Mosquito larva monitoring officers are one of the team worksestablished by a community in each neighborhood unit/community unit (RT/RW) to perform a Periodic Larvae Inspectionand Monitoring, as well as Aedes aegypti andAedes albopictus Mosquito Nest Eradication (PSN). Mosquitos aedes aegypti a cause dengue faver. Based on secondary data from the Banajarejo Health Center, there were 2 cases of dengue fever in 2021 and in 2022 there were 11 cases, the increase in cases could be influenced by several factors, such as humans and the environment. This study aims to determine the relationship of larva monitoring interpreters (jumantik) with the incidence of dengue disease in cadres in the working area of the Banjarejo Health Center. This study uses a quantitative method with a cross sectional approach. The number of samples in this study were 136 respondents, the sampling technique in this study was proportional random sampling. Collecting data using a questionnaire that was analyzed by chi-square test by looking at the relationship between the independent variable and the dependent variable. The results of this study indicate that there is a relationship between the role of larvae monitoring interpreters and the incidence of dengue disease in cadres in the working area of the Banjarejo Health Center, the p-value = 0.032 with value RP (95% CI) = 5,817(1,228-28,551). The conclusion of this study is that there is a relationship between jumantik cadres and the incidence of dengue disease in cadres in the working area of the Banjarejo Health Center. For further researchers, it is recommended to add other factors to the incidence of DHF, such as human behavior factors and environmental factors as well.


Corporate entrepreneurship brings to organizations a new working philosophy, in which the individual ability of each employee can be more effectively developed. Corporations that adopt an intrapreneurial culture will be effective in their market, with intrapreneurs generating innovations and competitive advantages. In this context, this study seeks to characterize intrapreneurial behavior among employees of two universities of Santa Catarina, Brazil, linking it to five organizational factors: managerial support, freedom in the workplace, available time, uncertainty in tasks, and rewards. It also seeks to measure organizational identity to determine if this variable is a mediator in the relationship between the factors and intrapreneurial behavior. Analysis of the data involved the use of Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Structural Equations Modeling (SEM), seeking to evaluate the relationships proposed between the organizational factors. The results shown that the factors are positively related with intrapreneurial behavior. In regard to the relationship between the factors and organizational identity, the strongest relationship was found with managerial support, followed by freedom in the workplace. The other factors showed a poorer relationship in the coefficients. Finally, the hypothesis that organizational identity is a mediator between organizational factors and intrapreneurial behavior was not supported. The theme in question is very important for providing information and support that can help managers in the strategic decision-making process, as well as increasing knowledge of practices of corporate entrepreneurialism.


Two equations for calculating the average cross section of statistical compound nuclear reactions are recommended in order to determine the maximum value of angular momentum which contributes to the cross section. The equations are applied to several reactions. The results are in good agreement with the experimental measurements.


This book directly addresses the multiplicity and complexity of narrative research by illustrating a variety of avenues to pursuing and publishing research that falls under the umbrella of narrative work. The chapters are drawn from a wide range of disciplines including education, literary studies, cultural studies, music and clinical studies. Each chapter considers a particular methodological issue or approach, illustrating how it was addressed in the course of the research. Each of the chapters concludes with a set of discussion exercises and a further reading list. The book offers a valuable resource for established researchers seeking to expand their methodological and theoretical repertoire, and for graduate students and researchers new to narrative methods. [Book Synopsis]


The distributed nature of the grid results in the problem of scheduling parallel jobs produced by several independent organizations that have partial control over the system. We consider systems in which each organization owns a cluster of processors. Each organization wants its tasks to be completed as soon as possible. In this paper, we model an off‐line system consisting of N identical clusters of m processors. We show that it is always possible to produce a collaborative solution that respects participants' selfish goals, at the same time improving the global performance of the system. We propose an algorithm (called MOLBA) with a guaranteed worst‐case performance ratio on the global makespan, equal to 4. Next, we show that a better bound (equal to 3) can be obtained in a specific case when the last completed job requires at most m/2 processors. Then, we derive another algorithm (called ILBA) that in practice improves the proposed, guaranteed solution by further balancing the schedules. Finally, by an extensive evaluation by simulation, we show that the algorithms are efficient on typical instances. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


In five cats with normal renal function, doses of 200, 400, 600 and 800 mg iodine kg(-1)bodyweight of iohexol (350 mg iodine ml(-1)) were assessed in comparison to a dose of 880 mg iodine kg(-1)bodyweight of meglumine-sodium amidotrizoate (370 mg iodine ml(-1)) to determine the smallest dose which produces diagnostically adequate results for excretory urography. Urographic quality, haematologic and biochemical parameters, urinalysis and urinary osmolality, pulse and respiratory rates, blood pressure and adverse effects were determined. Iohexol presented fewer adverse reactions and influenced blood pressure less than amidotrizoate. The smallest dose of iohexol which provided urograms of similar quality to amidotrizoate was 400 mg iodine kg(-1)bodyweight. This study suggests that iohexol is safer and produces urograms of better quality than amidotrizoate.


The application of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) over the primary motor cortex (M1) could influence the intrinsic brain activity in the sensorimotor network (SMN). However, how rTMS modulates the topological organization of the SMN remains unclear. In this study, we employed resting-state fMRI to investigate the topological alterations in the functional SMN after application of different frequency rTMS over the left M1. To accomplish this, we collected MRI data from 45 healthy participants who were randomly divided into three groups based on rTMS frequency (HF, high-frequency 3 Hz; LF, low-frequency 1 Hz; and SHAM). Individual large-scale functional SMN was constructed by correlating the mean time series among 29 regions of interest (ROI) in the SMN and was fed into graph-based network analyses at multiple levels of global organization and nodal centrality. Our results showed that compared with the network metrics before rTMS stimulation, the left paracentral lobule (PCL) exhibited reduced nodal degree and betweenness centrality in the LF group after rTMS, while the right supplementary motor area (SMA) exhibited reduced nodal betweenness centrality in the HF group after rTMS. Moreover, rTMS-related alterations in nodal metrics might have been attributable to the changes in connectivity patterns and local activity of the affected nodes. These findings reflected the potential of using rTMS over M1 as an effective intervention to promote motor function rehabilitation.


The time-honored principle of tissue expansion has only gained clinical relevance in the past 10 years. Its advantages are that sound tissue of equal texture, color, and quality adjacent to a defect or scarred area can be transposed to treat defects without producing further scars. Especially in the hair covered part of the head, but also in reconstruction of the female breast after mastectomy, in large scars from burns, or in large pigmented nevi, tissue expansion has to be reliable. Only when used in extremities does a higher rate of complication demand a certain restriction.


We have designed and successfully tested at low speed a rapid single flux quantum signed serial multiplier-accumulator with target clock frequency 20 GHz. Each bit slice of the device consists of 106 Josephson junctions and 90 resistors. It consumes 22 mA of current and occupies 0.3 mm/sup 2/. The accumulator of the developed multiplier makes two (rather than three) primitive operations per cycle without any additional overheads. This makes it fast and very robust. In particular, /spl plusmn/18% bias supply margins have been measured in a four-slice multiplier. This is our first device where superconductor microstrip lines (MSLs) have been routinely used. The MSL interfaces introduce some overhead but it is compensated by the simplicity of the design procedure.


The suppression of the thermal aggregation of glycogen phosphorylase b (Phb) from rabbit skeletal muscle by the chaperonin GroEL is studied using dynamic light scattering. It is shown that the decrease in the rate of Phb aggregation under the action of GroEL is due to the transition of the aggregation process from the kinetic regime, wherein the rate of aggregation is limited by diffusion of the interacting particles, to a regime where the sticking probability for the colliding particles becomes lower than one (reaction-limited cluster-cluster aggregation). The analytical-ultracentrifugation data show that elevated temperatures induce dissociation of the dimeric Phb. The formation of a complex between the denatured monomeric form of Phb and the dissociated forms of GroEL is detected during heating at 46 degrees C.


Six kinds of so-called resin glycoside, muricatins I-VI, were isolated from the seeds of Ipomoea muricata JACQ. (Convolvulaceae). Their structures including the stereochemistry have been determined on the basis of chemical and spectral data. Similar to the resin glycosides previously isolated from the roots of I. orizabensis (PELLET) LEDAN., all of them were monomers of a jalapinolic acid tetraglycoside in which the sugar moiety is partially acylated by organic acids and also combined with the carboxy group of the aglycone to form a macrocyclic ester structure.


This talk investigates and looks at the creation and collection of image memories today. Memories which can be accessed by various sensory pathways. I will investigate this topic by exploring the interest of today's youth in the participation of various tactile world experiences as leading to the collection and creation of visual memories. And over time, the creation of a full collection of visual memories. From this idea I will delve into what memory recall is, the sensory pathways of memory, and in particular, the memory of scent and the scent of memory. Explorations of youth interest in the participation of various tactile world experiences point towards a want to fully participate in the pleasures of the world by youth. And, in turn, the subsequent collecting of their experiences as both talking points and as wonderful memories on which to dwell. Due to the lack of deep sensory training in avenues of taste, smell, and touch, of many people, there is an opportunity for youth to focus on training these sense avenues to create powerful image memories that can easily be recalled through certain smells, textures, touches, and tastes. By bringing ephemeral image creation and the sensory recall of image memories into play, in regard to contemporary image collections we may begin to understand the world in new ways. These new ways may include the opening up of perspectives of things invisible, including sensation for example, as a viable and valued human and artistic dimension.


