and incentives, available for beneficiaries. This would ensure predictability of income and sustainability of the impact of the programme.


From the turn of the century, Martyr Square in downtown Beirut, Lebanon has been the scene for myriad political events. Beginning in the mid-seventies, Martyr Square was part of the Green Line that saw vicious fighting during the arduous fifteen-year civil war fought along religious identities. More recently, and after a period of peaceful coexistence among the Lebanese, on the eve of February 14, 2005, the Square district witnessed yet another event of an immense magnitude. Former Prime Minister and tycoon Rafiq Hariri was assassinated. This event caused a huge wave of protests and demonstrations claiming the strength of the Lebanese people and their steadfastness against 'foreign' aggression. In essence, this public outcry was a reaction to a tragedy that reminded the Lebanese of the horrors of war and resulted in a series of major transformations in the country. This paper is an exploration of the transformation in cultural memory and the manipulation of historical narratives to suit a particular political agenda. In light of the past collective war traumas, the Lebanese have "mythesized" the rise of their nation above the internal differences to reach its destiny: national cohesion. What the Lebanese have failed to acknowledge, however, is how they have suppressed the trauma of the war, ignored its underlying causes, and fell blind to the haunting possibility for these differences to remerge and ignite yet another war. Without addressing the past or engaging in a post-war healing process, the Lebanese fabricated a cultural memory that served to conceal internal strife placing the responsibility for the internal conflicts on 'foreign powers.' This paper will therefore explore how a geographical site serves as a mediated space for cultural memory. How has Martyr Square served as a locale for negotiating meaning? Finally, the focus will be on the means by which Lebanese used this space for manifesting their fears and dreams, and most importantly how this space became a site for negotiating history.


Background: To evaluate intravitreal 0.5 mg ranibizumab plus laser with 0.3 mg pegaptanib plus laser with focal/ grid laser alone for treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME) Methods: A total of 45 study eyes with DME involving the fovea and visual acuity (VA) of 20/32 or worse were randomized into three groups, ranibizumab 0.5 mg + prompt laser (Group 1), pegaptanib sodium 0.3 mg + prompt laser (Group 2) and laser alone (Group 3) with 15 eyes in each study arm. Retreatment was based on optical coherence tomography measurements and VA changes. Results: The mean VA change (± standard deviation) at 1 year in Groups 1, 2 and 3 were 10.4±2.1, 7.6±2.3 and 2±2.7 letters (p<0.001) respectively on a standardized ETDRS chart. There was no significant difference between the VA gain between Group 1 and 2 at 1 year (p=0.189) however significant difference existed between Groups 1 and 2 when compared to Group 3 (p=0.0001). Conclusions: Ranibizumab and Pegaptanib with prompt focal/grid laser proved to be more effective than prompt focal/grid laser alone in treatment of center involved DME. There was no statistical difference in the visual gain achieved in the two intravitreal groups.


Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic immune-related disease mainly caused by the disequilibrium of T helper (Th) cell paradigm? Pogostone (PO) is one of the major chemical constituents of Pogostemon cablin (Blanco) Benth. The present study aims to investigate the potential benefit of PO against IBD in a 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced experimental colitis model. PO treatment by enema significantly brought down the disease activity index (DAI) of the TNBS-challenged rats, which was manifested by the ameliorated inflammatory features including ulceration, adhesion, and edema. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and immunohistochemistry analysis showed that PO effectively relived colon damage by restoring epithelium, and more importantly, by inhibiting the infiltration of pro-inflammatory Th1 and Th17 cells in the colon. Additionally, PO inhibited the activity of myeloperoxidase and secretion of inflammatory cytokines including IFN-γ, IL-12p70, IL-17A, and IL-10. Together with our previous findings, the present data indicated that the anti-IBD effect of PO probably related to its direct inhibition on Th cell proliferation and suppression of the cytokines secretion. These results highlighted the potential of PO as a promising candidate to relieve IBD.


Ninety-nine anteroposterior and lateral lumbar radiographs taken of men, 18 to 55 years of age, were randomly selected from participants in a population survey of low-back pain. Thirty-one (31%) had never had low-back pain; 44 (44%) had or were having mild low-back pain; and 24 (24%) had or were having severe low-back pain. Three chiropractors assessed 56 radiographic variables, which included determinations of disc space height, vertebral malalignments and subluxations, spondylosis, postural disturbances, relationships among pelvis and spine and other congenital or acquired abnormalities. Interobserver reliability measurements showed that 6 of the 56 variables analyzed produced a high interobserver reliability. Sixteen additional variables showed a fair interobserver reliability. Comparison of the observations made by the chiropractors and a radiologist showed minimal agreement except for disc space height assessments at L3–4 and L4–5. Few of the radiographic variables discriminated between the current or prior history of low-back and leg complaints, although a few variables (most notably disc space narrowing) were statistically associated with back or leg complaints (P=.025). The conclusion was reached that spinal radiographs, whether analyzed by measurements, by a radiologist, or by chiropractors, have minimal value in determining the presence or absence of low-back complaints and, in particular, have no value in epidemiologic studies.


An analysis of dual-phase holograms is presented which concentrates on the effects of phase quantization on hologram design. Two different quantization schemes are investigated and used in conjunction with an iterative design algorithm to reduce quantization error. It is shown that performance of the quantization schemes depends on the number of quantization levels available.


Background Abnormally elevated AFP level is often observed in patients with chronic hepatitis infections without evident of (hepatocellular carcinoma) HCC. Our study aimed to investigate the influence of alanine transaminase (ALT) on the accuracy of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) for detecting HCC. Methods This retrospective study recruited 799 patients with HCC, cirrhosis and chronic hepatitis due to hepatitis B infection and healthy adults between July 2017 and January 2019. Comparisons of the area under the receiver-operating curves (AUCs) for detecting HCC in different ALT levels were calculated. Results Serum ALT and gamma-glutamyl transferase level were significantly associated with elevated AFP in patients without HCC. The AUC of AFP was higher in patients with ALT ≤ 2 upper limit of normal (ULN) than in patients with ALT > 2ULN (0.806 vs 0.611, P <0.001). Nevertheless, there was not significant differences in the AUCs of AFP/(ALT×Aspartate aminotransferase(AST) in patients with ALT ≤ 2 ULN and with ALT > 2ULN (0.769 vs 0.769, P = 0.68). AFP/(ALT×AST) was better than AFP in patients with ALT > 2ULN for detecting HCC (P <0.001). Conclusions Higher ALT level might impair the accuracy of AFP for diagnosing HCC. AFP tests showed better accuracy in patients with ALT ≤ 2 ULN whereas AFP/(ALT×AST) ratio was recommended in patients with elevated ALT level.


The United States National Plant Germplasm System maintains 151 sorghum accessions from Burundi of which 148 accessions were evaluated for resistance to Colletotrichum sublineolum at the Tropical Agriculture Research Station in Isabela, Puerto Rico in replicated evaluations during the 2007 and 2008 growing seasons. For the 2007 experiment, 120 accessions showed a resistant response with 89 of these accessions rated as resistant in 2008. The resistant accessions showed reddening of inoculated leaves with no acervuli development, whereas accessions rated as susceptible showed acervuli development on inoculated leaves. Mean infection severity based on the percentage of infected leaf area for the susceptible accessions was 2% in 2007 and 2.5% for the 2008 experiment. Only four accessions showed an infection severity more than 10% and eight accessions showed a susceptible response across replications and growing seasons. Results of this study indicate that sorghum germplasm from Burundi is an important source of anthracnose resistance for sorghum improvement and that germplasm from regions of high annual rainfall is frequently associated with anthracnose resistance.


From the challenges of sustainability to disruptive technology, work environments face unprecedented change and this major new textbook provides a cutting-edge introduction to how psychology and the world of work interact. Leading international academics, Steve Woods and Mike West, combine the latest research with truly global perspectives to leave students with a fully-rounded understanding of work psychology. Developed from wide-ranging lecturer feedback, three key themes of Ethics and Social Responsibility, Globalization and Cross-cultural Issues, and Environment and Sustainability are threaded throughout every chapter, while an attractive full-colour design and engaging pedagogical devices stimulate student interaction on this rapidly growing course. A full set of lecturer resources including Instructors Manual, PowerPoint Slides and Test Bank make this the complete resource for modern work psychology courses.


