FUSE, HST, and SDSS spectra of the cataclysmic variable SDSS J080908.39+381406.2 provide a spectral flux distribution from 900 to 9200 Å. This data set is used to illustrate procedures for calculating and testing system models. The spectra are not contemporaneous; it is necessary to assume that the combined spectra are representative of the system. The illustrations are based on a system with a 1.0 M☉ white dwarf, a 0.30 M☉, 3500 K, Roche lobe-filling secondary star, and an accretion disk extending to the tidal cutoff radius. Assuming a similar accretion state for the nonsimultaneous spectra, the best standard model fit is with a mass transfer rate of 3.0 × 10-9M☉ yr-1. Extensive simulations demonstrate that the accretion disk must be truncated at its inner edge if the temperature profile follows the standard model, but truncated models face severe objections, which we address. Following additional simulation tests, we obtain a model accretion disk with a temperature profile comparable to the profile for SW Sex as determined from tomographic image reconstruction. This model fits the discovery SDSS spectrum well but has a flux deficit in the UV and FUV. Emission from a white dwarf is a plausible source of additional flux. Adding this source to the disk synthetic spectrum produces FUV flux that can explain the observed flux. An additional (archival) SDSS spectrum is fainter by about 0.3 mag in the optical. Additional analysis showed that UV residuals from a model fitting the archival optical wavelength spectrum are unacceptably large. Contemporaneous spectra from all wavelength regions would be necessary for a reliable system model. Our discussion illustrates how this conclusion follows from the system models.


A method for optimising the feed position of a prime focus reflector antenna from phase and amplitude recordings of the radiated field is given. Experimental results illustrate the improved radiation pattern and the detailed profile map of the reflector attained after feed position correction.


Milk and plasma samples from the Southern fur-seal (Arctocephalus tropicalis gazella), collected from animals shot between 0 and 26 days post-partum, have been analysed. The aqueous phase of milk (ultracentrifugate) was hyperosmotic to plasma by about 35 m-osmol/kg water but contained no lactose. The osmolality of milk could be accounted for by the ionic content, of which sodium and potassium (in approximately equal amounts) were the main cations. The fat content of the milk was very high (approximately 40%), except in very early lactation (0 and 1 day post-partum). The concentrations of chloride, calcium, magnesium, phosphate and citrate in the aqueous phase are given. Major differences between the composition of fur-seal milk and that of other mammals are pointed out, and discussed in relation to water conservation, energy and fat supply, and prolonged milk storage in this snecies.


ABSTRACT Purpose: People with mild intellectual disabilities (MID) generally live independently among the wider community. This can result in social exclusion and feelings of loneliness. Therefore, social work organizations aim to socially include people with MID through organizing activities in neighbourhoods that should lead to enlarged networks and increased societal participation. The "Communal Table" is such a, group-orientated, intervention that organizes monthly dinners in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Because little is known about the effectiveness of interventions aiming to bring about social inclusion for people with MID we explored which types of participants were reached and whether and how the intervention brought about the intended outcomes. Methods: We performed a theory-based evaluation, using participatory observations and qualitative interviews (n = 19). The Communal Table attracted a diverse and loyal group of participants. Results: We distinguished four types of participants—lonely participants, activist participants, satisfied participants and calculating participants—whose pre-existing networks played a significant role in their individual needs for support and the outcomes of the intervention. Outcomes reported included experiences of conviviality and warmth, temporary relief of underlying problems and an overall positive opinion about the intervention, but network enlargement or increased societal participation were not reported. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that social network interventions for people with MID should be tailored to participants' pre-existing networks and related individual needs to be successful.


We predict a possible phase transition of ZnO from wurtzite to zinc blende structure using first-principles molecular-dynamics simulations. By calculating the Gibbs free energies of the two phases as a function of temperature and hydrostatic pressure, we show that their energy difference decreases continuously with increasing temperature and pressure, and the vibrational entropy plays an important role on the location of the phase transition point. At 300 K, the phase transition is expected to occur at a pressure lower than 30 GPa with an activation energy barrier of 0.386 eV/atom. The transition path was also simulated, along which the system goes through a transient face-centered orthorhombic structure to overcome the energy barrier. Our theory results may be valuable for stabilizating the zinc blende ZnO in experiment.


This paper presents the development of an automated orchard that integrates a cartesian robot, information technologies enabling a 4.0-level industrial connection, a mechanic claw and several additional tools that allow the user to schedule rutinary domestic farming tasks and efficiently manage those tasks through web applications. The automated orchard can execute previously planified tasks that span time ranges of days and weeks. It also allows to develop grow quality control strategies for the vegetables and to move the vegetables from one position to another by using mechanic claws specifically devised for that purpose. Several applications with the automated orchard are shown.


Diffuse gliomas are the most mundane adult primary encephalon tumors, the majority of which are glioblastomas. Albeit cancer of the encephalon is relatively infrequent, representing only remotely more than 1% of all incipient cancer cases, it is a disproportionately mundane cause of cancer-cognate death and morbidity. The prognosis for patients with glioma is concretely poor due to its infiltrative nature and constrained sensitivity to radiation therapy and chemotherapy. This development was triggered by the apperception of a vigorous and propitious prognostic and predictive effect of the codeletion of chromosomal arms 1p and 19q on overall outcome and sensitivity to chemotherapy, respectively. Next, the major predictive value of methylation of the methylguanine methyltransferase (MGMT) promoter gene for outcome after adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with glioblastoma was reported. The more recent revelation of isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutations in the immensely colossal majority of grade II and III diffuse
gliomas represented another major step forward in the molecular characterization of gliomas. It was shown that IDH-mutated tumors have a much more auspicious prognosis than do tumors of kindred lineage and grade that express IDH gene wild type (IDHwt) and may even sanction identification of chemotherapy-sensitive subgroups of patients. Authors of more recent research have further refined this concept and have suggested that diffuse gliomas can be characterized as one of three different subtypes, depending on the presence of a handful of molecular markers copy number alterations of chromosomal arms 1p and 19q (in coalescence); chromosomal arm 10q and chromosome 7; and mutational status of the IDH, telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT), tumor protein p53 (TP53), and α thalassemia/perspicacious incapacitation syndrome X–linked (ATRX) genes. Note that the TERT and ATRX mutations are mutually exclusive and have diagnostic value: TERT mutations are diagnostic of oligodendroglioma (with 1p19q codeletion) or glioblastoma (without 1p19q codeletion), while TP53 mutations in the presence of IDH mutation are indicative of astrocytoma. This molecular relegation additionally contains more prognostic information than do classic histopathologic evaluation results. According to which lowgrade tumors have a better prognosis than do highgrade tumors. Regardless of tumor grade, however, IDHwttumors, even those that are tenacious to be of low grade at histopathologic evaluation, are, biologically, all of the glioblastoma type (class 3) and have very impecunious prognosis. The WHO tumor grade may retain its prognostic information, albeit perhaps less so in IDH-mutated tumors. Results of studies have shown that, at the molecular level, commixed oligoastrocytomas do not subsist, because the presence or absence of 1p19q codeletion, respectively, relegates the tumor either as an oligodendroglioma or an astrocytoma.


In 2010, voters in the state of Oklahoma passed a constitutional amendment that prohibits the Oklahoma courts from considering "Sharia Law." A great deal of the support for this amendment and similar (ongoing) legal initiatives appears to be generated by a deep-seated paranoia about Muslims and Islamic law that has taken root in many parts of the post-9/11 United States. This Article contends that the passage of this Oklahoma constitutional amendment should not have been surprising given that it is not only right-wing partisans who have felt the need to strictly demarcate and police the boundaries of the American legal system, but also liberal partisans too. Indeed, this Article argues that certain modes of American liberal legal thought actually facilitate the anti-shari'a mania currently sweeping the United States. As a result, an adequate response to this mania cannot simply rely on traditional, American-style, liberal legal theorizing. Indeed, as this Article argues and explains, some extant American liberal understandings of 'law,' 'legal systems,' and 'the rule of law' are eminently inappropriate resources in the struggle against American forms of reactionary parochialism because these liberal understandings are themselves deeply compromised by their own forms of parochialism. This state of theoretical affairs is unfortunate. As a result, in the course of demonstrating some of the theoretical inadequacies of American liberal legalism, this Article also commences an alternative theorization about 'law,' 'legal systems' and, more particularly, 'the rule of law.' This theorization relies heavily on what can be learned about 'the rule of law' — including whatever exists of it in the United States — from the experiences of an Indian Muslim woman, 'Ayesha,' who recently used a non-state 'shari'a court' (specifically, a 'dar ul qaza') in Delhi to exercise her Indian Islamic divorce rights. I recently interviewed Ayesha at length as part of a larger project on liberalism and Islamophobia.


Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an optical analog of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) that can be used to examine the coronary arteries and has 10-fold higher resolution than IVUS. Based on polarization properties, OCT can differentiate tissue characteristics (fibrous, calcified, or lipid-rich plaque) and identify thin-cap fibroatheroma. Because of the strong attenuation of light by blood, OCT systems required the removal of blood during OCT examinations. A recently developed frequency-domain OCT system has a faster frame rate and pullback speed, making the OCT procedure more user-friendly and not requiring proximal balloon occlusion. During percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), OCT can provide detailed information (dissection, tissue prolapse, thrombi, and incomplete stent apposition [ISA]). At follow-up examinations after stent implantation, stent strut coverage and ISA can be assessed. Several OCT studies have demonstrated delayed neointimal coverage following drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation vs. bare metal stent (BMS) placement. While newer DESs promote more favorable vascular healing, the clinical implications remain unknown. Recent OCT studies have provided insights into restenotic tissue characteristics; DES restenotic morphologies differ from those with BMSs. OCT is a novel, promising imaging modality; with more in-depth assessments of its use, it may impact clinical outcomes in patients with symptomatic coronary artery disease.


