Social entrepreneurship is the demonstration of entrepreneurial behavior aimed to meet the requirements of the society, rather than generating profit, bearing economic risks, providing innovative opportunities, having a social goal and value and for social benefits, and members are comprised of volunteering individuals and groups. Social entrepreneurs serve in a wide range of areas. Employment is among the most significant of these. The labor market policies implemented to increase employment also include education. Education is the power that allows rearing well-rounded and conscious citizens and building interdependent and participatory societies. The rapid changes in the communications and information technologies sectors today have also influenced the educational sciences. In this chapter, the social and economic benefits provided by the utilization of the e-learning programs in the trainings provided by the social entrepreneur organizations, aimed to generate employment, are discussed.


DANSSino is a simplified pilot version of a solid-state detector of reactor antineutrino (it is being created within the DANSS project and will be installed close to an industrial nuclear power reactor). Numerous tests performed under a 3 GWth reactor of the Kalinin NPP at a distance of 11 m from the core demonstrate operability of the chosen design and reveal the main sources of the background. In spite of its small size (20 × 20 × 100 cm3), the pilot detector turned out to be quite sensitive to reactor neutrinos, detecting about 70 IBD events per day with the signal-to-background ratio about unity.


Cutaneous inoculation tuberculosis is rare in the United States today. When seen, it usually occurs in individuals whose occupations or environments place them at increased risk for exposure to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The reaction of the skin to M tuberculosis infection is polymorphous and depends upon the interplay of bacterial virulence and host immunity. Thus, both a high index of suspicion and positive cultures are required to make the diagnosis. Herein, we report a case of cutaneous inoculation tuberculosis occurring in a tattoo.


Extensions of Einstein gravity with quadratic curvature terms in the action arise in most effective theories of quantised gravity, including string theory. This article explores the set of static, spherically symmetric and asymptotically flat solutions of this class of theories. An important element in the analysis is the careful treatment of a Lichnerowicz-type `no-hair' theorem. From a Frobenius analysis of the asymptotic small-radius behaviour, the solution space is found to split into three asymptotic families, one of which contains the classic Schwarzschild solution. These three families are carefully analysed to determine the corresponding numbers of free parameters in each. One solution family is capable of arising from coupling to a distributional shell of matter near the origin; this family can then match on to an asymptotically flat solution at spatial infinity without encountering a horizon. Another family, with horizons, contains the Schwarzschild solution but includes also non-Schwarzschild black holes. The third family of solutions obtained from the Frobenius analysis is nonsingular and corresponds to `vacuum' solutions. In addition to the three families identified from near-origin behaviour, there are solutions that may be identified as `wormholes', which can match symmetrically on to another sheet of spacetime at finite radius.


This work presents a particular application in which cadmium-zinc telluride (CdZnTe) detectors are used in photoconductive mode in a high-energy computerized tomography system for industrial applications. A first-generation tomography facility has been set up at the University of Bologna, based on a 12-MeV pulsed linear accelerator X-ray source and a single 10/spl times/10/spl times/2 mm/sup 3/ CdZnTe detector. The obtained results show that CdZnTe detectors exhibit better timing performances than CdTe detectors, and are thus more suitable for tomographic applications. Special-purpose signal conditioning electronics have been developed in order to compensate slow and fast signal fluctuations induced by temperature variations and Linac instabilities, In such a way, the dynamic range of the detector has been improved up to more than 3 orders of magnitude. A set of images was acquired in order to evaluate the overall performances of the tomographic facility. >


Abstract Investigation of the needs of same-sex mothers practicing lactation is limited in the nursing literature. The heteronormative structure of the healthcare system has stigmatized these postpartum women and minimized the level of nursing care provided. Case reports demonstrate that same-sex mothers value inclusivity and understanding of their healthcare needs that is missing in healthcare settings. Perinatal nurses must listen attentively and think critically about their words and actions to avoid inappropriate judgments when providing care to this population. Active engagement and ongoing competence education builds the foundation that will provide perinatal nurses the knowledge they need to best support the unique needs of same-sex mothers in their lactation experience.


Insulin (2 IU/ml) effect on the contractile function, glucose consumption and lactate release by the myocardium was studied in experiments on the isolated rat heart performed at different time after a single (8 g/kg) and 10-fold with a 12-hour interval (8-10 g/kg) intragastric administration of ethanol. A single administration of ethanol failed to influence the contractile function, glucose consumption and lactate release by the isolated heart. The magnitude of a positive inotropic reaction to insulin increased and its stimulating effect on glucose utilization by the myocardium weakened. The reaction of ethanol withdrawal developing after its 10-fold administration led to a disturbance of the contractile and rhythmic functions of the heart and activation of glycolysis. The heart inotropic reaction to insulin in this period weakened and glucose consumption and lactate release stimulated by insulin did not differ from control. During perfusion of intact rat hearts with and without glucose insulin (2 IU/ml) weakened the cardiodepressive effect of ethanol (200 mM).


The number of missed appointments in healthcare institutions in Nigeria caused problems, hence the need for integrated healthcare system to intervene and provide seamless care for patients. Appointment scheduling system lies at the intersection o f providing efficiency and timely access to health services. This research presents an online National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) Outpatient Medical Appointment Booking System where NHIS patients can access and view any available personnel or doctor scin order to book an appointment with the corresponding time as specified by the available doctor. The system was developed using PhP, macromedia dreamweaver, apache and MYSQL. This is to ensure that the application is robust, cheap and is able to ru n on different platforms. The system provides the platform to facilitate the booking and management of patients' appointment bookings. Patients can also view their appointment reports. It also provides the healthcare workers an easy access to manage patie nts' appointments and to generate relevant reports.


People in Japan can affect the hydrological system in the United States. People in Europe can affect regional water systems in Thailand or Brazil. There are basically two mechanisms that make global connections between seemingly local water systems. First, the climate system connects different places on earth, because evaporation in one place results in precipitation in another place. The climate system is inherently global: local emissions of greenhouse gases contribute to a changing global climate, thus affecting temperature, evaporation, and precipitation patterns elsewhere. In this way, human activities in the economic centers of the world affect base and peak flows in rivers throughout the world. There is, however, a second mechanism through which people can affect water systems in other parts of the world. A European consumer of Thai rice raises rice demand in Thailand and subsequently the use of water for rice irrigation in Thailand. Globally, roughly one-fifth of the water used in agriculture is applied in areas used for producing export commodities. This fraction is increasing in line with the increase of global trade. Scientists have known for several decades that human activities within a river basin strongly impact on the water flows and water quality in such a river basin. It is more recent that scientists have started to realize that local water problems are often, in their roots, problems that cannot be solved locally or regionally, because the driving forces lay outside the region. The gradual disappearance of the Aral Lake in Uzbekistan–Kazakhstan, for instance, is directly linked to the global demand for cotton.

Keywords:

global water resources "virtual water"


The education system of modern society can be understood as an institution whose functions include its capacity to reproduce its host society, both economically and culturally [1]. Higher institution of learning is no more seen as a place of mass production of graduates willingly believes that they are now ready to perform their duties. The newly developing higher education system has expanded to prepare a new workforce which can assist in the economic growth of the nation and thus the outputs that fulfill this must be able to perform to the needs of the industry. What the industry wants is students too show that they have entered and translated into what they have learned practically. Thus, today educators and academicians has to aggressively re-look and change the teaching and learning approaches and environment in order to make the teaching and learning process more effective and relevant. It is not sufficient by merely changing the content of the curriculum but it is more than that. This paper analyses the feedback of students on the current method of teaching and learning in comparison to the contemporary approach of teaching such as active learning, outcome-based learning and problem-based learning. The study will also explore the process of integrating these active learning strategies into traditional lecture-based courses and also intend to underscore the motivation and incentives required for bringing about changes, and the support needed for sustaining and disseminating active learning approaches among the educators.


Is Moritaka and Akito's newest rival also their greatest fan?! The duo is asked to judge a manga contest and the best entry reminds them of their own creations. But who is this mysterious new artist and what are his controversial methods of creating manga?


Objective To investigate the diagnostic gene biomarkers for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and identify the immune cell infiltration characteristics in this pathology. Methods Five gene expression datasets were obtained through Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) portal. After batch effect removal, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were conducted between 209 HCC and 146 control tissues and functional correlation analyses were performed. Two machine learning algorithms were used to develop diagnostic signatures. The discriminatory ability of the gene signature was measured by AUC. The expression levels and diagnostic value of the identified biomarkers in HCC were further validated in three independent external cohorts. CIBERSORT algorithm was adopted to explore the immune infiltration of HCC. A correlation analysis was carried out between these diagnostic signatures and immune cells. Results A total of 375 DEGs were identified. GPC3, ACSM3, SPINK1, COL15A1, TP53I3, RRAGD, and CLDN10 were identified as the early diagnostic signatures of HCC and were all validated in external cohorts. The corresponding results of AUC presented excellent discriminatory ability of these feature genes. The immune cell infiltration analysis showed that multiple immune cells associated with these biomarkers may be involved in the development of HCC. Conclusion This study indicates that GPC3, ACSM3, SPINK1, COL15A1, TP53I3, RRAGD, and CLDN10 are potential biomarkers associated with immune infiltration in HCC. Combining these genes can be used for early detection of HCC and evaluating immune cell infiltration. Further studies are needed to explore their roles underlying the occurrence of HCC.