Conversational search has evolved as a new information retrieval paradigm, marking a shift from traditional search systems towards interactive dialogues with intelligent search agents. This change especially affects exploratory information-seeking contexts, where conversational search systems can guide the discovery of unfamiliar domains. In these scenarios, users find it often difficult to express their information goals due to insufficient background knowledge. Conversational interfaces can provide assistance by eliciting information needs and narrowing down the search space. However, due to the complexity of information-seeking behavior, the design of conversational interfaces for retrieving information remains a great challenge. Although prior work has employed user studies to empirically ground the system design, most existing studies are limited to well-defined search tasks or known domains, thus being less exploratory in nature. Therefore, we conducted a laboratory study to investigate open-ended search behavior for navigation through unknown information landscapes. The study comprised of 26 participants who were restricted in their search to a text chat interface. Based on the collected dialogue transcripts, we applied statistical analyses and process mining techniques to uncover general information-seeking patterns across five different domains. We not only identify core dialogue acts and their interrelations that enable users to discover domain knowledge, but also derive design suggestions for conversational search systems.


The study was designed to explore anatomical and histological vasculature changes in the female genital system of camel and serological aspects that might be responsible to maintain thermoregulation. Twenty-four adult female camels were sampled during breeding (November-April) and non-breeding (May-October) season. Blood was collected for estrogen, progesterone and cortisol level estimation. Genital organs were sampled and described after slaughtering. Samples were taken from the ovarian artery (OA), vein (OV) and arterio-venous complex (AVC), for light and scanning electron microscopy. Sections were stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin. (H&E), Masson's trichrome, Weigert's elastic and toluidine blue. Temperature and relative humidity were used to calculate stress indicator. Stress indicator was higher in non-breeding season (NBS). Anatomical and histological vasculature (OA, OV, AVC) dynamics were significantly higher in breeding season (BS) especially diameter of left OA. Parameters of OA were positively associated with estrogen level. Collagen, elastic, smooth muscles and mast cells were recorded least in BS compared to NBS. Unique venous structure, intra-mural venules (IMV), was discovered in tunica intima of OA, seen positively and negatively associated with estrogen and cortisol level in BS, respectively. Scanned electron-micrograph exhibited penetration and wrapping of OA by small thinned-walled venules that may form IMV. The AVC was too tightly packed to differentiate due to the collapse of the wall. Hormonal, seasonal, stress indicator and vascular dynamic of female genital system are interlinked and IMV in association with OA and OV may be proposed as the site of counter-current exchange in female reproductive system of the camel.


This research investigates idiosyncratic volatility in the Islamic stock of four ASEAN countries, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand for 2005–2017. The volatility will be analyzed based on the idiosyncratic volatility levels of each country. Furthermore, firm characteristics will be used to determine their relationship to the idiosyncratic volatility movement. This study used the Fama-French Three-Factor model for obtaining the realized value of idiosyncratic volatility. Furthermore, a panel data regression is used to estimate the relationship between firm characteristics and idiosyncratic volatility. The results of this research suggest that mean value of idiosyncratic risk in the Islamic stock of ASEAN countries is below the non-Islamic stock in the United States but above non-Islamic stock in Hong Kong. Meanwhile, after the global financial crisis of 2008, the relationship between return and idiosyncratic risk of Islamic stock changed in all four countries. Panel data regression of firm characteristics shows that firm size is significantly negative in all four countries, while share turnover is insignificant to idiosyncratic volatility.


An anode material is one of the key factors affecting the capacity, cycle, and rate (fast charge) performance of lithium-ion batteries. Using the adaptive genetic algorithm, we found a new ground-state Li2CoB and two metastable states LiCoB and LiCo2B2 in the Li-Co-B system. The Li2CoB phase is a lithium-rich layered structure, and it has an equivalent lithium-ion migration barrier (0.32 eV) in addition to the lower voltage platform (0.05 V) than graphite, which is the most important commercial anode material at present. Moreover, we analyzed the mechanism of delithiation for Li2CoB and found that it maintained metallicity in the process of delithiation, indicating its good conductivity as an electrode material. Therefore, it is an excellent potential anode material for lithium-ion batteries. Our work provides a promising theoretical basis for the experimental synthesis of Li-Co-B and similar new materials.


Abstract The dynamics of a multidegree impact vibrator subject to harmonic loading is investigated. The system is represented by a lumped mass model which hits and rebounds from a rigid wall during vibration. The periodic solution to the equations of motion with N forcing cycles and P impacts is formulated. The variational equations and the resulting transition matrix for investigating local stability of the periodic solutions are derived. A two-degree-of-freedom example is analysed, and a variety of motion types are found. Chaotic windows are present between regions of periodic response, and at these boundaries N - P motions are prevalent. Low velocity impacts are evident at exciting frequencies away from the natural frequencies. Two basins of attraction are computed, and the sensitivity to initial conditions is noted. The quality of the N - P motion is discussed from an engineering application perspective.


In 1972–1973, about 16,200 men living In Oslo, aged 40 to 49 years, were examined for cardiovascular disease, and had a number of coronary risk factors measured. This report gives the results of 129 autopsied cases with regard to the association between raised atherosclerotic lesions In coronary and cerebral arteries and various coronary risk factors. For coronary raised lesions, the high density llpoproteln (HDL) cholesterol ratio was the most significant risk factor. Systolic blood pressure and total serum cholesterol were also significantly associated. Physical activity at work and at leisure, nonfastlng trlglycerldes, and cigarette smoking did not show a significant association with coronary artery raised lesions. The association between total serum cholesterol and systolic blood pressure Indicates that total serum cholesterol may be more Important than systolic blood pressure In the synerglsm affecting the development of coronary atherosclerosis. For cerebral artery raised lesions, blood pressure was the most important risk factor, even though serum cholesterol was highly associated with the lesions. The Interaction analysis also suggested that blood pressure was more Important than serum cholesterol In the synerglsm.


Defoliation outbreaks are biological disturbances that alter tree growth and mortality in temperate forests. Trees respond to defoliation in many ways; some recover rapidly, while others decline gradually or die. These differences may arise from species functional traits that constrain growth such as xylem anatomy, growth phenology or non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) storage, but this has not been shown. Although many studies address these phenomena, varied and idiosyncratic measures limit our ability to generalize and predict defoliation responses across species. I synthesized and translated published growth and mortality data into consistent standardized variables suitable for numerical models. I analyzed data from 32 studies, including 16 tree species and 10 defoliator systems from North America and Eurasia, and quantitatively compared responses to defoliation among species and tree functional groups using linear mixed-effects models. Relative growth decreased linearly or curvilinearly as defoliation stress accumulated across species. Growth decreased by only 5-20% following 100% defoliation in ring-porous Quercus, whereas growth of diffuse-porous hardwoods and conifers declined by 50-100%. Mortality increased exponentially with defoliation, more rapidly for Pinus and diffuse-porous species than for Quercus and Abies. Species-specific mixed models were best (R2c = 0.83-0.94), yet functional-group models lost little in terms of goodness-of-fit (R2c = 0.72-0.92), providing useful alternatives when species data is lacking. These responses are consistent with functional differences in wood growth phenology and NSC storage. Ring-porous spring xylem growth precedes budburst. Defoliators whose damage follows foliar development can only affect development of later wood. Growth of diffuse-porous and coniferous species responds more drastically, yet differences in NSC storage make them more vulnerable to mortality as stress accumulates. Ring-porous species resist defoliation-related changes in growth and mortality more than diffuse-porous and coniferous species. These findings apply in general to disturbances that cause spring defoliation and should be incorporated into forest vegetation models.


Abilities of 31 kinds of raw fruits, 33 kinds of raw vegetables, and 2 kinds of raw mushrooms to remove the odor of methylmercaptan were examined. Apple, pear, loquat, peach, plum, prune, apricot, cherry, grape, lettuce, chicory, udo, perilla, peppermint, basil, burdock, potato, eggplant, and mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) showed high deodorizing activity. Highest activities were obtained with burdock and unripe fruits (apple and pear). These green foods are believed to contain large amounts of both polyphenolic compounds and their specific polyphenol oxidases, by which oxidation reaction causes addition reaction of the resulting quinone radicals with SH-compounds such as methylmercaptan. The sequential reactions can be called enzymatic deodorization. Sensory examination or measurement with an odor sensor indicated that eating apple, unripe pear and prune significantly removed bad breath caused by eating garlic. The enzymatic deodorization method has great potential for eliminating bad odors from the environment including bad breath.


The 1980s has been a critical decade for the management of acute myocardial infarction (MI) because of the concentration in a very short time span of innovative results produced by a new generation of trials, in which thrombolysis has been the preeminent topic. The message coming from the results in the more than 50,000 patients included in the five key trials is simple and clear: thrombolysis, of any type, is the cornerstone of acute treatment of MI, and it works well to produce a very favorable epidemiologic picture. In the GISSI-2 trial, the nationwide adoption of a package of recommended treatments centered on thrombolysis for the overall population of patients with an acute MI has produced a relevant modification of the natural history of the disease, reducing the in-hospital mortality by about 40% in few years (from 13% to 8.8%). In particular, in the great majority of cases (patients aged less than 70 years in Killip class I with a first acute MI), the mortality has gone down to 3%, making a further reduction very hard to obtain with new drugs or strategies. In this context, we will discuss the concept of the relevance for clinical practice of obtaining even greater patency rates with new thrombolytic agents (hopefully more efficient and safe) or with new combinations of traditional agents.