ABSTRACT Objective: This study used medico-legal data to investigate fatal older road user (ORU, aged 65 years and older) crash circumstances and risk factors relating to 4 key components of the Safe System approach (e.g., roads and roadsides, vehicles, road users, and speeds) to identify areas of priority for targeted prevention activity. Method: The Coroners' Court of Victoria's (CCOV) Surveillance Database was searched to identify and describe the frequency and rate per 100,000 population of fatal ORU crashes in the Australian state of Victoria for 2013–2014. Information relating to the deceased ORU, crash characteristics and circumstances, and risk factors was extracted and analyzed. Results: One hundred and thirty-eight unintentional fatal ORU crashes were identified in the CCOV Surveillance Database. Of these fatal ORU crashes, most involved older drivers (44%), followed by older pedestrians (32%), older passengers (17%), older pedal cyclists (4%), older motorcyclists (1%), and older mobility scooter users (1%). The average annual rate of fatal ORU crashes per 100,000 population was 8.1 (95% confidence interval [CI], 6.0–10.2). In terms of the crash characteristics and circumstances, most fatal ORU crashes involved a counterpart (98%), of which the majority were passenger cars (50%) or fixed/stationary objects (25%), including trees (46%) or embankments (23%). In addition, most fatal ORU crashes occurred close to home (73%), on-road (87%), on roads that were paved (94%), on roads with light traffic volume (37%), and during low-risk conditions: between 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. (44%), on weekdays (80%), during daylight (75%), and under dry/clear conditions (81%). Road user (RU) error was identified by the police and/or the coroner for the majority of fatal crashes (55%), with a significant proportion of deceased ORUs deemed to have failed to yield (54%) or misjudged (41%). Conclusions: RU error was the most significant factor identified in fatal ORU crashes, which suggests that there is a limited capacity of the road system to fully accommodate RU errors. Initiatives related to safer roads and roadsides, vehicles, speed zones, as well as behavioral approaches are key areas of priority for targeted activity to prevent fatal ORU crashes in the future.


SUMMARY By examining homophobia and heterosexism within the larger context of heteronormativity at the intersections of race, class, and gender, I propose, in this article, a model of queer interventions in the university classroom. The article is divided into three sections. First, I describe the conceptual terrain of homophobia, heterosexism, and heteronormativity, and their potential limitations. Second, I present an integrative model, using heteronormativity as the central site of violence, to examine homophobia at the intersections of race, class, and gender within the larger social and cultural domain (macroscopic level) and interpersonal context (microscopic level) and illustrate this model with specific classroom activities. Finally, I discuss the implications of the model for teaching and theorizing about homophobia, heterosexism, and heteronormativity.


Reconstituted filamentous actin networks with myosin motor proteins form active gels, in which motor proteins generate forces that drive the network far from equilibrium. This motor activity can also strongly affect the network elasticity; experiments have shown a dramatic stiffening in in vitro networks with molecular motors. Here we study the effects of motor generated forces on the mechanics of simulated 2D networks of athermal stiff filaments. We show how heterogeneous internal motor stresses can lead to stiffening in networks that are governed by filament bending modes. The motors are modeled as force dipoles that cause muscle like contractions. These contractions "pull out" the floppy bending modes in the system, which induces a cross-over to a stiffer stretching dominated regime. Through this mechanism, motors can lead to a nonlinear network response, even when the constituent filaments are themselves purely linear. These results have implications for the mechanics of living cells and suggest new design principles for active biomemetic materials with tunable mechanical properties.


A series of 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium fluorohydrogenate salts (C(x)MIm(FH)(2)F, x=8, 10, 12, 14, 16, and 18) have been characterized by thermal analysis, polarized optical microscopy, IR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and anisotropic ionic conductivity measurements. Liquid crystalline mesophases with a smectic A interdigitated bilayer structure are observed from C(10) to C(18), showing a fan-like or focal conic texture. The temperature range of the mesophase increases with the increase in the alkyl chain length (from 10.1 °C for C(10)MIm(FH)(2)F to 123.1 °C for C(18)MIm(FH)(2)F). The distance between the two layers in the smectic structure gradually increases with increasing alkyl chain length and decreases with increasing temperature. Conductivity parallel to the smectic layers is around 10 mS cm(-1) regardless of the alkyl chain length, whereas that perpendicular to the smectic layers decreases with increasing alkyl chain length because of the thicker insulating sheet with the longer alkyl chain.


The
socio-economic sector of West African countries is rain-fed agriculture driven.
Information regarding the onset, cessation and duration of the rainy season is
thus, very essential. In this paper, a comparison of the onset, cessation and
duration of the rainy season has been carried out using simulated rainfall data
from the fourth generation Regional Climate Model (RegCM4) and rain gauge
measurements from Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMet), covering a period of 1998
to 2012. Similar onset and cessation dates were seen in both the simulated and
guage rainfall measurements for the various agro-ecological zones, resulting in
similar duration of the rainy season. The average duration of the rainy season
were less than 200 days for the savannah and coastal zones whereas the duration
of the rainy season were beyond 200 days for the forest and transition zones.
The bias of these comparisons was less than 30 days and the root mean square
error (RMSE) values were less than 15 days for all stations, except Saltpond.
The Pearson's correlation (r) typically ranged between 0.4 and 0.8. However,
negative correlations were observed for Tamale in the savannah zone, and the
entire coastal zone. These findings are indications that RegCM4 has the
potential to clearly simulate the movement of the rain belt, and thus, could
fairly determine the onset, cessation and duration of the rainy season. The
findings have significant contributions to effective water resource management
and food security in Ghana, as the thriving of these sectors depend on the
dynamics of the rainfall seasons.


Broadly debated in various public arenas, the 'reasonable accommodation' controversy has emerged on the advocacy agenda in Quebec (Canada), raising heated disagreements about religious minorities' rights and practices, and passionate discussions about policies governing the management of religious diversity. While borrowed from the legal domain, the concept of reasonable accommodation moved beyond its origin and became the subject of various inquiries in communication studies and sociology, raising questions such as the media's role in transforming the debate into a social crisis, the sexist representation of women and the racializing implications of the debate. However, the literature omitted the inherent dialogical nature of the debate and consequently missed identifying the communicative tactics employed by protagonists of the debate. The analytical and conceptual tools offered by conversation and argumentation analysis have not been used to clarify the discursive mechanisms of this controversy. This article fills this gap and examines the verbal and non-verbal interactions occurring during an important yet understudied instance of public debate: the public hearings that took place in Quebec, Canada, between May 2010 and January 2011, within the framework of public consultations on Bill 94. The article contributes to an understanding of the communicative strategies that influence public debates and their tactics: polarization and the processes of minorization and de-minorization. Findings show that polarization could be schematized according to two axes: one opposing partisans of an open secularism and partisans of a 'republican' secularism and one confronting justification based on gender equality, and justifications based on the principle of state neutrality. The findings also reveal that public hearings are not only an arena in which those possessing institutional power define who counts as minoritarian and who does not, they are also arenas in which those that are seen to be the 'others', can challenge the established structures of power and formulate alternative narratives of heir realities.


The p53 transcription factor and tumor suppressor is regulated primarily by the E3 ubiquitin ligase Mdm2, which ubiquitinates p53 to target it for proteasomal degradation. Aside from its ubiquitin ligase function, Mdm2 has been believed to be capable of suppressing p53's transcriptional activity by binding with and masking the transactivation domain of p53. The ability of Mdm2 to restrain p53 activity by binding alone, without ubiquitination, was challenged by a 2007 study using a knockin mouse harboring a single cysteine-to-alanine point mutation (C462A) in Mdm2's RING domain. Mouse embryonic fibroblasts with this mutation, which abrogates Mdm2's E3 ubiquitin ligase activity without affecting its ability to bind with p53, were unable to suppress p53 activity. In this study, we utilized the Mdm2C462A mouse model to characterize in further detail the role of Mdm2's RING domain in the control of p53. Here, we show in vivo that the Mdm2C462A protein not only fails to suppress p53, but compared to the complete absence of Mdm2, Mdm2C462A actually enhances p53 transcriptional activity toward p53 target genes p21/CDKN1A, MDM2, BAX, NOXA, and 14-3-3σ. In addition, we found that Mdm2C462A facilitates the interaction between p53 and the acetyltransferase CBP/p300, and it fails to heterodimerize with its homolog and sister regulator of p53, Mdmx, suggesting that a fully intact RING domain is required for Mdm2's inhibition of the p300-p53 interaction and for its interaction with Mdmx. These findings help us to better understand the complex regulation of the Mdm2-p53 pathway and have important implications for chemotherapeutic agents targeting Mdm2, as they suggest that inhibition of Mdm2's E3 ubiquitin ligase activity may be sufficient for increasing p53 activity in vivo, without the need to block Mdm2-p53 binding.


Craig Waddell presents essays investigating Rachel Carson s influential 1962 book, "Silent Spring." In his foreword, Paul Brooks, Carson s editor at Houghton Mifflin, describes the process that resulted in "Silent Spring." In an afterword, Linda Lear, Carson s recent biographer, recalls the end of Carson s life and outlines the attention that Carson s book and Carson herself received from scholars and biographers, attention that focused so minutely on her life that it detracted from a focus on her work. The foreword by Brooks and the afterword by Lear frame this exploration within the context of Carson s life and work. Contributors are Edward P. J. Corbett, Carol B, Gartner, Cheryll Glotfelty, Randy Harris, M. Jimmie Killingsworth, Linda Lear, Ralph H. Lutts, Christine Oravec, Jacqueline S. Palmer, Markus J. Peterson, Tarla Rai Peterson, and Craig Waddell. Together, these essays explore "Silent Spring" s""effectiveness in conveying its disturbing message and the rhetorical strategies that helped create its wide influence. "" "


RuPaul's and Bornstein's life writing is influenced not only by their identifications with gay or transsexual traditions, but also their "disidentifications" with the assimilationist queer politics gaining force in the 1990s. Each negotiates identities on the boundaries of multiple categories while struggling to engage mainstream readers as active participants in creating textual meaning and challenging repressive politics.