Damage caused by natural disasters in Slovenia is frequently linked to the ignoring of natural factors in spatial planning. Historically, the construction of buildings and settlements avoided dangerous flood areas, but later we see increasing construction in dangerous areas. During the floods in 1990, the most affected buildings were located on ill-considered locations, and the majority was built in more recent times. A similar situation occurred during the floods of September 2007. Comparing the effects of these floods, we determined that damage was always greater due to the urbanization of flood areas. This process furthermore increasingly limits the "manoeuvring space" for water management authorities, who due to the torrential nature of Slovenia's rivers can not ensure the required level of safety from flooding for unsuitably located settlements and infrastructure. Every year, the Environmental Agency of the Republic of Slovenia issues more than one thousand permits for interventions in areas that affect the water regime, and through decrees the government allows construction in riparian zones, which is supposedly forbidden by the Law on Water. If we do not take measures with more suitable policies for spatial planning, we will no long have the possibility in future to reduce the negative consequences of floods. Given that torrential floods strike certain Slovene regions every three years on average and that larger floods occur at least once a decade, it is senseless to lay the blame on climate change.


We have already referred in the second part of this series to the opinions held by various authors as to the systematic position of the genera Thamnopteris, Bathypteri.% and Anomorrhcea, and have given in detail the reasons that have induced us to adopt these names for the specimens included in these genera (cf. Part II., p. 213). It is therefore unnecessary for us to deal any further with the historical aspect of the matter in the present communication, and we will at once proceed to the description of the structure of the Fern stems in question.


Abstract Since in Hegel's view the end of philosophy coincides with its beginning, it is reasonable to expect that the end of the Encyclopaedia sheds some light on the Science of Logic. The Encyclopaedia concludes with three syllogisms in which logic, nature and spirit are related to each other in three different ways. This article analyses these three final syllogisms with an eye to how they can contribute to our understanding of the logical movement that starts from pure being. Trendelenburg and Schelling, like many others after them, think that Hegel's project in the Science of Logic is doomed from the start, because there can be no such thing as a non-temporal, purely logical movement. I argue that the three final syllogisms contain Hegel's response to this challenge. I call them 'meta-encyclopaedic reflections' in the sense that they take the whole encyclopaedic presentation of the Hegelian system as an object of critical inquiry and identify its limitations. The core of my approach is to examine how each one of these syllogisms situate us, namely the philosophizing subjects, vis-à-vis the world as disclosed by them. They demand that we shift from a third-person to a first-person perspective towards the world. The logical categories initially appear to move of their own accord only due to the limitations of the third-person perspective of the encyclopaedic presentation, which is to be sublated in a higher, first-person perspective. Hence, Hegel would happily admit that a purely logical movement is a mere appearance, but he would also claim that his philosophy can immanently explain the necessity of this appearance in the beginning of philosophy, and explain it better than his critics.


"Another Gift from Dr. Paltsis" by Donald Sinclair. Describes manuscript letters and documents related to Queens College and Rutgers College. "An Unpublished Letter of William the Silent" by Madeleine Charanis. Transcribes and translates from the Dutch an original letter written by William the Silent (1533–1584). "Elia" by J. Milton French. Describes the rare. first edition of Charles Lamb's "Elia" and "The Last Essays of Elia" acquired by the Library. "Philip Freneau's Records of Sea Voyages" by Lewis Leary.


Triggered release of liposomal contents following tumor accumulation and mild local heating is pursued as a means of improving the therapeutic index of chemotherapeutic drugs. Lysolipid-containing thermosensitive liposomes (LTSLs) are composed of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), the lysolipid monostearoylphosphatidylcholine (MSPC), and poly(ethylene glycol)-conjugated distearoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DSPE-PEG(2000)). We investigated the roles of DSPE-PEG(2000) and lysolipid in the functional performance of the LTSL-doxorubicin formulation. Varying PEG-lipid concentration (0-5 mol%) or bilayer orientation did not affect the release; however, lysolipid (0-10 mol%) had a concentration-dependent effect on drug release at 42 degrees C in vitro. Pharmacokinetics of various LTSL formulations were compared in mice with body temperature controlled at 37 degrees C. As expected, incorporation of the PEG-lipid increased doxorubicin plasma half-life; however, PEG-lipid orientation (bilayer vs. external leaflet) did not significantly improve circulation lifetime or drug retention in LTSL. Approximately 70% of lysolipid was lost within 1 h postinjection of LTSL, which could be due to interactions with the large membrane pool of the biological milieu. Considering that the present LTSL-doxorubicin formulation exhibits significant therapeutic activity when used in conjunction with mild heating, our current study provided critical insights into how the physicochemical properties of LTSL can be tailored to achieve better therapeutic activity.


Sir .—I read with interest the article about removal of cactus spines from the skin by Martinez et al 1 in the December 1987 issue of AJDC . The authors found the combination of tweezers and glue to be the most effective method of removing bunches of spines. However, the use of tweezers can be difficult in the young, uncooperative child, and glue application and drying can be time-consuming. The following report illustrates an alternative method of cactus spine removal in children. Patient Report .—A 2-year-old girl presented to our emergency department after falling on a cactus plant display. She had multiple implantation of spines on her left hand and the lower third of her left forearm. She was agitated, crying, and unconsolable by her parents. Initial attempts to remove the spines using tweezers proved unsuccessful even after restraining the child. The attempt was aborted after a few minutes, and the


The Hipparcos Input Catalogue has been compiled, over the period 1982-1991, as the definitive observing catalogue for the European Space Agency's Hipparcos satellite, launched on 8 August 1989. It contains the most up-to-date, comprehensive and homogeneous information on the 118 000 stars being observed by Hipparcos. Its stellar and data content is described in a series of three papers. Details of the astrometric data are presented in Paper II, and of the photometric data (including photoelectric standards stars) in Paper III. The present paper deals with the stellar content of the catalogue and the way it was constructed.


With Safe Design and Construction of Machinery, the author presents the results of empirical studies into this significant aspect of safety science in a very readable, well-structured format. The book contains 436 references, 17 tables, one figure and a comprehensive index. Liz Bluff addresses a complex and important, but often neglected domain in OHS – the safety of machinery – in a holistic and profound, yet evidence based analysis; with many applied cases from her studies, which make the book accessible and a pleasant lecture. Although research that led to this remarkable publication might have been primarily focused on the regulators, this book can be highly recommended to all OHS academics and practitioners. It provides an important contribution to the body of knowledge in OHS, and establishes one of the few Australian in-depth insights into the significance of machinery producers, rather than machinery users in the wider framework of risk management. The author bases this fresh perspective on the well-established European Machinery Safety guidelines, and grounds her mixed-methods research predominantly in qualitative analysis of motivation and knowledge, which eventually leads to specific safety outcomes. It should be noted that both European and Australian legal aspects are investigated and considered, as both equally apply to many machinery exporters. A detailed description of the research design and methods can be found in an appendix. Overall, the unique combination of quantitative safety performance data and qualitative analysis of safety behaviours form a valuable addition to the understanding of machinery safety. The author must be congratulated on making these complex relationships transparent to the reader through her meticulous inquiry.


The optimum grillage design belongs to nonlinear constrained optimization problem. The determination of beam scantlings for the grillage structure is a very crucial matter out of whole structural design process. The performance of optimization methods, based on penalty functions, is highly problem-dependent and many methods require additional tuning of some variables. This additional tuning is the influences of penalty coefficient, which depend strongly on the degree of constraint violation. Moreover, Binary-coded Genetic Algorithm (BGA) meets certain difficulties when dealing with continuous and/or discrete search spaces with large dimensions. With the above reasons, Real-coded Micro-Genetic Algorithm () is proposed to find the optimum beam scantlings of the grillage structure without handling any of penalty functions. can help in avoiding the premature convergence and search for global solution-spaces, because of its wide spread applicability, global perspective and inherent parallelism. Direct stiffness method is used as a numerical tool for the grillage analysis. In optimization study to find minimum weight, sensitivity study is carried out with varying beam configurations. From the simulation results, it has been concluded that the proposed is an effective optimization tool for solving continuous and/or discrete nonlinear real-world optimization problems.


In our increasingly instrumentalist culture, debates over the privatization of schooling may be beside the point. Whether we hatch some new plan for chartering or funding schools, or retain the traditional model of government-run schools, the ongoing instrumentalization of education threatens the very possibility of public education. Indeed, in the culture of performativity, not only the public school but public life itself is hollowed out and debased. Qualities are recast as quantities, judgments replaced by rubrics, teaching and learning turned into exchange values. Schools should be central to public life: key locations for the regeneration of values, the cultivation of judgment, and the creation of the conditions for positive freedom. In this article Chris Higgins, drawing on Hannah Arendt and Alasdair MacIntyre, goes beyond typical treatments of the schools as equalizer of individual opportunity to explore three aspects of educational publicity: the school as an object of communal concern, schooling as preparation for public life, and the classroom as public space.


X-linked juvenile retinochisis (XLRS) is a rare inherited bilateral vitreoretinal dystrophy which usually affects males early in life. We describe the clinical findings, outcome, and challenges in treatment of three siblings diagnosed with XLRS. Three siblings with ages ranging from 5 to 9 years old presented with reduced visual acuity (VA) and posterior segment showing varying degrees of vitreous veil and spoke-wheel maculopathy. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) of the macula was performed, revealing retinoschisis in all eyes. All three siblings were diagnosed with XLRS and were started on topical brinzolamide twice daily. OCT was repeated at 6 months and 18 months. At 18 months, three eyes showed stable VA and three eyes showed improved in VA. One out of the three eyes with stable VA showed improved retinoschisis while the other two eyes showed worsening retinoschisis. On the other hand, one out of the three eyes with improved VA had improved retinoschisis and the other two had worsening retinoschisis. We demonstrated that the VA of patients with retinoschisis is not directly proportional to the degree of splitting of the neurosensory retina. Retinoschisis treatment is challenging, as there is no one proven effective treatment up to date.


