Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) is one of the most important legume crops being introduced into the smallholder farming systems of the Central Highlands of Kenya (CHK) to improve income and household nutrition of farmers. However, phosphorus fixation, depletion of soil nutrients and soil acidity are major causes of low yields. The objective of this study is to evaluate effects of manure application, liming and phosphorus application on soil properties and soybean performance. The study consisted of 8 treatments: manure (0, 5 and 10 t ha -1 ), lime (0 and 2 tha -1 ) and P fertilizer (0, 30 and 60 kg P ha -1 ). The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with 4 replicates in plots of 4 m × 4.5 m. Manure and lime significantly reduced exchangeable acidity and increased soil pH. Application of manure alone or combined with lime or P fertilizer also increased Mg and K. Treatments that had sole lime, lime combined with manure and manure combined with P applied gave a significant increase in exchangeable Ca. Soybean responded well and significantly to application of manure either alone or combined with lime, P or both. These results showed the potential role of lime, manure and P fertilizer in improving soil fertility and soybean yields.


Innate immune signaling activation and DNA damage are pathological hallmarks of aging that may herald multiple adult-onset neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we report that both cell autonomous and non-autonomous neuronal death are triggered by the production of cytoplasmic double-stranded RNA (cdsRNA) from a regulated, disarticulated transgene in the setting of type I interferon (IFN-I) signaling. CdsRNA is a pathogen associated molecular pattern that induces IFN-I in many cell types. Transfection of a dsRNA mimetic into cultured human neurons also induces IFN-I signaling and cell death in a dose-dependent manner. Direct relevance to human disease is found in neurons of ALS-FTD patients carrying C9ORF72 intronic hexanucleotide expansions; cdsRNA isolated from these tissues is comprised of repeat sequences. Together, these findings implicate cdsRNA generated from genomic sequences in neurons as a trigger for sterile, viral-mimetic IFN-I induction and propagated neuronal death within in a neural circuit in the aging nervous system.


Deadwood is a large global carbon store with its store size partially determined by biotic decay. Microbial wood decay rates are known to respond to changing temperature and precipitation. Termites are also important decomposers in the tropics but are less well studied. An understanding of their climate sensitivities is needed to estimate climate change effects on wood carbon pools. Using data from 133 sites spanning six continents, we found that termite wood discovery and consumption were highly sensitive to temperature (with decay increasing >6.8 times per 10°C increase in temperature)—even more so than microbes. Termite decay effects were greatest in tropical seasonal forests, tropical savannas, and subtropical deserts. With tropicalization (i.e., warming shifts to tropical climates), termite wood decay will likely increase as termites access more of Earth's surface. Description Heat-dependent wood decay Decomposition rates vary with temperature and precipitation, in part because of the effects of climate on decomposer organisms. Although microbes are widely recognized as decomposers, animals such as insects also play a key role in tropical systems. Zanne et al. replicated an experiment at 133 global sites to quantify climate-related variation in wood decomposition by both microbes and termites. Climate influenced both microbial and termite decomposition, but termite presence and activity were more sensitive to temperature. Termites may thus play a larger role in global wood decomposition as the climate warms. —BEL A globally distributed field experiment shows that wood decay, particularly by termites, depends on temperature.


The rate and trajectory of technological progress in China is confined by two important factors, i.e., being a developing country as well as in transition from a command economy to a market economy. Being a developing country means that learning and imitation will be of primary concern in technological progress. Being an economy in transition implies that the national innovation system is also being transformed, i.e., the responsibility of carrying out the technological learning process will be shifted from the central research and design institutes to enterprises, and enterprises will learn from playing the supply-demand market game. As industrial experience and technological capacity are accumulating more and more at the enterprise level, Chinese companies have been learning quickly to turn out innovations that can best serve the domestic market. Adapting a theoretical framework that combines the market-demand induced innovation hypothesis, the learning and imitation paradigm and the combinative capacity argument, this paper will present a picture about technological progress in large developing countries at the macroscopic level. Citing two cases from China's consumer electronics industry and auto industry, it illustrates the possible trajectories of technological progress in large developing countries such as China. The first case concerns the consumer electronics industry. As Chinese consumer electronic companies become more accustomed to the market economy and accumulate enough market experiences, they are learning quickly to turn out improved products or even innovative products to meet market demand. The emergence and widespread use of VCD, a genuine Chinese innovation, is a unique phenomenon that is nowhere observed in the world. This innovative visual-audio product has created a huge market in China and provided excellent opportunity for some new entry companies to build up corporate competence for the next generation of consumer electronics products. At the same time, the appearance of VCD has forever changed the landscape of technological development in China's consumer electronics industry and has some far-reaching impact on the world market as well. The second case detailed in this paper is the invention of agricultural vehicles (AV) whose production has surpassed that of cars and trucks in China in recent years. The phenomenally fast growth of AV will have some long-term impact on shaping the patterns of development for China's auto industry. This paper argues that, due to the change of market structure, the recombining of existing knowledge base and the quick accumulation of economic and industrial experiences at the firm level, the trajectory of technology development in China could well be different from those observed in other countries. In the age of integration, as defined by the progress of information and communication technologies as well as the globalisation of the world economy, a new paradigm of technology development may emerge in large developing countries such as China. This is the message intended by this essay.


Human civilization started with the invention of tools which enhanced and expanded human motor capability. With the recent development of virtual reality technology and artificial intelligence, the interaction between humans and machines has become more and more intricate. A better understanding of our motor system and the way it interacts with machines will allow us to better design intelligent devices. However, previous works in motor control modeling mostly focused on linear dynamics and had limitations in incorporating the process of learning.

A musculoskeletal model based on mechanical principles and a motor control model based on Bayesian probability are proposed in this study. The probability-theoretical formulation of the problem not only facilitates the understanding of motor learning but also transforms nonlinear dynamics into linear problems. Using these models, the interactions in which both human and machine are capable of learning and adapting are formulated and analyzed. Intelligent control policies for machine imitating the human motor control are proposed. Simulation results are also presented.


Mixed disulphide formation in the presence of oxidized glutathione reversibly inactivates rabbit skeletal muscle aldolase. Inactivation is allosteric, preferentially modifying Cys-72 on the surface of the aldolase homotetramer distant from active-site locations and subunit interfaces. Ion-exchange chromatography fractionates partly inactivated aldolase into three distinct enzymic species: unmodified enzyme, inactive fully modified enzyme corresponding to one thiol reacted per subunit, and inactive singly modified enzyme in which only one thiol has reacted. Acid-precipitable enzymic intermediates formed in the presence of substrate, D-fructose 1,6-bisphosphate, and product, dihydroxyacetone phosphate, indicates that active site binding is unaffected upon modification. The absence of enamine carbanion formation in the presence of substrate but not product is consistent with mixed disulphide formation's blocking -C-C- cleavage and/or subsequent D-glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate release. Inactivation upon single subunit modification and substrate protection against modification denotes that the blocked step is associated with a long-range conformational transition involving highly co-operative subunit behaviour.


The electronic band structure of AlN, AlSb, AlAs and their ternary alloys with In has been investigated by ETB. The ETB method has been formulated for sp3d2 basis and nearest neighbor interactions of the compounds and its energy parameters have been derived from the results of the present first principles calculations carried on AlN, AlSb and AlAs. It has been found that the present ETB energy parameters can produce the band structure of the compounds and their ternary alloys with In successfully.


Working with a series of narratives about a family dispute told over more than thirty years by an elderly Tzotzil-speaking Indian, from Chiapas, Mexico, I consider several puzzles about the widely espoused notion of the "textual self." Here the voices of others, perhaps more than that of the speaker whose self is being constituted, are centrally incorporated into his ongoing self-reflective biographical account. Moreover, as the narrator moves toward the end of his life, his story seems to lock itself into a closed discursive universe, in which the words of salient others become the repetitive, insistent, and inescapable theme of his self-conception and presentation.


To measure chlorophyll a (Chl a) fluorescence (Fchl), fluorometers use an excitation wavelength that is within the visible spectrum of most zooplankton, and as a result has the potential to cause a phototactic response in zooplankton. The transparent bodies of herbivorous zooplankton may allow viable chlorophyll a within an individual's digestive tract to fluoresce in response to sensor excitation light, resulting in measurement bias. To test for this bias, a fully factorial (± zooplankton and ± light) experiment was conducted in an oligotrophic lake. Excitation light from fluorometers triggered a positive phototactic response during nighttime hours, resulting in swarms of zooplankton congregating beneath the sensor. The maximum hourly mean Fchl from nighttime/open treatments was higher and more variable than nighttime/zooplankton exclusion treatments, with the greatest single hour difference of 7.34 relative fluorescence units (RFU) vs. 0.26 RFU. In open treatments, sustained periods of Fchl exceeded 31x the values of exclusion treatments. A second series of experiments pulsed excitation lights in alternating periods in order to characterize zooplankton response times. Sensor bias was detected in as little as 20 s after initial illumination. Collectively, these results suggest that swarms of phototactic zooplankton can cause substantial bias in Fchl measurements at night. To correct for this bias, post‐processing methods using time series decomposition were demonstrated to remove the majority of Fchl bias.