The behavior of very large clusters of diffusion-limited aggregation (DLA) was investigated to help discriminate between the two geometric scenarios recently described by Mandelbrot: finite transient and infinite drift. Using 50 DLA clusters of 1 million particles, we follow the increase during growth of the maximum radius of the clusters and of various relative moments. One can distinguish two regions: an inactive completely grown core and an active growing region. In the growing region, scale factors were defined the moments of the atoms distances from the original "seed". They do not cross-over to the behavior characteristic of self-similarity for finite sizes and support the novel "drift" scenario that postulate an infinite continuing "transient". The moment's "misbehavior" may help understand the disagreement between previous estimates of the clusters' fractal dimension.


Introduction Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) is increasingly used in the diagnosis of biliary abnormalities, particularly in stone disease.1However initial studies into its role in the absence of a dilated biliary system on initial imaging have demonstrated a low diagnostic yield.2The aim of this study was to further assess the role of MRCP when the biliary tree is non-dilated on index imaging. The factors associated with diagnostic yield in this setting are unclear. Method We performed a retrospective observational study of consecutive MRCP studies (n = 375) performed between October 2010 and June 2013 at West Middlesex University Hospital using electronic medical records. All MRCPs were reported by a consultant gastrointestinal radiologist. MRCP findings were correlated with the presence of dilated or non-dilated biliary tree on initial imaging (USS/CT), jaundice (bilirubin > 21 μmol/L), transaminitis (alanine transaminase >45 iu/L, aspartate transaminase >34 iu/L), raised alkaline phosphatase (>120 iu/L) and abdominal pain, and demographics including age and gender. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed using SPSS software. Results The study included 243 female and 132 male patients with a mean age of 62 (range 20–101) years. There were 153 patients with biochemical jaundice, 246 with a dilated biliary system and 129 with a non-dilated system. The sensitivity of MRCP was 81%, with a specificity of 80%. Multivariate analysis identified that age (p = 0.0253), the presence of jaundice (p = 0.0247), and abnormal index imaging (p = 0.0003), are statistically significant predictors of the finding of biliary tree abnormalities on subsequent MRCP (see attached Table 1). The c statistic for the multivariate analysis was only moderately high at 0.665 (95% CI 0.614–0.712, p < 0.001).Abstract PTU-306 Table 1 Variable Odds ratio 95% confidence interval P value Age 0.9850 0.9720–0.9981 0.0253 Jaundice 0.5897 0.3720–0.9350 0.0247 Dilated biliary tree on index imaging 2.7304 1.5905–4.6873 0.0003 Conclusion These data confirm there is a low diagnostic yield of MRCP in the absence of dilated biliary system on previous USS/CT. We propose that there should be a specific rationale for performing MRCP when initial imaging is normal, especially when the bilirubin is normal. Other clinical indices such as pain or abnormal liver chemistry (other than hyper-bilirubinaemia) are not independently predictive of positive finding on MRCP in our analysis. Disclosure of interest None Declared. References Shanmugam V, et al. Is magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography the new gold standard in biliary imaging? Br J Radiol. 2005;78:888–893 Vadwhana B, et al. Is MRCP a useful investigation where the biliary tree is normal on previous imaging? Gut 2013;62(Suppl 1):A210


Background: To enhance durable viral suppression and upgrade CD4 cell immune function of HIV-1 proviral DNA positive infants, Gambia government adopted WHO recommended sample collection from infants born to HIV infected mothers before or at 6-8 weeks soon after birth, then ensure 4 weeks' timeframe from collection dates, through molecular testing, to ART initiation if positive. Despite, studies to determine if these infants sample were collected, tested and initiated on ART within the adopted recommended timeframe, to ensure their achievements of this benefit are lacking. Aims: We aimed to determine the effect of delayed in diagnosis and ART initiation on CD4 cell and viraemia outcome of HIV-1 proviral DNA positive infants in the Gambia. Method: 2015-2019 retrospective data collection and analysis of key dates, initial viraemia and CD4 cell outcome, and then prospective cohort study on CD4 cell and viraemia outcome of those followed within at least 6 months and at most 3 years duration on ART adherence. STATA version 13 was used for the data analysis. Delayed in diagnosis and ART initiation was dichotomized using the adopted recommended timeframe, and Pair T-test used to determine the difference between mean initial and mean prospective, CD4 cell and viraemia outcome respectively.Results: Between 2015-2019, 95 infants were found tested HIV-1 proviral DNA positive among which, 49/95 were found initiated on ART 42 weeks (IQR: 25, 83) median time from their delivery dates. Among these 49, 4 found adhered to the duration in the cohort of those not affect by the delays, difference between their mean initial and prospective CD4 cell outcome was found significantly (P = 0.02) higher than the 11 found adhered to the duration in the cohort of those affected by the delays (P = 0.37).The reverse was found in their viraemia outcome although, not statistically significant for both (P values = O.33 and 0.18 respectively). Conclusion: The overall 42 weeks median time was found in conflict with the adopted recommended timeframe thus, found affected the CD4 cell and viraemia outcome of positive infants affected by the delays. Henceforth, the urgent attention is required for those affected to improve their prognosis.


The Arabidopsis thaliana MSH2 (AtMSH2) gene encodes a protein that belongs to a family of highly conserved proteins (MutS homologues (MSH)) involved in DNA mismatch repair. Sequence analysis strongly suggests that this single copy gene is indeed a homologue of MSH2, a gene known to play a central role in eukaryotic mismatch repair. In this report, we show that the AtMSH2 protein has functional attributes characteristic of previously described mismatch repair proteins. First, over-expression of this protein in Escherichia coli leads to a mutator phenotype similar to that reported previously for known functional homologues. Second, gel retardation assays revealed that the AtMSH2 protein has a 10-fold greater affinity for DNA containing a single pair of mismatched nucleotides versus perfectly matched DNA. These results provide experimental evidence that AtMSH2 is indeed a functional homologue of MutS.


Microsatellite instability (MSI) and mismatch repair deficiency are an emerging issue in oncology and molecular pathology. Besides being associated with better clinical outcome in colon cancer, MSI also harbors the potential to predict response to chemotherapy and immunotherapy. MSI was also observed in other solid tumors, including endometrial cancer, ovarian cancer, and melanoma, besides colon cancer. Strong evidence shows that MSI is a frequent event in melanoma. However, the data on MSI prevalence, pathogenesis, and clinical consequences in melanoma are limited. Therefore, we summarize the current knowledge on MSI in melanoma and outline future perspectives and clinical implications, including its role as a prognostic and/or a predictive factor.


The degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) by bacteria has been broadly studied. While many pure culture have been isolated and characterize for their ability to grow on PAHs, limited in turn is available on the diversity of microbes involved in PAH degradation in the environment. Pure bacterial cultures were isolated from a highly enriched consortium for biodegradation studies. Bacterial isolates capable of degrading Pyrene and Anthracene were isolated from Paradeep estuary (Odisha) water sample by selective enrichment. Five isolates of pyrene and anthracene degrading pure cultures were obtained, designated as MP-1, MP-4, MP-9, MP-14,MP-18. Isolates were characterized by gram staining, citrate utilization, sugar fermentation, swimming and swarming motility and antibiotic sensitivity test. In 7 days MP-1,MP-4,MP-9,MP-14,MP-18 found to degrade 58.4%, 42.1%, 29.1%, 31.7%, 31.8% at 100 mg/l concentration of Pyrene and 56.3%, 46%, 44.6%, 30.4%, 48.2% at 100mg/l concentration of Anthracene. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification with PAH-specific primers revealed the presence of a dioxygenase gene in MP-4.The presence of dioxygenase gene may provide opportunities to explore how bacteria develop the abilities to degrade high-molecular-weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The ability to profile not only the bacterial community but also the dioxygenases which they encode provides a powerful tool for both assessing bioremediation potential in the environment and for the discovery of novel dioxygenase genes.


671 (2011) 669 Despite the growing recognition of the role of neighbourhoods and communities in enabling or constraining successful aging in Canada and around the world, there has only recently been growing evidence of the relationship between successful aging and built environments. This book brings together approaches from gerontology, geography, and planning. The goal of the work is to introduce research on aging and planning to the many entities involved in preparing our cities and environments for the upcoming "surge in seniors" that is expected to last well into the 2050s. The book's underlying premise, therefore, is that the experience of aging takes place largely in neighbourhoods and communities that are ill-prepared to accommodate this demographic change. By situating Canada's experience within the context of gerontological and planning theories, as well as the process of aging at the global level, this book makes a valuable contribution to the interdisciplinary and inter-sectoral study of aging in place in Canada.


Pineal melatonin secretion has been reported to commonly decrease with aging, whereas intra‐abdominal adiposity, plasma insulin and plasma leptin levels tend to increase. We recently demonstrated that daily melatonin administration starting at middle age suppressed male rat intra‐abdominal fat, plasma leptin and plasma insulin to youthful levels, suggesting that aging‐related changes in pineal melatonin secretion and in energy regulation may be functionally related. Accordingly, we have now investigated the effects of daily melatonin treatment on energy regulation in young versus middle‐aged male Sprague–Dawley rats. Addition of melatonin to the drinking water (0.2 μg/mL) produced nocturnal and diurnal plasma melatonin concentrations in middle‐aged rats (12 months) equivalent to those of young adult (5 months) rats. Administration of this melatonin dosage every day for 10 wk starting at 10 months of age suppressed (P<0.01) relative intra‐abdominal fat, non‐fasted plasma insulin and plasma leptin by 27, 39, and 51%, respectively (vs. vehicle‐treated controls). In contrast, administration of melatonin for 10 wk starting at 3 months of age did not significantly alter (P>0.10) any of these parameters. The melatonin administration stimulated (102%, P<0.001) behavioral responsiveness of the middle‐aged rats in a test of response to novelty, restoring youthful levels, but did not significantly alter behavioral responsiveness of the young rats. These results suggest that suppression of intra‐abdominal adiposity and plasma leptin and insulin levels and stimulation of behavioral responsiveness in response to daily exogenous melatonin begins at middle age, coincident with and likely dependent upon the aging‐associated decline in endogenous pineal melatonin secretion. These results further suggest that appropriate melatonin supplementation may potentially provide therapy or prophylaxis not only for the insulin resistance, increased intra‐abdominal fat and resulting pathologies that occur with aging, but also for some aging‐associated behavioral changes.