The EGFR pathway is a critical signaling pathway deregulated in many solid tumors. In addition to the initiation and progression of cancer, the EGFR pathway is also implicated in variable treatment responses and prognoses. Genetic variation in the form of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) can affect the function/expression of the EGFR pathway genes. Here, we applied a systematic and comprehensive approach utilizing diverse public databases and in silico analysis tools to select putative functional genetic variations from 244 genes involved in the EGFR pathway. Our data comprises 649 SNPs. Three hundred sixty SNPs are predicted to have biological consequences (functional SNPs). These SNPs can be directly used in further studies to test their association with risk, treatment response and prognosis in cancer. To systematically cover the EGFR pathway, we also performed a network‐based analysis to further select putative functional SNPs from the genes whose protein products physically interact with the EGFR pathway proteins. We utilized protein–protein interaction information and focused on 14 proteins that have a high degree of connectivity (interacting with ≥10 proteins) with the EGFR pathway genes identified to have functional SNPs (f‐EGFR genes). Two of these proteins (FYN and LCK) had interactions with 17 of the f‐EGFR genes, yet both lacked any putative functional SNP. However, our analysis indicated the presence of potentially functional SNPs in 9 other highly interactive proteins. The genes and their SNPs identified in the network‐based analysis represent potential candidates for gene–gene and SNP–SNP interaction studies in cancer research. © 2009 UICC


Nowadays there is progressive increase in the number of patients with allergy around the world. It was revealed that microbiome composition changes at early age correlate with the frequency of atopic diseases development. Various clinical studies have shown that variety of factors (even from prenatal development) influence microbiota composition. Children with atopic diseases have certain features of microflora development that can precede the disease debut. Cow's milk protein is one of the major allergens in the first year of life. Such sensitization may be present in children on both formula and breastfeeding, however it is not the indication for its interruption. In cases when breastfeeding is not possible, we should use specialized therapeutic formulas in children with cow's milk protein allergy. The use of the "Nutrilon Amino acids Syneo" formula effectively eliminates allergy symptoms and improves the gut microbiota composition in young children. Moreover, its use additionally reduce the frequency of infectious diseases and the use of antibacterial drugs.


Aims. The sulphur compounds SO and SO2 have not been widely studied in the circumstellar envelopes of asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars. By presenting and modelling a large number of SO and SO2 lines in the low mass-loss rate M-type AGB star R Dor, and modelling the available lines of those molecules in a further four M-type AGB stars, we aim to determine their circumstellar abundances and distributions. Methods. We use a detailed radiative transfer analysis based on the accelerated lambda iteration method to model circumstellar SO and SO2 line emission. We use molecular data files for both SO and SO2 that are more extensive than those previously available. Results. Using 17 SO lines and 98 SO2 lines to constrain our models for R Dor, we find an SO abundance of (6.7 +/- 0.9) x 10(6) and an SO2 abundance of 5 x 10(6) with both species having high abundances close to the star. We also modelled (SO)-S-34 and found an abundance of (3.1 +/- 0.8) x 10(7), giving an (SO)-S-32/(SO)-S-34 ratio of 21.6 +/- 8.5. We derive similar results for the circumstellar SO and SO2 abundances and their distributions for the low mass-loss rate object W Hya. For the higher mass-loss rate stars, we find shell-like SO distributions with peak abundances that decrease and peak abundance radii that increase with increasing mass-loss rate. The positions of the peak SO abundance agree very well with the photodissociation radii of H2O. We also modelled SO2 in two higher mass-loss rate stars but our models for these were less conclusive. Conclusions. We conclude that for the low mass-loss rate stars, the circumstellar SO and SO2 abundances are much higher than predicted by chemical models of the extended stellar atmosphere. These two species may also account for all the available sulphur. For the higher mass-loss rate stars we find evidence that SO is most efficiently formed in the circumstellar envelope, most likely through the photodissociation of H2O and the subsequent reaction between S and OH. The S-bearing parent molecule does not appear to be H2S. The SO2 models for the higher mass-loss rate stars are less conclusive, but suggest an origin close to the star for this species. This is not consistent with current chemical models. The combined circumstellar SO and SO2 abundances are significantly lower than that of sulphur for these higher mass-loss rate objects.


Endodontic regeneration shows promise in treating dental pulp diseases; however, no suitable scaffolds exist for pulp regeneration. Acellular natural extracellular matrix (ECM) is a favorable scaffold for tissue regeneration since the anatomical structure and ECM of the natural tissues or organs are well-preserved. Xenogeneic ECM is superior to autologous or allogeneic ECM in tissue engineering for its unlimited resources. This study investigated the characteristics of decellularized dental pulp ECM from swine and evaluated whether it could mediate pulp regeneration. Dental pulps were acquired from the mandible anterior teeth of swine 12 months of age and decellularized with 10% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) combined with Triton X-100. Pulp regeneration was conducted by seeding human dental pulp stem cells into decellularized pulp and transplanted subcutaneously into nude mice for 8 weeks. The decellularized pulp demonstrated preserved natural shape and structure without any cellular components. Histological analysis showed excellent ECM preservation and pulp-like tissue, and newly formed mineralized tissues were regenerated after being transplanted in vivo. In conclusion, decellularized swine dental pulp maintains ECM components favoring stem cell proliferation and differentiation, thus representing a suitable scaffold for improving clinical outcomes and functions of teeth with dental pulp diseases.


Objective: Previous study has demonstrated that the duck plague virus (DPV) UL35 gene can be expressed as a recombinant fusion protein, and the prepared antiserum has a high reactivity and specificity against the purified recombinant protein. In the present study, to elucidate the properties and functions of its encoding protein, the UL35 gene product (VP26) was identified by using the prepared rabbit polyclonal antiserum. Methods: Real-time PCR, Western blot and immunofluorescence analysis were used to determine the transcription and expression kinetics and subcellular localization of DPV VP26 in DPV-infected cells. Results: A protein of approximately 13 kDa that reacted with the antiserum was detected in immunoblot of DPV-infected cellular lysates. Real-time PCR and Western blot analysis of DPV-infected cells showed that VP26 was produced predominantly at the late stage of infection, its production was highly dependent on viral DNA synthesis, and the UL35 gene was regulated as a late viral gene, suggesting that the gene should be categorized as γ2 class. Additionally, analysis of the association of DPV VP26 with purified virions revealed that VP26 was a component of extracellular mature DPV virions. Subcellular localization demonstrated that VP26 firstly localized in cytoplasm, then it transferred to the nucleus and aggregated in the punctate region of the nucleus in DPV-infected cells. Conclusion: Taken together, these results will provide a foundation for further functional analysis of the DPV UL35 gene.


The Cr (VI) adsorption characteristics of platanus orientalis leaves and their ash were examined as a function of contact time, initial pH and metal ion concentration. Batch adsorption experiments were performed. The effects of Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , Na + and K + on adsorption were studied. The effect of this adsorbent on COD in wastewater showed that 2g/L of adsorbent caused increase of 110mg/L and 76mg/L COD in deionized water in 120 minutes for platanus orientalis leaves and their ash , respectively. The maximum removal took place in the pH range of 6-7, contact time of 60 minutes and initial concentration of 2mg/L. Studies showed that the Freundlich adsorption model better fitted with the results than Langmuir with R 2 > 0.85. The study showed platanus orientalis leaves ash was more favorable than living ones as well as in removing chromium from the aqueous solution.


It is now generally accepted that irrigating fluid may be introduced directly into the vascular system during transurethral resection of the prostate and bladder neck. Several potentially serious consequences of this direct intravenous infusion have been recognized and steps taken to prevent their occurrence. The most serious complication due to the transference of irrigating fluid to the blood stream is that of intravesical and intravascular hemolysis. This results from the use of solutions not isotonic with blood. McLaughlin, 1 Foley, Creevy, 2 and others have pointed out the potential dangers of hemolysis, namely hemoglobinemia, hemoglobinuria, and renal damage, resulting in oliguria or anuria. These authors and others have advocated the use of isotonic irrigating solutions, such as glucose, urea, glycine, or other amino acids, during transurethral resection. The use of these solutions seems to have largely eliminated the complication of hemolysis and lower nephron nephrosis as an aftermath of transurethral


Abstract Thermodynamic analysis that provides the status and amount of irreversibility is a powerful tool to determine performance parameters of energy conversion systems. However, specifying the location and amount of irreversibility of a system or component does not reveal the full extent of the relationship of the irreversibility between component-component/component-system. Therefore, splitting the exergy destruction into endogenous and exogenous parts provides detailed information on the relationship of the irreversibility between component-component/component-system. The purpose of this paper is to identify the endogenous and exogenous parts of exergy destruction of an experimental turbojet engine (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Turbojet – UAVT). Test data used for exergy analysis were evaluated at the maximum load of the experimental turbojet engine which consisted of a compressor, a combustion chamber and a turbine. As a result of the endogenous and exogenous parts of the exergy destruction, the majority of the total exergy destruction (15.1416 kW) was calculated as the endogenous part of exergy destruction (13.5473 kW), and the exogenous exergy destruction rate was calculated to be 1.5943 kW in the compressor component of the turbojet engine. In this study, the endogenous and exogenous exergy destruction amounts of other components are also presented in details.


Abstract The respiratory control system is an important chemoreflex-feedback control system that maintains arterial partial pressures of CO2 (PaCO2), O2 and pH remarkably constant via ventilatory regulation. It can be divided into two subsystems: a controller (controlling element) and a plant (controlled element). The respiratory operating point (ventilatory or PaCO2 response) is determined by the interplay between the controller (arterial PCO2 [PaCO2] → minute ventilation [VE] relation) and plant (V ・ E → PaCO2 relation) subsystem elements within the respiratory control system. This review outlines the methodology of converting the closed loop of the respiratory control system to an open loop state, then simplifying the controller and plant subsystems, and identifying the input−output relationship using a systems physiological technique (equilibrium diagram method). Changes in central hemodynamics, exercise stimulus, and regular exercise training modify VE and/or PaCO2 levels at rest and during exercise. These respiratory changes can be quantitatively explained by changes in two subsystem elements on the respiratory equilibrium diagram. Using this analysis technique that allows an integrated and quantitative description of the whole respiratory control system will greatly advance the elucidation of pathological conditions manifesting breathing disorders and respiratory regulation during exercise. By repeating thought experiments utilizing this kind of mathematic model and physiological experiments that provide evidence, deeper understanding will be achieved concerning prediction of the behavior of biological systems beyond the physiological range and understanding of the pathophysiology of diseases that are difficult to study by clinical research.