Background Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic, systemic inflammatory rheumatic disease affecting the axial skeleton, but may also affect peripheral joints, tendons and internal organs. This disease which begins in the second or third decade may give rise to significant loss of function and impaired quality of life. Despite the known importance of sexuality as part of quality of life (1), only a few studies have explored this important issue in AS patients. Objectives To explore sexuality in patients with AS in regard to how satisfied they are with their sexual life and whether the patients think their sexuality is influenced by the disease. Methods This is a prospective, longitudinal, observational study were patients with established AS seen in the outpatient clinic in three hospitals in the southern and eastern part of Norway, were asked to participate. A broad specter of demographic, clinical data, quality of life data, also including a general questionnaire on sexuality, was collected. Results Mean (SD) age in the 411 included patients was 44.1 (13.9) years and disease duration 16.9 (11.8) years. 66.6% were men and 89.8% were HLA-B27 positive, 45.0% reported to be ever users of biologics, 92.7% of NSAIDs and 19.7% to be ever users of DMARDs. Mean (SD) values was 3.2 (2.1) for BASDAI, 2.8 (2.2) for BASFI, 3.9 (2.5) for BAS-G, 2.5 (2.0) for BASMI, 0.56 (0.49) for HAQ, 13.7 (12.8) mm/hr for ESR and 8.4 (11.4) mg/l for CRP. 82% reported to have a partner with whom they currently had sex with and 75.8% were reporting to be married or cohabitant. Among the AS patients 67.8% reported sex and sexuality to be important/very important to be satisfied in daily life. 28.0% reported sexuality to be less important and only 4.2% thought sexuality was not important. On the question: "how satisfied are you with your sexual life?" 50.4% reported to be satisfied/very satisfied, 23.8% were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied and 25.8% were dissatisfied. 49.5% reported to have had problems with their sexuality, however only 14.1% of the patients had been seeking help to solve the problems. 67.6% of the patients thought their sexual problems were related to their disease, 25.2% in very high degree and 42.4% in some degree. The main disease related causes of sexual problems were tiredness 32.1%, stiffness 33.1% and pain 34.3%. Conclusions In this study as many as 49.5% reported to have had sexual problems, and 67.6% thought their sexual problems were related to their AS. The main causes of sexual problems were tiredness, stiffness and pain. The number of patients reporting sexual problems is high in this group this despite disease activity scores and health activity scores which was in the lower range of the scales. More studies are needed to illuminate how sexual life is influenced by AS. References Healey EL, Haywood KL, Jordan KP, Garratt AM, Ryan S, Packham JC. Ankylosing spondylitis and its impact on sexual relationships. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2009 Nov;48(11):1378-81. Disclosure of Interest K. Hansen Berg: None Declared, A. Prøven: None Declared, E. Almås: None Declared, E. E. Benestad: None Declared, M. Østensen: None Declared, G. Haugeberg Grant/Research support from: Helse Sør-Øst


Photo-interpretation of Landsat MSS images of Qatar Peninsula reveals several surface lineaments of different types, extentions and trends. Some of these photo-lineaments are of structural nature while others represent various geomorphological features that are developed in linear trends on the land surface. They include the extension and configuration of the coastline, sand dune belts, drainage lines, depressions, escarpments, and others. In this paper, the delineated lineaments are investigated and analysed both qualitatively and qauntitatively. Emphasis is given to the structural lineaments which presumably represent the traces of major faults or fractures that regionally extend as relatively straight lines. The major structural lineaments are extending in two major trends of NE-SW and NNW-SSE directions, which represent the regional tension fracture systems formed during the uplift of Qatar arch.


To complete the ongoing revision of the International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes, we here propose emendation of Rules 8, 15, 22, 25a, 30(3)(b), 30(4), 34a and Appendix 7. These proposed emendations deal with: the nomenclatural type of taxa above genus; the suitability of names published in supplementary material or in papers published on e-print servers for effective publication; the number of culture collection designations to be included in an effective publication of a name of a species or subspecies to qualify for validation of the name; the kinds of restrictions that may be attached to deposits of type strains; and the question whether elevation of a subspecies to the rank of species or lowering of a species to the rank of subspecies establish new combinations. Some of these emendations change the meaning of the Code while others are mere textual clarifications.


Regulatory T cells (Tregs) play a pivotal role in suppressing specific antiviral immune responses during the progression of chronic hepatitis B virus infection (CHB) as well as tumorigenesis. Programmed death-1 ligand-1 (PD-L1) expressed on Tregs can transduce an inhibitory signal into effector T cells through interacting with programmed death-1 (PD-1). However, in CHB patients, the clinical significance of PD-L1 expression on Tregs has not been clearly described. This study investigated the frequency of circulating Tregs and PD-L1 expression on Tregs and analyzed their correlations with clinical parameters. The data show that both the frequency of CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ Tregs and PD-L1 expression on Tregs in the peripheral blood increased significantly in CHB patients when compared with healthy controls. At the same time, it is shown that PD-L1 expression on Tregs was positively correlated with the percentage of Tregs in CHB patients. Moreover, the results demonstrated that both Treg frequency and PD-L1 expression on Tregs positively correlated with the levels of alanine aminotransaminase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), both of which are indicators of the extent of liver injury. Taken together, these findings suggest that PD-L1 on Tregs might contribute to progression of hepatitis B virus infection through mediating the inhibitory function of Tregs. Thereby, blockade of interaction between Treg-expressing PD-L1 and PD-1 on effector T cells may be adopted as a potential therapeutic approach in CHB.


This paper presents the development and evaluation of an algorithm for the prediction of NOx emissions from a biomass fired combustion process based on flame radical imaging, image processing and soft computing techniques. The investigation was performed on a biomass-gas fired test rig. An algorithm which combines texture analysis and non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) is studied for the image feature extraction. Fast sparse regression with convex penalties is then employed to establish the relationship between the image features and NOx emissions. The predicted NOx emissions from a fitted model are in good agreement with the measurement results. The results demonstrate that the proposed technical approach to the prediction of NOx emissions is effective.


>The impact of the great recession on inequality is unclear. Because the crises in the housing and stock markets and mass job loss affect incomes from across the entire distribution, the overall impact on inequality is difficult to determine. Early speculation using a variety of narrow measures of earnings, income and consumption yield contradictory results. In this paper, we develop new estimates of income inequality based on 'more complete income' (MCI), which augments standard income measures with those that are accrued from the ownership of wealth. We use the 1989-2007 Surveys of Consumer Finances, and also construct MCI measures for 2009 based on projections of assets, income, and earnings. We investigate the level and trend in MCI inequality and compare it to other estimates of overall and 'high incomes' in the literature. Compared to standard measures of income, MCI suggests higher levels of inequality and slightly larger increases in inequality over time. Several MCI-based inequality measures peaked in 2007 at their highest levels in twenty years. The combined impact of the "great recession" on the housing, stock, and labor markets after 2007 has reduced some measures of income inequality at the top of the MCI distribution. Despite declining from the 2007 peak, however, inequality remains as high as levels experienced earlier in the decade, and much higher than most points over the last twenty years. In the middle of the income distribution, the declines in income from wealth after 2007 were the result of diminished value of residential real estate; at the top of the distribution declines in the value of business assets had the greatest impact. We also assess the level and trend in the functional distribution of income between capital and labor, and find a rising share of income accruing to real capital or wealth from 1989 to 2007. The recent economic crisis has diminished the capital share back to levels from 2004. Contrary to the findings of other researchers, we find that the labor share of income among high-income groups declined between 1992 and 2007.


This paper analyzes the distributional effect of public spending in Zambia using the most recent data from the 2010 Living Conditions Monitoring Survey. The analysis focuses on both the"traditional"social sectors, such as education and public healthcare, as well as other spending areas less thoroughly studied, such as agricultural support programs. Ultimately, this benefit incidence analysis addresses the extent to which spending is pro-poor and progressive; that is, it primarily benefits the poor and does so at an increasing rate as welfare levels decrease. The results indicate that overall public education spending in Zambia is neither pro-poor nor progressive, but while this is true for the system as a whole it is not true for all of its parts. The net unitary benefits of primary and secondary education are clearly both pro-poor and progressive. However, their progressivity is ultimately outweighed by the extreme concentration of tertiary education benefits among the wealthiest members of Zambian society. Health spending is also regressive and not pro-poor. Although unitary net benefits are slightly progressive, unequal access remains the key constraint. In contrast, the benefits of agricultural-input subsidy programs follow a somewhat progressive pattern (for each beneficiary in the top quintile there are almost two beneficiaries in the poorest quintile) but clearly suffer from targeting problems. Consequently, without better-designed and more conscientiously implemented targeting mechanisms, public spending on health, education, and fertilizers will not be able to further the government's larger objectives for pro-poor and progressive development policy.


Background Combating alcohol related harm in New Zealand takes a concerted effort by many sectors of the community working together with a shared vision. Needs analysis identified a dearth of youth alcohol harm minimisation resource material to support curriculum delivery in Whanganui secondary schools. The project aimed to co-ordinate development of a youth informed digital video disc (DVD) to address this gap. It sought to engage youth in conversations around harm minimisation and curriculum resource development and to increase community collaboration in support of this. Evaluation focussed on project activities and short term outcomes. Aims/Objectives/Purpose Evaluation aims included identifying levels of stakeholder engagement, particularly among youth, factors influencing engagement and impact of the resource on youth awareness. Methods Mixed methods were used with a focus on a qualitative approach. Information was collected via debrief sessions, document analysis (including photographic records), youth pre and post DVD viewing feedback and participant observation. Results/Outcomes Youth were successfully engaged in key project implementation phases. This was influenced by opportunities to have meaningful input. Youth pre and post DVD viewing data indicated significant increases in awareness of the effects of alcohol and of strategies for keeping safer around alcohol. Significance/Contribution to the Field A youth informed DVD resource is now available to support alcohol harm minimisation curriculum delivery in Whanganui. The potential for the DVD to be used more widely has been identified with ACC developing complimentary 'wrap around' resources to encourage familial relationships and conversations about alcohol and young people. Communities can individualise the resource to suit their needs.