Our recent measurements of long‐term fluid flux rates and output fluid chemistry at seep sites on Hydrate Ridge, Cascadia, suggest that the mechanisms driving fluid flow in gas hydrate bearing forearc settings may be significantly more complex than previously thought. Temporal changes in the polarity and magnitude of flow and in seep fluid chemistry were observed. The nature of flow appears to generate a strong response in the chemosynthetic seep community ecology. We document here: 1) the frequency and range of temporal variability in flow rates, 2) the relatively rapid changes in outflow composition, 3) strong outflow of seawater‐like fluids, 4) the association of Calyptogena (sp) clams with oscillatory and inflow settings, and 5) microbial mat communities associated with strong advection of altered fluids. These results suggest that a reappraisal may be required of the nature of the hydrologic system and its effect on related processes such as benthic seep community ecology and biogeochemical cycles.


In this paper, a combined lateral and longitudinal rule based upper level control algorithm of a cooperative vehicle is presented. The vehicle model that has the ability to communicate with the other vehicles (V2V) and the infrastructure (V2I) that is within the communication range is developed. A two tier control hierarchy (upper and lower) is designed to ensure the fully automated vehicle operation. The proposed upper level control algorithm consists of a finite state machine whereas the lower level controller consists of throttle, brake and steering controller. Since the control system architecture is designed to be hierarchical, the lower level controllers receive the commands from the higher level controller that defines the driving mode of the vehicle. Based on the simulation model driving modes of the vehicle are determined as: cruise control (CC), cooperative adaptive cruise control (CACC), and lane change control (LCC). Moreover, different driving scenarios are also constructed in MATLAB/Simulink environment to highlight different potential conditions that might exist. Finally, simulation results for different modes of operation are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control algorithm.


In recent times peer-to-peer networking has gained popularity since users can share files without having to communicate with a dedicated server. Peer-to-peer network have a scalable and fault-tolerant system that can locate nodes on a network with no need to maintain routing state having a lot of information. As the bandwidth of internet connection has increased as well as the low cost, it has resulted in increase use of peer-to-peer networks. Peerto-Peer networks have the ability to deliver contents and services to other users easily. In this paper we discuss about the various architecture of peer-to-peer networks.


Comparisons have been made between 2.66-MHz and 40.92-MHz radar signals simultaneously scattered from the mesosphere. Echoes were generally received from the same height ranges, indicating that the same scattering mechanism operates at both radar frequencies. A comparison of the observed radar cross sections was made for data obtained during the spring of 1984. Indications are that these echoes are due to scattering from turbulent irregularities in the refractive index. It has been possible to estimate the inner scale of turbulence from these data. The inner scale was found to be close to that estimated from turbulence theory. A comparison of the reflection coefficients indicates that a specular reflection process cannot account for the relative signal strength observed in these data.


The in-plane effect of infill walls on the structural response of reinforced concrete frames has been widely ac- knowledged via numerous experimental and numerical investigations and, as a result, the need to consider their effect on structural response has been acknowledged (indicated) in the latest generation of structural design codes worldwide. Due to the uncertainties concerning the behavior of masonry at the material and structural level, the latter elements are usually ignored during the structural analysis phase. They are only considered when (i) there is suspicion that their influence can be detrimental on the overall structural response or on the behavior of individual structural - loadbearing - elements or (ii) when it is necessary to justify an elevated overall load-carrying capacity of an existing frame structure. In the latter case, both the in-plane and out-of-plane behavior can potentially play significant roles in accurately determining the overall load-carrying capacity of the frame structure at hand. To date, emphasis has been placed on investigating the in-plane con- tribution of the infill walls on the overall structural response whereas the effect of the out-of plain behaviour of the infill walls has been less studied. Should the infill walls fail in the out-of-plane direction, then any calculations performed on the basis that they can sustain in-plane loading would be inaccurate. In the present study a model is proposed, which al- lows one to estimate which infill walls do not exhibit out-of-plane collapse and in doing so, continue participating in the structural model with their in-plane stiffness and bearing capacity. The predictions of the proposed analytical model are verified experimentally via shake table testing.


In this paper, we propose a method that removes raindrops with light field image using image inpainting. We first use the depth map generated from light field image to detect raindrop regions which are then expressed as a binary mask. The original image with raindrops is improved by refocusing on the far regions and filtering by a high-pass filter. With the binary mask and the enhanced image, image inpainting is then utilized to eliminate raindrops from the original image. We compare pre-trained models of several deep learning based image inpainting methods. A light field raindrop dataset is released to verify our method. Image quality analysis is performed to evaluate the proposed image restoration method. The recovered images are further applied to object detection and visual localization tasks.


An extension of the tables for the site-symmetry restrictions on the thermal-motion-tensor coefficients to include tensors up to rank 6 (up to rank 8 for cubic, hexagonal, tetragonal and trigonal site symmetries) is presented. The dependence relationships of these symmetric polar tensors are calculated in their natural crystallographic lattice frames using a direct method.


The pyrolysis of TVSb has been investigated in a flow tube reactor using Dz and He carrier gases. For TVSb alone, the most likely pyrolysis reaction involves an Sbcentered reductive elimination pathway. A less likely possibility is pyrolysis via homolysis of the Sb-C bonds, yielding vinyl radicals. Unfortunately, examination of the organic byproducts in both He and D, yields insufficient information to form a definitive hypothesis. However, in He the pyrolysis rate for TVSb is more rapid than for TMSb. Since vinyl radicals form stronger bonds than methyl radicals, this datum contradicts the Sb-C bond homolysis mechanism. Again, the activation energy for pyrolysis is less than the expected Sb-vinyl bond strength. Finally, the addition of C7D, produces no CH,=CHD, indicative of the absence of vinyl radicals. To elucidate our understanding of GaSb growth by using TMGa and TVSb, the pyrolysis rates for this combination of reactants were also studied. CH, radicals from (CH3N), pyrolysis were found to enhance TVSb pyrolysis in He. TMGa also increases the TVSb pyrolysis rate, mainly due to the methyl radicals produced. A heterogeneous pyrolysis reaction appears a t high surface area. At V/III ratios normally used for OMVPE growth, carbonaceous deposits were formed. Thus, TVSb may be a useful precursor for OMVPE only a t V/III ratios less than unity.


Guggulu has been a key component in ancient Indian Ayurvedic system of medicine. It has been used extensively by Ayurvedic physicians for centuries to treat a wide variety of disorders, besides its use in pharmaceutical and perfumery industries. Guggulu is a gum or resin extracted from the plant Commiphora wightii (Arn.) Bhand . (Syn. Commiphora mukul Hook. ex. Stocks) or Guggulu tree. Guggulu is a shrub or small tree belonging to Burseraceae family. Guggulu contains volatile oil, gum resin, gugulipids, guggulsterones, guggulsterols, mukolol and other steroids. Guggulu is very much used in Ayuvedic system of medicine as astringent, anti-septic, expectorant, aphrodisiac, carminative, anti-spasmodic, emmenagogue. In Ayurveda , Guggulu is the best among herbs that are used for Medoroga and Vata disorders. It is widely used for obesity and it is also known as fat burning agent all over the world. It helps to lower cholesterol and triglycerides level. Guggulu is very effective in rheumatoid arthritis, gout and sciatica. It is also one of the most important Rasayana of Ayurveda . In addition it treats sluggish liver, stimulates libido, nervous diseases, bronchial congestion, cardiac and circulatory problems, weak digestion, wounds, abscess, foetid ear, fractures, gynaecological problems and various skin diseases. Guggulu is a very important and trustworthy herb in Ayurvedic medicine. Basically it is used almost in every kind of illness due to its amazing treating power. This review is an attempt to describe the pharmacological activities of Guggulu and variable uses of Guggulu in several diseases.