Low-frequency Inter-area oscillations (0.2–0.8 Hz) have severe influence on the operation of an interconnected power system due to the involvement of numerous generators. The poorly damped inter-area oscillations are detrimental to the power system stability and meeting the goal of maximum power transfer capacity between the areas. Wide-area measurement system-based Wide-Area Damping controllers (WADC) for controlling devices such as FACTS, HVDC effectively damp out these oscillations. However, due to the usage of the communication network to transfer the wide-area signals and the physical limitations of the controller devices in the feedback loop, new problems are encountered in the design of WADC such as time delays and actuator saturation. These problems would degrade the control performance and even lead to the closed-loop instability, therefore it is necessary to consider time delays and actuator saturation limits in the design of WADC. This thesis presents the design of WADC for Thyristor Controlled Series Capacitor (TCSC) device to improve the inter-area oscillation damping of power system subjected to time delay sand actuator saturation. To compensate the time delays, a WADC with prescribed degree of stability is proposed by using delay-dependent approach. Residue approach and Schur balanced model reduction methods are used to obtain input-output control signals and reduced order power system model to design a WADC. The α-stability region is considered to place all the poles of the closed-loop power system in the left of s = −α in the complex s-plane. The sufficient conditions ascertain the existence of the damping controller that guarantees the asymptotic stability of the closed-loop power system with time-delays are derived in Linear Matrix Inequality(LMI)form using Lyapunov-Krasovskii(L-K) functional with Free Weighting Matrix (FWM) approach. The proposed sufficient conditions are solved by using LMI solvers to obtain the parameters of the WADC and delay margin of the closed-loop power system. Actuator saturation is an inevitable phenomenon in control system which degrades the system performance if it is not considered in the controller design. To reduce the influence of actuator saturation, direct and indirect approaches are used to design a WADC for the power system. A generalized sector condition is used to characterize the actuator saturation nonlinearity in the closed-loop formulation. Actuator saturation limits are symmetric and asymmetric in nature. Asymmetric actuator saturation limits needs to be converted into symmetric saturation limits which can be expressed in Linear Matrix Inequality (LMI) form for analysis. In this thesis, a Minimum Absolute Saturation Bound (MASB) and Normalized Saturation Bound (NSB) techniques are used to convert the asymmetric saturation limits into symmetric limits. Based on L–K functional with FWM approach, a delay-dependent stability and stabilization conditions via LMI formulation are derived to guarantee the asymptotic stability of the closed-loop power system with time delays and actuator saturation. The FWM approach provides less conservativeness results, however, it increases the complexity in the design of WADC. To reduce the complexity and conservativeness of the stability conditions, an appropriate L-K functional with Jensen's integral inequality is proposed to derive a less conservative stability condition. These conditions are cast into the LMI-based convex optimization problem to calculate the delay margin and to determine the parameters of the WADC. Small-signal analysis and time-domain simulations are carried out first using MATLAB/Simulink on a two-area four-machine power system to evaluate the performance of the proposed WADCs for different operating conditions. Then to validate the obtained simulations results in real-time environment, the proposed WADCs are implemented in real-time using an Opal-RT digital simulator. From the obtained results, it is observed that the proposed WADCs enhance the dynamic performance of the power system and provide sufficient damping to inter-area oscillations by compensating the effect of time delay and actuator saturation. Among the proposed WADCs, the DDAWC designed for HWADC using indirect approach exhibits superior performance compared to the WADCs designed using direct approach.


In the title compound, {[Tb(C(12)H(8)NO(2))(3)(H(2)O)(2)]·H(2)O}(n), the Tb(III) cation is in an eight-coordinate environment, ligated by six carboxylate O atoms from five 3-(pyridin-4-yl)benzoate (L) ligands and by two O atoms from water molecules. The cations are bridged by the carboxylate O atoms of the L ligands to form a two-stranded polymeric chain which is assembled into a three-dimensional supramolecular network through regular interchain O-H···N hydrogen bonding. On excitation at 320 nm, the title compound displays a series of emissions, which were assigned to the characteristic electronic transitions of Tb(III).


The present study investigated the species composition and taxonomic similarity of periphytic algae on three species of macrophytes (Eichhornia azurea Kunth, Nymphaea amazonum Martius & Zuccarini and Oxycaryum cubense (Poeppig & Kunth) Lye) and also some limnological variables in a lake permanently connected to the Parana River at the Upper Parana River floodplain, Brazil, from June 2008 to March 2009. During the study period, the Parana River showed irregular flood pulses and indistinct hydrological periods. In this same period, 406 taxa of periphytic algae were identified, distributed mainly in the classes Zygnemaphyceae, Bacillariophyceae, Chlorophyceae; and Cyanobacteria. Similarity analysis based on taxonomic composition of sampling periods and substrates showed low values and primarily represented a temporal segregation of periphytic algal community, mainly in June 2008 from others. Secondly, the microespacial segregation occurred to a lesser extent, according to the type of substrate, especially between O. cubense and others. It comprises first steps for understating the comparative structure of periphytic algal community in these distinct substrates at the Parana River floodplain.

 Key words: Community structure, epiphyton, macrophyte, periphyton ecology, wetlands.


Background Dysregulated expression levels of different microRNAs are reported in both serum and inflamed joints of RA patients. Objectives To determine whether administration of Tocalizumab (TCZ), a neutralizing anti-IL-6 receptor antibody, changes expression levels of selected miRNAs, which were previously described in the context of RA. Methods 40 RA patients diagnosed with moderate to severe disease activity according to both DAS28 and CDAI scores, and were started on TCZ therapy, were enrolled in the study. Serum samples that were obtained before treatment and 4 months after TCZ treatment initiation, were analyzed for the relative expression of miR-16, -21, -132, -146a, -150, -155, -203, -221, and -323 by qPCR. Results No significant changes in the expression levels of the tested miRNAs were found after TCZ treatment. However, when patients were stratified to responders and non-responders according to both the CDAI and DAS28 scores, the levels of miR-203 alone, out of the 9 miRNAs examined, were increased by 8.2% (p<0.0335) only in the responding group after 4 months of TCZ treatment, relative to the no-responders. Conclusions The expression levels of miR-203 could serve as a potential biomarker that predicts a positive response to TCZ treatment in RA patients. References O'Connell, R. M., Rao, D. S., Baltimore, D. (2012) microRNA regulation of inflammatory responses. Annu Rev Immunol 30, 295-312. Fu, L., Jin, L., Yan, L., Shi, J., Wang, H., Zhou, B., Wu, X. (2014) Comprehensive review of genetic association studies and meta-analysis on miRNA polymorphisms and rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus susceptibility. Hum Immunol Sep 2014. Bottini, N. and Firestein, G. S. (2013) Epigenetics in rheumatoid arthritis: a primer for rheumatologists. Curr Rheumatol Rep 15, 372. Duroux-Richard, I., Jorgensen, C., Apparailly, F. (2012) What do microRNAs mean for rheumatoid arthritis? Arthritis Rheum 64, 11-20. Murata, K., Yoshitomi, H., Tanida, S., Ishikawa, M., Nishitani, K., Ito, H., Nakamura, T. (2010) Plasma and synovial fluid microRNAs as potential biomarkers of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Arthritis research & therapy 12, R86. Stanczyk, J., Ospelt, C., Karouzakis, E., Filer, A., Raza, K., Kolling, C., Gay, R., Buckley, C. D., Tak, P. P., Gay, S., Kyburz, D. (2011) Altered expression of microRNA-203 in rheumatoid arthritis synovial fibroblasts and its role in fibroblast activation. Arthritis Rheum 63, 373-81. Acknowledgements The first and second authors are equal contributors. Disclosure of Interest None declared


ADDITIONAL INDEX WORDS. catalase, chilling injury, Lycopersicon esculentum, hydrogen peroxide ABSTRACT. Transgenic tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. 'Ohio 8245') expressing an antisense catalase gene (ASTOMCAT1) were used to test the hypothesis that modification of the reactive oxygen species scavenging mechanism in plants can lead to changes in oxidative stress tolerance. A 2- to 8-fold reduction in total catalase activity was detected in the leaf extracts of transformants. A 2-fold increase in levels of H 2O2 was observed in the transgenic plants with reduced catalase activity. Electrophoretic characterization of multiple catalase isoforms revealed the specific suppression of CAT1 in transgenic plants. Homozygous plants carrying the antisense catalase transgene were used to study the effect of alteration in the expression of catalase on stress tolerance. Transgenic plants treated with 3% H 2O2 showed visible damage within 24 hours and subsequently died. In contrast, wild-type and azygous control plants recovered from the treatment. Transgenic plants did not survive 4 °C chilling stress compared to control wild-type and azygous lines. Physiological analysis of these plants indicated that suppression of catalase activity in transgenic tomato led to enhanced sensitivity to oxidative stress. Our data support a role for catalase in oxidative stress defense system in tomato.