The prevailing theory of charity law holds that the charitable contribution deduction is justified because it solves market and government failures in charitable goods by compensating for free riding on charitable contributions. This article argues that many market and government failures in charitable goods are actually caused by transaction costs, and that social technology can solve those market and government failures by reducing transaction costs. Specifically, it shows that in the early 20th century, the social technology of charity chain letters solved market and government failures in charitable contributions and facilitated the emergence of popular philanthropy.


Background:Amino acid disorders are a major group of inborn error metabolism (IEM) with variable clinical presentation; its diagnosis constitutes a real challenge in a community with high consanguinity rate and no systematic newborn screening.
Objectives: to provide data about amino acid disorders detected in high-risk Iraqi children by using quantitative amino acid fluorescent high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis.
Type of the study: Cross-sectional study.
Methods: a descriptive cross sectional study from 1st February to 1st December 2014, at Neurological ward and clinic of the Children Welfare teaching Hospital, in Baghdad - Iraq. Plasma specimens of 500 patients, with clinical suspicion of inborn error of metabolism (IEM) because of unexplained neurological deficits, unexplained developmental delay, recurrent coma and/or Neuro-degeneration,  hair changes and/or lethargy, poor feeding, vomiting and selected cases of autistic spectrum syndrome or with positive screening, were analyzed for amino acids by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The amino acid disorders were confirmed in fifty patients were; clinical data of patients were reported and analyzed statistically.
Results: out of 500 patients visiting the neurological outpatient and ward, clinical and neurological finding were recorded as well as the family history and/or other symptoms suggestive of aminoacidopathy, Sixty patients were confirmed their diagnosis as amino acid disorders, ten patients were excluded because they lost the follow up or  there is no solid base for a causal relationship between detected abnormal amino acids and neurological disorders, therefore only 50 patients were

enrolled in the study. Patients with Phenylketonuria were the most frequent 24 (48%), homocystinuria 14 (28%), maple syrup urine disease 9 (18%) & other amino acid disorder, (Citrullinemia, non-ketotic hyperglycinemia & Tyrosinemia) 1for each disorder (2%). Considerable delay in diagnosis was noticed which lead to variable neurological abnormalities  in most patients and the psychomotor delay was the main clinical presentation at time of diagnosis 34 (68%).
Conclusion: in the absence of newborn screening, the majority of Aminoacidopathies cases was still diagnosed clinically, but delayed. The importance of clinical awareness and accurate biochemical analysis were the key tools for diagnosis and the necessity for a comprehensive national newborn screening program.


The management of bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) in the north Atlantic has been based on the assumption that there are two separate stocks (an eastern Atlantic stock, including the Mediterranean Sea and a western Atlantic stock). This hypothesis has never been scientifically confirmed. This study provides evidence of unique stock characteristics of the bluefin tuna population targeted specifically in the Mediterranean and aims at showing that it is a single stock suitable for its own management regime. This has been done through the study of the biological parameters of bluefin tunas sampled in the Mediterranean, including biometric relationships, age determination, size at first maturity and reproductive studies. The identity of the Mediterranean stock has also been examined through tagging activities, extraction and chemical analysis of the otoliths and through genetic studies. Old and new exploitation techniques within the Mediterranean have been analysed in order to identify trends in landings, existence of illegal, unreported and unregulated catches and to conclude whether or not the bluefin tuna population in the Mediterranean is being overexploited. Results obtained all lead to the conclusion that the Mediterranean stock is an independent stock confined to the Mediterranean with minimal exchange through the Strait of Gibraltar. This study provides a strong argument for the management of the bluefin tuna population in the Mediterranean as a unique stock biologically independent of the Atlantic stock. Table of


Recent changes within UK healthcare have had dramatic consequences for management and put managerial capabilities firmly under the spotlight. Yet, despite extensive research on managers, comparatively little is known about how they acquire and apply their management knowledge and how this is influenced by their professional background and organizational context. Drawing upon work that distinguishes between different forms of knowledge, managers' mobilization of management knowledge is examined in the light of recent changes in healthcare. Case study evidence is presented from diverse managerial groups across three types of hospital trust (acute, care and specialist). The analysis demonstrates the mediating effects of interactions between professional background and organizational context on knowledge mobilization and highlights how current pressures on public services are reinforcing a reliance on existing management practices, creating enormous challenges for management learning in this sector.


The data acquisition system for the CMS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) will require a large and high performance event building network. Several switch technologies are currently being evaluated in order to compare different architectures for the event builder. One candidate is Myrinet. This paper describes the demonstrator which has been setup to study a small-scale (8/spl times/8) event builder based on a Myrinet switch. Measurements are presented on throughput, overhead and scaling for various traffic conditions. Results are shown on event building with a push architecture.


BACKGROUND
There is no definite consensus regarding the management of symptomatic isolated celiac artery dissection (ICAD), and the effect of conservative medical treatment has never been evaluated.

METHODSANDRESULTS
We enrolled 13 consecutive symptomatic ICAD patients without signs of arterial rupture between 2006 and 2015. All patients received noninvasive conservative medical treatment. The epidemiology, radiological findings and prognostic effect of conservative medical treatment on outcomes were retrospectively assessed. ICAD usually developed in middle-aged men around 50 years old who had a history of smoking. The patients typically presented with acute continuous epigastric pain at rest and with abdominal tenderness on physical examination. On enhanced computed tomography at presentation, the false lumen was found to be double-barreled in 2 patients (15.4%), partially thrombosed in 1 (7.7%), and completely thrombosed in 10 (76.9%). Dissection of associated branches was found in the left gastric artery in 1 patient (7.7%), common hepatic artery in 5 (38.5%), and splenic artery in 7 patients (53.8%). Malperfusion was not found in the stomach or liver but was found in the spleen in 4 patients (30.8%). During a median follow-up period of 376 (165-602) days, all patients were alive without any antiplatelet, anticoagulant, endovascular or surgical treatment.

CONCLUSIONS
Symptomatic ICAD without arterial rupture can be safely treated with conservative medical therapy over the short term. (Circ J 2016; 80: 1445-1451).


Enhancement of fire behavior indeed represents a challenging issue for many materials and particularly for polymers. In this work, the fire performance of a commercial silicone sealant commonly used in shipbuilding industry was investigated. The effects of inorganic fillers were studied by thermo-gravimetry analysis (TGA) and micro-calorimetry (MCC). The use of these techniques, TGA and MCC, allowed for the creation of small batch of materials and corresponding formulation as compared to the kilogram sample needed for cone calorimeter testing. Results shown slightly variation of the total heat released rate and corresponding peak temperature, while a significant change in specific heat release capacity measured for the highest sepiolite percentage, degradation and flammability behavior due to the inorganic content.


Abstract. Networks such as
transportation, water, and power are critical lifelines for society. Managers
plan and execute interventions to guarantee the operational state of their
networks under various circumstances, including after the occurrence of
(natural) hazard events. Creating an intervention program demands knowing the
probable direct and indirect consequences (i.e., risk) of the various hazard
events that could occur in order to be able to mitigate their effects. This paper
introduces a methodology to support network managers in the quantification of
the risk related to their networks. The methodology is centered on the
integration of the spatial and temporal attributes of the events that need to
be modeled to estimate the risk. Furthermore, the methodology supports the
inclusion of the uncertainty of these events and the propagation of these
uncertainties throughout the risk modeling. The methodology is implemented
through a modular simulation engine that supports the updating and swapping
of models according to the needs of network managers. This work demonstrates
the usefulness of the methodology and simulation engine through an
application to estimate the potential impact of floods and mudflows on a road
network located in Switzerland. The application includes the modeling of
(i) multiple time-varying hazard events; (ii) their physical and functional
effects on network objects (i.e., bridges and road sections); (iii) the
functional interrelationships of the affected objects; (iv) the resulting
probable consequences in terms of expected costs of restoration, cost of
traffic changes, and duration of network disruption; and (v) the restoration
of the network.


Multivariate analysis of an extensive dataset based on the macroinvertebrate fauna of surface waters in the province of Overijssel (The Netherlands) has resulted in the description of 42 site groups. These include springs, streams, rivers, canals, ditches, pools and lakes . The site groups are recognised on the basis of environmental variables and the abundance of organisms. For each group only a recognisable centroid and a limited range of variation is given; no clear boundm·ies are described between the groups. These site groups and their environment are defined as cenotypes. The cenotypes are mutually related in terros of key factors which represent major ecological processes. The cenotypes and their mutual relationships form a web wfiich offers an ecological basis for the daily practice of water and nature management Tbtf\veb allows the development of water quality objectives, provides a tooi for monitoring and· assessment, indicates targets and guides the management and restoration of waterbodies. The web is included in a software package named EKOO. The main modules in this package are ( 1) the assignment of a newly sampled site to one of the cenotypes, (2) the characterisation of a new sample in terms of diversity and biotic features, and (3) the option to choose a target fora newly sampled site and to establish a set of measures to reach this tm·get.