Abstract. In this work, we report for the first time the climatology of intermediate descending layers over Brazilian equatorial and low latitudes regions during the extreme solar minimum period of 2009. The occurrence frequency of this layer is very high, being > 60 % over São Luís (2° S; 44° W, I: −5.7°) and > 90 % in Cachoeira Paulista (22.42° S; 45° W, I: −34.4°). Our results reveal that in most of the cases the intermediate layers (IL's) appear during the day at altitudes varying from 130 to 180 km and present a descent movement that reaches the lower altitudes (~ 100 km) in a time interval of a few minutes to hours. Differently from other longitudinal sectors, the diurnal tide (24 h) can be considered as the main cause of IL's for the low latitude region, followed by a smaller dominance of semidiurnal (12 h), terdiurnal (8 h) and quarter-diurnal (6 h) tide components. In the equatorial sector, similar behavior was found, with the exception of the semidiurnal tide, which in general does not appear to influence the IL's dynamics (except in summer). The IL's mean descent velocities over São Luís and Cachoeira Paulista show a day-to-day variability that may be associated with gravity waves propagation. Some peculiarities in the IL's dynamics have been noted, such as the presence of the IL's during the night hours, ascending IL's, simultaneous IL's, and descending IL's been formed from some connection with the ionospheric F layer. Quite often, these characteristics are observed in the presence of strong signatures in the ionogram F-layer trace similar to those caused by the gravity wave propagation. We will show further that the descending intermediate layer over Brazil can be formed through a process of F1 layer base detachment. Besides that, we will present an interesting case study in which an ascending IL's, initially detected at ~ 140 km, reached the base of F2 layer, probably due to the gravity wave propagation and/or due to the effect of the prompt penetration electric field.


The ATLAS collaboration started a process to understand the computing needs for the High Luminosity LHC era. Based on our best understanding of the computing model input parameters for the HL-LHC data taking conditions, results indicate the need for a larger amount of computational and storage resources with respect to the projection of constant yearly budget for computing in 2026. Filling the gap between the projection and the needs will be one of the challenges in preparation for HL-LHC. While the gains from improvements in offline software will play a crucial role in this process, a different model for data processing, management, access and bookkeeping should also be envisaged to optimise resource usage. In this contribution we will describe a straw man of this model, founded on basic principles such as single event level granularity for data processing and virtual data. We will explain how the current architecture will evolve adiabatically into the future distributed computing system, through the prototyping of building blocks that would be integrated in the production infrastructure as early as possible, so that specific use cases can be covered much earlier with respect to the HL-LHC time scale. We will also discuss how such system would adapt to and drive the evolution of the WLCG infrastructure in terms of facilities and services.


We perform a comprehensive analysis of the most common early- and late-Universe solutions to the $H_0$, Ly-$\alpha$, and $S_8$ discrepancies. When considered on their own, massive neutrinos provide a natural solution to the $S_8$ discrepancy at the expense of increasing the $H_0$ tension. If all extensions are considered simultaneously, the best-fit solution has a neutrino mass sum of $\sim 0.4$ eV, a dark energy equation of state close to that of a cosmological constant, and no additional relativistic degrees of freedom. However, the $H_0$ tension, while weakened, remains unresolved. Motivated by this result, we perform a non-parametric reconstruction of the evolution of the dark energy fluid density (allowing for negative energy densities), together with massive neutrinos. When all datasets are included, there exists a residual $\sim1.9\sigma$ tension with $H_0$. If this residual tension remains in the future, it will indicate that it is not possible to solve the $H_0$ tension solely with a modification of the late-Universe dynamics within standard general relativity. However, we do find that it is possible to resolve the tension if either galaxy BAO or JLA supernovae data are omitted. We find that \textit{negative} dark energy densities are favored near redshift $z\sim2.35$ when including the Ly-$\alpha$ BAO measurement (at $\sim 2\sigma$). This behavior may point to a negative curvature, but it is most likely indicative of systematics or at least an underestimated covariance matrix. Quite remarkably, we find that in the extended cosmologies considered in this work, the neutrino mass sum is always close to $0.4$ eV regardless of the choice of external datasets, as long as the $H_0$ tension is solved or significantly decreased.


Video game developments allow players to design their own personalized avatars. Previous research has shown that this capability increases levels of aggression within socially acceptable forms of violence. Using the general aggression model (GAM), the current study examined the effect of avatar personalization on behavioral aggression within a violent video game. Participants who played a violent video game and designed their own avatars were significantly more aggressive than those who played the same violent video game with a generic avatar, and were also more aggressive than those who played the nonviolent video game, regardless of whether or not they designed their own personalized characters. Limitations and directions for future research are discussed.


Is it important to conceptualize transnational law and "map" it as a new legal field? This article suggests that to do so might help both juristic practice and sociolegal scholarship in organizing, linking, and comparing disparate but increasingly significant types of regulation. To explore the idea of transnational law is to raise basic questions about the nature of both "law" and "society" (taken as the realm law regulates). This involves radically rethinking relationships between the public and the private, between law and state, and between different sources of law and legal authority. Taking as its focus Von Daniels's The Concept of Law from a Transnational Perspective and Calliess and Zumbansen's Rough Consensus and Running Code (both 2010), the article considers what approaches may be most productive, and what key issues need to be addressed, to make sense of broad trends in law's extension beyond the boundaries of nation-states.


The aim of this paper is to analyze long-term care (LTC) insurance purchase decisions when parents expect to receive assistance from altruistic children. We first propose a simple theoretical model in which we show that the effect of children's altruism on parents' insurance decision is ambiguous and depends on a number of factors: the degree of substitutability between informal and formal care, the degree of parental altruism and the concavity of the utility functions. We then run an empirical test using data from the US, France, Spain, Germany and Israel. We find that the effect of children's altruism is negative in the US and Israel, but not significant in France, Germany and Spain, which possibly suggests that the different forces identified in the theoretical model are offsetting each other.


In a flurry of articles in the mid to late 1990s, various metrics for the group of rigid-body motions, SE(3), were introduced for measuring distance between any two reference frames or rigid-body motions. During this time it was shown that one can choose a smooth distance function that is invariant under either all left shifts or all right shifts, but not both. For example, if one defines the distance between two reference frames to be an appropriately weighted Frobenius norm of the difference of the corresponding homogeneous transformation matrices, this will be invariant under left shifts by arbitrary rigid-body motions. However, this is not the full picture — other invariance properties exist. Though the Frobenius norm is not invariant under right shifts by arbitrary rigid-body motions, for an appropriate weighting it is invariant under right shifts by pure rotations. This is also true for metrics based on the Lie-theoretic logarithm. This paper goes further to investigate the full invariance properties of distance functions on SE(3), clarifying the full subsets of motions under which both left and right invariance is possible.Copyright © 2014 by ASME


Intemationalisation presents a challenge to higher education at many levels. For many universities, it is a process that has been considered synonymous with teacher and student mobility. Mobility is indeed an important part of this process and in some places the ultimate test of intemationalisation but changes also influence curriculum development. The focus on teaching and learning in an intercultural environment, particularly on language instruction and competence is not without prerequisites and stimulates debate about the degree of accommodation made between local and global needs within academic disciplines.
This study looks at two national contexts, Denmark and Sweden, which represent similar but different aspects of higher education in the Nordic countries. Both have languages which are little used beyond their national boundaries. The cross-institutional quantitative comparative analysis tests hypotheses about the impact of intemationalisation policy on the availability of English taught courses and conversely that of English medium teaching on intemationalisation. The study uses university organisational settings, policies and activities to determine if there is a causal relationship between policies of intemationalisation and an increase in English medium teaching in higher education. The study is a two-phase, sequential mixed methods approach where the focus group is directors of studies at Danish and Swedish university campuses.
Findings from the study show that while the university profiles of Denmark and Sweden are similar, the two countries differ in having policies of intemationalisation and providing English language taught programmes at undergraduate and graduate levels. At a time when efforts to increase English medium teaching in European institutions are moving through various response stages, the Nordic perspective shows that while intemationalisation policy is not a pre-requisite for English medium instruction, practice is significantly influenced by national level explanations.
Key words: internationalisation, higher education, policy, curriculum, English medium teaching


ABSTRACT
 We present a laboratory-based exercise that is used to teach basic lab skills (e.g., aseptic technique and enumeration) using naturally occurring microbial communities in a real biological context. Students examine the colonization by microbial communities of leaves that fall into streams. Leaf decomposition reflects enzymatic activity by microorganisms such as aquatic fungi and bacteria and maceration by invertebrate shredders. The microorganisms help facilitate the cycling of nutrients and energy in the stream's ecosystem. This exercise effectively teaches students to use lab skills to quantify microorganisms found in nature, investigates groups of microorganisms involved in leaf degradation in streams, and stimulates interest in both microbiology and ecology.