The South Georgia population of mackerel icefish (Champsocephalus gunnari) is exploited by both a fishery and predators, including gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua). Because considerable uncertainty surrounds recent estimates of stock size, there is a need to consider novel approaches that may give insight into the population dynamics of this species. We derive two indices of recruitment based on the occurrence of mackerel icefish in gentoo penguin diets, one of which is scaled by a survey estimate of the density of Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba), an alternative prey species for gentoo penguins. The closure of the fishery for much of the 1990s allowed the relationship between environmental conditions and recruitment to be studied without the confounding effects of fishing mortality. The recruitment indices were positively correlated with sea surface temperature with a lag time equal to the age of the fish. These results suggest strong links between mesoscale environmental processes and the smaller s...


An amplifying process in optical amplifiers accompanies an amplified spontaneous emission (ASE), which concerns the amplifier noise. The authors propose a novel in-service performance monitoring method utilizing an optical band-rejection filter (OBRF), by which they can separate and measure the signal light and the ASE light efficiently, and determine optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) or noise figure (NF) with ease and accuracy.


Academic spin-offs are very special start-up companies that are founded by an academic inventor with the aim to exploit technological knowledge that originated within a University setting in order to develop products or services. During the last two decades, academic spin-offs have received increasing attention from both researchers and practitioners, mainly due to their ability to advance industrial application of scientific knowledge. Much of the studies available in literature on this matter, however, have focused on USA's spin-offs, while still little attention has been paid to the European countries, and to Italy in particular. Thus, the aim of our research is twofold: first, to fill this gap in literature. Second, to propose, on the basis of the above mentioned literature review, a model of ex-ante evaluation of the spin-off companies' performance. Specifically, the research methodology followed was a combination of literature analysis and Delphi technique: we first extensively reviewed the extant literature on spin-off companies, then we proposed to a panel of expert the indicators that emerged from the literature as affecting the performance of academic spin-offs.


Exchange proteins activated directly by cyclic adenosinemonophosphate (Epac) is one of cyclic adenosinemonophosphate (cAMP)-regulated guanine nucleotide exchange factors. When Epac closely binds with cAMP, it can activate many downstream signal molecules, such as Rap and Ras, etc. By activating several effectors, Epac regulates a multitude of important physiological and pathological processes. Ras and Rap play important effects on the differentiation and proliferation of photoreceptors. Ras may participate in the pathogenesis and development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and prolifereative vitreo-retinopathy (PVR) through Ras/Raf-1/MEK/ERK cascade. Therefore, further studies about the role of Epac and its downstream signals in the retina may provide numerous directions both in research and treatment of retinal diseases. The researching progress in Epac and the functions of the downstream signaling molecules of Epac in the retina were reviewed.

Key words:
Retina; Exchange proteins activated directly by cyclic AMP; cyclic adenosinemonophosphate; Signal transduction


summary
A soil microcosm system was used to evaluate the impact of a genetically modified (GM) Rhizobium meliloti strain on development and function of arbuscular mycorrhiza in alfalfa plants (Medicago sativa L.). There was no indication that this GM Rhizobium strain, which had an enhanced nodulation competitiveness ability, interfered with mycorrhiza formation by Glomus mosseae (Nicol. and Gerd.) Gerd. and Trappe. Indeed, inoculation with the GM Rhizobium strain greatly increased the number of mycorrhizal entry points in the alfalfa root system in comparison to the wild-type strain. Mycorrhizal development and quality of nodulation increased with time and coincided with increased biomass of and nutrient (N, P) uptake by the host plant. The establishment of the symbiotic interactions also induced changes in root morphology; in particular, the degree of branching increased and the number of lateral roots was greater in plants inoculated with the GM Rhizobium strain. These results demonstrate that the GM Rhizobium strain does affect adversely the performance of arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis, a biosafety model system based on a functional rhizosphere.


Introduction: West Nile virus has caught attention given the spike of European cases in the season of 2018. The number of infected humans exceeded the total cases of the past seven years and the virus expanded to area previous disease-free, causing significant morbimortality. Objectives: To highlight from a clinical standpoint West Nile virus as a possible aetiology in neuroinvasive disease on humans in the Iberian Peninsula. Materials and Methods: Data was obtained from Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and it was conducted a review of the literature in PubMed electronic database. Results and Discussion: West Nile virus can be transmitted by mosquitoes' bites, blood transfusion, and organ transplant. Although most infections are asymptomatic, <1% of patients develop neuroinvasive disease presenting as meningitis, encephalitis or acute flaccid paralysis. West Nile virus should be considered as a differential diagnosis in the face of neurological symptoms of unknown aetiology in the appropriate epidemiological circumstances. Diagnosis in the clinical setting is based in serological analysis. As available treatment is only supportive, preventive measures are key to diminish this virus' impact. The future of West Nile virus is difficult to predict, even though ongoing global changes could be factors influencing its course. Conclusion: West Nile virus depicts the unpredictability around zoonotic diseases, hence, justifying the need of further surveillance and information in the Iberian Peninsula, considering the existence of the vector and the already recorded human/animal cases.


This study compared the skeletal muscle metabolic adaptations in response to combined eccentric and concentric or concentric resistance training regimens. Twenty-six physically active males were assigned to either the combined eccentric and concentric group (n = 10), the concentric group (n = 10) or the control group (n = 6). The combined eccentric and concentric and the concentric groups performed four to five sets of maximal, voluntary bilateral quadriceps muscle actions at 1.05 rad s-1 using a speed-controlled dynamometer three times per week for 12 weeks. The concentric group performed 12 concentric actions per set, whereas the combined eccentric and concentric group performed six coupled eccentric and concentric actions per set. Bilateral percutaneous muscle biopsies were obtained from m. vastus lateralis at rest pre- and post-training. Tissue samples were analysed for contents of adenosine triphosphate, creatine phosphate and creatine and for enzyme activities of citrate synthase, lactate dehydrogenase, myokinase, phosphofructokinase, hexokinase and Mg2(+)-ATPase using fluorometric techniques. Histochemical staining procedures were employed to determine capillary supply. The overall increase (P less than 0.05) in muscle strength was greater (P less than 0.05) for the combined eccentric and concentric group than for the concentric group. Enzyme or substrate contents and capillary supply were unaltered after either type of training. It is suggested that substantial increases in muscle strength may occur in response to resistance training without enhancing or compromising metabolic function of skeletal muscle.


Mutations in the STK11 (LKB1) gene regulate resistance to PD-1/PD-L1 blockade. This study evaluated this association in patients with nonsquamous non-small-cell lung cancer enrolled in three Phase 1/2 trials. STK11 mutations were associated with resistance to the anti-PD-L1 antibody durvalumab (alone/with the anti-CTLA-4 antibody tremelimumab) independently of KRAS mutational status, highlighting STK11 as a potential driver of resistance to checkpoint blockade. Retrospective assessments of tumor tissue, whole blood and serum revealed a unique immune phenotype in patients with STK11 mutations, with increased expression of markers associated with neutrophils (i.e. CXCL2, IL6), Th17 contexture (i.e. IL17A) and immune checkpoints. Associated changes were observed in the periphery. Reduction of STAT3 in the tumor microenvironment using an antisense oligonucleotide reversed immunotherapy resistance in preclinical STK11 knockout models. These results suggest that STK11 mutations may hinder response to checkpoint blockade through mechanisms including suppressive myeloid cell biology, which could be reversed by STAT3-targeted therapy.


We examine predictive group profiling in the Big Data context as an instrument of governmental control and regulation. We first define profiling by drawing some useful distinctions (section 6.1). We then discuss examples of predictive group profiling from policing (such as parole prediction methods taken from the us) and combatting fraud (the icov and syri systems in the Netherlands) (section 6.2). Three potential risks of profiling – the negative impact on privacy; social sorting and discrimination; and opaque decision-making – are discussed in section 6.3. We then turn to the legal framework. Is profiling by governmental agencies adequately framed? Are existing legal checks and balances sufficient to safeguard civil liberties? We discuss the relationship between profiling and the right to privacy (section 6.4) and between profiling and the prohibition on discrimination (section 6.5). The jurisprudence on the right to privacy clearly sets limits to the use of automated and predictive profiling. Profiling and data screening which interfere without distinction with the privacy of large parts of the population are disproportional. Applications need to have some link to concrete fact to be legitimate. An additional role is played by the prohibition of discrimination, which requires strengthening through the development of audit tools and discrimination-aware algorithms. We then discuss current safeguards in Dutch administrative, criminal procedure and data protection law (section 6.6), and witness a trend of weakening safeguards at the very moment when they should be applied with even more rigor. In our conclusion, we point to the tension between profiling and legal safeguards. These safeguards remain important and need to be overhauled to make them effective again.


Polyvinylpolypyrroridone (PVPP) has been used in many countries for removing polyphenols in beer and wine, and was permitted as a food additive in Japan in April 1995. Prior to this approval of the compound, we studied procedures for identifying PVPP and its water soluble substances by colorimetry and infrared (IR) spectrometry for the establishment of the specification.