In this paper, we estimate quantitatively the determinants of variation in administrative fines imposed on companies by the European Commission for price-fixing violations. Estimates from our behavioral model provide the first direct test of the predictive power of the optimal deterrence theory of antitrust violations in the EU. In addition, they offer insights into other determinants of the EC's leniency program for cartels and its effectiveness.Regressions are fitted to a sample of 204 corporate participants of hard-core global cartels fined between 1990 and early 2010 to explain variation in the absolute Commission fine. Independent variables fall into four groups: the extent of the cartel's antitrust injuries; factors that affect the probability of detection and conviction by antitrust authorities; the size of non-EC penalties on the cartel; and controls for time, for changes in EC guidelines, for nationality of the defendant, and for industry-specific characteristics. The predictive power of the final model is quite satisfactory. We find that EC corporate cartel fines generally follow the precepts of optimal deterrence theory and the EC's Fining Guidelines. Fines are directly related to economic injuries from collusion and inversely related to proxies for factors that increase the probability of detection and conviction of clandestine cartels. The elasticity of expected fine with respect to harm is 0.32, hence ex post sub-optimal. Expected fines are directly related to recidivism and increase by roughly 80% under the 2006 revised Guidelines.However, we also find evidence that the Commission either deviates from optimal deterrence principles or follows practices unmentioned in its Fining Guidelines. Expected fines increase as other penalties (including fines levied by other governments, private fines, and the number of executives charged or sanctioned) increase and are much higher for North American firms.


Within the framework of probably approximately correct Markov decision processes (PAC-MDP), much theoretical work has focused on methods to attain near optimality after a relatively long period of learning and exploration. However, practical concerns require the attainment of satisfactory behavior within a short period of time. In this paper, we relax the PAC-MDP conditions to reconcile theoretically driven exploration methods and practical needs. We propose simple algorithms for discrete and continuous state spaces, and illustrate the benefits of our proposed relaxation via theoretical analyses and numerical examples. Our algorithms also maintain anytime error bounds and average loss bounds. Our approach accommodates both Bayesian and non-Bayesian methods.


Coarse-grained spin density functional theory (SDFT) is a version of SDFT which works with number/spin densities specified to a limited resolution --- averages over cells of a regular spatial partition --- and external potentials constant on the cells. This coarse-grained setting facilitates a rigorous investigation of the mathematical foundations which goes well beyond what is currently possible in the conventional formualation. Problems of existence, uniqueness and regularity of representing potentials in the coarse-grained SDFT setting are here studied using techniques of (Robinsonian) nonstandard analysis. Every density which is nowhere spin-saturated is V-representable, and the set of representing potentials is the functional derivative, in an appropriate generalized sense, of the Lieb interal energy functional. Quasi-continuity and closure properties of the set-valued representing potentials map are also established. The extent of possible non-uniqueness is similar to that found in non-rigorous studies of the conventional theory, namely non-uniqueness can occur for states of collinear magnetization which are eigenstates of $S_z$.


Context specificity of rats' conditioned taste aversion as a function of context experience was assessed in two experiments. Rats received a single pairing between a flavor X and a LiCl injection in a distinctive context (context A) being subsequently tested either in the same context or in a different but equally familiar context (context B). Experiment 1 found that the context change attenuated aversion to X when contexts were new at the time of conditioning. No effect of context change was found when rats had experience with the contexts before conditioning. Experiment 2 found that consumption was lower in the context of conditioning than in the alternative context, regardless of whether the stimulus was conditioned or not, suggesting that contexts exert their control through direct context-outcome associations in this situation.


Recent investigations have implicated the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in modulation of subcortical pathways that contribute to the generation of behavioural, autonomic and endocrine responses to stress. However, little is known of the mechanisms involved. One of the key neurotransmitters involved in mPFC function is dopamine, and we therefore aimed, in this investigation, to examine the role of mPFC dopamine in response to stress in Wistar rats. In this regard, we infused dopamine antagonists SCH23390 or sulpiride into the mPFC via retrodialysis. We then examined changes in numbers of cells expressing the c‐fos immediate‐early gene protein product, Fos, in subcortical neuronal populations associated with regulation of hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal (HPA) axis stress responses in response to either of two stressors; systemic injection of interleukin‐1β, or air puff. The D1 antagonist, SCH23390, and the D2 antagonist, sulpiride, both attenuated expression of Fos in the medial parvocellular hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (mpPVN) corticotropin‐releasing factor cells at the apex of the HPA axis, as well as in most extra‐hypothalamic brain regions examined in response to interleukin‐1β. By contrast, SCH23390 failed to affect Fos expression in response to air puff in any brain region examined, while sulpiride resulted in an attenuation of the air puff‐induced response in only the mpPVN and the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. These results indicate that the mPFC differentially processes the response to different stressors and that the two types of dopamine receptor may have different roles.


PURPOSE: to compare the characteristics of chewing and swallowing in elderly with and without AD. METHOD: a comparative study carried out with 86 elderly people, aged between 60 and 93 years, of both genders, distributed in control (without AD, n = 43) and experimental (AD, n = 43) groups. Cognitive function and staging of AD were evaluated by applying the CDR (Clinical Dementia Rating). For characterizing chewing and swallowing we applied the miofunctional assessment protocol. RESULTS: the characteristics of chewing and swallowing have varied considerably when comparing both groups. There was a significant difference as for mandible movements, swallowing reflex, swallowing multiple residues and difficulty to swallow tablets. CONCLUSIONS: the characteristics of chewing and swallowing, in general, suffer more in AD patients when compared to healthy elderly.


Background and purpose: Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) is one of the retinal degeneration diseases affecting the eye signals. Electroretinogram (ERG) is a signal that plays an important role in diagnosis and treatment of RP. This signal includes useful information that cannot be revealed just in time domain. We aimed to investigate the effect of RP on time, frequency, and time-frequency parameters of ERG using the Fourier and wavelet transform processing methods. Materials and methods: In this experimental study Flash Xenon ERG was recorded from 18 eyes of RP patients and 20 eyes of healthy individuals. After extracting the latency and amplitude of the ERG signals, the Fourier and wavelet transforms were performed on the signals by MATLAB software. Then, the frequency mode and main frequencies along with the occurring time constituting the ERG signals were extracted. Finally, the differences between the means of all parameters were analyzed. Results: Findings indicated an increase in the latency and a decrease in amplitude of the ERG. But, no significant difference was found between the mean frequency mode of the RP patients and healthy individuals. A significant decrease was observed in the main constituent frequencies of the ERG signals and their occurrence time. In addition, with further development of the disease in the RP patients, one or two main frequencies were omitted. Conclusion: RP disease can cause variations in time and time-frequency components of the ERG signals. By applying the wavelet transform on the ERG signals of the RP patients to convert their indices into frequency domain, the position of the retina affected mainly by this disease can be found.


A direct data domain deterministic approach utilizing a nonuniform array to adaptively estimate the signal strength of an incoming signal in the presence of strong jammers, clutter, and thermal noise is presented. This method is based on choosing a weighted difference of neighboring antenna outputs, based on the direction of arrival of the signal of interest, in such a way that only the unwanted components remain. These unwanted signals are then nulled by adaptive weights. These weights are then used to estimate the signal strength for a set of sampling time instants. This approach is suited for a highly changing environment, particularly in the presence of blinking jammers and where clutter characteristics change rapidly, provided the signal of interest does not change significantly during the observation interval. Two main deterministic approaches are presented?one based on the solution of a generalized eigenvalue problem, the other based on the solution of a set of linear equations utilizing the conjugate gradient method. These methods are applied to nonuniform as well as uniform 2D arrays, and the results are compared.


Since its design in 2003, the joint Simon task and corollary joint Simon effect (JSE) have been invaluable tools towards the study of joint action and the understanding of how individuals represent the action/task of a co-actor. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to systematically and quantitatively review the sizeable behavioural evidence for the JSE. Google Scholar was used to identify studies citing the first report of the joint Simon task (Sebanz, Knoblich, & Prinz, 2003) up until June 23, 2015. After screening, thirtynine manuscripts were included in the meta-analysis, thirteen of which included individual go/no-go (IGNG) control data. Separate random-effects models were conducted for both the joint Simon and IGNG datasets, and meta-regression models were used to assess potential moderators that may impact the strength of the JSE. The results provide an important quantitative summary of the literature and serve as a foundation for future research surrounding the JSE.


This research was carried out to characterise mechanical properties of the large intestine. Assessing the mechanical properties of tissue plays an important role in understanding the links between histological structure and physical properties, physical functioning and normal anatomy. The mechanical properties of large intestine are poorly understood but essential for more accurate characterisation of their behaviour, for example during interaction with surgical instrumentation or devices.
This project was set in the context of designing a new robotic colonoscopy device. The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate a robust methodology to characterise the ex-vivo mechanical properties of porcine large intestine tissue and create a database of these properties. In order to study the unique and complex physical properties of the large intestine two common techniques were employed: indentation and tensile stretching. A series of indentation and tensile tests were conducted and the time, strain-rate and strain history dependent responses of porcine large intestine during loading and stress relaxation were observed. Linear and non-linear models were used to analyse the tissue response. The results identified strong dependency of the large intestine mechanical properties to strain-rate and loading history. Tissue preconditioning was also found to be an effective way to stabilise the tissue response in air. Tissue hydration was also found to better preserve the natural state of tissue similar to the in-vivo environment. One of the most important observations was the necessity to produce an appropriate testing protocol for such investigations. Guidelines are proposed to set the requirements for mechanical tissue characterisation.
For in-vivo investigation of tissue properties, a system based on measuring acoustic impedance properties of the tissue was successfully designed. Stiffness and tissue relaxation properties of the large intestine were examined using this probe and the results were linked back to the indentation outcomes. This system has the capability to be miniaturised and deployed during conventional colonoscopy or robotic hydro-colonoscopy.


BACKGROUND
In an attempt to reduce the rate of cesarean section, obstetricians now offer a trial of labor to pregnant women who have had a previous cesarean section. Although a trial of labor is usually successful and is relatively safe, few studies have directly addressed the maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality associated with this method of delivery.

METHODS
We performed a population-based, longitudinal study of 6138 women in Nova Scotia who had previously undergone cesarean section and had delivered a singleton live infant in the period from 1986 through 1992.