Objective This study was conducted to compare a lactulose oral solution with a polyethylene glycol (PEG) formulation for colonoscopy preparation using the following metrics: quality of cleansing, colonoscopy outcomes, patient/physician satisfaction, and patient tolerability. Methods The enrolled patients were randomly divided into two groups and received a single 2 L dose of either PEG (PEG group) or lactulose (Lac group). The Boston Bowel Preparation Scale (BBPS) was used for assessing the cleansing quality of the bowel preparations. Patient tolerability and adverse events were obtained through the completion of questionnaires. Results The lactulose oral solution showed superior bowel cleansing compared to PEG, as evidenced by higher BBPS scores in the Lac group for all segments of the colon (P < 0.05). The detection rates of polyps and intestinal lesions in the Lac group (30.68% and 36.36%, respectively) were significantly higher than those in the PEG group (12.50% vs. 13.63%, respectively). For the degree of satisfaction, the Lac group had significantly higher scores compared to the PEG group, as evaluated by both the patients and endoscopist. PEG was associated with an increased incidence of nausea. There were no statistical differences between the groups in terms of vomiting, abdominal pain or fullness, dizziness, unfavorable palatability, dry mouth, palpitation, tinnitus, and tongue numbness. Conclusion A single 2 L dose of a lactulose oral solution had higher efficacy, improved tolerability, and acceptable safety for bowel preparation when compared to the same volume of PEG. Thus, a lactulose oral solution may be a potential bowel-cleansing option for colonoscopy preparation.


This article is going to study the ecocritical conception in Virginia Woolf's (1882-1941) novel, To the Lighthouse (TL) (1927). This is an ecocritical reading which uses Lawrence Buell (1939- ) and Derek Wall's (1965- ) ideas of ecocriticism. Lawrence Buell defined eco-criticism as the study of the relationships between literature and environment in an environmentalist praxis or as a critical insurgency mainly focused on the issue rather than methodology like what cultural studies of identity and body have done. Writers create their works under the influence of environment and nature and a literary work is not created void of nature. Literary works beyond of concepts and contents which are addressed by writers indicate the interaction of human and nature. Wall believes that ecology in particular and the environmental sciences in general have demonstrated how closely one's species is connected to all other in a web or net of life connections. To the Lighthouse (TL) takes place in a summerhouse near the sea and its main goal is traveling to the Lighthouse amid the sea. There are many natural parts and nature's elements which are studied in detail to reveal the relation of ecocriticism and literature. This article studies the close relation of man and nature and notes that there is an intimate relation between them. There is a bilateral relation between nature and man; they affect each other in several ways. Woolf's To the Lighthouse is a good context to portray ecocriticism and green cultural studies. Woolf constructs a remarkable and moving examination of the complex tensions and allegiances of family life from the seemingly trivial postponement of a visit to a nearby lighthouse.


Within the framework of quality management in medical services, the calibration gains great importance through appropriacy of medical devices. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of temperature factor to the amount of gas output from the vaporizatör and to enhance the consideration of these factors while adjusting the amount of gas to be given to the patient during the operation. In this study, the performance of the anesthesia vaporizer (isoflurane and sevoflurane) was evaluated and it was investigated whether it the vaporizer supplied the dialed amount of anesthetic to the patient. Then, through changing the temperature of anesthetic device between 20İ36°C, the changes in the concentration of isoflurane and sevoflurane gases were measured. In conclusion, it was observed that there is no considerable change on the gas concentration in the 20İ36°C temperature range.


Stability of hardly reshaping berm breakwaters has been investigated in this paper, mainly focusing on exposure to long waves. The study continues previous work by Aalborg University, which suggested that stability of berm breakwaters follow the plunging equation of the Van der Meer stability formula also in the surging domain. Different combinations of berm widths and elevations were tested in order to see if berm breakwaters in general follow the plunging formula or if they start to behave more like conventional breakwaters.


Taking into account the oil resources depletion the requirements to fuel consumption of internal combustion engines are now increasing as well as to their reliability and durability. With the continual increase in the number of internal combustion engines in operation, along with the problem of parts of the cylinder piston group wearing
out has caused exhaust from such engines to be one of the main source of harmful pollutant emissions in cities.
Therefore, environmental requirements have in turn increased dramatically. The engine resource and its efficiency largely depend on the process of fuel combustion in the combustion chamber. Experimental studies aimed to improve the working process on diesel engines by piston insulation have shown an effective decrease
in fuel consumption by reducing heat loss and more complete fuel combustion. When oxide ceramic coatings were used on the piston and cylinder head, the maximum power increased and the specific fuel consumption decreased. However ceramic coatings are not widely used due to their peeling. We have developed a technology for the galvanic plasma treatment of pistons, which made it possible to obtain on the pistons surface made of aluminum alloys a ceramic corundum layer with high adhesion to the base metal that does not peel and has electret properties. In 1993, pistons with a corundum surface layer were installed in a shunting diesel locomotive and life-time running tests were conducted. Such pistons increased wear resistance, reduced the wear of cylinder
liners, increased the strength of the annular jumpers, and were not prone to burnouts and scuffing. They provided an increase in the resource of the cylinder-piston group of the diesel engine by more than 125 thousand engine hours. The paper provides an analysis of the effect of corundum pistons thermal insulation on significant increasing the, engine power and fuel consumption reduction. Basing on experimental bench studies of a gasoline engine, a tractor diesel engine and long-term operational life tests of diesel engines, an attempt had been made to explain the reasons for the improvement in the engines' efficiency.


The melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) system is a new target for the treatment of human disorders. Since the knowledge of the MCH system's involvement in a variety of pathologies (obesity, diabetes, and deregulation of metabolic feedback mechanism) is based on in vitro or preclinical studies, a suitable positron emission tomography (PET) tracer needs to be developed. We herein present the preparation and first preclinical evaluation of [18F]FE@SNAP – a new PET tracer for MCH receptor-1 (MCHR1). The synthesis was performed using a microfluidic device. Preclinical evaluation included binding affinity, plasma stability, plasma free fraction, stability against the cytochrome P-450 (CYP450) system using liver microsomes, stability against carboxyl-esterase, and methods to assess the penetration of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) such as logD analysis and immobilized artificial membrane (IAM) chromatography. Levels at 374 ± 202 MBq [18F]FE@SNAP were obtained after purification. The obtained Kd value of [18F]FE@SNAP was 2.9 nM. [18F]FE@SNAP evinced high stability against carboxylesterase, CYP450 enzymes, and in human plasma. LogD (3.83) and IAM chromatography results (Pm=0.51) were in the same range as for known BBB-penetrating compounds. The synthesis of [18F]FE@SNAP was reliable and successful. Due to high binding affinity and stability, [18F]FE@SNAP is a promising tracer for MCHR1.


Feature detection and extraction is considered to be one of the most important aspects when it comes to any computer vision application, especially the autonomous driving field that is highly dependent on it. Thermal imaging is less explored in the field of autonomous driving mainly due to the high cost of the cameras and inferior techniques available for detection. Due to advances in technology the former does not hold true anymore and there lies tremendous scope for improvement in the latter. Autonomous driving relies heavily on multiple and sometimes redundant sensors, for which thermal sensors are a preferred addition. Thermal sensors being completely dependent on the infrared radiation emitted are able to frame and recognize objects even in the complete absence of light. However detecting features persistently through subsequent frames is difficult due to the lack of textures in thermal images. Motivated by this challenge, we propose a triplet based Siamese CNN for feature detection and extraction for any given thermal image. Our architecture is able to detect larger number of good feature points on thermal images than other best performed feature detection algorithms with superb matching performance based on our extracted descriptors.


Background: The Global Financing Facility (GFF) offers an opportunity to close the financing gap that holds back gains in women, children's and adolescent health is recognised as a key priority by the GFF leadership. However, very little work exists examining GFF practice. As momentum builds for the GFF, we examine the initial efforts of the GFF in addressing adolescent health.Methods: We undertook a content analysis of the first 10 GFF Investment Cases and Project Appraisal Documents available on the GFF website. The countries involved include Bangladesh, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Kenya, Liberia, Mozambique, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda. Results: While several country documents signal understanding and investment in adolescent health as a strategic area, this is not consistent across all countries, nor between Investment Cases and Project Appraisal Documents. In both types of documents commitments weaken as one moves from programming content to indicators to investment. Important contributions include how teenage pregnancy is a universal concern, how adolescent and youth friendly health services and school-based programs are supported in several country documents, how gender is noted as a key social determinant critical for mainstreaming across the health system, alongside the importance of multi-sectoral collaboration, and the acknowledgement of adolescent rights. Weaknesses include the lack of comprehensive analysis of adolescent health needs, inconsistent investments in adolescent friendly health services and school based programs, missed opportunities in not supporting multi-component and multi-level initiatives to change gender norms involving adolescent boys in addition to adolescent girls, and neglect of governance approaches to broker effective multi-sectoral collaboration, community engagement and adolescent involvement. Conclusion: There are important examples of how the GFF supports adolescent health as a priority area. However, more can be done. While building on service delivery approaches more consistently, it must also fund initiatives that address the main social and systems drivers of adolescent health. This requires capacity building for the technical aspects of adolescent health, but also engaging politically to ensure that the right actors are convened to prioritize adolescent health in country plans and to ensure accountability in the GFF process itself.