Under the project of Ministry of the environment of Slovak Republic a "real" impact of various contaminant sources on water was monitored and assessed during the period of 4 years. Various geological environments of The Western Carpathians were chosen as studying areas. The results of the project confirm that the influence of the contamination source is variable in space and time. An amount of objective and efficient information is necessary to fulfill the requirements for the water treatment. The possibility how to minimize the amount of expensive and intricate methods used by investigation was to connect them with hydrogeological indicating methods (HIM). The correlated relations distinguished between contaminant and physical characteristics of water allow using the obtained local information in larger area and repeating them in higher frequency. The economical benefit is relative to increasing demands on space and time. The base was built on the water conductivity and water temperature measurements set in field. The measured values which were processed basically allow obtaining indirect information about the contamination spreading. By correlation the values with water analyses for a monitoring site from specific studied locality and by added other information from field methods the results can be amplified. It is possible to substitute the intricate and expensive contaminant spreading mapping methods by HIM and monitor the dynamic changes of contamination influences in space and time with denser data net.


Term frequencies and inverse document frequencies have been successfully applied in determining weighting for document rankings. However these have been more successful in text mining and in extraction techniques used in the web. Concept mining has become increasingly popular in the research and application areas of Computer Science. This paper attempts to demonstrate the limited usage of term frequency and inverse document frequency for the application of weighting calculations for ranking documents that are based on concept quantifications. The case study considered for experiment in this paper, is based on concept terms of David Merrill's First Principles of Instruction (FPI). Merrill's FPI applies cognitive structures explicitly for analyzing instructional materials. Therefore it is justified that the terms categorized under each cognitive structure (or portrayal) of FPI can be taken as respective concept of that portrayal. As question papers are representative of cognitive structures in a more clear and logical way, four question papers on 'C Language' have been considered for the experimental study, that are detailed in this paper. Manual method has been adopted for the computation of quantities of portrayals in selected documents for the purpose of comparative study. As manual method is accurate, the values (results) are considered as benchmark values. These benchmark values are considered for comparing with normalized term frequencies that are derived (experimented) from automated extractions from the same selected documents. The study is however limited to four documents only. Conclusions are drawn from this experimental study, which will be of immense use to concept mining researchers as well as for instructional designers.


The purpose of thermally-prestressed continuous composite girder bridges lies in mitigation of transverse cracks in the concrete deck. Instead of using tendons for prestressing, the thermal prestressing method utilizes the deflection of steel girders induced by a temporary heating process without mechanical prestressing. While the transverse cracks can be effectively controlled, decrease in the amount of rebar and the steel girder's section area is also possible. Although the computation method of thermal prestressing effect proposed in previous studies can give accurate results, the computation cost is high and may be difficult for inexperienced engineers. In this study, a simplified method is proposed for computing the thermal prestressing effect, which neglects the heat transfer analysis procedure and utilizes simple 2-D beam element FE models. Comparison of the computation results using existing and simplified methods was performed where the error between the two methods was less then 5%. Therefore, it is concluded that the simplified method can be used with acceptable accuracy for computation of the thermal prestressing effect.


'The primacy of culture's role as an educational site where identities are being continually transformed, power is enacted, and learning assumes a political dynamic as it becomes not only the condition for the acquisition of agency but also the sphere for imagining oppositional social change' (Giroux 2004 p. 60).

'Youth' or 'the young person' is an abstract concept; used often, unthinkingly, but without concrete, or universally agreed upon definition. Are young people the future or the 'problem' with society? Varying discourses define the young person in a number of ways, with the formative features of young derived from their social position and status, age and demographic, and role in wider social hierarchies. Adding to this complexity of definition, young people themselves also define themselves and the idea of 'youth' in a variety of ways. How a young person forms an identity1, and on whose terms, is hence a vexed problem.

The research that guided this dissertation aimed to explore how the idea of the young person was constructed, represented and viewed within three informal learning settings located in regional Queensland. The first cohort included a group of 'disengaged' young people within an alternative educational setting. This group was identified by the case school as disengaged and in need of a remediation program to 'get them back on track'. The second cohort included a group of young people who attended a fortnightly LBGTQI social support group. The group, founded by Headspace Toowoomba, met with the aim of providing a social opportunity for LBGTQI identifying young people, aged between 12 and 18 years old, to be able to connect with each other in a supportive environment. The third cohort was a group of mountain bikers who would get together, 'hang out' and ride their bikes together. This group formed based on the desire for a group of young mountain bikers to 'hang out', practise their riding, and teach each other new skills.

Via these three 'sites', the experience of these groups of young people was examined in an effort to understand the dynamic nature of identity formation, how young people come to develop a sense of Self and, more generally understand their place within wider social contexts. This research highlights that young people have a profound understanding of their 'place' in the world and the challenges that confront them. Significantly, young people contend with a range of social views and stereotypes that pathologise and position young people in 'fixed' ways. This thesis outlines how a more comprehensive understanding of young people might develop and how opportunities for informal learning,2 engaged by young people, can mediate this process.


OBJECTIVES
The aim of the present study was to evaluate the symptomatic effects of glucosamine sulphate (GS) in comparison to the exercise therapy, as well effects on Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) findings of cartilage loss in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA).

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Seventy patients with a diagnosis of knee OA were randomly divided into two groups. First group of patients (n=40) were treated with 1500 mg/day oral glucosamine sulphate and the second group (n=30) performed a home exercise program for a period of 6 months.

RESULTS
Compared with baseline, significant improvements were observed in the visual analogue scale pain scores and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities osteoarthritis index and 20-min walking time in both groups (p< 0.001); there were no significant differences between the two treatment groups. Upon the evaluation of joint cartilage thickness by MRI, an improvement was evident in only in the area of medial femoral condyle of patients who had performed a home exercise program (p< 0.05).

CONCLUSION
The results of the present study suggest that both oral GS treatment and exercise therapy are efficient in the symptomatic treatment of patients with knee OA. However, exercise therapy found to have a better chondroprotective effect than oral GS treatment in this patient population.


Ritchmyer–Meshkov instability on an air/SF $_{6}$ interface is experimentally studied in a coaxial converging shock tube by a high-speed laser sheet imaging technique. An unperturbed case is first examined to obtain the characteristics of the converging shock and the shocked interface. For sinusoidal interfaces, the wave pattern and the interface morphology of the whole process are clearly observed. It is quantitatively found that the perturbation amplitude first decreases due to the shock compression, then experiences a rapid growth to a maximum value and finally drops quickly before the reshock. The reduction of growth rate is ascribed to the Rayleigh–Taylor stabilization caused by the interface deceleration motion that is present in the converging circumstance. It is noted that the influence of the wavenumber on the amplitude growth is very little before the reshock, but becomes significant after the reshock.


Micromechanical component and a method for its production having vertically arranged layers made of metallic materials, with the layers adhering firmly to one another at least in part. The layers of the micromechanical component are attached to each other via intermediate layers, with the intermediate layers being at least one sputtered layer which can be applied in the form of a metallic start plating to the underlying layer, which includes metallic and nonmetallic areas, and to which an upper metallic electroplated layer can be applied. Upon their completion, the layers yield the micromechanical component with layers that adhere to one another or layers which can be partially detached from one another.


Human capital is one of the key drivers of economic development and sustainable competitive advantage in the global market. Human capital flight or Brain drain can lead to a permanent impact on the growth process of the country of emigration. Like numerous other developing countries, Pakistan has also been experiencing both the negative and positive consequences of human capital flight. To examine these impacts of international movements on Pakistan economy we retrieved data from different sources. The fundamental objective is to examine the consequences of international migration and its associations with poverty, economic growth, and human development. To keep this in mind, we employed the ARDL approach on three different models for the period of 1975 to 2017. District wise analysis of all provinces states that the international migration is playing a key role in the reduction of poverty level except in KPK. In addition, empirical evidence describes that international migration is positively associated with economic growth and human development while negatively associated with poverty level. The study is concluding that there are enormous potential benefits exists in international migration process because it boosts the economic growth of Pakistan via personal remittances inflow. Likewise, it smoothes out the consumption pattern of ordinary households due to the direct transfer of remittances to them. This monograph is also suggesting some useful policy recommendations for instance, if we export our manpower to highly developed countries then reverse brain drain will encourage the innovation practices along with improvement in economic growth.


Recently, the separated fragment (SF) has been introduced and proved to be decidable. Its defining principle is that universally and existentially quantified variables may not occur together in atoms. The known upper bound on the time required to decide SF's satisfiability problem is formulated in terms of quantifier alternations: Given an SF sentence ∃z⃗∀x⃗<inf>1</inf>∃y⃗<inf>1</inf>…∀x⃗<inf>n</inf>∃y⃗<inf>n</inf>.ψ in which ψ is quantifier free, satisfiability can be decided in non-deterministic n-fold exponential time. In the present paper, we conduct a more fine-grained analysis of the complexity of SF-satisfiability. We derive an upper and a lower bound in terms of the degree ∂ of interaction of existential variables (short: degree)—a novel measure of how many separate existential quantifier blocks in a sentence are connected via joint occurrences of variables in atoms. Our main result is the k-NEXPTIME-completeness of the satisfiability problem for the set SF<inf>∂≤k</inf> of all SF sentences that have degree k or smaller. Consequently, we show that SF-satisfiability is non-elementary in general, since SF is defined without restrictions on the degree. Beyond trivial lower bounds, nothing has been known about the hardness of SF-satisfiability so far.