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Introduction The efficacy and safety of LEN in RBC transfusion-dependent pts with International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS) Low- or Intermediate (Int)-1-risk MDS with del(5q) was assessed in 2 large, multicenter studies (MDS-003 [List A, et al. N Engl J Med. 2006;355:1456-65] and MDS-004 [Fenaux P, et al. Blood. 2011;118:3765-76]). RBC-TI for ≥ 8 weeks and CyR was achieved in 51–67% and 25–73% of pts treated with LEN, respectively. In a multivariate analysis, achievement of RBC-TI ≥ 26 weeks with LEN was associated with a significantly reduced risk of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) progression and death (MDS-004). To further understand the effects of LEN in lower-risk del(5q) MDS pts treated in the MDS-003 and MDS-004 studies, we analyzed the association of CyR with RBC-TI ≥ 26 weeks and AML-free survival.

Methods Of the 286 pts from the MDS-003 and MDS-004 studies who received LEN from study start, 181 were evaluable for both CyR and RBC-TI ≥ 26 weeks, and included in the current analysis (88 pts from MDS-003 and 93 pts from MDS-004). Cytogenetic studies by central review were performed at baseline, and at weeks 24 and 48 (MDS-003); or at week 24 and every 24 weeks thereafter (MDS-004). CyR rates were assessed using International Working Group 2000 criteria and compared with rates of RBC-TI ≥ 26 weeks. CyR and AML-free survival (Kaplan-Meier method) were assessed by baseline cytogenetic complexity [isolated del(5q), del(5q) + 1 additional abnormality, and del(5q) + > 1 additional abnormality]. A univariate Cox proportional hazards model identified factors associated with AML-free survival. CyR and RBC-TI ≥ 26 weeks were included as time varying covariates, and IPSS-R was included as a categorical variable. A best multivariate model was chosen by fitting all possible models, including all covariates with P < 0.1 in the univariate model, and using the Akaike information criterion.

Results Of the 181 pts, 130 had isolated del(5q), 32 had del(5q) + 1 additional abnormality, 14 had del(5q) + > 1 additional abnormality, and 5 pts had missing cytogenetics at baseline. Median age was 68 years (range 36–89) and 73% of pts were female. Median baseline hemoglobin level was 8.0 g/dL (range 3.6–11.0) and median RBC transfusion burden was 6 units/8 weeks (range 1.0–25.0). A total of 103 pts (56.9%) achieved a CyR (complete + partial response). The likelihood of a CyR was increased in pts who achieved RBC-TI ≥ 26 weeks compared with those who did not: 71% versus 29%, respectively (hazard ratio [HR] 2.3; 95% confidence interval 1.56–3.41). RBC-TI ≥ 26 weeks preceded CyR, with median times to RBC-TI ≥ 26 weeks and CyR of 29 days (range 2–343) and 148 days (range 56–707), respectively. However, this may have been dependent on the timing of bone marrow aspirates. CyR rates were comparable across the isolated del(5q) and del(5q) + 1 additional abnormality groups (59% vs 63%; P = 0.736), but lower in the del(5q) + > 1 additional abnormality group compared to these 2 groups combined (29% vs 60%; P = 0.023) (Table). In pts with isolated del(5q) and del(5q) + 1 additional abnormality, CyR was associated with a 41% ( P = 0.019) and 58% ( P = 0.056) reduction, respectively, in the risk of AML or death compared with no CyR. In all cytogenetic groups, median AML-free survival was longer in those who achieved CyR compared with non-responders, although it was not statistically significant in pts with del(5q) + > 1 additional abnormality (Table). In a multivariate Cox proportional hazard model, factors associated with AML-free survival were CyR (HR 0.58; P = 0.023), RBC-TI ≥ 26 weeks (HR 0.34; P < 0.0001), lower IPSS-R categorization ( P = 0.018), female gender (HR 0.44; P = 0.0004), and younger age (HR 1.03 for each additional year; P = 0.008).

Conclusion In IPSS-defined Low- or Int-1-risk MDS pts with del(5q), achievement of CyR with LEN was associated with a RBC-TI ≥ 26 weeks response and a reduced risk of AML or death in pts with isolated del(5q) and del(5q) + 1 abnormality. Due to small sample size, further studies are needed to evaluate the effect of LEN in the del(5q) + > 1 additional abnormality group. These data provide evidence for LEN as a disease-modifying agent in RBC transfusion-dependent pts with Low- or Int-1-risk MDS and del(5q).

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Disclosures: Sekeres: Celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Amgen: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Swern: Celgene: Employment, Equity Ownership. Giagounidis: Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. List: Celgene: Serve on Celgene Data Safety & Monitoring Committee Other. Schlegelberger: Celgene: Consultancy. Fenaux: Celgene: Honoraria. Shiansong Li: Celgene: Employment, Equity Ownership. Sugrue: Celgene: Employment, Equity Ownership.

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There are several approaches to emotions in AI, most of which are inspired by human emotional states and their arousal mechanisms. These approaches usually use high-level models of human emotions that are too complex to be directly applicable in simple artificial systems. It seems that a new approach to emotions, based on their functional role in information processing in mind, can help us to construct models of emotions that are both valid and simple. In this paper, we will try to present a model of emotions based on their role in controlling the attention. We will evaluate the performance of the model and show how it can be affected by some structural and environmental factors.


Introduction Acute pancreatitis is often a relapsing condition, particularly when its triggering factor persists. Our goal is to determine the recurrence rate of acute biliary pancreatitis after an initial episode, and the time to relapse, as well as to identify the risk factors for recurrence. Material and method We included all patients admitted for a first acute gallstone pancreatitis event during four years. Primary endpoints included readmission for recurrence and time to relapse. Results We included 296 patients admitted on a total of 386 occasions. The incidence of acute biliary pancreatitis in our setting is 17.5/100,000 population/year. In all, 19.6% of pancreatitis were severe (22.6% of severe acute pancreatitis for first episodes versus 3.6% for recurring pancreatitis), with an overall mortality of 4.4%. Overall recurrence rate was 15.5%, with a median time to relapse of 82 days. In total, 14.2% of patients relapsed after an acute pancreatitis event without cholecystectomy or endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography. Severe acute pancreatitis recur in 7.2% of patients, whereas mild cases do so in 16.3%, this being the only risk factor for recurrence thus far identified. Conclusions Patients admitted for pancreatitis should undergo cholecystectomy as soon as possible or be guaranteed priority on the waiting list. Otherwise, endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography with sphincterotomy may be an alternative to surgery for selected patients.


Problem definition. Multi-access edge computing is a promising solution that can solve capacity and performance issues in legacy systems such as mobile cloud computing. Problems include core network congestion, high latency, poor quality of service, high utility cost of resources such as bandwidth and energy. The above problems arise due to the limited resources of mobile devices, when connecting with multiple hops between end users and the cloud, high load from resource-intensive and delay-critical applications. Methods used: comparative evaluation method. Novelty: Methods of task offloading in boundary computing systems with multiple access are analyzed. Three methods of task offloading for comparative analysis are proposed. Result: familiarization with the existing methods of task offloading, as well as identification of the most relevant from the presented ones. Practical significance: in the proposal of the most relevant method in the issue of task offloading in networks of boundary computation with multiple access.


This paper investigates the relationship between economic growth and energy consumption through non-linear causality tests. Eight developing countries from Europe and Central Asia spanning the period 1993 to 2008 are selected for the purpose of panel empirical analysis. Panel unit root and panel cointegration tests with and without considering cross section dependency (CD) problems are implemented. Next, linear panel cointegration tests are employed and, finally, a two-regime Dynamic Panel Smooth Transition Vector Error Correction (PSTRVEC) model is estimated for testing the presence of non-linear short- and long-run causality. To this end, a new estimator, called the Dynamic Non-linear Pooled Common Correlated Effect Estimator (DNPCCEE) is proposed. The empirical findings indicate that short and long-run causalities are regime-dependent.


Myopic traction maculopathy is a group of ocular fundus diseases related to high myopia, which can severely impact on patients' visual function. It is well recognized that the abnormal of macular structure and function in the disease are resulted from various traction mechanisms, including the forces from posterior vitreous detachment, posterior vitreous cortex, and macular epiretinal membrane which acting on the inner retina, the force from posterior staphyloma which acting on the outer retina, and retinal intrinsic features such as the changes of inner limiting membrane and arterioles. The treatments are mainly based on surgery, including vitrectomy and scleral reinforcement surgery in order to relieve the retinal traction. The options of specific surgery procedures are still under debated. In this article, we reviewed the pathogenic mechanisms and therapeutic strategies of myopic traction maculopathy.


Background The missile injuries of the cranium and brain in the modern era have shifted from soldiers to the civilians and from the battle grounds to the populated zones due to increase in the terrorist and military strikes. The management of the victims depends on the resuscitation at the site of injury and the distance and transportation to the tertiary care centre. This article presents the details of the missile injuries to the brain, the third-world problems and the management. Material and methods A retrospective analysis of 3794 craniocerebral missile injuries, managed by the Department of Neurosurgery at Sher-I-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Kashmir, India, over a period of more than 21 years from September 1988 to September 2009. Patients were triaged in emergency CT-room, resuscitated and operated. Statistical software programme SPSS 11.5 was used to derive the numerical significance. Results Revealed an overall mortality of 87.69% (3327 out of 3794). Most of the deaths 79.14% (2633 out of 3327) occurred within 30 minutes of the patient's arrival to the hospital and only 694 patients lived beyond one hour of arrival. Conclusion Presently the quantum of outcome i.e, survival and good recovery in craniocerebral missile injuries appears a meager heap compared to the huge amount of death and disability. And the situation will continue to be so unless tertiary care hospitals are set up within and around the armed and conflict zones, war torn areas and battle fields, rather than risking transportation, time of resuscitation, intervention and the results. Key words: Craniocerebral, Kashmir, Missile Injuries, Outcome.