RESULTS
A total of 3249 women elected a trial of labor, and 2889 women chose to undergo a second cesarean section. There were no maternal deaths. The overall rate of maternal morbidity was 8.1 percent; 1.3 percent had major complications (a need for hysterectomy, uterine rupture, or operative injury) and 6.9 percent had minor complications (puerperal fever, a need for blood transfusion, or abdominal-wound infection). Although the overall rate of maternal complications did not differ significantly between women who chose a trial of labor and the women who elected cesarean section (odds ratio for the trial-of-labor group, 0.9; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.8 to 1.1), major complications were nearly twice as likely among women undergoing a trial of labor (odds ratio, 1.8; 95 percent confidence interval, 1.1 to 3.0). Apgar scores, admission to the neonatal intensive care unit, and perinatal mortality were similar among the infants whose mothers had a trial of labor and those whose mothers underwent elective cesarean section.

CONCLUSION
Among pregnant women who have had a cesarean section, major maternal complications are almost twice as likely among those whose deliveries are managed with a trial of labor as among those who undergo an elective second cesarean section.


We present models for explaining the effective mass and electronic properties of heterojunctions formed by carbon nanotubes of different diameters. We predict the effective mass of a NT and the current of an array of Y-junction NTs based solely on the tube diameters. By investigating the effective mass of small diameter tubes, we find that in addition to the distinction based on chirality of semiconducting NTs, there are two fundamentally different tube types.


Building is responsible for more than 40 percent of energy consumption and one third of greenhouse gas emissions. Europe has established the pathway towards nearly zero-energy buildings (nZEB), soon required in every new construction and large renovation in existing buildings by 2020. Achieving nZEB required the use of photovoltaic modules for generating electricity. The rooftops of residential, commercial and office building are ideal places for the installation of PV systems. Recently, in Vietnam, the nZEB becomes an important part of sustainable development and attracts the attention of scientists on the term of " green building " or " smart building " , while photovoltaic systems are in most cases not used in building today. From this framework, we aim to implement the platform that will be dedicated to prototyping and tools to support research and training in the reference building. The first work presented in this paper aims at parametric analysis of 15 kWp PV system applied to a rooftop of a University building in Cau Giay-Hanoi. The study shows the effect of PV module types, and installation tilt angle on the electrical energy yield. The Photovoltaic simulation tool takes an important role in calculating the energy production from the solar panels. PVSyst software as a simulation tool was used to simulate several operating conditions as well as components. The research investigated a complete on-grid PV system by taking into account orientation of PV array under meteorological condition in Hanoi, solar cell technologies and inverter connections. Meteorological data was accessed by MeteoNorm and PVGIS. According to simulation results, the configurations of PV system for reference office building of the University of Science and Technology of Hanoi (USTH), was optimized to facilitate the next phase of smart building research in Vietnam.


Neck injuries are one of the most important injuries as they have the potential to influence the spinal cord. Data from most parts of the world are not sufficient to define a comprehensive view of mortality, morbidity, disability and handicap due to neck injuries. In Sweden, there are no data on the incidence of neck injuries. The aim of this study is to define the national incidence and causes of neck injuries in Sweden. An incidence study was undertaken with data from the injury surveillance program at the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare. The investigation includes cervical vertebral fractures reported between 1987 and 1999, and cervical soft tissue injuries over a period of three years, from 1997 to 1999. Data between 1987 and 1996 were reported in ICD 9, while data from 1997 to 1999 were reported in ICD 10. During the study period, 14,310 non-fatal and 782 fatal cervical injuries occurred. A decreasing incidence for cervical fractures can be seen for the Swedish population, except for the elderly that have a slight increase in incidence. The incidence for cervical soft tissue injuries is almost constant. Cervical fractures demand longer periods of hospitalization than the soft tissue injuries. Transportation-related cervical fractures have dropped since 1991, while soft tissue injuries increased slowly between 1997 and 1999. Fall accidents are now the largest external cause of cervical fractures, and the population above 65 years accounts for almost 50% of the fall accidents. The male population has a higher incidence of cervical fractures, disregarding age. It is concluded that safety programs for transportation-related injuries in Sweden have been successful, while fall accidents are still substantial. Much more can be done to prevent neck injuries; especially to reduce the number of transportation-related cervical soft tissue injuries and fall injuries in the elderly population.


Recent years have seen several earnest initiatives from both academic researchers as well as open source communities to implement and deploy decentralized online social networks (DOSNs). The primary motivations for DOSNs are privacy and autonomy from big brotherly service providers. However decentralization introduces many challenges. One of the principal problems is to guarantee availability of data even when the data owner is not online, so that others can access the said data even when a node is offline or down. Intuitively this can be solved by replicating the data on other users' machines. Existing DOSN proposals try to solve this problem using heuristics which are agnostic to the various kinds of heterogeneity both in terms of end user resources as well as end user behaviors in such a system. In this paper, we argue that a pragmatic design needs to explicitly allow for and leverage on system heterogeneity, and provide incentives for the resource rich participants in the system to contribute such resources. To that end we introduce SuperNova - a super-peer based DOSN architecture. Super-peers can help (i) bootstrap new peers who are yet to have/find any friends by either providing them storage space, (ii) maintaining a directory of users, so that users can find friends in the network by name or interests, (iii) help peers find other peers to store their content in case they don't have adequate friends to do so, or if their friends are already overloaded. Users may want to become super-peers out of altruism (they want DOSNs to succeed), for the sake of the reputation (e.g., being an influential member for an interest based community) as well as potentially to monetize their special roles (e.g., run advertisements). While proposing the SuperNova architecture, we envision a dynamic system driven by incentives and reputation, however, investigation of such incentives and reputation, and its effect on determining peer behaviors is a subject of our future study. In this paper we instead investigate the efficacy of a super-peer based system at any time point (a snap-shot of the envisioned dynamic system), that is to say, we try to quantify the performance of SuperNova system given any (fixed) mix of peer population and strategies.


We present a new technique for determining the quantity and composition of dust in astrophysical environments using <6 keV X-rays. We argue that high-resolution X-ray spectra as enabled by the Chandra and XMM-Newton gratings should be considered a powerful and viable new resource for delving into a relatively unexplored regime for directly determining dust properties: composition, quantity, and distribution. We present initial cross section measurements of astrophysically likely iron-based dust candidates taken at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Advanced Light Source synchrotron beamline, as an illustrative tool for the formulation of our technique for determining the quantity and composition of interstellar dust with X-rays. (Cross sections for the materials presented here will be made available for astrophysical modeling in the near future.) Focused at the 700 eV Fe Liii and Lii photoelectric edges, we discuss a technique for modeling dust properties in the soft X-rays using L-edge data to complement K-edge X-ray absorption fine structure analysis techniques discussed by Lee & Ravel. The paper is intended to be a techniques paper of interest and useful to both condensed matter experimentalists and astrophysicists. For the experimentalists, we offer a new prescription for normalizing relatively low signal-to-noise ratio L-edge cross section measurements. For astrophysics interests, we discuss the use of X-ray absorption spectra for determining dust composition in cold and ionized astrophysical environments and a new method for determining species-specific gas and dust ratios. Possible astrophysical applications of interest, including relevance to Sagittarius A*, are offered. Prospects for improving on this work in future X-ray missions with higher throughput and spectral resolution are also presented in the context of spectral resolution goals for gratings and calorimeters, for proposed and planned missions such as Astro-H and the International X-ray Observatory.


Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to critically analyse research surrounding the anonymity of online transactions using Bitcoin and report on the feasibility of law enforcement bodies tracing illicit transactions back to a user's real-life identity.

Design/methodology/approach

The design of this paper follows on from the approach taken by Reid and Harrigan (2013) in determining whether identifying information may be collated with external sources of data to identify individual users. In addition to conducting a detailed literature review surrounding the anonymity of users, and the potential ability to track transactions through the blockchain, four Bitcoin exchange services are examined to ascertain whether information provided at the sign-up stage is sufficiently verified and reliable. By doing so, this research tests the ability for law enforcement to reasonably rely upon this information when attempting to prosecute individuals. Additionally, by submitting fake information for verification, the plausibility of these services accepting fraudulent or illegitimate information is also tested.

Findings

It may be possible to identify and prosecute bad actors through the analysis of transaction histories by tracing them back to an interaction with a Bitcoin exchange. However, the compliance and implementation of anti-money laundering legislation and customer identification security standards are insufficiently used within some exchange services, resulting in more technologically adept, or well-funded, criminals being able to circumvent identification controls and continue to transact without revealing their identities. The introduction of and compliance with know-your customer and customer due diligence legislation is required before law enforcement bodies may be able to accurately rely on information provided to a Bitcoin exchange. This paper highlights the need for research to be undertaken to examine the ways in which criminals are circumventing identity controls and, consequently, financing their illicit activities.

Originality/value

By ascertaining the types of information submitted by users when exchanging real currency for virtual currency, and seeing whether this information may be accepted despite being fraudulent in nature, this paper elucidates the reliability of information that law enforcement bodies may be able to access when tracing transactions back to an individual actor.


We put forward a new framework that makes it possible to re-write or compress the content of any number of blocks in decentralized services exploiting the blockchain technology. As we argue, there are several reasons to prefer an editable blockchain, spanning from the necessity to remove inappropriate content and the possibility to support applications requiring re-writable storage, to "the right to be forgotten." Our approach generically leverages so-called chameleon hash functions (Krawczyk and Rabin, NDSS '00), which allow determining hash collisions efficiently, given a secret trapdoor information. We detail how to integrate a chameleon hash function in virtually any blockchain-based technology, for both cases where the power of redacting the blockchain content is in the hands of a single trusted entity and where such a capability is distributed among several distrustful parties (as is the case with Bitcoin). We also report on a proof-of-concept implementation of a redactable blockchain, building on top of Nakamoto's Bitcoin core. The prototype only requires minimal changes to the way current client software interprets the information stored in the blockchain and to the current blockchain, block, or transaction structures. Moreover, our experiments show that the overhead imposed by a redactable blockchain is small compared to the case of an immutable one.