The presented contribution maps the possibilities of exploitation of the massive parallel computational hardware (namely GPU) for solution of the initial value problems of ordinary differential equations. Two cases are discussed: parallel solution of a single ODE and parallel execution of scalar ODE solvers. Whereas the advantages of the special architecture in the case of a single ODE are problematic, repeated solution of a single ODE for different data can profit from the parallel architecture. However, special algorithms have to be used even in the latter case to avoid code divergence between individual computational threads. The topic is illustrated on several examples.


: Background: COVID-19 disease is a new disease that is very important how Informing the patient about it. This study was conducted with the aim of investigating the experiences of the nurses ' staff on how to inform the patient to get infected with COVID-19. Methods: Twelve health care providers (8 nurses and 4 anesthesiologists) in a educational and medical center in the city of Ilam in From February to June 2020participated in the study with purposeful sampling. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data, and the study began with the open question,"Describe your experience of identifying the disease in patientswith COVID-19" . To analyze the data, the conventional qualitative content analysiswas performed. Results: Participants in this study included 12 medical personnel, of which 7 (58.4%) were male and 5 (41.6%) were female. Based on the findings, 2 main themes and 7 sub-themes were extracted. The main themes extracted from this study include A) Passing the patient of the purgatory ofCOVID-19 diagnosis including four sub-themes: 1) Waiting for a diagnosis, 2) Announcing stepbystep the diagnosis, 3) giving information, 4) acceptance or resistance; B) Entering the important others to the purgatory of COVID-19 diagnosisincluding three sub-themes: 1)Entering the key family members, 2) Entering the physician, 3) Entering the relatives working as medical staff. Conclusion: Diagnosing the disease of COVID-19 is like a purgatory for patient and staff. To help the patient get through this purgatory, important others are introduced by the staff. Eventually the patient either accepts the disease or resists accepting it.


Aim of this work was to identify proper figures of merit (FoM's) to quantitatively and objectively assess the whole acquisition process of a CT image and to evaluate which are more significant. Catphan® phantom images where acquired with a 64 slices computed tomography system, with head and abdomen protocols. Automatic exposure modulation system was on, with different settings. We defined three FoM's (Q, Q1 and Q2) including image quality parameters and acquisition modalities; two of them (Q and Q1) include also a radiation dose quantity, the third (Q2) does not. Then we drew from these the comparable FoM's (CNR, Q1 *, Q2), that do not have dose in their definitions, in order to investigate how they depend on perceived image quality. The FoM's were evaluated for each series. At the same time, expert observers evaluated the number of low contrast inserts seen in the phantom' images. The considered CNR, Q1*, Q2 FoM's are linearly related to the perceived image quality for both the acquisition protocols (head: r2=0.91;0.94;0.91; abdomen: r2=0.93;0.93;0.85). Q and Q1 values analysis shows that these FoM's can distinguish between different acquisition modalities (head or abdomen) with statistically significant difference (p<0.05). The studied FoM's can be usefully used to quantitatively and objectively assess the whole CT image acquisition process. Those FoM's including also radiation dose (Q, Q1) can be used to objectively quantify the equilibrium between image quality and radiation dose for a certain acquisition modality.


Sophisticated modern research tools for evaluation of medicinal plants are available but microscopic methods are one of the simplest and cheapest methods to establish the identity of the source materials. Pharmacognostical investigation of the dried, powdered and anatomical sections of the fruits of Trachyspermum roxburghianum (DC) Craib was carried out to determine its macro and microscopical characteristics along with its physical constants. Externally, the fruits, yellowish or greenish brown in colour are elongated, elliptical, slightly curved, prominently ridged and longitudinal. As seen in transectional views of the fruits from Trachyspermum roxburghianum, the mericarp has concave sides called commissural surfaces and a convex outer side called the dorsal surface. The mericarp has three primary ridges alternating with two secondary ridges on the dorsal side. On the commissural side, there are two primary ridges which are lateral in position and two secondary ridges in the commissural side. The seed is attached to the pericarp by a short stalk called a raphe. Circular, four-lobed calcium oxalate crystals are fairly abundant in the endosperm. Phytochemical studies revealed the presence of phenolic compounds, triterpenoids, proteins and sugars. The pharmacognostical profile of the fruits will assist in standardization for quality, purity and sample identification.


This article reviews recent publications related to the epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, and management of otitis media. Otitis media is a continuum of conditions that includes acute otitis media, otitis media with residual or persistent effusion, unresponsive otitis media, recurrent otitis media, otitis media with complications, and chronic suppurative otitis media. The pathogenic mechanisms of otitis media involve interactions among host characteristics, virulence factors of viral and bacterial pathogens, and environmental factors. Recent studies document the emergence and rapid spread of drug-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae in acute and unresponsive otitis as well as persistent effusions and chronic suppurative otitis. Few issues in clinical medicine are as controversial as the efficacy and risks associated with antibiotic treatment of otitis media. It is best to avoid the antibiotic treatment dilemma as much as possible by not overdiagnosing otitis media.


Objective: Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disease. In this study it was aimed to compare the general features of OA such as location, placement, severity and shape of the lesions in terms of radiological and morphological aspects and to determine their relationship with each other. Methods: In our study, the antero-posterior and lateral radiographies of knee talocrural and transverse tarsal joints of 20 cadavers by age between 30 and 50 years were taken. The results obtained from the radiological examination were graded according to the Kellgren and Lawrence scale. For each of the identified regions, the presence of degenerative changes was noted. Then samples were taken from these regions were examined by microscopic methods. The cartilage degeneration changes, presence of fibrillations, density, depth, chondrocyte aggregation, and necrotic changes were evaluated. Results: In the radiological examination OA was found in 35% in knee joint, 25% in the talocrural joint, 15% in the transverse tarsal joint. In the morphological examination OA was found in 31.5% knee joint, 25% ankle joint and 5% transverse tarsal joint. In the microscopic examination OA was found in 94.7% knee joint, in 94.7% ankle joint and in 100% transverse tarsal joint. Conclusion: Although radiological and macroscopic OA was detected in approximately 1/3 of cadavers aged between 30 and 50 years, degeneration of varying degrees was detected in all joints examined in microscopic examination. This shows that an advanced age disease OA, starts at a very early age. Key words: Osteoarthritis, Knee joint, Talocrural joint, Transverse tarsal joint


Diabetes mellitus (DM) negatively affects the development and progression of chronic liver diseases (CLD) of various etiologies. Concurrent DM and CLD are also associated with worse clinical outcomes with respect to mortality, the occurrence of hepatic decompensation, and the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Unfortunately, early diagnosis and optimal treatment of DM can be challenging, due to the lack of established clinical guidelines as well as the medical complexity of this patient population. We conducted an exploratory review of relevant literature to provide an up-to-date review for internists and hepatologists caring for this patient population. We reviewed the epidemiological and pathophysiological associations between DM and CLD, the impact of insulin resistance on the progression and manifestations of CLD, the pathogenesis of hepatogenic diabetes, as well as the practical challenges in diagnosis and monitoring of DM in this patient population. We also reviewed the latest clinical evidence on various pharmacological antihyperglycemic therapies with an emphasis on liver disease-related clinical outcomes. Finally, we proposed an algorithm for managing DM in patients with CLD and discussed the clinical and research questions that remain to be addressed.


Natural fibres present ozone-friendly solutions in the field of construction. The attenuation of the sound and heat losses is an important feature in such type of materials above all, when used in non-woven fabrics and fibre-reinforced composites. Hemp fibres show robust insulation performance; this research work should be considered beneficial to the development of a non-destructive thermographic methodology, which can address the thermal barrier (typically applied on multi-layer panel) effects. The intent is to assess the integrity of the sub-surface reinforcing glass fibres; such integrity state will help confer the rigidity and the resistance to mechanical stresses. The testing proposed in this study can be further developed in a laboratory right after the manufacturing process of similar type of components. The testing needs preliminary numerical simulations to help guide the selection of the appropriate pre- and post-processing algorithms combined with or without segmentation operators. A set of numerical and experimental tests were performed through controlled thermal stimulation while recording the thermal responses. The study also highlights the advantages, disadvantages, and future development of the presented technique and methodologies.


Ten neuronal tumors of the central nervous system (CNS) were studied using the peroxidaseantiperoxidase method of Sternberger, in regard to their immunohist, chemical reactivity to dynorphin (DYN), β-endorphin (END), corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), somatostatin (SMT), neurophysin (NPY), vasopressin (VSP), and oxytocin (OXY). They are considered some of the representative neuropeptides normally associated with hypothalamic neurons. Seven of the tumors were located in the frontal, temporal or parietal lobes, two in the hypothalamo-pituitary region, and one in the pineal gland. Histologically, the tumors examined contained well-differentiated neuronal cells and ranged in diagnosis from gangliocytoma and ganglioglioma to ganglioneuroblastoma. Among these tumors, two hypothalamo-pituitary gangliocytomas, one frontal ganglidglioma, one temporal and one parietal ganglioneuroblastoma showed positive reactions for two or more of the neuropeptides in the cytoplasms and/or in the processes of neoplastic neuronal cells. Reactivity with DYN was found in three tumors, with END in two, with CRF in three, with SMT in three, with NPY in two, with VSP in three and with OXY in four. These results indicate that these neuronal neoplasms of the CNS are polyclonal tumors without topographic recapitulation of normal neurosecretion, and may have originated in dysgenetic focus of multipotential neuroblasts.