Previous studies indicate that single stranded DNA vectors could be used in different organisms to study mutagenesis induced by DNA damaging agents. We applied this approach to study mutagenesis induced by 4NQO lesions. The use of ssDNA, on which the ultimate metabolite of 4NQO (Ac-4HAQO) induces mainly C8-guanine adducts, allowed us to find a correlation between G-transversions and the dGuo-C8-AQO adduct. This correlation was established in two independent assay-systems, based on prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.


 Abstract — This paper reports the findings of the perception and attitude towards Sustainable Development among Malaysian undergraduates. The study was carried out involving 86 engineering undergraduates from three universities in Malaysia. This research was conducted based on a survey whereby the respondents were given a questionnaire to gauge their attitude towards sustainable development. The output of the analyses showed that the respondents have an appropriate attitude towards the sustainability issues expect for economic and social equality aspects. These findings suggest that the engineering educators involved in sustainable development education need to educate undergraduate students on this important issue. This investigation serves as a cornerstone to which the current paradigm of sustainable development education can be examined for further improvement by related stakeholders.


Abstract: The myelin‐associated glycoprotein (MAG) was purified from rat brain and radioiodinated with Bolton‐Hunter reagent for use in a double‐antibody radioimmunoassay. The conditions of the assay were adjusted to measure between 2 and 30 ng of MAG. The antigenic sites of MAG in tissue samples were exposed by solubilization in 1% (wt/vol) sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), and the final assay was done in a mixture of 0.25% SDS and 0.25% Triton X‐100. The presence of the Triton X‐100 overcame the inhibitory effect of SDS alone on the immune reactions. Application of the assay to whole homogenates of developing rat brain revealed the expected increase of MAG with the progression of myelination. Adult brain homogenate and purified myelin contained 2.7 and 7.4 μg of MAG/mg protein, respectively. Sciatic nerve contained a lower level of MAG, and cross‐reacting material was not detected in nonneural tissues. This assay makes possible for the first time the analysis of MAG in whole tissue without prior myelin isolation or glycoprotein separation.


This analysis follows and integrates the line of inquiry started in past author's works (Phys. Fluids, 15(3): 776-789, 2003, and Phys. Fluids 16(2): 331-343, 2004) about the typical instabilities of Marangoni flow and associated hierarchy of bifurcations in laterally heated floating zones with various shapes and aspect ratios. The main motivation for re-examining this kind of problems, which so much attention have attracted over the last twenty years, is the recent discovery (Kudo, Ueno and Kawamura, (2014), in Japanese, DOI: 10.1299/transjsme.2014tep0095) of a chaotic state in region of the space of parameters where on the basis of existing theories and earlier results for the classical liquid-bridge problem with organic fluids, the flow should be relatively regular in time and with a simple structure in space. Axisymmetric computations are used to obtain the steady basic state, and then the Navier Stokes equations are solved in their complete, threedimensional, time-dependent and non-linear formulation to investigate the evolution of azimuthal disturbances. It is shown that the "apparent" doubling or quadrupling of the azimuthal wavenumber in the equatorial plane, previously reported for the case of floating zones of liquid metals, is replaced for high-Prandtl-number liquids by the complex interaction of disturbances with distinct spatial and temporal scales. These disturbances become critical at relatively comparable values of the Marangoni number. The unexpected multiplicity of waveforms and competition of spatial modes is explained according to the increased complexity of the considered system in terms of flow topology and structure with respect to the classical half-zone configuration.


We consider important design issues of the reverse auction, a key and innovative part of the FCC's Incentive Auction. In the reverse auction, broadcasters compete to repurpose television broadcast spectrum for mobile broadband use. The Comment Public Notice (FCC 14-191) outlined the basic structure of the reverse auction. We take that basic structure as given and then examine critical elements of the design to maximize the FCC's objectives of efficiency, simplicity, transparency, and fairness. Based on extensive simulation analysis of the FCC's basic design, we identify important enhancements to the design that maintain its basic structure, yet improve the chance of a successful auction. This is accomplished by strengthening incentives for broadcaster participation and relying on competitive forces to determine auction clearing prices. Our analysis is based on a carefully-crafted reservation price model for broadcasters together with inevitable uncertainties of these reservation prices. In our simulations, we are able to clear 126 MHz of spectrum at a cost that is well within plausible revenues from the forward auction. This is accomplished with an improved scoring rule and replacing Dynamic Reserve Prices (DRP) with a much simpler Round Zero Reserve (RZR, pronounced "razor") to promote objectives of transparency and simplicity. We also propose a much simplified method of setting the clearing target and an information policy that allows for important outcome discovery. Relative to the FCC's proposal outlined in the Comment PN, our enhanced proposal is more robust, more efficient, simpler, more transparent, and fairer. 1 Peter Cramton is Professor of Economics at the University of Maryland; since 1983, he has conducted widely-cited research on auctioning many related items, and has applied that research to major auctions of radio spectrum, electricity, financial securities, and other products. Hector Lopez is a doctoral candidate at the Economics Department of the University of Maryland, specializing in market design. David Malec is a post-doc at the Economics Department of the University of Maryland; he is a computer scientist specializing in algorithmic game theory. Pat Sujarittanonta is Assistant Professor of Economics at Chulalongkorn University, specializing in market design. The four authors comprise Cramton Associates, a consultancy providing expert advice on auctions and market design. We have benefitted from the extensive help of many U.S. broadcasters. We are grateful to members of the Expanding Opportunities for Broadcasters Coalition (EOBC) for funding this research. The views presented are our own and not necessarily those of EOBC or its members. 1


Abstract We investigated the effects of fetal programming in Sprague–Dawley rats through the maternal consumption of sodium saccharin on the testicular structure and function in male offspring. Feed intake and efficiency, organ and fat weight, quantification and expression of androgen receptor (AR), and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) proteins, sperm count, and hormone levels were determined. Consumption alterations were found in the final weeks of the experiment. Decreases in AR and PCNA expression and quantification, tubular diameter, and luminal volume, and increases in epithelial and interstitial relative volumes were observed. Lower sperm count and transit, and lower estradiol concentration were also found. Sodium saccharin consumption by dams programmed male offspring by affecting the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonad axis with alterations in the Sertoli cell population, in spermatogonia proliferation, the expression and quantification of AR, and in sperm count. We hypothesized that these changes may be due to an estradiol reduction that caused the loosening of adhesion junctions of the blood–testis barrier, causing cell losses during spermatogenesis, also reflected by a decrease in tubular diameter with an increase in epithelial volume and consequent decrease in luminal volume. We conclude that maternal sodium saccharin consumption during pregnancy and lactation programmed alterations in the reproductive parameters of male offspring, thus influencing spermatogenesis. Summary Sentence Maternal consumption of sodium saccharin during gestation and lactation reduced the population of seminiferous epithelium cells and plasma estradiol and affected reproductive capacity in male offspring. Graphical Abstract


The COVID-19 pandemic affected both the physical and mental health of the general population. People with cardiac diseases seem to be particularly vulnerable to the implications of the pandemic. However, studies on the mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people with implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICDs) are lacking. Thus, we aimed to explore the level of fear of COVID-19 and the prevalence of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in ICD patients. Furthermore, we aimed to identify novel predictors for anxiety, depression and PTSD, including COVID-19-related variables, and to assess whether positive affects (PAs) and negative affects (NAs) mediate the relationship between the level of fear of COVID-19 and anxiety, depression and PTSD, respectively. The data of 363 patients with ICDS who had been prospectively included in this study between 2020 and 2023, were analyzed. Potential predictors for anxiety, depression, and PTSD were identified using logistic regression. To identify indirect mediating effects of PAs and NAs, we applied the PROCESS regression path analysis modeling tool. The prevalence of anxiety was 9.19%, of depression 10.85%, and of PTSD 12.99%. Being unemployed was the strongest predictor for anxiety (OR = 10.39) and depression (OR = 6.54). Younger age predicted anxiety (OR = 0.95) and PTSD (OR = 0.92). Receiving low social support was associated with anxiety (OR = 0.91), depression (OR = 0.88) and PTSD (OR = 0.91). Patients with a history of COVID-19 (OR = 3.58) and those who did not feel well-informed about COVID-19 (OR = 0.29) were more likely to be depressed. Higher levels of fear of COVID-19 predicted anxiety (OR = 1.10), depression (OR = 1.12) and PTSD (OR = 1.14). The relationship between fear of COVID-19 and anxiety or depression was fully mediated by PAs and NAs, while NAs partially mediated the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and PTSD. Vulnerable subgroups of ICD patients may need additional psychological and educational interventions due to fear of COVID-19, anxiety, depression and PTSD during the pandemic.


Synchronization and associative memory in a neural network composed of the widely discussed FitzHugh-Nagumo neurons is investigated in this paper. Based on the reality of the microscopic biological structure in the neural system, the couplings among those neurons are accompanied with randomly distributed time delays which models the times needed for pulses propagating on the axons from the presynaptic neurons to the postsynaptic neurons. The memory is represented in the spatiotemporal firing pattern of the neurons, and the memory retrieval is accomplished with the fluctuations of the noise in the system.