Application of root-locus techniques to the familiar transformer-coupled tuned circuit accurately locates the poles of the transfer function as a function of the coefficient of coupling, thus enabling the frequency response to be found easily by graphical zero-pole techniques. The locus is seen to be a circle centered on the negative real axis, and this explains the fact that the lower frequency peak in the undercoupled case is greater than the higher frequency peak, a phenomenon which is not explained by the usual algebraic approximations. This ties theory and experimental results together nicely and gives an engineering student motivation and practice in the use of root-locus techniques in circuit analysis.


By complementation of an α-isopropylmalate synthase-negative mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (leu4 leu5), a plasmid was isolated that carried a structural gene for α-isopropylmalate synthase. Restriction mapping and subcloning showed that sequences sufficient for complementation of the leu4 leu5 strain were located within a 2.2-kilobase Sal I-PvuII segment. Southern transfer hybridization indicated that the cloned DNA was derived intact from the yeast genome. The cloned gene was identified as LEU4 by integrative transformation that caused gene disruption at the LEU4 locus. When this transformation was performed with a LEU4fbr LEU5 strain, the resulting transformants had lost the 5',5',5'-trifluoro-d,l-leucine resistance of the recipient strain but were still Leu+. When it was performed with a LEU4 leu5 recipient, the resulting transformants were Leu -. The α-isopropylmalate synthase of a transformant that carried the LEU4 gene on a multicopy plasmid (in a leu5 background) was characterized biochemically. The transformant contained about 20 times as much α-isopropylmalate synthase as wild type. The enzyme was sensitive to inhibition by leucine and coenzyme A, was inactivated by antibody generated against α-isopropylmalate synthase purified from wild type and was largely confined to the mitochondria. The subunit molecular weight was 65,000–67,000. LImited proteolysis generated two fragments with molecular weights of about 45,000 and 23,000. Northern transfer hybridization showed that the transformant produced large amounts of LEU4-specific RNA with a length of about 2.1 kilonucleotides. The properties of the plasmid-encoded enzyme resemble those of a previously characterized α-isopropylmalate synthase that is predominant in wild-type cells. The existence in yeast of a second α-isopropylmalate synthase activity that depends on the presence of an intact LEU5 gene is discussed.


In order to get more precise information on the staffing and structural capacities needed in the care and rehabilitative treatment of patients with cerebrovascular diseases (CVD), the profiles of illness and disability were studied retrospectively on the basis of the medical histories of CVD patients who had been treated at a neurological rehabilitation centre in 1987 and had mostly come from the facility's assigned catchment area. Due to insufficient documentation of certain profile data in the patients histories, the same data were recorded in a complementary study for all patients in this target population admitted in the first half of 1988. The classification of patients into nursing care categories, already practiced in everyday clinical routines, turned out a valid global estimate for the total nursing, medical and therapeutic efforts required in the individual patient. A high correlation exists between the nursing care category assigned and the numbers of necessary care interventions as well as functional disorders requiring rehabilitative attention. The nursing care interventions needed concentrate on certain situations during the day, which has to be taken into account in staff planning. Given the multitude of impairments and disabilities seen, comprehensive management in a neurological rehabilitation unit presupposes a team of diverse diagnostic and therapeutic specialists, which, apart from medical specialists and nursing staff, should at least comprise physio- and Occupational Therapists, neuro-linguistic or logopedic specialists, as well as psychologists. In view of the high incidence of accompanying internal diseases, a stroke rehabilitation unit must have access to an internal medical service at least on a consultancy basis, and available on an extended time scale.


In online character recognition based on elastic matching, such as dynamic programming matching, many of misrecognitions are often caused by overfitting, which is the phenomenon that the distance between reference pattern of an incorrect category and an input pattern is underestimated by unnatural matching. In this paper, a new recognition technique is proposed where category-specific deformations, called eigen-deformations, are utilized to suppress those misrecognitions. Generally, matching results at overfitting are not consistent with the eigen-deformations. Thus, the overfitting can be detected and penalized by a posterior evaluation of this inconsistency. The result of a recognition experiment showed the usefulness of the proposed technique.


Abstract. The magnitude of solar radiative effects (cooling or warming) of black carbon (BC) particles embedded in the Arctic atmosphere and surface snow layer was explored on the basis of case studies. For this purpose, combined atmospheric and snow radiative transfer simulations were performed for cloudless and cloudy conditions on the basis of BC mass concentrations measured in pristine early summer and more polluted early spring conditions. The area of interest is the remote sea-ice-covered Arctic Ocean in the vicinity of Spitsbergen, northern Greenland, and northern Alaska typically not affected by local pollution. To account for the radiative interactions between the black-carbon-containing snow surface layer and the atmosphere, an atmospheric and snow radiative transfer model were coupled iteratively.
For pristine summer conditions (no atmospheric BC, minimum solar zenith angles of 55 ∘ ) and a representative BC particle mass concentration of 5 ng g −1 in the surface snow layer, a positive daily mean solar radiative forcing of + 0.2 W m −2 was calculated for the surface radiative budget. A higher load of atmospheric BC representing early springtime conditions results in a slightly negative mean radiative forcing at the surface of about − 0.05 W m −2 , even when the low BC mass concentration measured in the pristine early summer conditions was embedded in the surface snow layer. The total net surface radiative forcing combining the effects of BC embedded in the atmosphere and in the snow layer strongly depends on the snow optical properties (snow specific surface area and snow density).
For the conditions over the Arctic Ocean analyzed in the simulations, it was found that the atmospheric heating rate by water vapor or clouds is 1 to 2 orders of magnitude larger than that by atmospheric BC. Similarly, the daily mean total heating rate (6 K d −1 ) within a snowpack due to absorption by the ice was more than 1 order of magnitude larger than that of atmospheric BC (0.2 K d −1 ).
Also, it was shown that the cooling by atmospheric BC of the near-surface air and the warming effect by BC embedded in snow are reduced in the presence of clouds.


Retropleural thoracotomy was used in 15 patients for the management of ventral thoracic and thoracolumbar spine abnormalities. This approach provides the shortest direct route to the anterior thoracic spine and avoids pleural cavity entry. A detailed description of retropleural thoracotomy and the clinical experiences of 15 patients treated with it are presented.


Abstract Objectives: Small-for-gestational-age (SGA) results from abnormalities of the feto-placental-maternal unit. Cytokine profiles during early pregnancy may predict placental changes that lead to SGA, however it is unknown if these altered profiles precede conception. We examined the role of maternal cytokines prior to conception as risk factors for subsequent delivery of an SGA infant. Methods: We included a sample of 80 women and their offspring from a large trial of pre-conceptual multiple micronutrient supplementation. Plasma samples collected before conception were tested with a high sensitivity multiplex assay for IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, IL-13, IFNγ, and TNFα. Results: Pre-conceptual IL-13 and IFNγ were lower in women who gave birth to an SGA child than among control women (0.81 versus 1.14 pg/ml and 7.81 versus 11.01 pg/ml, respectively). Multivariable logistic regression showed that IL-13 (p = 0.029) and IFNγ (p = 0.015) were both inversely associated with SGA. Conclusions: These results suggest maternal immune function prior to conception may indicate an unfavorable immune balance leading to placental abnormalities and high risk of SGA. Preconception assessment of cytokine profiles could potentially contribute to early detection of SGA and to the timely implementation of interventions to prevent it.


Abstract The main objective of our research was to compare followers evaluation of Polish middle managers in regard to their traits and behaviors, which are essential for leadership effectiveness, in the years of 2008/2009; 2010/2012; 2012 and during 1996/1997 under the GLOBE research project. As was unexpected, our research results indicate the Polish middle managers under our follow-up study scored significantly lower than their counterparts investigated under the GLOBE study in 1996/1997 on Performance Orientation, Team Orientation, Humane Orientation, Integrity, Visionary and Inspirational Leadership Dimensions, and significantly higher on Autocratic Leadership style. Our findings point to the conclusion that profound changes in political anc socioeconomic systems in Poland, have shown little effects so far on managerial values and subsequent attitudes and behaviors. We postulate that deep changes in peoples' mentality are needed to generate beneficial changes in the societal and organizational values and succeeding attitudes and behaviors.


The calculations of the spin-polarized Auger-electron emission following a core-hole excitation by circularly polarized photons from a potassium (110) surface has been performed. The angular distribution of the Auger-electron intensity is discussed and different factors determining the spin polarization of Auger-electrons are examined. It has been shown that the strong angular dependence of the Auger-electron spin polarization, predicted by the atomic model (where only the (ss) two-hole final state is considered), is substantially suppressed by contributions from the p- and d-states in the valence band of potassium crystal. This almost isotropic Auger emission can be significantly modified (particularly with respect to the angular distribution of the intensity) if the diffraction of the outgoing Auger wave on the atoms of the crystal is taken into account. In order to achieve a quantitative agreement of the calculated results with the available experimental data, the theoretical models should be improved to be valid for the accurate treatment of the scattering processes at small kinetic energies of the excited electrons.


This paper studies the agency problem between bank management, shareholders, and the taxpayer. Executive bonuses increase in the probability the bank is too big to fail. Bank management recognise it is very likely optimal to select risky projects which exploit the taxpayer, implying project selection effort (eg due diligence) is more expensive to incentivise. This agency problem leads to too much risk for society, not for shareholders. Compensation rules aimed at solving management-shareholder agency problems — equity pay, deferred, including debt — do not correct the excessive risk taking. By contrast, malus and clawbacks can incentivise the bank management to make better risk choices.