This work reports a theoretical study aimed to identify the plasmonic resonance condition for a system formed by metallic nanoparticles embedded in an a-Si:H matrix. The study is based on a Tauc-Lorentz model for the electrical permittivity of a-Si:H and a Drude model for the metallic nanoparticles. It is calculated the The polarizability of an sphere and ellipsoidal shaped metal nanoparticles with radius of 20 nm. We also performed FDTD simulations of light propagation inside this structure reporting a comparison among the effects caused by a single nanoparticles of Aluminium, Silver and, as a comparison, an ideally perfectly conductor. The simulation results shows that is possible to obtain a plasmonic resonance in the red part of the spectrum (600-700 nm) when 20-30 nm radius Aluminium ellipsoids are embedded into a-Si:H.


T he purpose of this study is to examine the influence of proftitability, leverage, firm size, industry classification and media exposure to Corporate Social Resposibility disclosure. The dependent variable is Corporate Social Resposibility disclosure. Independent variable are protfitability, leverage, firm size, industry classification and media exposure. This study was used secondary data from annual reports of manufacturing companies which were listed on Indonesia Stock Exchange in 2014. Samples were 111 manufacturing companies. This study used purposive sampling method and multiple linear regression as the analysis method. Before being conducted by regression test, it was examined by using the classical assumption tests. The results of this study indicate that profitability and leveragedid not have significant influence to the CSR disclosure meanwhile the firm size,industry classification and media exposure have a positive significant influence to CSR disclosure.


In this paper, we present a compiler (EDA tool) that automatically synthesizes asynchronous Quasi-Delay-Insensitive QDI) circuits from Verilog HDL specification. The proposed compiler receives Verilog HDL specification with standard coding style as input for preprocessing, and generates combinational logics and pipeline frameworks. The combinational logics can then be synthesized by commercial EDA tools, subsequently, expanded into dual-rail circuits with target library cells. Four notably interesting features in this proposed compiler are as follows. First, the resulting circuits are QDI circuits which can accommodate PVT variations. Second, the compiler accepts standard synchronous circuit specification with no special design rules to be considered. Third, this compiler adopts a data-driven pipeline, avoiding controller synthesis by configuring pipeline framework directly. Fourth, this compiler can convert single-rail to dual-rail circuits with different customized library cells. Hence, full advantage of these library cells can be taken for different requirements/applications. To demonstrate the validity and practicality of this compiler, six circuit examples based on Differential Cascode Voltage Swing Logic (DCVSL) and NULL Convention Logic (NCL) library cells are presented with simulation results. We show that our proposed compiler features better design friendliness and provides greater design flexibility.


Inter-individual differences in sleep spindles are highly correlated with "Reasoning" abilities (problem solving skills; i.e., the ability to employ logic, identify complex patterns), but not Short Term Memory or Verbal abilities. Simultaneous electroencephalography and functional magnetic resonance imaging (EEG-fMRI) have revealed brain activations time-locked to spindles (e.g., thalamic, paralimbic, and motor cortical areas)–yet the functional significance of inter-individual differences in spindle-related brain activation remains to be investigated. Using EEG-fMRI during sleep, we identified, for the first time, the neural activation patterns time-locked to spindles that are correlated with cognitive abilities. Similar to previous studies, activations time-locked to spindles were observed in thalamocortical circuitry and basal ganglia regions. Importantly, spindle-related activation in a subset of these regions were specifically related to inter-individual differences in Reasoning, but not STM or Verbal abilities. These results may help elucidate the physiological mechanisms which support the function of sleep for the capacity for reasoning.


Sustainable management of water resources in order to maintain environmental needs requires an economic approach in the agricultural sector. Water security and management in the agricultural sector is the most important approach to sustainable development in Iran. Given the development of Iran and the transformation of its national economy, the agricultural sector has emerged as the pivot of the economic security and viability. In the economic approach, the management of demand requires determining the real price of water, so it is necessary to estimate the real price of water in this sector. The present study uses the cross-sectional data for the 2018-2019 crop year in order to estimate the price of water for mango and also to estimate its demand with an emphasis on environmental inputs. To this end, the real price of water is determined by the residual method, and the demand function is estimated by the translog cost function and the equations of the contribution of inputs in cost. The results support the good fit of the model used for the cost function of mango in the studied county. The results for the coefficients in Chabahar County indicate that water cost has a positive relationship with the prices of manure, water, seedling, and crop yield and a negative relationship with the prices of pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Based on the results of the water demand function, water is a substitute for manure, chemical fertilizer, and seedling with partial elasticities of >1, revealing the impact of water use management and economic valuation on improving the use of other environmental inputs (pesticides, manure, and chemical fertilizers) and seedling, as well as the water itself, in mango production in this region. It is recommended to adopt policies like optimal pricing of inputs including pesticides, manure, chemical fertilizers, and seedling in order to curb the resulting environmental pollution.


Shape is crucial for catalysis. In the hypothetical RNA World, the replicative RNAs, which constituted the hereditary information, also functioned as the "shapes" for catalysis. There was no need for decoding. When decoding originated, presumably discrimination between alternate coding possibilities was initially weak, but once one mode became predominant, there would have been selection to lock it in with increasing efficiency. Nontriplet translocation and nonstandard meaning of code words presumably generally approached a minimum compatible with speed and energy use optimization. In the present day, nonstandard decoding alternatives generally just contribute to a low level of translational errors, of which frameshifting errors (Atkins et al. 1972; Kurland 1992) are a grave type. However, some unknown proportion of genes in probably all organisms has special sites where efficient decoding alternatives are programmed into the mRNA. The group of mechanisms involved in redirection of decoding is called "recoding" (Gesteland et al. 1992). Either the evolution of the ability to perform recoding was coincident with evolution of the ability of the decoding apparatus to perform standard decoding, or it is a later sophistication. Of course, the answer is unknown, but the conservation of the required mRNA signals presented below indicates that recoding has been part of the decoding repertoire for at least several hundred million years and must therefore be favored by evolution. This is clearly distinct from the error rate that is a trade-off between energy expenditure, speed, and accuracy. In the latter case, evolution has optimized the balance as a whole.


The kinetic energy distribution as a function of mass of final fragments (m) from low energy fission of $^{234}U$, measured with the Lohengrin spectrometer by Belhafaf et al. presents a peak around m=108 and another around m = 122. The authors attribute the first peak to the evaporation of a large number of neutrons around the corresponding mass number; and the second peak to the distribution of the primary fragment kinetic energy. Nevertheless, the theoretical calculations related to primary distribution made by Faust et al. do not result in a peak around m = 122. In order to clarify this apparent controversy, we have made a numerical experiment in which the masses and the kinetic energy of final fragments are calculated, assuming an initial distribution of the kinetic energy without peaks on the standard deviation as function of fragment mass. As a result we obtain a pronounced peak on the standard deviation of the kinetic energy distribution around m = 109, a depletion from m = 121 to m = 129, and an small peak around m = 122, which is not as big as the measured by Belhafaf et al. Our simulation also reproduces the experimental results on the yield of the final mass, the average number of emitted neutrons as a function of the provisional mass (calculated from the values of the final kinetic energy of the complementary fragments) and the average value of fragment kinetic energy as a function of the final mass.


Background: Cotinine is the most widely used biomarker of tobacco exposure. At similar smoking levels, African Americans have higher serum cotinine than Whites. UGT2B10-catalyzed cotinine glucuronidation impacts these levels, and African Americans often have low UGT2B10 activity due to a high prevalence of a UGT2B10 splice variant (rs2942857). Methods: Two UGT2B10 SNPs (rs6175900 and rs2942857) were genotyped in 289 African Americans and 627 White smokers. Each smoker was assigned a genetic score of 0, 1, or 2 based on the number of variant alleles. Total nicotine equivalents (TNE), the sum of nicotine and six metabolites, and serum cotinine and 3′-hydroxycotinine were quantified. The contribution of UGT2B10 genetic score to cotinine concentration was determined. Results: Serum cotinine was significantly higher in smokers with UGT2B10 genetic scores of 2 versus 0 (327 ng/mL vs. 221 ng/mL; P < 0.001); TNEs were not different. In a linear regression model adjusted for age, gender, cigarettes per day, TNE, race, and CYP2A6 activity, geometric mean cotinine increased 43% between genetic score 2 versus 0 (P < 0.001). A 0.1 increase in the CYP2A6 activity ratio, 3′-hydroxycotinine/cotinine, resulted in a 6% decrease in cotinine. After adjustment for UGT2B10 genotype and the other covariants, there was no significant difference in serum cotinine by race. Conclusions: UGT2B10 genotype is a major contributor to cotinine levels and explains the majority of high serum cotinine in African American smokers. Impact: Cotinine levels in smokers may greatly overestimate tobacco exposure and potentially misinform our understanding of ethnic/racial difference in tobacco-related disease if UGT2B10 genotype is not taken into account.