Miliary tuberculosis is a form of disseminated tuberculosis, which is more frequent in immunocompromised patient. Ocular involvement of mycobacterium tuberculosis is also an uncommon presentation of disseminated tuberculosis. Tubercular uveitis is most frequent form of ocular tuberculosis. If treatment is delayed, it may cause loss of vision. In many case of the systemic TB with ocular involvement, there may be no eye symptoms in early stage. On the other hand, many cases of ocular TB may not have any evidence of systemic TB. Here we have described a case of miliary tuberculosis with ocular uveitis who initially presented with fever without any significant physical findings and later developed eye symptoms including diminished vision.
Bangladesh J Child Health 2019; VOL 43 (2) :126-130


A 59-year-old woman with a history of FLT3-ITD mutant acute myeloid leukemia (AML) presented for evaluation of horizontal diplopia, progressive dysarthria, right facial weakness, and somnolence. She was initially diagnosed with AML 15 months prior to the current presentation. Complete remission was attained 9 months from AML diagnosis after induction chemotherapy with daunorubicin, cytarabine, and midostaurin, and consolidation chemotherapy with high-dose cytarabine followed by allogenic stem cell transplantation. The patient relapsed 4 months after transplantation, prompting reduction of immune suppression and initiation of the FLT3 inhibitor gilteritinib. She developed graft vs host disease of the skin, necessitating maintenance tacrolimus and dexamethasone. She again achieved complete remission on gilteritinib. Five months following gilteritinib initiation, she presented to her outpatient oncologist for evaluation of 10 days of intermittent horizontal diplopia associated with left eye pain and a new headache. On examination, she had new left eye esotropia and veered left with ambulation, while the remainder of the neurologic examination was intact. Her medication regimen at this time included gilteritinib, tacrolimus, dexamethasone, and prophylactic acyclovir, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and fluconazole.


This volume covers three subfamilies, all endemic to Australia. The Phasmodinae are a small group with one genus and four species living in the heath habitats of Western Australia. The Zaprochilinae are represented in the literature by two genera, each with a single species. This volume reveals that four genera are present in Australia, one with more than twelve species. Like the Phasmodinae, the Zaprochilinae feed on flowers but, unlike that group where the flower is destroyed, evidence suggests that only pollen and nectar are eaten and the flower remains intact.


Armstrong III is a multi node multi-computer designed and built at the Laboratory for Engineering Man/Machine System (LEMS) of Brown University. Each node contains a RISC processor and reconfigurable resources implemented with FPGAs. The primary benefit in using FPGAs is that the resulting hardware is neither rigid nor permanent but is in-circuit reprogrammable. This allows each node to be tailored to the computational requirements of an application. This paper describes the Armstrong III architecture and concludes with a substantive example application that performs HMM Training for speech recognition with the reconfigurable platform.


In this study, factors effective in the number of citations received by papers in Library and Information Science were identified, weighted and analyzed. Using a mixed method research, a content analysis of related literature and Delphi study were designed in the qualitative phase. Items effective in citation counts were included in a reliable-validated questionnaire. Research population in the qualitative phase included 70 academic specialists in Library and Information Science. Of them, 30 and 20 specialists completed the questionnaires in the first and second rounds of the Delphi study. In the quantitative phase, all 1665 Library and Information Science papers published in 2014 in journals indexed in both Web of Science and Library and Information Science Abstracts (LISA) were statistically analyzed. A two-rounded Delphi study was used for confirming the components and sub-components at work. A citation analysis was used in the quantitative phase. Five main components with 70 subcomponents were identified in the qualitative phase as ones effective in citation counts in Library and Information Science: field-related features, journal-related features, paper-related features, author-related features, and keyword-related features. In the component of field-related features, the Delphi panel members weighted publisher prestige, the scope of subfields and subjects, research institute / university prestige as three top items. In the component of journal-related features, they regarded indexing in prestigious databases, impact factor, internationality and quartile score as top-ranked items. In the component of paper related features highly-weighted items were accessibility and visibility, access type, language, and the credibility of references. In the component of author-related features, authors' reputation, their joining scientific social media, their having an online resume and connection of e-mails with publication listings and high h-indices were among highly weighted items. In the component of keyword related features, subject relevance (keyword similarity), topical popularity and the number of keywords were more important. In the quantitative phase, findings showed that the prestige of publisher in the field, journals with high impact factors and quartile scores, and authors with higher h-indices and professional webpages as well as updated publication listings and accurate contact information, long complete papers and including keywords in the title and abstract were significantly correlated with the number of citations. Library and Information Science researchers can integrate the accepted / confirmed items in the qualitative and quantitative phases of this study as a set of criteria for assuming the possible rate of citations a Library and Information Science paper receives.


The aim of this article is to outline types of 'bias' across research designs, and consider strategies to minimise bias. Evidence-based nursing, defined as the "process by which evidence, nursing theory, and clinical expertise are critically evaluated and considered, in conjunction with patient involvement, to provide the delivery of optimum nursing care,"1 is central to the continued development of the nursing professional. Implementing evidence into practice requires nurses to critically evaluate research, in particular assessing the rigour in which methods were undertaken and factors that may have biased findings.

Bias is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as: "an inclination or prejudice for or against one person or group, especially in a way considered to be unfair"; "a concentration on an interest in one particular area or subject"; "a systematic distortion of statistical results due to a factor not allowed for in their derivation" (http://www.oxforddictionaries.com). Understanding research bias is important for several reasons: first, bias exists in all research, across research designs and is difficult to eliminate; second, bias can occur at each stage of the research process; third, bias impacts on the validity and reliability …


Elective neck dissection for the clinically negative neck is often a matter of debate. A decision‐analysis model that was published in 1994 established the widely accepted principle that neck dissection is warranted when the risk for occult metastases is higher than 20%. The aim of the present study was to build a specific and up‐to‐date decision‐analysis model to determine the need for elective neck dissection during salvage laryngectomy after chemoradiation failure and to identify the variables that effect the decision.


Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL

For the chemotherapeutic, doxorubicin, liposomal encapsulation simultaneously (i) protects the heart from doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity, (ii) results in passive tumor accumulation via the enhanced permeability and retention effect and (iii) increases its circulation life-time. Clinically, pegylated-liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) shows a dramatic benefit to Kaposi sarcoma (KS) patients relative to free doxorubicin. In contrast, PLD does not show any survival benefit relative to free doxorubicin in patients with metastatic breast cancer. We hypothesized that the differential efficacy observed might be explained by differences in tumor cell exposure to drug. To better understand the effects of liposomal encapsulation on drug exposure, we developed a mechanism-based PK model of liposome biodistribution. The model consists of superimposed PK models for free and liposomal doxorubicin with a common central blood compartment which are then connected to a physiologically-based tumor tissue compartment. The tumor tissue compartment includes vascular, interstitial and cell space and captures rates of blood flow, tumor deposition into the interstitial space, doxorubicin release from the liposomes and the trafficking of free doxorubicin into and out of cells. The model parameters were extensively validated against literature data from in vitro studies, mouse xenografts and human clinical data. With our model we are able to simulate total tumor doxorubicin and DNA-bound doxorubicin in tumors, reproducing observed mouse xenograft data for free vs. liposomal doxorubicin. Analysis of the model revealed dramatically different dynamics in tumor exposure for free vs. liposomal doxorubicin delivery. Further, rates of tumor deposition were rate-limiting for overall tumor cell exposure for liposomally-delivered doxorubicin. Upon scaling the model to reflect human physiology, we demonstrate that the clinically observed liposome accumulation in KS tumors can quantitatively explain the dramatic increase in efficacy relative to free doxorubicin. Furthermore, the model indicates that the lower rates of liposome tumor deposition seen in breast cancer patients result in no survival benefit relative to free doxorubicin, consistent with clinical trial results.

Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4915. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-4915


EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) is overexpressed in a variety of human cancers (including squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck, colon cancer, and some breast cancers) and therefore is regarded as an ideal target for cancer therapy or imaging purposes. In the current study, we produced a scFv-based near-infrared probe (called cet.Hum.scFv-IRDye-800CW) and evaluated its ability in recognizing and imaging of EGFR-overexpressing tumors in a mouse model. Like the molecular probe consisting of its parental antibody (cetuximab, an FDA-approved monoclonal antibody) and IRD800CW, cet.Hum.scFv-IRDye-800CW was able to recognize EGFR-overexpressing tumors in mice. cet.Hum.scFv-IRDye-800CW was found to be superior to the cetuximab-based probe in imaging of mouse tumors. The tumor-to-background ratio and blood clearance rate were higher when cet.Hum.scFv-IRDye-800CW was used as an imaging probe.


It has been confirmed the lipid-lowering effect of rice bran free phenolics, but it is unknown whether rice bran bound phenolics, the phenolic profile of which differs from the free ones, have a similar effect. Thus, the hypolipidemic effect and potential mechanism of hydrolyzed bound phenolics (HBP) from rice bran was investigated in this study. The results showed that HBP supplementation significantly improved serum lipid profiles of high-fat-diet fed mice. HBP inhibited the activation of nuclear receptors liver X receptor-α (LXRα), sterol regulatory element binding protein 1c (SREBP-1c), and peroxisome proliferators-activated receptors-γ (PPARγ), and, therefore, changed the expressions of their downstream genes, including LDLR, CD36, ACC1, FAS, and DGAT2 in the liver. Moreover, HBP supplementation reversed the high-fat-diet induced gut microbiota dysbiosis. These findings suggest that HBP might alleviate the hyperlipidemia via inhibiting the hepatic de novolipogenesis, regulating the uptake of cholesterol and fatty acid in the liver and their absorption in the gut. The attenuation of microbiota dysbiosis might contribute to the above effects.