All changes and developments arise from education.The use of information technology in education has become more certain than just an option. Enhancing knowledge through information is the role of information technologyin today's informed world. The way teachers teach and the way students learn have been changed by advances in information technology. Teachers need resources that help them utilize information technology as a medium for their instruction in the classroom that enhance teaching learning process. Nowadays technology influences the students. The core idea is to identify information technology tools and to integrate them in teaching learning process.


Motivation for the investigation of position and waypoint controllers is the demand for Unattended Aerial Systems (UAS) capable of fulfilling e.g. surveillance tasks in contaminated or in inaccessible areas. Hence, this paper deals with the development of a 2D GPS-based position control system for 4 Rotor Helicopters able to keep positions above given destinations as well as to navigate between waypoints while minimizing trajectory errors. Additionally, the novel control system enables permanent full speed flight with reliable altitude keeping considering that the resulting lift is decreasing while changing pitch or roll angles for position control. In the following chapters the control procedure for position control and waypoint navigation is described. The dynamic behavior was simulated by means of Matlab/Simulink and results are shown. Further, the control strategies were implemented on a flight demonstrator for validation, experimental results are provided and a comparison is discussed.


In this paper we investigate the impact of the introduction of distributed generation on the robustness of the power transmission grid using a dynamic model of the power transmission system (OPA). It is found that with different fractions and distributions of distributed generation, varied dynamics are possible. An important parameter is found to be the ratio of the variability of the distributed generation to the generation capacity margin. Somewhat counter-intuitively, in some of these cases the robustness of the transmission grid can be degraded with the potential for an increased risk of large failures with increased distributed generation if not done carefully.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the impairment of quality of life (QoL), evaluated by the acromegaly QoL (AcroQoL) questionnaire, in patients with controlled and uncontrolled acromegaly.

DESIGN
Cross-sectional evaluation of AcroBel, a national observational registry of acromegalic patients newly diagnosed or in follow-up.

METHODS
Disease perception by the patients was evaluated by the disease-specific signs and symptoms score (SSS) and QoL was assessed by the AcroQoL questionnaire. Hormonal status was determined by central measurements of GH and IGF-I.

RESULTS
Patients (n = 291) had a median GH of 1.43 mug/l (0.65-3.03; IQR), a median IGF-I of 231 mug/l (150-367), and a mean IGF-I z-score of +1.91 (s.d. 2.21). The AcroQoL total score in the whole group was 67.1 (51.1-78.4), with a score of 65.6 (43.8-78.1) for the physical dimension, 67.9 (53.6-80.4) for the psychological dimension, 78.6 (64.3-89.3) for personal relations and 57.1 (39.3-75) for appearance. The median SSS was 3 (1-5). There was a negative correlation between both questionnaires (r = -0.478; P < 0.001). There was no correlation between AcroQoL score and biochemical markers of disease activity. When subdividing patients into groups of biochemical control according to GH and IGF-I levels, no difference could be established for either SSS or AcroQoL scores.

CONCLUSIONS
The AcroQoL results from the AcroBel registry confirm the marked impairment of the patients' QoL, especially in relation with appearance. A negative correlation between AcroQoL and SSS was confirmed. There was, however, no correlation between AcroQoL and biochemical markers of disease activity.


This publication discusses models that describe the heart tissue as an active conductive system, taking into account its self-oscillating properties. In this type of models, cardiac rhythms can be described on the basis of the theory of dynamic systems, which justifies the need to build a universal model of oscillating medium. This type of model contributes to the understanding of these pathologies cardiac activity as parasecoli and AB-blockade.


For a century and a half, Abraham Lincoln's signing of the Emancipation Proclamation has been the dominant narrative of African American freedom in the Civil War era. However, David Williams suggests that this portrayal marginalizes the role that African American slaves played in freeing themselves. At the Civil War's outset, Lincoln made clear his intent was to save the Union rather than free slaves - despite his personal distaste for slavery, he claimed no authority to interfere with the institution. By the second year of the war, though, when the Union army was in desperate need of black support, former slaves who escaped to Union lines struck a bargain: they would fight for the Union only if they were granted their freedom. Williams importantly demonstrates that freedom was not simply the absence of slavery but rather a dynamic process enacted by self-emancipated African American refugees, which compelled Lincoln to modify his war aims and place black freedom at the center of his wartime policies.


Composites materials, especially adhesively bonded structures are being used in a wide range of applications, including situations where they become exposed to high levels of moisture. Ingress of moisture into a polymeric material will in general lead to changes in its mechanical properties usually associated with plasticisation effects. In bonded composite structures, water ingress can influence not only the mechanical properties of the matrix but also those of the matrix-fibre and adhesive-adherent interfaces. Over the last ten years, the application of highfrequency dielectric techniques to the characterisation of the integrity and durability of adhesively bonded metallic structures has been extensively investigated by the coauthors. In general, a bonded structure resembles a wave-guide in which the adhesive layer is the dielectric. Changes in the characteristics as a function of time of exposure to the environment can be used to monitor the ageing of such structures. This paper discusses the application of the principles to the study of carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP) adhesively bonded composite structures. Carbon fibre is in general less conductive than aluminium material. However, it is sufficiently conductive to sustain the propagation of high-frequency dielectric signals. The effect of changes in the surface alignment and subsequent bulk orientation of carbon fibres on the dielectric propagation has been investigated. The ingress of moisture in the raw materials and in the joint structure is presented. The highfrequency time domain response (TDR) analysis allows the integrity of the structure to be explored and a good correlation is shown between TDR analysis and gravimetric results. This study indicates that the success obtained in the application of high frequency dielectric measurements to adhesively bonded aluminium structures is also applicable to CFRP bonded structures. The dielectric study not only indicates a new way to assess the state of such a structure but is also producing new insights into the application of TDR measurement to non-isotropic materials.


VA N C O U V E R , B . C . — Monthly monitoring by rheumatologists of every pregnancy in every woman with systemic lupus erythematosus may be unnecessary, according to Dr. Michelle Petri. A relatively small list of criteria can distinguish high-risk pregnancies in women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)—ones that carry a higher likelihood of miscarriage, extreme prematurity, and SLE flare—from others, and signal the need for intensive monitoring by obstetricians and rheumatologists, Dr. Petri said at the meeting. At present, however, there is little effort to make such distinctions, so most SLE pregnancies are subjected to monthly visits to rheumatologists and obstetricians, and, starting at week 26, weekly monitoring by obstetricians. That's not always necessary; women are subjected to needless anxiety and hospital resources are wasted, Dr. Petri said. Based on the Hopkins Lupus Cohort, a database that has been tracking several thousand patients with SLE over the past 25 years, Dr. Petri and her colleague, Duke University rheumatologist Megan Clowse, have identified those factors that truly put women and fetuses at risk during SLE pregnancies. Pregnancy and the postpartum period are hard on the kidneys of women with SLE, though organ involvement elsewhere in the body tends to lessen, said Dr. Petri, professor of rheumatology at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore. "Proteinuria from active lupus significantly increases, and this continues even after delivery," she added. Therefore, pregnant women with lupus nephritis truly do need close monitoring. Dr. Petri recommended monthly urine protein-creatinine ratios to detect a worsening of the condition and the need for treatment. In terms of fetal health, the risk of miscarriage doubles if, at the first pregnancy visit, a woman is proteinuric, thrombocytopenic, or hypertensive, or has a history of antiphospholipid syndrome. The risk triples if two or more of these conditions are present, Dr. Petri said. The presence of antithyroid antibodies also increases the risk of miscarriage. In addition, active SLE, especially if accompanied by anti–double-stranded DNA antibody or low complement levels, predicts extreme prematurity. Autoimmune thyroid disease also appears to be associated with preterm birth. Screening for the various factors, "we can predict at the first pregnancy visit if there's going to be a poor outcome," Dr. Petri said. If the risk factors are present, monthly monitoring by a high-risk obstetrician, followed by weekly monitoring at week 26, are appropriate to gauge if, and when, a rescue delivery is needed. ■


Background Early allograft dysfunction after liver transplantation (LTX) is not well defined. The aim of this study was to evaluate the value of early post-transplant model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) scores for predicting long-term outcome after transplantation. Methods In this single-center retrospective study, 362 consecutive patients after LTX were included. MELD scores at 7, 14, and 21 postoperative days (PODs) were calculated from primary lab values. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were carried out to determine the critical cutoff MELD scores for patient and graft survival. Results One year after transplantation, the patient and graft survival rates were 85 and 69%, respectively. Although pretransplant MELD scores were similar, they were significantly different at POD7, POD14, and POD21 between patients who died and those who survived the first year after transplantation. As shown by ROC curves, for patient survival, the optimal time point is POD14 with a cutoff MELD of 17. At this time point, patients with a MELD below 17 showed a 1-year survival rate of 94.3% and patients with a MELD of 17 and higher showed a 1-year survival rate of only 75.4%. For graft survival, the optimal time point was day 7 and a cutoff MELD of 29 (92% at MELD<29; 56.4% at MELD≥29). A multivariate analysis of potential risk factors indicated a significant role of serum bilirubin and MELD score determined on POD14 for patient survival. Conclusion In conclusion, early postoperative MELD scores predict outcome after LTX. The postoperative MELD score at POD14 is a good predictor for patient survival and at POD7 for the graft survival after LTX.