There are more than 200 million people infected worldwide and 20 million of these suffer serious health consequences, mostly children and adolescents in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). A literatures review was conducted to look for challenges for control and elimination of schistosomiasis and the ways forward in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). A global effort of controlling schistosomiasis has documenting visible results in controlling in some parties of low endemic regions and reducing prevalence and intensity of infection in some parts of African regions. However, the burden is still high and causing high morbidity and continuous as public health problem in most of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) countries, because of different challenges. This challenges are: Inadequate treatment coverage; complexity and variability of transmission dynamics; not considering current recommended treatment strategy ;low compliance to anti-schistosomiasis drugs ;water harvesting and Sanitation problems; poor community awareness and Behavioral change ; use of less sensitive diagnostic tools; lack of snails controlling as integration; high co-infections rate with other parasitic and non-parasitic infectious disease; vaccination luck of vaccine against schistosomiasis; Polices of the countries and Population movement and migration; poor mapping quality and uncertainties and risks of climate change in the region. They're for scalping treatment coverage by considering complexity and variability of transmission dynamics; improving mapping quality and uncertainties and generally, integrated, intersectorial approach that goes beyond deworming is the ways forward for sustainable control of schistosomiasis. This actually needs long last more founding for out and in and political commitment of the endemic regions.


Photochemotherapy is a recently developed approach to the treatment of psoriasis (Parrish et al., 1974) which may have initiated a new era in photomedicine. It is based on the interaction of longwave ultraviolet light (UVA) and a systemically administered photoactive compound, 8-methoxypsoraIen, within the skin; hence the designation PUVA (PUVA = 8-methoxy-Psoralen plus UVA) (WolfFer a/., 1976). As the penetration of UVA is restricted to the superficial layers of the skin and as the photoactivadon of 8-methoxypsoralen occurs only under the influence of these wave-lengths ('365 nm), PUVA represents a successful attempt to localize systemic chemotherapy to a diseased organ, the skin, sparing other tissues from cytotoxic effects (Parrish et al., 1974; Wolff er al., 1975b, 1976). The dramatic effectiveness of this treatment, both in clearing psoriatic lesions and maintaining patients in a state of remission, has been demonstrated in several studies (Parrish ei ai, 1974; Wolfl' al., 1975a, b, 1976). The rationale of PUVA therapy is to bring psoriasis into remission by repeated, controlled photosensitization reactions which are monitored to remain within a therapeutically desired range. Since phototoxic erythema is a limiting factor, careful attention to dosimetry is essential and it is therefore the dosimetry system which is a key to both the effectiveness and safety of PUVA. The following account outlines and discusses criteria for dosimetry that have proved useful in 230 patients with severe, generalized psoriasis.


We have employed electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy and magnetization measurements in order to study the effect of Al-incorporation on the magnetic interactions in ZnO:Mn diluted magnetic semiconductors. Al-doping is shown to decrease the antiferromagnetic correlation and to increase the ferromagnetic interaction, which is attributed to the hydrogen-mediated ferromagnetic Mn complexes in our Mn-doped ZnO samples.


BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Despite the solid results on pain management strategies in neonatology, it is necessary to identify and explore the barriers that may hamper the attention to pain and the implementation of the scientific evidence widely disseminated in the literature in the care practice. The objective of this study was to describe the barriers encountered by the healthcare professionals of a neonatal intensive care unit regarding the management, evaluation, and treatment of newborn pain. METHODS: Descriptive, exploratory, quantitative study carried out in a maternity hospital in the city of Rio de Janeiro. Forty-two nursing technicians, 22 nurses, 20 physicians, and 2 physiotherapists participated in the study. The data was collected in an interview using a form and the data was analyzed by descriptive statistics. RESULTS: Among the barriers found it stands out the lack of training on neonatal pain, no use of scales, the absence of routine and protocols for the treatment of pain, and the need for greater safety for the evaluation and treatment of pain. It was also observed that there is a gap between knowledge and care practice in the unit. CONCLUSION: The identification of these barriers is essential to establish strategies based on knowledge-transfer to overcome the obstacles and improve the care given to newborns in the neonatal intensive care unit.


Radio frequency identification (RFID) is a promising technology for ubiquitous computing. When we embed RFID tags into environment-sensitive objects, RFID networks must be integrated with wireless sensor networks (WSNs). In this article, we first identify key requirements for designing an efficient and flexible integration framework. Based on the requirements, we propose a sensor and an RFID integration framework (SARIF). As middleware that operates on top of RFID networks and WSNs, SARIF enables the design of diverse applications flexibly and manages network resources efficiently. We also demonstrate the effectiveness of SARIF by implementing a prototype.


The eyes provide important information for decoding the mental states of others. In this fMRI study we examined how reading the mind in the eyes develops across adolescence and we tested the developmental trajectories of brain regions involved in this basic perceptual mind-reading ability. Participants from three age groups (early adolescents, mid adolescents and young adults) participated in the study and performed an adapted version of the 'Reading the Mind in the Eyes task', in which photographs of the eye region of faces were presented. Behavioral results show that the ability to decode the feelings and thoughts of others from the eyes develops before early adolescence. For all ages, brain activity was found in the posterior superior temporal sulcus during reading the mind in the eyes relative to a control condition requiring age and gender judgments using the same eyes stimuli. Only early adolescents showed additional involvement of the medial prefrontal cortex, the inferior frontal gyrus and the temporal pole. The results are discussed in the light of recent findings on the development of the social brain network.


Includes message from the Christus Rex club, message from the Bishop Nikol J. Cauchi, message from Charles Camilleri, biography of Charles Camilleri, biography of Oliver Friggieri, message from Oliver Friggieri, list of orchestra members, list of members of the choir and poems by Oliver Friggieri.


This study investigated the use of maturity method to determine the early-age strength of concrete in slab replacement application. The main objectives were to evaluate the possible effects of different curing environments on the predicted strength of concrete from the maturity method and to determine the most appropriate procedure to be used to obtain accurate predicted strength of concrete. Two maturity functions, namely the Nurse-Saul and Arrhenius maturity functions, were evaluated. The effects of variation of fresh concrete properties on the predicted strength of the concrete were also evaluated. The Arrhenius maturity function with an activation energy of 33,500 J/mol was chosen for maturity-strength prediction as it showed consistent maturity-strength relationships developed by various groups of specimens cured under various conditions. It was also found that different curing conditions did not have any significant effect on the Arrhenius maturity-strength relationships at early age while variation in fresh concrete properties could have substantial effects on the maturity-strength relationships. Based on the results of laboratory experiments, it is recommended that when the actual concrete used at the project site has a different water-cement ratio, or has fresh concrete properties different by more than ± 2.5 cm (1 inch) in slump and/or ±1 % in air content from those of the concrete used in developing the maturity-strength relationship, the developed maturity-strength relationship should not be used to make maturity-strength prediction without making proper adjustments to the predicted strength to account for the changes in the fresh concrete properties. Based on the findings from this study, a testing protocol for the generation of maturity-strength curve for prediction of early-age compressive strength of concrete used in slab replacement project was recommended.


This study analyses how the migration policy options of the Government of Tunisia have been codified by repeated interactions with the European Union (EU) and its Member States. It argues that these interactions have been shaped by the gradual consolidation of a hierarchy of priorities where the drive for operability and security predominates. A hierarchy of priorities delineates the contours of the perceived top priorities that should be tackled first and foremost, while hiding or dismissing others. Having historicized the origins of this hierarchy, the study sets out to show that the prioritization of security concerns in bilateral and multilateral migration talks allowed the leadership of former President Ben Ali to skilfully readjust or channel transferred rules and policies on migration matters with a view to strengthening its own domination. This had serious implications for human rights observance in Tunisia. Today, after (or despite) the radical transformations that took place in Tunisia in early 2011, the same hierarchy of priorities continues to exist. However, its resilience may raise a host of complicated issues, given the empowered advocacy role of civil society organizations and the manifest alertness of Tunisian population.


Errors and deficiencies in real estate can lead to excessive costs for the buyer. Particularly if the buyer is a consumer. The buyer of a property has, among other things, a far-reaching obligation to examine the real estate before buying it. The seller can only be liable for defects that the buyer couldn't have discovered through a thorough examination of the real estate with regard to the property's condition, the nature of comparable real estates and other circumstances in the agreement, this according to the 4th chapter jordabalken. As a general rule, the buyer can examine the real estate himself, but in most cases the buyer hires a real estate inspector to conduct a thorough examination of the property. Real estate inspectors, but also other advisors and experts like brokers or lawyers are often hired throughout the real estate transaction. These advisors should inform the buyer about known risks and faults of the real estate and advise the buyer and seller how the parties should act to ensure that both the buyer and the seller are fully informed to avoid problems arising. Advisor's responsibilities are governed by general contract principles. A consequence of this is that the consumer protection is high and that the advisor's responsibility must be based on an assessment of the advisor's negligence. Among other things, the advisor must carry out the assignment as carefully as possible and shall inform his client in such a pedagogical manner that the client can understand the information. A basic principle for Swedish contract law is freedom of contracts. This freedom of contract means that the parties control the content of the agreement. In most cases the advisor presents the consumer with standard-form contracts that apply to all the advisor's assignments and its different contracting parties. This means that the consumer's specific needs are not taken into account when presenting the conditions in the contract. It also means that the contractor, in this case the adviser, wants to limit his liability through disclaimers and exemption clauses. There's a risk that the disclaimer will present itself unfair later on. An example of such a situation is when the advisor acts particularly blatantly in the performance of his / her task. The courts have in recent years chosen to make an assessment of whether the disclaimer makes the limitation of liability unreasonable in itself after an verall assessment of both the risk distribution in the contract, but also looks to other circumstances. This assessment has made the advisor's strict responsibility less covering, something that's been both praised and criticized in the doctrine. An assessment based on whether the liability limitation is unreasonable in itself will rarely lead to a disclaimer clause being completely disregarded. Instead the "general clause" in avtalslagen will be used to adjust the exemption clause and therefore also the advisor's lability. (Less)


This paper highlights several studies conducted by a quality assurance research program in a health maintenance organization which provide tangible support for the need to integrate patient interventions with quality assurance activities. A model for quality assurance is described which proposes to include identification of the role of patient behavior in affecting health outcomes, and to develop intervention mechanisms directed towards patients. The experiences from this investigation suggest the need to add patient interventions to the traditional quality assurance efforts of affecting system and provider behaviors. Four of the ten projects conducted are described to illustrate these issues. Topics reviewed are maternity care, hypertension, management of breast disease, and pap smears for high-risk women. These recommendations are particularly appropriate for health maintenance organizations since both quality assurance and health education programs are mandated in the 1973 HMO Act. However, these findings are of relevance to other ambulatory care settings as well.