[1] Global comparisons of barotropic and internal tides generated in an eddy-resolving ocean circulation model are made with tidal estimates obtained from altimetric sea surface heights and an altimetry-constrained tide model. As far as we know, our Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM) simulations shown here and in an earlier paper are the only published high-resolution global simulations to contain barotropic tides, internal tides, the general circulation, and mesoscale eddies concurrently. Comparing the model barotropic tide with a global data-assimilative shallow water tide model shows that the global tidal elevation differences are approximately evenly split between discrepancies in tidal amplitude and phase. Both the model and observations show strong generation of internal tides at a limited number of "hot spot" regions with propagation of beams of energy for thousands of kilometers away from the sources. The model internal tidal amplitudes compare well with observations near these energetic tidal regions. Averaged over these regions, the model and observation internal tide amplitude estimates agree to approximately 15% for the four largest semidiurnal constituents and 23% for the four largest diurnal constituents. Away from the hot spots, the comparison between the model and altimetric amplitude is not as good due, in part, to two problems, errors in the model barotropic tides and overestimation of the altimetric tides in regions of strong mesoscale eddy activity. Examining the general energy distribution of the simulated internal tide is an important first step in the evaluation of internal tides in HYCOM.


We report a patient known to have an enterovesical fistula who presented severe acute metabolic acidosis during an episode of urinary retention. The enterovesical fistula which had been intermittently symptomatic for 4 years, had developed after several intestinal surgical procedures and related intraperitoneal sepsis following resection of colon cancer 21 years previously. The patient who had a total colectomy and ileostomy, was admitted for hip replacement with the routine placement of a Foley bladder catheter. Three weeks post-operatively, the patient developed acute urinary retention following removal of the urinary catheter. The output from his ileostomy was immediately markedly increased, presumably from bladder urine diverted into the intestines through the enterovesical fistula. Within a few days he presented a normal anion gap metabolic acidosis with raised urea and stable creatinine; his clinical status deteriorated markedly with profound obtundation. These metabolic abnormalities were readily corrected by re-insertion of the Foley catheter with restoration of normal urine flow and immediate corresponding fall in the ileostomy output. Radiographic studies showed the presence of the enterovesical fistula originating from the jejunum. This is the first report of acute metabolic acidosis in association with an enterovesical fistula; the severe metabolic disturbances were triggered by the development of urinary retention resulting in the diversion of urine into the small bowel through the fistula.


Watershed management is a holistic approach to managing watershed resources that integrates forestry, agriculture, pasture and water management, with an objective of sustainable management of natural resources. This approach seeks to promote interactions among multiple stakeholders within and between the upstream and downstream locations of a watershed. The experiences from Nepal suggest that these ideals of watershed management do not appear to be strongly linked with the current policies, programmes and practices. A mechanism for constant dialogue between policymakers, practitioners and communities at landscape level would help in linking the upstream and downstream ecology to improve the livelihoods of the local people and sustainable watershed resource management. Key words: watershed management, upstream and downstream, conservation and livelihoods Full text is available at the ForestAction website Journal of Forest and Livelihood 6(2) September 2007 pp.67-75


Objectives: To analyze optical parameters of cancer before and after chemotherapy in breast cancer patients.Patients and Methods: Absorption coefficient (µa) and reduced scattering coefficient (µs9) of cancer and contra-lateral normal region before and after chemotherapy were measured by using TRS-20SH (Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.). A pulsed laser of 760, 800, and 830 nm wave-length was irradiated at multiple sites in both breasts with time-resolved spectroscopy method and scattered light was analyzed by photon diffusion equation. A total of ten breast cancer patients who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy participated in the trial. Written informed consent was obtained from all of the patients.Results: Absorption coefficient (µa, 1/cm) of breast cancer was significantly higher than that of contra-lateral normal region before chemotherapy. In 800 nm wave-length, absorption coefficient of breast cancer decreased significantly after chemotherapy (before:0.0927, after;0.0498, p=0.002). Although absorption coefficient of contra-lateral normal region also decreased (before:0.0561, after;0.0437, p=0.006), cancer showed more significant decrease than contra-lateral normal region (cancer:-43.1%, normal region;-19.0%, P Figure 1. Absorption coefficient (p a , cm-1), at 800rim (cancer-normal) Similar results were observed in 760 and 830 nm wave-length. There was no difference in reduced scattering coefficient (µs9) between before and after chemotherapy in both breast cancer and contra-lateral normal region. Conclusion: The absorption coefficient of cancer was significantly higher than that of contra-lateral normal region before chemotherapy and decreased significantly after chemotherapy. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2010;70(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-05-02.


In this paper, we investigate the characteristic coronal mass ejection and Type II radio burst, we calculated the drift rate of Type II Radio burst and determined the electron density distribution from a Coronal Mass Ejections. The data were taken from website e-CALLISTO, Space Weather, SolarHam and also from the Langkawi National Observatory, National Space Agency, Langkawi Kedah, Malaysia. All the data collected on 15 th March 2015, 4 th November 2015 and 16 th December 2015. On 16 March 2015, the events were associated with slower C9 solar flare and CME. For this week, the events were causing radio blackouts on Earth. On 4 November 2015, the events were associated with M1.9 solar flare, CME and Solar burst Type II. The value of the solar wind was 570.4 km/Sec and value for radio sun was 124 sfu. For drift rate, we calculated the value for sites in Sri Lanka (ACCIMT-SRI), Ooty, India (OOTY), Indonesia (INDONESIA) and Kasi, South Korea (KASI) at between 0324 to 0328 UTC. In South Korea World Scientific News 46 (2016) 19-35 -20was highest drift rate, which is 1.397 MHz/s. Also, at HB9SCT, Switzerland (HB9SCT), Humain, Belgium (Humain), Daro, Germany (Daro-VHF) and TCD in Birr, Ireland (BIR), we calculated the drift rate of solar burst Type II between 1200 until 1203 UTC. In Belgium had the highest value of the drift rate to compare at other sites. Harmonic pattern was also appeared for all these sites. On 16 th December 2015, this event associated with C6.6 solar flare and CME. These events give an impact on the earth geomagnetic field which is formed of aurora because of the combination of both events that trigger geomagnetic storming.


Background The LESS-CHRON criteria is a new creation of a list of 27 items to guide deprescribing. It is the result of a literature review followed by DELPHI methodology. Each item consists of: drug and its indication, deprescribing condition, health variable to monitor after deprescribing and period of follow-up. Purpose To analyse the utility of a new tool to guide deprescribing in patients with chronic pathologies. Material and methods A chart review was developed by a pharmacist in July 2015. Consent was requested to the service for clinical documentation and statistics from the hospital. Inclusion criteria for patient analysis were: 80 years of age or older, having a summary discharge from the internal medicine unit between September 2014 and May 2015, suffering from a pathology of the ones considered as indications of possible drugs to deprescribe, presenting active prescriptions of drugs in the sanitary card and alive at the time of the study. LESS-CHRON criteria were applied using information from the patient´s chart. Data collected were: age, sex and number of active drugs. Data analysed were: number of items of the tool it was possible to apply in the sample, drugs more frequently considered options to deprescribe, as well as items applied for patients. Results Firstly, 623 patients were obtained from the search but only 50 were included. Reasons for exclusion were: death, absence of active medications or not having enough information to complete the study. There were 20 men (age average 86 years). Median number of active prescriptions of drugs was 10 (1–25). 18 (67%) items were possible to apply in the sample. The drugs more frequently considered options to deprescribe were: antihypertensives (50% of patients), benzodiazepines and zolpidem/zaleplon for insomnia (30%), benzodiazepines for anxiety (28%) and alpha-adrenergic blockers for benign prostatic hypertrophy (22%). The median number of items applied for patients was 2. There were 8 patients with no item to apply. The maximum number of items possible to apply in a patient were 5. Conclusion LESS-CHRON criteria are a useful tool to guide deprescribing in older and chronic patients. Drugs most frequently deprescribed agree with the literature.1,2 It is necessary to validate this result in a clinical trial. References and/or Acknowledgements Iyer S, et al. Drugs Aging 2008;25:1021-31 Ostini R, et al. Med Care 2011;49:28-36 No conflict of interest.


Abstract This article investigates the rationale and implications of creating non-elected community-based bodies for India's national watershed development programme in 1994. A discourse of depoliticisation is in use to justify the creation of 'apolitical' watershed committees in contrast to 'political' panchayats, ostensibly unsuitable for participatory development for their embodiment of political contestation and vested interests. The discourse masks conflicts between key actors in India's development process and is highly malleable, acquiring pertinent meanings in specific contexts. Case-study evidence from two project villages in a south Indian district shows that the attempt to depoliticise this programme of panchayat politics fails, but sets up the ground for depoliticisation of another sort, by distancing watershed project spaces from pro-poor progressive politics.


Abstract Men with Klinefelter syndrome (KS) present severe hormonal dysregulation, particularly elevated serum estradiol concentration. Estrogens act through specific receptors and regulate testes development and spermatogenesis. Herein, we evaluated GPR30, ERα, and ERβ mRNA expression in testis of KS men and men with 46XY karyotype by reverse transcriptase and quantitative PCR. ERβ transcripts are the most abundant in testicular tissue of 46XY men. Notably, testicular GPR30 transcription in KS men was approximately 12 times higher. Since GPR30 is essential to mediate estrogen effects over steroidogenesis, our data illustrate that GPR30 may underpin the testicular alterations observed in KS men.


Several methods for optimal test construction from item banks have recently been proposed using information functions. The main problem with these methods is the large amount of time required to identify an optimal test. In this paper, a new method is presented for the Rasch model that considers groups of interchangeable items, instead of individual items. The process of item clustering is described, the cluster-based test construction model is outlined, and the computational procedure and results are given. Results indicate that this method produces accurate results in small amounts of time. Index terms:


In the last few years, reflections around knowledge building in the museology area have increased considerably, allowing us to cast many gazes over our actions, and, consequently, enabling us to a wider debate around our professional action field, decreasing our exclusion from the academic environment – museologists reproducing the knowledge produced in other areas.            In the present work, we shall approach some issues related to the museological process, taking as a reference several studies about the subject, which, due to the time given to us in this round table, could not be re-presented here for discussion. Besides, we have dedicated a chapter to such approach in our publication titled "Museological Process and Education: building a didactic-community museum". So we have opted instead to carry out a reflection about exclusion , looking into the museum institution and into the application of museological processes; in other words, we shall carry out a self-criticism, in which I include myself, affecting an analysis that will be debated here, considering, additionally, that the museums and museological practices are in relation to the other social global practices, therefore, they are the result of human relations at each historical moment. Finally, based on our lived experience, we shall give continuity to our reflection process, highlighting the importance of knowledge production for the area of museology and the relevance of the theory-practice relation, punctuating some aspects we think that may contribute to the construction of a museological action that may serve as a historical elaboration in securing a space for self- determination.