Summary A self-administered opportunistic questionnaire was given to 232 community health extension workers (Chews) in Kaduna state, Nigeria. Seventy-eight were male and 154 female. All could recall at least one modern method of family planning. The oral contraceptive pill (OCP) (85.8%), injectable contraceptives (85.3%), and the intra-uterine contraceptive device (IUCD) (56.0%), were most widely known about. Emergency contraception was not known about. A high percentage of female Chews have practised family planning: 115 (74.7%) have used at least one method and this is more among the married women. Methods ever used included injectable contraceptive (57.4%), OCP (47.0%), and IUCD (22.6%). Fifty percent of females were current users. Non-current users were likely to be between the ages of 25 – 29 years especially when not married, and 35 – 39 years when married. Reasons for the non-use of family planning by female Chews were side effects, not being married, not being sexually active and religious beliefs.


Weighted Finite State Transducers (WFSTs) are versatile graphical automata that can model a great number of problems, ranging from automatic speech recognition to DNA sequencing. Traditional computer science algorithms are employed when working with these automata in order to optimize their size, but also the run time of decoding algorithms. However, these algorithms are not unified under a common framework that would allow for their treatment as a whole. Moreover, the inherent geometrical representation of WFSTs, coupled with the topology-preserving algorithms that operate on them make the structures ideal for tropical analysis. The benefits of such analysis have a twofold nature; first, matrix operations offer a connection to nonlinear vector space and spectral theory, and, second, tropical algebra offers a connection to tropical geometry. In this work we model some of the most frequently used algorithms in WFSTs by using tropical algebra; this provides a theoretical unification and allows us to also analyze aspects of their tropical geometry.


To account for the high number of somatic mutations in cancer, it has been hypothesized that genomic instability is necessary for malignant transformation. We previously demonstrated that PIG-A is a useful reporter gene for quantitating somatic mutations. PIG-A encodes an enzyme that is essential for the biosynthesis of the glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor, by which a set of membrane proteins are covalently linked to the cell surface. PIG-A is X-linked, and a broad spectrum of mutations occurring in only one allele can produce the GPI (-) phenotype. We have demonstrated occult populations of spontaneously arising blood cells with PIG-A mutations in normal individuals, and shown that among ex vivo blasts from patients with ALL, the frequency (f) of GPI(-) cells appeared trimodal, with some samples overlapping the normal range, whereas others were orders of magnitude higher. f values in T cell leukemias generally fell in the middle group. Here, we have studied a panel of cell lines derived from patients with T cell ALL and measured the mutation rate per cell division (μ) as an assessment of genomic instability. First, cells were stained with anti-CD59-FITC and sorted by collecting the upper 50 th percentile, to eliminate pre-existing mutants. This purified GPI(+) population was counted and expanded in culture for 18 days, and then recounted to estimate cell divisions (d) in vitro. To estimate the frequency of new mutants arising in culture, the cells were first incubated with the FLAER reagent conjugated to Alexa 488, then a mixture of anti-CD55 and anti-CD59 antibodies, then a rabbit anti-mouse FITC secondary conjugate, followed by PE conjugated antibodies specific for transmembrane proteins(CD45 or HLA). Cells were gated based on light scatter, exclusion of propidium iodide, and expression of the transmembrane proteins; GPI(-) negative cells were defined as having −7 per cell division, whereas for the cell lines CEM, CUTTL, LOUCY, and HPBALL, μ ranged from 50 to 60 × 10 −7 . For comparison, we sorted, expanded, and analyzed cultures of T cells derived from 4 normal donors, stimulated with PHA, cytokines, and bead-immobilized antibodies, and here μ was generally lower, ranging from 1.5 × 10 −7 to 18 × 10 −7 (p −7 (4 samples) or > 200 × 10 −7 (3 samples, p = 0.01, Fisher9s exact test). We conclude that T cell ALL samples may demonstrate a more mild form of genomic instability than in Burkitt9s lymphoma, and that genomic instability, as determined by this assay, is not absolutely required for leukemogenesis. Citation Format: David J. Araten, Erik Sherman, Aaron Etra. Analysis of the mutation rate in T lymphoblastic leukemia cell lines. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 3849. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-3849


BACKGROUND
In contrast to the several reports of alkaline extracts (Sasa-health, SE), no study of flavonoids from the leaves of S. senanensis has been reported. Four flavonoids were isolated from this plant species and their biological activities were investigated.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Luteolin 6-C-β-D-glucoside [1], luteolin 7-O-β-D-glucoside [2], luteolin 6-C-α-L-arabinoside [3] and tricin [4] were extracted from the leaf of S. senanensis with methanol, partitioned with ethyl acetate, separated by Sephadex LH-20 and purified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The structure was determined by ultraviolet (UV) spectra, high-resolution mass spectra (HR-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR).

RESULTS
The luteolin glycosides, 1-3 showed no cytotoxicity against the human normal oral cells and oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines used up to 0.8 mg/ml, whereas 4 was highly cytotoxic. The luteolin glycosides 1-3 protected the cells from UV induced cytotoxicity, more efficiently than 4. The anti-HIV activity of 4 (Selectivity index, SI=27) was much higher than that of the luteolin glycosides (SI=2-7), but lower than that of SE (SI=40). The scavenging activity of 1-3 against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and superoxide anion radicals was comparable with that of quercetin and, much higher than that of 4.

CONCLUSION
The luteolin glycosides from S.senanensis show several new biological properties distinct from tricin and the anti-UV activity of the luteolin glycosides may be derived from their radical scavenging activity.


During an abdominal surgery, life-threatening events such as severe bradycardia and massive hemorrhage may occur. Reflex bradycardia may arise with surgical manipulation of abdominal contents. Anesthetic agents such as propofol or remifentanil increase the risk of bradycardia. Epidural analgesia using local anesthetics during an abdominal surgery also increases the occurrence of bradycardia and hypotension. Combination of these three factors causes severe bradycardia during the abdominal surgery. Anesthesiologist has to pay close attention to heart rate during the abdominal surgery. The surveillance of Anesthesia-Related Critical Incidents in Japan conducted by Japan Society of Anesthesiologist (JSA) shows that life-threatening events due to hemorrhage during abdominal surgery accounted for 43.9% of all perioperative life-threatening events due to hemorrhage. When we find critical hemorrhage, we have to manage the condition in accordance with "The guideline for critical intraoperative hemorrhage" published by JSA and the Japan Society of Transfusion Medicine and Cell Therapy. The pneumoperitoneum required for laparoscopy induces physiologic changes that complicate anesthetic management and could cause CO2-subcutaneous emphysema, pneumothorax, endobronchial intubation, and gas embolism. During laparoscopy, blood pressure, heart rate, electrocardiogram, end-tidal CO2, and oxygen saturation by pulse oximetry must be continuously monitored.