Mesoscale eddies formed at Eastern boundary upwelling systems (EBUS) are important vehicles for nutrients and carbon to the open oligotrophic ocean that influence the biogeochemistry on relatively small spatial scales (on the order of 100 km). They impact upper-ocean chemistry and biology through a number of processes. For example, in cyclonic eddies upward nutrient supply to the euphotic zone typically results in intensified primary productivity and changes in community structure, both of which affect export fluxes of carbon to the deep ocean. Therefore, the factors that control the (sub)mesoscale dynamics of the upper ocean are essential to understanding the efficiency of the biological carbon pump. However, the governing dynamical processes are largely unknown, and so is the overall biogeochemical and ecosystem response. To investigate the horizontal and vertical variability of phytoplankton and heterotrophic bacteria within and around mesoscale eddies, we collected samples along a zonal corridor of the westward propagation of eddies between the Cape Verde Islands and Mauretania as well as from a cyclonic eddy along this transect at high spatial resolution. In the eddy, we generally observed enhanced primary production, based on 14C incorporation, and heterotrophic microbial activity, based on 3H leucine incorporation, compared to the surrounding waters. Similarly, microbial heterotrophic respiration rates obtained from optode‐based oxygen consumption measurements during dark incubations were highest inside the eddy. However, the detailed eddy survey revealed a patchy distribution of all microbial process rates. The rates were highest in the Northern and Western periphery of the eddy where depth-integrated primary and heterotrophic production were more than three times higher than in the eddy core. The patchy distribution was also apparent from flow cytometry data, which showed higher relative abundances of larger eukaryotic phytoplankton (nanoplankton) compared to picoplankton in the most productive regions of the eddy. The higher activities were additionally accompanied by a higher relative abundance of high nucleic acid containing bacteria, which are considered the more active members of the given community compared to low nucleic acid-containing bacteria. The enhanced primary production, particularly in the Northern and Western eddy peripheries, will fuel export production particularly in these regions. To gain further insight into the organic carbon dynamics, data on the spatial distribution and the lateral and vertical fluxes of dissolved and particulate organic matter are currently underway. While our data confirm previous studies of enhanced biological activity within eddies formed in EBUS regions, it also indicates that the effect of variable phytoplankton and heterotrophic bacterial distributions and activity within an eddy leads to consequences for the spatial and temporal representativeness of measurements from only a few samples. This study thus contributes to a more comprehensive view on the functioning of eddy dynamics and it will facilitate modelling efforts on the role that eddies play in the ocean carbon budget.


In practical engineering, the friction damper is a widely used energy dissipation device because of its large deformation capacity, stable energy dissipation capability, and cost effectiveness. While based on conventional friction dampers, the double-sliding friction damper (DSFD) being proposed is different in that it features two sliding friction forces, i.e., small and large sliding friction forces, rather than a single-sliding friction force of ordinary friction dampers. The DSFD starts to deform when the force sustained exceeds the small-sliding friction force, and stops deforming when the deformation reaches a certain value. If the force sustained exceeds the large sliding friction force, it continues to deform. Such a double-sliding behavior is expected to endow structures equipped with the DSFD better performance in both small and large earthquakes. The configuration and working mechanism of the DSFD is described and analyzed. Quasi-static loading tests and finite element analyses were conducted to investigate its hysteretic behavior. Finally, time history analysis of the single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) and multi-degree-of-freedom (MDOF) systems were performed to investigate the seismic performance of DSFD-equipped structures. For the purpose of comparison, tests on systems equipped with conventional friction dampers were also performed. The proposed DSFD can be realized perfectly, and the DSFD-equipped structures provide better performances than those equipped with conventional friction dampers in terms of interstory drift and floor acceleration. In particular, for the MDOF system, the DSFD helps the structural system to have a uniform distributed interstory drift.


ABSTRACT Li, Z.Z. and Zhang, M., 2020. The effects of regulatory focus on anticipated emotions under the different anticipatory results: Take coastal universities in China as an example. In: Guido Aldana, P.A. and Kantamaneni, K. (eds.), Advances in Water Resources, Coastal Management, and Marine Science Technology. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 104, pp. 956–959. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. We explored the effects of regulatory focus on anticipated emotions under the different anticipatory results. We used an experiment to conduct the study with 32 college students in coastal China.. The results indicated that anticipated emotions differed according to the current motivational strategy which are related to an anticipatory result; focusing on promotion rather than prevention led to stronger anticipated positive emotions and less anticipated negative emotions in response to regardless of success or fail anticipatory results; and also anticipatory results have significant effects on anticipated emotions, anticipate successful results rather than anticipatory fail results led to more intense anticipated positive emotions and less anticipated negative emotions. Implications of these results are also discussed in this study


Abstract Aim: To report our experience with endoscopic, endonasal management of sinonasal haemangiopericytoma. Materials and methods: Retrospective review of the medical records of 10 patients undergoing endoscopic, endonasal surgery for sinonasal haemangiopericytoma of the nose and paranasal sinuses, between 1997 and 2008. Results: Five men and five women were included. Their mean age at surgery was 59 years. All patients underwent endoscopic, endonasal resection of their tumour. Major post-operative complications were encountered in only one patient (stroke). Local recurrence was diagnosed in only one patient (10 per cent), who subsequently underwent a combined resection (endoscopic and external) with orbital exenteration. Conclusions: Sinonasal haemangiopericytomas are rare tumours that are usually benign. The mainstay of treatment is wide surgical excision with free resection margins. Nowadays, the great majority of patients can be treated using a purely endoscopic, endonasal approach.


This report discusses the remarks delivered by Paul Wolfowitz, President of the World Bank. We are marking a milestone in the development of China's capital markets. He proudly informed that the International Finance Corporation could play a pioneering role in opening the Panda Bond market. The Bank Group wants to provide innovation that encourages wider access to financial resources for more businesses. IFC's Panda Bond introduces a new top-rated benchmark to the market. That provides a valuable means of diversification and credit differentiation. This is an important event in the development of China's capital market, but it is just a step in a long-term process. Much work needs to be done to make the Chinese capital market more efficient and deeper so that it can meet the needs of businesses that fuel the economy and employ Chinese workers and finance a wide range of development and infrastructure needs that have made China a pioneer in poverty reduction around the world. He concludes saying that, We look forward to more opportunities to work together with the authorities toward common objectives for the poor people of this country.


ABSTRACT The Center of Research for Education of Adults (CREA) in Spain is working to overcome the constrictions of adult education theories through three orientations: it works in a horizontal and communicative way, it attempts to correct common misunderstandings, and its main focus is to develop a new critical theory for adult education. Research projects have focused on adult education participation, basic capacities of adult population, numeracy in the workplace, and communicative capacities and social development. Other activities include the following: communicative elaboration in laws of adult education, support for popular movements of adult education, development of critical theories of adult education, promotion of communities of learning, and development of communicative pluricultural perspectives. CREA also constructs models or schemes on why some adults participate and others do not and on methodology of research on adult education participation. In recent research on participation, CREA has combined quantitative and qualitative methodologies and created a critical communicative approach for research of the issue of adult education participation through the use of daily life stories and case studies. (Contains 26 references.) (YLB)


The article presents the results of the study, which reveal the methods of diagnostics of the motivational and value component of the culture of professional activity among future engineers in occupational safety, and aims to study the impact of the pedagogical system of the culture of safety ofprofessional activity in future safety engineers, at work on the formation of the motivational and value component. The students who specialized in "Civil safety" in the field of knowledge, specialization "Labor protection" (226 students in the control group and 221 students in the experimental group) in different regions of Ukraine participated in the research. The results of the study confirm significant positive changes in the levels of formation of the motivational and evaluative component of the safety culture of professional activity in future occupational safety engineers. According to the results of the pedagogical experiment, the effectiveness of the proposed author's measures during the implementation of thepedagogical system of formation of the safety culture of professional activity in future occupational safety engineers is proved.


An essential requirement for efficient heavy oil production is liberation of heavy oil from host rocks, which is determined by the wettability of the rocks, and the interfacial tension and viscosity of heavy oil. Recent progress on the design of an online visualization flow cell allows capture of dynamic heavy oil liberation processes from the surfaces of sand grains in real time under a water flooding environment. However, the accurate assessment of heavy oil liberation remains a challenge, due to uncertainties in defining oil-free areas of heavy oil contaminated rock surfaces. In this study, three new image-processing algorithms of modified empirical, Gridding, and Edge-covering methods were applied to image transformation for heavy oil liberation analysis. These methods were found to be more accurate and robust in determining the threshold value distinguishing liberated from unliberated sand surfaces. The use of wavelet transform theory in the Gridding and Edge-covering methods led to faster calculations with a typical error of less than 2 % in the quantitative analysis on the threshold value determination and the degree of heavy oil liberation. Among these three methods, the Gridding method with a sound theoretical foundation was shown to be the most reliable. The results showed that the threshold value determined was highly dependent on the types of ores and the image capture settings such as lighting conditions, exposure time, and microscope magnification.