Indian medicine comes in two forms. On the one hand there are almost 600,000 practitioners of Indian medicine with an officially sanctioned degree. On the other we have one to two million local herbal healers who have a semi legal status. Though their expertise and services are in demand these health care providers are under pressure due to their semi-legal status, the aggressive marketing of biomedical drugs, and biomedicine's social prestige. The article wants to give the reader an insight into the diversity of village healers ( gram vaidyas ) in South India. Who are these folk healers? Which patients do they attract and for what reasons? What are the push and pull factors for patients to make use of them? How can their skills be evaluated and improved upon? What recent initiatives have been taken in this respect? Does the sharing of a local moral world between patients and healers contribute to the effectiveness of treatments? Do local health practices contribute to Universal Health Coverage as defined by the World Health Organization?


The Brazilian construction industry is committed to delivering the venues and infrastructure of the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games with zero increase in carbon dioxide emissions, reduced consumption of raw materials, increased use of renewable materials and 100% local recycling of construction waste. This in turn has led to significant research and development into using cement replacements – particularly sugar-cane ash from local ethanol production – and recycled aggregates in concrete production. This paper reports on the initial and promising results for ecological concrete mixes using up to 20% sugar-cane ash and 50% cleaned recycled aggregates from demolition waste.


The smartphone has arrived - a tad bulky, but essentially a full computer at its core, capable of browsing the web as it was meant to be browsed; sending and receiving e-mail with a proper e-mail application; opening Word, Excel, and PDF documents; checking up with friends and family on Facebook; and ultimately, wondering what madness spurred you on to take your office-in-the-pocket with on your holiday to the Seychelles. In this review I'll discuss three popular entrants into the smartphone market: The Blackberry Torch 9800, the Sony Ericsson X10i XPERIA, and Apple's iPhone 4. Though requested, the Nokia N8 was, unfortunately, not available for review at the time of publication.


The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors on the likelihood of Diabetes Mellitus among Malaysians. A nationally representative secondary data consisting of 28,498 respondents are used. Odds ratio with 95% confidence interval was estimated using multinomial logistic regression to identify risk factors affecting the likelihood of various classification of stages for Diabetes Mellitus which are; Impaired Fasting Glucose, Newly Diagnosed as well as Known Diabetes Mellitus in Malaysia.
It is observed that modifiable risk factors : inadequate fruit and vegetables consumption,  physically inactive, ex-drinkers and obesity had significant effect and showed higher likelihood of Newly Diagnosed Diabetes Mellitus. However, ex-smokers exhibited higher likelihood of Known Diabetes Mellitus. For non-modifiable risk factors, respondents with higher income (RM7000 and above) and unclassified education levels exhibited the highest likelihood of Known Diabetes Mellitus. Besides, married respondents had significantly lowest likelihood of Known Diabetes Mellitus. Only widow/widower or divorced respondents had lowest likelihood of being Newly Diagnosed Diabetes Mellitus. Female respondents had lower likelihood of Known Diabetes Mellitus. For younger respondents (15 to 24 years old), Indian and retired respondents were found had significantly higher likelihood of Known Diabetes Mellitus among the various classification of stages for Diabetes Mellitus.
Hence, this study provides compelling evidence that lifestyle modification related to the modifiable risk factors based on various classification of stages for Diabetes Mellitus should be the prime objective in effort to reduce and prevent the prevalence of Diabetes Mellitus in Malaysia.


To test the hypothesis that a defibrillation shock is unsuccessful because it fails to annihilate activation fronts within a critical mass of myocardium, we recorded epicardial and transmural activation in 11 open-chest dogs during electrically induced ventricular fibrillation (VF). Shocks of 1-30 J were delivered through defibrillation electrodes on the left ventricular apex and right atrium. Simultaneous recordings were made from septal, intramural, and epicardial electrodes in various combinations. Immediately after all 104 unsuccessful and 116 successful defibrillation shocks, an isoelectric interval much longer than that observed during preshock VF occurred. During this time no epicardial, septal, or intramural activations were observed. This isoelectric window averaged 64 +/- 22 ms after unsuccessful defibrillation and 339 +/- 292 ms after successful defibrillation (P less than 0.02). After the isoelectric window of unsuccessful shocks, earliest activation was recorded from the base of the ventricles, which was the area farthest from the apical defibrillation electrode. Activation was synchronized for one or two cycles following unsuccessful shocks, after which VF regenerated. Thus, after both successful and unsuccessful defibrillation with epicardial shocks of greater than or equal to 1 J, an isoelectric window occurs during which no activation fronts are present; the postshock isoelectric window is shorter for unsuccessful than for successful defibrillation; unsuccessful shocks transiently synchronize activation before fibrillation regenerates; activation leading to the regeneration of VF after the isoelectric window for unsuccessful shocks originates in areas away from the defibrillation electrodes. The isoelectric window does not support the hypothesis that defibrillation fails solely because activation fronts are not halted within a critical mass of myocardium. Rather, unsuccessful epicardial shocks of greater than or equal to 1 J halt all activation fronts after which VF regenerates.


This project addresses issues pertaining to mobile multi-hop radio networks called mobile ad hoc networks (MANET), which plays a critical role in places where a wired backbone is neither available nor economical to deploy. Our objective was to form and maintain clusters for efficient routing, scalability and energy utilization. To map the cellular architecture into the mobile ad hoc network cluster heads are elected that form the virtual backbone for packet transmission. However, the constant movement of the nodes changes the topology of the network, which perturbs the transmission. This demands the cluster maintenance. Weighed Clustering Algorithm (WCA)[4] and Distributed and Mobility adaptive Clustering (DMAC) [1,2,3] are two better proven algorithms on which we have implemented different mobility models like Random Walk (RW), Random Way Point (RWP) and Random Direction (RD). In both the algorithms each node is assigned some weight .In WCA the weight is a function of parameters like Battery power, mobility, transmission range and degree of connectivity. DMAC is mobility adaptive, i.e. it takes the mobility of the nodes into consideration while forming the clusters. We have chosen some measuring parameters like no of clusterheads, Average cluster lifetime, and Reaffilation rate for comparing the performance of both the algorithms.


Mamie R., 7 years old. Premature at 6% months, raised in an incubator and fed on malted milk. Teething was normal. She walked at 13 months, but was always a tiny baby. She was never sick during childhood, but was always delicate. On March 3, 1914, she was taken with an attack of scarlet fever, so mild that it would have been overlooked, but for the fact that another more marked case appeared in the same family. All during the attack she passed but little urine, an average of 1½ ounces daily. On March 23 she came under my care. Physical examination at that time was negative; there was no edema nor symptoms of any description except the scanty urine. Mentally she was very bright, and continued so throughout the time reported on. The child was very thin and it was possible to palpate the entire abdomen thoroughly. The following


The experiments to inhibit a tremor reaction induced by various cholinomimetics have established that DED50 of atropine and amedine is significantly indifferent when tremor is caused by pilocarpine, oxotremorine, and aceclidine while the activity of amedine is lower than that of atropine when ezerine, arecoline and galantamine are applied. The comparison of the findings with the data on the selectivity of the above M-cholinolytics leads to the conclusion that in in vivo experiments, the muscarinic agonists are able to show their selectivity against various subtypes of M-cholinoreceptors. The results of in vivo experiments are found to differ from the data on the in vitro selectivity of M-cholinomimetics in some cases.


This article looks at the most recent data to define when the Little and Great Divergence occurred. It sorts the deep determinants of economic development into three categories (biogeography, culture-institutions, and contingency-conjuncture) to provides a comprehensive review of these factors in the context of the Great Divergence, and it discusses the concepts of persistence and reversal of fortune. The paper concludes that the Great Divergence was never an inevitability but became an increasingly likely prospect as time progressed. Furthermore, biogeography, culture-institutions, and contingency-conjuncture are not contradictory hypotheses. Rather, there is a clear pattern of change over time of the relative importance of these three categories of determinants. Further research is needed to uncover the underlying causal link or latent variable that could explain the successive relative importance over time of biogeographical, cultural–institutional, and contingent–conjunctural determinants of the Great Divergence.


Grain Production & Handling Trends in South Dakota And Their Implications 1 by Bashir A. Qasmi and Clayton J.Wilhelm Over the last three decades, producers in South Dakota have planted increasingly more acres under com and soybeans and have moved away from producing oats and barley. The wheat production in the state has also increased during this period. The grain handling industry in South Dakota has also changed over time. The number of commercial elevators has significantly decreased during the past 30 years, and the operating capacities of the remaining ones are much larger. Genetically modified (GM) or transgenic com and soybeans were introduced in 1996. Presently, South Dakota is leading the nation in adoption of transgenic com and soybeans. Despite some consumers' reluctance to buy food products containing ingredients from biotech crops, the market demand for non-biotech crops is currently very limited. This paper reviews historic trends in South Dakota's grain production and grain handling system during the last three decades. The paper also assesses the readiness of South Dakota's grain-handling industry to respond to a potentially expanded market demand for non-biotech crops segregated from biotech crops.


OBJECTIVE
Mesenteric venous thrombosis (MVT) and its clinical spectrum have become better defined following improvements in diagnostic imaging. Historically, MVT has been described as a morbid clinical entity, but this may not necessarily be true. Often, an underlying disease process that predisposes a patient to MVT can be found and potentially treated. This study was designed to evaluate the diagnostics and management of MVT and to review long-term results of treatment.