Promoting technology transfer is an important strategic measure for China to promote industrial innovation. However, there is little research exploring the influence of technology transfer on the green innovation efficiency (GIE) of China's high-tech industry (HTI). From the perspective of process, green innovation in HTI is a continuous three-stage system including research and development (R&D), commercialization, and diffusion. Therefore, we measure the GIE of China's HTI by using a three-stage network data envelopment analysis (NDEA) model considering environmental pollution and establish a series of regression models to investigate the role of the two main ways of technology transfer, domestic technology acquisition (DTA) and foreign technology introduction (FTI), in improving the GIE of HTI. The results show that the average GIE of China's HTI is 0.7727 from 2011 to 2020. Except for Jiangsu, Guangdong, Qinghai, and Xinjiang, green innovation in HTI in other provinces in China is inefficient. DTA has significantly promoted GIE in HTI. FTI has a positive impact on the GIE of HTI but is not statistically significant. The robustness test confirmed these results. This study is helpful to understand the differences between the effects of DTA and FTI on the GIE of China's HTI, to provide a basis for adjusting technology transfer policies.


Improving the data rate of machine-type communication (MTC) is essential in supporting emerging Internet of things (IoT) applications ranging from real-time surveillance to edge machine learning. To this end, in this paper we propose a resource allocation approach for uplink transmissions within a random access procedure in MTC by exploiting multichannel selection diversity, coined explore-before-talk (EBT). Each user in EBT first sends pilot signals through multiple channels that are initially allocated by a base station (BS) for exploration, and then the BS informs a subset of initially allocated channels that are associated with high signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) for data packet transmission by the user while releasing the rest of the channels for other users. Consequently, EBT exploits a multichannel selection diversity gain during data packet transmission, at the cost of exploration during pilot transmission. We optimize this exploration-exploitation trade-off, by deriving closed-form mean data rate and resource outage probability expressions. Numerical results corroborate that EBT achieves a higher mean data rate while satisfying the same outage constraint, compared to a conventional MTC protocol without exploration.


Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL

Benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC), a constituent of cruciferous vegetables (e.g., garden cress), inhibits chemically-induced cancer in experimental rodents. We showed previously that BITC treatment inhibited growth of cultured (MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7) and xenografted (MDA-MB-231) human breast cancer cells by causing reactive oxygen species-dependent apoptosis, and suppressed mammary cancer development in a transgenic mouse model (MMTV-neu). We now demonstrate, for the first time, that BITC is a potent inhibitor of epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) in cultured cells and tumor xenografts in vivo. Exposure of estrogen receptor negative (MDA-MB-231) and estrogen receptor positive human breast cancer cells (MCF-7) and a highly invasive pancreatic cancer cell line (PL-45) to pharmacologic concentrations of BITC (1 or 2.5 µmol/L) resulted in up-regulation of epithelial markers (e.g., E-cadherin and occludin) with a concomitant decline in protein levels of mesenchymal markers vimentin, fibronectin, snail, and/or c-Met. BITC-mediated induction of E-cadherin protein correlated with its transcriptional up-regulation. Experimental EMT induced by exposure to TGFβ and TNFα in a spontaneously immortalized and non-tumorigenic human mammary epithelial cell line (MCF-10A) was also largely reversible in the presence of BITC. Consistent with these results, the BITC treatment inhibited TGFβ/TNFα -induced migration by MCF-10A cells, which was partially but significantly attenuated by RNA interference of E-cadherin. Moreover, inhibition of MDA-MB-231 xenograft growth in vivo in female athymic mice by BITC administration correlated with a visible increase in protein level of E-cadherin and suppression of vimentin protein expression. In conclusion, the present study reports a novel anticancer effect of BITC involving inhibition of EMT, a process triggered during progression of carcinoma to invasive state. This investigation was supported by the USPHS grant RO1 CA129347-04, awarded by the National Cancer Institute.

Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 864. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-864


Descartes boldly claimed: "I think, therefore I am." But one might well ask: Why do we think? How? When and why did our human ancestors develop language and culture? In other words, what makes the human mind human? Evolution of Mind, Brain, and Culture offers a comprehensive and scientific investigation of these perennial questions. Fourteen essays bring together the work of archaeologists, cultural and physical anthropologists, psychologists, philosophers, geneticists, a neuroscientist, and an environmental scientist to explore the evolution of the human mind, the brain, and the human capacity for culture. The volume represents and critically engages major theoretical approaches, including Donald's stage theory, Mithen's cathedral model, Tomasello's joint intentionality, and Boyd and Richerson's modeling of the evolution of culture in relation to climate change. No recent publication combines this breadth of evidential and theoretical perspective. The essays range in topic from the macroscopic (the evolution of social cooperation) to the microscopic (examining genetic data to infer evolutions in brain structure and function), and from the ancient (paleoanthropological reconstructions of hominin cognitive abilities) to the modern (including modern hominin's similarities to our primate cousins). Considered together, these essays constitute a fascinating, detailed look at what makes us human.


One hundred nineteen eyes of 99 patients were prospectively followed up for 12 to 21 (mean, 17) months. Laser powers used were lower than those originally proposed by other physicians and ranged from 500 to 800 mW. The postoperative pressure reduction was statistically significant in each power group. The pressure reduction was statistically significantly dependent on the grade of pigmentation on the trabecular meshwork. The quality of the visible burn effect or placement of burns did not have any impact on the postoperative pressure reduction.


After reviewing the predisposing factors for venous leg thrombosis prophylactic attempts for patients carrying a continuous risk of thromboembolism and for patients with transient hazards (e.g. after operations) are discussed. Mobilisation with non-elastic bandages and low-dose-heparin in combination with dihydroergotamine is recommended for short term prophylaxis. The unreliability of clinical diagnostic criterias ("thrombosis signs") is pointed out. So additional apparative diagnostic trials are necessary; their values are critically discussed. With certain limitations X-ray phlebography has been proved to be the method of reference. 131 iodine fibrinogen uptake test is recommended best for the detection of calf vein thrombosis. The Doppler sonography is indicated for the detection of pelvic vein thrombosis. Isotope phlebography of the pelvic veins is evaluated, supporting additional information about pulmonary perfusion defects. Due to various contraindications (age, localisation of thrombi, age of thrombi etc.) only a minority of patients with venous thromboses of the lower limbs can be treated by thrombectomy or fibrinolysis, which are regarded as methods of the first choice. So for the vast majority only conservative treatment is feasibly including mobilisation with compression aids and ankle joint exercises for bedridden patients. Direct or indirect anticoagulations seems not to be necessary for patients with calf vein thrombosis, but is indicated for thrombotic affections of the femoral and pelvic veins. Anticoagulation treatment is always combined with compression therapy and mobilisation, except for some patients who had been immobilized before the clinical attendance. The treatment of superficial thrombophlebitis consists of incision and extrusion of thrombotic masses, antiphlogistic drugs and mobilisation with compression bandages.


PURPOSE
Various methods of evaluating the ability of mastication have been reported, most of which involve evaluating of the ability to comminute foods. In this study, a new method of evaluating the ability of mastication focusing on bolus formation was applied to denture wearers.

METHODS
One hundred and twenty-five subjects (71 males and 54 females) using removable dentures and receiving follow-up in the Niigata University Hospital were selected. This group was categorized by Eichner's classification, and investigated for the effect of prosthetic treatment by counting the number of chewing strokes until the first swallow of rice crackers.

RESULTS
It was clarified that the number of chewing strokes until the first swallow counted by visual observation agreed well with the number of chewing strokes counted by electromyogram wave of masseter muscle, laryngeal motion, and swallowing sound, as a preparatory experiment. Using the method of counting chewing strokes by visual observation, the effect of prosthetic treatment was evaluated, and the results were as follows. 1)There is a significant difference in the number of chewing strokes without dentures between the Eichner A group, B group, and C group. 2)There was no significant difference in the number of chewing strokes with dentures among the three groups. 3)A significant decrease in the number of chewing strokes was proven by the use of removable dentures. 4)Both the improvement rate of chewing strokes (the ratio of the number of chewing strokes with dentures until the first swallow to that without dentures) and the difference of chewing strokes increased significantly in the order of Eichner A, B, and C.

CONCLUSION
It was clarified that the effect of prosthetic treatment can be quantitatively evaluated by counting the chewing strokes of rice cracker. Moreover, it was suggested that the condition of prosthetic treatment can be evaluated by analyzing the improvement rate of chewing strokes.


Objectives. To investigate the impact of implementing service line organization on the delivery of mental health services. Methods. Survey data on the implementation of service lines and facility-level administrative data on the delivery of mental health services at 139 Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers (VAMCs), over a 6-year period, were used to examine the relationship between service line implementation and subsequent performance in 4 areas: 1) continuity of care (COC), 2) readmission after inpatient discharge, 3) emphasis on community-based mental health care (as contrasted with inpatient care), and 4) maintenance of proportionate funding for mental health care. Models were analyzed using hierarchical linear modeling techniques to control for potential autocorrelation. Results. Of 6 COC measures, 1 strongly improved in all years following service line implementation, and 3 of the 5 other measures demonstrated improvement in the first year. One of 2 readmission measures showed a decline in the first year after service line implementation. Service line implementation was associated with only 1 indicator of increased emphasis on community-based mental health care (and only in the first year), whereas 3 of the 4 other measures suggested a decline in such emphasis. Lastly, although there were increases in per capita mental health expenditures 3 or more years after service line implementation, 2 related measures indicated that service line implementation was associated with a decline in mental health expenditures relative to nonmental health services. Conclusion. Service line implementation was associated with significant, although predominantly short-term, improvement in patient level variables such as continuity of care and hospital readmission, but less so with regard to institutional measures addressing emphasis on outpatient care and maintaining proportionate funding of mental health services.