At a time in the near future, many computers (including devices such as smart-phones) will have system clocks that are synchronized to a high degree (less than 1 ms of error). This will enable us to coordinate events across unconnected devices with a degree of accuracy that was previously impossible. In particular, high clock synchronization means that we can use these clocks to synchronize tempo between humans or sequencers with little-to-no communication between the devices. To facilitate this low-overhead tempo synchronization, we propose the Global Metronome, which is a simple, computationally cheap method to obtain absolute tempo synchronization. We present experimental results demonstrating the effectiveness of using the Global Metronome and compare the performance to MIDI clock sync, a common synchronization method. Finally, we present an open source implementation of a Global Metronome server using a GPS-connected Raspberry Pi that can be built for under $100.


This researach was aimed to describe the risk factor profile of pediatric patients with allergic rhinitis. 1792 medical recordsof outpatients pediatric allergy immunology clinic in Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital from 1997 to 2005. Fifty patients were diagnosed with allergic rhinitis and 22% of them  were having allergic rhinitis with bronchial asthma.Allergic rhinitis were identified higher in boys (62%) than girls (38%) and ranged from 5 months to 13 years and 8 months old. Atopic history were identified in 24 patients (48) while atopic history in patient family were identified in mother (42%), father (40%), and siblings (24%). Total IgE serum increased in 35 patients (88,57%) while total eosinophil serum increased in 28 patients (80%). The most common aeroallergen by skin prick test was house dust mite (36%) and the most common food allergen was shrimp (40%). There were several factors that contribute to the development of allergic rhinitis such as age, sex, family atopic history and increasing in total IgE serum and total eosinophil serum . House dust mite and shrimp were the most common allergen identified in allergic rhinitis. Keywords: allergic rhinitis, risk factors, pediatric


Purpose: The purpose of the concern study is to investigate the determinants of credit risk (CR) of commercial banks in Pakistan.Variable Specification: The explanatory variable of the concern study are macro and bank specific variable that has been used in the study. Macro variable includes GDP growth (GDPGR) and growth in interest rate(IRGR), while the bank specific variable consist capital adequacy ratio(CAR), growth in advances(ADVNGR), operation inefficiency(OPINF), loan to depots ratio(LD), loan loss provision (LLP) and size of the bank. The dependent variable of the study was credit risk (CR) which is measured as the ratio of non-performing loan to total loan.Design/Methodology : The size of the sample consist 26 commercial banks covering data period from 2007-2013. This macro date was collect from state bank website and annually financial statement of commercial banks. The relationship among independent and dependent variable will be estimated through OLS regression (ordinary least square method). Panel data model such as, fixed affect model and random affect models were used to conduct detail panel data analysis. The robustness of the results will be statistically checked through Hausman specification test. Findings : The results show that there capital adequacy ratio and loan loss provision had highly significant positive correlate with credit risk, while this study shows that operating inefficiency, growth in GDP and growth in advances had significant relation with credit.  Furthermore return on asset (ROA) and size have been significant but negative impact on credit risk in commercial banks of Pakistan. Growth in interest rate has no impact on credit risk in commercial bank of Pakistan. The correlation value independent variables have less than one.While though applied the fixed effect and random affect models will be used to conduct detail panel data analysis. It was revealed that operating inefficiency, loan deposit ratio, and size has insignificant relation with credit risk in commercial banks of Pakistan. The relationship of growth in advance is negative with capital adequacy ratio having value (-0.48). While the relation with credit risk and growth in GDP is positive. Growth in advances has negative relation with LD, LLP, OPINF, ROA and size. Keywords: Credit risk, Macroeconomic factors, bank specific factors


Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent cause of dementia marked by progressive cognitive and functional impairment and memory loss. AD patients display neuropathological lesions including deposition of extracellular amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptide and the formation of neurofibrillary tangles. Although the mechanisms causing brain atrophy and neuronal death are largely unknown, increasing evidence suggests that immunity plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of AD. In the present study, we investigated the effect of regulatory T cells (Tregs) on AD mouse model. First, we transiently depleted Treg population using anti-CD25 antibody. Depletion of Tregs for 4 months resulted in a marked aggravation of the spatial learning deficits of 6-month-old 3xTg-AD mice. Importantly, deposition of Aβ plaques and CD11b+ microglia/macrophage were significantly increased in the hippocampal CA1 and CA3 regions of the Treg depleted 3xTg-AD compared to the vehicle-treated 3xTg-AD group. Next, we explored the effect of Teffs (effector T cells; CD4+CD25−) and Treg (CD4+CD25+) in adoptive transfer model. Systemic transplantation of purified Tregs into 3xTg-AD mice improved cognitive function and reduced deposition of Aβ plaques. In contrast, adoptive transfer of Teffs showed increased Aβ plaques burden and diminished behavioral function. Our finding strongly suggested that systemic Treg administration ameliorates disease progression and could be an effective AD treatment.


Academic institutions are increasingly being held accountable for the quality of education which is, in turn, leading to an increased emphasis on curriculum assessment. This is especially true of geographic information science & technology (GIS&T), in which a rapidly growing profession demands that educational programs produce highly qualified graduates. In response to these demands, the University Consortium of Geographic Information Science (UCGIS) has developed the Geographic Information Science and Technology Body of Knowledge, to identify the broad spectrum of knowledge, skills and techniques that make up the GIS&T domain. An intended use of this document is to support the development and assessment of GIS&T curricula. The authors address the potential benefits of using the Body of Knowledge through an evaluation of the learning objectives and curriculum of sample courses at two universities. They find that the Body of Knowledge enables robust specification of objectives and curricula, and provides the platform for reproducible and consistent evaluation of both curriculum and, ultimately, student outcomes. It is also flexible in allowing programmes to evaluate curricula based on their own goals and missions, rather than against a single standard curriculum.


Published epidemiological literature relating BSE was reviewed to point out strategies and methods used by the veterinary epidemiologists involved. Classification keys were used to identify descriptive, analytical and theoretical epidemiological studies used to formulate etiologic hypotheses, to assess the relevance of several risk factors and to monitor and predict the future of the epidemic. Case series, incidence and ecological studies, case-control studies, a cohort study and modelling epidemiology studies have been considered.


An adaptive cruise control system of electric vehicles is proposed, considering both fuel economy and tracking safety with model predictive control theory. Firstly, the mathematical relationship between fuel cost and longitudinal acceleration is analyzed through a simulation model. Secondly the 2-norm number is adopted to indicate the integrated cost function, which integrates economy performance and tracking performance together. Finally the proposed optimization problem is solved by model predictive control theory, and a contrast controller is built with linear quadratic algorithm. Both simulation and real vehicle test results show that the MPC controller can reduce fuel cost by above 5% than LQ controller in the range of safe tracking, and it successfully coordinates fuel economy and tracking safety.


The relationship between intrinsic and personal extrinsic religious orientation as suggested by Gorsuch and McPherson is studied within four denominational samples of university students in four different cultural environments. Results show that intrinsic and extrinsic personal religious orientation form two separate dimensions only within the American Protestant sample. In three different European religious environments (one Eastern Orthodox, one Islamic, and one Roman Catholic), all extrinsic personal and intrinsic items can be combined into a single dimension. It is speculated that the intrinsic orientation may be culturally tied to Protestantism. Copyright # 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


BACKGROUND AND AIMS
Castleman's disease (CD) is a rare disease of lymph node with two identified forms - the hyaline vascular (HV) type or angiofollicular type and plasma cell (PC) type. It usually presents as localized or systemic lymphadenopathy or even as extra nodal mass and may give rise to several differential diagnoses. Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC), as the initial investigation, may be misleading. Excision biopsy usually gives the diagnosis. This study analyzes the clinical, cytological and histological features of CD of HV type.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
All the cases of CD reported between 2001 and March 2008 have been reviewed. Cytology and histopathology slides of all cases were reviewed by two reporting pathologists independently and the clinical records were analyzed.

RESULT
We had five cases of CD all of which presented as cervical lymphadenopathy of 1 to 5 cms in young patients. Patients were mostly asymptomatic with all relevant investigations within normal limits. The cytology findings mostly showed a predominance of small lymphocytes with capillary fragments. On excision biopsy, all cases were diagnosed as CD of HV type.

CONCLUSION
CD should be kept as a differential of lymphadenopathy, especially in asymptomatic and young patients.


In order to achieve the objectives of the operations, Emaline needs to review the influence of product quality; which consists of aesthetics, durability, customer perceived quality, and serviceability, on the customer satisfaction of the company. The purpose of this study is to determine: the influence of aesthetics on customer satisfaction; the influence of durability on customer satisfaction; the influence of customer perceived quality on customer satisfaction; and the influence of serviceability on customer satisfaction. The samples in this research consist of 42 Emaline consumers under the business-to-consumer pattern who have made more than one purchase. Multiple Linear Regression is used as analysis technique in this study. Research results suggest that aesthetics, durability, customer perceived quality, and serviceability affect the customer satisfaction of Emaline.