PATIENTS
Thirty-one patients in whom MVT was diagnosed between 1985 and 1999 were retrospectively reviewed. Survivors were contacted for follow-up. There were 15 men and 16 women. Ages ranged from 22 to 80 years (mean, 49.1 years). Thirteen patients had documented hypercoagulability, 10 had a history of previous abdominal surgery, 6 had a prior thrombotic episode, and 4 had a history of cancer. MVT presented as abdominal pain (84%), diarrhea (42%), and nausea/vomiting (32%). Computed tomography (CT) was considered diagnostic in 18 (90%) of 20 patients who underwent the test. CT diagnosed MVT in 15 (100%) of 15 patients presenting with vague abdominal pain or diarrhea. Angiography demonstrated MVT in only five (55.5%) of nine patients.

RESULTS
Seven of 31 patients died within 30 days (< 30-day mortality rate, 23%). Twenty-two patients (72%) were initially treated with heparin. Nine patients were not heparinized: four of them died, and two were later given warfarin sodium (Coumadin). Of the 31 patients, only one received lytic therapy. Three patients became symptom free without anticoagulation. Ten patients (32%) underwent bowel resection. Overall, 19 (79%) of 24 survivors were treated with long-term warfarin therapy. Long-term follow-up was obtained in 24 patients (mean, 57.7 months). Twenty-one (88%) of 24 survived in follow-up.

CONCLUSION
The diagnosis of MVT should be suspected when acute abdominal symptoms develop in patients with prior thrombotic episodes or a documented coagulopathy. CT scanning appears to be the primary diagnostic test of choice. Anticoagulation is recommended. If diagnosed and treated early, MVT is not likely to progress to gangrenous bowel. Recent mortality rates for MVT are lower than previously published, perhaps because of earlier diagnosis and aggressive treatment or possibly because we now readily diagnose a more benign form of the disease, which is due to widespread use of CT scanning.


The mammalian tRNA ligase complex (tRNA-LC) catalyzes the splicing of intron-containing pre-tRNAs in the nucleus and the splicing of XBP1 mRNA during the unfolded protein response (UPR) in the cytoplasm. We recently reported that the tRNA-LC co-evolved with PYROXD1, an essential oxidoreductase that protects the catalytic cysteine of RTCB, the catalytic subunit of the tRNA-LC, against aerobic oxidation. In this study we show that the oxidoreductase Thioredoxin (TRX) preserves the enzymatic activity of RTCB under otherwise inhibiting concentrations of oxidants. TRX physically interacts with oxidized RTCB, and reduces and re-activates RTCB through the action of its redox-active cysteine pair. We further show that TRX interacts with RTCB at late stages of UPR. Since the interaction requires oxidative conditions, our findings suggest that prolonged UPR generates reactive oxygen species. Thus, our results support a functional role for TRX in securing and repairing the active site of the tRNA-LC, thereby allowing pre-tRNA splicing and UPR to occur when cells encounter mild, but still inhibitory levels of reactive oxygen species.


The paper focuses on a validation study for a macro-cognitive model of mental workload of airport traffic controllers (ATCOs). This model constitutes a means for quantifying and analysing the distribution of ATCOs workload over time dependent on different traffic scenarios. Workload is modelled via the amount of chunks in working memory. In a one-factor experimental Simulator-Study workload ratings were gathered with different traffic load, using a modified RSME scale within and NASA-TLX after each scenario. The data are analysed and discussed concerning the successful experimental manipulation and the estimation of goodness of fit of the model and experimental data. Therefore the average workload ratings of the participant and the model within each scenario as well as the distribution of workload over time for each participant-model pair are compared. The developed model can serve as a tool for the design of adaptive automation and supporting systems and can help to better understand workload dynamics of airport traffic controllers.


Objective. RA and axial SpA have an important impact on patients' lives. The objective of this study was to explore the reporting of different aspects of that impact in publications, with a focus on differences between diseases and over time. Methods. A systematic literature review retrieved all articles reporting on the life impact of RA or axial radiographic SpA in adults published within the last 10 years and issued from European research. The data were classified into physical impact (including pain, functional assessment and fatigue), psychological impact (including psychological distress and coping) and social impact (including relationships, family and social life). The number of articles published over time was analysed by linear regression. Results. In all, 1352 abstracts were screened and 149 publications (40 056 patients) were analysed: 129 articles (86.5%) concerned RA and 16 (10.7%) concerned axial SpA. The mean number of articles reporting on the physical aspects of impact was 11.4 (s.d. 4.8) per 2-year period, but increased more than 2-fold (from 7 articles in 2001–3 to 15 in 2010–11), in particular due to recent publications on fatigue, whereas the number of articles on psychological aspects [mean 12.4 (s.d. 4.0)] decreased markedly after 2006. Publications reporting on social aspects [mean 8.2 (s.d. 4.1)] remained globally stable. Conclusion. In the era of biologics, there is an interest in the patient-perceived life impact of RA and axial SpA in the European literature, but the impact of RA has been the subject of greater exploration. There are clearly trends over time in the reporting of impact.


This thesis examines the contribution of behaviour to falls among older people
in and around the home. Falls are an extensive problem, with the scale of this
set to worsen in line with the increasing older population. Risk factors for falls
have received much attention during recent years, although little emphasis
has been given to the role of behaviour in falls risk. It is argued in the thesis
that older people play an active role in their exposure to risk, influenced by
their attitudes, beliefs and motivations. This aspect has received only limited
consideration.
The research consisted of five studies. The first three investigations used a
triangulated approach to examine the contribution and role of older people's
behaviour, physical ability and home environment design in fall risk. The
fourth study considered the role of health practitioners in fall prevention and
investigated barriers to successful interventions. The final study examined
the contribution of a health psychology framework to understanding fall-related behaviour among older people. [Continues.]


Recent cosmic shear studies have shown that higher-order statistics (HOS) developed by independent teams now outperform standard two-point estimators in terms of statistical precision thanks to their sensitivity to the non-Gaussian features of large-scale structure. The aim of the Higher-Order Weak Lensing Statistics (HOWLS) project is to assess, compare, and combine the constraining power of ten different HOS on a common set of $Euclid$-like mocks, derived from N-body simulations. In this first paper of the HOWLS series, we computed the nontomographic ($\Omega_{\rm m}$, $\sigma_8$) Fisher information for the one-point probability distribution function, peak counts, Minkowski functionals, Betti numbers, persistent homology Betti numbers and heatmap, and scattering transform coefficients, and we compare them to the shear and convergence two-point correlation functions in the absence of any systematic bias. We also include forecasts for three implementations of higher-order moments, but these cannot be robustly interpreted as the Gaussian likelihood assumption breaks down for these statistics. Taken individually, we find that each HOS outperforms the two-point statistics by a factor of around two in the precision of the forecasts with some variations across statistics and cosmological parameters. When combining all the HOS, this increases to a $4.5$ times improvement, highlighting the immense potential of HOS for cosmic shear cosmological analyses with $Euclid$. The data used in this analysis are publicly released with the paper.


As the information processing system plays a crucial part in the internet, online information security has become the top priority in all sectors. Failing to provide online information security may cause loss of critical information or someone may use or distribute such information for malicious purpose. Recently QR barcodes have been used as an effective way to securely share information. This paper presents the survey on secret data hiding techniques which can share high security information over network using QR barcode. Keywords— QR Barcode, Information Hiding, Online information Security.


In this paper, we measure and analyze the effect of inflation uncertainty on money demand and quasi money in Islamic republic of Iran based on time serious quarterly data from 1990:2-2010:3.This paper uses an EGARCH method to model inflation uncertainty in Iran. We also used VECM method to estimate a long run relationship between demand for real money and explanatory variables. Our result show that inflation uncertainty has effect on money demand and quasi money in Iran and increase in inflation uncertainty leads to decrease in money demand. In other words, by increase in inflation uncertainty, economic agents prefer to less demand for money, because in high uncertainty condition, people prefer to use those asset has less risk of maintenance.


Meiosis is essential for evolution and genetic diversity in almost all sexual eukaryotic organisms. The mechanisms of meiotic recombination, such as synapsis, have been extensively investigated. However, it is still unclear whether signals from the cytoplasm or even outside of the cell can regulate the meiosis process. Cilia are microtubule-based structures that protrude from cell surface and function as signaling hubs to sense extracellular signals. Here, we reported an unexpected and critical role of cilia during meiotic recombination. During gametogenesis of zebrafish, cilia were specifically present in the prophase stages of both spermatocytes and primary oocytes. By developing a novel germ cell-specific CRISPR/Cas9 system, we demonstrated that germ cell-specific depletion of ciliary genes resulted in compromised double strand break repair, reduced crossover formation, and increased germ cell apoptosis. Our study reveals a previously undiscovered role for cilia during meiosis and suggests that extracellular signals may regulate meiotic recombination via this particular organelle.