We present a comprehensive modelling framework aimed at quantifying the
response of agricultural commodity prices to changes in their potential
determinants. The problem of model uncertainty is assessed explicitly by concentrating
on specification selection based on the quality of short-term outof-
sample forecasts (1 to 12 months ahead) for the price of wheat, soybeans
and corn. Univariate and multivariate autoregressive models (autoregressive
[AR], vector autoregressive [VAR] and vector error correction [VEC] specifications,
estimated using frequentist and Bayesian methods), specifications with
heteroskedastic errors (AR conditional heteroskedastic [ARCH] and generalized
AR conditional heteroskedastic [GARCH] models) and combinations of
these are entertained, including information about market fundamentals, macroeconomic
and financial developments, and climatic variables. In addition,
we assess potential non-linearities in the commodity price dynamics along the
business cycle. Our results indicate that variables measuring market fundamentals
and macroeconomic developments (and, to a lesser extent, financial
developments) contain systematic predictive information for out-of-sample
forecasting of commodity prices and that agricultural commodity prices react
robustly to shocks in international competitiveness, as measured by changes in
the real exchange rate.


Cancer cells are characterized by a high rate of glycolysis, which is their primary energy source. An important mechanism that controls glycolysis is the reversible binding of glycolytic enzymes to cytoskeleton. We report here that the local anesthetics, lidocaine and bupivacaine, induced a dose-dependent detachment of the glycolytic enzymes, phosphofructokinase (EC 220.127.116.11) and aldolase (EC 22.214.171.124), from cytoskeleton of B16 melanoma cells. The detachment of glycolytic enzymes from cytoskeleton would reduce the provision of local ATP, in the vicinity of cytoskeleton-membrane and would also affect cytoskeleton structure. We show here that the local anesthetics decreased the viability of melanoma cells. The detachment of the glycolytic enzymes from cytoskeleton, induced by the drugs, preceded melanoma cell death, which indicates that this is an early effect and not a result of cell death. Bupivacaine was more potent than lidocaine both on the glycolytic enzymes and on cell viability. The present results suggest that local anesthetics, and especially bupivacaine, are promising drugs for the treatment of melanoma.


This article reviews the characteristics of the model selection problem for simulation software or analyses and presents a multiobjective decision analysis approach for model selection that addresses these characteristics. The approach is illustrated with an application to selecting a modeling approach for simulating transport agents. The authors discovered that using multiobjective decision analysis for model selection can assist decision makers in more fully understanding all aspects of the simulation design problem and can uncover insights into the particular simulation project being designed.


Muslim women in France are at the centre of public debates about religion in the public sphere, gender politics and immigration. The hijab or Islamic headscarf has become emblematic of these issues. Based on ethnographic research in Petit Nanterre, a suburb 15 kilometres northwest of Paris, this dissertation examines various actors who seek to compartmentalize or shape Muslim women's identities. I begin with academic anthropological approaches to Islam and women, and with changing legal and popular definitions in France of lai"cite (French secularism) and its relationship to Islam. I then argue that the continued marriage-partner preference for "traditional" North African women expressed by male North African immigrants constrains the identity politics of local women, while a "cultural freezing" phenomena instils greater social pressure to enact and renegotiate certain cultural and religious mores in the banlieue. These cultural preferences are fortified by local gossip focused on women's religious and sexual propriety and by the Panopticonlike architecture of the housing projects. French feminist organizations like Femmes Solidaires ("Women in Solidarity") often hold neo-Orientalist positions, seeking to "save" Muslim women in the banlieue, and ultimately reinforcing negative stereotypes about the headscarf and gender politics in Muslim communities. I conclude that the women of Petit Nanterre themselves move within and without these categories as postcolonial "hybrids". While French social scientists and journalists have focused on the adaptational difficulties Muslims face in a nation legally and philosophically committed to secularism, there have been few academic studies undertaken from an ethnographic perspective focused on first-generation Muslim Maghrebian women living in the banlieue. My research emphasizes their voices and migratory experiences. I demonstrate that French Muslim women are key actors in promoting the visibility of Muslims in the West and in contemporary linkages between gender politics and religion in the public sphere.


Building-scale microgrids are a type of behind-the-meter microgrids where the building operator has control of the distributed energy resources, including, in this case, a natural gas-fired microturbine in addition to solar PV and battery energy storage systems. There is a growing trend in deploying behind-the-meter microgrids due to their benefits including the resiliency of serving critical loads, especially in regions with abundant natural gas. In order to ensure distributed energy resources are dispatched optimally for the desired mode of operation, a hierarchical control platform including a centralized controller was developed and installed. The platform includes communication and control infrastructure that interface with controllers for distributed energy resources and the building automation system of a recently built energy efficient commercial building. Based on desirable outcomes under different grid and building conditions, operational modes were defined for the microgrid controller. The controller is programmed to map each mode to respective operational modes for distributed energy resources controllers. Experimental data for test runs corresponding to two operational modes confirm the communication and control infrastructure can execute hierarchical control commands. Finally, dispatch optimization for a year-long simulation of system operation is presented and the benefits of the hybrid solar PV-natural gas setup are evaluated.


ABSTRACT Some of Adam Wagstsaff's colleagues and research collaborators submitted short reflections about the different ways Adam made a difference through his amazing research output to health equity and health systems as well as a leader and mentor. The Guest Editors of this Special Issue selected a set of six essays related to dimensions of Adam's contributions. The first contribution highlights his role early on in his career, prior to joining the World Bank, in defining and expanding an important field of research on equity in health ("Adam and Equity," by Eddy van Doorslaer and Owen O'Donnell). The second contribution focuses on Adam's early work on equity and health within the World Bank and his leadership on important initiatives that have had impact far beyond the World Bank ("Adam and Health Equity at the World Bank," by Davidson Gwatkin and Abdo Yazbeck). The next contribution focuses on Adam's deep dive into providing support, through research, for country-specific programs and reforms, with a special focus on some countries in East Asia ("Adam and Country Health System Research," by Magnus Lindelow, Caryn Bredenkamp, Winnie Yip, and Sarah Bales). The next contribution highlights Adam's many ways of contributing to the International Health Economics Association, from the impressive technical contributions to leadership and organizational reform ("Adam and iHEA," by Diane McIntyre). The next to last contribution focuses on Adam's long-term leadership in the research group at the World Bank and the long-lasting influence on integrating the research produced into World Bank operations and creating an environment that rewarded producing evidence for action ("Adam the Research Manager," by Deon Filmer and Damien de Walque). The last contribution pulls on the thread found in many of the earlier ones, mentorship with honesty, directness, caring, commitment, and equity ("Adam the Mentor," by Agnes Couffinhal, Caryn Bredenkamp, and Reem Hafez).


Context. Solar coronal mass ejections (CMEs) can catch up and interact with preceding CMEs and solar wind structures to undergo rotation and deflection during their propagation. Aim. We aim to show how the interactions of a CME in the corona and heliosphere can play a significant role in altering its geoef-fectiveness as predicted at the time of its eruption. To do so, we consider a case study of two successive CMEs launched from the active region NOAA 12158 in early September 2014. The second CME was predicted to be extensively geoe ff ective based on the remote-sensing observations of the source region. However, in situ measurements at 1 au recorded only a short-lasting, weak negative B z component followed by a prolonged positive B z component. Methods. We used the EUropean Heliosphere FORecasting Information Asset (EUHFORIA) to perform a self-consistent 3D mag-netohydrodynamical (MHD) data-driven simulation of the two CMEs in the heliosphere. First, the ambient solar wind is modelled, followed by the time-dependent injection of CME1 with the LFF spheromak and CME2 with the Flux Rope in 3D (FRi3D) model. The initial conditions of the CMEs are determined by combining observational insights near the Sun, which are fine-tuned to match the in situ observations near 1 au, with additional numerical experiments related to each individual CME. Results. By introducing CME1 before CME2 in the EUHFORIA simulation, we modelled the negative B z component in the sheath region ahead of CME2 whose formation can be attributed to the interaction between CME1 and CME2. To reproduce the positive B z component in the magnetic ejecta of CME2, we had to initialise CME2 with an orientation determined at 0.1 au and consistent with the orientation interpreted at 1 au instead of the orientation observed during its eruption. Conclusions. EUHFORIA simulations suggest the possibility of a significant rotation of CME2 in the low corona in order to explain the in situ observations at 1 au. Coherent magnetic field rotations with enhanced strength (potentially geoe ff ective) can be formed in the sheath region as a result of interactions between two CMEs in the heliosphere even if the individual CMEs are not geoe ff ective.


Orofacial clefts are common birth defects that may impose a large burden on the health, quality of life, and socioeconomic well-being of affected individuals and families. They also result in significant healthcare use and costs. Understanding the impact of orofacial clefts on these outcomes is important for identifying unmet needs and developing public policies to reduce the burden of orofacial clefts at the individual, family and societal levels. This paper reviews and summarizes the main findings of recent studies that have evaluated the impact of orofacial clefts on these outcomes, with a focus on quality of life, socioeconomic outcomes, long-term health, and healthcare use and costs. Several studies identify an increased burden of orofacial clefts on these outcomes, but some of the findings are inconsistent. A summary of the primary limitations of the studies in this area is presented, along with recommendations and directions for future research.