Vandalism, the malicious modification of articles, is a serious problem for open access encyclopedias such as Wikipedia. The use of counter-vandalism bots is changing the way Wikipedia identifies and bans vandals, but their contributions are often not considered nor discussed. In this paper, we propose novel text features capturing the invariants of vandalism across five languages to learn and compare the contributions of bots and users in the task of identifying vandalism. We construct computationally efficient features that highlight the contributions of bots and users, and generalize across languages. We evaluate our proposed features through classification performance on revisions of five Wikipedia languages, totaling over 500 million revisions of over nine million articles. As a comparison, we evaluate these features on the small PAN Wikipedia vandalism data sets, used by previous research, which contain approximately 62,000 revisions. We show differences in the performance of our features on the PAN and the full Wikipedia data set. With the appropriate text features, vandalism bots can be effective across different languages while learning from only one language. Our ultimate aim is to build the next generation of vandalism detection bots based on machine learning approaches that can work effectively across many languages.


The idea of automation replacing humans in the workplace has been given considerable attention, while less attention has been afforded to how people develop a meaningful work life with automation of routine work. In this study we investigate how employees, who have had their routine work automated with RPA, have experienced its influence on their work and its meaningfulness. Concretely, we conduct a case study of how employees experience this process in three different case organizations in Oslo, Norway. We make theoretical contributions by combining automation of work, RPA and work meaningfulness literature to understand what opportunities and pitfalls the organizations experience, when they seek to harness value from their human resources in the process. We also contribute with implications for practice, by suggesting organizations to focus on creating autonomy and job crafting opportunities for employees, when they automate routine work with RPA.


In today's world, critical infrastructure is often controlled by computing systems. This introduces new risks for cyber attacks, which can compromise the security and disrupt the functionality of these systems. It is therefore necessary to build such systems with strong guarantees of resiliency against cyber attacks. One way to achieve this level of assurance is using formal verification, which provides proofs of system compliance with desired cyber security properties. The use of Formal Methods (FM) in aspects of cyber security and safety-critical systems are reviewed in this article. We split FM into the three main classes: theorem proving, model checking, and lightweight FM. To allow the different uses of FM to be compared, we define a common set of terms. We further develop categories based on the type of computing system FM are applied in. Solutions in each class and category are presented, discussed, compared, and summarised. We describe historical highlights and developments and present a state-of-the-art review in the area of FM in cyber security. This review is presented from the point of view of FM practitioners and researchers, commenting on the trends in each of the classes and categories. This is achieved by considering all types of FM, several types of security and safety-critical systems, and by structuring the taxonomy accordingly. The article hence provides a comprehensive overview of FM and techniques available to system designers of security-critical systems, simplifying the process of choosing the right tool for the task. The article concludes by summarising the discussion of the review, focusing on best practices, challenges, general future trends, and directions of research within this field.


H-phosphonates were conveniently prepared by direct transesterification of diphenyl phosphite (DPP) with the corresponding alcohols, without further purification they were reacted with branched peptide methyl ester (L-Leu2-L-LysOMe) through Atherton-Todd method, a series of different substituted alkyloxy (N-phosphoryl-L-Leu)2-L-LysOMe were synthesized, and their structures were confirmed by 31p NMR, ESI-MS, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, IR and elemental analysis.The approach possesses the advantages of easy operation, high yield and inexpensive phosphorylating reagent.


Noninvoluting congenital hemangiomas (NICHs) persist in a high-flow state into childhood and often require surgical excision. The inherent vascular nature of these tumors make effective surgical treatment challenging. Here we report on a patient that underwent intraoperative glue embolization and complete excision of a large gluteal NICH. Concurrent glue embolization followed by complete excision allows for decreased intraoperative blood loss and easier discrimination between the tumor and surrounding structures. Treating difficult vascular tumors with a multidisciplinary approach and subsequent intraoperative glue embolization with surgical excision allows for an effective, single-stage approach to NICHs.


The problem considered is the development of a method of scene analysis that employs a descriptive approach in the analysis of pictures. In an effort to facilitate implementation of the algorithm to a wide range of picture classes, a description of the scene is read in as data in the form of a tree structure that guides the search for objects from the largest to the smallest. The algorithm has the following features: the analysis of the scene is top-down; feature extraction and pattern recognition are combined in a reinforcing system; the algorithm contains a description of the class of scenes to be analyzed; region enumeration techniques are used in primitive object identification; principal parameters in the program are self-adjusting; and the concept of ``field of vision'' is used to locate the boundaries of objects. The algorithm has been implemented and tested on posteroanterior (PA) chest radiograms, anteroposterior (AP) knee radiograms, and lateral brain scans. The analysis of PA chest radiograms is used to describe the implementation of the program. To date, the algorithm has been tested only on radiographic images; however, the method should also be applicable to other image classes.


OBJECTIVE
The authors assessed the long-term consequences of the SCUD missile attack in Israel on children as a function of their mothers' psychological functioning, family cohesion, and the event itself.

METHOD
Five years after the Gulf War, the authors assessed the internalizing, externalizing, stress, and posttraumatic symptoms of 81 children aged 8-10 years whose homes were damaged in the SCUD missile attack, as well as general and posttraumatic symptoms, defensive style, and object relations in their mothers.

RESULTS
There was a significant decrease in severity in most symptom domains and an increase in avoidant symptoms in the children. Greater severity of symptoms was associated with being displaced, living in a family with inadequate cohesion, and having a mother with poor psychological functioning. The association between the symptoms of children and mothers was stronger among the younger children. Posttraumatic symptoms increased in one-third of the children and decreased in one-third over the last 30 months of the study. Severe posttraumatic symptoms were reported in 8% of the children.

CONCLUSIONS
Despite a continuous decrease in symptom severity, risk factors identified shortly after the Gulf War continued to exert their influence on children 5 years after the traumatic exposure.


Reduced system inertia decreases the time available for control actions to prevent the system frequency from violating security limits after a disturbance. Therefore, as system inertia is reduced by the shift toward renewable generation that provides little or no inertia, system operators must deploy faster frequency control actions if they are to preserve security and quality of supply. Realising methods for the fast and accurate detection, localization and sizing of an active power disturbance (e.g., the loss/connection of a large generator or load) will be a crucial enabler for the successful implementation of these faster actions. This paper presents a novel method that can simultaneously estimate the time, size, and location of a disturbance using PMU measurements of the active power output of a limited number of generators and the impedance matrix of the system. The immediate power change at the remote generator terminals is combined with the synchronizing power coefficient matrix in a two-stage process. Stage one uses a decision tree to determine that a disturbance has occurred, which then initiates stage two that estimates the size and location of the disturbance. This is based on the level of agreement between the monitored generators. Case studies and sensitivity analysis for the IEEE 39 bus test network are presented to verify the accuracy of the proposed method for varied levels of measurement noise, impedance matrix errors, and topology errors for various disturbance sizes and locations.


The concept of time-modulated antennas has recently been demonstrated as a means of overcoming many of the limitations currently restricting advances in the antenna art. Of special importance is the mathematical possibility of generating a pattern complex capable of providing simultaneous scan operation. This characteristic is realized by periodic time modulation of the aperture distribution. This paper discusses the theory of simultaneous "scanning" using time modulation techniques and shows that the required pattern complex is generated by a progressive-pulse aperture excitation. The fundamental equations and relationships concerning the form of pulse excitation and "scanning" coverage are derived. In addition, practical methods of physically generating the proper pulse-excited aperture are described, and the necessary detection requirements are delineated.


Abstract Objectives The purpose of the current study was to collect information about some techniques and armamentarium currently used by the Saudi Board of Endodontics residents in relation to the technical steps of root canal therapy. Materials and Methods A web-based survey was sent to the Saudi Board of Endodontics residents, based in the western area of Saudi Arabia. The survey assessed controversial concepts, and collected information regarding new instruments and materials, used in the technical steps of nonsurgical root canal treatment. A one-sample chi-square test, with a 95% level of significance, was applied to determine whether there were significant differences between respondents' answers. Results A total of 45 out of 50 residents (90%) responded to the questionnaire. The majority of Saudi Board residents of Endodontics, who participated in this survey, used the mean of working length (ML) measured by periapical X-Ray and apex locator in the presence of a radiographic lesion (63.3%), and maintained apical patency in all cases (80.0%). ProTaper Universal (40%) and ProTaper Next (41.2%) were the most common NiTi rotary systems used for root canal instrumentation. Thirty percent of respondents used adjunct device with irrigation, and 80% advocated smear layer removal. Zinc oxide–eugenol-based sealers were the most common used sealers (70%), and most residents (86.6%) did not advocate sealer extrusion. Conclusions This study revealed that residents of the Saudi Board of Endodontics program adopt new endodontic technologies. There is, however, a need for more investigations regarding this objective, including responses from all residents in Saudi Arabia.


We propose and fabricate a novel polycrystalline silicon thin-film transistor (poly-Si TFT) which exhibits the properties of an offset gated structure in the OFF state, while acting as a nonoffset structure in the ON state. The fabrication process is compatible with the conventional nonoffset poly-Si TFT's process and does not require any additional mask. Experimental results show that the leakage current of the new device is two orders of magnitude lower than that of the nonoffset gated device, while the ON current of the new device is almost identical to the nonoffset gated device. It is observed that the ON/OFF current ratio of the proposed poly-Si TFT is improved remarkably.


Western societies are aging rapidly. According to [1] the US population over age 85 will triple from 4.5 million in 2003 to 14.2 million by 2040. Automated 24/7 surveillance to ensure safety of the elderly while respecting privacy becomes a major challenge. As a first step, we present a fully distributed system and architecture based on a network of smart cameras to perform geo-referenced tracking and activity recognition. Additionally an intuitive visualization is presented, where all information is integrated in one world model that is available ubiquitously. At a real world installation in an assisted living home, we demonstrate first results regarding falling person detection as one major activity for assisted living systems.


A method for the identification and analysis of magnetic islands is presented based on the calculation of the perturbative current and magnetic field in plasmas. A cylindrical approximation is adopted and the toroidal effect on plasma equilibrium is also included. This method has been used on the HL-2A tokamak for analysing the magnetic island structures.