The effects of five levels of nitrogen (N) fertiliser on pasture yield and composition and soil chemical characteristics of Rhodes grass (Cholris gayana) cv. Pasture under grazing and cutting in a subtropical environment of 800 mm annual rainfall were studied over 6 years. Pasture received annual basal dressings of superphosphate (250 kg/ha) and potassium chloride (125 kg/ha for plots, 125 kg/ha . alternate year for grazed paddocks). Urea was applied in 3 equal dressings in September, December, and February, at rates equal to 0, 150, 300, 450, and 600 kg N/ha. year. Stocking rate was 2 Holstein-Friesian milking cows/ha throughout the year, and separate areas of grazing oats (0.4 ha/cow), cracked grain (0.8 t/cow.year), and hay or silage were used to supplement pasture. Under both cutting and grazing, pasture dry matter (DM) yield increased linearly with applied N to about 300 kg N/ha. year, with little further increase at higher levels. Under grazing there was evidence of a decrease in yield at 600 kg N/ha.year, due to total death of the pasture following frosting in winter and the need for regeneration from seedlings in spring; this regeneration was slowed by the large amount of surface litter. Grass N contents decreased and phosphorus and potassium contents decreased with increasing levels of applied N. All 3 nutrients increased from year 1 to 6. Leaf content of grazed pasture was highest during spring (>30% DM) and declined through to autumn ( 50%) but was not altered by level of applied N. Soil nitrate-N levels increased (P<0.05) with level of applied N, from 4 to 42 mg/L at 0 and 600 kg N/ha. year, respectively. After 6 years of fertilisation at 300 and 450 N/ha.year, nitrate-N levels were similar to those for 600 kg N/ha.year. Soil pH decreased (P<0.05) with applied N, by 0.15 and 0.28 units annually for 150 and 600 kg N/ha.year, respectively. We conclude that in this environment large responses in pasture growth occur under both cutting and grazing to levels of applied N to about 300 kg N/ha.year, with little response beyond this level.


Researches reveal that teachers' perceptions play an influential role in determining their professional behavior: the way they plan their lessons, the kinds of decisions they make, the way they react towards different methodologies and the specific method they apply in their classrooms. This study has, therefore, tried to present perceptions of junior secondary school teachers towards communicative language teaching (CLT) and their actual classroom practices with a special reference to Grade 8 English teachers. Both quantitative and qualitative methods of research have been used for the study. And the required data have been collected from twenty English teachers working in three different elementary schools using the three research tools: questionnaires, observations and interviews. Descriptive statistics such as mean, percentage and frequency have been utilized in analyzing the data obtained through the questionnaires while the observations and interviews were analyzed qualitatively in words. As a result, it has been found out that the aforementioned teachers have, in fact, a strong perception towards CLT in principle, but when it comes to practice, almost all of them have been found to fail in holding their strong perceptions towards the same. In other words, a clear mismatch has been noticed between teachers' perception towards CLT and their actual classroom practices. And this is attributed to the multidimensional problems pointed out in the conclusion part of the paper. Mindful of the identified problems, therefore, an earnest and persistent supervision of the schools with regard to the implementation of CLT by the concerned government and non-government bodies is forwarded as a major recommendation at the end of the day.


More and more aircraft components are made of fiber reinforced composite material because of high stiffness, strength and low weight. These composites are made of glass or carbon fibers embedded into a polymer matrix. In some case, for equivalent energy absorption, composite components can be 50% lighter than steel components. The resistance of aircraft composite components to impact of various debris or birds must be assessed. Extensive literature exists describing the energy absorption mechanism of composite laminate tubes crushed between two rigid plates. Triggers are usually used to initiate material peeling inside and outside of the tube. The energy is absorbed by more complex mechanisms than for metallic tubes, such as delamination, fibers debonding, pulverization of material and friction. A constitutive model using damage mechanics is described in this paper. The model has been validated on composite tube crushing. This paper also describes the numerical results obtained with RADIOSS for the crash of composite sine wave beam and of sub cargo floor structure. Bird strike simulation results are also shown in the case of impact on a commuter leading edge structure. Comparison with tests results is shown. RADIOSS is an explicit finite element code developed by MECALOG, used for non linear simulations and validated industrially for crash analysis of metallic structures in automotive and aeronautic applications.Copyright © 2002 by ASME


Droplet flight and solidification behaviors during twin-wire arc sprayed (TWAS) composite coatings were systematically investigated. Both theoretical model and numerical method were established for calculating the droplet deformation, breakup and solidification process in air flow based on the volume of fluid (VOF) dual-phase flow model jointed with the standard k-ε model. The experimental simulation results indicate that TWAS droplet is broken through explosion or two steps breaking process. The calculation of TWAS gas flight dynamics demonstrates that the TWAS particles are accelerated at first and then slowed down. Microstructure of the TWAS prepared Ni-5wt.%Al and Ni-20wt.%Al composite coating was accordingly characterized by XRD, SEM and TEM, so the phase compositions of the Ni-Al composite coatings were obtained. TEM analysis also showed that an amorphous phase was formed according to the characteristic of diffraction ring in Ni matrix solid solution at an original state.


Tremor is the most common movement disorder seen in clinical practice, encountered frequently by primary care physicians as well as neurologists. Most tremors can be classified as physiologic, enhanced physiologic, essential, cerebellar, or parkinsonian on the basis of careful clinical observation. Sometimes, electrophysiologic studies are helpful. With correct classification, effective treatment can usually be provided. Beta-blocking drugs are effective in both enhanced physiologic tremor and essential tremor, although at widely varying dosages, and a levodopa combination often relieves parkinsonian rest tremor.


Under the slogan of internationalization, Korean universities have opened international colleges that promise an educational experience on par with elite universities anywhere in the world. These colleges conduct their classes in English and hire Western faculty members as a way to create campus settings that better attract and accommodate foreign students. What is the meaning of international in this context? Based on 12 months of fieldwork, my dissertation offers an ethnographic study of an international college in South Korea to uncover underlying assumptions and meanings in the internationalization of higher education.By using an international college as a point of entry, I argue that internationalization reforms equate to the adoption of Anglo-Saxon academic paradigms by which Korean universities have been modeled after in the internationalization of higher education more broadly. With international colleges in particular, the kinds of research activities that count as international are not just being adopted, but the knowledge workers themselves-- imported faculty members from the United States and Western Europe--are brought into a Korean university setting as a way to attract as many foreign students as possible. However, the majority of students who enroll at an international college are not foreign but Korean, and thus, what these international colleges have turned into are actually domestic alternatives for Korean students who would otherwise study abroad. What is created when Anglo-Saxon academic paradigms confront a primarily Korean student body is a Third Space of hybrid pedagogical practices, languages, and social interactions that I explore and analyze. At the same time, meanings of international take on racialized and paradoxical undertones whereby Western faculty members are strategically appropriated as a commodity for an international college while the Korean students who attend struggle to integrate within the larger Korean university because their affiliation with an international college positions them as outsiders. The tensions and contradictions that a Korean university faces in its internationalization agenda speak to a broader conception of how South Korea sees its place within a multicultural landscape.


Background All 50 states and the District of Columbia in the United States enacted laws between 2009 and 2014 governing concussion management and education. These concussion laws, featuring common tenets regarding removal from play, return to play, and concussion education, have shaped school policies. Objective To evaluate strategies commonly used to implement concussion laws at high schools in the United States, and to discuss these strategies in an international context. Methods: We interviewed 71 high school athletic directors (ADs) or certified athletic trainers (ATs) (one per school) who were the most involved in their school's policy. These participants, selected from a nationally representative sample, were asked about their schools' implementation of the three core tenets of concussion laws. Research team members independently evaluated the interview transcripts and field notes to identify common themes in implementation strategies. Findings Of the 71 schools represented, 91.5% were public schools, 88.8% had more than 15 sports, and all schools employed at least one AT and had a written concussion policy. Four commonly used strategies to implement 'removal from play' were identified, including reliance on coaches, immediate response, referral and guidance after injury, and notification of key individuals. Use of assessment or baseline tests, communication among parties involved, reliance on AT assessments, and return-to-learn policies were four common strategies to implement 'return to play'. Finally, three major implementation strategies to effectuate 'concussion education' were use of existing educational tools, timing of education, and concussion training for school professionals. Conclusion While concussions laws were enacted at different times and varied in content across the United States, common themes in implementation strategies emerged across jurisdictions. The identification of strategic approaches to implementation can have implications for proper concussion management and education, both in the United States and internationally to reducing negative health outcomes among concussed youth.


Attempted human allogeneic marrow transplants in the 1950's and 60's were largely unsuccessful. In the past two decades the probability of success has improved steadily depending on the type and stage of disease. All marrow transplant teams have observed that the results for children are better than for adults. Long-term survival and apparent cure rates range from about 90 percent for non-malignant diseases transplanted early to 15 percent for patients with advanced leukemia. Most marrow transplants have involved an HL-A matched sibling donor but, more recently, through the worldwide marrow donor registries a matched unrelated volunteer marrow donor can be found for many patients without a family donor. Current research involves new preparative regimens for elimination of malignant cells, better prevention of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), and the use of hematopoietic growth factors and cytokines. Autologous transplants, which use the patient's own marrow, are increasing. The hematopoietic stem cell, which is responsible for marrow regeneration after a transplant, has been isolated and characterized. Stem cells for transplantation can now be obtained from the peripheral blood after mobilization of these cells by chemotherapy or hematopoietic growth factors.