This retrospective study was designed to assess the specific contribution of intraoperative ultrasonography (IOU) in a series of 50 surgical procedures for malignant tumors of the liver (including 27 hepato-cellular carcinomas (HCC) secondary to cirrhosis and 18 metastases). Compared to conventional pre- and intra-operative investigations, IOU was more sensitive (81%) but less specific (27%) for detection of tumor nodules, but was inaccurate in detection of daughter nodules in hepato-cellular carcinomas (HCC) secondary to cirrhosis. The main specific contribution of IOU was assistance in performing surgery. In 14 cases (52%) of HCC secondary to cirrhosis, IOU provided one or several additional pieces of information which resulted in changes of the planned surgical procedure in 11 cases (41%) mainly enabling limited resection of small deep impalpable tumors. In 10 cases (37%), IOU directly guided resection (echo-guided segmentectomy or tumorectomy). Contribution of IOU was poor in primary carcinoma in non-cirrhotic liver, but in 8 cases of metastasis (44%) IOU provided additional information which resulted in changes of the intended surgical procedure in 5 cases (28%) mainly leading to a more extensive resection. Finally IOU was considered to be indispensable in 15 cases of HCC cirrhosis (56%) and in 5 cases of metastasis (28%).


Electromagnetic suspension (EMS) has been widely used in many industrial fields because of various advantages in practical use. The U-type magnets are often used to generate the levitation force in the EMS system. This conventional electromagnet, however, can only control one degree-of-freedom. It cannot construct a levitation system solely by itself. A four-pole type yoke hybrid electromagnet is proposed instead of the usual U-type magnet and its magnetic levitation control is studied in this paper. The basic structure and characteristics of the proposed magnet are described first. Next the control system is designed. Luenberger observer, only using gap sensors, is applied to realize zero-power control. The semi-zero-power control with a disturbance observer is proposed to improve the performance, as well as the robustness, of the control system. The ideas of coordination with linear motor are discussed. Finally, the simulation results and corresponding experiments have been presented.


OBJECTIVE: To describe the quantity, quality, and availability of practice guidelines currently used in Finland. DESIGN: Cross sectional survey. METHODS: Guidelines from 1989 to 1995 were collected through a database search, through hand searches of the two Finnish general medical journals, and through an inquiry into hospitals, health centres, and medical societies. The content and source of evidence for guidelines was assessed. RESULTS: 719 practice guidelines were found. 578 guidelines (80%) were retrieved by the inquiry, the database search identified 27 (4%) and hand searches 106 (15%). There were 150 guidelines (21%) developed nationally, 120 (17%) regionally, and 449 (62%) locally. The structure and quality of evidence supporting the guidelines was variable and only two guidelines were based on meta-analysis. The references were significantly more often (P < 0.001) documented in the national guidelines (n = 129, 86%) than in the regional or local guidelines (n = 65, 11%). CONCLUSIONS: There are many ways of disseminating guidelines and it may be difficult for end users to find the appropriate guidelines. Sources of evidence were seldom documented in the regional and local guidelines and even some national guidelines lacked all references. More attention should be paid to documenting the level of evidence, structuring the guidelines, and creating optimal strategies for development and dissemination of guidelines.


Tourism plays an important role in world economy and it is expected that it gets more importance in the next years. Tourism affects occupation rate, payment balance, and economical stability of many countries. This industry is an application one, so that it is a potential to improve occupation situation, especially for low-skilled jobs. In Tajikistan, unemployment rate is focused on in this area. In addition, tourism jobs are more dispersed than the other economical divisions, so they are parallel to decentralization policy of Tajikistan. Tourism marketing mixture elements (services, goods, price, pricing, promotional activities, and distribution channels) are variables that their planning regarding needs of tourists and considering environmental factors, may conclude more success. A sample of 80 active persons in tourism industry in Tajikistan for four years (2008-2010) was selected. Binomial test, Freedman variance analysis test, and correlation test were used to test assumptions. The results show that promotional activities and distribution channels of services and goods of Tajikistan obtained first and second ranks, and tourism services and goods obtained third rank. Regarding ranking of four elements of marketing mixture, the main assumption of this research is confirmed.

 Key words: Marketing mixture, tourism industry, strategic.


Perceiving a direction as "up" is fundamental to human performance and perception. Astronauts in microgravity frequently experience reorientation illusions in which they, or their world, appear to flip and 'up' becomes arbitrarily redefined. This paper assesses the relative importance of visual cues in determining the perceived up direction. In the absence of information about the origin of illumination, people interpret surface structure by assuming that the direction of illumination is from above. Here we exploit this phenomenon to measure the influence of head and body orientation, gravity and visual cues on the perceived up direction. Fifteen subjects judged the shape of shaded circles presented in various orientations. The circles were shaded in such a way that when the shading was compatible with light coming from above, the circle appeared as a convex hemisphere. Therefore, by finding which shaded circle appeared most convex, we can deduce the direction regarded as "up". The different cues contributing to this percept were separated by varying both the orientation of the subject and the surrounding room relative to gravity. The relative significance of each cue may be of use in spacecraft interior design to help reduce the incidence of visual reorientation illusions.


We apply equivariant localization to supersymmetric quantum mechanics and show that the partition function localizes on the instantons of the theory. Our construction of equivariant cohomology for SUSY quantum mechanics is different than the ones that already exist in the literature. A hidden bosonic symmetry is made explicit and the supersymmetry is extended. New bosonic symmetry is the square of the new fermionic symmetry. The D term is now the parameter of the bosonic symmetry. This construction provides us with an equivariant complex together with a Cartan differential and makes the use of localization principle possible.


OBJECTIVE
This study was planned to investigate the relationship between slow coronary flow and the carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT) which is an indicator of early atherosclerotic changes in vascular tree.

METHODS
Consecutive patients (n=203) who were free of any coronary lesions in coronary angiograms were enrolled. The patients were assigned into slow flow (97) and normal flow (106) groups according to the corrected TIMI frame count (CTFC) of every three coronary arteries. Carotid artery intima-media thickness was measured via computer software regarding far-wall method in both common carotid arteries. Maximum and mean CIMT values were compared between the two groups. The accuracy of CIMT in the prediction of slow coronary flow was estimated using Receiver Operating Characteristic curve (ROC) analysis.

RESULTS
Maximum and mean CIMT values were 0.814+/-0.106 mm and 0.668+/-0.080 mm for normal flow group and 0.966+/-0.133 mm, 0.780+/-0.105 mm for slow flow group, respectively (p<0.001). Using 0.861 as the cut-off value for maximum CIMT positive and negative predictive values of slow flow were 80.1% and 70.2% (area under the ROC curve=0.809; p<0.001; 95% CI 0.750-0.868).

CONCLUSIONS
We find out that CIMT and CTFC are strongly correlated. This implies that slow coronary flow could be an early marker of subclinical atherosclerosis. So patients with slow flow should be followed-up prospectively for possibility of manifest atherosclerosis.


Continuously reinforced concrete pavement (CRCP) is a representative type of concrete pavement constructed with continuous steel bars without intermediate transverse expansions. With reference to pavement conditions, CRCP is an exceptional type of concrete pavement according to the Highway Pavement Condition Index (HPCI) and International Roughness Index (IRI). The two main design methods for CRCP are AASHTO 86/93 and the Mechanistic–Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG). Because of limitations of the AASHTO 86/93 design method, the MEPDG method is more reliable. While incorporating the interactions among geometrics, pavement structure layers, material properties, subgrade, traffic, and environmental conditions, and the prediction values according to the MEPDG method, it matched the measured results of crack spacing and crack width. The MEPDG punchout, crack width and spacing, and load transfer efficiency (LTE) models were evaluated, and results were compared with the test sections in three European countries consisting of different construction details, which were investigated and recorded between 2019 and 2021. In this sense, a calculation tool was developed to consider the influence of different parameters in design process. In addition, sensitivity analyses were executed for the development of punchout, considering various input parameters. The track surveying and the evaluation of the results indicated that the design process can be improved with consideration of some criteria such as crack formation time or adjustment of the correlation between crack width and crack spacing. Due to the very important function of erosion and resulting pumping in the deterioration of CRCP, it is advisable to include the influence of the base layer and the influence of different shoulder type and heavy traffic volume or effect of deflection in the calculations.


In common with global trends, the number of individuals with type 2 diabetes in the UK is rising, driven largely by obesity. The increasing prevalence of younger individuals with type 2 diabetes is of particular concern because of the accelerated course of diabetes‐related complications that is observed in this population. The importance of good glycaemic control in the prevention of microvascular complications of diabetes is widely accepted, and there is a growing body of evidence to support a benefit in the reduction of cardiovascular events in the long term. Despite the importance of maintaining a healthy weight for the prevention of type 2 diabetes, the results from trials of lifestyle intervention strategies to reduce body weight have been disappointing. New glucose‐lowering agents offer some promise in this regard, offering an opportunity to combat the dual burden of hyperglycaemia and obesity simultaneously. The timing and appropriate choice of glucose‐lowering therapy has never been more complex as a result of rising prevalence of obesity in the young, concomitant obesity in some 90% of adults with type 2 diabetes and an ever‐increasing range of therapeutic options. The present review evaluates performance measures specific to weight and glycaemic control in type 2 diabetes in the UK using data from the Quality and Outcomes Framework in England and Wales, and the Scottish Diabetes Survey. Potential barriers to improvement in standards of care for people with type 2 diabetes are considered, including patient factors, clinical inertia and the difficulties in translating therapeutic guidelines into everyday clinical practice.