Recent work suggests that humans may perceive complex carbohydrates and that their sensitivity to simple carbohydrates (i.e., glucose and sucrose) is independent from tasting complex carbohydrates. The aim of this study was to confirm whether humans could sense complex carbohydrates from a range of concentration levels; and if their oral sensitivity to complex carbohydrate relates to their BMI, liking, and consumption of complex carbohydrate-based foods using a large sample group of adults. Participants' (n = 92 females, age 23.7 ± 0.5 yr [range, 19 to 47 yr]) oral sensitivity towards complex carbohydrate (maltodextrin) and sweet taste function (glucose) was assessed by measuring detection threshold and suprathreshold intensity perception (gLMS). Participants were asked to complete an online version of a Food Frequency Questionnaire and a Likes and Dislikes Questionnaire. Hedonic ratings for complex carbohydrate and sweet solutions, as well as for a range of complex carbohydrate and sweet prototypical foods, were also measured. Consistent with previous findings, there was large interindividual variation in detection and intensity measures for maltodextrin and glucose. No significant associations were found between oral complex carbohydrate sensitivity, Body Mass Index (BMI), and frequency of consumption of complex carbohydrate-based foods measured. Similarly, no differences were observed between liking of complex carbohydrates, BMI, and food intake. All in, these results from a large sample group further support the proposition that complex carbohydrates are not invisible to the human palate, and can be sensed in the oral cavity even at low concentration levels.


Manning's equation is used widely to predict stream discharge (Q) from hydraulic variables when logistics constrain empirical measurements of in‐bank flow events. Uncertainty in Manning's roughness (nM) is the major source of error in natural channels, and sand‐bed streams pose difficulties because flow resistance is affected by flow‐dependent bed configuration. Our study was designed to develop and validate models for estimating Q from channel geometry easily derived from cross‐sectional surveys and available GIS data. A database was compiled consisting of 484 Q measurements from 75 sand‐bed streams in Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina (Southeastern Plains), and Florida (Southern Coastal Plain), with six New Zealand streams included to develop statistical models to predict Q from hydraulic variables. Model error characteristics were estimated with leave‐one‐site‐out jackknifing. Independent data of 317 Q measurements from 55 Southeastern Plains streams indicated the model (Q = AcRH0.6906S0.1216; where Ac is the channel area, RH is the hydraulic radius, and S is the bed slope) best predicted Q, based on Akaike's information criterion and root mean square error. Models also were developed from smaller Q range subsets to explore if subsets increased predictive ability, but error fit statistics suggested that these were not reasonable alternatives to the above equation. Thus, we recommend the above equation for predicting in‐bank Q of unbraided, sandy streams of the Southeastern Plains.


Background : Due to its rapid onset of action, high antibacterial efficacy and low cost, gentamicin (GEN) is still been used (particularly in underdeveloped and developing countries) despite its nephrotoxic antibiotic effects. Experimental ethno-botanical evaluations are imperative in a world with increasing incidence of kidney injury; a condition that is expensive to treat or manage. Aim : Effects of methanolic extract of Ocimum gratissimum (Linn.) leaf (MOGL) on urine proteincreatinine ratio (UPC) was determined in rats with GEN-induced kidney injury. Methods : This study involved the use of 50 rats such that graded doses of MOGL (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg p.o.) were administered following 8 days exposure to GEN (100 mg/kg i.p) and comparison were made against the control, toxic, 2 weeks and 4 weeks MOGL treatment groups at p <0.05. Results : GEN induced nephrotoxicity as depicted by significant perturbations in plasma and urine levels of creatinine and total protein (p <0.05); significantly lowered creatinine clearance and abnormal elevations of UPC as well as deleterious alterations of the kidney antioxidant system (GSH and TBARS) (p <0.05). Histopathological examination showed glomerular atrophy, formation of densely eosinophilic/ colloid cast within the tubules and severe loss of cellular constituents in the medullary interstitium. When compared with the control, these conditions were significantly normalized after 2 week MOGL treatment (p <0.05) with a deleterious reversal from normalcy at 4 week MOGL treatment (p <0.05). Conclusion : This study substantiated that MOGL has therapeutic potentials that becomes deleterious after sub-chronic administration in rat model of GEN-induced kidney injury. Key words : Gentamicin, renal function test, Ocimum gratissimum, urine protein-creatinine ratio, creatinine clearance, antioxidant system


Background: The-Optimal-Lymph-Flow (TOLF) intervention aims to promote lymph flow through therapeutic lymphatic exercises to relieve lymphatic pain, swelling, lymphedema symptoms, and to decrease lymph fluid levels among breast cancer survivors. To enhance the efficacy of the TOLF intervention, an innovative, intelligent, Kinect-enhanced lymphatic exercise intervention (Kinect-TOLF) was developed to teach patients to perform the lymphatic exercises correctly. Objectives: This feasibility trial aimed to determine the feasibility, usability, and effects of the Kinect-TOLF on lymphatic pain, swelling, lymphedema symptoms, and lymph fluid levels. Methods: A single-arm feasibility trial with a pre- and post-test design was employed to recruit 30 breast cancer survivors with persistent lymphatic pain or swelling. Patients received a single training session to learn how to perform the lymphatic exercises using the Kinect-TOLF program. Descriptive statistics, Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, t-test, Spearman's rank correlation coefficients, linear regressions, and Cohen's d were performed for data analysis. Qualitative data were assessed for common themes. Results: The Kinect-TOLF was effective in training patients to perform the lymphatic exercises correctly with high user satisfaction. Significant reductions were found in scores of lymphatic pain (MedΔ = −1.00, CI = [−1.5, −0.1], P = .004), arm/hand swelling (MedΔ = −1.00, CI = [−1.5, −0.5], P = .004), total swelling (MedΔ = −1.5, CI = [−2.0, −1.0], P = .003), number of lymphedema symptoms (MΔ = −3.8, CI = [−5.5, −2.1], P < .001), and lymphedema symptom severity (MΔ = −5.3, CI = [−9.5, −1.1], P = .016). A significant reduction in lymph fluid levels was found in mean L-Dex scores (MΔ = −2.68, CI = [−4.67, −0.69], P = .010). Greater decrease in mean L-Dex scores were found in patients with abnormal lymph fluid levels (L-Dex ≥ 7.1) (MΔ = −5.19, CI = [−1.75, −8.63], P = .008). Patients' qualitative feedback supported the results of the study. Conclusions: The Kinect-TOLF is safe, feasible, and effective in reducing lymphatic pain, swelling, lymphedema symptoms, and in decreasing lymph fluid levels. Future research should focus on a randomized clinical trial to confirm the unique or synergistic efficacy of the Kinect-TOLF in comparison with current lymphedema treatment and other forms of exercises or movement therapy. This study was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov with US ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03999177.


An original approach is presented for solving the extended unit commitment problem using the Lagrangian relaxation method. The unit ramp rates have been incorporated into a dual optimization algorithm, making it possible to use the feasible direction method for primal problem solution. The mathematical model developed also includes transmission capacity limits, regulation reserve requirements of a prespecified group of units, transmission losses, and fuel constraints. Standard unit commitment constraints such as power balance equations, fast spinning reserve constraints, and all local constraints are also taken into account. A computational package has been developed and tested over a 48 h time horizon on a large power system with 100 thermal units. The promising performance of this package makes it suitable for EMS application. >


Background
The USA ranks last in life expectancy among high-income countries. Since 2000, excess US mortality has been particularly concentrated in the working ages, which are also the ages hardest hit by the increase in drug deaths. This study measures the effect of drug-related mortality on the gap in life expectancy between the USA and other countries.

Methods
Data from the Human Mortality Database and the World Health Organization were combined to construct age-standardized mortality rates for 2000-14 in 12 high-income countries and the USA for seven broad causes of death, including drug use. The contribution of each cause to the difference in life expectancy between the USA and the other 12 countries was estimated.

Results
In 2014, the increase in drug-related deaths accounted for 10-15% of the US disadvantage in mortality, but with marked differences by age group. For working-age men, the increase in drug-related deaths accounted for up to 38% of the difference. Overall, American mortality is higher than the comparison countries across a wide range of causes.

Conclusions
The severity of the drug epidemic appears to be specific to the USA, but it only partly contributes to the American shortfall in mortality.


Background: Among adolescents, substance abuse often occurs in conjunction with risk-taking behaviors. Aims: This review explores the nature and etiology of concomitant risk-taking behaviors, addressing behavioral, genetic, temperamental, and family factors that accompany adolescent substance use. Method: A literature review was conducted to determine the breadth of factors that contribute to adolescent substance abuse and correlated risk-taking behaviors, and to identify relevant evidence-based treatments. Results: The literature review revealed that among adolescents, substance abuse occurs as part of a cluster of problems and risk-taking behaviors. Predisposing factors include temperament, genetics, neurobehavioral disinhibition, social competencies, parenting, abuse/neglect, and peer behaviors. Various interventions, including individual therapies, parent training, and family therapies comprise the empirically-supported treatments for these co-occurring behaviors. Conclusions: The literature indicates that adolescents being seen for substance-related problems should be evaluated for engagement in other risk-taking behaviors, and school, peer, and social functioning. In addition, the data support that family, versus individual, interventions should be the norm for substance-abusing adolescents. Declaration of interest: The authors neither received financial support, nor are involved in financial relationships that pose a conflict of interest for this work.


Many images of the 'artist' or 'designer' pervade the media and popular consciousness. Contemporary images of the artist and creativity that focus solely on the individual offer a very narrow depiction of the varying ways creativity occurs for artists and designers. These images do not capture the variety of creative processes and myriad ways artists and designers work. Young creatives in particular are choosing to work with a social approach to creativity. An example of this approach is the world of blogging, a form of social media where young creatives have a very active voice. This article explores how creative bloggers, that is, artists, designers and makers who blog about their practice, use a social approach to foster creativity with a sense of community, environmental and ethical awareness, a value framework that is in opposition to the market-driven notion of liberal individualism. Is there a way to include participation in the broader art and design blogging world as part of art and design education? What can we learn from such a social approach to learning in higher education art and design programmes? This article explores these questions and shares findings of an ethnographic approach to an analysis of art and design blogs. In doing so it argues for a socially-wise approach to creativity in art and design education as a means of promoting values other than those usually connected to the market